EPL Title race 2018/2019

hellohello

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Before the season started my guess was:
1. City
2. Liverpool
3. Tottenham
4. Manchester United.

Now I'm changing my mind and predicting
1. Liverpool
2. City
3. Tottenham
4. Manchester United

For me Liverpool seem to ride the wave of belief and determination, and with their quality as well as the necessary luck I actually believe they will make it. I think they'll beat City who will be in a position with 'everything' to lose, and I think will crumble making it 7 points. City are still incredibly strong though, and if they beat Liverpool and cut the lead to 1 point I'd favour them. As for Spurs, It's nice to be in the race, and there's still an outside chance things go our way. We usually finish the season stronger, and got players coming back. We would need results against Liverpool and City though, and despite it being far from impossible they are both away games, and right I think they are slightly stronger.
 

Guy Incognito

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City need to sort out their bloody defence if they are serious about stopping Liverpool from winning the damned thing.
 

Prometheus

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Before the season started my guess was:
1. City
2. Liverpool
3. Tottenham
4. Manchester United.

Now I'm changing my mind and predicting
1. Liverpool
2. City
3. Tottenham
4. Manchester United
The only explanation is that you're being polite to our hosts in this forum.
 

Havak

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It's going to be incredibly tight now. If Man City don't win the next two then I'm actually not sure I can see them lifting the title come May. The bigger test is actually Liverpool's for the time being, though. Arsenal and Man City back-to-back is a tough ask, but if they can beat Arsenal and get a draw at City I'll be surprised if they get overtaken for the rest of the season. Looking at what the two sides have done for the first 19 games, City won 14 games and managed to stumble to three defeats in four somehow. If they're going to have a shot at the title, I think they will have to win 15/19 in the second half of the season and go almost unbeaten which is a really tall order. Something like 15/3/1 is probably the minimum they're going to require, getting to 92 Points. I see Liverpool getting over 90, which only requires them to get around 39+ out of the remaining 57 Points available. That puts into perspective the task City have now. If Liverpool wins about 12/19 of the remaining games then they're going to do it, especially if they can put together another run like the one they're currently on early next year. Obviously, if City just managed to turn those defeats into draws or more, then there wouldn't be much in it at all.

This is without even taking into account Tottenham. You can't ignore them when they're above City, even if like me, you think City have a much superior squad. I do think that come the February/March time, Spurs will start to slip again. Not investing in an extra player or two is what I think will cost them in the end, but I thought their lack of investment would have them not even in the race, to begin with. They are due some draws, but I think they'll have very few losses in 2019, probably only one or two. I see them getting to about 84-85 Points, a good distance away from 4th, but two or three results away from City & Liverpool.

Of course, if City fluffs it hard and doesn't get wins against Southampton and Liverpool, then they may well finish third and after last season, I think that has to be a bit of a disaster. It's such a strange scenario because I think that City side should be a great side, but I think you can argue you need to retain a title to be a truly great side. You can't go from 100 Points one season to under 90 the next after buying a £60million~ player and having your January £60m~ defender being like a new signing after climatizing to the League.
 
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minoo-utd

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1-City
2-Liverpool
3-Spurs
4-Chelsea
5-United
6-Arsenal

City still can win this if they beat Pool.
 

klsv

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Come on you Pochettino's blue and white cocks! Open one less pie stand in the new stadium and buy someone in January.
 

Mick321

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Liverpool probably only need 13 or 14 wins to secure it. It’s a flop if they don’t win it from here whatever the Klopp lovers say. City are the only hope, I think Spurs are quality but they probably need 16 more wins and have games at City, Liverpool, Chelsea as well as us and Arsenal at home, it’s a hell of an ask. City’s fixture list is kinder so that’s my only hope.
 

Klopper76

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It's going to be incredibly tight now. If Man City don't win the next two then I'm actually not sure I can see them lifting the title come May. The bigger test is actually Liverpool's for the time being, though. Arsenal and Man City back-to-back is a tough ask, but if they can beat Arsenal and get a draw at City I'll be surprised if they get overtaken for the rest of the season. Looking at what the two sides have done for the first 19 games, City won 14 games and managed to stumble to three defeats in four somehow. If they're going to have a shot at the title, I think they will have to win 15/19 in the second half of the season and go almost unbeaten which is a really tall order. Something like 15/3/1 is probably the minimum they're going to require, getting to 92 Points. I see Liverpool getting over 90, which only requires them to get around 39+ out of the remaining 57 Points available. That puts into perspective the task City have now. If Liverpool wins about 12/19 of the remaining games then they're going to do it, especially if they can put together another run like the one they're currently on early next year. Obviously, if City just managed to turn those defeats into draws or more, then there wouldn't be much in it at all.

