The Title Race 2022/23

[Deleted member 77198]

They are, but we also need Ruben fit on the pitch.

Stonesy is the big one for me. The only player willing and able to break the press from deeper.

If we can get Stones Dias and Laporte playing at the back (rotated, not in the same line-up), we can push out midfield up the pitch higher when we have possession because they can play the ball forward more quickly from the back.

Laporte is fit now but he’s not been trusted to play in any big games at all this season after his surgery. He’s only played against bottom half teams in the Prem, only Copenhagen in the CL and the games early rounds of the Cups. Surely now he’s fit enough to start playing in the big Prem games?

Dias is supposed to be back fit and ready to play by Sunday.

And Stones by Thursday.

I’d love to see Walker Stones Laporte and Cancelo play against Spurs. Walker and Cancelo also need to minutes in their legs. They were probably our second and third best players on Saturday against United and they need to put one good performance into a good run of form.

The basis of our whole play can be different with that back line. Then start bringing Dias back in as well.

It feels like the season can really get going for us then, stupid World Cup and our poor form before it and after it can be put to bed then.

 

[tolmie's hairdoo]

If we can get Stones Dias and Laporte playing at the back, we can push out midfield up the pitch higher when we have possession because they can play the ball forward more quickly from the back.

Laporte is fit now but he’s not been trusted to play in any big games at all this season after his surgery. He’s only played against bottom half teams, Copenhagen in the CL and the early rounds of the Cups. Surely now he’s fit enough to start playing in the big Prem games?

Dias is supposed to be back fit and ready to kick by Sunday.

And Stones by Thursday.

I’d love to see Walker Stones Laporte and Cancelo play against Spurs. Walker and Cancelo also need to minutes in their legs. They were probably our second and third best players on Saturday against United and they need to put one good performance into a good run of form.

The basis of our whole play can be different with that back line. Then start bringing Dias back in as well.

Wembley winner, aside, please no Laporte against Spurs.

Kane takes him for a walk into midfield and Son leaves him chasing shadows.

Spurs bring out the very worst of Laporte's traits.

As long as Akanji doesn't play against Kane. Useless in the air against anyone physical.

Hope Ruben is okay.

 

[Coatigan]

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.

We need to start stringing winning runs together. And putting pressure on them. Something we haven't seem capable of doing since the opening few games.

Think you are taking it for granted a bit. For both teams.

But we certainly Can put them under pressure if we get our shit together. If we can manage that.

 

[GaudinoMotors]

All depends on how many Newcastle or United get and push Arsenal.

 

[Coatigan]

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.

Huge if.

You were convinced we'd be 5 points clear by the time we play them. They might be out if reach by then, the way our form is at the moment.

But I do agree, if we go top after beating them, would be likely to win it.

 

[alexmcity]

if we go top after beating them, would be likely to win it.

I won't complain if we are 5 pts off them after we play them in February. Actually, I don't expect that we'll be fewer than 5 pts off them come March. We may be 3rd at some point over the next 5–6 weeks, and the forum will get a bit hysterical.

If we are, say, just 2 pts off the top team with 4–5 games to go (around the time we play Arsenal at home), which is perfectly possible, we'll have a good chance to win the league. We have experience and self-belief to do it.

Won't be for weak hearts (unless our title challenge unravels in the next few weeks).

 

[Withnail]

Wembley winner, aside, please no Laporte against Spurs.

Kane takes him for a walk into midfield and Son leaves him chasing shadows.

Spurs bring out the very worst of Laporte's traits.

As long as Akanji doesn't play against Kane. Useless in the air against anyone physical.

Hope Ruben is okay.

Still have nightmares about Laporte's performance in the CL in the CL 2019.

 

[John Wayne]

Wembley winner, aside, please no Laporte against Spurs.

Kane takes him for a walk into midfield and Son leaves him chasing shadows.

Spurs bring out the very worst of Laporte's traits.

As long as Akanji doesn't play against Kane. Useless in the air against anyone physical.

Hope Ruben is okay.

I heard Ruben is back in training but I can't see him making it for this one.

 

[Gorton_Tubster]

Interesting to see how we compare with previous seasons at this point :

Yr	R	Team	P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
2018	2	Manchester City	18	14	2	2	50	13	37	44
2019	3	Manchester City	18	12	2	4	50	20	30	38
2020	2	Manchester City	18	11	5	2	31	13	18	38
2021	1	Manchester City	18	14	2	2	44	9	35	44
2022	1	Manchester City	18	14	2	2	44	9	35	44
2023	2	Manchester City	18	12	3	3	46	18	28	39

 

[117 M34]

I won't complain if we are 5 pts off them after we play them in February. Actually, I don't expect that we'll be fewer than 5 pts off them come March. We may be 3rd at some point over the next 5–6 weeks, and the forum will get a bit hysterical.

If we are, say, just 2 pts off the top team with 4–5 games to go (around the time we play Arsenal at home), which is perfectly possible, we'll have a good chance to win the league. We have experience and self-belief to do it.

Won't be for weak hearts (unless our title challenge unravels in the next few weeks).

