I can't believe there's just so much negativity here. I think we'll be in the mix by end of January, if we continue to play how we do and take each match as it comes.
The Title Race 2013/14
- Thread starter Buchan
- Start date
It was a 2nd string side ffs!
That is true, itlld take us all having a collective cluster feck for United to win it after the first 15 games.
I'm not even looking at the top of the table. Just focus on one goal at a time. Get into that top 4 spot, then we can start talking about contending for the title.
Is that the odds you would offer or ones you're getting from somewhere?
I can't see anywhere offering longer than 12/1.
No chance of the title, but top 4 looking more realistic with every win. Just gotta keep winning, no matter how. All the posters claiming United are shit, and will get found out against a big team, maybe will get their chance to crow when United play Chelsea. But hopefully United have less injuries by then...
Are you watching any of the rest ? There's only City that have the quality throughout to win this league other than united. Is it not a massive indication how poor the top teams have been that Arsenal without a recognised striker and Liverpool a one man band with that one man likely to hit his own self destruct button at any point have been the early front runners ? Looking at the state of everyone you can't even rule out Everton yet.
We look unconvincing partly because how these teams play against us too, just bombarding us with long balls and picking up loose balls. The moment someone tries to keep the ball on the ground against us, we'll immediately start to look much better. Yes, we are struggling due to confidence, injury and manager change settling in, but we're starting to put together a run. Let's see how we fare against the Spuds.
Title is highly unlikely..
Like I said a few weeks back, I'd be happy if we matched the top teams from now till the end of the season... That'd mean ending 7-8 points behind whoever wins the league..
That points tally should also guarantee a top 4 finish.
We messed up big time at the start of the season.. Getting it right is the most important thing..
Expecting the 2-3 serious title contenders ahead of us to have a slump while going on a great run ourselves might be too much to ask for.
Like I said a few weeks back, I'd be happy if we matched the top teams from now till the end of the season... That'd mean ending 7-8 points behind whoever wins the league..
That points tally should also guarantee a top 4 finish.
We messed up big time at the start of the season.. Getting it right is the most important thing..
Expecting the 2-3 serious title contenders ahead of us to have a slump while going on a great run ourselves might be too much to ask for.
100% this. If we somehow manage to win the title from where we were then our rivals are an absolute disgrace.
Top 4 will be amazing after the terrible start to the season.
Finishing 4th ahead of Liverpool would be a successful season at this point. 2nd or 3rd would be a really great achievement.
Same here. We'll most likely be 3 points of fourth once everyone has played which is pretty good considering where we were
Was Betfair odds, changed to 13/1 now.
Yes. And they've all been far far better then us.
You could argue that, but it'll be pointless. We've had a pretty comfortable run and we've done well especially to win the last two with all the injuries.
We're certainly there when it comes to finishing in the top 4. Title battle? No, sorry, still don't see it. A few points behind too many teams, too many weaknesses, and eventually we'll run into better teams.
Cheers
In any case, City have beaten us at OT for the past few seasons so getting 3 points from that fixture is far from guaranteed.
Its kinda funny that we're now the exact same distance behind City that they were behing us halfway through last season. We won't win the title because we've got another wobble in us, but its going to be amusing when we pass Liverpool and then Arsenal after all the crowing.
Why on Earth would you expect this?
Looking to that one fixture so much with a bloody 19 to go is silly.
I think its also worth the note that using the point that 'so and so has to come to OT ' doesnt apply so much now as home form has actually been your bane this season. Liverpool and City having to come to yours is just as daunting as going away at present.
Imagine if all the 4 teams have a draw tomorrow! It would be Golden for us.
Chelsea have been dire, playing worse football than anyone. Your not watching enough football if you think that.
Just stop arguing and admit it. Its fecking ON!
Good point, we need to beat some teams convincingly at OT in order to have some sort of psychological advantage before the matches kick off.
Because Swansea are playing averagely and will be tired. City have rested a lot of players, can see them beating Swansea, it wont be easy though.
Yep. Though Newcastle beating Arsenal would be better. Although it'd temporarily put Newcastle back above us, you can't see them staying there, and we need Arsenal to drop points before their "easy" run.
Chelsea are the only one's that you can argue have been worse. The others have been miles apart from us in terms of performances.
Its totally on! Although if you want to talk fixtures, after Jan 1st we have only to travel away to City and Liverpool as the hard away games. The rest are at home or not quite so tough.
Well, yes. I was just being considerate and modest to everyone.
If Chelsea sort themselves out with a half decent striker in January they're favourites, for me.
Our 4 game winning streak in the league hasn't been against the toughest opposition but 3 away wins in the league is good form by anyone's standards, especially with the absences we've had.
We have to build on that though by winning our home games and then the gap to the teams above will begin to disintegrate.
We're halfway now and have a points tally of 34, less than 2 points per game which is obviously shocking by our standards. However, that has still been enough to keep the teams above in our sights. If we improve on that tally, as I expect us to, in the 2nd half of the season then we will be in the top 4 mix.
We have to build on that though by winning our home games and then the gap to the teams above will begin to disintegrate.
We're halfway now and have a points tally of 34, less than 2 points per game which is obviously shocking by our standards. However, that has still been enough to keep the teams above in our sights. If we improve on that tally, as I expect us to, in the 2nd half of the season then we will be in the top 4 mix.
City's away form has been as bad as anything you care to see, they've been exceptional in a few of the bigger games but hardly blazing a trail, yea you expect they will sort that out but the gaps 7 points and no guarantees united will continue to stutter.
Arsenal has been covered and you can expect a slide, the honeymoon looks to be over there. Leaving who else to chase ? Liverpool
Any of the top League teams now would be fecking chuffed to have got 12 out of 12 with all the injuries and suspensions we had. Our squad depth is incredible but apparently it's not good enough for a top 4 team, right?
We havent played worse, as at times we have played some excellent football, Sunderland and Wham away and at home vs City. The good results and performances have been masked by the away games vs United and games were we dominate but dont score more than 1, ie 2 days ago.
Tell me this, can Chelsea get back Lukaku in January? If they pay some kind of fee perhaps? Because getting a striker in would make you much stronger favorites in my eyes.
I don't think our squad depth has ever been questioned, has it? It's the quality of the first team players that has.
Not having a true outstanding goal scorer does that to a side, Chelsea have been as bad, probably worse than United.
City have been absolutely stunning at home, their record is astonishing. Arsenal, even though they've trailed off, have played some brilliant football. And Liverpool have been playing some lovely football.City's away form has been as bad as anything you care to see, they've been exceptional in a few of the bigger games but hardly blazing a trail, yea you expect they will sort that out but the gaps 7 points and no guarantees united will continue to stutter.
Arsenal has been covered and you can expect a slide, the honeymoon looks to be over there. Leaving who else to chase ? Liverpool
You need to take off your red tinted specs if you can't see that all those three have played much better then us this season.