PL 2024/2025 - Expectations For This Season

[Gunnersaurus]

So what are your hopes and expectations for your team this season? What would be acceptable and what would be unacceptable for you? 

I think arsenal will win the league this year. I think we've been closing the gap on city and think we will do it this year. 

I think to finish out of the top two would be very bad. I don't expect much from Liverpool this season as they have lost klopp so I think to finish below any other teams would be a huge disappointment as we were so far ahead of them last season

 

[Stan]

Survival. At any cost.

Impending points deduction will derail our season somewhat, but if we can overcome that, I'll be happy. No-one knows a) how many points it'll be and b) when it'll be decided and implemented. I'd rather it be decided from the start so we know where we stand. 

Even if we finish 17th, it's survival and then we can build on that and put the deductions and hard slog that the season will be behind us. We have a difficult period between Feb-Apr (playing all of Chelsea, Man Utd, Arsenal, Man City, Newcastle & Liverpool in those months). 

I don't know what to make of Cooper yet, and we still need more creative players in the squad, especially a central midfielder and striker. We've lost plenty of goal contributions with Dewsbury-Hall leaving, and not yet replaced him. The positive is that we've managed to keep Fatawu, but it's hard to place all the creativity on his (and Mavididi's) shoulders. 

 

Man City will win the league. They'll sadly find a way. Arsenal to perhaps push them closer. Liverpool perhaps the next best challengers.

Don't think Man Utd and Chelsea will amount to much. The latter are set to be in for a weird season - a manager that Chelsea fans seemingly didn't want, players played out of position and it wouldn't surprise me if Maresca was one of the first few managers to be sacked. Boehly has no patience and Maresca's already starting on the back foot.

I'm most intrigued by Villa - splashed the cash, in Champions League and be interesting to see how their league form is impacted. 

Think Southampton and Ipswich will be near the bottom. Perhaps Everton, Brentford, Forest and maybe Fulham near the bottom?

[RandoEFC+]

I'll just be happy to go a full season without us being odds on for relegation at some point. I'd love to see us replicate last season's performances without the points deductions and just hover between 11th-15th all season.

[LFCMike]

I think despite losing Klopp, I'd be disappointed if we finished outside the top four. Certainly not expecting a title challenge. I feel like Klopp left decent foundations for Slot to start from and with one or two additions we should be good for top four. That's not to say if we finish outside the top four I'll be wanting them to sack Slot and rip everything up to start again. That'll obviously depend on performances and whether we can see a style of play developing that could lead to success in the future.

We've got a decent set of fixtures in the first couple months on paper so hopefully we can get off to a good start.

Not sure what to expect from us in the Champions League but reaching the knockout round should be the minimum expectation.

[Gunnersaurus]

18 minutes ago, LFCMike said:

I think despite losing Klopp, I'd be disappointed if we finished outside the top four. Certainly not expecting a title challenge. I feel like Klopp left decent foundations for Slot to start from and with one or two additions we should be good for top four. That's not to say if we finish outside the top four I'll be wanting them to sack Slot and rip everything up to start again. That'll obviously depend on performances and whether we can see a style of play developing that could lead to success in the future.

We've got a decent set of fixtures in the first couple months on paper so hopefully we can get off to a good start.

Not sure what to expect from us in the Champions League but reaching the knockout round should be the minimum expectation.

Its good to see that you have a bit of patience. I've always felt that lack of patience is a major issue in modern football. Sometimes things take time 

[LFCMike]

34 minutes ago, Gunnersaurus said:

Its good to see that you have a bit of patience. I've always felt that lack of patience is a major issue in modern football. Sometimes things take time 

Yep, Arteta a good example at Arsenal. I know he won an FA Cup early on but that was then followed by a couple of seasons where he was under serious pressure before they started to challenge

[Dave]

In Glasner I think Crystal Palace have a Manager who could be very special. I really hope he stays a full season. 

Sadly we don't know what squad Crystal Palace will be left with given the high quality of certain individuals and interest they've inevitably attracted from elsewhere. 