We may be 3rd on Wednesday night

 

[alexmcity]

We may be 3rd on Wednesday night

True.

I meant we might be 3rd at some point over the next few weeks without having a game in hand.

So far, United (2012) and Liverpool (2014, 2019, 2022) have lost close title races with City. About time that Arsenal go through that experience :)

I feel that we won't win the title easily. If we win it, it will be by 1–2 pts or better GD. But if we manage to stay in the race, we'll have an increasingly good chance come April/May. The aim now should be to stay in the race.

 

[Deleted member 77198]

Interesting to see how we compare with previous seasons at this point :

Yr	R	Team	P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
2018	2	Manchester City	18	14	2	2	50	13	37	44
2019	3	Manchester City	18	12	2	4	50	20	30	38
2020	2	Manchester City	18	11	5	2	31	13	18	38
2021	1	Manchester City	18	14	2	2	44	9	35	44
2022	1	Manchester City	18	14	2	2	44	9	35	44
2023	2	Manchester City	18	12	3	3	46	18	28	39

That is interesting. Half of them we were on 44 points after 18 games. In all those P18 44pts season we won the league. In the others:

One of them - after game 18 we won 18 and lost 2 of the 20 remaining games (finishing 1st on 98 points)
One of them - after game 18 we won 14, drew 2 and lost 4 of the 20 remaining games (finishing 2nd on 81 points)

This one - …?

 

[Dazzle84]

Wembley winner, aside, please no Laporte against Spurs.

Kane takes him for a walk into midfield and Son leaves him chasing shadows.

Spurs bring out the very worst of Laporte's traits.

As long as Akanji doesn't play against Kane. Useless in the air against anyone physical.

Hope Ruben is okay.

Sounds like a job for Ake to me, pace to get and he's our second best in the air behind Stones

 

[BlueCityfan]

Interesting to see how we compare with previous seasons at this point :

Yr	R	Team	P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
2018	2	Manchester City	18	14	2	2	50	13	37	44
2019	3	Manchester City	18	12	2	4	50	20	30	38
2020	2	Manchester City	18	11	5	2	31	13	18	38
2021	1	Manchester City	18	14	2	2	44	9	35	44
2022	1	Manchester City	18	14	2	2	44	9	35	44
2023	2	Manchester City	18	12	3	3	46	18	28	39

Arsenal at 47 points is just insane. They could genuinely reach our 100 point record. And i don't think they are anywhere near as good as our centurions team.

Btw, didn't we have 52 points after 18 games in the centurions season?

 

[Manchester33]

Arsenal at 47 points is just insane. They could genuinely reach our 100 point record. And i don't think they are anywhere near as good as our centurions team.

They have to play us twice, go to Anfield, go to St James park... They have Europa League thrown in as well.

In 20 games they would have to win 17 and draw 1 to reach that.

I doubt any club will ever reach 100 points again.

 

[ejdmcfc]

Haven't engaged in much of this since Saturday, but just thought I'd put it out there that we'll still win the league. Maybe even piss it, perhaps. But, yeah, we'll win it. Everyone (particularly the lunatics that waffle shite on Twitter and Facebook) needs to chill with all the flapping and panicking.

 

[SamBlue]

Arsenal at 47 points is just insane. They could genuinely reach our 100 point record. And i don't think they are anywhere near as good as our centurions team.

Btw, didn't we have 52 points after 18 games in the centurions season?

Yes, we had 17 wins and a draw.

The only tiny ray of light I see is we play Arsenal twice, win both games and we are at their throat - and of course win all other games. I just don't see the team shipping a goal per game and having less than 5 shots in the last few weeks doing it. But it will be interesting reading at the end of the season why we fell short in our title defence. And of course, we are dealing with Arsenal with performance almost matching our 100 points season.

 

[Coatigan]

Interesting to see how we compare with previous seasons at this point :

Yr	R	Team	P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
2018	2	Manchester City	18	14	2	2	50	13	37	44
2019	3	Manchester City	18	12	2	4	50	20	30	38
2020	2	Manchester City	18	11	5	2	31	13	18	38
2021	1	Manchester City	18	14	2	2	44	9	35	44
2022	1	Manchester City	18	14	2	2	44	9	35	44
2023	2	Manchester City	18	12	3	3	46	18	28	39

The conclusion is, when we have been in a better position than we are in now, we have always gone on to win it. When we have been in a similar position as now, we have gone on to win it half the time, i.e once, with an epic record run.

 

[Coatigan]

Arsenal at 47 points is just insane. They could genuinely reach our 100 point record.

They can't. Because last season they omly had 69, which means that the most they can possibly hope for is 78-82 points this year. That's how it works, have you not been paying attention?

 

[Brightwell Bros.]

It's nice to not have to worry about final points total: we need to beat Spurs (and then Wolves) because if we don't then we won't be winning the league. The usual call of one game at a time has never been truer. And If the thought of Arsenal winning it didn't put fire in our belly, then the thought of United overtaking us (and being in a better spot take advantage of any potential Arsenal slip) really should.