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I meant more for next season. Agreed that this season we’re probably in line with what we should have got (although I think seasons before we underperformed).

Stating the obvious but nowadays in the PL you need both an elite team and an elite manager to challenge for the title (which wasn’t always the case 5+ years ago).

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comment by Gazza (U1266)
posted 6 minutes ago
The main test for me of Lampard's management is really going to be his coaching and play development skills. If this project/plan is going to work, he's going to need to prove himself capable of taking good players and making them great players.

For example, can he do with Pulisic what Guardiola has done with Sterling (or what Klopp has done with Mane) (or Jose did for Lampard himself back in 2004).
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Agreed.

Theres a lot more pressure going into next season, not just with it being his second year but also he's going to have responsibility over a lot of big summer signings.

Hes doing it with Mount imo

He's been good with the older players as well

Getting what he has out of Azpi, Willian and Giroud. Especially with Giroud seemingly almost out the door in January

comment by Gazza (U1266)
posted 28 minutes ago
With the players we have, I think 66 points was about right. Previous 2 seasons with Hazard and a fully fit Kante, we got 70-72 points. Losing Hazard and with Kante only fit for half the season but adding Pulisic, Mount and Abraham - a 5-ish point reduction was probably about right (maybe a slight over performance).
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I agree to an extent.

Although, we have had quite a lot of reinforcements coming into this season. Pulisic was signed in January but joined in the summer, so he was an addition.

Then you had a lot of players coming back from loan who were involved. Mount, Tomori, Zouma, Tammy and James were all big additions to the squad.

Whilst not signings themselves, having them come into the team has strengthened us. Also, two players of which Tomori and Mount played under him previously - which in a way is similar to what Sarri had with Jorginho.

Also, at least it's not unheard of for managers to only have a couple of additions coming in from the summer.

Carlo's 1st season only really had Zhirkov come in. In the summer of his second season we added Benayoun and Ramires.

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Carlo didn’t really need reinforcements in 2009 beyond Zhirkov, because under Hiddink our squad was already very good. Scolari wasn’t getting the most out of that crop of players.

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comment by Gazza (U1266)
posted 5 minutes ago
comment by CSTP (U1453)
posted 7 minutes ago
Carlo didn’t really need reinforcements in 2009 beyond Zhirkov, because under Hiddink our squad was already very good. Scolari wasn’t getting the most out of that crop of players.
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We did try very hard that summer to sign Pirlo and Pato but couldn't get either deal done.
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comment by CSTP (U1453)
posted 13 minutes ago
Carlo didn’t really need reinforcements in 2009 beyond Zhirkov, because under Hiddink our squad was already very good. Scolari wasn’t getting the most out of that crop of players.
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The benchmark was a lot higher with these players

Though when comparing the managers respective accomplishments, Carlo is the clear winner.

Which is fairly understandable as Carlo was one of the best managers around, whilst Lampard's a little bit of a newbie still.

We also did need reinforcements, we just didn't get any.

I think Lamps has shown he can improve both young and experienced players. Before the season started we were getting laughed at by some for thinking that our young players from the Championship could step up and do a job for us in the PL. Pretty sure that Tammy, James, Tomori and Mount especially have made the naysayers eat their words. All under Lampard's guidance.

As for Giroud he could barely buy a PL prior to this season. This season since the restart he can't stop scoring PL goals.

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When gazza starts making jokes or using exclamation marks, you know he ain’t messing about.

https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11667/12038078/jadon-sancho-manchester-united-confident-of-deal-as-jack-grealish-interest-cools

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Or they changed your core processor

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Martial
Rashford Bruno Sancho

Or

Werner
Pulisic Havertz Ziyech

comment by Gazza (U1266)
posted 16 minutes ago
Superb you do know that it isn't a criticism of Lampard to say he's going to need to do something in order for this team to succeed?

I kind of wonder if I wrote Lampard needs to remain alive for approximately another year in order to turn 43, if you would respond with Lampard has shown over his prior 42 years that staying alive an additional year will be no problem for him.
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Bloody ell calm down Gazza I wasn't responding directly to any comment you made I was just joining in the general chat.