At the halfway point of this season, we might have actually improved on last.

[easley91]

I think what's telling is we have a higher points tally thus far without even reaching our top level of last season.

The other big sides have all improved (as expected). But take us on our own and there is so much to be positive about.

 

[idontgetit]

Last year we were exceptionally unlucky in terms of performance to points return. We played with a system and through it played better football than this year. This year we've been luckier with turning performances in to results and have had some solid performances from lots of players at different times keeping us in the race. People are negative because it's very clear the team football hasn't been as good and it's frustrating as if we put this years individual form in to last years playing style we could be unstoppable.

 

[Dundalk_Spur]

I don't think our performances have been as good as last season, but the results have been better.

If we hit a higher gear and implement more of a pressing game we will be even more difficult to beat.

 

[DiscoD1882]

I think it's a tough old league this year. We have had to work hard for our points and we should be applauded for where we are. We know we can play better. Yet we are still up there fighting. I'm very impressed. My anticipation doesn't outway my expectation. So I'm pleased.

 

[Air Jordan 3]

It's great the points tally is better than last year and we have not hit top gear yet.

Personally think the lack of pressing in certain games is a conscious decision from Poch to avoid the end of season burn out like last year.

 

[Sweech]

Sweech, your obsession with me is worrying., you go out of your way to constantly rate my posts with doh's or whatever else and the only time you ever respond to me is when you are taking a dig.

Poch isn't perfect, I was wrong about a lot in that post I made now in hindsight but there are still a few things I believe he needs to improve, the discussion about Liverpool outperforming us after 6 seasons of us finishing ahead of them was a question I asked because I wanted peoples opinions, this is a message board where discussions happen, this isn't a place that should be tailor made to suit every opinion you share and showing only things you agree with.

And I still believe something suspicious was going on with Leicester last season, Vardy in particular but that's obviously just my opinion.

Again, I don't care if you disagree that's fine but acting like a petulant child and going out of your way to rate my posts badly or trolling to try and get a bite from me isn't exactly a mature way to disagree or encourage decent discussion.

I can't say you are mature though based on the way you present yourself in posts, I mean take this one for example, the only reason you even made it was to try and take a dig, you are literally wasting your life on going out of your way to shame someone you don't know on the internet for sharing different opinions to you.

Grow up and be a man.

Mate stop being a melt about everything.

 

[doctor stefan Freud]

I don't think our performances have been as good as last season, but the results have been better.

If we hit a higher gear and implement more of a pressing game we will be even more difficult to beat.

I think experience has helped us. We're becoming more experienced and that quality allows teams to grind results when they're not always playing fluently

 

[Shadydan]

It's great the points tally is better than last year and we have not hit top gear yet.

Personally think the lack of pressing in certain games is a conscious decision from Poch to avoid the end of season burn out like last year.

We've always been like this though, we never had pressed consistently only in certain matches, mainly the big ones.

 

[Lo Amo Speroni]

This team is only going to get better and we have improved. Not always enjoyable to watch but neither were the great Manure teams. Those that have mentioned that we are more mature than last season have hit the nail on the head IMHO. We are tough to beat and capable of dishing out a good beating. Alls good as far as I am concerned.

 

[StartingPrice]

• We have had Toby, Dembélé, Lamela and Kane out for a significant number of games each, and other shorter absences.
• Players, most evidently Eriksen and Dele have been noticeably off form.
• We have competed in the CL [sic.] where we couldn't just put out a weakened team and skate through, nor could we let league form slide. The latter is not a critique of Mr Redknapp, he gave us some marvellous memories, but our league results suffered after every CL game under him, Poch made a genuine effort to maintain league form.
• We have been bedding in new players.
• Poch has been trying alternative formations in real game situations.
• Most of our rivals have significantly improved, and not had quite the injury problems we have had.
• It is a harder league this season.
• We have quite clearly not quite clicked and there is a general feeling that we have gears to move up.

In spite of these hindrances, we have more points than at this time last season and more points against same/comparative opposition (as others have shown). We have players returning to form and injury. New players should improve. Alternative formations should stand us in good stead. And there is a suspicion that we are pressing more selectively and preserving our strength more. We are above United and within a short spread of points above our other rivals apart from Chelsea, who have to visit the Lane (yes, I'm hoping we will thrash them into a Citeh-esque collapse ).

I believe we have improved.

 

[THFCSPURS19]

I don't think our performances have been as good as last season, but the results have been better.

Yep. Frustrating and promising at the same time.

 

[hybridsoldier]

I think we have improved - but we have not hit top gear, bar the City game, yet. There were times last season where we would just hound teams like dogs and it would only be a matter of time until we score. This season we seem to be trying to conserve energy more..not sure if it is bit of hangover/burnout from EUROs.

We also have to bear in mind that teams around us have improved a lot. Last season was a bit of a strange one and partially how we ended up in the title race.

Also injuries has meant we missed Kane, Toby, Dembele, Lamela for extended periods.

 

[Cornpattbuck]

We've been so plagued by injuries this season that we've barely got started. Done bloody well to keep in touch, considering.

 

[Mr Pink]

Need to remember we've just come through a very difficult November, I expect us to be in top four by the end of January.

