I don't think that Wembley wil be that much of a problem for Spurs. My prediction is that they'll finish in top 3.
The Title Race 2017/18 | Done and dusted.
- Thread starter Buchan
- Start date
- Status
I think and hope we will challenge and even win it. Although why can't you see City and Spurs fighting for it. City have the best squad in the league and should be the favorites. Spurs have a very strong side as well. Even if I think Wembley can actually be a bad thing for them and feck things up a bit.
I do think they will struggle to make it a fortress like White heart lane last season. It will surely cost them some points. Still last season they finished 2 so 3 or 4th might be realistic.
It's a double whammy.
The good teams with narrow attackers have good fullbacks. Spurs being an example.
We have play narrow cause we don't have any pure wingers and we also have poor attacking FBs.
Imo, getting one was as much a priority as signing a striker or a CM.
There's just too much pressure on our attackers to create something.
I agree the notion that Spurs are a strong side. But they never cross the final line, and haven't improved their squad a bit and coupled with playing at Wembley they might fall out of top 3 this season. Won't be surprised if they didn't make top 4.
City have the best squad . There is no doubt about that . But they won't win the title with Fernadinho as the only CM . And if Kompany got injured they will be fkkd.
To me it's between Chelsea and United .
Kompany's already injured
Was a bit surprised by Danilo today, he was your most solid CB.Kompany's already injured
On the broader bank of evidence available to us since the opening weekend, it looks like it's going to be between City, United, Chelsea and Spurs. Personally, I'm content with our start. Ten points from twelve and a healthy goal difference. We always seem to be a little flat immediately after an international break. Incredibly annoying.
Aurier is a good player though. They finished second and the squad is roughly the same quality. They only lost Walker really and Sanchez can be a good player for them as well. I agree though that they seem to struggle to step up for big games. Although if that is the case they might go out of the champions league and put in a title challenge instead. Gundogan might be back soon though, but yes they do lack some more defensive players. Still though I think they will be mainly punished in the champions league against better sides. I feel Chelsea have addressed the problems they had the best. Morata have got into form very quickly and in general the squad is roughly the same as last season. Matic might be a loss, but Bakayoko is a very good player. They have the greatest winning mentality of all sides. Although defending a title can often be harder though. If I had to say one team for the title though I would probably say Chelsea. Arsenal and Liverpool will go up and down. Be fantastic at times, but can also be totally fecked at other times.
It's just a minor knock right ? Completely forgot that Danilo started today . I just can't see City winning EPL with just Fernadinho at the middle. Their attacking options are just ridiculous though. But as an overall team they are not balanced even though going forward they could be absolutely unstoppable.Kompany's already injured
Watford might surprise us next week
Well we agree on most things then. Haven't expected Moratta to click this fast frankly . With Hazard back Chelsea is still the team to beat according to me.
Matic and Kante won two out of the last three EPL title. I believe the title will go with one of these fellows.
An incredible stat, today's win against Leicester was our first away win in September since Arsenal in 2012
Spurs need to win some games at Wembley before you can consider them title contenders.
If Chelsea can add a pacey winger in January I can see them winning it again.
Chelsea aren't winning the league
I predicted 3rd before the season behind City and Chelsea but with out without today's result I don't see much between the three. Spurs will improve. Arsenal will fluctuate, and Liverpool will pay for not strengthening that defense. If we can get our cohesion down and limit the stupid individual mistakes like today's we'll be in it for sure but we need to keep focused every game and throughout the season. Think we will regret not buying a left back but I definitely see progression in some areas from last season, let's hope the luck is on our side
I believe it will be United and Chelsea fighting for the title.
Why not?
I knew we should have purchased a quality left back and winger and that it would cost us points this season. It's crazy that we don't have a first team left back and are still pinning our hopes on a guy that has been injured for the best part of two years. This is not a knee jerk reaction to today's poor result, many fans saw these problems during the transfer window and wanted these issues addressed. I still remain optimistic of top 4 however winning the EPL that's a bridge too far for me. City and Chelsea to battle for the title and us and Spurs for 3rd and 4th.
Well Chelsea seem in form again, depending on how they cope with the CL, this could be fun.
Think Chelsea, City and United will be the top 3 in no particular order, with Spurs, Liverpool and Arsenal behind.
Think Chelsea, City and United will be the top 3 in no particular order, with Spurs, Liverpool and Arsenal behind.
Yup but today was an easier day for him. I thought Stones did well with him. Otamendi was certainly the weakest v Salah. Danilo was better covered by Walker than Otamendi by Mendy. Walker barely got forward till the sending off.
I hope so but its his calf and thats never good.
Yeah I think we're relying on Fernandinho staying fit but maybe Gundogan can do a job there when he comes back (provided he stays fit) albeit in a very different way. I think our issues in CM is why we're playing 3 CB's in every tough game. I think to win the league we will have to pretty much beat the entire top 6 at home, as away from home we'll leak too many goals.
That said we've played 2 of the top 7 already and we've only conceded 2 in 4 games (only bettered by Huddersfield atm). Considering we had the 3rd best defensive record in the 2nd half of last season too (4th best overall), if our attack can fire I see no reason for a defence who concedes an average of a goal per game. As we should easily score in the high 80's.
The thing is we'll need to be scoring 10-15 goals more than United or Spurs (a tough ask) but quite possible. The big issue for City is not the amount conceded but the fact we don't concede first and allow teams to turtle up against us. Which like Everton and Bournemouth will leave us struggling to break down strong defensive walls.
Watford will be a nightmare fixture for us, especially away as they will cover up from the off but unlike B'mouth, Everton they are very, very pacy all around the top end and will press our CBs hard.
