Crystal Ball Volume VI – United Will Win the Champions League this Season.

ON THE CUSP OF ANOTHER CAMPAIGN, WE ASKED SOME OF OUR WRITERS, CONTRIBUTORS AND FRIENDS OF THE SITE TO PUT THEIR NECK ON THE LINE AND SHARE SOME PREDICTIONS ABOUT THE SEASON AHEAD:

Psychic identity? Ed

What is your biggest hope for the coming season?

That the Glazer family finally decides now is time to get the hell out of town, launches a second wave of stock offering, this time a full sale with full voting rights. It’ll give supporters the chance to grab a slice of ownership and a real say in the running of our club. Chances of it actually happening: virtually zero. On the pitch I hope somebody emerges from the midfield black hole to become Paul Scholes’ successor. It’s patently obvious that Sir Alex Ferguson isn’t going to sign a ‘proper’ central midfielder – Shinji Kagawa, fine player though he is, does his best work far further forward. It’s anathama, Sir Alex’ mental roadblock on the position, and surely a massive strategic error. There’s little faith thatAndersonwill buck five years of history to become both fit and consistent. But Tom Cleverley might just do it. Has to stay injury-free though.

What is your biggest fear for the coming season?

If ownership change and midfield are the biggest hopes, then they are the biggest fears too. The New York IPO may well have entrenched the Glazers longer still having staved off whatever desperate need they had for short-term cash. The voting structure and registration in the Cayman Islands means we’ll have less information than ever about the club’s management. Meanwhile, Sir Alex, who is actually emboldened by the Glazers aloof management, will continue to drive a wedge between him and the supporters. On the pitch – no matter how many great attacking players United has if there’s no base in midfield,Ferguson’s side will struggle against the very best. Perhaps Robin van Persie’s excellent conversion rate will make the difference when his side is on the back foot. But there’s a very good chance United will struggle to gain a foothold in some games.

Which one player do you most expect to shine in the season ahead?

Well it’s obvious that Wayne Rooney and van Persie need to have big seasons for United to do well, but let’s hope Cleverley emerges as a ‘United player’ of the very highest order. He’s a young lad with all the right skills and there’s much to admire in how well – and quickly – he recycles possession. There’s doubts about his fitness of course, but if that can be solved – or better luck comes his way – then this could well be the midfielders breakthrough season for club and country.

Which one player do you most expect to disappoint in the season ahead?

Paul Scholes. It’s hard to say but there are real signs that the Ginger Price, the midfield genius, the finest player of his generation, will have a campaign to forget. Before a ball is kicked, Scholes has looked a little drained from pre-season. Sure, he’s still ‘got it’ on the ball, but Scholes look knackered towards the back end of last season – and that was from just five months in the first team. Should Cleverley, Fletcher and Anderson struggle for fitness again, Scholes may well be needed more than the 25 games Sir Alex has predicted. Then comes real trouble. Let’s hope a legacy isn’t tarnished.

If you could sign one player from a Premier League rival who would it be?

Yaya Toure. There are so many good players everywhere in the Premier League, but given the above comments on midfield then City’s powerhouse has to be first choice. What a player he is – so much more than simply the water carrier so many billed him as. A great defender, a great attacker and a great leader. Arguably the finest all-round midfielder in the Premier League since Roy Keane. £24 million – the cost of Ashley Young and Bebe.

Who would be in your first choice XI for a key home game and how would they line up?

 (4-2-3-1) De Gea; Rafael, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra; Cleverley, Carrick; Nani, Rooney, Kagawa; van Persie - it’s a bit of a fudge because everything I’ve seen of Kagawa tells me he’s a far superior player ‘in the hole’ than he is playing from the left. But Nani is 25 per cent better on the right than the left, and both players are intelligent enough to provide the kind of flexible front line that was so exciting back in 2008.

Where will we finish in the Premier League?

Well, my prediction on this week’s podcast was second so I’ll stick with that. Much depends on the last couple of week’s in the transfer window. If City don’t manage to offload a few players and bring in an extra midfielder then Roberto Mancini’s side hasn’t progressed over the summer. Should United remain injury-free, Cleverley emerge as a contender in midfield, and van Persie hit the ground running… the title is, of course, a possibility for the Reds.

