The Title Race - 2023/24

[Axel Freed]

Never actually stated such a thing. But when you are being chased down throughout the season, and bottle it. I would say, the team that has the lead, is the one to point out first for bottling. It doesn’t take away anything from us really. But we have made quite the “thing” out of chasing for the win. Am I wrong?

I agree with everything you’ve written on this subject. The dippers did bottle it and we were absolutely fucking magnificent. The two things are not mutually exclusive as some other posters are bizarrely implying

 

[alexmcity]

Liverpool being in all competitions may help us in the league. The games in Europa won't be a formality in April, even though Klopp will try to rotate as much as possible. Their style of play increases the risk for fatigue and injuries, especially in the final 5-6 weeks...

 

[Andy TheCatalyst Morrison]

I agree with everything you’ve written on this subject. The dippers did bottle it and we were absolutely fucking magnificent. The two things are not mutually exclusive as some other posters are bizarrely implying

I think the scousers dropped something like 8 points in the last 17 games, i.e. they won 43 points out of 51. How on Earth can that be called bottling it?

Arsenal absolutely bottled it last season. Totally shat the bed. Liverpool manifestly did not.

 

[A57 the snake]

It’ll go right down to wire with Liverpool I think
It’ll be extremely close but we’ll do it peps focus to seems to be the “ four in a row “ he’s talking more and more about this he thrives on first’s . Dare I say he might want this more than the champs league? I trust him to get us over the line , I hope this helps with the flappers on the cup draw thread after been drawn at spurs which I think we’ll walk away with a comfortable win. No blue tinted specs I just think this lot we have now are doing what they do best in finding results at the right time.
Serial winners once you win and taste it ,
Their’ll be back for more .

 

[MafeotulBlue]

I think the scousers dropped something like 8 points in the last 17 games, i.e. they won 43 points out of 51. How on Earth can that be called bottling it?

Arsenal absolutely bottled it last season. Totally shat the bed. Liverpool manifestly did not.

Whether you stumble slightly or greatly, it’s still a stumble. The magnitude of a situation doesn’t deter from the finality of it. They had the lead, multiple times. They lost/drew and gave it away, now on numerous occasions. The term bottling although derogatory still applies. No, it does not reduce our incredible years fighting with them, nor the fighting spirit we have shown. And certainly it does not take away from our achievements.

But to imply we have won only by our strength and not sometimes by being at the right place and the right time is childish and tribal at best. We are known for our late season form, and people expect us to pull 14-15 games on the trot, because, and hear me out here on this new ( not really ) piece of information, the whole club, psychology, physiology, stamina training and cyclic preparation is geared for it.

Villa game produced one of the all time greats at the Etihad, but we were 16 minutes away from watching them achieve the Quadruple. Never of the top of the table though on that day.

It has been a very long time now, that we have gained a league lead, retained and detached. Under Pep, i think we have done once or twice. And if we have won 5/6 more than half have been by chasing. If we achieve 6/7 which would be insane, it would be the same again.

 

[Manchester33]

It’ll go right down to wire with Liverpool I think
It’ll be extremely close but we’ll do it peps focus to seems to be the “ four in a row “ he’s talking more and more about this he thrives on first’s . Dare I say he might want this more than the champs league? I trust him to get us over the line , I hope this helps with the flappers on the cup draw thread after been drawn at spurs which I think we’ll walk away with a comfortable win. No blue tinted specs I just think this lot we have now are doing what they do best in finding results at the right time.
Serial winners once you win and taste it ,
Their’ll be back for more .

My brother and I were having a chat at the Huddersfield game.

What would you take if you got offered a Champions League and FA cup double OR 'only' retaining the league?

For both of us it was definitely retaining the league. Being the first team to win it four times in a row is arguably the greatest achievement in English football.

 

[alexmcity]

I agree with everything you’ve written on this subject. The dippers did bottle it and we were absolutely fucking magnificent. The two things are not mutually exclusive as some other posters are bizarrely implying

It's about semantics, unless people agree on definitions. As far as I understand the use of "bottling", to bottle something is to be in a good position to achieve something but fail due to mental weaknesses (say, fear of failure).

One problem with characterizing our rivals as bottlers is that it takes away from our achievement: we won because they bottled it, and not because we were exceptional (IIRC, City are the only team in the history of the big leagues that won 18 from 19 games in the 2nd half of a season).

The truth is that Liverpool overachieved in 18/19, and Arsenal overachieved in 22/23. Put differently, they weren't as good as their point totals suggested (e.g., Liverpool's xPts was much lower than 97 pts or 99 pts). It's not like they were better than City footballing wise, but City won due to being 'mentality monsters' (stupid expression, imo). City won because City's football was better. That's all.

 

[Andy TheCatalyst Morrison]

Whether you stumble slightly or greatly, it’s still a stumble. The magnitude of a situation doesn’t deter from the finality of it. They had the lead, multiple times. They lost/drew and gave it away, now on numerous occasions. The term bottling although derogatory still applies. No, it does not reduce our incredible years fighting with them, nor the fighting spirit we have shown. And certainly it does not take away from our achievements.

But to imply we have won only by our strength and not sometimes by being at the right place and the right time is childish and tribal at best. We are known for our late season form, and people expect us to pull 14-15 games on the trot, because, and hear me out here on this new ( not really ) piece of information, the whole club, psychology, physiology, stamina training and cyclic preparation is geared for it.

Villa game produced one of the all time greats at the Etihad, but we were 16 minutes away from watching them achieve the Quadruple. Never of the top of the table though on that day.

It has been a very long time now, that we have gained a league lead, retained and detached. Under Pep, i think we have done once or twice. And if we have won 5/6 more than half have been by chasing. If we achieve 6/7 which would be insane, it would be the same again.

They drew 4 games of the last 17, 43 points out of 51. That is title winning form in any other season bar that one. On the back on 54 points from first 21 games. They’ve actually pretty much maintained the same pace. To call that “bottling it” it is insane.

It’s not “childish” and “tribal” to not agree that they bottled it. It’s just a fact, they didn’t.

Whereas, as I’ve already said, Arsenal absolutely 100% bottled it last season. The difference between the two seasons in terms of what happened with the teams we chased down is, and I’m gonna say it, massive.

 

[Salford_Blue]

My brother and I were having a chat at the Huddersfield game.

What would you take if you got offered a Champions League and FA cup double OR 'only' retaining the league?

For both of us it was definitely retaining the league. Being the first team to win it four times in a row is arguably the greatest achievement in English football.

100% the League for me

 

[alexmcity]

They drew 4 games of the last 17, 43 points out of 51. That is title winning form in any other season bar that one. On the back on 54 points from first 21 games. They’ve actually pretty much maintained the same pace. To call that “bottling it” it is insane.

It’s not “childish” and “tribal” to not agree that they bottled it. It’s just a fact, they didn’t.

Whereas, as I’ve already said, Arsenal absolutely 100% bottled it last season. The difference between the two seasons in terms of what happened with the teams we chased down is, and I’m gonna say it, massive.

Arsenal didn't bottle it either, for (1) they weren't that good in the first place, and (2) after the injury of their best defender they were performing below their normal levels, which was to be expected.

You can't bottle it when you have overachieved. You can bottle it when you have the ability but lack the character. Arsenal didn't have the ability in the first place, they were lucky to win 50 pts in the first 19 games. After their luck was over, their results became mediocre, especially after Saliba's injury.