It's safe to say that Manchester United are going to win their 20th title this year. City are 12 points behind at this point and 3rd place Chelsea are 16. So it got me thinking, who do you guys think is going to be able to challenge Man U next year for the title? Will Man U dominate next season too? Is the premier league becoming more and more like La liga? Or will other teams beside Man City challenge for first place next season? If so, who and how?  

I think it's really going to come down to who wins the current scrap for CL places; this is going to set the tone for the next 5 or 6 years. However, there are some distinct advantages, for some clubs...

Man City and Chelsea will both buy large in the summer, of that I assure you. Their seasons are over, aside from perhaps an FA Cup run, and securing their place in the Top 3-4, which for Man City at least is looking comfortable. But here's the thing; even before their spending spree, these guys have the likes of Mata, Silva, Aguero, Hazard, Oscar, Kompany, Toure, Nasri, Luiz, Ramires, Hart, Zabaletta, Cech and Courtois. 

These are not weak teams. They are, however, teams in need of a couple of key elements to raise their game to the very elite level. Expect both of them to be active in bringing top-quality strikers and some defensive security. Maybe even some more magic in midfield, for City; I'd not be surprised if I saw them go in for Isco as well as someone like Falcao.

Also factor in that they well be poaching from whoever does not make the cut, such as Suarez, Cabaye, or Fellaini...

Arsenal and Tottenham are the two most complete teams, out of the rest of the pack. Both of them are well put-together, and have been assembled moderately expensively, but also with purpose. They're both very good teams as well as being a good collection of players. But here's the thing; they don't have the cash of City or Chelsea to ensure their survival in this race.

If Tottenham miss out on CL football for another season (or two), then Bale etc are on their way abroad. If they do get CL football, then the team is good enough to attract real high-quality talent from across the continent, and talents like Bale have less reason to depart; if all goes well, they could be fighting for the title as early as next year, but two would be the more conservative estimate.

But the same can be said of Arsenal. Despite all the woes Arsenal are enduring, they've also got some good reasons to be cheerful, too. Cazorla has been a revelation for them, Walcott is becoming more complete every season, Wilshire has a stellar future, and there's good, young talent in every department. If they hang on to CL football, they can continue to grow their team following the turnover of Fabregas, Song, RVP and Clichy, and they are financially very stable, thanks to how the board have managed the Emirates stadium project.

However, if they lose their place in the CL, then expect in a couple of seasons to see Walcott and Wilshire slip off to one of their richer competitors, or even following RVP's footsteps to Old Trafford. In which case it really would be ushering in an era of mid-table lounging.

Liverpool, Everton and Newcastle are a different kettle of fish, and for the first two at least, while it's a long shot, they'll be desperate for CL football, as they have the worst chances of hanging in the fight, if they don't. If Liverpool are stuck competing for the Europa League instead for another season, then Suarez is gone, Gerrard is old, and Liverpool will have nothing to replace them with. Coutinho is a nice, exciting prospect, and Rodgers has some lovely football being played, but unless it's enough to power them back to the Top 4, then they'll be stuck where Swansea is now; playing great, but just not good enough.

Everton face similar problems with Fellaini, and even Baines and Jelavic. Newcastle have a great team now, despite this season's form, and they may well chug along nicely as they click into gear, but you have to wonder if Ben Arfa and Cabaye would turn down an escape to a slightly better prospect, should they fail to make the grade for another season after this one.

tl;dr: These next couple of seasons will be crucial; our elite powerhouses of the next 5 or 6 years will emerge from this scrap, as the losers (whoever they may be) slip beneath them into a more tangible 2nd tier, and the hierarchy is solidified.

Do you think Financial Fair Play will eventually have an impact large enough in the premier league to see teams like Chelsea and City take positions out of the top four?  In regards to CL places setting the tone for next couple of seasons, I'd say I mostly agree.  But, Liverpool are obviously building a great future, so I doubt that if they miss CL this season they won't be part of the hierarchy of the next 5 or 6 years.  I've never seen a club so eager to renew, buy, and play very young players.  Not looking at the table but looking at how they are playing, Liverpool could be beat anybody in the EPL, and I'm not sure you can say this about Everton or Newcastle. I hope you're right when you say Tottenham or Arsenal can challenge for the title next season. But Tottenham are much more likely to lose star players if they don't get CL than Arsenal.  

Have you guys heard of the FFP like rules that were accepted by the majority of the EPL clubs? I believe this will likely affect teams with less revenue. Now that there will most likely be a price cap like in the Bundesliga, clubs with higher revenues than others will succeed. Chelsea need a new stadium and possibly a new sponsor... Maybe Roman will use his oilgarch in Russia as the sponsor like the owners of PSG did :P. While many fans of smaller clubs will probably celebrate this as a chance to level the playing field a bit, the reality is that this will likely make it even harder for those clubs to compete. Clubs like Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal, etc will still dwarf the revenues that clubs like Everton have to work with, and the regulations will likely prevent smaller clubs from investing heavily in the short term to improve the on-field product. These FFP like rules might also change who the contenders for the trophy will be.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2013/soccer/wires/02/07/2080.ap.soc.premier.league.finances.4th.ld.writethru.665/index.html?mobile=no#

^For those who don't know much of the new rules about transfers in the EPL

@Gustavo: Liverpool are building, sure, but they rely heavily upon Suarez and Gerrard. Sturridge's arrival has been exciting, don't get me wrong, but without Suarez I think Liverpool would be very different, and with no natural replacement for the leadership Gerrard brings, or what he can do, I think Suarez is vital to Liverpool's prospects.

