Race for the Top 4 - 2017/18

[ljinko888]

Win tomorrow and we're level with Utd
Beat Utd next week and we're three points above them
Their next league game after is Chelsea away, we're at 'home' to Palace

For all the talk in the early months of how strong they are and how they're back.....we could be six points clear of them by the next international break.

 

[Roynie]

Massive week coming up. We were poor at United last season and at home to
Liverpool.

Hoping Poch has learned from previous experiences, and we see a side selected from a more tactical point of view than just like for like rotation.

Never been so anxious, and intrigued in equal measure, to see what team he'll go for.

This. The results of our next four games could be crucial. These games last season got us 5 points out of 12. We drew to 'Pool, lost to United, beat Palace then drew to Arse', but then we went on a of 13 games with 12 wins and 1 draw. It should help if we can get all of our players fit in the next couple of weeks, but somehow I suspect we won't!

 

[guiltyparty]

Win tomorrow and we're level with Utd
Beat Utd next week and we're three points above them
Their next league game after is Chelsea away, we're at 'home' to Palace

For all the talk in the early months of how strong they are and how they're back.....we could be six points clear of them by the next international break.

Always said they’d played no one yet. Their start has been massively overrated by a Mourinho-loving media. City, on the other hand, are looking very good and Chelsea despite their troubles are hanging in there off a hard start with players coming back

 

[StartingPrice]

With the next two games coming up for us it could well be over 8 pts by then hopefully not of course but it could be.
Whatever happens I still think city are the best team by quite a bit this year they looked sharp even in pre season, as long as we get top four that will be ok for me.

I think they are favourites.
But better than us by quite a bit? They are a better attacking unit than us - but by an extraordinary amount? Are they a better defensive unit than us? I don't think they are. In fact I believe we have the best defence in the Prem - it has literally been the best defence for the last two seasons and, if anything, is better.

And that, I think, is the chink in their armour. I just cannot see our defence dropping off in any major way. It is tried and tested. I don't believe you can say the same for their defence. Guardiola is still insisting that they play out in exactly the same way. His new personnel may carry that. But there is always the is with the tactics and not the personnel. In which case they can still be vulnerable. And again, I think that they are. They have looked less than comfortable when Brighton put pressure. The same when Everton them under pressure. They were lucky at Stamford Bridge, because Morata went off injured early on, reducing the pressure on their defence. Have you seen them this week. They set a blistering pace against Napoli, but once Napoli starting pressing them at the back they weren't so clever. They were at home and only got a win because Napoli missed one of their penalties. They got two penalties because they panicked when Napoli put pressure on their back line. Today, Burnley looked comfortable until City were given a dodgy pen, Burnley were denied a pen and denied a free-kick in the sequence of play that led up to City's second goal. Their third goal was immediately after, when Burnley left themselves open trying to force their way straight back into the mouth. Three - nil didn't really reflect the game, so if you are just looking at that your view will be distorted. Burnley could them trying to play out in the Guardiola manner a few times. The vulnerabilities are there. Whether teams can exploit them, have the courage to exploit them and can score more than they concede is a wholly different matter.

Maybe their attack is better - but there isn't that much in it. Our defence is better. They may have more depth to their squad. They have had an easier start. We have had more injury issues (I believe). It is alright to make them favourites without writing off all hope at this stage. A shock defeat or key injuries could really. Losing to us last year really rattled them as did losing de Bruyne. We have just put in a great performance at the Bernabeu - we shouldn't be fearing anyone. I believe we will finish in the top four, could be anywhere in the top four - including first. Just support the lads game by game and see how far it takes us, eh!

p.s. Watching the Huddersfield goals as I type this - LoL

 

[shelfboy68]

I think they are favourites.
But better than us by quite a bit? They are a better attacking unit than us - but by an extraordinary amount? Are they a better defensive unit than us? I don't think they are. In fact I believe we have the best defence in the Prem - it has literally been the best defence for the last two seasons and, if anything, is better.

And that, I think, is the chink in their armour. I just cannot see our defence dropping off in any major way. It is tried and tested. I don't believe you can say the same for their defence. Guardiola is still insisting that they play out in exactly the same way. His new personnel may carry that. But there is always the is with the tactics and not the personnel. In which case they can still be vulnerable. And again, I think that they are. They have looked less than comfortable when Brighton put pressure. The same when Everton them under pressure. They were lucky at Stamford Bridge, because Morata went off injured early on, reducing the pressure on their defence. Have you seen them this week. They set a blistering pace against Napoli, but once Napoli starting pressing them at the back they weren't so clever. They were at home and only got a win because Napoli missed one of their penalties. They got two penalties because they panicked when Napoli put pressure on their back line. Today, Burnley looked comfortable until City were given a dodgy pen, Burnley were denied a pen and denied a free-kick in the sequence of play that led up to City's second goal. Their third goal was immediately after, when Burnley left themselves open trying to force their way straight back into the mouth. Three - nil didn't really reflect the game, so if you are just looking at that your view will be distorted. Burnley could them trying to play out in the Guardiola manner a few times. The vulnerabilities are there. Whether teams can exploit them, have the courage to exploit them and can score more than they concede is a wholly different matter.

Maybe their attack is better - but there isn't that much in it. Our defence is better. They may have more depth to their squad. They have had an easier start. We have had more injury issues (I believe). It is alright to make them favourites without writing off all hope at this stage. A shock defeat or key injuries could really. Losing to us last year really rattled them as did losing de Bruyne. We have just put in a great performance at the Bernabeu - we shouldn't be fearing anyone. I believe we will finish in the top four, could be anywhere in the top four - including first. Just support the lads game by game and see how far it takes us, eh!

p.s. Watching the Huddersfield goals as I type this - LoL

I do think we can make top 4 don't think we can make first but that is the dream of course, we will need to put in a Madrid like performance when we play city as yes our defence is probably the best in the league.