A top half finish again would be a very good season, but if the starting XI can remain fit with the players leaving being adequately replaced alongside this manager then the likes of Brighton, West Ham and Aston Villa have shown what's possible.

I'm still having an internal battle with myself over the impending signing, but what's surprised me is no Palace fans are talking about it. Even those that were directly affected by it, so I'm leaning towards the 'if nobody else cares why should I' viewpoint which is very negative and still makes me uncomfortable. But I probably won't know how to feel until he's playing in a Palace shirt.

[Gunnersaurus]

1 hour ago, LFCMike said:

Yep, Arteta a good example at Arsenal. I know he won an FA Cup early on but that was then followed by a couple of seasons where he was under serious pressure before they started to challenge

He was one game from the sack. We beat Chelsea but had we lost he was probably gone 

[6666]

Getting close twice and not winning it has been annoying. We've made good progress but we need to win it now. Especially as at some point I feel like we'd have missed our chance and then it's someone else's turn to be Man City's challengers.

Edited July 31 by 6666

[Dan+]

Mine are the lowest they've ever been going into a Premier League season. I think without drastic action we could come 20th even if we all started on 0 - let alone before we're docked any points. I'm completely uninspired.

We seem to have this really decent reputation outside of Leicester. I've watched numerous previews of the season and I'm amazed just how infrequently we're tipped to go down. The thing is this is what should be the case. We were a well-established Premier League club until the suicide of 2022/23 and now we go in as bookies favourites for the drop. We have a new manager who I'm pretty unconvinced by. We have a weaker side than we probably did a year ago. We're almost certainly heading for a points deduction. It's totally uninspiring. I did always prefer Leicester with no expectations because I think we tend to do better than when we have them on us, but it requires a real us against them attitude and I think with the way the club continues to take the piss out of the fans that we're severing that sort of mindset already and it's far likelier to just spill into toxicity.

Not happy.

[OrangeKhrush]

7th would be solid, got some key players back and Tonali returns but we haven't had the best window to date.   There is time for change but on current trim 7th would be acceptable 

Edited August 1 by OrangeKhrush

[Happy Blue]

Avoid playing MK Dons and the like next season 

[Dan+]

In my head our first game is about 5/6 weeks away. It's a fortnight away. The 5/6 weeks illusion is largely created by the state of our side.

I'm pretty confident currently we'll go down.

[OrangeKhrush]

5 hours ago, Dan said:

In my head our first game is about 5/6 weeks away. It's a fortnight away. The 5/6 weeks illusion is largely created by the state of our side.

I'm pretty confident currently we'll go down.

This transfer window we are seeing PSR destroy the league.  Nothing major has been done.  If the season starts now, it's hard to look beyond Arsenal winning it

[CaaC (John)+]

Well, this will be the 'Last Chance Saloon' for ET then he can 'Go Home' to ET land if he comes unstuck, I'm still not 100% with him yet so he has a lot to do to convince me, let's see how the first few games start.

I tipped Arsenal last season so I will stick by them again and say they will win the league on the second try around for Arteta, I can't or don't want City to win the title again so @Happy Blue can cream his pants in frustration.

A bit of a shocker for Pep last time around as he only had the league title to drown his sorrows in and not a clean sweep of the trophies like his season before. 

[Happy Blue]

2 hours ago, CaaC (John) said:

A bit of a shocker for Pep last time around as he only had the league title to drown his sorrows in and not a clean sweep of the trophies like his season before. 

Hmm, we did a treble last season John, old age is catching up with you   ..4 in a row, back to back trebles this season will be 5 in a row with a quad 

 

 

[Dan+]

8 hours ago, OrangeKhrush said:

This transfer window we are seeing PSR destroy the league.  Nothing major has been done.  If the season starts now, it's hard to look beyond Arsenal winning it

I do think PSR is a complete disgrace but I am naturally going to say that. I'm forever in a tricky position here - I think both the rules, and Leicester ourselves, are ridiculous and deserve kickback. But any criticism of one can easily be mistaken as defence of the other and it's just simply not the case for me personally.