We need to start accepting that tiny moments in matches can make all the difference. Two goals at Stoke should always be enough and would have been had Jones not fallen on his arse like an amateur. These kinds of things clearly define games. If that doesn't happen we talk about coming away with all 3 points at a ground where we've been shit at for the last 4 or so years, regardless of performance.
I'm not having the attacking excuse, we didn't create as much as our previous games but nor am I deluded enough as a supporter to expect that from my team in every single one of the 38 games we play in this league.
I'm not having the attacking excuse, we didn't create as much as our previous games but nor am I deluded enough as a supporter to expect that from my team in every single one of the 38 games we play in this league.
I think you are missing 1 point. Watford model is designed to punish the opponents on counters and transitions, so they easily will force more errors on opponents when they play away from home, even if they try this against you next week, they have 2 problems.
First, they cannot be the first team to suffer the goal, if they move up their defensive line, with the individual quality you have they will be murdered, this and the fact you will not make so many mistakes as Liverpool did.
The other point is the amount of injuries they are suffering on their defensive line, when is not Prodl is Kaboul, when is not Janmaat is Holebas, this and the fact when Britos plays he is always a red card waiting to happen.
They will be better than last season, but they are not a team designed to play possesion football week in week out imo.
Of course they won't play possession. They'll sit deep, look to ping balls over our fullbacks on the counter. Being at home won't change that. Their front 3 though will press while the rest sit back. I watched them v Liverpool and they sat deep while only pressing with those 3. They'll look to get Amrabat in behind Mendy and 1v1 with Otamendi and speedy forwards are a major weakness for our CB's. Its nothing of course Everton didn't try and Liverpool but Watford do it very well. There defensive issues are tough on them but their system and Marco Silva will have them prepared.
We should do enough to get the win, but it will be a nightmare 90 minutes for us trying to break them down imho.
It will be more against the stronger teams imo.
I don't know if it will be always like that, if they try to play high up the pitch like they did today they will suffer.
Amrabat is not there anymore, today they played with Andre Carrillo from Peru, former Sporting and Benfica player, who Marco Silva knows, but I will be very surprised if he is able to press all match.
But sure he will try to exploit Mendy's weaknesses who were always his positional awareness, great athlete, great on offensive involvements, more exposed defensively. Your CB's are more exposed because there is a price to play when you have a coach who wants his teams to assume positional play or like the spanish say "juego de posicion".
If you score first will be easier, my bet for troubles may come if their new Brazilian signing Richarlison will target Mendy or Walker, don't be worried, the way Marco is setting his team remembers more Estoril in Portugal than a club who is fighting for titles, so I think they will be one of the most dangerous teams outside the top 6 playing away from home.
With the team you have you should be more optimistic! Just look at your team. You should be able to brush aside 90% of teams in the league. If United had the squad that you guys have I would be supremely confident every week.
If Kompany is available I will be, but Stones and Otamendi don't fill me with confidence. Even one good CB makes a difference, someone like Bailly there for us and I'd be grand. Plus we are City and at any moment are capable of pulling a "typical" City moment from out of the blue.
I think City and Chelsea will be right up there. I'm hopeful we can also properly challenge but catuous about it.
Liverpool and spurs are outsiders in that I can see the challenging but I can see them also falling away into a top 3/4 race.
Liverpool and spurs are outsiders in that I can see the challenging but I can see them also falling away into a top 3/4 race.
Think United are still slightly favourites. Not losing at Stoke is massive, albeit they could have easily won it in the end. City still not convincing at all. Yeah, they won 5-0 yesterday, but the first 30 minutes were really poor. Chelsea are back in form, but we will have to see how they respond to the Champions League.
I do think city's win yesterday was emphatic but 11 v 11 they looked far from convincing. However, I also feel this win could be a springboard that pep needed. Which is why I will put city as favourites and us and chelsea as second favourites.
It could be. Let's see against a tricky Watford side.
How is not losing at Stoke 'massive'?
I wondered the same. I'd see it as 2 points dropped, especially from being 2-1 up. It's not a disaster result and other sides will drop points there too, but it's not a massive point. Same way I'd see any points dropped next weekend at Watford as a bad result for City. I'd argue given the fixtures played both City and Chelsea will now be happier than United after 4 games.
I don't think that's true - we have improved our squad, not massively, but a little bit:
* Llorente instead of Janssen
* Sanchez instead of Wimmer
That aside, Aurier will likely not be a downgrade on Walker, although that remains to be seen.
Llorente and Sanchez wont improve their first team this season for sure. It improves their bench. Not enough to win the title
Disagree about Sanchez. He started in our back 3 (central CB) yesterday away to Everton and looked good, although admittedly he didn't have much to do. We haven't paid our record fee just to have him sit on the bench. His arrival frees up Dier to play as DM (was previously in the back 3) - and IMO he's a little bit better than Wanyama in that position, although there's not much in it.
Spurs are already one of the best defensive unit in the league without Sanchez. The kid is good I agree but you should have bought a winger to give something different. And lets see how Wembly treats you.
If Spurs were still at WHL I honestly think they would have a great shot at the league. They've left at the worst time possible. They will drop too many points at Wembley, as we've already seen. They've already dropped more home points than the entirety of last season I think.
Why so many people think that Spurs are bound to struggle at Wembley? Is it based only on results or rather on characteristics of the ground (say, too big for their tactics)?
Because they have struggled in Wembley, it is not rocket science to say that.
And as for tactics, yes playing in Wembley does affect their tactics. Poch plays high pressing football and it was easy in WHL, considering the pitch was narrow but Wembley is huge and it becomes tough to play high press football.
- Status