Not in the Race?

[Kag]

I think too many are taking their eye off those behind us. Top 4 is under real threat. Forget the title talk.

I agree. We look like collapsing, if I’m honest. Still too many largely useless players in the first team.

 

[Teja]

Good job that's not how the progress of Sir Matt Busby and Sir Alex Ferguson were being measured. Otherwise this club's trophy cabinet be pretty fecking empty.

Intelligent football fans see more than just the points for the current season. Most of the progress Ole is making has feck all to do with this season, in much the same way Sir Matt wasn't thinking about 1949 in 1949, but moreso 1952, and Sir Alex didn't give a feck about points tallies in 1989 because he had his eye on 1992.

Again, that's your opinion. I'm sure there are 20 other people who'd disagree with you that Ole is making "progress". So why then should anyone value your opinion more than the opinion of others with equal conviction? So far, our criteria for managers is get us CL, you stay in the job, drop out and you're off. I think we've reached a point with the squad where that's no longer enough (partly thanks to Ole's efforts).

If for example we don't finish within touching distance of City, that means 1-2 signings in the summer won't get us the title, you can maybe close down a 6-8 pt gap, but not more than that.

 

[Ayoba]

Definitely not in a title race but rather worryingly, we're in severe danger of dropping out of the top 4 as we're woefully out of form.

 

[#07]

My delusion is over. We're done.

 

[arnie_ni]

Bottlers. Top if the league 2 weeks ago. Dropped points against the bottom 2 and last minute equaliser by Everton.

 

[ShinjiNinja26]

Never mind a title race the way we’re playing we’ll be lucky to finish top 4.

 

[kouroux]

It was never on. The consistent lack of quality of our football was never gonna allow us a serious race

 

[Shark]

The delusion here is unreal. Nowhere close to City and anyone expecting us to challenge next season under Ole us in for another rude awakening.

 

[Castia]

We’ll be out of the top 4 within 2 weeks. Chelsea and City away coming up we’ll be lucky to get a point.

From being in a really good spot 2 weeks ago to going into complete meltdown. Ole will be out if he fails to get top 4.

 

[soapythecat]

We never were in a title race. We never will be under Ole - today highlights this. He needs a team of absolute superstarts to even get close to catching City.
Liverpool will finish above us this season, along with 4/5 other teams.

 

[el3mel]

If there was any doubt yesterday that we're out of it, today's confirms it.

Secure top 4 and focus on cup and EL.

 

[Woodenlung]

We're in no way guaranteed top 4.

Two months ago we would've drawn against teh top sides and picked up wins against the lower ones. Now we're struggling to draw against the very worst sides.

 

[Feed Me]

Chelsea will overhaul us for top four.

 

[Ayoba]

We’ll be out of the top 4 within 2 weeks. Chelsea and City away coming up we’ll be lucky to get a point.

From being in a really good spot 2 weeks ago to going into complete meltdown. Ole will be out if he fails to get top 4.

Jesus I didn't know that! Would settle for 4th place right now tbh!

 

[el3mel]

Imagine losing 5 points against the two teams at the bottom of the league and having the nerve to talk about title race anyway.

 

[Andycoleno9]

With Ole as our manager we will never be in a race. This season, next season, season after that...never.

 

[Judge Red]

We’re lucky Liverpool and Spurs are as bad as we are.

 

[pratyush_utd]

We have got 1 point against West Brom and Sheffield United. Says it all about our title charge. We won't even get top 4 if we aren't careful

 

[Nick7]

Great thread.

 

[Betson]

Imagine losing 5 points against the two teams at the bottom of the league and having the nerve to talk about title race anyway.

People don't like to hear or admit it but Carragher is dead on about this team , they don't want the pressure of been in a title race.

Too many players with small time mentality , it has been an embarrassing bottle job since only a few weeks ago when some people were talking us up as possible title contenders.

 

[Paul778]

The first half of the season we've had huge slices of luck and nowhere near deserved to be top.

None of MMM have had any semblance of form this season. To have three players consistently in the team who are struggling so much is abhorrent.

I'd be putting Mata in the side over Rashford or Martial at the moment. Whilst his upper level score might not get to 8-9 when he's not playing well he's not the 1-2 that they are.

 

[bondsname]

We are so far from a title challenge it’s not even funny. The lads are probably happy with their efforts as well.

 

[Godfather]

Will take us a good few years and a new manager until we might challenge again

 

[groovyalbert]

There's no challenge to City this season. And we're not the team that's closest to them in terms of quality, tactics or mentality.

Let's be brutally honest. We fluked our way to the top by relying on unsustainable means of winning games which could/should have dropped points in.

The last run of results is a more honest depiction of this team. Sigh.

 

[led_scholes]

The league is turning into a one team horse race. Our race is again top four, and the shocking is that we laugh at Liverpool but at least they had to play their cms as Cbs.

If we end up 2nd with 15-20 points behind City, in a year where Chelsea is underperforming, Liverpool is marred by injuries, Tottenham and Arsenal have left the building, and fail in winning the EL, will we still feel happy because we did ok?

Probably yes, and that is our problem. Our standards are low, and even though we nag, we still feel ok and deny change because we have seen worse.
Rome was not built in a day, but a Commodus will never build Rome.

 

[PlayerOne]

I'm really worried about top 4 now, I can see Chelsea making a good run, they have a good squad and good manager in place now.

