Is a league challenge really out of reach?

RedStarUnited

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We have been super inconsistent but yet we are “only” 5 points behind Liverpool with a game in hand.

Its the constant disappointment in the last 7 years that stopping everyone from dreaming isn't it?
 
I think we can improve on last season 66 pts, so it depends how many points wins a title this year. if it is 90 pts then no, for me

One thing we know about Ole's team now is they can put crazy runs together and are a big momentum team.

Best thing that could happen would be to move Pogba on in Jan and bring in a replacement with the kind of quality Bruno has. It is possible but obviously difficult, but having a steadier cm could help kick us on a lot... right now the trade off between protection and quality on the ball is too sharp
 
Under normal circumstaces it would be. This season is not normal, though.
 
No. We are right there. If one more of our attackers hit form our season could really take off. Cavani looking a seriously smart bit of business tonight. He makes the obvious but effective runs. All the rest of the lads want to feet in front of the defence and it’s gets way too predictable
 
No it's not. Just more consistency and couple of wins and we'll be up there. Wish people keep saying City and Liverpool are guaranteed top 2 stop this because it's simply not true.
 
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It’s not, if we can remain consistent. There is no standout team this year, and results are all over the place with the lack of fans in the stadiums. It’s very much there for us if we can capitalize on it.
 
I predicted it after the Leipzig game and we went and played pathetic the following weekend.

I don't think we are consistent enough.
 
Looking at the way things are going, we actually have a chance. But we have the killer mentality of a baby seal, so it will most likely fizzle out to nothing by January.
 
Just need Pogba, Martial and Greenwood to find their form now, others have turned it up recently.
 
When Van Dijk had his injures it gives hope to every teams. However, without Van Dijk, Liverpool still have the best squad on paper. They still have better attackers than any team, better midfield (if Thiago is fit) than any team, better full backs than any team and has world class/top class keeper.

Rashford & Martial need to play like Salah & Mane level in order for us to be closer to them (without VVD) but in reality they aren't on their level yet.
 
If we win our next game, then we'll be one point either side of Spurs/Chelsea/Leicester. We're not too far off.

What's all the fuss about?

And, we've discovered a diamond of a striker too!
 
There’s definitely an opportunity but I don’t think we’re quite good enough to take it

What it should teach this forum is that the teams at the top can go from looking untouchable to vulnerable very quickly
 
We have the potential to improve. Our away form is great and we have momentum. Today was big psychologically because our strength is our away form but because we were clinical for the most part. If we find solidarity at the back and pick up at home then you never know. We saw last season we can go on a run though we fell at the final hurdles. But we could have lost today also. The potential is there but it's too early. We need the tempo. We need everyone to chip in and we probably even need supporters in the ground.
 
One thing I know for certain is that we are unbelievably underrated in terms of our squad now. I mean you actually have people on this forum saying Spurs have a team close to ours when Only Kane and Son would get anywhere near. It's also amazing that pundits have yet again written us off even when the season has barely started despite the fact we finished third last season and have improved our squad with the right signings. It will never cease to amaze me how short term some people view things.
 
If we finish top 4 it will be a miracle - not being negative, just keeping it real
 
I think we have the players but not the consistency, we're not playing anywhere near as well as we could be and we've still cobbled together a respectable amount of points. I don't think we will challenge but it's a nice thought.
 
Tibs said:
If we finish top 4 it will be a miracle - not being negative, just keeping it real
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All we have to do is fix our home form. We have enough potential. Our away form is top. Offensively ..even if we maybe lacking a quality winger we have goalscorers. We just need to be smarter at home
 
We haven't got that ruthless winning mentality it takes to win over 38 games. Points-wise we're right in it with our game in hand, which is fine as far as it goes, but I'll be amazed if we put a run together to be in the mix come March. I'm not even allowing myself to think about it.
 
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Striker10 said:
All we have to do is fix our home form. We have enough potential. Our away form is top. Offensively ..even if we maybe lacking a quality winger we have goalscorers. We just need to be smarter at home
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Yeah, weird how home form is stopping us from flourishing. Fix that and we're supposedly on the top of the table!

This team is very capable.
 
Improbable, consistency is our enemy.

Overplaying in the final third has become an issue lately and I just wish Ole would become more ruthless with the under performers in the squad.
 
No chance, we're not consistent enough.

Our players also don't slot in well enough in the absence of others either - a core feature of title winning sides.

Top 4? Yes.
 
Yes, mainly because we don't have enough consistency in attack and still carry a hole on the right wing.
 
Lentwood said:
There’s definitely an opportunity but I don’t think we’re quite good enough to take it

What it should teach this forum is that the teams at the top can go from looking untouchable to vulnerable very quickly
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Its all way too early to predict anything. Undoubtedly though, its about time we got our act together.
 
TrustInJanuzaj said:
One thing I know for certain is that we are unbelievably underrated in terms of our squad now. I mean you actually have people on this forum saying Spurs have a team close to ours when Only Kane and Son would get anywhere near. It's also amazing that pundits have yet again written us off even when the season has barely started despite the fact we finished third last season and have improved our squad with the right signings. It will never cease to amaze me how short term some people view things.
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Well put, fully agree.

Martial's form has been a real let down thus far, we need him to find form. Home form has obviously also been terrible, we should have had at least 4 points from Palace and Arsenal games.

Bottom line is that we absaloutely should be challenging this season, anything less than 80 points would be a disappointment for me. We are probably top of calendar year table? The Buno factor has been huge, he is a pure winner, Ronaldo like in that mentality.

I'm not Pogba's biggest fan by any stretch but he might find a bit of form yet also. Also Greenwood will score some goals yet I'm sure.
 
Many think Spurs and Chelsea are in a title race. We finished ahead of both last season and we're not too far behind them this season despite a rotten start when we were nowhere near fit. The league is there for the taking for a whole bunch of teams this season, ourselves included. Need a good run over this next 10 games or so and then see where we're at. That includes beating City hopefully
 
If you'd told me we'd be where we are with a game in hand after our first three matches, I'd have said you're crazy.
 
Maybe.

Maybe Diallon will become a first teamer.

Maybe Cavani scored 20+ goals.

Maybe De Bruyne does his hammy and goes down for three months.

Who knows. Let’s just enjoy each game individually at the moment.
 
If we could put up Old Trafford for renovation and play elsewhere? We'd walk the league.
 
Its too early to get excited, just like its too early to write anything off. If we are thereabouts in March then we have a great chance.

One game at a time
 
Not while we continue to spurn chances and concede easy goals with the frequency that we do.

Cavani was brilliant off the bench today but if we drop points today people would be questioning our credentials for top 4. We need to walk before we can run.
 
If we can get the right players firing again then who knows, but I just don’t see it to be honest we’re so inconsistent.
 
RedStarUnited said:
We have been super inconsistent but yet we are “only” 5 points behind Liverpool with a game in hand.

Its the constant disappointment in the last 7 years that stopping everyone from dreaming isn't it?
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Everyone is struggling with consistency, but even in an inconsistent league we are too inconsistent.
 
No. If you win your game in hand you'll be 2 points from the top. Heck, we've lost 4 of our last 5 and we are still only 5 points from top. The fixture congestion is going to mean that whichever team can ride it the best is going to win the league this year, whether you play well or not.
 
Just stay consistent and anything can happen.
This season it will be needed much less points to win the title.Liverpool have already dropped 9.
 
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