We struggle against top 4 teams home and away, so wont be anywhere near.
Last season it was 0, 1, 6, 4, 3 - 14, the others got 14 against us - it is average.It's alarming how poor our top 6 record has been over the last 2/3 years.
We've become Arsenal under Wenger in his latter years where they would would scrape top 4 because they battered the dross, but were the laughing stock when they played the top 6 teams in the league.
I won't give you a like for that, but unless there's a huge improvement we are heading for about 70 points, which might get CL but will be a mile off challenging for a title.No Arsenal will win it by March
No chance of winning that either. It would be a pleasant surprise if we make the last 8.More chance of winning the Champions League.
Still sticking with this:Sticking with what I said just before the end of the 24-25 season.
I don't think next season is about winning the PL and CL. The rebuild will take longer than a summer. Next season is about getting the good vibes back at the club, going for the League Cup (or FA Cup again), and trying to finish more comfortably than we have this season. Summer 2026 is when the team will aim to be completed, for the 26-27 season.
Where we are right now is roughly where we were during the final season under Pellegrini, 15-16. We had lots of ageing players and some past-it legends who need shifting, we got 65-70 points in the league, and were just about hanging on in the race for CL football in the 16-17 season. That summer was the first little step back to the top, then summer 2017 put the finishing touches in place.
Should we sneak top four this week, I think we get some new faces in, get Rodri back, finish as fairly competitive runners-up (to either Liverpool or Arsenal) in the league, make a good show of ourselves in the domestic cups but fall short in Europe, and then make big moves immediately afterwards. My prediction is that Pep signs off with a PL title in 2027 and bows out.
Even though I think he's got one more PL title in him with City, I actually think it might be worth letting Pep go this summer because he's just beginning the downward slope away from his peak and there are managers like Xavi, Inzaghi, and Enrique available. Right now we're a bit like Arsenal in 2009 and we don't want to get stuck in the "Wenger can turn it around" cycle they did. But I guess Pep's earned the right to try and build something new.
That's enough to finish 2nd next season and make a go of it in Europe.
Wose teams than us have won it before. You need luck more than anything. No chance of winning the league whatsoever though, we're miles offNo chance of winning that either. It would be a pleasant surprise if we make the last 8.
We n ed a few stellar transfer windows before we can think of challenging. 3/4 elite level players neededNo. It was always going to be a transitional season with about 70 odd points. Hopefully win a trophy. Title challenge next season
Seem to recall you rubbishing recent records in fixtures in the Villa pre match thread, as we then went on to mirror our last 3 performances there and lose again.I thought Arsenal were favourites at the start, and they still are for me.
But we're definitely still in it, I'd put us equally likely as scousers, and everyone else a long way back.
Hilarious thread though, a few pages back it was all over and the scousers bus parade was booked.
15 of our squad have either never won a major trophy in their careers in any country or weren’t key players in their team where they have.We still have a very young and comparatively inexperienced squad, many of whom have not gone through the rigours of a full season at our level. Any trophy will be a bonus.
You think there's 10 better teams than us?I actually think we have more chance finishing bottom half than we do winning the league.
We have regressed so badly, especially on the road, that I can’t see us getting even a point away at any of Liverpool, United, Newcastle, Bournemouth, Spurs, Palace and Chelsea.. and can’t even see us beating the likes of Forest, Everton or Sunderland on the road.
That means we need to pick a lot of points up at home to even compete for European places. We haven’t beaten Arsenal or Liverpool at home since the treble season so can’t see that changing.
Going to be a very tough season resulting in rebuilding again after our first failed attempt at a rebuild.
Harsh truths that many won’t like. Id take 5th this season with a decent cup run and hopefully right the wrongs of the last 3 years.I actually think we have more chance finishing bottom half than we do winning the league.
We have regressed so badly, especially on the road, that I can’t see us getting even a point away at any of Liverpool, United, Newcastle, Bournemouth, Spurs, Palace and Chelsea.. and can’t even see us beating the likes of Forest, Everton or Sunderland on the road.
That means we need to pick a lot of points up at home to even compete for European places. We haven’t beaten Arsenal or Liverpool at home since the treble season so can’t see that changing.
Going to be a very tough season resulting in rebuilding again after our first failed attempt at a rebuild.
Lol. Whatever you're smoking, I'll have some please.I actually think we have more chance finishing bottom half than we do winning the league.
This thread makes me laugh. The amount of flip-flopping based on individual results is off the scale. Before Sunday's defeat, many felt we were in the mix for the title as a result of our improved form since the 2 August defeats. Go back to the aftermath of that Brighton defeat and some were saying we wouldn't even finish in the top half. At various points since the start of the season we've gone from Liverpool winning it at a canter, Liverpool imploding and no way will they win it now, Arsenal not having the mentality to win it, Arsenal winning it at a canter, City winning it, City being lucky to finish in the top 4/top 6/top half, City being back in the mix (pre-Villa), and now City having no chance (post-Villa)