What's new

Race for the Top 4 - 2017/18

ajspurs

Well-Known Member
Jul 7, 2007
22,987
31,167
Still more concerned with getting away from the pack. We're 8 points behind City yet if we lose against Arsenal we would be sitting in 4th just 1 point ahead of them and potentially just 1 point ahead of Liverpool who have Saints at home, 2 points behind Chelsea who have WBA away and 5 points away from United who have Newcastle at home.

Way too tight there for my liking.

I'm not really thinking of this season as a title chasing season at the moment, I just really hope we secure CL football for the new stadium next season.
 

thefierycamel

Well-Known Member
Dec 31, 2014
2,015
5,128
Tbh I don’t think they’re that overrated. They have scored a record number of goals so far and have torn apart Home and away a very good Napoli team. Tactically they are amazing winning back the ball so often, then they keep the ball so well it’s just so suffocating and hard to play against they have so much pace they hit you on the break they tire you out. Teams play in to their hands a bit by just pussying out and not playing football against them, key is to actually keep the ball well and get behind their defence. They will run away with the league. But they’re playing on confidence at the moment so was hoping they would draw or lose today to lose some momentum as the longer this run goes on the better they will get.
I don't disagree but napoli were all over them for the second half at the Etihad and first half in naples. City were very lucky to only concede 1 goal in both of those halves.
 

Lighty64

I believe
Aug 24, 2010
10,400
12,476
lets hope that Leicester can do something against them, I know it's a small hope, but their defence has been weakened slightly with Otamende being suspended
 

rossdapep

Well-Known Member
Aug 25, 2011
21,907
78,647
Still more concerned with getting away from the pack. We're 8 points behind City yet if we lose against Arsenal we would be sitting in 4th just 1 point ahead of them and potentially just 1 point ahead of Liverpool who have Saints at home, 2 points behind Chelsea who have WBA away and 5 points away from United who have Newcastle at home.

Way too tight there for my liking.

I'm not really thinking of this season as a title chasing season at the moment, I just really hope we secure CL football for the new stadium next season.
It was a little bit tight this time last year too. The run after Xmas gave us breathing space and then we excelled furthermore and I can see the same happening again to be honest. That been said, yep let's beat them, rub their faces in it and create the breathing space now.
 

Lighty64

I believe
Aug 24, 2010
10,400
12,476
Is 23pts best start to PL season ? Saw it in twitter.

it is ours, but don't think any team has been on 31 after 11. even when not playing their best they have been getting results.

for 2 seasons running we have had teams that have started better than us at the Quarter mark, and we have hoped that injuries and suspension will slow them down. from last seasons top 6 we only have to play Arsenal and City this half of the draw, we need something from both games, 1 to leave Arse a little adrift and then City in December we can't afford to lose. win is needed, but a draw at worst.

myself if we can take CL into the new stadium with a good run in the CL and hopefully the FA Cup, i'll be well happy. if City and Utd (more) slip up, we need to take advantage. I just don't see City slipping up at the moment.
 

coys200

Well-Known Member
May 22, 2017
8,436
17,403
Still more concerned with getting away from the pack. We're 8 points behind City yet if we lose against Arsenal we would be sitting in 4th just 1 point ahead of them and potentially just 1 point ahead of Liverpool who have Saints at home, 2 points behind Chelsea who have WBA away and 5 points away from United who have Newcastle at home.

Way too tight there for my liking.

I'm not really thinking of this season as a title chasing season at the moment, I just really hope we secure CL football for the new stadium next season.

A 4 pt gap to 4th is probably the biggest we’ve had after 11 games.Not sure what you’d expect after 11 games.if we kept up that ratio we’d be 15 pts clear by end of season.
 

ajspurs

Well-Known Member
Jul 7, 2007
22,987
31,167
It was a little bit tight this time last year too. The run after Xmas gave us breathing space and then we excelled furthermore and I can see the same happening again to be honest. That been said, yep let's beat them, rub their faces in it and create the breathing space now.