 

[Wheato]

Lost it now. This happened last season where we limped over the line and lost all the semi finals. Everyone looks knackered. Need to find some energy from somewhere or another season is going to run away from us.

 

[MattofManchester]

Well, Ole has maintained that we weren't in the race.

"We won't let them run away with it".

Well, you already have.

Losing winnable games. It's not like we lost to City or Liverpool or a top side that allowed City to gain the lead. 7 points dropped against Everton, West Brom and Sheffield ffs. Include Arsenal and you've got 9 points.

Taking the pressure of by saying "We're not in it" hasn't worked.
Frankly, our players don't want to be in a title race, by the look of it. Nor does that seem to be the desire of the manager.

 

[Judas]

It's going to be a nail biting race to finish top 4. We really should be comfortably top 4, and yet here we are. Desperately looking over our shoulder once again.

 

[Amadaeus]

We have tough fixtures ahead. If ole doesn’t pull the “my job is on the line, hopefully my players will save it,” routine then this season will just end like last season. If his players supports ole, I can still see us pushing for the title. I doubt we will get out of top four though despite recent performances. We have Bruno who is on top of the fantasy premier league chart and a deep squad, so that won’t happen, unless we get multiple injury to key players.

 

[Hughie77]

It was never on. The consistent lack of quality of our football was never gonna allow us a serious race

Agree, were still a few players off to keep the continuity, consistent play up, you could see today putting pressure on then getting hit on the break, or poor or missed pass breaking on us, when or if they decide to get players who can deal with this and keep the pressure on teams like W Brom, your only going to get more results like this.

 

[GoldTrafford99]

Again, that's your opinion. I'm sure there are 20 other people who'd disagree with you that Ole is making "progress". So why then should anyone value your opinion more than the opinion of others with equal conviction? So far, our criteria for managers is get us CL, you stay in the job, drop out and you're off. I think we've reached a point with the squad where that's no longer enough (partly thanks to Ole's efforts).

If for example we don't finish within touching distance of City, that means 1-2 signings in the summer won't get us the title, you can maybe close down a 6-8 pt gap, but not more than that.

I don't think you're getting this if you think we might sign one or two in the summer and challenge for the title...

Instead of thinking 'I want to win the league immediately,' think this; 'when Guardiola goes, which club is gonna be in the best position to dominate?'

 

[Bubz27]

Last week Ole said we aren't in the race. This week he said we are. So we are I think. Even though the gap is bigger this week and the football was worse. We are in the race. Won't let City run away with it, won't settle for second.

 

[AgentSmith]

I don't think you're getting this if you think we might sign one or two in the summer and challenge for the title...

Instead of thinking 'I want to win the league immediately,' think this; 'when Guardiola goes, which club is gonna be in the best position to dominate?'

Ederson = 27
Cancelo = 26
Dias = 23
Laporte = 26
Zinchenko = 24
Rodri = 24
De Bruyne = 29
Gundogan = 30
Sterling = 26
Foden = 20
Silva = 26

Add to that a replacement like Haaland for Aguero and City seem set for a while across all positions, regardless of who’s managing them.

Why don’t we think about ways to bridge the gap rather than optimistically waiting for the gap to close itself?

 

[wolvored]

I don't think you're getting this if you think we might sign one or two in the summer and challenge for the title...

Instead of thinking 'I want to win the league immediately,' think this; 'when Guardiola goes, which club is gonna be in the best position to dominate?'

So your saying we got to hope Guardiola doesnt stop for another 4-5 seasons then we got to hope every other team hasnt improved so we might have a chance? What about if Pep leaves and they bring in another top manager as well?

 

[kouroux]

Agree, were still a few players off to keep the continuity, consistent play up, you could see today putting pressure on then getting hit on the break, or poor or missed pass breaking on us, when or if they decide to get players who can deal with this and keep the pressure on teams like W Brom, your only going to get more results like this.

This has been an enjoyable season nevertheless for me. Didn't expect a race, the few days at the top were great and reminiscent of the good old SAF days.

 

[DickDastardly]

This has been an enjoyable season nevertheless for me. Didn't expect a race, the few days at the top were great and reminiscent of the good old SAF days.

I'd rather we didn't have any of this "false hope" crap being first....when we are so blatantly not within touching distance off City.

I'd rather we lingered around 3/4 place and slowly but steadily identified our weaknesses and corrected them in the right way.

We need a lot. We need better CB's, better CF's....better bench...better coaching....

Playing this poorely like the last couple of games really exposes our weaknesses and we still have a looong way to go.

It might all click for Ole, and i do hope it does, i'm just not that convinced.

 

[lex talionis]

We were never a serious contender for the PL title. But I still think we’ll stay in the top four.

My more serious concern is that the club owners have no real ambition to win a PL title.

 

[McGrathsipan]

We’ll be out of the top 4 within 2 weeks. Chelsea and City away coming up we’ll be lucky to get a point.

From being in a really good spot 2 weeks ago to going into complete meltdown. Ole will be out if he fails to get top 4.

and rightly so.

 

[Teja]

I don't think you're getting this if you think we might sign one or two in the summer and challenge for the title...

Instead of thinking 'I want to win the league immediately,' think this; 'when Guardiola goes, which club is gonna be in the best position to dominate?'

Okay then what's your goal for the squad? Ole would have had 2.5 by end of this season, if next season is a write off according to you, then that's 3.5 years with nothing. I don't think that's acceptable, but if you think that's building "long term" then I don't have much to say. I think you're the one that's blind.