Arsenal are a bit like us in the sense the team (midfield especially) is made for having the ball. They're not that great without the ball once you beat their initial press.I hope so but I do remember the season Liverpool won it - the mentality changed once they had a seed we can't win it. The team needs a kick up the arse as does Pep -
I watched bits of the Arsenal game yesterday - going forward they are very good - lots of energy but defensively they can be got at
For me its not about winning it every year. No team in the history of football has been able to achieve that, and I don't expect City to either.In years gone by i'd have been full of confidence that we could turn it around and absolutely blitz the gap at the top. This season, personally, i dont see it. It just feels different, the level of performance just hasnt been there since about october time and i cant envisage us having the level of consistency needed to overtake arsenal.
We have shown we can be got at very easily, defensively we are weak, and going forward we just arent clicking at all. Lot of players off form, no fluidity and quite frankly we're easy to play against just now.
I'd be content with a top 3 finish and an fa cup this season, then we can rebuild in the summer.
Cant win it every year!
If we win the next 6 games we'll be top, and we'll win the league .
That my friend is a huge if....here's hoping.
It's as hard a run of 6 games as we're likely to get as well. Spurs the bogey team twice, the league leaders twice, and the 2 most improved sides since the world cup break.
We'll be just fine. I'm sure we can and will still lift the title.
We should know better than anyone what it takes and the pressure which builds with every passing week.
Let's see where we are first before Arsenal kick off against United next Sunday afternoon.
The Arsenal FA Cup game also comes at a good time and will give us a real opportunity to plant a further seed.
Arsenal will also still be coming to Newcastle, Liverpool and City.
Totally agree - we can batter them when we play them but we need to be totally on itArsenal are a bit like us in the sense the team (midfield especially) is made for having the ball. They're not that great without the ball once you beat their initial press.
How many times have we watched the opposition go right through the middle of us with a single pass this season? Arsenal are the same. Spurs, despite being absolute turd, must have had half a dozen decent chances yesterday.
If we win the next 6 games we'll be top, and we'll win the league.
Beating Arsenal twice would show them and everyone else they're the weaker side, we play an extra game, so the gap would be cut to max 2 points and I think they'll drop some in their run of United-Everton-Brentford.
Touch of the Comical Ali’s about this, Tolm :)
We’ve got huge issues.
You seem to know things that are going on behind the scenes, what do you think it is? For me the players look fed up of trying to play a False 9 system with a world class striker feeding off scraps. The constant passing is slapping them.
We’ve got huge issues.
For me the players look fed up of trying to play a False 9 system with a world class striker feeding off scraps.
We will always have issues, whether it be losing a derby, losing at Anfield, not scoring against Palace.
We have our two best defenders out injured but the main priority is to ensure we keep in the mix and ensure Arsenal and United don't play without pressure.
It's a long road and City have come back from far worse situations, seemingly when all is lost.
I suspect Pep and the lads do have one firm eye on the Champions League this season, but another Prem title is still there to be had.
I think we have a number of issues all coming at once- adjusting the system to bring in Haaland, no proper no.2 with Pep, Bernardo dropping in performance, Foden struggling post World Cup, injuries to Dias and Stones, poor recruitment at left back and a very disjointed season with the World Cup break.
Despite all that there are players still doing well- Mahrez has played well of late, Grealish has made an impact in recent league games, Haaland is still a monster and Lewis has played well.
I don’t think the league is gone but we need to start much better (especially away), we were poor first half away to Chelsea, Southampton and on Saturday. I thought we would grind out a result Saturday like Chelsea away but we were done by a shocker of a decision.
We may still need to grind out results while we try and get our mojo back. Arsenal celebrated yesterday as though they’ve won the league. I would to see what happens if we put some real pressure on them.
I think we only have one issue that matters - the supply to Haaland.
As soon as we fix that we're starting every game 1-0 up and the other issues will sort themselves out.
It was interesting to hear Shaw's post-match comments?
He said they had watched our games of late and how poor we had been in the first-half of matches.
Also said they worked on only having minimal possession and Ten Hag wanted the supply to Haaland stopped only in the final third and to close the passing lanes for Rodri.