PL needs a winter break like all the other top european leagues have. Now I'm older I really dont care for all the football that's on over Christmas so it's an English tradition that can die as far as I'm concerned
Top Four Race 2018/19
- Thread starter Damien
- Start date
Would be better to just have a break at the beginning of January instead.
Winter break or no winter break, I don't mind that much. But the competition has to be as fair as possible, and it's simply unfair when some clubs get this much extra rest. The difference between 2 and 3 days is huge, especially when it happens a few times in a row.
We could make it and would look good if we finish off our next 3 games but this is us just been giddy after our last result.
I had already accepted we wouldn't make top 4 under Jose so I'm not gonna let myself get sucked in and be met with potential disappointment. So, instead I'm just gonna enjoy the attacking football we may play every game in periods.
I had already accepted we wouldn't make top 4 under Jose so I'm not gonna let myself get sucked in and be met with potential disappointment. So, instead I'm just gonna enjoy the attacking football we may play every game in periods.
That’s a lot. We’d need to get 3 wins to their 3 defeats. Have they even been defeated 3 times all season?
Yeah
We can beat both and then it's only 6pts and that really is nothing. They're not that great at all unless they reinforce we're still in the race. Believe people
I think it's unlikely we'll win the title, though you never know. But I reckon we have more chance of finishing above City than you claim - we're only 2 points behind them despite having so far played 3 more away games than them.
Similarly, Liverpool have played 2 more away games than City so far, so your chances finishing above them are good I'd say, especially since you're currently 4 points clear. I'd make Liverpool title favourites at this point.
There's no way we can have the expectation of finishing 4th right now, but anyone writing us off is being ignorant. There's no telling how well Ole can do with our squad yet, but if we go out of the Champion's League while Arsenal and Chelsea are still pushing on in the Europa League, you'd have to give us a chance. However, we will have to start winning the big games against the likes of Chelsea and Arsenal in particular if we are going to make up those points. The fair assessment to me is that we're just about close enough to be able to give it a go with half the season left, but this Christmas period needs to be maximum points and if it is, I am sure we'd be at least a couple of points closer to the top four come mid-January.
I think the top three is set now, however. Spurs are looking really good and I think they'll hold on to 3rd and we'll see three teams over 80 points who are uncatchable. I have a feeling Man City will turn it on once their main front six are fully fit and get their routine going (Fernandinho, Silva, De Bruyne, Sane, Aguero, Sterling). I hope they win the title, but if Liverpool can beat both Newcastle and Arsenal at home I'd probably make them title favourites over Man City, even if City came through their two banana skin away games at Leicester and Southampton who are both in good nick right now. I actually wouldn't be surprised to see Spurs level on points with City come New Years Day.
I think the top three is set now, however. Spurs are looking really good and I think they'll hold on to 3rd and we'll see three teams over 80 points who are uncatchable. I have a feeling Man City will turn it on once their main front six are fully fit and get their routine going (Fernandinho, Silva, De Bruyne, Sane, Aguero, Sterling). I hope they win the title, but if Liverpool can beat both Newcastle and Arsenal at home I'd probably make them title favourites over Man City, even if City came through their two banana skin away games at Leicester and Southampton who are both in good nick right now. I actually wouldn't be surprised to see Spurs level on points with City come New Years Day.
A very interesting fact - until now , here is the number of games each team has had at Home (H) or Away (A)
City , Arsenal , Chelsea - 10 H
Liverpool , Man United - 8 H
Tottenham - 7 H
Tottenham - 11 A
Liverpool , Man United - 10 A
City , Arsenal , Chelsea - 8 A
It seems there is a really big disbalance , finding it strange .
City , Arsenal , Chelsea - 10 H
Liverpool , Man United - 8 H
Tottenham - 7 H
Tottenham - 11 A
Liverpool , Man United - 10 A
City , Arsenal , Chelsea - 8 A
It seems there is a really big disbalance , finding it strange .
This statistic about Spurs having played more away games is the sort of thing that sounds good on paper but ultimately doesn't mean anything.
If I was a Spurs fan I'd be far more impressed by how many times they've managed wins in games they haven't played very well in, or the amount of points accrued given most of their starters were playing at the latter stages of the World Cup. That's the kind of resilience they haven't had in previous years.
