The Title Race - 2023/24

How many points will be needed to win the league?


  • Total voters
    446
  • Poll closed .
Been thinking about why we always seem to be able to outlast our title rivals year after year.

I think it started on 16 December 2020, when Pep made a huge change in his approach.

This was following the 1-1 draw with West Brom, where he changed to the false 9. This in itself was a large factor in us winning the league that season, but the other change is why we have won it each season since.

We all know that Arsenal and Liverpool press like madmen. Arteta basically copied Pep’s approach and added some Atletico shithousery to allow their lungs some rest.

What Pep decided in Dec 2020 was a way for us to control games by running less. It was highlighted in the documentary of that season.

This running less allows us to retain more energy for longer and as we go into the run in, we’re fresher than our pressed-out opponents.
Similar, to the above but without the false 9, we went for slower controlled possession in 18/19. Aguero in any case was far more involved at that point.

After the defeat at Newcastle away, which was directly before the 14 game winning streak, we completely suffocated teams and often with less tasking slower passing sequences. Pep found the perfect balance between performance (ie winning) and control.

14 games played and only 4 goals conceded (and 2 of those when we had the win in the bag)
6 games where it was 1-0 at 90 mins.
xG against averaging 0.35 p90
Shots on target against c1.5 p90

Defensively those stats were nuts.
 
Arsenal do the same, but their pressing is far more intensive. They’ve been better at it than us this season so far, but the last two games have shown a drop off.

It’ll be interesting to see if they can regain that energy, especially if they lose in Germany.

They don't do the same, we have had more possession than them. You are right that their pressing is more intensive, that's why they have conceded fewer chances.

They are not likely to regain that energy before Spurs away. They play 3 days after Villa, then 3 days after Bayern and then 3 days after Wolves. On paper, they may have enough time before Spurs, but it was the same before Villa, and they weren't fresh in the 2nd half.
 
Just had a peek at twitter and my god, both Liverpool and Arsenal fans have well and truly gone off the deep end. Liverpool fans trying to say that teams try more against them than us, conveniently forgetting that Palace have been our bogey team in the last few seasons. Arsenal and Liverpool fans consoling each other, backing up each other's wild, half baked statements. Can you imagine what it will be like if we win the league etc.
 

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