Can Rangers lose Alfredo Morelos and Ryan Kent before the window shuts and still win this season’s title?
Chris Sutton: No. Not unless they were instantly replaced with players of similar quality. Morelos and Kent are potential match winners. It would be an awfully tall order because they have been influential. I like the signing of Tom Lawrence but the loss of Joe Aribo to Southampton is one creative talent already gone.
Barry Ferguson: Yes. But even if that did happen – and I have a hunch that both of them will stay – the club would bring in another £20million and reinvest it back into the squad. They’ve not been shy in backing Giovanni van Bronckhorst this summer and have given him the funds to replace Aribo and Calvin Bassey. They would do the same if Morelos and Kent go. But I’d rather they kept them both at Ibrox.
Ryan Stevenson: It would be hard, especially if Morelos goes. Even if Rangers aren’t playing well he has that ability to grab a goal and that’s worth millions to a club like Gers. So losing them would make it very tough for the Ibrox team to lift the title. I’ve been impressed with their summer recruitment but if those two left you’d have to bank on the new signings hitting the ground running, which is no guarantee.
Tam M c Manus: No. Both are still key players for Rangers and the club will be desperate to get them to sign new deals. Morelos is more important than Kent, particularly in Europe as he leads the line so well. They missed him badly in Seville.
Celtic have kept last season’s squad together but has the starting line-up improved this summer or have the champions stood still?
Sutton: That’s impossible to say at this precise moment as I don’t know how the starting line-up is going to shape up from week to week. But signing Cameron Carter-Vickers, Daizen Maeda and Jota on permanent deals means it is a stronger squad and back-up has been added in key areas. So they certainly haven’t stood still.
Ferguson: Celtic have kept last season’s squad together but has the starting line-up improved? Good question. I wouldn’t say they’ve stood still because the quality is still there and they were the best team in the country last season. The league table doesn’t lie. Ange Postecoglou has tweaked their style of play this summer and the Aussie has said the team will always evolve while he’s in charge. They might not have added any stand-out signings but are still very dangerous.
Stevenson: Celtic look strong. People seem to have this thought that you always have to bring in new signings and obviously there are occasions when it’s good to freshen the squad up. But there’s also a lot to be said for having a settled group that knows each other inside out. Look at Liverpool, they have generally kept changes to a minimum and it hasn’t hurt them. I’m sure Ange will believe there’s more to come from this team. Carter-Vickers and Jota have both bounced about a bit but have now put roots down in Glasgow so I’d expect them to kick on again.
M c Manus: I still believe Celtic need a couple of players in – a centre-back, a creative midfielder and possibly a winger. The two big signings were Carter-Vickers and Jota while Celtic are in a far better place depth-wise than this time last year when they started really poorly.
Are Hearts already a shoo-in for third place again?
Sutton: Probably. Robbie Neilson’s team were miles ahead of the other nine last season and they look to be strong again. Take it back one year, having just been promoted, and look at the progress. Hearts exceeded expectations and it’s hard to see anyone challenging them with good additions made in the summer.
Ferguson: Yep. Neilson is another manager who won’t stand still. They absolutely strolled to third place last season but he has strengthened with Lawrence Shankland being the biggest signing. They may have lost John Souttar and Ellis Simms but they have moved quickly to replace them. Hearts are comfortably the third force in Scottish football.
Stevenson: Yes – but I hope I’m not jinxing them by saying that! Outside of the Old Firm they really do have the strongest squad by far and hopefully Hearts do go on to finish third. The additions they have made have been superb – but talking is easy and now it’s down to the team to step up to that next level to compete at home and in Europe.”
M c Manus: I’m afraid to say I think they are. Neilson has a very strong squad and Alan Forrest and in particular Shankland will be terrific acquisitions. Shankland could be an outside bet for top goalscorer. Aberdeen look strong but sadly I see this as a real season of transition at Easter Road with so many new players and a new coaching staff at Hibs.
Hibs have been a horror story for 12 months. Is there any hope for them under Ron Gordon?
Sutton: Yes. Football can change quickly and in Scottish terms Hibs are a big club. It’s down to Lee Johnson.