Yeah hopefully the same will happen this season. Time will tell but players returning from injury will certainly help during the busy period!

A 4 pt gap to 4th is probably the biggest we’ve had after 11 games.Not sure what you’d expect after 11 games.if we kept up that ratio we’d be 15 pts clear by end of season.

Not saying I'd expect any more or less, I'm just simply stating the facts of our current position and the scenarios that could occur. Hopefully it is a case of just continuing to pick up the ratio of points we have done already but we all know football is not that black and white.
 

StartingPrice

Chief Sardonicus Hyperlip
Feb 13, 2004
32,568
10,280
Was clear last year their defence was massively flawed so there was always a chance they would tail off like they did but with that addressed hard to pick weak spots. To me they are in the top 3 teams in Europe right now. Hard to see that changing for a few years now. The chance was in the Pellegrini/Mancini eras and last year.

Their defence may have improved - but it still has its vulnerabilities.

Their attack is obviously blistering ATM - at the start of the season I said it was like Ossie's team on steroids. Maybe I should have said it was like how Ossie imagined his team would be in his head...and with limitless pots of money to spend.But their defence is not better than ours. They conceded two against Stoke*, they conceded two penalties against Napoli at the Etihad, and were lucky that only one was converted, they conceded two against West Brom, they conceded two against Napoli in Naples. When was the last time we so consistently conceded two goals per game? Liverpool got constantly behind them until Mane was (rightly) - up to that point it was looking like the game could have been a cricket score either way. They brushed Chelsea aside - but Morata went off injured early doors. You would have to imagine that they would have been put under more pressure if he had stayed on the pitch. As someone said above, they virtually crumbled in the second half against Napoli at the Etihad, even if they had totally destroyed them in the first. They could easily have conceded more against the Goon today after half-time.
*Yes, I know how many they scored against Stoke, it's not the point.

They are clear and away favourites, everyone can see that and no-one is disputed the quality of their attack. But either they aren't as well balanced as us or Guardiola sets them up in a way that will leave flaws at the back (I believe it is a bit of both, TBH). And that is our in. We are where we are despite a lengthy injury list, despite Kane not scoring in August but hitting the woodwork in three consecutive matches, despite having to adjust to Wembley, etc. And where we are is hanging in. If our goals dry up, you could still see us grinding out results as our defence is so good. Them not so much. If they had lengthy injury list and/or the goals dried up, you couldn't see them keeping clean sheets and grinding results out in the same way. Will it ever happen? I dunno :) All we can do is keep playing our game, keep on their coat-tails and, like United and Chelsea [sic.], hope that they are put to the test, the goals dry up for any reason, or in any other way results dip for a few games, and we are the ones who can take advantage of it.
 

coys200

Well-Known Member
May 22, 2017
8,436
17,403
Attacking injuries won’t really hurt city apart from Maybe De Bruyne.Rest are pretty interchangeable.But Fernandinho would be a big loss,they don’t really have a like for like Maybe yaya.But pretty sure he is done.They are very light at CB as well.Somehow he pulled a rabbit out hat with delph at LB.So Basically If De Bruyne Fernandinho stones ederson get injured we might be in with a shout lol.
 

yankspurs

Enic Out
Aug 22, 2013
41,883
71,188
City could be crowned champs with like 2 months to spare. They are too good this season. Running away with it. Hopefully we can stick in the top 4
 

shelfboy68

Well-Known Member
Jun 14, 2008
14,566
19,651
lets hope that Leicester can do something against them, I know it's a small hope, but their defence has been weakened slightly with Otamende being suspended
How times change as it wasn't so long ago when having otamende in the team actually weakened it.
 

tototoner

Staying Alert
Mar 21, 2004
29,387
34,059
Pretty bullish. You dont think a team wtih DeBryne, Sane, Silva, Aguero/Jesus, Sterling (now living up to potential) is not terrifying? Weakest link in the team is probably Delph and Otamendi but neither are as bad as Kolarov, a past it Zabaleta, Bravo etc last year
Any team that attacks that much will be susceptible to the counter attack, just need to be clinical when you get a chance.

