The Title Race - 2023/24

[Beanhead]

I think we we will win it due to know how, and our experience of dealing with the situation and fixture congestion but Arsenal have been the best side this season. However, I think they will have learnt all they need to then peak and win it next season. I think Liverpool will drop off as the season closes and then drop off more next season.

 

[Mazzarelli's Swiss Cheese]

Whatever way this goes there is some joy - us winning, arsenal imploding or the dippers slipping again. Whichever way this goes at least one set of the red shirts are going to look like proper cunts, and god willing both might yet.

 

[wolviedinho]

Strangely relaxed about not winning the league. Wft is that all about?

Don’t get me wrong, if we somehow get in front then I will be nervous as hell but chasing like this while running out of games and having the disruptive up and down season. I kinda of expect us to not get the job done eventually in a season.

Hate the challengers but what you going to do?

You got to love pep, the player, the hierarchy at the club. None of them give up. We are here yet again trying to win everything. It’s mental, so so proud to be a blue win or lose. #what a club -:)

 

[city2]

Still to early to call, lots of games and points to play for.

 

[Bill Walker]

I can live without winning it again and sorry to say in my bones I feel that we won't win it. If not us....I hope to God that the Arse win it and not the victims. I just want them to only have won the covid one. Which isn't very impressive in 30 years.

I was talking to a bloke who runs my grandson's footie team, he's a rag from Yorkshire, he was saying he'd much rather City win it than the scousers. Wonder if most rags feel like that ?

I just said please beat them on Sunday, I mean please !

 

[Mr. Shush]

We need Liverpool to lose tomorrow and Arsenal to tie in their next 7 and we need to win out. Very doable. Perhaps probable. Need the rags to win tomorrow and then the real pressure kicks in for Pool.

 

[Gray]

As I remember it — and I'm a bit hazy, because it is a long time ago — '68 was very open till close to the end, with about three teams plausibly in it. Was it maybe even four?

In 1967/68 with 4 matches to play the table was:

• Leeds - 53pts
• Rags - 52pts
• City - 50pts
• Pool - 50pts

We won our last four matches - Leeds lost their last four - the Rags lost two and won two - Scousers won two, drew one and lost one.

Final table:

• City - 58pts
• Rags - 56pts
• Pool - 55pts
• Leeds - 53pts

That was a 42 match season with 2pts for a win.

Shows that anything is possible.

 

[Stephen230]

I think people predicting no points will be dropped are confusing these teams with the City and occasionally Liverpool teams who were knocking on 100 points not so long ago.

None of these teams are at that level. All three are tracking for totals in the mid to late 80s.

Mid to late 80s teams don’t tend to win 10 games or more on the spin. Particularly at this time of the season.

I wouldn’t confidently like to say who’s going to win it. But I’m hugely confident in predicting that all three will drop points before we’re done. Probably more than once.

 

[Fordyboy46]

The rest of april looks very tough for Arsenal:

09.04 Bayern (H)

14.04 Aston Villa (H)

17.04 Bayern (A)

20.04 Wolves (A)

23.04 Chelsea (H)

28.04 Spurs (A)

They will drop points in the coming weeks imo.

In regards to Liverpool i think its entirely possible that they could drop points in 2 of Everton away, West Ham Away, Spurs home and Villa away which are 4 of their last 5 games. It looks like its gonna be very tight, and we could end up on even points with the scousers with goal difference being the decider. Either way, i disagree with those who think Liverpool and Arsenal will win every game. They will drop points.

This league is far from over. Come on City!

Spurs home is the only tricky fixture there for Liverpool, and like us they just don't drop many points at all at home

 

[ChicagoBlue]

Each club will probably have a surprise result. The question is whether it’s a draw or a loss. In the era of 3 pts/1pt, points totals can change quickly!

This season just feels like it’s not going to be our season. In fact, given players that left and the players we were without at key times, it’s amazing we are even still
In the hunt and some peoples favorite for the title STILL!

Throw in a Real Madrid - Bayern/Arsenal road to Wembley for the Champions League Final, plus a Chelsea FA Cup Semi Final, and it very easily be an extreme case of
“Almost, but not quite” season for us, and Arse, and Liverpool…but someone has to win these trophies!

It would be crazy to think Arsenal might win the League, Liverpool the Europa League, and City the Champions League, with Chelsea or United winning the FA Cup.

Been a crazy enough season to see the spoils spread out like that!!!

 

[hertsblue]

Think we will finish 3rd tbh.
Just my own opinion:
Arsenal for me are the best all round team. Very Good keeper, Rock Solid defence and fast and direct with a impressive press in midfield. And a far better squad than last year and dangerous from set pieces which they have scored lots from this year.

Liverpool are the worst team out of the 3 of us but have goal scorers throughout the team that bails them out. Literally every one of their players chip in with goals. Also again very dangerous from set pieces which again they score plenty from.
Had incredible luck with the chances they have given up and not conceded from BUT have the backing of the media, PGMOL and PL and we have seen some incredible decisions go their way at least a dozen times this season (last game not even a card let alone a clear red for VVD). That and the ability to play a 3rd strength team and still win the 3rd rate competition they are in makes them my favourites.

Us: Incredible we are still in with a shout as we have dropped off alarmingly from last year due to a number of reasons. We looked poor in the last month of last season but got over the line in all 3 but non stop football inc in the summers has us looking worn out. Added to an awful transfer window we are still in with a shout only due to exceptional games at times by Kev, Phil etc bailing us out. We are awful at the back, conceding with virtually every 1st shot, our midfield has the feel of sticking plasters all over it, square pegs in round holes next to Rodri and and our striker is missing chances he could score with his eyes shut last season or we just cannot get him into games.A huge window needed this summer.

