Title Race

[devilsadvocate]

Looking at the fixtures, it feels that the next 6 games are pivotal for us to take control of this title race. 

 

Liverpool played 24 54 pts

City played 23 52 pts

Arsenal played 24 52 pts 

 

Us 

17/2 @ 12:30 Brentford (A)

Arsenal 

17/2 @ 15:00 Burnley (A)

City 

17/2 @ 17:00 Chelsea (H)

 

City

20/2@ 19:30 Brentford (H)

Us

21/2 @ 19:30 Luton (H

 

City

24/2 @ 17:30 Bournemouth (A)

Arsenal 

24/2 @ 20:00 Newcastle (H)

 

Us

2/3 @ 15:00 Forest (A)

City

3/3 @ 15:30 Utd (H)

Arsenal 

4/3 @ 20:00 Sheff U (A)

 

 

Arsenal 

9/3 @ 17:30 Brentford (H)

Us 

10/3 @ 15:45 City (H)

City

10/3 @ 15:45 Us (A)

 

Arsenal 

16/3 @ 12:30 Chelsea (H)

Us 

17/3 @ 14:00 Everton (A)

City

17/3 @ 16:30 Brighton (A)

 

Us 

31/3 @ 14:00 Brighton (H)

City 

31/3 @ 16:30 Arsenal (H)

Arsenal 

31/3 @ 16:30 City (A)

 

At this point all 3 sides will have played 30 games. 

 

In this period we also have 2x Europa games / 1x FA cup game + League cup final 

 

City play the same number of games ( 2x champions league /1x fa cup + their league game in hand. 

 

Arsenal play 2 less games in the period than the other 2sides. 
 

In this period City never play before us so if we win our games the pressure is always on them to ‘catch up’. 

 

Still feel if we finish above City we’ll win the league and this period is arguably their toughest run of games where they’re most likely to drop points. 

 

If we can beat City and take near to maximum points in the other 5 we should be in the pole position heading into the final straight. 
 

If they were ahead of us at this point, I’d start to worry that history will repeat itself. 

[an tha]

Arsenal's games look nice there.

[Fallen Angel]

We really opened up that door for fucking Arsenal again when it needed slamming closed. 

[Tony Moanero]

6 hours ago, devilsadvocate said:

Looking at the fixtures, it feels that the next 6 games are pivotal for us to take control of this title race. 

 

Liverpool played 24 54 pts

City played 23 52 pts

Arsenal played 24 52 pts 

 

Us 

17/2 @ 12:30 Brentford (A)

Arsenal 

17/2 @ 15:00 Burnley (A)

City 

17/2 @ 17:00 Chelsea (H)

 

City

20/2@ 19:30 Brentford (H)

Us

21/2 @ 19:30 Luton (H

 

City

24/2 @ 17:30 Bournemouth (A)

Arsenal 

24/2 @ 20:00 Newcastle (H)

 

Us

2/3 @ 15:00 Forest (A)

City

3/3 @ 15:30 Utd (H)

Arsenal 

4/3 @ 20:00 Sheff U (A)

 

 

Arsenal 

9/3 @ 17:30 Brentford (H)

Us 

10/3 @ 15:45 City (H)

City

10/3 @ 15:45 Us (A)

 

Arsenal 

16/3 @ 12:30 Chelsea (H)

Us 

17/3 @ 14:00 Everton (A)

City

17/3 @ 16:30 Brighton (A)

 

Us 

31/3 @ 14:00 Brighton (H)

City 

31/3 @ 16:30 Arsenal (H)

Arsenal 

31/3 @ 16:30 City (A)

 

At this point all 3 sides will have played 30 games. 

 

In this period we also have 2x Europa games / 1x FA cup game + League cup final 

 

City play the same number of games ( 2x champions league /1x fa cup + their league game in hand. 

 

Arsenal play 2 less games in the period than the other 2sides. 
 