We cannot afford to drop any more points to them before we play them in December
 

Mate

Well-Known Member
Dec 9, 2006
1,570
3,859
Still more concerned with getting away from the pack. We're 8 points behind City yet if we lose against Arsenal we would be sitting in 4th just 1 point ahead of them and potentially just 1 point ahead of Liverpool who have Saints at home, 2 points behind Chelsea who have WBA away and 5 points away from United who have Newcastle at home.

Way too tight there for my liking.

I'm not really thinking of this season as a title chasing season at the moment, I just really hope we secure CL football for the new stadium next season.

Be positive dude, beat Arsenal and we're 7 points clear of them :)
 

Marty

Audere est farce
Mar 10, 2005
39,885
62,562
Still more concerned with getting away from the pack. We're 8 points behind City yet if we lose against Arsenal we would be sitting in 4th just 1 point ahead of them and potentially just 1 point ahead of Liverpool who have Saints at home, 2 points behind Chelsea who have WBA away and 5 points away from United who have Newcastle at home.

Way too tight there for my liking.

I'm not really thinking of this season as a title chasing season at the moment, I just really hope we secure CL football for the new stadium next season.
Your point is fair enough, except that we're level on points with United now so a loss at the toilet bowl only leaves us at most three behind.

I think we're the second best team in the country but I won't concede the title to City until it's mathematically impossible. Anything lower than 4th will be a failure because while I think we'll scrap with United and Chelsea for the final positions, we should be well ahead of Liverpool and Arsenal.
 

arunspurs

Well-Known Member
Aug 31, 2012
8,807
35,543
Unless there is a injury crisis at City, this thread can very well be closed now. KDB needs to be out for 2 or 3 months with Aguero. Otherwise, City will walk this title.

Its been a long time since PL teams fear another PL team. This is happening now. City are destroying everything on their path. For all the talk of 'their defense is bad', they have conceded the 2nd least goals in PL.

Thing is they are not even drawing games. Just 1 draw in 11 games, where they were down to 10 men. That is a impossible task to better.

Only chance we have is win the next 6 games - Arsenal, WBA,Leicester, Watford, Stoke, Brighton before facing City. And win that too...And hope City had dropped few points in their 6 games. And continue the trend till end of season. :rolleyes:o_O
 

Everlasting Seconds

Well-Known Member
Jan 9, 2014
14,914
26,616
I think we should start campaigning for a new type of trophy - the Super-EPL. So the Super-EPL is awarded to the club that has gathered the most points in total over the last three years. You go to the end of one season, add up all points over the last three seasons, and the one with the most is the Super-EPL winner. I think it could really change football, because rather than manipulating your squad with a 12-months view or hiring and sacking managers every October, a long term sustainability would be the corner stone in a challenge for the Super-EPL. You can't just get a cash injection in June and plan on Super-EPL three years later, there must be more to it than that. So the entire sport would benefit, and any perceived bias to any one club is purely coincidental.
 

L-man

Misplaced pass from Dier
Dec 31, 2008
9,979
51,364
I think we should start campaigning for a new type of trophy - the Super-EPL. So the Super-EPL is awarded to the club that has gathered the most points in total over the last three years. You go to the end of one season, add up all points over the last three seasons, and the one with the most is the Super-EPL winner. I think it could really change football, because rather than manipulating your squad with a 12-months view or hiring and sacking managers every October, a long term sustainability would be the corner stone in a challenge for the Super-EPL. You can't just get a cash injection in June and plan on Super-EPL three years later, there must be more to it than that. So the entire sport would benefit, and any perceived bias to any one club is purely coincidental.
That’s weird. My URL says Spurs Community but I seem to have stumbled onto RAWK
 
Top