PL Title race 23/24

comment by Samir (U2630)
posted 55 minutes ago
comment by Gafter Pranky (U22336)
posted 2 hours, 39 minutes ago
comment by Samir (U2630)
posted 6 minutes ago
I know we're technically 'only' 5 points off the top, but I think we've left ourselves too much to do and have to be careful we're not dragged into a top-4 race. We're currently closer to Spurs than we are to Liverpool, which speaks volume about how bad our recent form is.

You can't drop points in all the games against Villa, Newcastle, Spurs, Chelsea, Fulham and West Ham, yet expect to win the title. Second half of the season, we have some difficult away fixtures also. I think we're going to drop a lot more points too.

For us to win the title now, we'll have to win between 14-16 of the remaining 18 matches, which is basically almost impeccable form, and it's not likely we do that at all.

I think we should just focus on securing top-4 and go all out for the cups. This squad isn't capable of a title charge.

Not ideal that we're playing you lot in the FA Cup, but the game has taken on more importance after recent results.
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I think we’ll be rotating heavily for our FA cup game tbf as we have the 2 league cup semi final games this month too.
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If we play like how we've done the last 2 games, it doesn't matter what team you field, you'll still beat us convincingly.

The last two performances have really wrecked my confidence. I thought we'd put those type of displays behind in 2021, but it's worrying we still have it in us to play like that.
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Watching the highlights of your game v West Ham it looked like you played well. That’s what Arteta said as well. Was he wrong?

comment by Samir (U2630)
posted 1 hour, 10 minutes ago
comment by Gafter Pranky (U22336)
posted 2 hours, 39 minutes ago
comment by Samir (U2630)
posted 6 minutes ago
I know we're technically 'only' 5 points off the top, but I think we've left ourselves too much to do and have to be careful we're not dragged into a top-4 race. We're currently closer to Spurs than we are to Liverpool, which speaks volume about how bad our recent form is.

You can't drop points in all the games against Villa, Newcastle, Spurs, Chelsea, Fulham and West Ham, yet expect to win the title. Second half of the season, we have some difficult away fixtures also. I think we're going to drop a lot more points too.

For us to win the title now, we'll have to win between 14-16 of the remaining 18 matches, which is basically almost impeccable form, and it's not likely we do that at all.

I think we should just focus on securing top-4 and go all out for the cups. This squad isn't capable of a title charge.

Not ideal that we're playing you lot in the FA Cup, but the game has taken on more importance after recent results.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I think we’ll be rotating heavily for our FA cup game tbf as we have the 2 league cup semi final games this month too.
---------------------------------------------------------------------

If we play like how we've done the last 2 games, it doesn't matter what team you field, you'll still beat us convincingly.

The last two performances have really wrecked my confidence. I thought we'd put those type of displays behind in 2021, but it's worrying we still have it in us to play like that.
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Not sure, I just don’t see this being a priority for us.

We’re well placed in the league cup, same with the Europa, and the league.

Add the FA cup into the mix, nah we’re good.

Yeah I think the fa cup has become 4th priority now. Going out to Arsenal away is probably the toughest game you can get apart from City. And being 2 games away from Wembley is a great chance for this new team to get that winning feeling back in the Carabao.

Europa we are favourites aswell, especially with Klopps European record. We’ve really got a great chance of doing something special this season. I’d actually take 2nd but win Europa and Caraboa tbh.

Finish above Cheaty, win the league.

comment by A hoe for Dominik Szoboszlai. A Szobwhoreszlai {Proud owner of the 5 000 000th comment} (U2720)
posted 6 minutes ago
Finish above Cheaty, win the league.
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That’s how it works.

Watching the highlights of your game v West Ham it looked like you played well. That’s what Arteta said as well. Was he wrong?
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We played OK, but we're not circulating the ball as fast and we keep passing the ball backwards and sideways, so it gives teams time to settle into their defensive formation out of possession and, due to the absence of Xhaka/inclusion of Havertz in midfield, Rice is basically having to do the work of 2 players to cover so much ground. Partey's qualities are a miss too, but if someone's unavailable for 50% of matches since 2020, I can't regard them as a key player for us.

We currently don't have anyone getting in behind defences, no rotations/combinations between the front 3, no-one comfortable playing in between the lines or driving at defences. It's too rigid and too pedestrian.

I suspect Arteta was so scarred by what happened at the end of last season that he's trying to overcompensate by being more methodical and controlling of the ball so we don't give the ball away. The issue is it's come at the expense of our attack scoring goals, our chance creation and players clearly aren't as comfortable with these new tactics.

Until he rectifies this, teams now have a blueprint of how to play against us and we will struggle.

City will win the league, none of the other teams have a striker capable of finding the net regularly enough.

Liverpool have Salah but they also have the big Uruguayan spoon footed donkey who will cost you every now and then, he's a handful and he strikes fear into the hearts of defenders as often as he has opposition fans rolling over laughing. A clinical striker in and Salah back from AFCON while still in the mix and it's 50/50.

Arsenal are even more limp wristed, they need a goal scorer so badly. Jesus more composed and silky than Nunez but barely any more reliable at putting the ball in the net.

Spurs have a finisher but he's also away on international duty shortly, a paper thin squad and lack of that winning mentality ties their hands when it gets to the crux of it.

Villa the surprise packages, with a reliable finisher. A manager that knows what he's doing at the business end of cup competitions at least. Will probably continue to do well but surely not enough overall quality to win it unless everyone else falls over each other again in the second half of the seasons.

1. City
2. Liverpool
3. Aston Villa
4. Spurs
5. Arsenal

The right signings would change the order drastically for any of those teams.

If Arsenal get Toney and he's fit and firing from the off they can definitely win it. I don't think they will and he's bound to be rusty when he gets back.

I think its city and liverpool, mainly because of qual6og squad depth and used to going the course.

Of course the table looks tight, but realistically the others just dont have the squad depth and it will show.

comment by A hoe for Dominik Szoboszlai. A Szobwhoreszlai {Proud owner of the 5 000 000th comment} (U2720)
posted 1 day ago
Finish above Cheaty, win the league.
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A lot of teams will finish above Everton but only 1 of them will win the league