If I was a Spurs fan I'd be far more impressed by how many times they've managed wins in games they haven't played very well in, or the amount of points accrued given most of their starters were playing at the latter stages of the World Cup. That's the kind of resilience they haven't had in previous years.
This fixes itself somewhat in the next 2-3 games. United play home twice, as do Liverpool, so they'll be at 10-10. The same goes for City, Arsenal, and Chelsea actually, as they're away twice and all will be 10-10 by the year's end. It's only really Spurs with the unbalance, but that will only be 9-11 by the same point, which isn't much of a difference given their new stadium troubles.
Anything is possible - Chelsea just lost to Leicester at home which should have been a guarenteed 3 points.
It's talking those games in isolation. Liverpool played before everyone else at the beginning of the festive period, so had less recovery time from the week before. They are also playing later than everyone else, so will have less recovery time leading into the games following the period.
Swings and roundabouts.
Tend to agree. Unless they sort it out, they are gonna struggle badly. Thanks god we have Auba and Laca compare to them.
This run of games is crucial if we even stand a chance. Forget winning, we have to win by 2-3 goals atleast in each of the fixtures to get our GD up. Then hope for two of the teams above to feck up.
If we can put a run together, we can get it. 8 points is very much attainable given how Arsenal Chelsea are playing.
Problem is , we will have to be at our best which I am not very much sure.
Problem is , we will have to be at our best which I am not very much sure.
if we get a top striker who can bag goals, we will be fine. We have a solid(ish) side up until we get to strikers. Higuain on a loan would be ok with me, think Sarri gets the best out of him
We'd have to go on a run of title winning form to overtake Arsenal AND Chelsea. If people honestly believe that will happen because we've thrashed Cardiff, I'd suggest you need to calm down a bit.
Arsenal playing Liverpool next
Getting 3 days off instead of 2 makes a far bigger difference than getting 7 days off instead of 6.
No, we are away to Brighton first. It's tough as well.
Read today Mkhitaryan's injured for two months. Arsenal have some injuries building up.
Yeah the Amex is a tricky place to go
Worth to note Spurs were 7 points off top 4 in the first 18 games last season, sitting in 7th behind Burnley, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool to finish ahead of them eventually. For us to finish in 4 top, it requires a consistently form and fewer loses. If we manage to beat Spurs away, rest of the away games are winnable and only have Liverpool and City at home.
Maybe , but this shows we are in good position for Top 4
Yep, not that he has been outstanding this season, but it is another injury. It's like a curse that our players got injured at the worst time.
5 points behind Chelsea and Arsenal (both have games in hand). We need to keep winning with these relatively easier fixtures and see where we stand after the Newcastle game.
It's fecking ON now lads!
Arsenal drops 2 points and has a game at Anfield this weekend, could be 3 points by Monday.
Yup. There’s not much room for error, but the cat’s out in the open. You know how cats are, right?
Chelsea plays that 19th game next, no?
By next week we will be 3 points behind Arsenal. Liverpool will bat them although it does leave a bittersweet taste in my mouth.
Let’s hope not!
Arsenal can drop points elsewhere, please.Things change quickly in football, it’s almost like people never knew this.
Hopefully Chelsea can slip up again tonight, 6 points is nothing.
Win the next 2 and we'll be on them.
Win the next 2 and we'll be on them.
Reckon it could be on now.
We'll be 4-6 points away from top 4 by the time we face Spurs and it'll be vital to not lose there.
Six points is nothing. Teams have clawed back a nine-point gap in the space of a week. All about momentum.
Arsenal will lose on Saturday, but they have nice fixtures in January and February to build on. But their first XI is paper thin. Chelsea are the ones standing in United's way of a top four finish.
Arsenal will lose on Saturday, but they have nice fixtures in January and February to build on. But their first XI is paper thin. Chelsea are the ones standing in United's way of a top four finish.
If we can win what should be the more straightforward fixtures and avoid defeat at Spurs, it's definitely on in terms of top four. Hopefully, the Europa League schedule takes its toll on Chelsea/Arsenal as well.
Chelsea have the odd good game but I actually think they've been mediocre for a while now. They also have the toughest fixture list of any team, still got aways to Arsenal, Man. United, Man. City, Everton (got a 0-0 at the Bridge) and Liverpool coming up after xmas.