The Title Race - 2023/24

How many points will be needed to win the league?

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We are very capable of snapping out of this poor form and going on a long winning streak only problem is Arsenal and dippers can too with points in the bag. We’re not going to win it every year, maybe this is our ‘off’ season.
 
The quality of the league this season is quite something, as high as I can remember it. If Arsenal go to Villa and get a result I'll fear the worst but the big six (if that still exists) + Villa, Brighton and Newcastle can give anyone a game on their day and will all take a fair few points off each other.

I was dreading the world cup, but it looks like we could do with it.

Doesn't look great if I'm honest, and one year the "we always have this slump and come back stronger" is not gonna work out. Think there's plenty, me and Pep included, who sometimes need a bit of a wake up call that we are indeed in a new season and a new fight.

But there's still plenty of football left to play: all we need is a weekend to go our way and we are right back in the mix.
 
As the saying goes, it's hard to predict, especially the future.

We may have a terrible season, nothing is set in stone.

But it's important to bear in mind the wider context in order to be able to resist various biases, including the all-powerful on football forums recency bias.

I was worried against complacency when we were winning games in the first months and I was predicting a much more difficult campaign, especially against those who were expecting an easy PL season, record points or similar.

Now some people are going in the other extreme. Recency bias is a bitch.

As things stand, we are the most likely winners of the PL. The other contenders will have shit periods, too, even if the recency bias tells us otherwise.

Contrary to the wisdom today, I think we have an exceptional squad, its potential is frightening. Look at the options in attack: all of Haaland, Alvarez, Foden and Doku are highly likely to get better. The defenders are in their prime Walker aside. Midfielders are in their prime. KDB is a bit older now but the rest he is having may help him perform at his best in the final months. Squad and manager are exceptional and it will show in the 2nd half of the season. At some point it will seem that the title is beyond us, and then it will be up for grabs again.
 
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Last season was fantastic, but I'd argue that we'd played better in previous campaigns, when maybe the players had to work harder and focus, particularly when Liverpool were finishing 2nd with almost 100 points.

It also made our job a lot easier when Arsenal imploded, which won't happen this time, particularly as we're now chasing two teams.

Rallying calls are admirable, but the warning signs have been evident for a while, and blind faith won't be enough.
We need to get back to basics with a solid defence, the midfield controlling the tempo, and a clinical strike force, reinforced by energy, hunger and desire.

Even that might not be enough, but at least it won't feel like the end of an era, and we can look forward
 
Tbilisi said:
I came out of Spurs away last season saying we wont win a thing.
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I remember our conversation in Athens when you were far optimistic than me about this season.

Your whole argument was based around trusting Pep's judgment, whereas I was more concerned about the break-up of the KDB-Rodri-Gundogan midfield.

I hope you're right, because the early signs aren't good.
 
Still not worried if I were a City fan. As long as you're within 10 points reach of us or Liverpool, then you'll still win it. Ill put a bet on when the odds are best for you guys winning the league and CL this year.
 
3 draws and 3 losses so far and almost all of those fixtures were wins last season.
this is not looking good at all.

to go on those great runs again we surely need a functioning defence, Gundo back, KDB back, control the games again, the tempo as well etc.
 
Not a chance we are winning the league this season.

The mentality has gone. It’s why we have conceded so many late goals and not beaten any of the good teams we have played this season.

Maybe when KDB comes back we will improve - but it could be Feb before he is fit and back to anything like we remember him.

Maybe it was always going to be this way after winning a treble - but it’s concerning that next season will be Peps last which brings a shitload of extra chaos with it.
 
Scaring Europe to Death said:
Last season was fantastic, but I'd argue that we'd played better in previous campaigns, when maybe the players had to work harder and focus, particularly when Liverpool were finishing 2nd with almost 100 points.

It also made our job a lot easier when Arsenal imploded, which won't happen this time, particularly as we're now chasing two teams.

Rallying calls are admirable, but the warning signs have been evident for a while, and blind faith won't be enough.
We need to get back to basics with a solid defence, the midfield controlling the tempo, and a clinical strike force, reinforced by energy, hunger and desire.

Even that might not be enough, but at least it won't feel like the end of an era, and we can look forward
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Spot-on. I have always thought this year would be tough. We are in transition and facing a challenge from clubs like Arsenal, Liverpool, Newcastle, Villa. The PL has never been stronger and we can claim much of the credit for that. It’s not supposed to be easy. Pep will make the changes as he did in 2016. I would be happy with any trophy this season and think that could well be the CL. Let’s wait and see.
 
One thing to hold out hope for is that our fixture list in the second half of the season is nicer. The big games are more spread out, and most of our tough games are at home.

In theory, it should be easier to build momentum. Obviously, we need to find a way to become more solid in the process.
 
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