The Title Race - 2023/24

[Alfie Budd]

Maybe pal but I can see the difference between this team and last year.

It was after the March international break that last year’s team really kicked into gear. Prior to that there were plenty of doubts.

 

[bondsman]

We've won more games in all compets this season than we had last season at the same stage. And KDB and Stones have missed 9 months between them this season...

Were you predicting the Treble back in March last year? Incredible if you did it see coming.

Truth is nobody knows what's going to happen: another Treble or nothing... We are favourites in every competition for a reason, though.

We looked omnipotent at times last year. We now look vulnerable. You can’t honestly claim our performances are convincing our our squad is as good. We’ve done amazingly well given the injuries, and Grealish is currently a huge miss, just my opinion that we don’t have enough this year. Hope I’m wrong. Saw us lift all three trophies in the flesh last year and would love to repeat that experience but we need that moment that galvanises us like the charges did and like Cancelo getting fucked off did. I thought we were comfortable until the penalty yesterday but then we feel to pieces and wasn’t until Kovacic came on we started to gain any sense of control again.

 

[Rochdale Blue]

I think our maximum is 88-89 pts. Given that we play CL games, hopefully CL semis too and a FA Cup semi, we'll drop at least 4-5 pts, imo. I think the same applies for Liverpool and Arsenal. Wouldn't be surprised if all 3 teams drop at least 6-7 pts.

Imagine the final 2-3 games if all 3 teams can win it!

Morgan and the rest of the Tarquin gluepots seem to think the title is already theirs after yesterday's result.

 

[bondsman]

So weak defensively, profligate in front of goal, lacking in fight and with a paper thin squad and yet we’ve won 18 and drawn 3 of the last 21 games.

Odd that is

And still third

 

[jonah62]

LIVERPOOL
Everton a (tba)
Brighton h
Sheff U. h
Utd. a
Palace h
Fulham. a
Wham. a
Spurs. h
Villa. a
Wolves. h

5 home 5 away

ARSENAL
Chelsea. h (tba)
City. a
Luton. h
Brighton. a
Villa. h
Wolves. a
Spurs. a
B/mouth h
Utd. a
Everton. h

5 home 5 away


MCFC
Brighton. a (tbc)
Arsenal. h
Villa. h
Palace. a
Luton. h
Spurs. a
Forest. a
Wolves. h
Fulham. a
Wham. h

5 home 5 away

 

[Coatigan]

I haven’t followed this thread at all so apologies if already discussed.

But I was thinking earlier that I can not ever remember a genuine three horse race for the title. Not necessarily one that goes to the very last game. But one with all three in with a serious shout, right up until at least the last two or three games.

I go back to the mid/late 70s and can’t remember one.

Anyone recall one?

Mourinho's 2nd chelsea were in the race for a while in 2014 were they not?

 

[Coatigan]

3rd May 2014, after 36 games.

Man City 80
Liverpool 80
Chelsea 78

Strangely people forget Chelsea were so close, but City won their next game, while Chelsea drew (as did Liverpool), so they were out of it before the final day.

It is because mourinho underplayed it to fuck. And the media bought it.

'I sink, two horse race, and a little pony that stiiil needs miiiilk' fuck off, verbose ****.

 

[feedmpenzaandhewillscore]

We looked omnipotent at times last year. We now look vulnerable. You can’t honestly claim our performances are convincing our our squad is as good. We’ve done amazingly well given the injuries, and Grealish is currently a huge miss, just my opinion that we don’t have enough this year. Hope I’m wrong. Saw us lift all three trophies in the flesh last year and would love to repeat that experience but we need that moment that galvanises us like the charges did and like Cancelo getting fucked off did. I thought we were comfortable until the penalty yesterday but then we feel to pieces and wasn’t until Kovacic came on we started to gain any sense of control again.

Doesn’t feel like this team at the moment has a game in them to match the effort and intensity that blew away Madrid and Bayern last season and also dragged back Arsenal in the title race, I hope I’m wrong on that one.

 

[Big Joe Corrigan]

LIVERPOOL
Everton a (tba)
Brighton h
Sheff U. h
Utd. a
Palace h
Fulham. a
Wham. a
Spurs. h
Villa. a
Wolves. h

5 home 5 away

ARSENAL
Chelsea. h (tba)
City. a
Luton. h
Brighton. a
Villa. h
Wolves. a
Spurs. a
B/mouth h
Utd. a
Everton. h

5 home 5 away


MCFC
Brighton. a (tbc)
Arsenal. h
Villa. h
Palace. a
Luton. h
Spurs. a
Forest. a
Wolves. h
Fulham. a
Wham. h

5 home 5 away

I think Villa and Spurs are the key games for all three teams.

 

[alexmcity]

We looked omnipotent at times last year.

We lost from Southampton and United in January, then were 2 goals down after the 1st half vs Spurs at the Etihad, then lost at Spurs (Cancelo was loaned out at that point)....You weren't predicting the Treble at that point, right?