In this period City never play before us so if we win our games the pressure is always on them to ‘catch up’. 

 

Still feel if we finish above City we’ll win the league and this period is arguably their toughest run of games where they’re most likely to drop points. 

 

If we can beat City and take near to maximum points in the other 5 we should be in the pole position heading into the final straight. 
 

If they were ahead of us at this point, I’d start to worry that history will repeat itself. 

Easy, tiger. One game at a time.

[AngryOfTuebrook]

Tony knows.

[VladimirIlyich]

Jeez. I lost all hope when I thought we were playing three games in one day!

Now I've re-read it we still have a chance.

[Bobby Hundreds]

I'm more convinced we'd take 3 points off city than off Everton.

[Smell The Glove]

I posted something in another thread about how good we are at home and have been since Klopp took over really. If we want to win the league then it's pivotal we beat the cheats at home. Do that then I don't see any reason why we can't win all our remaining home games. Then it's a case of can we get 12 points out of our aways. 3 on Saturday would be a nice way to start.

 

Obviously nobody knows what's going to happen with injuries, Arsenal never seem to fucking get any, but in my head 87pts is the target. What's our most achievable way of getting there?

[Reckoner]

1 hour ago, VladimirIlyich said:

Jeez. I lost all hope when I thought we were playing three games in one day!

Now I've re-read it we still have a chance.

You’d think two games in one day, on different continents, would be a thing of parody so 3 games in a day might be UEFAs new exciting plans before long?

[Code]

The first post gave me a headache.

 

 

[Ronnie Whelan]

5 minutes ago, Code said:

The first post gave me a headache.

 

 

Devilsadvocate is the kind of maverick that could fire us to a title but he could equally be a Rodney Marsh or Tino Asprilla. Pictured out on the town with a gorgeous brunette and a few bottles of champagne always close at hand. Appearing on Graham Norton the night before a game and funnier than all of the other guests. "We're winning all of our games you cheating Mancs bastards and take a picture of that Odegaard you big knobhead".

 

Code is the Phil Neal here. Taking each game as it comes. Giving no soundbites to the media, talking up everyone elses chances. Waiting in his car for the caretaker to open the gates of the training ground to get in a few hours of gymwork before the rest of the lads come in. 

 

Anyhow, I can't help but feel that the games up to Everton away will pretty much decide it. If we were to beat City, we would also have away games against the Blueshite, Brentford and Forest boxed off. At worst, we'd be two points clear of both City and Arsenal, which allows us a draw later in the run in.

 

I think it will go to the wire but I'm very nervous about Brentford. They're a good well coached team and Toney is top class.

[Ronnie Whelan]

Sorry I meant to say if we win all our games past Everton.

[etho]

Just keep winning the next game 

[El Rojo]

Brentford’s a tough fixture, but one a title challenger would really need to be winning.

 

Old Trafford and Goodison will be more difficult. 

[Strontium]

It's all academic, because unless they suffer an uncharacteristic injury crisis, I don't see City dropping any points fron now until the end of the season, except maybe when they visit us.

[lebron]

I wonder how much that LC two-legged semi final (and the final) will end up costing us. While our competitors have saved energy and had a proper winter break, we played two relatively hard fought games against Fulham.

 

As sweet as the thought of a Wembley final win (and a potential treble/quadruple) is, I'm starting to think that the cons are soon outweighing the pros when it comes to the LC as a competition. 

 

Not long ago we had a fully fit squad and a great bench to choose from, now we are back to bare bones (at least for a couple of weeks). Let's hope we can win on Saturday, I reckon that's our 2nd/3rd hardest fixture remaining in terms of coming away with 3 pts (City and Spurs being 1 and 2).

[elvis]

3 hours ago, Strontium said:

It's all academic, because unless they suffer an uncharacteristic injury crisis, I don't see City dropping any points fron now until the end of the season, except maybe when they visit us.

Seriously, any ? 