If he leaves (which I think he will, if Liverpool don't make it), I worry for them. 

As for Tottenham being more likely to lose players than Arsenal, I agree. But, without trying to piss off any Gooners, I think that's because Arsenal have already lost theirs. Spurs have been building and strengthening while Arsenal have been selling and performing maintenance; sure Bale might go, but right now he's the only one I think the biggest clubs would come knocking for, and we're committed to charging ~60m for him. For that chunk of change we could rescue Hulk from Zenit, and strengthen our squad even further with some more buys.

But yeah, if Spurs fail to get to the level we're hoping for, then I can imagine players like Dembele, Vertonghen and this new kid Holtby being approached in a couple of seasons' time. The next season or so really is crucial for everyone.

I think the FFP will have an effect, yes. But then, how this effect manifests itself may not be to the liking of the poorer clubs; at least, not as much as they think. It may even be too late.

Consider Chelsea. They spent hugely last summer, and I expect more of the same this coming one. Ultimately, they needed to, too. Terry is nearly done, Lampard is playing brilliantly, but still is 34. Cech is starting to lose his mobility. Drogba's gone (and was aging too). Anelka has gone. Cole is still great, but is starting to slow. Essien has been loaned to Real Madrid. Ivanovic is fading, too.

That's a LOT of old stars who are suddenly no longer the future of this team. That's why they underperformed last season in the league, and this season in the CL (and are struggling with form in the league too). Chelsea are having to buy nearly a whole new team, to replace the old one.

But, they're buying young. Oscar, Luiz, Ramires, Hazard (and his bro), Cahill, Courtois, Marin, Ba. That's a young, very good team that is still being assembled, and when they have all bases covered, is going to be VERY tough to play against. Imagine them plucking Falcao from Atletico, and Suarez from Liverpool. Imagine them shelling out for Baines from Everton, or Vermaelen from Arsenal.

Imagine Man City doing the same thing.

Now, you can say that FFP will clamp down on this, but, will it really? Chelsea only need a couple more pieces of the puzzle (which they can get before FFP kicks in). If those pieces fit, and work, then the club can live off the income generated by their success. Yes, it will have cost a lot to assemble, but, because they've been going young this time (instead of picking up aging stars from Serie A and La Liga), they will not have to spend that much once it HAS been assembled.

If Chelsea/Man City/PSG etc stop spending... then where will the clubs they buy from get their money?

Look at Atletico Madrid. They are in debt to the tune of 514m euros. How on earth could they cover this debt, even to stay afloat? They certainly won't get kinda money by winning things; La Liga is a two-horse race, despite Real performing poorly this year, they are not good enough to win the CL, and the EL is not lucrative enough. Where is the money going to come from? Where has it come from already?

Well. They got ~30m from Liverpool for Torres, 45m from Man City for Aguero, and are looking to get 50+m for Falcao.

Valencia are similar: ~30m for Silva, and ~30m for Mata. How much of Valencia's debt was paid off by this? Apparently, not enough, since the city council literally just took over control of the club, because of that debt.

What happens to these clubs when the rich ones stop buying their players? They lose their only real source of non-ticket income. And lest anyone think I am picking on Spanish sides, half of the Premiership is in debt, too.

There is simply no way that this situation can be sustained. Even if FFP kicks in, it will hurt just as many selling clubs as it restricts buying clubs. 

@Vendetta: Exactly.

As a Liverpool fan, I don't think Liverpool will be too different without Suarez. At least not so much so that they will lose all hope for CL or EPL title anytime soon, same goes for Tottenham and Bale. And if Suarez goes, Liverpool will also have a nice chunk to buy players. I guess you and Vendetta are right, there simply is no way that this situation can be sustained because again like you said, it's really just too late. I'd also slightly disagree when you say Arsenal have been 'maintaining' more than 'building'. Arteta, Carzola, Podolski, and Giroud don't seem like building to you? A team that sells or loses as much players as Arsenal have no choice but to re-build. I really hope those teams you mentioned don't buy too much, obviously that would make everything really boring. 

@Gustavo: "As a Liverpool fan, I don't think Liverpool will be too different without Suarez. At least not so much so that they will lose all hope for CL or EPL title anytime soon"

I... can't think of any time in the last 5 years Liverpool had ANY hope, for those two... O.o If not for Suarez these last couple of seasons, I think Liverpool would have averaged 10th in the league. :(

"Arteta, Carzola, Podolski, and Giroud don't seem like building to you?"

