What's new

35 games and 69 points...where we would be in previous seasons

Dave-F

Amused, bemused and confused. Where's the coffee?
Feb 26, 2004
2,709
715
Based on previous season's finishing second is about right given our current games played and currently having 69 points.

Read the full article at Yahoo Sport
 

miles_64

If Carlsberg did Members
Sep 10, 2004
1,697
1,069
I had been mulling this over myself before coming across this. This has clearly been an unusually weak season - as much as I have loved watching the football we have played, we are likely going to have to be a whole level up next season to win the league (which is a bit of a silly statement, given our usual aspirations!).

That said, with the added revenue brought in by TV money, perhaps the Premier League is just more competitive than it ever has been? I can't see Man City under Guardiola, Utd under Mourinho (TBD) or Chelsea under Conte not getting it together. And then there's always that perennial disappointment, the Gooners. Oh, and Kloppo. And the Premier League Champions. It'll be a hectic season.
 

Jenko

Well-Known Member
Mar 18, 2004
5,290
4,157
Most of the points we dropped this season were undeserved. We were the better team in over 30 games played so far. We'll be better next season and I think we'll come top three again.
 

gloryglory

Well-Known Member
Oct 19, 2004
1,537
302
I think it's pretty clear to all of us. There is an argument we have been the best team in the PL for a lot of this season, but nobody is saying we are better than Fergie's best United sides or megabucks Chelsea under Mourinho first time round. The point is we are sensational considering where we were 2 years ago and how little we've spent.
 

18Klinsmann

Well-Known Member
Aug 31, 2005
1,254
494
Most of the points we dropped this season were undeserved. We were the better team in over 30 games played so far. We'll be better next season and I think we'll come top three again.

I agree. We have played better than any other PL side since September, but sadly we have failed to put away our chances or let in sloppy goals in games like:

ManU (a) 0-1
Stoke (h) 2-2
Everton (home and away) 0-0, 1-1
Liverpool (h) 0-0
Arsen*l (a) 1-1
Leicester (h) 0-1

The way I see it, the lack of cutting edge/rub of the green in these fixtures is the difference between a top four finish and winning the title. The only real weakness I have found in our side since September is the lack of that killer instinct - that clinical finishing of great counter attacks and putting away that single one-on one in a tight game.
Watford and Palace away are examples of games in which we actually managed to take our chances and may not have been the better side over 90 minutes, but over the course of the season we have clearly missed out on at least 10 points in games we "deserved" to win.
Finishing in the top four could well take more points next season, and with (hopefully) some tough CL fixtures on our plate we will have to add a couple of gamechangers/matchwinners to the squad this summer. With a couple of top players and a wider pitch for home games we could become a real force and possibly the top team in the country.
 

Dave-F

Amused, bemused and confused. Where's the coffee?
Feb 26, 2004
2,709
715
I agree. We have played better than any other PL side since September, but sadly we have failed to put away our chances or let in sloppy goals in games like:

ManU (a) 0-1
Stoke (h) 2-2
Everton (home and away) 0-0, 1-1
Liverpool (h) 0-0
Arsen*l (a) 1-1
Leicester (h) 0-1

The way I see it, the lack of cutting edge/rub of the green in these fixtures is the difference between a top four finish and winning the title. The only real weakness I have found in our side since September is the lack of that killer instinct - that clinical finishing of great counter attacks and putting away that single one-on one in a tight game.
Watford and Palace away are examples of games in which we actually managed to take our chances and may not have been the better side over 90 minutes, but over the course of the season we have clearly missed out on at least 10 points in games we "deserved" to win.
Finishing in the top four could well take more points next season, and with (hopefully) some tough CL fixtures on our plate we will have to add a couple of gamechangers/matchwinners to the squad this summer. With a couple of top players and a wider pitch for home games we could become a real force and possibly the top team in the country.

Sounds about right to me. We're a great team, but there have been those games where we have missed that one player who can do something special like Bale used to do. Which is why I am hoping for one sensational signing over the summer.
 

sussexyid

Well-Known Member
Mar 21, 2004
1,541
945
I think we lost the title in the first 5 weeks of the season... we kept drawing instead of winning...
And Im convinced the reason the "Sky 4" have had poor seasons is not JUST because they are not as good as they have been, its due to the improvement of the rest of the league aswell.

We will be having another tilt at the title next year. However, I fully expect the usual suspects (L'Arse, Chavski, Bindippers and both Manc clubs) to be up there too... And I think Leicester will surprise everyone again.

So, thats 7 potentials for next year! Dear La Liga... Take note!
 

BaFa94

Well-Known Member
Aug 21, 2013
343
715
I think we lost the title in the first 5 weeks of the season... we kept drawing instead of winning...
And Im convinced the reason the "Sky 4" have had poor seasons is not JUST because they are not as good as they have been, its due to the improvement of the rest of the league aswell.