Bollocks 

[niallers]

Dunno what everyone's worried about. Last time the chiefs beat the niners in a super bowl was in 2020, the year we won the league.

It's all just a little bit of history repeating

[El Rojo]

4 hours ago, lebron said:

I wonder how much that LC two-legged semi final (and the final) will end up costing us. While our competitors have saved energy and had a proper winter break, we played two relatively hard fought games against Fulham.

 

As sweet as the thought of a Wembley final win (and a potential treble/quadruple) is, I'm starting to think that the cons are soon outweighing the pros when it comes to the LC as a competition. 

 

Not long ago we had a fully fit squad and a great bench to choose from, now we are back to bare bones (at least for a couple of weeks). Let's hope we can win on Saturday, I reckon that's our 2nd/3rd hardest fixture remaining in terms of coming away with 3 pts (City and Spurs being 1 and 2).

Really? Whatever about the City game, I’ve absolutely no fear of Spurs at home. I do think Old Trafford is shaping up to be a very difficult game, though. 

[Bobby Hundreds]

Does anyone genuinely think like really believe we will win the league. I'm not being glib it's a genuine question, not hope we win but look at the season what we have left and think we will do this.

[Smell The Glove]

10 minutes ago, Bobby Hundreds said:

Does anyone genuinely think like really believe we will win the league. I'm not being glib it's a genuine question, not hope we win but look at the season what we have left and think we will do this.

Why not? We are brilliant at home. Win those and we won't be far away. Did anyone believe we'd be top middle of Feb?

[an tha]

Nottm Forest away.

 

The shite away.

 

The mancs away.

 

All potentially tricky - of course all are winnable.

 

Aston Villa away, Fulham away and West Ham away all have potential difficulties too. 

 

Our away fixtures are not all that easy really.

 

Yes we should be winning most and of course will have to, but if we are involved in a title race and it is a stupid one where 90 plus pts is going to be needed and any slip is really damaging, there are a lot of awkward hurdles there to get over.

[Smell The Glove]

1 minute ago, an tha said:

Nottm Forest away.

 

The shite away.

 

The mancs away.

 

All potentially tricky - of course all are winnable.

 

Aston Villa away, Fulham away and West Ham away all have potential difficulties too. 

 

Our away fixtures are not all that easy really.

 

Yes we should be winning most and of course will have to, but if we are involved in a title race and it is a stupid one where 90 plus pts is going to be needed and any slip is really damaging, there are a lot of awkward hurdles there to get over.

I don't think we will get 90 points, if City get over that they'll win it easy. Infact I think if they walk out of March with 10pts it's over.

[an tha]

7 minutes ago, Smell The Glove said:

I don't think we will get 90 points, if City get over that they'll win it easy. Infact I think if they walk out of March with 10pts it's over.

Most of the season I was very much of the view that a 'normal' amount of pts was going to be what would win league....so you know maybe 87 say.

 

But abu dhabi look to be set for one of their stupid runs - they can get a max of 97 from here - so it isn't going to be a totally ridiculous number unless they win every game from here.

 

90 however is possibly within their reach IMO 7 pts to play with for them there...which of course means a max of 6 for us - 5 if we wanted to be sure.

 

Ultimately the old one game at a time is probably better for all our heads!

[Smell The Glove]

2 minutes ago, an tha said:

Most of the season I was very much of the view that a 'normal' amount of pts was going to be what would win league....so you know maybe 87 say.

 

But abu dhabi look to be set for one of their stupid runs - they can get a max of 97 from here - so it isn't going to be a totally ridiculous number unless they win every game from here.

 

90 however is possibly within their reach IMO 7 pts to play with for them there...which of course means a max of 6 for us - 5 if we wanted to be sure.

 

Ultimately the old one game at a time is probably better for all our heads!

Of course, it's just beat Brentford and then next. But you still can't help but look. I don't think any team will get to 90 but only one team will if they do.