Though it is early in the close season, it is never too early to begin speculating about the fortunes of our favorite clubs next season - especially now that the management of each team is apparently settled and many of the biggest transfers are public knowledge. Which teams (outside of Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United) are best prepared to mount a title challenge - if not this year than in the next three? Please justify your opinion by analyzing: financial condition, current strengths and current weaknesses.
Liverpool are easily best placed. They have a transfer kitty (OK it's not Chelsea size, but they'll be bidding for a few reinforcements), a new manager who as a success at his last job should be able to attract a few decent players and I don't buy reports of Gerrard or Owen going anywhere. Still, they'll need a couple of years to get into a challenging position.
'Pool are best placed, but with the upheaval from Thailand and the possibility of Gerrard leaving, I think that could turn the tide towards 'Toon-Town. Only way around it should Stevie go would be a massive turnaround and goal scoring frenzy on Owen's part.
Bump. So far it is Liverpool in a landslide. Come on all you Newcastle, Totts, etc supporters. Are you conceding that your teams are still a long way off? Remember - the scope of the question does not pertain solely to the upcoming season. Do any of you think your team is best placed on a 2 or 3 year plan? Don't forget that some of the current top teams have a bit of age in the squad (Newcastle) . . . and that teams like Chelsea very much depend on the continuous injection of money from a man whose personal wealth is extremely large, but who is in a very risky business and political atmosphere (check out the biographies of recent Russian petrochemical tycoons - the only way the biographies differ is in the way that each met his demise - the choose-your-own-adventure pathways have included dying in fireballs, assasination, bankruptcy and imprisonment for treason). Not that I am hoping for such a thing, but the trite phrase "anything can happen" might be better applied as "many things are likely to happen" when pertaining to Mr. Abramovitch. Your team may be very close to challenging for a title!
I would nearly put money on Liverpool players like Cheyrou, La Tallec, Sinama-Pongolle, Riise, Partridge and Diouf to become 100% better now that Houllier is gone.