We looked omnipotent in....April and May. If we do the same this season, chances are we'll win trophies. Time will tell. We'll need Grealish in top form, as having all of Haaland, KDB and Foden in one team is already weakening our control of games. Add Alvarez and things get out of control...The Haaland-KDB combo was working because we had players like Gundogan, Bernardo and Grealish around them. Without Gundo and without Grealish and Bernie in top form, the stability isn't there and we relinquish control a bit easy at times.

 

[Dunne's own goal]

happy to be in the race but I can't see us doing it this season, the others keep grinding win and we'll drop more points than them with our performances. spurs away for example no chance we'll come up with three points.

can't win it every year tho. next year again with renewed hunger for pep's last season - we will be there

 

[Jesus H Gabz]

Our second hand performance, after they scored and we were on the ropes for twenty minutes, may have saved our season.

Think if we lose to Arsenal it’s going to be very difficult, given there are two teams we would be chasing down. A draw wouldn’t be great, but not a disaster. Win, and I think we’re favourites. It’s a fucking huge game.

We need to build this Arsenal game, it’s potentially a season defining game, and it needs to be an absolute bear pit. There’s a lot of time between now & then, and I’d like the club & supporter groups to really push it. Last season we bullied them on & off the pitch, we were angry, and we need some of that for this game

 

[Jesus H Gabz]

happy to be in the race but I can't see us doing it this season, the others keep grinding win and we'll drop more points than them with our performances. spurs away for example no chance we'll come up with three points.

can't win it every year tho. next year again with renewed hunger for pep's last season - we will be there

Don’t we all play Spurs ? Just checked, we play em first, we win that and it puts massive pressure on the other two plus Spurs

 

[r.soleofsalford]

That’s disappointing to hear, I think Liverpool may probably edge it now, was definitely a huge missed opportunity yesterday, do feel deflated but it’s far from over

Yep, I agree. I could have put up with the result but the performance was weak. It was one of those games when Liverpool kept getting the bounce of the ball. That being said, I though they worked harder than us.

 

[manimanc]

I'm really surprised we're in the mix for the 3 big one's again this season as I thought after winning the treble last year there would be a natural drop off and we'd take this season to take stock and recharge for the season after but this team and this manager are relentless, they just don't know when they are done.

 

[alexmcity]

I'm really surprised we're in the mix for the 3 big one's again this season as I thought after winning the treble last year there would be a natural drop off and we'd take this season to take stock and recharge for the season after but this team and this manager are relentless, they just don't know when they are done.

Spot on.

More City fans on here should see that the very fact we have a chance in March to win another Treble after winning the Treble in the previous season is already incredible. Hats off to the players and the manager.

 

[eastmanc]

Maybe pal but I can see the difference between this team and last year.

You do know out of the last 20 games we've won 18 and drew two. Just saying. We need to calm down we still got a point yesterday, probably didn't deserve it but we still didn't lose at the hardest ground to go to in the league. If we don't win it this season that's the way it goes, no team wins it every season. There is areason no club has done 4 on the trot because its hard . We are one point behind and still all to play for.

 

[GaudinoMotors]

If it's a race - we're now Steve Cram. The other two are just easing past.

 

[alexmcity]

3rd May 2014, after 36 games.

Man City 80
Liverpool 80
Chelsea 78

Strangely people forget Chelsea were so close, but City won their next game, while Chelsea drew (as did Liverpool), so they were out of it before the final day.

My feeling is the table will look like this after 36 games this season, maybe the teams will have 1-2 pts more than back then.

 

[MCFC1993]

Liverpool - 63 points​	City - 62 points​	Arsenal - 58 points​
​	​	Sheff Utd (A)​
City (H)​	Liverpool (A)​	Brentford (H)​
Everton (A) - Date TBD​	Brighton (A) - Date TBD​	Chelsea (H) - Date TBD​
Brighton (H)​	Arsenal (H)​	City (A)​
Sheff Utd (H)​	Villa (H)​	Luton (H)​
United (A)​	Palace (A)​	Brighton (A)​
Palace (H)​	Luton (H)​	Villa (H)​
Fulham (A)​	Spurs (A)​	Wolves (A)​
West Ham (A)​	Forest (A)​	Spurs (A)​
Spurs (H)​	Wolves (H)​	Bournemouth (H)​
Villa (A)​	Fulham (A)​	United (A)​
Wolves (H)​	West Ham (H)​	Everton (H)​

That's how I see it, we have the slightly harder fixtures but easier finish to the season. Arsenal and Liverpool want to be ahead by the end of April.

Liverpool have the easiest games left. If they continue to get the decisions on top of that, they should walk it.

As predicted so far, 2 wins for Arsenal and a potential for City and Liverpool to drop points against each other.

Next period for Liverpool looks easier, need to stay in touch.