36 points might see us top of the league.
The next 12 games before City
- Thread starter foolsgold
- Start date
It’s difficult because we’re getting awful cocky for a team that deep down most of us know could just not show up to any game going. But you’re right in that it’s now the time to show we’ve improved and kick on by collecting a lot of points til Jan against opposition like that.
Let’s get past Brighton first, eh.
2 back to back aways is annoying.
Those are the fixtures I don't like the look of but that really isn't the worst set of games. Our home form has been pretty good so far, I just hope the Anfield game was a turning point for us on the road.
We have always had it in us to grab a result against the big teams when luck goes our way so I wouldn’t take too much from the result against Liverpool.
I was more impressed by the Sunderland game and I would be properly excited if we can consistently start dispatching teams we are expected to beat.
We have been good at home but even then lost against Arsenal and could have easily dropped points against Chelsea and Burnley. Hopefully we finally kick on now.
I was more impressed by the Sunderland game and I would be properly excited if we can consistently start dispatching teams we are expected to beat.
We have been good at home but even then lost against Arsenal and could have easily dropped points against Chelsea and Burnley. Hopefully we finally kick on now.
I believe we have 13 matches rather than 12 before the City game. We also have Wolves at home on December 30.
Love your optimism but we've just won 2 games in a row for the first time in a year...
There's no such thing as an easy game for us - Fulham and Brentford shown us that, and despite battering Burnley first half we needed a last minute penalty to beat them, we make hard work of every game. A truly comfortable win is very rare for us.
But even if you're only looking at what's considered tough on paper outside the top 4 - you've got Spurs, Newcastle, Villa which are tough, plus Bournemouth, Brighton, and Palace are really good sides.
Every time I've started to feel optimistic I get brought back down to earth the following game, so I'll wait to see Brighton and Forest games coming up before I think we've turned a corner. I can't shake the feeling there's something very flawed about our system waiting to be exposed in away games as has been the case this season, despite the win at Anfield yesterday, where we still gave up a lot of chances but they missed them all.
But even if you're only looking at what's considered tough on paper outside the top 4 - you've got Spurs, Newcastle, Villa which are tough, plus Bournemouth, Brighton, and Palace are really good sides.
Every time I've started to feel optimistic I get brought back down to earth the following game, so I'll wait to see Brighton and Forest games coming up before I think we've turned a corner. I can't shake the feeling there's something very flawed about our system waiting to be exposed in away games as has been the case this season, despite the win at Anfield yesterday, where we still gave up a lot of chances but they missed them all.
The only proper way to look ahead is to look only to the next match. Every opponent in the PL is capable of turning any other side over on any given day. Take care of business against Brighton and then, and only then, look at the next opponent on the fixture list.
37 at the half point would be very good. I think the last CL spot average around 66 pts so that would get us to there
Thanks for the jinx. Now we're bound to drop points against Brighton...
Could we please stop this nonsense. Spurs away are always difficult. Forest under a new manager might be tricky. Palace away is no walkover. There are so many difficult matches. Especially as we for the first time in a year have two wins in a row just now. Relax. I need more proof that United will be a top team. One match at the time..
The PL is tough.
We are showing signs of progress but we’ve been here too often.
The City game was a massacre, we conceded two against Burnley and got battered and didn’t even put up a fight against Brentford.
Having said that I hope it’s now we see this squads quality. Mbeumo clicking with Amad is going to terrorise the opposition in most games hopefully that’ll get better and better.
Personally I think Bruno is having a shocker by his standards let’s hope we see his best.
Mount has been simply outstanding and like getting a new top player.
Cunha hasn’t scored or hit the the ground like Embuemo but the quality is there and when it clicks it’ll be great. Sesko has two goals he has only started 4 he needs time and patience but his height alone is an asset and unlike Hojilund he doesn’t get blown over.
The squad have so much more to give we just need a few big wins, putting a 4-0 against anyone would give us the confidence we need but any win over Brighton will be absolutely massive momentum and confidence wise.
I actually think our defence confidence is going to grow and grow too with a proper keeper. I think we might have two or three more points had Lammens started the season.
We are showing signs of progress but we’ve been here too often.
The City game was a massacre, we conceded two against Burnley and got battered and didn’t even put up a fight against Brentford.
Having said that I hope it’s now we see this squads quality. Mbeumo clicking with Amad is going to terrorise the opposition in most games hopefully that’ll get better and better.
Personally I think Bruno is having a shocker by his standards let’s hope we see his best.
Mount has been simply outstanding and like getting a new top player.
Cunha hasn’t scored or hit the the ground like Embuemo but the quality is there and when it clicks it’ll be great. Sesko has two goals he has only started 4 he needs time and patience but his height alone is an asset and unlike Hojilund he doesn’t get blown over.
