There are two very different ways to judge where we stand at the moment - either the league position (which obviously is all that matters come the end of the season), or the performances.
Towards the end of last season, I didn't care where the points came from, as long as we ended up 5th or better (of course, we had the FA Cup to look forward to, which helped). There was not going to be any sudden massive improvement in tactics or performance, so it was a case of grab the points wherever we could. Undefeated run, sure - but we rode our luck and I've never seen so many glaring chances missed against us. It could easily have been so different.
But if you think back to the glory days, Pep would often be steaming after seemingly fantastic victories because he was thinking bigger picture and had spotted things he didn't like - probably with specific season-defining matches in mind against more ruthless teams who'd exploit whatever weakness it was that he'd just seen.
That's how it feels to me, now - it's great that we are still even toying with the idea of another title, but who can honestly say - watching us regularly running back like aimless headless chickens, leaving huge spaces everywhere - that we look like champion material? When we concede, how many others on here immediately get anxious, thinking 'here we go again' ? I do, and it certainly looks like the players do, from the immediate change in their body language. It was great to have another late winner against Leeds, but that match didn't bode well for the rest of the season, did it?
I realise that if you're somebody who judges everything based purely on the league position, even in early December, you'll see it completely differently.
I'll say it again, though - two proper fullbacks would change everything! :-)
