I still think we will win the league

[BillyShears]

Exactly. After our perfect first 5 games, we have taken just 21 points from 14 games. This form is that of a 10th placed team.

Except we're not 10th. We're 3rd 3 points off the top of the league. And whilst our form has been poor on the road, it still hasn't led to anyone getting any real distance on us in the race for the title. That suggests that all round the league is much more open than it was previously so looking at our form in isolation and bellyaching about it is really quite pointless. Or at least it isn't really taking in the whole picture.

I'm just glad we're not Chelsea or the rags. Both have spent shit loads in the last two or three years and neither will have CL football come the summer IMO.

 

[jimmygrimblesboots]

Probably our 3 most consistent and world class rated players , Vinny,Merlin,Kun have all missed a lot of games , the spine of the team has never been available , (if you took Cech,Ozil and Sanchez out of the goons team , for most of the season , they would be knowhere , possibly top 6, if they were lucky). We have suffered injuries to "important" players (as MP would say), the fact we are just one victory from the summit is testament to our squad , and the fact the quality of the lesser/mid table sides being so much better this season , if we can get Merlin and Kun up to speed and keep them fit until May , its our title to lose , Vinny coming back in February would be the icing on the cake. But if we keep on getting injuries to our main players , we are going to struggle with our involvement in 4 competitions

 

[mayo31]

Funny how football can be reported. I keep hearing that Spuds are on a great run yet are behind us in the league and are seen by some as the real threat.

Its a weird league this one without a doubt. What I do see about us is whilst we are definitely not firing due to injuries and form we are also getting to give players like Mangala the chance to improve through actually playing him. If Kompany was fit he would not be in the first eleven.

If in the second half of the season we have players fit but also in form we are capable of doing the business.

 

[hgblue]

Except we're not 10th. We're 3rd 3 points off the top of the league. And whilst our form has been poor on the road, it still hasn't led to anyone getting any real distance on us in the race for the title. That suggests that all round the league is much more open than it was previously so looking at our form in isolation and bellyaching about it is really quite pointless. Or at least it isn't really taking in the whole picture.

I'm just glad we're not Chelsea or the rags. Both have spent shit loads in the last two or three years and neither will have CL football come the summer IMO.

Would you have been saying the same thing if Mancini were manager? Genuine question by the way, because I'm not sure whether your outlook has changed or your argument has changed because you like the manager.

 

[Scully]

We can still win the league and should do. The problem is we need a catalyst and I can't see it at the moment. We're just not clicking. That said it could be as simple as Vinny and Zabba coming back and staying fit for the remainder of the season, as one thing we lack is some leadership. Coupled with Aguero also staying fit. Our biggest threat could still be Manu if they get Mourinho, as I don't see the current teams around us as that capable at present.

 

[Blue Mooner]

Except we're not 10th. We're 3rd 3 points off the top of the league. And whilst our form has been poor on the road, it still hasn't led to anyone getting any real distance on us in the race for the title. That suggests that all round the league is much more open than it was previously so looking at our form in isolation and bellyaching about it is really quite pointless. Or at least it isn't really taking in the whole picture.

I'm just glad we're not Chelsea or the rags. Both have spent shit loads in the last two or three years and neither will have CL football come the summer IMO.

Completely this. Let's not forget that amongst all this we have been having to qualify from an extremely hard champions league group. It's likely that we won't have as much disruption by this competition in the second half of the season.

After this weekend Arsenal have to play:

Liverpool a
Stoke a
Chelsea h
Saints h
Bournemouth a
Barca a
Leicester h
Man United a

That's a tough set of fixtures so be interesting to see how things stand at the end of Feb.

 

[Keepingthefaithsince1976]

Its always best to think we can rather than can't.

 

[BillyShears]

Would you have been saying the same thing if Mancini were manager? Genuine question by the way, because I'm not sure whether your outlook has changed or your argument has changed because you like the manager.

Why would I apply an argument relevant to THIS season to a season three years ago when three years ago the club was in a totally different position, the manager was totally different and in a totally different position, and the league was totally different.

You get full marks though for trying to make this about me. Just shows that beyond those little winky winky quips there's fuck all you can say because what I posted is spot on. We're STILL the most likely to team to win the league. Amazing that for a season being characterised as a disaster.

 

[hgblue]

Why would I apply an argument relevant to THIS season to a season three years ago when three years ago the club was in a totally different position, the manager was totally different and in a totally different position, and the league was totally different.

You get full marks though for trying to make this about me. Just shows that beyond those little winky winky quips there's fuck all you can say because what I posted is spot on. We're STILL the most likely to team to win the league. Amazing that for a season being characterised as a disaster.

Nah, I was just interested why someone would lambast one manager and go easy on another for similar runs of form, especially when you consider Pellegrini inherited a better team than Mancini and has added the likes of Navas, Fernandinho, Mnagala, De Bruyne, Sterling, Otamendi, and others, and has had years to get the team playing his way.

 

[BillyShears]

Nah, I was just interested why someone would lambast one manager and go easy on another for similar runs of form, especially when you consider Pellegrini inherited a better team than Mancini and has added the likes of Navas, Fernandinho, Mnagala, De Bruyne, Sterling, Otamendi, and others, and has had years to get the team playing his way.

Maybe because as I've just pointed out the circumstances were totally different. Seems pretty straight forward to judge a situation on it's merits and not on the merits of a previous situation.