The sacking of Jack Ross surprised and Shaun Maloney didn’t get enough time but the chairman seems ambitious and determined to get it right. If that remains the case there is always hope.
Ferguson: It’s true they have been a horror story. Hibs should be challenging for third place every season as they are a massive club in Scottish terms. So what they produced last season was miles below acceptable.
Gordon has made some strange decisions along the way but he has appointed a good manager in Johnson. He just needs to be given a bit of time and a bit of trust and he’ll turn the club around. Let the guy do his job.
Stevenson: I like Johnson as a manager and have been impressed with some of their signings – but with Hibs it also seems that no matter what they do, they always fall back into the same old ways. From a Jambos point of view I hope they have a terrible season but for the sake of the Scottish game I also want to see a strong Hibs and Aberdeen fighting with Hearts for third as that means we’ll have an exciting league.
Gordon seems to have a lot to say for himself about the state of Scottish football but considering his team have just been booted out of the League Cup for fielding an ineligible player, maybe he should make sure his own house is in order before he starts mouthing off.
Mc Manus: Yes there is hope but it has been a poor start to the season exiting the Premier Sports Cup in insipid fashion. The real stuff starts in Perth today and if Hibs win then I think the optimism will return with the majority of the punters.
Will Jim Goodwin lose his job if he can’t get a top-six finish at Pittodrie?
Sutton: I don’t know. Only Dave Cormack and those in charge of Aberdeen have the answer to that one. I could probably say if he finishes in the bottom three, it would happen but there are several things which go into these decisions. The most important thing is Aberdeen fans see some real signs of positive progress under their manager.
Ferguson: Goodwin is another manager I quite like. He has brought in a lot of money from the sales of Calvin Ramsay and my nephew Lewis and that cash has been reinvested in a big turn-around. Jim will be expecting nothing less than a top-six finish himself now that he’s been able to build his own team. So yes, it will be hard for him to justify failing to hit that target.
Stevenson: Oh yeah, 100 per cent. But he will know that. I like Jim, he’s a good manager and I like the way he goes about things. But he should be under no illusions that Aberdeen are a massive club and finishing any lower than fourth could spell trouble. They really should be pushing Hearts for third.
But Jim will be in no doubt about the requirements. The club has looked a bit lost lately and the pressure will be on him to deliver a good result this season.
Mc Manus: In a word, yes. Jim has been well backed in the transfer window and has cleared the ones he wanted out the door. It’s his team now and he will be judged on results from here on in. I see Aberdeen being a lot better this season and finishing in the top six comfortably.
Can Derek McInnes take Kilmarnock into the top half?
Sutton: No. Looking at the squad I don’t expect that to happen on their return to the top flight. Some of the teams such as Aberdeen and Hibs are surely going to be stronger than last season and getting in there would be a tall order. Consolidation and staying
clear of relegation would be satisfactory upon their comeback.
Ferguson: That’s another good question. He certainly has the capabilities to do it as a manager. The question is, does he have the squad for it? And I’m not sure he does yet. I think this season should be about safety and consolidation. But knowing Derek it wouldn’t surprise me if he did succeed in sneaking into the top six behind Rangers, Celtic, Hearts, Hibs and Aberdeen.
Stevenson: Nope – says the former Ayr man! I think it will be tough. For Kilmarnock it should really be about making sure they retain their place in the Premiership and building from there. Reaching the top six would be a massive bonus but I think they’ll be more concerned with consolidating last year’s promotion.
M c Manus: I don’t think so. Unless Kilmarnock bring in two or three players of genuine quality then I don’t think they have the strength in depth to go a full season. I don’t see them in relegation bother either so if they can finish in seventh or eighth then that will be something for Derek to build on.
Graham Alexander has gone before a ball is kicked in the league. Is anyone else at risk of being axed?
Sutton: Lee Johnson. Hibs have to improve dramatically on last season and their Premier Sports Cup exit was not a good start at all. The manager needs a bit of patience and time but that early disappointment puts him straight on the back foot and Maloney’s experience suggests those two things may not necessarily be on offer.
