The Best Start in Premier League History.

[lasereyes]

Notes of caution.

We've been running Silva, Fern and KDB into the ground. Fernandinho in particular seems utterly essential so an injury there could be very bad news.
Jesus is so young he could have a major, season long dip in form. This has to be considered alongside Aguero's injury record.
There is a slight problem with defence.
Most teams have a peak around December, so we might find tougher opposition. Pitch conditions change in winter too.
And the Business end (last 10 games, +CL semis etc) is the be all and end all.

Still, I don't see anyone else reaching our level. Utd possibly will make their plan work if Pogba comes back. ATM the general play looks miles off but they are picking up points. They have a team of 6ft + monsters, as physically impressive as any PL team I''ve seen..... and IMO they are sorely missing his passing. Spurs are a fine team but....

I think we already have a 75% chance of winning the league. I really do. The only problem is 75% of the time I'm wrong.

Maybe you will be wrong and we have a better than 75% chance

 

[lasereyes]

Just did. The 6-3 score didn't reflect the run of the game imo. We were worthy winners, but I don't think it was the thrashing the scoreline perhaps suggests.

And it featured "interesting" goals, such as Silva with clinical finishing off a Navas assist. Replay that move 10 times and we'd miss every one. And the Milner dive at the end. Oh and the Zabaletta handball not given.

I'll take my comfy 2-0 thanks.

Not sure how you figure 2-0 is more comfortable than 6-3.

 

[Chippy_boy]

Not sure how you figure 2-0 is more comfortable than 6-3.

What I was saying (and what I meant) is that I'd rather we had controlled possession, and never looked like drawing or losing. The 6-3 was a cracking game and we ran out comfy winners in the end, but at 3-2 it was all to play for and could have gone either way. Arsenal missed a load of decent chances too.

 

[dennishasdoneit]

What I was saying (and what I meant) is that I'd rather we had controlled possession, and never looked like drawing or losing. The 6-3 was a cracking game and we ran out comfy winners in the end, but at 3-2 it was all to play for and could have gone either way. Arsenal missed a load of decent chances too.

Now you have explained that i do recall Arsenal having a significant hold in the game at various points,and the match was perhaps more evenly balanced at times than the eventual scoreline suggestd..However, i wouldnt fully trust my memory ,at my age,as found out in other recent posts on this board,lol..
In any event ,it was a cracking match!

 

[rnblade]

I’ll be happy as long as we continue to score at least 1 more than the opposition.
Can’t be better than that, we are going to concede some goals, I would just we rather do as I mentioned.

 

[ChicagoBlue]

Arsenal are a team that can exploit us, so we have to keep the ball away from them and take our chances.

Bottom line: If both teams play their best, we win hands down. If they play at 90%, we need to be playing at least 75% to get a result. In the last few games, 75% is about it. Let’s not have a let down this week, or we could go into this Intl break in a (media) mini-crisis and two weeks for them to declare our downfall! Who needs it?!

 

[Marvin]

Must read article on the bbc web-site. Has a section on our season in context with the past, and how many times Champions have come from the pack etc

Very interesting in so many respects. It probably deserves a topic of its own. Great story basically because it's got so much content, or stats rather than opinion

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/41791338

Hidden away in there is something I thought was significant:

Total shots. We lead the way. But if you compare our total possession vs shots you'll find it's not as impressive. To an extent teams like Leicester who just play on the counter-attack are going to get a lot of shots away per percentage possession because they are attacking empty space.....this probably reflects the parked bus factor. Perhaps not so significant after all then. It's not that we dilly dally on purpose but that we have to work hard to get a sight on goal.

Comment I liked on the BBC website

"Someone said Ozil he is not fit to lace De Bruyne's boots. I think you'll find he is fit enough to lace them, just too lazy to be bothered"

 

[Chippy_boy]

Arsenal are a team that can exploit us, so we have to keep the ball away from them and take our chances.

Bottom line: If both teams play their best, we win hands down. If they play at 90%, we need to be playing at least 75% to get a result. In the last few games, 75% is about it. Let’s not have a let down this week, or we could go into this Intl break in a (media) mini-crisis and two weeks for them to declare our downfall! Who needs it?!

David Silva, are you reading this?

Probably not, but anyway, no more faffing about in front of goal please Dave. Just pretend you're playing for Spain not Stockport County.

 

[Chippy_boy]

Must read article on the bbc web-site. Has a section on our season in context with the past, and how many times Champions have come from the pack etc

Very interesting in so many respects. It probably deserves a topic of its own. Great story basically because it's got so much content, or stats rather than opinion

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/41791338

Hidden away in there is something I thought was significant:

Total shots. We lead the way. But if you compare our total possession vs shots you'll find it's not as impressive. To an extent teams like Leicester who just play on the counter-attack are going to get a lot of shots away per percentage possession because they are attacking empty space.....this probably reflects the parked bus factor. Perhaps not so significant after all then. It's not that we dilly dally on purpose but that we have to work hard to get a sight on goal.

Interesting stats about slow starting champions. Apparently no team has ever been 7 points or more behind after 10 games and gone on to win the title. The most ever is 6 points behind at this point. Spurs, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool are currently 8, 9, 9 & 12 points behind!

 

[Marvin]

Interesting stats about slow starting champions. Apparently no team has ever been 7 points or more behind after 10 games and gone on to win the title. The most ever is 6 points behind at this point. Spurs, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool are currently 8, 9, 9 & 12 points behind!

Yes I saw that.

I was also reminded of that season when Ron Atkinson's Man Utd won something like the first 10 games and then Liverpool won the title.

This is a very big week for me: We end a period before international week and could do so by qualifying for the Champions League and possibly create a huge lead at the top of the Premier League (bearing in mind Utd are at Chelsea), but it also comes at the end of a period of a lot of football, and we have to beat Arsenal to do it just days after playing what will be a very draining game. A big ask and a significant moment maybe? Every point is significant - and maybe every goal.

Another point of note from that article was our lead in the mancini season which is so comparable to this one at this stage, and the conclusion to that season which was excruciating.