Title Race

[AngryOfTuebrook]

1 hour ago, johnsusername said:

People still writing off Arsenal is astounding. 

Half the FF have written Liverpool off.

[lebron]

Not sure if anyone's writing them off. Just think a few posters find it unconceivable that they won't suffer injuries and fatigue when trying to balance the two top competitions after already putting huge demands on their key players.

 

I don't think you can completely rule out the advantage Klopp and Guardiola have over Arteta either, given their past experiences of high-pressure situations.

[Mathewbet1]

I still think Arsenal will implode theres no evidence to suggest they wont.

[Dapower]

20 minutes ago, Mathewbet1 said:

I still think Arsenal will implode theres no evidence to suggest they wont.

It won’t be last seasons collapse but I see them dropping a few points 

[Ronnie Whelan]

1 hour ago, lebron said:

Having calmed down after yesterday, I think we still have a pretty good chance. It would have been even better being in the driver's seat, but as many others have said, our rivals are not out of sight, and both of them have equally as hectic a schedule as us (if not more given the importance of the CL).

 

I still think City will be the toughest nut to crack, as the return of de Bruyne and Haaland will give them that extra bit of match-winning quality. I don't think Haaland has improved them much as a team (if at all), but the link up with de Bruyne is unfortunately lethal. 

 

I see people (especially 3stacks) are really impressed with Arsenal. I don't underestimate them, but their run is based on overplaying key players over an extended period of time. Only Virgil (who is a player renowned for his avoidance of injury) has racked up minutes similar to Saliba, Gabriel, White, Rice, Odegaard and Saka. I can easily see 2 or 3 of those having niggles in the coming weeks, and it won't take much to get them out of rhtyhm once they have to break up that base. Would be nice if one or two of the refs in the league would reign in on their ridiculously aggressive defending and attacking at set pieces, but I guess that's a bit too much to hope for.

 

I can see us winning 6 of the last 7, but I'm a bit afraid of the Everton (a)  games given the lack of rest that week. We will probably need to rest some of our key players in that one, leaving us vulnerable. I've maintained since the Arsenal defeat that Spurs at home is our hardest remaining game, but the same is true for Arsenal and not least City (who haven't won at Tottenham's new ground in the league yet). Let's hope Spurs put up a better effort in front of their home supporters than when away to us...

 

If I had to guess now, I'd lean towards these results:

Palace (h)  Win - think this will be relatively routine

Fulham (a) Win - First of a tough week. Think this will be tight, but doable

Everton (a) Draw - Will be tough on two days rest. Might have to rotate a bit.

West Ham (a) Win - If we play all our starters at Goodison, this might be the toughest. Not all our players will start all 3 games this week.

Spurs (h) Win - The toughest remaining game in isolation, but we should be rested and ready. Will need to be clinical.

Villa (a) Win - Villa and Spurs will both hopefully be assured of a CL place by this time. Second toughest game in isolation

Wolves (h) Win - We will find a way to win, but probably not without drama.

 

90 pts for us, I think both our rivals will end up with a better GD than us, so for us to win it with our results, we will need both City and Spurs to drop points.

 

The Spurs game away for both teams seems the most obvious one. I think both of them will struggle the weekend after their second QF leg in the CL. Other than that I'm struggling to see big obstacles for them if they keep their best personnel fit. I think Arsenal especially will be extremely lucky to keep all their players fit and fresh given what they have already put them through.

 

Anyway, I am still optimistic! Put me in the nerveless big dog category as well!

 

 

 

Good post.  

 

My gut is we'll drop points at Villa Park. Think we'll edge Spurs in a high scoring and nervy game. I have this feeling we'll smash Everton, but West Ham will be a horrible game that we'll just get over the line. The others will be okay I feel.

 

I have this feeling Spurs will take points off the other two. We may get another surprise as well like Villa drawing at Arsenal or City at Brighton.

 

We just need to hope City don't batter Luton this weekend so they don't edge ahead on the goal difference. 

