There's too many uncertainties to have a good go at a forecast at this stage
Guardiola might struggle, but he's got the core of a very good team able to play the sort of football he'll look to implement. Conte too could be great or he could be rubbish in English football and blow up. But I expect both these teams to spend big this summer on proven quality who play in the style the managers want.
Spurs are going to have to contend with ECL football and, whilst they've built experience of two games a week in the Europa, the CL is more demanding. Good enough squad to challenge again, and I don't see any stars leaving, but perhaps the 2017/18 season is when they'll peak.
Liverpool will continue to improve slowly, but we've too many players who are good-but-not-great; in other words too good to discard as failures, but not good enough to lift us to the higher heights; again it'll all depend on whether Klopp brings in some proven quality in key areas and be brutal where necessary (and whether the squad will be able to deploy his tactics more consistently with a Klopp pre-season behind them)
Whether Wenger stays or not, I think next year the Gunners will struggle to make the top 4. Sanchez, who's carried them at times this past couple of seasons, is getting restless I feel, and it'll either be another year of increasing atrophy under Wenger or a transitional period under a new boss.
Who knows who'll be in the Old Trafford manager's seat next season. Could they sack LVG after winning the cup? Would Maureen get instant improvement or just rub players & fans up with his hyper-ego and park-the-bus tactics? They'll no doubt throw more bucketloads of cash at players, but recent purchasing has been pretty rubbish. Could challenge, but I think the job is a bit too big for one season.
Everton...hmmm... BobbyBS won't be in charge next year, after his shelf-life once again passes. If the new rich owner brings in a good manager and invests in players to bolster an already decent squad (and if they keep hold of Lukaku), then they should be top-8. West Ham will be facing European football for the first time in a while and won't find it easy.
Of the rest, Leicester will be mid-table. The demands of being reigning champs and having ECL football will be too much - and that's even with Kante, who is hot property now (not to mention Mahrez & Vardy, but I think these two are more emotionally wedded to Leicester). Southampton could easily be in the top 8 again, whilst Stoke could kick on if they don't fall away once more; either could take the place of Wet Spam. I also think if Newcastle escape relegation & keep Rafa, they'll be transformed and could crack the top 8.
Saying all that, my top 8 forecast as it stands now would be:
- City
- Chelsea
- Spurs
- Liverpool
- arsenal
- Man U
- Everton
- West Ham
Originally Posted by: Saint Snow