 

[rossdapep]

Win tomorrow and we're level with Utd
Beat Utd next week and we're three points above them
Their next league game after is Chelsea away, we're at 'home' to Palace

For all the talk in the early months of how strong they are and how they're back.....we could be six points clear of them by the next international break.

That's extremely unlikely. I can't imagine United losing their next two and us winning all three, especially with our run of games. We do that though and we are title challengers for certain.

 

[StartingPrice]

For those who are interested, Oddschecker still shows the majority of bookies offering 14 - 1, with a few on 16 - 1, on us winning the league, and, of course, finishing second gives place odds. Looking at United and Chelsea today, can't help thinking that is very generous. You can even get 20 - 1 on BetVictor, don't know if they are giving place odds though. Can't see our odds staying like that if we beat Liverpewel, though.

https://www.oddschecker.com/football/english/premier-league/winner

 

[lukespurs7]

Win tomorrow and we're level with Utd
Beat Utd next week and we're three points above them
Their next league game after is Chelsea away, we're at 'home' to Palace

For all the talk in the early months of how strong they are and how they're back.....we could be six points clear of them by the next international break.

You think we will bear lpool at home who we’ve not beaten for a while and have been outplayed by on numerous occasions recently and then beat man.u away, who’ve not lost at home in like 25 games, I hope we do but really can’t see it mate.

 

[lukespurs7]

L-pool game is must win, unfortunately I don’t think we will win it, hopefully I’m wrong, I also thought we’d get battered by Madrid so who knows, trust in poch and the boys. Huge game against a very good side.

COYS

 

[Lilbaz]

You think we will bear lpool at home who we’ve not beaten for a while and have been outplayed by on numerous occasions recently and then beat man.u away, who’ve not lost at home in like 25 games, I hope we do but really can’t see it mate.

If we ever want to win the league then we need to get those type of results.

 

[shelfboy68]

That's extremely unlikely. I can't imagine United losing their next two and us winning all three, especially with our run of games. We do that though and we are title challengers for certain.

Our next couple of games are tough starting with Liverpool who we haven't beaten for a while they always have our number and out press us, we simply never have an answer to them for some strange reason.
Utd will also be tough but again if we want to put pressure on city and Utd then a result there would be great.

 

[am_yisrael_chai]

For the third year running Spurs are the only team who look capable of mounting a challenge to the league leaders. When will the so called pundits who at the start of every season make predictions based on spending start to admit that they know as much about football as Troopz (aka Blud Fam) ?

 

[StartingPrice]

For those who are interested, Oddschecker still shows the majority of bookies offering 14 - 1, with a few on 16 - 1, on us winning the league, and, of course, finishing second gives place odds. Looking at United and Chelsea today, can't help thinking that is very generous. You can even get 20 - 1 on BetVictor, don't know if they are giving place odds though. Can't see our odds staying like that if we beat Liverpewel, though.

https://www.oddschecker.com/football/english/premier-league/winner

For those of you who are paying attention, the nearly 4 to 1 on us finishing second has now gone. We have gone from 14 - 1 to 16 - 1 third favourites to (generally) 9 -1 or 10 - 1 second favourites.


https://www.oddschecker.com/football/english/premier-league/winner

 

[$hoguN]

It's really frustrating that we always end up chasing a team who gets 5 points or so in front and keeps winning. We really need the luck one season and to start well

 

[Mr Pink]

Can't wait for Saturday now. Our confidence will be oozing.

I really don't think United are all that. They're better defensively than the Dippers, but Liverpool have a better attack imo.

Jan and Toby know how to handle lukaku and have done well against him in the past.

Keep a lid on Rashford and I think we can really get at them.

Put it like this, if someone offered me a draw right now I wouldn't take it, even though 4 points against Liverpool and United is a very decent return.

But I think we'll beat them.

 

[rossdapep]

It's really frustrating that we always end up chasing a team who gets 5 points or so in front and keeps winning. We really need the luck one season and to start well

Is it stretching it a bit to say had we not had to bed ourselves into Wembley then wed be level on points with City right now? Even better we may find ourselves 2 points ahead? Considering we generally beat Chelsea at the Lane when we are good and always beat Swansea at the Lane.

Or do I sound like a deluded scousebag?

 

[Mr Pink]

Is it stretching it a bit to say had we not had to bed ourselves into Wembley then wed be level on points with City right now? Even better we may find ourselves 2 points ahead? Considering we generally beat Chelsea at the Lane when we are good and always beat Swansea at the Lane.

Or do I sound like a deluded scousebag?

Had we beaten Burnley (conceded last minute goal) and Swansea (Kane off the bar) we'd be level on points with City now.

 

[bubble07]

Had we beaten Burnley (conceded last minute goal) and Swansea (Kane off the bar) we'd be level on points with City now.

We would be 1 point behind

 

[WhiteHartKane]

5 pts behind oil, still to play them twice, control our own destiny.

COYS

PS no need to think about the winning title and piling on the pressure to do so, just enjoy the ride, our boys are making us proud and wearing the shirt with pride, that's enough for me at the moment. I would be perfectly fine with top 4 and the FA Cup, just seeing all their smiles hoisting a trophy would make my heart melt.

 

[nicdic]

People are desperate to give the title to City already.

Under Poch we typically hit our stride around December, and we're in the middle of a significant run of injuries. We're gonna get better.

For the second successive season City have come out of the traps flying, will they be able to keep it up this season? After six games last year they were just as impressive as this and yet...

There's an awfully long way to go.