[Dapower]

2 minutes ago, Ronnie Whelan said:

Good post.  

 

My gut is we'll drop points at Villa Park. Think we'll edge Spurs in a high scoring and nervy game. I have this feeling we'll smash Everton, but West Ham will be a horrible game that we'll just get over the line. The others will be okay I feel.

 

I have this feeling Spurs will take points off the other two. We may get another surprise as well like Villa drawing at Arsenal or City at Brighton.

 

We just need to hope City don't batter Luton this weekend so they don't edge ahead on the goal difference. 

I think city will do Luton more than 3 but I’m like you Villa is my worry even though i think we will win all 7 let’s see how it pans out end of the day Arsenal know they’ll have to beat Villa to go top Sunday evening

[an tha]

We have the 2nd best defensive record in the league and we have the 2nd best attacking record in the league with 7 games left there is every chance we end season with the best record for both, and the most of the thing that matters most - points.

[Lee909]

1 hour ago, lebron said:

Having calmed down after yesterday, I think we still have a pretty good chance. It would have been even better being in the driver's seat, but as many others have said, our rivals are not out of sight, and both of them have equally as hectic a schedule as us (if not more given the importance of the CL).

 

I still think City will be the toughest nut to crack, as the return of de Bruyne and Haaland will give them that extra bit of match-winning quality. I don't think Haaland has improved them much as a team (if at all), but the link up with de Bruyne is unfortunately lethal. 

 

I see people (especially 3stacks) are really impressed with Arsenal. I don't underestimate them, but their run is based on overplaying key players over an extended period of time. Only Virgil (who is a player renowned for his avoidance of injury) has racked up minutes similar to Saliba, Gabriel, White, Rice, Odegaard and Saka. I can easily see 2 or 3 of those having niggles in the coming weeks, and it won't take much to get them out of rhtyhm once they have to break up that base. Would be nice if one or two of the refs in the league would reign in on their ridiculously aggressive defending and attacking at set pieces, but I guess that's a bit too much to hope for.

 

I can see us winning 6 of the last 7, but I'm a bit afraid of the Everton (a)  games given the lack of rest that week. We will probably need to rest some of our key players in that one, leaving us vulnerable. I've maintained since the Arsenal defeat that Spurs at home is our hardest remaining game, but the same is true for Arsenal and not least City (who haven't won at Tottenham's new ground in the league yet). Let's hope Spurs put up a better effort in front of their home supporters than when away to us...

 

If I had to guess now, I'd lean towards these results:

Palace (h)  Win - think this will be relatively routine

Fulham (a) Win - First of a tough week. Think this will be tight, but doable

Everton (a) Draw - Will be tough on two days rest. Might have to rotate a bit.

West Ham (a) Win - If we play all our starters at Goodison, this might be the toughest. Not all our players will start all 3 games this week.

Spurs (h) Win - The toughest remaining game in isolation, but we should be rested and ready. Will need to be clinical.

Villa (a) Win - Villa and Spurs will both hopefully be assured of a CL place by this time. Second toughest game in isolation

Wolves (h) Win - We will find a way to win, but probably not without drama.

 

90 pts for us, I think both our rivals will end up with a better GD than us, so for us to win it with our results, we will need both City and Spurs to drop points.

 

The Spurs game away for both teams seems the most obvious one. I think both of them will struggle the weekend after their second QF leg in the CL. Other than that I'm struggling to see big obstacles for them if they keep their best personnel fit. I think Arsenal especially will be extremely lucky to keep all their players fit and fresh given what they have already put them through.

 

Anyway, I am still optimistic! Put me in the nerveless big dog category as well!

 

 

 

 

Spurs will have fuck all to play for by the time they play City

It will likely be obvious that the premier league will have 5 spots for next years champions league and the mancs are 11 behind Spurs and Villa(though could cut Villa to 8pts with a game in hand)

 

If Arsenal get past Villa this weekend i don't see them dropping many points. And judging by the shit Emery pulled the other week i can see him resting players himself with the conference league games

[El Rojo]

With players returning from injury and international tournaments, we definitely lost a bit of the backs-to-the-wall defiance that we were playing with when we were starting the young lads.