Another wank friendly from us today. I know there are debates every year about friendlies and I know they don't matter in the grand scheme but I do think they'll give you clues. Well I'm not excited.

[OrangeKhrush]

48 minutes ago, Dan said:

I do think PSR is a complete disgrace but I am naturally going to say that. I'm forever in a tricky position here - I think both the rules, and Leicester ourselves, are ridiculous and deserve kickback. But any criticism of one can easily be mistaken as defence of the other and it's just simply not the case for me personally.

Another wank friendly from us today. I know there are debates every year about friendlies and I know they don't matter in the grand scheme but I do think they'll give you clues. Well I'm not excited.

I know that feeling,  I am not happy with this off season at all and think we are banking on the Tonali return and Botman being back sooner than previously anticipated as "like a new signing".   Gordon and Trippier haven't had any pre season yet and callum wilson is doing the callum wilson thing where he gets injured.    

It looks like we will have Murphy and Almiron on that right flank again which is not a way you seize the opportunity of having less games to play but trying to push a top 4 or 5 finish. 

 

[Dan+]

6 hours ago, OrangeKhrush said:

I know that feeling,  I am not happy with this off season at all and think we are banking on the Tonali return and Botman being back sooner than previously anticipated as "like a new signing".   Gordon and Trippier haven't had any pre season yet and callum wilson is doing the callum wilson thing where he gets injured.    

It looks like we will have Murphy and Almiron on that right flank again which is not a way you seize the opportunity of having less games to play but trying to push a top 4 or 5 finish. 

I've been quite high on Newcastle going into this season and think your drop off was a lot linked to the intensity you play at and the eventual lack of squad depth, as well as a genuinely horror run of draws. Was a bit of a perfect storm but for all the wrong reasons, and you still bagged a decent finish out of it. I think you've got a shot of the top four.

It's really hit me watching us again earlier how down I am about us. I really hadn't given it loads of thought but I only clocked a couple of days ago that our season begins in two weeks and we've got a squad state as if it's a good six or seven weeks away. No Dewsbury-Hall replacement. Vardy injured and clearly won't be fresh for the opener, leaving our striker options of Daka and Cannon - two players who are simply not going to be good enough this season nor are they good at leading a line on their own. He's playing Ndidi too advanced, I thought Cooper would at least keep Ndidi doing the basics where he thrived but the early signs are in pre-season he's going to make the same errors Rodgers did. I'd have let him go on this evidence. We've got absolutely no attacking midfielders bar young Will Alves who has had fewer minutes in attacking midfield than Ndidi in preseason - if he can't get them now, when the fuck is he going to?

I think I'd feel a fair bit more at ease if we went and signed Matt O'Riley and Adebayo this week. Two good players, good fits who both have a point to prove. But fat fucking chance. The Soule pursuit made me think we were going to spend a bit this summer but I'm seeing the same old patterns from us.

It's just a whole load of fucking rubbish. Even without the points deduction I think we'd drop.

[OrangeKhrush]

8 hours ago, Dan said:

I've been quite high on Newcastle going into this season and think your drop off was a lot linked to the intensity you play at and the eventual lack of squad depth, as well as a genuinely horror run of draws. Was a bit of a perfect storm but for all the wrong reasons, and you still bagged a decent finish out of it. I think you've got a shot of the top four.

It's really hit me watching us again earlier how down I am about us. I really hadn't given it loads of thought but I only clocked a couple of days ago that our season begins in two weeks and we've got a squad state as if it's a good six or seven weeks away. No Dewsbury-Hall replacement. Vardy injured and clearly won't be fresh for the opener, leaving our striker options of Daka and Cannon - two players who are simply not going to be good enough this season nor are they good at leading a line on their own. He's playing Ndidi too advanced, I thought Cooper would at least keep Ndidi doing the basics where he thrived but the early signs are in pre-season he's going to make the same errors Rodgers did. I'd have let him go on this evidence. We've got absolutely no attacking midfielders bar young Will Alves who has had fewer minutes in attacking midfield than Ndidi in preseason - if he can't get them now, when the fuck is he going to?

