The Title Race - 2023/24

[Tricky_Trev]

I genuinely think at any other team, with any other manager, we'd have been out of this season by now and sitting on the laurels of the treble win last year.

You're not supposed to win a treble and be back in the mix 12 months later.

You're not supposed to win the CL and be in the mix 12 months later.

No one has ever won 4 english titles in a row for a reason.

I think Arsenal and Liverpool are both better than us this season but Pep is Pep. Only so much he can do though.

Arsenal are the best performing team in the league on and off the ball, Liverpool have the best fixtures and seemingly the biggest ability to deal with injuries as they can play whatever kid they like and nothing changes, we have the best manager and most experience. That’s how I see it.

Still think we’ll finish 3rd but it’s so tight and the margins are so small that for me this is a season where the saying “the best team always wins after 38 games” is not necessarily true. Arsenal are that best team statistically but they clearly might not actually win it.

 

[pee dubya]

I genuinely think at any other team, with any other manager, we'd have been out of this season by now and sitting on the laurels of the treble win last year.

You're not supposed to win a treble and be back in the mix 12 months later.

You're not supposed to win the CL and be in the mix 12 months later.

No one has ever won 4 english titles in a row for a reason.

Also considering the squad is probably slightly weaker as well.

Although some renewal was essential, I'm not sure it's improved us for this season.

 

[alexmcity]

We currently have two wins (both vs United) against teams inside the top 6. That’s not good enough really for our team. Arsenal (H) Villa (H) Spurs (A) are the games we have left vs those clubs. We was unreal last season against the top clubs this year has been v poor.

Liverpool haven't won vs us, Arsenal, Spurs and United so far. They were like that also in 21/22 when they were chasing the quadruple.

We have been a bit unlucky in those big games, yesterday apart. Could have easily won the home games vs Liverpool and Spurs.

If we win vs Arsenal, we'll be in a good position. It's a HUGE game.

 

[alexmcity]

I think Arsenal and Liverpool are both better than us this season but Pep is Pep. Only so much he can do though.

Arsenal are the best performing team in the league on and off the ball, Liverpool have the best fixtures, we have the best manager and most experience. That’s how I see it. Still think we’ll finish 3rd but it’s so tight and the margins are so small that for me this is a season where the saying “the best team always wins after 38 games” is not necessarily true. Arsenal are that best team statistically but they clearly might not actually win it.

EPL xG Table and Scorers for the 2024/2025 season | Understat.com

xG table of EPL standings and top scorers for the 2024/2025 season, also tables from past seasons and other European football leagues.

understat.com

On this model, we were slightly better than Arsenal statistically wise before the game yesterday and clearly better than Liverpool.

IF we outplay Arsenal in 3 weeks, we'll be the best team statistically wise. Won't be easy but is not unlikely to happen.

 

[wolviedinho]

The table this time last season

View attachment 109890

Amazing we won the league seeing the table above. Unreal -:)

 

[pee dubya]

How many games have we put in our very best level of performance? 1 in every 4, maybe? Even the 3-0 at the swamp; how good did we need to be, in truth. 7.5, maybe 8, out of 10. Similar with the big wins at home to Bournemouth and Fulham. Just how good were we in those games? How many 9/10 (or better) performances have we really put in? That we're still in with a shot at another treble is a remarkable testament to the players' mental fortitude, yesterday notwithstanding.

Yeah I think it's noticeable that in the biggest matches we don't have that extra edge that's winning the tight games, and then against the others we always look slightly vulnerable rather than just swatting teams aside. We've just been waiting for the team to really click and despite the results, it's not really happening performance wise like you say.

But yeah, looking at the league fixtures if we get to the last 4 games in a good position, I think we've got a great chance of the league.

Be very surprised if we retain the CL, you need the combination of luck and that wee edge.

 

[bluemoon32]

The table this time last season

View attachment 109890

We did brilliantly last season, trouble is, our current side isn't as good as last seasons

 

[Coatigan]

Favourites again ole ole…

PMSL

 

[Damanino]

lot of it comes down to recruitment. we were fighting for long weeks for Gvardiol like Arse were fighting for Rice with WHU on the price.but then you compare what Gvardiol added to City and what Rice added to Arsenal and its night and day. even Havertz is a better transfer for them than any of our new signings. or Raya too an upgrade on Ramsdale easily.
also Liverpool lost experienced but very tired over the hill players like Henderson and Fabinho who dropped serious levels from where he was at the time they won the title and the CL. they were replaced by brutal workhorses in McAllister, Szoboszlai, Endo. young(er), quicker with immense workrate. much of dippers good run is down to that midfield running like crazy hope they run out of peds soon.

while our incoming transfers made the squad bigger but hardly do anything to our first eleven.Doku good might come good, but levels below Grealish in his best form in terms of off the ball play and also levels below Mahrez end product and ball control.

Gvardiol aint gonna make it at LB in the PL ever imo, and as big CL games coming up I bet Ake still will be first choice LB for Pep while even less chance that he puts Gvardiol to CB.
Kovacic can do about 30% of what Gundo could but that still makes him an important squad player.
Nunes, well a panic signing late in the window, he is getting about as much game time as someone we didnt really want to sign.

every summer every club need a new impulse from new players, ideally ones that improve the first 11. we couldnt make those signings while our rivals did.

says a lot when vs Liverpool away or rags at home or next game Arse home none of the 4 new signings are starting or in CL if we draw a real hard opponents after Copenhagen.

 

[Coatigan]

we only got let off through poor finishing. If that was Salah in the two positions Diaz was in we would've found ourselves 3-1 down.

If people are saying we wet the bed because of the anfield pressure, can the same not be said for his misses, the composure of ortega and akanji with the madness of walker made him fluff his lines.