We will be having another tilt at the title next year. However, I fully expect the usual suspects (L'Arse, Chavski, Bindippers and both Manc clubs) to be up there too... And I think Leicester will surprise everyone again.

So, thats 7 potentials for next year! Dear La Liga... Take note!
Top 3 in La Liga is within a point of each other. Title race here is done. Don't see why they need to take notes from us in that regard. Bundesliga, Ligue 1 and Serie A on the other hand...
 

bigspurs

Well-Known Member
Aug 9, 2005
3,193
2,419
Most of the points we dropped this season were undeserved. We were the better team in over 30 games played so far. We'll be better next season and I think we'll come top three again.

We were the better side in nearly every game this season, but failed to score enough to make disappointing draws into wins. This is because our midfield haven't scored enough (especially Dembele and Eriksen) and we didn't sign a proper striker to come on for Kane. It's that simple really. This is what we need to focus on in the Summer, cause defensively we've been brilliant on the whole.
 

Dharmabum

Well-Known Member
Aug 16, 2003
8,274
12,242
I had been mulling this over myself before coming across this. This has clearly been an unusually weak season - as much as I have loved watching the football we have played, we are likely going to have to be a whole level up next season to win the league (which is a bit of a silly statement, given our usual aspirations!).

That said, with the added revenue brought in by TV money, perhaps the Premier League is just more competitive than it ever has been? I can't see Man City under Guardiola, Utd under Mourinho (TBD) or Chelsea under Conte not getting it together. And then there's always that perennial disappointment, the Gooners. Oh, and Kloppo. And the Premier League Champions. It'll be a hectic season.

Don't write off Leicester yet again :cool:
 

JoeT

Well-Known Member
Jun 7, 2005
3,813
935
We were the better side in nearly every game this season, but failed to score enough to make disappointing draws into wins. This is because our midfield haven't scored enough (especially Dembele and Eriksen) and we didn't sign a proper striker to come on for Kane. It's that simple really. This is what we need to focus on in the Summer, cause defensively we've been brilliant on the whole.
Hi 'bigspurs' I Agree regarding your "we didn't sign a proper striker to come on for Kane" comment, and although I generally agree with yourcriticism of the midfield; Dembele wasn't played to score goals was he? Eriksen had a lot of assists as well, (but still remains a bit of an enigma to me); they were unlucky with Mason's injury - he would have chipped in a few more goals normally. Plus let's not forget Pritchard's non-season.
All in all we spent very little on our midfield; fortunately Alli and Dier worked out.
 

cliff jones

Well-Known Member
Aug 31, 2012
4,059
6,515
We were the better side in nearly every game this season, but failed to score enough to make disappointing draws into wins. This is because our midfield haven't scored enough (especially Dembele and Eriksen) and we didn't sign a proper striker to come on for Kane. It's that simple really. This is what we need to focus on in the Summer, cause defensively we've been brilliant on the whole.

It's not Dembeles job to score more goals. He does other stuff for the team. Apart from that, you're close. We've scored loads of goals by the way. Look at the home games v Stoke, Everton, Newcastle, wba etc.. for the reason we haven't got more points than Leicester. Better team for an hour in each game, failed to close out a win. But apart from Everton we defended poorly in the second half of the games I mentioned. I still have nightmares about that Sanchez equaliser too, what a kick,in the bollox that was.

Teams have taken points off each other, doesn't mean it's a poor league, just apart from villa everyone has a chance against everyone else. And no outstanding team.
 

shelfmonkey

Weird is different, different is interesting.
Mar 21, 2007
6,690
8,040
Most of the points we dropped this season were undeserved. We were the better team in over 30 games played so far. We'll be better next season and I think we'll come top three again.

I wouldn't say undeserved, we were the architects of our own disappointment in that we didn't finish teams off, allowing them back into games, sometimes that's just the way it goes.
 

Jenko

Well-Known Member
Mar 18, 2004
5,290
4,157
I wouldn't say undeserved, we were the architects of our own disappointment in that we didn't finish teams off, allowing them back into games, sometimes that's just the way it goes.

Well that's certainly fair enough. Like the WB game I suppose, we were the dominant team and SHOULD have put the 3 points to bed but it went as you say instead.

Too many examples of that this season but it's only a very minor change required for next season to turn those games into wins. That's why I'm still confident of a top 3 place next season.
 

sussexyid

Well-Known Member
Mar 21, 2004
1,541
945
Top 3 in La Liga is within a point of each other. Title race here is done. Don't see why they need to take notes from us in that regard. Bundesliga, Ligue 1 and Serie A on the other hand...

Im not talking about points differences, Im talking about teams that are capable of holding their own in the league. There are no whipping boys in the Premier League. There are several in La Liga...
 
Top