The Title Race - 2023/24

[gordondaviesmoustache]

When we lost to Arsenal in 2012, in my heart of hearts I had given up. There were six matches still to be played. I dragged myself along to the ground morosely, out of a sense of duty to the team that had given me such a wonderful season. We beat West Brom, the rags lost to Wigan that evening. And the flame that was flickering in the wind, on the point of going out, roared up again.
Eighteen matches have been played (seventeen by us). Thirty eight have to be played. Sixty points are in the balance. Sixty.
Anybody giving up at this point or for a long time to come probably needs therapy. Although they'll probably come on here, because it's a cheap form of therapy.

There’s no doubt that plenty deploy their predictions of doom onto this board as a coping mechanism.

 

[alexmcity]

I think whether the 1-1 at Anfield is a good result for City depends on how City do at Anfield. That's actually a game that many people thought Arsenal could lose and getting a draw is maybe a 'par' result so if City go there and win it is a good result in the fight against Arsenal, if City don't win there it's 'as you were'. It's not like Arsenal drew 1-1 at Forest or Palace.

Realistically of Arsenal's 'losable' away games we have City away (will lose there in all likelihood) and Spurs away (who knows but if there's a sniff of a chance they can stop Arsenal winning the league they'll release the Kraken on us).

We've played Dippers, Barcodes, Villa, Chelsea away already, can't see us losing at Old Trafford, so really I don't think the 1-1 is that great a result for City unless, like I said before, you win at Anfield.

Still think City will win the league as basically all you need to do is beat us at the Etihad and then not fuck up the other matches and goal difference will be in your favour

You'll lose/draw games unexpectedly. Any PL game is losable, especially in the final months of the season.

City with Rodri in the team have been the best team in the PL even without KDB. Those 3 losses without Rodri are the difference between us and the other top teams. And the draws with Rodri in the starting XI were largely unlucky.

So, IF we manage to keep Rodri fit and IF KDB hits form in a month or two, chances are City will do well. Credit to you that you are pretty reasonable in your takes and expectations.

 

[117 M34]

Won the next 3 in the league and I think we win it.

However, I said exactly the same when we had our run of 4 difficult games and we didn't win any of them.

 

[jim tolmies perm]

How many last minute winners for the Arsewipes v last minute equalisers v City?
Those kind of results can easily reverse in the space of 6/8 games

 

[jrb]

Everton away is one of those must win PL games City went on during those unbeaten runs to win the PL titles. The PL title is far from over. We’re still in the mix. We’re close to a fully fit squad, bar KDB, who should be back next month.

 

[alexmcity]

Everton away is one of those must win PL games City went on during those unbeaten runs to win the PL titles. The PL title is far from over. We’re still in the mix. We’re close to a fully fit squad, bar KDB, who should be back next month.

It's not a must win game. Too early for that. It might have been had Liverpool won vs United and Arsenal. They failed to win.

Put differently, I think we will win the league no matter whether we win, draw or lose at Everton.

Maybe we will go on a winning run when people don't expect it anymore. Like after the draw vs WBA 3 years ago, when Pep's thread was full of people questioning him. We won the next 21 games in all competitions.

 

[Mr Blue Moon]

There was a time when you could look at a weekend and have a pretty good idea what the results would be.
This season it is evident that any team can win on their day, resulting in lots of points being dropped by teams who would traditionally get 3 points against teams lower down the table.
This is what makes the Premier League so watchable.
The season has a long way to run and there will almost certainly be twists and turns to add to the drama.
The team that is top at the end of a gruelling season are worthy champions, and I believe that will be City

 

[Father Paul]

Christmas 2022 Arsenal top, City 5 points behind, same games played

Christmas 2023 Arsenal top, City 6 points behind with one game in hand

You would’ve thought that being in a better situation than this time last year and having proved our mettle (not that it needed proving) by winning 5 major trophies in the interim most people would have the utmost faith in our ability to stay the course again.

Each season is different. Points on the board are vital and it is useful to examine historical situations. However, it is unwise to expect that history will always repeat itself.
Historically one would expect us to be strong moving into the second half of the season and Arsenal in particular to weaken. This may or may not transpire this year. I will be looking for a more sturdy defence and an ability to close out games in the coming weeks before I feel more comfortable that we will move through the gears as usual.

 

[blue44]

We are winning it trust me.
I'm normally pessimistic but I got
a feeling after the Luton win.
I know what then after happened v Palace
but I think getting this world club tournement out of the way,we're gonna see a different City from here on in.
To achieve four in a row really would be something,and I think we will.

 

[Keepingthefaithsince1976]

Just watched the 2 pretenders to City's crown but they're not up to scratch this season. City to win it by 4 points. 86 should do it.