 

[ljinko888]

Last season Chelsea, Man Utd and Man City underperformed in the league. Those three were significantly well ahead in terms of finances, player spending and depth of squad. We were still aiming to get back into the Top 4 but with the youngest squad in the league and inferior resources a title challenge was a fanciful ambition at the start of 2015-16.

So when we all witnessed the glorious meltdown at the Bridge while the two managers in Manchester were sitting ducks in addition to Liverpool's lack of competitiveness (they essentially binned the league in February in order to win the Europa).

This allowed ourselves and Leicester bloody City to climb through the window and we both deserved it. We rarely lost and we went on a hot streak of wins. Not enough when it mattered to win the title unfortunately though.

So essentially last season's surge to a title push was not forecast. We are getting carried away with thinking we should be up there again this season. Lets not forget - we finished 10 points off Leicester.

Our rivals for the Top 4 have strengthened and as I said before: Chelsea, Man Utd and Man City had a better squad last season - on paper at least. They've since made changes to the coaching team so an upturn is not surprising. The fact we are ahead of the most costliest squad on Earth, and within touching distance of the two teams with "super-coaches" and Woolwich shows we are on the right track. Ok - performances have been underwhelming up until recently but we're still in the pack.

The reason why Chelsea are so far ahead is they've gone on an unprecedented streak of wins. I think Conte is a great trainer who came with half the fanfare of Guardiola yet has got his team to be the front-runners. Now you can look at their entire back five and think they're no more than average but collectively they are doing amazing. We can resonate with that seeing how many of our players have improved under Poch. Sum of the whole etc etc.

But now look at Costa, Hazard and Kante. They are world-class.
Matic and Pedro are getting back to a high level again.
Fabregas and Willian on the bench.
Batshauyi who cost them almost £30m and who was supposedly our first choice target in the summer can't get off the bench.

They have great options and crucially match-winners all round because their starting point is greater. They were bloody Champions 18 months ago.

For us to go the next step we first need to a) win something (this develops a winning mentality and a feeling once first tasted you know what it takes and will do what it takes to have again) and b) qualify for the Champions League again which will see us be acknowledged as a worthy team to be aware of (higher calibre players will be open to join, we will be more respected)

 

[steveitr]

• We have had Toby, Dembélé, Lamela and Kane out for a significant number of games each, and other shorter absences.
• Players, most evidently Eriksen and Dele have been noticeably off form.
• We have competed in the CL [sic.] where we couldn't just put out a weakened team and skate through, nor could we let league form slide. The latter is not a critique of Mr Redknapp, he gave us some marvellous memories, but our league results suffered after every CL game under him, Poch made a genuine effort to maintain league form.
• We have been bedding in new players.
• Poch has been trying alternative formations in real game situations.
• Most of our rivals have significantly improved, and not had quite the injury problems we have had.
• It is a harder league this season.
• We have quite clearly not quite clicked and there is a general feeling that we have gears to move up.

In spite of these hindrances, we have more points than at this time last season and more points against same/comparative opposition (as others have shown). We have players returning to form and injury. New players should improve. Alternative formations should stand us in good stead. And there is a suspicion that we are pressing more selectively and preserving our strength more. We are above United and within a short spread of points above our other rivals apart from Chelsea, who have to visit the Lane (yes, I'm hoping we will thrash them into a Citeh-esque collapse ).

I believe we have improved.

Bang on the money with that post couldn't have said it better myself! I think also this season we are relying on youth a lot more our bench looks consistently weaker than all the teams above us yet we are pulling it out the bag last few weeks! Credit to poch and the players to be where we are also we have a strong team ethic they all work for each other where as the teams above rely heavily on 1 or 2 players Chelsea: Hazard, costa Liverpool: coutiniho City: Aguero Scum: Ozil and Sanchez amd even united where would they be without ibra!

 

[danielneeds]

I just love the level head Poch has kept this season. All the problems he's faced - players on a downer after the Euros, injuries, the Wembley CL troubles - he's kept things calm and steady. He really is a class act.

 

[tommo84]

We've been better than we were in the first half of last season, when we were struggling to convert chances early on and then in November and December hit a sticky patch of draws (not dissimilar to October and November this season). The negativity I think comes from the fact that we've not played as well as we did in the second half of last season when we were the best team in the league for 3 or 4 months. That was always going to be difficult to do though with the distraction of Champions League football.

Obviously our poor UCL showing left a lot of fans feeling deflated as well, but I definitely don't think we've gone backwards at all. As things stand I think we're well placed to regain the form we had in the Spring and that would put us right in contention for the top 3 again - whether or not the title would be within reach depends on whether Chelsea wobble.

 

[midspur]

It must be pointed out as well that we have more points at the halfway point of this season compared to last, yet we've had our best defender and our best striker, two key players from last year, out for significant periods of time.

It really is a fantastic achievement given those circumstances and another reason why some of the hand-wringing about how 'poor' we've been at times has been utterly ridiculous.

Not forgetting Lamela, who is also influential.

 

[GutBucket]

I think we are better but injuries slowed us down. If Dembele could get on his last year's level we would be amazing.