Ferguson: Oh come on! That’s a harsh one. Obviously, Callum Davidson has his work cut out at St Johnstone but I’ve got a soft spot for him. I’m hoping last season was just a blip. Alexander paid the price for Motherwell’s early exit from Europe and Stephen Robinson at St Mirren is up against it after getting knocked out of the Premier Sports Cup. A strong start is needed in the league or some managers could be in trouble.
Stevenson: Given the way things went last season, Davidson could find his jacket is on a shoogly peg if his team gets off to another shaky start. Saints always like to stick by their bosses and they’ve certainly done that with Callum to be fair.
But he’s spent a lot of the credit he put in the bank with that historic cup double during last season’s miserable campaign and I think he’s pretty much out of favours now. For his sake it’s massive they get off to a good start.
M c Manus: Davidson. I don’t think he has strengthened the team as much as he would have liked and a poor start to the season could see him under major pressure.
Predict this season’s Player of the Year and top scorer.
Sutton: Callum McGregor and Giorgos Giakoumakis. The Celtic captain is an outstanding footballer and leads from the front in both his actions and his words. He’s Player of the Year material. The Greek got to joint top of the charts last term having missed three months through injury. A clear run should see him leading the race.
Ferguson: John Lundstram will be the best player in the country. If he stays fit he’ll play every single game and, as he showed last season, he has a massive influence on the team. I stuck up for him when he was struggling to find his feet – and he ended the campaign as a hero. Alfredo Morelos will sign a new contract in the next few weeks and finish the season as Scotland’s top scorer.
Stevenson: If Morelos stays and is fit and firing I can see him landing both prizes. I know a lot of Celtic fans will say Jota for Player of the Year but I was never convinced by him and felt he was a bit of a sand-dancer at times. I’m also interested to see how Tom Lawrence does at Ibrox because I was a big fan of his while he was at Derby and thought a Premier League team might have taken a punt on him. But I’m hoping Lawrence Shankland has an absolutely outstanding season at Hearts and gets himself involved in the fight too.”
M c Manus: Kyogo Furuhashi for top scorer and the Celtic striker will also be Player of the Year.
Who’s headed for the dreaded drop in the Premiership?
Sutton: Kilmarnock, St Mirren and St Johnstone all could be fighting and I’m just a little bit worried about the Rugby Park team. The manager knows the league well and they have the right man in charge but even though Hearts did well on comeback, it’s never easy going back up first season and they need to make a good start.
Ferguson: It comes back to the three managers who are under the most threat at St Johnstone, Motherwell and St Mirren. I honestly think St Johnstone will be all right this season so that leaves the other two. Ross County will be fine, Derek McInnes will consolidate Kilmarnock and Livingston will fight their way to safety as usual. So it’s either Motherwell or St Mirren for the drop.
Stevenson: I fear it might be Ross County going down. They were written off last year and turned it around but something tells me they will struggle, despite having a top boss in Malky Mackay. I know I said Callum Davidson could be first for the sack but I think if that happens St Johnstone will act early doors and that will give them enough time to bring someone else in. Given they’re such a well-run club, they will be no bother attracting a very good manager boss. Kilmarnock have the experience of Derek McInnes and Tony Docherty, which should ensure they stay out of bother.
M c Manus: St Johnstone only just stayed up last term and could go down in the new campaign.
Name your champions and, while you’re at it, who wins the Premier Sports and Scottish Cup this season?
Sutton: Same as last season. I’d fancy Celtic to win the Premiership again as I just think there might be more to come from them under Postecoglou. Predicting cup winners is a bit of a lottery but I’ll say Premier Sports Cup back to Parkhead and Rangers to lift the Scottish Cup at the end of the campaign just as they did in May.
Ferguson: All three trophies will be staying in Glasgow as Rangers and Celtic are too strong for the rest. The bread and butter is the league and Rangers have got to win it this year. From what I’ve seen they’ve got the bit between their teeth. As for the cups? Who cares about them so long as you get your hands on the title? Rangers will win the one that matters and you can toss a coin for the other two.
Stevenson: Rangers will win the league – but it will be tight. I’m going for Hearts to win the Scottish Cup because I’m desperate to see that happen. For the Premier Sports Cup I’ll tip Celtic.
M c Manus: Celtic by a whisker will win the league. Rangers will win both cups. Both are miles ahead of the rest.