This is without even taking into account Tottenham. You can't ignore them when they're above City, even if like me, you think City have a much superior squad. I do think that come the February/March time, Spurs will start to slip again. Not investing in an extra player or two is what I think will cost them in the end, but I thought their lack of investment would have them not even in the race, to begin with. They are due some draws, but I think they'll have very few losses in 2019, probably only one or two. I see them getting to about 84-85 Points, a good distance away from 4th, but two or three results away from City & Liverpool.

Of course, if City fluffs it hard and doesn't get wins against Southampton and Liverpool, then they may well finish third and after last season, I think that has to be a bit of a disaster. It's such a strange scenario because I think that City side should be a great side, but I think you can argue you need to retain a title to be a truly great side. You can't go from 100 Points one season to under 90 the next after buying a £60million~ player and having your January £60m~ defender being like a new signing after climatizing to the League.
Christ you’re making me believe we’ll win it.
 

Havak

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Christ you’re making me believe we’ll win it.
You better fecking not like, don't think I'll be able to take witnessing it :lol:

Saying get 39/57 makes it seem like a walk in the park though... Even United should do that over the second half of the season!
 

charlenefan

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City away to reinvigorated Southampton next for those who don't know
 

ShadesOfTomato

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Arsenal will be easy work at Anfield. Don't lose against City and we go into one game a week January in a good position.
 

Traub

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only Liverpool can stop Liverpool from winning the league now. Bring on Slippy V!
 

Cloud7

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I know there’s a great big depression circle jerk in here about Pool being top, but never forget they were in first, five points clear after 35 games, and still lost the league. The football Gods will judge them as unworthy when the time comes once again.
 

Josep Dowling

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I know there’s a great big depression circle jerk in here about Pool being top, but never forget they were in first, five points clear after 35 games, and still lost the league. The football Gods will judge them as unworthy when the time comes once again.
It’s a tough one as surely they have to have a blip soon but even when Klopp makes major changes they just look so fluid. If Liverpool beat City in the next week a 9 point gap is huge at this stage. I just prey Spurs come out from nowhere to pip both to the title. Seeing Pep not win the league twice in three years after spending £500m, for me is nearly as priceless as Liverpool bottling it again. Sadly I can’t see that happening though.
 

BlueHaze

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I know there’s a great big depression circle jerk in here about Pool being top, but never forget they were in first, five points clear after 35 games, and still lost the league. The football Gods will judge them as unworthy when the time comes once again.
Yeah but comparing them to that year is being ignorant. Just take a look at the fact that they have until now only conceded 7 which is an amazing stat. They look incredible this year and City are in absolute shit form and when things start going bad for those dossers it will only go downhill. Best just accept that the title is going to be lifted at Shitefield this season and spare yourself from false hope that the Blue Goons or the Bottleham Hotspurs are going to win.
 

africanspur

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Liverpool 4/6
City 6/4
Spurs 8

Odds when I looked them up earlier today, which seems about right to me.

Spurs are already in the process of bottling it! Distant 3rd favourites, most people seemed to think we'd drop out of the top 4 with the modern obsession with signings and yet we're still gonna bottle the league. fecking Spurs.

In all seriousness, Liverpool rightly favourites for the first time. I think they will win it. Only question marks are:

-How they will deal with being well out and favourites for the first time and not being able to hide behind the all powerful Man City for the first time
-City are having their slump now, we had our slump at the beginning of the season. Doesn't mean of course that we both can't have more. I don't think Liverpool have had theirs yet
-Unlike Spurs and City, Liverpool haven't really had to deal with injuries to key players yet and City and Spurs have had the most injuries in the top 6 this season. Will be interesting to see how they cope with injuries to any of Allison, VVD or Salah, especially if they're prolonged ones.

The flip side of it is that they're looking very strong, defensively very solid and have picked up points where you wouldn't have expected them to so far.

The Mahrez penalty miss is more and more costly by the week. Pep will be cursing him I'm sure.
 

Raw

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I know there’s a great big depression circle jerk in here about Pool being top, but never forget they were in first, five points clear after 35 games, and still lost the league. The football Gods will judge them as unworthy when the time comes once again.
To be fair in that instance, City had like 3 games in hand. Still, never over until it's over.
 

el3mel

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Can't see it for any other team now, sorry. :nervous:

City are going to implode and actually can see them now finishing 3rd. Liverpool 1st :nervous: and Spurs 2nd.
 

hellohello

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The only explanation is that you're being polite to our hosts in this forum.
Well, I believe there's more quality in the United squad than we've seen so far, and I have a feeling Arsenal will start dropping more points due to being defensively fragile. Chelsea could go either way, but offensively there seem to be only Hazard since I've not been impressed with William or Pedro this season, and certainly not Giroud and Morata.