Not when we've seen Song, RVP, Fabregas and Nasri leave in the last couple of seasons, no. I think Wenger's trying very hard to keep it together, but the incoming players are not on the level of the ones who have left. The Arsenal of 3 years ago were beast compared to this one.

"I really hope those teams you mentioned don't buy too much, obviously that would make everything really boring."

In which case, no more 50m windfalls for Liverpool, for a Torres who has never the same after injury. Do you see what I mean? If the buying teams stop buying... the selling clubs see their revenues freeze up.

5 years? Well, 2007 we were 3rd, 2008 4th, 2009 2nd.  

I honestly think it's ridiculous that people think Nasri is better than Arteta, Carzola or Podolski. I think most managers are trying very hard to "keep it together". 

Yes Chelsea brought Torres, but we didn't exactly need the money. It would have been a lot more exciting if Torres had stayed and we didn't buy Carrol. 

I see what you mean, but that doesn't make everything exciting. It's boring, like I said.  It's too late to fix a problem they have made themselves I guess.

You cannot compare Nasri to Arteta or Podolski. Nasri is an AM, while Podolski is a winger and Arteta is a CM. As for Nasri vs. Cazorla, it's an interesting debate. :D

I'll let Arsenal fans choose over that one. ;)

@Gustavo: I forgot about coming 2nd in 2009. My bad. But still; wasn't that with a Torres who left for 50m?

I'm sure the Reds liked the cash, but they've never recovered, football-wise, from letting their best asset go. If Suarez goes the same way... I don't think Liverpool having the pulling power to find another. :/

Liverpool were struggling before they sold Torres. Our current downfall had to with the previous ownership (and because in sports, teams are always going up and down, look at Juventus and Borussia Dortmund) and not because we sold a good player. You agreed when you said Bale would leave if Tottenham don't get CL, and then said 'with the money be able to buy someone like Hulk'.  Why is it that if Liverpool lose a good player they won't have the 'pulling power' to find another?

@Gustavo: *sighs* Because the best they've been able to attract thus far have been Carroll, Downing and Sturridge. :( Coutinho may well prove to be an awesome signing, but, let's face it: Rodgers is having to search in the bargain basement. I'm not saying this to be mean to Liverpool, but, a number of players that Liverpool have gone in for have ended up going to Spurs, Arsenal and Chelsea instead.

They may prove me wrong; I'm not ruling anything out, and it's certainly true that Rodgers has the guys playing some great football, now (just like he was at Swansea, and which Laudrup inherited), but any hope of them attracting decent names is going to rest upon reaching the CL again, and retaining Suarez, in my view.

If they don't, I just don't see it going well. :/ We can agree to disagree, though, as this is just my opinion.

Carroll, Downing, Sturridge, AND SUAREZ. But I actually agree, I'm just pointing your bias towards Tottenham. 

To me you were saying something like: If both Tottenham and Liverpool don't have CL, then somehow Tottenham has a better chance to sign someone like Hulk than Liverpool does, which I disagree. I'd say without CL (and saying both teams have sold their most expansive players i.e Suarez and Bale) both teams have an equal chance of signing someone like Hulk. 

"a number of players that Liverpool have gone in for have ended up going to Spurs, Arsenal and Chelsea instead." 
I'd take rumors with a grain of salt if I were you.

@Gustavo

Actually, Tottenham have much more depth and quality in their squad than Liverpool. They've signed a lot of good players recently, haven't they? Dempsey, Holtby, and Lloris are much better buys than Carroll, Downing, and Sturridge. Suarez is an exception though.

@Gustavo: I don't think it's terribly biased of me to think Spurs have a better team than Liverpool, right now. If you disagree, then fair enough, but I think Dynas has the right of it. 

There's a reason why Spurs are 12 points and 4 places above Liverpool. 

But for the record, no, if Spurs miss out on CL places, then I don't think they could attract big names. That was kinda my whole point about how crucial these places are (and are going to be).

Where did I say that Liverpool currently have a better squad than Spurs? And while I'd slightly disagree with what Dynastian said, my point was this; for some reason you're convinced that if both Liverpool and Spurs finish without CL, Spurs will somehow still attract bigger names than Liverpool. And also that you're sure Liverpool will be finished without CL, but if Spurs don't get CL they won't be finished.  It doesn't really make sense to me.

It wouldn't make sense to me either, if that's what I said. I said that whoever doesn't make the cut will decline, and that includes Spurs and Arsenal, too. If you're quibbling about whether Spurs or Liverpool have the better chance of signing big players, all things being equal, then I'd have to say that Spurs are a more exciting prospect for a player, though that's just my opinion. They do have a better squad, which you seemed to disagree with, and said was just my 'bias'.

I'm not sure what we're arguing about here. 

I have no idea but Referees always ruins it every season and give them an advantage in some games which gives them undeserved points but next season will be definitely not easy for them to cope with the other clubs. 

and Chelsea will be much stronger because our young players are getting experience and understanding each others.

Also Man Utd Players are getting old and also the coach so I don't think they will be even competitive in the EPL after them.