I think I'd feel a fair bit more at ease if we went and signed Matt O'Riley and Adebayo this week. Two good players, good fits who both have a point to prove. But fat fucking chance. The Soule pursuit made me think we were going to spend a bit this summer but I'm seeing the same old patterns from us.

It's just a whole load of fucking rubbish. Even without the points deduction I think we'd drop.

Last season we were doing well up until 1 December 2023 following a game were we beat Man United 1-0 but it could have been 4 or 5 such was the dominance,  we lost Nick Pope to a seemingly innocuous injury that turned into a season ending dislocation at that stage we were around 5th or 6th and looking good.   Martin Dubravka does not have the presence or ability of Pope,  add in a run of injuries to other key players led to a very rough December and January.   Last season we had the most minutes missed by players excluding Tonali from that list with around 2000 minutes missed.   Willock played 3-4 games all season,  Joelinton missed 3 months, Trippier 2 months,  Botman missed 2 months tried to return then had to get shut down in January with aggravated stress injury to his ACL requiring surgery (he is already back in conditioning training and expected to return around October),  Wilson managed only 1200 minutes,  Lascelles who did well also blew his ACL and Harvey Barnes had some freakish foot injury that side lined him until January/February. 

We have time to get business done but the price in August has August taxes on it,  links to Guehi as an alternative to Thiaw,  maybe its to try get milan to meet us inbetween the 40m euro they want and the 30m euro we offered to get the deal done.   Guehi at 70m,  I don't see it happening.  I think we are close to completing the Osula signing which is more of a third striker option as Wilson is completely unreliable. 

 

[Bluewolf]

Going by what I have seen in pre-season I have zero expectations... By the time Maresca figures out his best 11 and then gets them to buy in to his ideas and tactics 10 or 15 games will have gone by and then it will be another mad end of season scramble to try and push for something that could be considered a reasonable finish with the games that remain.. 

Nothing I have seen so far would convince me that we have plugged the leaking defence from last season or improved our clinical finishing up front.. I expect a much rougher season than the last one.. 

 

 

[Cicero]

18 minutes ago, Bluewolf said:

Going by what I have seen in pre-season I have zero expectations... By the time Maresca figures out his best 11 and then gets them to buy in to his ideas and tactics 10 or 15 games will have gone by and then it will be another mad end of season scramble to try and push for something that could be considered a reasonable finish with the games that remain.. 

Nothing I have seen so far would convince me that we have plugged the leaking defence from last season or improved our clinical finishing up front.. I expect a much rougher season than the last one.. 

 

 

Fold the club if we don't win the Conference League. 

[Dr. Gonzo]

On 31/07/2024 at 09:50, LFCMike said:

I think despite losing Klopp, I'd be disappointed if we finished outside the top four. Certainly not expecting a title challenge. I feel like Klopp left decent foundations for Slot to start from and with one or two additions we should be good for top four. That's not to say if we finish outside the top four I'll be wanting them to sack Slot and rip everything up to start again. That'll obviously depend on performances and whether we can see a style of play developing that could lead to success in the future.

We've got a decent set of fixtures in the first couple months on paper so hopefully we can get off to a good start.

Not sure what to expect from us in the Champions League but reaching the knockout round should be the minimum expectation.

This

[OrangeKhrush]

20 hours ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

This

I think the "crisis actors" of Liverpool in media are making much out of nothing.   A slip in April was all that saw you slide out of a title run and you have basically a good core.

Yes not much is happening transfer wise but I don't think liverpool need much business, 2 signings should be enough.

[Dr. Gonzo]

2 hours ago, OrangeKhrush said:

I think the "crisis actors" of Liverpool in media are making much out of nothing.   A slip in April was all that saw you slide out of a title run and you have basically a good core.

Yes not much is happening transfer wise but I don't think liverpool need much business, 2 signings should be enough.

Our slip was pretty bad tbf & in the competing with Man Cheaty era of the prem you basically can’t afford any slips that last longer than 3 matches or they’ll fucking win the league.