[Carra_is_legend]

9 hours ago, Lee909 said:

If Arsenal get past Villa this weekend i don't see them dropping many points. And judging by the shit Emery pulled the other week i can see him resting players himself with the conference league games

 Agree, the cunt will probably do the same. The only hope I have is that he is going back to Arsenal so might have a point to prove. May be....

[Arnaud]

12 hours ago, lebron said:

Having calmed down after yesterday, I think we still have a pretty good chance. It would have been even better being in the driver's seat, but as many others have said, our rivals are not out of sight, and both of them have equally as hectic a schedule as us (if not more given the importance of the CL).

 

I still think City will be the toughest nut to crack, as the return of de Bruyne and Haaland will give them that extra bit of match-winning quality. I don't think Haaland has improved them much as a team (if at all), but the link up with de Bruyne is unfortunately lethal. 

 

I see people (especially 3stacks) are really impressed with Arsenal. I don't underestimate them, but their run is based on overplaying key players over an extended period of time. Only Virgil (who is a player renowned for his avoidance of injury) has racked up minutes similar to Saliba, Gabriel, White, Rice, Odegaard and Saka. I can easily see 2 or 3 of those having niggles in the coming weeks, and it won't take much to get them out of rhtyhm once they have to break up that base. Would be nice if one or two of the refs in the league would reign in on their ridiculously aggressive defending and attacking at set pieces, but I guess that's a bit too much to hope for.

 

I can see us winning 6 of the last 7, but I'm a bit afraid of the Everton (a)  games given the lack of rest that week. We will probably need to rest some of our key players in that one, leaving us vulnerable. I've maintained since the Arsenal defeat that Spurs at home is our hardest remaining game, but the same is true for Arsenal and not least City (who haven't won at Tottenham's new ground in the league yet). Let's hope Spurs put up a better effort in front of their home supporters than when away to us...

 

If I had to guess now, I'd lean towards these results:

Palace (h)  Win - think this will be relatively routine

Fulham (a) Win - First of a tough week. Think this will be tight, but doable

Everton (a) Draw - Will be tough on two days rest. Might have to rotate a bit.

West Ham (a) Win - If we play all our starters at Goodison, this might be the toughest. Not all our players will start all 3 games this week.

Spurs (h) Win - The toughest remaining game in isolation, but we should be rested and ready. Will need to be clinical.

Villa (a) Win - Villa and Spurs will both hopefully be assured of a CL place by this time. Second toughest game in isolation

Wolves (h) Win - We will find a way to win, but probably not without drama.

 

90 pts for us, I think both our rivals will end up with a better GD than us, so for us to win it with our results, we will need both City and Spurs to drop points.

 

The Spurs game away for both teams seems the most obvious one. I think both of them will struggle the weekend after their second QF leg in the CL. Other than that I'm struggling to see big obstacles for them if they keep their best personnel fit. I think Arsenal especially will be extremely lucky to keep all their players fit and fresh given what they have already put them through.

 

Anyway, I am still optimistic! Put me in the nerveless big dog category as well!

 

 

 

Great in depth post, mate. 
 

We can’t afford another slip if we  hope to finish top of the league.

[Brownie]

Don’t do it to yourselves, it’s gone.

[Arnaud]

4 minutes ago, Brownie said:

Don’t do it to yourselves, it’s gone.

Never give up, mate. Hope is stronger than fear.

[skend04]

4 minutes ago, Brownie said:

Don’t do it to yourselves, it’s gone.

 

Huh?

Have the winners been crowned?

I can cancel my Sports subscription now. Thanks for letting us know.