The squad have so much more to give we just need a few big wins, putting a 4-0 against anyone would give us the confidence we need but any win over Brighton will be absolutely massive momentum and confidence wise.
I actually think our defence confidence is going to grow and grow too with a proper keeper. I think we might have two or three more points had Lammens started the season.
Judging from the predictions on here, several posters are going to be sorely disappointed when we revert to our usual form next weekend against Brighton. It is the hope that kills.
There are a couple of games in there, including Brighton and Forest, where I feel not losing is a pretty good turn up. Like a run of 12 games where we win 5 and draw 7 is preferable to winning 8 and losing 4 for momentum.
That said I think this will be the way:
Brighton (H) - Win
Forest (A) - Draw
Spurs (A) - Draw
Everton (H) - Win
Palace (A) - Draw
West Ham (H) - Win
Wolves (A) - Win
Bournemouth (H)- Win
Villa (A) - Draw
Newcastle (H) - Win
Leeds (A) - Draw
Burnley (A) - Win
So 26 points but wouldn’t be surprised if we lost to Villa and Spurs
Hmmm. If we're guaranteed 8 wins in your scenario anyway, why would we worry about the losses being bad for momentum?
22 points being better than 24 points is a rather tough sell.
The only way it's ever really justified to accept less points in a run is if it means you're stopping your direct rivals getting 3 points against you, for example if 3 losses were against Spurs, Villa, and Newcastle then it may be worth taking very slightly less points overall in a run of games to draw those games instead, as it's stopping them gaining points on you. (As those teams are the ones most likely to stop us getting 5th).
"Unbeaten" streaks are overrated, it's about points. A 91 point team wins the league over a 90 point invincibles team.
The great news here is that the consensus seems to be that we will hopefully get about 2 points a game on average. That is top 4 form. Obviously we can easily slip into last years form but equally we could do better than 2 points a game. Grounds for hope and optimism. Are we all believers again ?
Spurs really not sure about, Villa seem to have a bit of an issue with us, like Spurs seem to have a problem with Villa. Really need to see what happens at the weekend. Win that and the confidence will build in the team.
Even if we successfully manage to finish in European places, that will still almost certainly involve losing something like 10-14 games across the season.
That's 26%-36% of all games. If we went ubeaten across this 12 game run, we'd be on 14% with over half the season played.
So either we'd have a particularly terrible end to the season, or the posters whose predictions have us unbeaten across this run should probably throw a few losses into their calculations.
That's 26%-36% of all games. If we went ubeaten across this 12 game run, we'd be on 14% with over half the season played.
So either we'd have a particularly terrible end to the season, or the posters whose predictions have us unbeaten across this run should probably throw a few losses into their calculations.
This thread would be perfect after we've beaten Brighton. I think that's when we can properly call it momentum.
Just watching sky sports news as I have the day off and the wind is howling.
They are arguing Chelsea have the best squad in the PL? They are also asking if they can win the CL and PL this year?
We are only a point behind. We should be fighting for 4th, we need to go for it. Spurs are toothless, Forrest are bottom half material, Brighton aren’t on it, Chelsea are too inconsistent and haven’t had the fixtures we have had. Newcastle aren’t also inconsistent and in the wrong half of the table.
Villa have got better and got some form but have Liverpool and city next. Sunderland will fade and Palace have finally lost let’s hope for some poor form.
12 winnable games, we can’t win them all but if we lose 50% as per his current record then it’s a good time to go.
They are arguing Chelsea have the best squad in the PL? They are also asking if they can win the CL and PL this year?
We are only a point behind. We should be fighting for 4th, we need to go for it. Spurs are toothless, Forrest are bottom half material, Brighton aren’t on it, Chelsea are too inconsistent and haven’t had the fixtures we have had. Newcastle aren’t also inconsistent and in the wrong half of the table.
Villa have got better and got some form but have Liverpool and city next. Sunderland will fade and Palace have finally lost let’s hope for some poor form.
12 winnable games, we can’t win them all but if we lose 50% as per his current record then it’s a good time to go.
Oddly quiet in here.
I expect us to beat Forrest I haven’t said expect for about 3 years
I'm petrified to say anything optimistic. Just going to quietly keep watching and observing without jinxing anything
Optimism is creeping back. And so it should. We do have a good squad, not the best, but good. We are on a roll and the boys have their tails up. Bring on Saturday !I expect us to beat Forrest I haven’t said expect for about 3 years
I actually expect us to get 6+ wins for these games (and we already have 1)!
The ones that worry me the most are Bournemouth, Palace, and Newcastle despite two of them being at home. But for me, these are the types of games I want to see us do better in. Teams that are probably going to finish in the top half but maybe they don't quite get Champions/Europa League. We look OK in the big games quite often, and we've been reasonable at beating the teams fighting relegation.
