Lastly, the strikers have to be worrying. Drogba on song is fantastic. Drogba on song is something we haven't seen at all in 2008. Add to this the fact that he is unsettled and you are looking at a main striker that no one really has faith in. His deputies carry even less favour. Shevchenko seems to have left his heart and his ability in Milan, Kalou is becoming a winger and Anelka is throwing his toys out the cot again because he isn't a winger!
So while they have in no means gone backwards, no major strides forward can be seen...
Manchester United FC
The first question here is: Do United need to improve to retain their title? Personally, I believe the gulf in quality of last year was down to United being really good and the other three being absolutely abysmal when it really counted. So I expect this season to be much closer, so yes they do need to improve.
Everyone loves signing Brazilians! They add an extra dimension to the often formulaic English game. But for young twin full backs to be your only signings of the season, you cannot claim to have made progress. Fergie has been pleasantly surprised with their performances in friendlies but no one can honestly expect Evra, Silvestre, Brown and Neville to be worried for their first team positions just yet...
Many people will say United's steps forward are being made in the squad they have as many young players are getting better and better and no one can argue the huge talent and potential in Nani and Anderson. So to be honest, United are probably a slightly better team than last year.
That will all turn around dramatically if 40 goals and 10 odd assists walks out the door and heads off to Madrid. Chances are Christiano Ronaldo will stay but no one can say that for certain, despite what Fergie says.
If he leaves, United are in trouble. Yes they will receive a huge amount of cash, but cash has never been a problem for them and if the transfer happens close to the end of the transfer window, that wad of cash cannot come on the pitch and score goals!!
Liverpool FC
Now finally I can come to the reasons Liverpool fans can smile...
Robbie Keane is class. That is undeniable... He has scored more than 20 goals each of the last two seasons behind Berbatov. Before that he scored 17 and 15 respectively when he wasn't an automatic first team choice.
So adding him up front with Torres, I believe you have a strike pair that can better the pair he was in at Spurs. Now imagine those goals in front of a decent defence and you see what Liverpool have this season. Add to that the goals from Gerrard and Babel...
The rest of Liverpool's confirmed transfers, in and out, more or less cancel each other out so far as the first team is concerned, so if Liverpool can sign Gareth Barry and somehow avoid selling Xabi Alonso to Arsenal then they have really made huge advances.
Adding Barry to the central midfield of Gerrard, Mascherano, Alonso, Lucas and Plessis is enough to make every other team in the division salivate!
Daniel Agger's return to fitness is another reason to smile as he can now pair up with Martin Skrtel, allowing the good but not as good as he was Jamie Carragher to move to the right vacated by the possible transfers of Arbeloa and Finnan, and allowing Sami Hyypia to finally have the 10/15 appearance season he has been threatening for a few seasons now...
So many facts that point to Liverpool really making a challenge. But being a Liverpool fan means being a realist and I fully expect, around Christmas time, to be putting together the smashed up pieces of my hopes and dreams, looking forward to midweek European games and writing an article as to how next season will be our year...
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