[sh#t waffle]

In the two years where we came second by a point, we had the air of a title winning team throughout the season. I can't think of a single point this season where I've really felt that. Don't get me wrong. I've loved it, and it's been a huge bonus to see us competitive again after such a rebuild. And if Jurgen was staying I'd be confident of this side smashing everyone next season. But my feeling is that we're currently a bit like Rodgers' 13-14 side, or indeed Arsenal last year (albeit with better players and a better manager). We have obvious flaws which I'm not sure the other two challengers do (I watched Arsenal against Brighton and while they weren't amazing, they were efficient and ruthless). It's so draining to constantly have to go to the well game after game, and it's rarely sustainable over the course of a season.

 

Of course, we're only second on goal difference so I think to say we have no chance is ridiculous. But I can't shake the feeling we're the side most likely to drop away.

[Bernard Diomede]

16 minutes ago, sh#t waffle said:

In the two years where we came second by a point, we had the air of a title winning team throughout the season. I can't think of a single point this season where I've really felt that. Don't get me wrong. I've loved it, and it's been a huge bonus to see us competitive again after such a rebuild. And if Jurgen was staying I'd be confident of this side smashing everyone next season. But my feeling is that we're currently a bit like Rodgers' 13-14 side, or indeed Arsenal last year (albeit with better players and a better manager). We have obvious flaws which I'm not sure the other two challengers do (I watched Arsenal against Brighton and while they weren't amazing, they were efficient and ruthless). It's so draining to constantly have to go to the well game after game, and it's rarely sustainable over the course of a season.

 

Of course, we're only second on goal difference so I think to say we have no chance is ridiculous. But I can't shake the feeling we're the side most likely to drop away.

And yet we still finished second in each of those years. Maybe this year the footballing gods have other plans for us, despite not being quite as good as previous! 

[sh#t waffle]

8 minutes ago, Bernard Diomede said:

And yet we still finished second in each of those years. Maybe this year the footballing gods have other plans for us, despite not being quite as good as previous! 

Yep, let's hope so.

[Welsh]

Arsenal will draw against Villa Sunday

[Bobby Hundreds]

I admire people's optimism. When it comes too football my balls are bruised from being wellied in them by lady fate far too often. Even when we win the bloody league covid comes along. If we start getting word of the black death spreading through Asia I might start to believe.

[Lee909]

44 minutes ago, Bobby Hundreds said:

. If we start getting word of the black death spreading through Asia I might start to believe.

 

https://journals.lww.com/ijsgh/fulltext/2024/03010/alert_from_inner_mongolia__two_bubonic_plague.7.aspx

 

 

[Creator Supreme]

1 hour ago, Welsh said:

Arsenal will draw against Villa Sunday

What, in the WSL? Because Arsenal are winning the Premier League game.

[The wanderer]

6 minutes ago, Creator Supreme said:

What, in the WSL? Because Arsenal are winning the Premier League game.

 

[AngryOfTuebrook]

13 hours ago, Dapower said:

It won’t be last seasons collapse but I see them dropping a few points 

Talking about last season's collapse, it's a year today since Trent squared up to Xhaka and Freaky Fridayed both team's seasons.

[elvis]

13 hours ago, Lee909 said:

 

Spurs will have fuck all to play for by the time they play City

It will likely be obvious that the premier league will have 5 spots for next years champions league and the mancs are 11 behind Spurs and Villa(though could cut Villa to 8pts with a game in hand)

 

If Arsenal get past Villa this weekend i don't see them dropping many points. And judging by the shit Emery pulled the other week i can see him resting players himself with the conference league games

I don't see Emery doing Arsenal any favours whatsoever, he has an axe to grind.

[Lee909]

4 minutes ago, elvis said:

I don't see Emery doing Arsenal any favours whatsoever, he has an axe to grind.

 

He's also got a Europa Conference quarter final to play against Lille with Villas best chance if a trophy in years. He is a European manager who specialises in winning Europa Leagues. His priority will be that. He's got a 11/8pt lead over the mancs with 6 games to play Inc

2 more wins will probably be enough and they have Bournemouth,Chelsea and Brighton after that. He won't risk anything away at Arsenal imo.