How will we fare in Europe?

Knock out stages, but no more than that. Sorry to harp on about midfield, but there isn’t a game won inEuropethat isn’t all about the centre of the pitch.Fergusonwill compromise by bringing in another midfielder, forcing Rooney out of position. Arguably the finest player in the league – and he’ll end up on the left wing.

 Any other predictions?

The Scouse mafia in the media will laud Liverpool as the finest side in the land after the first 15 minutes of Brendan Rodgers’ tiki-taka, but there’ll still be no trophies. Arsene Wenger’s side will flatter to deceive once again, and finish pot-less, and Chelsea will progress into the top four on the wave of some outstanding attacking, but dodgy defending.

Ed is the cohost of the United Rant Podcast “The Rant Cast“. You can follow him on twitter here.

Psychic identity? Stephen

What is your biggest hope for the coming season?

We click up top and return to the swashbuckling days of yore.

What is your biggest fear for the coming season?

We suffer another 6-1 or blow it in the smallest margin again.

Which one player do you most expect to shine in the season ahead?

Antonio Valencia – the boy doesn’t know the meaning of the word ‘fail’

Which one player do you most expect to disappoint in the season ahead?

Disappoint is an unfair phrase but feel Cleverley will disappoint however well he does due to expectations of him being centre mid saviour.

If you could sign one player from a Premier League rival who would it be?

Alex Song – would be perfect in our midfield but not sure Arsene would sell us another one.

Who would be in your first choice XI for a key home game and how would they line up?

(4-2-3-1) De Gea, Smalling, Evans, Vidic, Evra, Carrick, Cleverley, Rooney, Kagawa, Valencia, RVP.

Where will we finish in the Premier League?

With the signing of Van Persie I think we’ll sneak the league title this year.

How will we fare in Europe?

Semi finals would be a good effort depending on who we face.

Any other predictions?

Big Sam, Steve Clarke sacked. Another player ‘drama’ at City and Liverpool to no doubt be the victims of an injustice at some point.

Stephen is a much loved regular guest on our podcast. He also writes for the ‘The Stretford End‘. You can follow him on twitter here.

Psychic identity? Adam

What is your biggest hope for the coming season?

The Premier League is our bread and butter and the priority must be to reassert our dominance on our own patch. I think that means not only reclaiming the Premier League but doing so emphatically, playing with freedom, pace and width. I’d also love an FA Cup win, we have won only one since 1999 (in 2004), which is very disappointing for a club with our stature and heritage, and I’d like Sir Alex to start taking it a little more seriously.

What is your biggest fear for the coming season?

Another Champions League embarrassment. As it happens, I don’t think it was a case of United not being good enough in last year’s group stage, more a case of complacency both from the manager in his team selection and the players in thinking they could stroll through. I hope those lessons have been learned, and, with the new additions, we could go quite far this year.

Which one player do you most expect to shine in the season ahead?

Tom Cleverley is such an intelligent player, such a Manchester United youth product. By that, I mean he injects pace into play, passes and moves, plays the game in his brain and has a great awareness of space. He does seem to be a little brittle, and last season Cleverley was blighted by injuries after a terrific start and then he struggled to regain his form when he returned at the end of the season. But his form for Team GB at the Olympics and for England v Italy has been encouraging and I expect him to be really impressive this season. Kagawa and van Persie will be great I think, while Scholes and Giggs will continue to be a help rather than a hindrance.

Which one player do you most expect to disappoint in the season ahead?

Anderson must surely be in last-chance saloon territory now, you can’t get away with being this ineffective for so long, surely. Other than that, David de Gea has to improve from last year, he made too many errors and only really came good in the last three months of the season. That was understandable, as a young player coming to a foreign country with the pressure of replacing Van der Sar but it’s got to be more assured from the Spaniard for United to reclaim the title this season. Rafael must also improve his concentration and positioning in key spells of matches.

If you could sign one player from a Premier League rival who would it be?

