Will we win the league this season? No

It's been a strange season and two cups would be a fantastic achievement

However I've always remained less confident about our own consistency than our opponents inevitably dropping silly points due to their mental fragility

The really frustrating aspect is that after such an indifferent start we've been playing catch-up all season and yet on three separate occasions have caught Arsenal, only to seemingly drop points almost immediately

Aside from Gvardiol and Dias, we just don't have that strength in depth, and either through injuries or rotation, the moment we start deviating from our regular starting XI we look physically weaker, vulnerable to a rapid counter, and less incisive in attack.

That's not necessarily a criticism of our fringe players because individually the vast majority have enjoyed a few moments, and it was only around the time of the Carabao Cup Final that we almost stumbled upon our best starting XI


However even with only Rodri missing we were too passive at Burnley and our defensive weaknesses were exposed at Everton from the moment we started going down blind alleys and letting them get the ball behind Nunes and O'Reilly
 
Scaring Europe to Death said:
It's been a strange season and two cups would be a fantastic achievement

However I've always remained less confident about our own consistency than our opponents inevitably dropping silly points due to their mental fragility

The really frustrating aspect is that after such an indifferent start we've been playing catch-up all season and yet on three separate occasions have caught Arsenal, only to seemingly drop points almost immediately

Aside from Gvardiol and Dias, we just don't have that strength in depth, and either through injuries or rotation, the moment we start deviating from our regular starting XI we look physically weaker, vulnerable to a rapid counter, and less incisive in attack.

That's not necessarily a criticism of our fringe players because individually the vast majority have enjoyed a few moments, and it was only around the time of the Carabao Cup Final that we almost stumbled upon our best starting XI


However even with only Rodri missing we were too passive at Burnley and our defensive weaknesses were exposed at Everton from the moment we started going down blind alleys and letting them get the ball behind Nunes and O'Reilly
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I honestly thought that from Monday night it would be a straight shoot out between Arsenal and ourselves until the seasons end. I assumed they would win their remaining games and being deliberately optimistic thought we would as well. There was a tinge of doubt though that the inconsistency that has dogged us would reappear. That 2nd half showing was reminiscent of quite a few games throughout the season, with the mistakes being very unwelcome.

Anyway, we need a favour now and will likely have to be perfect with some handsome scorelines thrown in for good measure.
 
We had to be perfect anyway. They play 3 teams in the bottom 5 and we play 3 teams in the top 7. That would've been hard enough even if we had beaten Everton. Plus we have 4 goals to make up and they play Burnley.
 
We always needed Them to drop points in there last 3 games so the draw at Everton isn't the end of the world we would of struggled to out score them for goal difference with there fixtures compared to ares we just need to keep winning and see what happens
 
Not given up (we know how we've come back before) but if we're realistic, the chances are very, very slim.

Both Burnley and Palace will be walkovers and easy wins - neither team has anything to play for before anyone quotes games earlier in the season. Palace would be silly to have a single first team player in the squad for that game.

I do think we'll win every game from here on in (I also thought this Monday).

So that leaves West Ham as the only possible, slight chance we have. And I think West Ham need to win, a draw won't be enough as the GD will be very difficult to pull back now, when you look at the respective games.

It's a shame as at HT on Monday with my machine poured Guinness, I really did think we had a good chance of sticking another goal or two in and then going top this Saturday after the Brentford game :-(
 
citymad said:
We had to be perfect anyway. They play 3 teams in the bottom 5 and we play 3 teams in the top 7. That would've been hard enough even if we had beaten Everton. Plus we have 4 goals to make up and they play Burnley.
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People will say differently, but I thought the Burnley game was a blow to us and made winning the league even harder. We got the three points which is the most important, but the GD factor was also crucial. That was the game that made winning it on GD difficult for us as they've got the more favourable games. I don't think West Ham getting a point on Sunday will be enough for us due to their GD.
 
All those saying a west ham point won’t be enough well I completely disagree. We will have two matches at HOME against Palace & Villa two teams who will have their eye on completely other things and I think we could put a score on both. Even the Brentford & Bournemouth matches could see us improve the GD by +2 if we fancied it.

It’s definitely not over
 
Clutching at straws but with the Gooners now being in the CL final, will they have one eye on that when they play Palace ? None of their players will want to pick up a knock and miss the final.

2-2 it is then.....

As I said I'm clutching at straws....
 
Danny Tiatto said:
All those saying a west ham point won’t be enough well I completely disagree. We will have two matches at HOME against Palace & Villa two teams who will have their eye on completely other things and I think we could put a score on both. Even the Brentford & Bournemouth matches could see us improve the GD by +2 if we fancied it.

It’s definitely not over
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Arsenal have Palace away last game and the Europa Conference Final is the mid week after. They’d play a full reserve side against Arsenal if they get though.
 
HelloCity said:
Arsenal have Palace away last game and the Europa Conference Final is the mid week after. They’d play a full reserve side against Arsenal if they get though.
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Key word in that sentence AWAY I can’t see the palace crowd accepting a heavy defeat
 
Mike S said:
Clutching at straws but with the Gooners now being in the CL final, will they have one eye on that when they play Palace ? None of their players will want to pick up a knock and miss the final.

2-2 it is then.....

As I said I'm clutching at straws....
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Would not be surprised by this at all
 
Lovebitesandeveryfing said:
Manchester City are still alive here…
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Quinn!

quinn-3.webp
 
If we win our game in hand and they drop points then we can start talking, until then it’s done.
 
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