We're only half way, and many things can happen.
 

RedSky

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Don't Liverpool have Arsenal and City next? Navigate through those games with a 6 point gap in tact and I think they'll do it. But drop serious points in those games and Liverpool could stumble for a while.
 

GlastonSpur

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Well, I believe there's more quality in the United squad than we've seen so far, and I have a feeling Arsenal will start dropping more points due to being defensively fragile. Chelsea could go either way, but offensively there seem to be only Hazard since I've not been impressed with William or Pedro this season, and certainly not Giroud and Morata.

We're only half way, and many things can happen.
I don't see United making up what is effectively 9 points (given GD) on Chelsea. It could happen, but it's an outside bet.
 

TheLord

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The sight of Pool pulling ahead of others is making my stomach churn
 

Bergman

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Whichever way you slice it, 51 points from 19 games is an incredible haul.

I think the City match will decide things for them and not us. It will definitely have a winner imo. City attack us and overwhelm us getting a 1 or 2 nil victory or because of their need to win this match they overcommit and we decimate them on the counter wiinning 1-3 or 0-3. If that happens, thats the end of them in the title race.

Lets see what happens vs Arsenal though, but they are currently not in good shape.
 

Leftback99

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Injuries have caught up with City while Liverpool have been able to play close to their strongest side every week.

It seems to happen every season that the title winner has great fortune with injuries. They won't catch them now unless Liverpool lose a few key players themselves. It looks all over to me.
 

Yorkeontop

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The hysteria on here over the possibility of Liverpool winning the title is preparing me quite well. At this rate I won't be so hung up over it.
 

Antisocial

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This one is done, sadly. The next title race that matters is 20/21 - United have until then to get our act together to stop them winning number 21 before we do.
 

HisDudeness

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Don't Liverpool have Arsenal and City next? Navigate through those games with a 6 point gap in tact and I think they'll do it. But drop serious points in those games and Liverpool could stumble for a while.
Problem is Liverpool are at home. They'll get 3 points. But then they are away to City after that (I think). Also Fabinho will be playing againist Liverpool from the start. It's how Arsenal copes with Liverpool's turnovers.

Arsenal they play to win and play spaciously... very attack built team. They play VERY open. Edit: Scoring a shitload of goals though.
 
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charlenefan

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As well as the points gap another thing in Liverpool's favour is as last season proved Klopp/Liverpool have Pep's/City's number. They'll go into that game next week with absolutely no fear whatsoever and could quite easily win the game
 

Buster15

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Let's see where Liverpool are in January. Thinking they might start picking up more injuries and drop off. City have De Bruyne coming back and Jesus back in the goals again.
Jesus?
Surely he is only a couple of days old. Gonna be a fantastic player when he grows up then especially if he can perform miracles...
 

Dumbstar

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Jesus?
Surely he is only a couple of days old. Gonna be a fantastic player when he grows up then especially if he can perform miracles...
Forgot all about him. It's typical that we forget him until about March/April.
 

Damien

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Don't Liverpool have Arsenal and City next? Navigate through those games with a 6 point gap in tact and I think they'll do it. But drop serious points in those games and Liverpool could stumble for a while.
If Liverpool get 4 or 6 points from those two, then they're laughing.
 

Canagel

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City away to reinvigorated Southampton next for those who don't know
That'll be tough. Remember last season they won in the last second and Southampton is better now. It's by no means a foregone conclusion. If they get distracted by Liverpool game could be quite dangerous.
 

Tommy

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I just checked Spurs fixtures, seeing as they're still in the league cup & those two extra games might make a difference. They have 7 games in January, including the 2 legs against Chelsea, but their league games are versus Cardiff (A), Fulham (A), Watford (H), & United (H), from which they'll likely get at least 7-9 points you'd reckon.

City also have 7 games in Jan, but again, after the Liverpool game right at the start of the month, their matches are against lower level opponents (Rotherham twice, Burton in the FA, Wolves, Huddersfield, and Newcastle). Getting Burton instead of Spurs/Chelsea in the League Cup is pretty huge for them.

(I know it's all minor in the grand scheme of things, but having Spurs play an extra 2 games versus Chelsea definitely isn't bad for us).