Yohan Cabaye is one of my favourite players and he would be a smashing addition to the midfield. He is a wonderful passer and not afraid of a tough challenge. Classy.

Who would be in your first choice XI for a key home game and how would they line up?

(4-2-3-1) De Gea – Rafael Smalling Vidic Evra – Cleverley Carrick – Nani Rooney Kagawa – Van Persie

Where will we finish in the Premier League?

1^st. Only Manchester United and Chelsea have retained the title in the Premier League title which tells you just how difficult it is, and City may well find that out. It is telling that even Arsenal’s Invincibles couldn’t achieve the feat. It will be nice to see a run-in where both United and City still have the latter stages Champions League to consider, because last year all the eggs and intensity were very much in one basket from February to May, hence the high points tallies.

How will we fare in Europe?

Certainly the latter stages, and, with the firepower at our disposal, plus the expected development of de Gea, Rafael, Smalling, Jones, Cleverley, Welbeck etc, I will say United will win the Champions League this season.

Any other predictions?

Torres and Tevez to have much improved seasons and both should reach at least 20 goals.

Chicharito to score late winning goals/equalisers ‘a la’ Solskjaer in a few games.

Swansea, Norwich and Southampton to be relegated. (but Stoke will come mighty close)

QPR, Everton and Newcastle to have strong top-half finishes.

Sir Alex Ferguson to retire at the end of the season.

Adam has written for the Daily Mail, The People and thefa.com. You can follow him on twitter here.

Psychic identity? Noz

What is your biggest hope for the coming season?

That it works. That the mouth-watering prospect of Kagawa, Rooney and Van Persie works. And there’s Valencia, and Wellbeck, and Hernandez, and Nani. In theory it’s all there in quantity and quality for every eventuality – and it’s bloody exciting. Much like a dodgy late night cocktail it’s extremely fluid with the potential to knock you out.

What is your biggest fear for the coming season?

That the embarrassment of riches in attack isn’t balanced out by the fragility of our midfield options. United’s current squad list reads like Jessica Rabbit’s vital statistics: overflowing upfront, plenty at the back, but worryingly thin in the middle. The first choice options don’t seem too shabby – Carrick and Cleverley look like a great combination, with Scholesy blessing us with his presence whenever possible. But beyond that, we’re about as well stocked as a supermodel’s bingo wing.

Which one player do you most expect to shine in the season ahead?

Kagawa. I’ve been raving about him to anyone who’d listen for ages. There’s certain players you just fall in love with, like Bergkamp or Baggio or Laudrup, but they never join your club. But Kagawa has. He’s such a joy to watch with his wonderful vision and technique. And I honestly believe he can be a catalyst for other players and our style of play. If he can hit it off with Cleverley for instance, with his clever one touch passing and movement, it could be a joy to behold.

Which one player do you most expect to disappoint in the season ahead?

It’s a difficult one because a) I don’t want to be pessimistic going into a packet-fresh new season, and b) anyone I mention won’t be a disappointment because it won’t be a surprise. I know he’s scored goals and done okay, but I don’t know what a player like Ashley Young is doing at United. He leaves me cold. And Anderson. Football is what he does between meals. Part of me wonders whether he’s replaced Fred the Red as the club mascot – a large smiley non-footballer paid to act the fool around the first team.

If you could sign one player from a Premier League rival who would it be?

You don’t need to ask. We all know who he is and who he plays for. Massive.

Who would be in your first choice XI for a key home game and how would they line up?

De Gea / Rafael Ferdinand Vidic Evra / Carrick Cleverley / Kagawa / Rooney Van Persie …but there’s no wingers! Oh I don’t know! Not my problem!

Where will we finish in the Premier League?

Champions. I can’t help but start a season full of giddy optimism.

How will we fare in Europe?

I’m not that giddy. Quarter-finals. Semis at a stretch. As long as we win the league, Europe can wait.

Any other predictions?

In terms of United fans, love will tear us apart (again).

Noz is the artisitc genius behind our new look. His wisdom and photoshop skills have earned him thousands of admirers on twitter.