The Title Race - 2023/24

[Gray]

Not seen anything from the team so far this season to think we can retain the PL title.

Apart from Doku, the replacements for Gundogan, Mahrez and Laporte are very underwhelming.

Injuries to key players and suspensions have made an already small squad threadbare.

Not converting chances created whilst gifting the opposition a goal with their first shot on target has to change if we are to put in a serious challenge.

 

[GaudinoMotors]

Was hoping the Champions League win would be a springboard, but instead we drained the pool.

 

[VincentLtd]

If you look at our last 8 league games (including tonight) we've had arsenal, united, villa and chelsea away and spurs, brighton and liverpool at home. Thats an incredibly tough run when we are also missing the best player in the PL for that whole period and a host of other injuries / suspensions that are really impacting us. Things will look much better by Dec 31st i'm sure and post winter break we will be in a great position.

We hope so, but how certain is kdb to return at the start of Jan? I get the feeling it could be Feb before we see him again. Arsenal Spurs and Pool also have also had a few injuries that have hit their rotations. Madison being out might have saved us a loss too - him and Son together are lethal. I still think we'll top the league but it won't be easy and it'll be fought until the last game

 

[supercity88]

Not seen anything from the team so far this season to think we can retain the PL title.

Apart from Doku, the replacements for Gundogan, Mahrez and Laporte are very underwhelming.

Injuries to key players and suspensions have made an already small squad threadbare.

Not converting chances created whilst gifting the opposition a goal with their first shot on target has to change if we are to put in a serious challenge.

Similar story to last season. I don't think the issues cut as deep as they did.

Pep's firing the squad up by making a big deal of the questions over our mentality. I don't think anything rat boy said was controversial. But Pep's made something of it to use it as a catalyst to turn things around.

But let's not forget we've had some tough games. Arsenal have drawn away at Chelsea, at home to Fulham and Spurs and lost to Newcastle. Win tonight and we're 3pts behind them - which is thanks to their win over us. No one is running away with it here. A late win over the rags, Brentford and Luton are all going to be celebrated, but they should be beating those teams.

We're currently on the back of a run of draws, dropping points late on through silly goals. So it feels like we're the other end of the scale.

Win tonight, then away at Luton and home to Palace and we'll go to the Club World Cup in excellent shape to win the title. And whilst our game away at Brentford is postponed, we can see what happens when Arsenal go to Anfield.

 

[paulchapo]

I'm sure we had similar issues that we are having now last season. Not firing on all cylinders, throwing stupid points away and looking like we would be lucky to win one trophy. Incredibly we won three. If....and on the current form table it's a big if...we win tonight we will still be in a great position.

 

[KingGeorge]

I'm sure we had similar issues that we are having now last season. Not firing on all cylinders, throwing stupid points away and looking like we would be lucky to win one trophy. Incredibly we won three. If....and on the current form table it's a big if...we win tonight we will still be in a great position.

The difference between this season and last is our roster was better constructed. This year we know we have a roster Txiki and Prp didn’t want because we know they wanted Paqueta. The question then becomes do we have the horses to win a major trophy. I’m inclined to say yes if Kevin comes back strong.

 

[Mazzarelli's Swiss Cheese]

I'm sure we had similar issues that we are having now last season. Not firing on all cylinders, throwing stupid points away and looking like we would be lucky to win one trophy. Incredibly we won three. If....and on the current form table it's a big if...we win tonight we will still be in a great position.

Yep, the flappers thought we were out of it by Feb last season

 

[JOGAMIGMOG]

Doku > Mahrez
Covacic < Gundogan
Gvardiol < Laporte
Then there’s Nunes - what even is he? He’s a poor Tommy Doyle.
All in all we have contrived to weaken our squad when, as Champions of Europe and England and the richest club in world football we should have signed genuine world-class talents and broken the bank to do so if necessary. If we fail to win the league this year then it’s in this Summer’s transfer market where the answers can be found when the inquest starts.

 

[SSL2]

If you look at our last 8 league games (including tonight) we've had arsenal, united, villa and chelsea away and spurs, brighton and liverpool at home. Thats an incredibly tough run when we are also missing the best player in the PL for that whole period and a host of other injuries / suspensions that are really impacting us. Things will look much better by Dec 31st i'm sure and post winter break we will be in a great position.

but with better game management we could've won 3 of them games you've just mentioned and drawn the other at arsenal.

it might have been a tough run but when you look at our performances in them games, that is the most frustrating aspect.

 

[waspish]

How about the best midfielder in the world playing for us from January onwards?

Yep that be brilliant when he comes back that that operation on his hamstring works?! Kdb did say about the operation that it is an operation that is rare! So we cross our fingers it has worked and we get him at full tilt the rest of this season and seasons to come!