The Title Race - 2023/24

[birchwoodgingerste]

A five horse race for the PL title.

Spurs 1-0 up against West Ham.

View attachment 100751

Make that 4

 

[Damanino]

under 80 points aint gonna be enough for title. current 9-3-3 standing is 66.6% of points that puts us to 76 points overall.
also we are 10 points worse off fixture to fixture which is very bad imo. meaning if from now on we just get same results as last year when we won the treble we end up on 79.
that would be losing at Anfield, Spurs and lose a game vs a midtable (Brentford), lose a suprise game at home (Brentford) draw a tough away game (Castle, Brighton) and have two rubbish draws in the mould of Everton h/Forest a but win every single another game.

league is also more competetive this season, look how Luton fought vs scousers and Arsenal, Everton ripped Castle apart, Villa becoming some kind of force too etc, will be easier to drop points.

after 15 rounds we were not much better last season as before the WC we were not in top form at all but had Gundo, KDB, Mahrez around.

but the 10 points difference fixture to fixture is not good sign.

not one opponent we improved against to last season apart from the rags away fixture. but there are 6 teams that got better result already against us this season including the two closest title rivals. Arsenal beating us this time not just 3 more points for them, but 3 less for us. if you do the math on last years final points, that swing would have changed everything.

next 4 PL fixtures were all wins last season so literally we cannot drop points even in these if we want to be above 80 points. otherwise we really need to go Pool Spurs and get wins lol which seem to be bigger bogey places than the african spell Yaya's agent put on us.
(Luton = Soton, Leeds=Sheffield, but doesnt really matter as we got max points vs relegated clubs so its crucial to get 18 now vs promoted clubs, so far so good , 6 points of 6 in the bag)

 

[jrb]

Make that 4

Was just going to update my earlier post. :-)

 

[jimmygrimblesboots]

Didnt we win our first six league games ? If thats true we have W3 D3 L3 since in the league , that really is an eye opener , Rodri has missed four of those games , Stones & KDB has missed all of them , Jack was missing for four of those games , our squad simply isnt strong enough this season.
Nunes Kovacic & Phillips are not at the level required , Rico and Oscar Bobb are better alternatives than those three , losing Gundo , Mahrez and Laporte has weakened our squad because the players who have arrived as replacements are not good enough.
Top four and a decent tilt at the Champs league will be a good season , after a treble winning season there this was always going to be a "after the Lord Mayor's show season".

 

[greek citizen]

It's not over but it doesn't look promising at all for us. Our performance against villa was abysmal. Pep needs to sort it out. You can't start a midfield 4 of akanji, lewis, stones and alvarez. None of them are central midfielders. Foden and Bernardo who happen to be just that play on the wings. For me with kdb out play nunes there, it can't be any worse than the showing on Wednesday.

 

[Dr Jacoby]

We will need 90 points - 60 points from our remaining 23 games.

With us still to play at Liverpool, Newcastle, Tottenham and Brighton, that’s a huge ask.

Squandering 6 points against Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham might prove costly. Champions tend to score late goals, not concede them.

 

[Roachy]

under 80 points aint gonna be enough for title. current 9-3-3 standing is 66.6% of points that puts us to 76 points overall.
also we are 10 points worse off fixture to fixture which is very bad imo. meaning if from now on we just get same results as last year when we won the treble we end up on 79.
that would be losing at Anfield, Spurs and lose a game vs a midtable (Brentford), lose a suprise game at home (Brentford) draw a tough away game (Castle, Brighton) and have two rubbish draws in the mould of Everton h/Forest a but win every single another game.

league is also more competetive this season, look how Luton fought vs scousers and Arsenal, Everton ripped Castle apart, Villa becoming some kind of force too etc, will be easier to drop points.

after 15 rounds we were not much better last season as before the WC we were not in top form at all but had Gundo, KDB, Mahrez around.

but the 10 points difference fixture to fixture is not good sign.

not one opponent we improved against to last season apart from the rags away fixture. but there are 6 teams that got better result already against us this season including the two closest title rivals. Arsenal beating us this time not just 3 more points for them, but 3 less for us. if you do the math on last years final points, that swing would have changed everything.

next 4 PL fixtures were all wins last season so literally we cannot drop points even in these if we want to be above 80 points. otherwise we really need to go Pool Spurs and get wins lol which seem to be bigger bogey places than the african spell Yaya's agent put on us.
(Luton = Soton, Leeds=Sheffield, but doesnt really matter as we got max points vs relegated clubs so its crucial to get 18 now vs promoted clubs, so far so good , 6 points of 6 in the bag)

Good synopsis covering quite a few things. Whilst not fatal, our recent run obviously hasn't done us any favours. However, this run of poor form really needs to come to an end now. Whilst it would be thoroughly welcome I don't think we need one of those insane 15 game winning streaks. A nice 6-8 run of victories would do nicely about now.

 

[Mancity1980]

We will need 90 points - 60 points from our remaining 23 games.

With us still to play at Liverpool, Newcastle, Tottenham and Brighton, that’s a huge ask.

Squandering 6 points against Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham might prove costly. Champions tend to score late goals, not concede them.

We are not getting 60 out of a maximum of 69 points, however I don’t think 90 points is needed this season, no club looks likely to do that. Too many teams are beating each other, too many defences are leaking goals. 4 titles in a row has never been done before and we are all seeing why, the problem is you have to refresh your squad and first team to maintain standards and that is frought with uncertainties.

 

[bluemoon32]

Didnt we win our first six league games ? If thats true we have W3 D3 L3 since in the league , that really is an eye opener , Rodri has missed four of those games , Stones & KDB has missed all of them , Jack was missing for four of those games , our squad simply isnt strong enough this season.
Nunes Kovacic & Phillips are not at the level required , Rico and Oscar Bobb are better alternatives than those three , losing Gundo , Mahrez and Laporte has weakened our squad because the players who have arrived as replacements are not good enough.
Top four and a decent tilt at the Champs league will be a good season , after a treble winning season there this was always going to be a "after the Lord Mayor's show season".

Whilst i agree with you that our squad is weaker than last season & our business in the summer was dreadful but personally, i think a top 4 spot & no trophies is a poor season, not a good one.
I understand a drop off from last season, i was hoping Pep could work his magic but so far he hasn't been able to do that, it all comes down to our summer transfer business, just nowhere near good enough.

 

[Keeper!]

Didnt we win our first six league games ? If thats true we have W3 D3 L3 since in the league , that really is an eye opener , Rodri has missed four of those games , Stones & KDB has missed all of them , Jack was missing for four of those games , our squad simply isnt strong enough this season.
Nunes Kovacic & Phillips are not at the level required , Rico and Oscar Bobb are better alternatives than those three , losing Gundo , Mahrez and Laporte has weakened our squad because the players who have arrived as replacements are not good enough.
Top four and a decent tilt at the Champs league will be a good season , after a treble winning season there this was always going to be a "after the Lord Mayor's show season".

I agree with a lot you say but we were saying similar this time last season, we looked very underwhelming up to Christmas.

I would never write of this team with Pep in charge but it will take an incredible effort to win the title again and a fair share of good fortune and the return of KDB to form and fitness.