We should hopefully be on 40+ points after 20 games which will feel really comfortable. Although AfCon could hurt us as some have said.
The ones that worry me the most are Bournemouth, Palace, and Newcastle despite two of them being at home. But for me, these are the types of games I want to see us do better in. Teams that are probably going to finish in the top half but maybe they don't quite get Champions/Europa League. We look OK in the big games quite often, and we've been reasonable at beating the teams fighting relegation.
We should hopefully be on 40+ points after 20 games which will feel really comfortable. Although AfCon could hurt us as some have said.
Ha! I think the noise is spread amongst many threads. Yeah we definitely have momentum now. I expect us to swat aside this version of Forest. Then Spurs is the big test before the International break. If only so poor Frank Ilett can get his hair cut!
It's interesting, I don't know how to feel about it personally.
I'm buzzing Ruben has something to point to as progress. We never looked in bother against Sunderland and the Brighton game should have been out of sight, noting a really poor 10/15 minutes at the start. The Liverpool game we rode our luck but we had to. There's something tangible to at least feel positive about.
Forest away is a strange one. Honestly feel like if we can win it we are really building a head of steam that could turn into something...but they are a different animal under Dyche. We are more than capable of doing them...but it takes more than a few games to make me feel like we couldn't absolutely drop a horror performance.
Spurs away is a fecking tough game, and they will be bang up for it so to there with momentum would be a huge plus.
Whatever happens, I am interested to see the reaction when we do get beat or draw. Can we take that and go on our next 3 or 4 game winning run. To me, that will be the gauge of where we are.
There's certainly goals in this team now, if we can just get that consistent control in the middle we are going in the right direction.
I'm buzzing Ruben has something to point to as progress. We never looked in bother against Sunderland and the Brighton game should have been out of sight, noting a really poor 10/15 minutes at the start. The Liverpool game we rode our luck but we had to. There's something tangible to at least feel positive about.
Forest away is a strange one. Honestly feel like if we can win it we are really building a head of steam that could turn into something...but they are a different animal under Dyche. We are more than capable of doing them...but it takes more than a few games to make me feel like we couldn't absolutely drop a horror performance.
Spurs away is a fecking tough game, and they will be bang up for it so to there with momentum would be a huge plus.
Whatever happens, I am interested to see the reaction when we do get beat or draw. Can we take that and go on our next 3 or 4 game winning run. To me, that will be the gauge of where we are.
There's certainly goals in this team now, if we can just get that consistent control in the middle we are going in the right direction.
If we win this weekend and get any sort of result at Spurs, we are going to be in a fantastic spot.
Win both and then we need to have a conversation about the title race (i’m kidddinggg, sorta?)
Win both and then we need to have a conversation about the title race (i’m kidddinggg, sorta?)
Well a win this weekend could be significant since the Arse are away to Burnley which will not be easy and we have a number of teams around us in the table playing each other so someone has to drop some points (Spurs v Chelsea, Liverpool v Villa and City v Bournemouth)
For some reason we play Wolves twice in December before we've even played Leeds once now. What's that all about?
Despite two away draws we’re still right in the mix. It would only take another three game run and we could be in an amazing position. Let’s all be positive - who thought we’d be where we are ?
The next 5 are really about as kind a 5 game run as you're realistically going to get.
Everton home, Palace away, West Ham home, Wolves away, Bournemouth home.
It's 3 home games and 2 away, which is important because we're dreadful away. One of those away games is against the team bottom of the league so it could be a rare away game we're favoured to win. We play none of the sides expected to challenge for CL spots in this 5 game run.
Have to go win 4 out of 5 here. Home games are now absolute must-wins because we've established we cannot be expected to win away games.
Everton home, Palace away, West Ham home, Wolves away, Bournemouth home.
It's 3 home games and 2 away, which is important because we're dreadful away. One of those away games is against the team bottom of the league so it could be a rare away game we're favoured to win. We play none of the sides expected to challenge for CL spots in this 5 game run.
Have to go win 4 out of 5 here. Home games are now absolute must-wins because we've established we cannot be expected to win away games.
Everton home - 3 points
Palace away - 0 points
West Ham home - 3 points
Wolves away - 1 point
Bournemouth home - 3 points
Predict to get 10 points for these 5 games. We are pretty solid at home but dodgy away form will cause us to drop points.
Palace away - 0 points
West Ham home - 3 points
Wolves away - 1 point
Bournemouth home - 3 points
Predict to get 10 points for these 5 games. We are pretty solid at home but dodgy away form will cause us to drop points.
I expect the next 5 to be the same as the last on paper. Everton aren’t easy, palace a draw is likely we need to be beat West Ham and wolves and Bournemouth have been amazing. I expect 11 points 3 wins two draws. I expect we’ll lose somewhere though.