But with the treble last season, i'd love us to win it again but as long as we qualify for the CL next season, which looks pretty nailed on, i can live with that this year.
I think the fact we are in the semi finals of the FA Cup, QF if the CL (sadly i cannot see our current team getting past Madrid this time round) and in with a shout of the title is remarkable given the small squad, injuries and poor transfer window we have had.

 

[Lord Blue]

Maths is my strong suit but I find i don’t much care about trying to predict who wins. I’m not even that fussed about us winning it. After all we’ve been spoilt by the football gods for a while.

What would be difficult to stomach for many though, would be city winning it with 2 or 3 points to spare. It would break so many scousers and cockneys.

 

[Blue Maverick]

If we don’t win it the other two are going to be funny whoever loses (hope it’s Liverpool), if arsenal don’t win then ATV will be in meltdown and if the dippers don’t win then they’ll have to import so many candles you’ll see it from space.

 

[Gorbachev]

I think credit where credit is due, Arteta has learned big time from last year.

1 goal conceded away from home in 2024 in the league. That's damn impressive whatever way you look at it.

Blended a bit of Mourinho-ball into his Pep-ball style since the international break.

My only hope for us regarding Arsenal is the CL games are incredibly taxing emotionally at this stage of the competition.

 

[Tolmie scores]

Think we will finish 3rd tbh.
Just my own opinion:
Arsenal for me are the best all round team. Very Good keeper, Rock Solid defence and fast and direct with a impressive press in midfield. And a far better squad than last year and dangerous from set pieces which they have scored lots from this year.

Liverpool are the worst team out of the 3 of us but have goal scorers throughout the team that bails them out. Literally every one of their players chip in with goals. Also again very dangerous from set pieces which again they score plenty from.
Had incredible luck with the chances they have given up and not conceded from BUT have the backing of the media, PGMOL and PL and we have seen some incredible decisions go their way at least a dozen times this season (last game not even a card let alone a clear red for VVD). That and the ability to play a 3rd strength team and still win the 3rd rate competition they are in makes them my favourites.

Us: Incredible we are still in with a shout as we have dropped off alarmingly from last year due to a number of reasons. We looked poor in the last month of last season but got over the line in all 3 but non stop football inc in the summers has us looking worn out. Added to an awful transfer window we are still in with a shout only due to exceptional games at times by Kev, Phil etc bailing us out. We are awful at the back, conceding with virtually every 1st shot, our midfield has the feel of sticking plasters all over it, square pegs in round holes next to Rodri and and our striker is missing chances he could score with his eyes shut last season or we just cannot get him into games.A huge window needed this summer.

But with the treble last season, i'd love us to win it again but as long as we qualify for the CL next season, which looks pretty nailed on, i can live with that this year.
I think the fact we are in the semi finals of the FA Cup, QF if the CL (sadly i cannot see our current team getting past Madrid this time round) and in with a shout of the title is remarkable given the small squad, injuries and poor transfer window we have had.

A lot will depend on how well we do this week in Madrid.. a surprise draw might buoy us. I fear their forward line will tear our weak defense (as a unit) apart. We have moments of good pressing but likely to let goals in every game...against Madrid it COULD prove disastrous

 

[Gigant]

Games since the last defeat.
Draws just killing us.

Looking back at the season , Wolves away , Palace home ,Chelsea home , Liverpool home and Spurs home will hunt us up until the next season.

 

[Gorbachev]

A lot will depend on how well we do this week in Madrid.. a surprise draw might buoy us. I fear their forward line will tear our weak defense (as a unit) apart. We have moments of good pressing but likely to let goals in every game...against Madrid it COULD prove disastrous

I got shot down yesterday big time for the suggestion, and I can understand to a certain degree, but I would not be surprised to see Haaland dropped in favour of Alvarez for his pressing and we pack out the midfield and play for a 0-0 with the hope of nicking a goal.

If we play like we did defensively as we did against Villa and Palace, whilst I think we will score a goal or two, I think we will get utterly decimated on the counter by Vinicious and co.

It would be similar to when Madrid played Pep's Bayern in his first season when despite Bayern having more possession and more attempts they were so susceptible to the counter that they got done 4-0.

 

[Kippax Street 1880]

View attachment 113092

Games since the last defeat.
Draws just killing us.

Looking back at the season , Wolves away , Palace home ,Chelsea home , Liverpool home and Spurs home will hunt us up until the next season.

We completely chucked all those games away, every one of them bar wolves where I thought we were dire and deserved nowt we should have won easily. That period of the season was maddening. Both Chelsea games in particular.

 

[alexmcity]

we have dropped off alarmingly from last year

Yes, we are 20 pts off the top, out of the CL and out of the FA Cup....Oh wait :) We have won 21 from the last 25 games and can still win the Treble.

 

[Tolmie scores]

I got shot down yesterday big time for the suggestion, and I can understand to a certain degree, but I would not be surprised to see Haaland dropped in favour of Alvarez for his pressing and we pack out the midfield and play for a 0-0 with the hope of nicking a goal.

If we play like we did defensively as we did against Villa and Palace, whilst I think we will score a goal or two, I think we will get utterly decimated on the counter by Vinicious and co.

It would be similar to when Madrid played Pep's Bayern in his first season when despite Bayern having more possession and more attempts they were so susceptible to the counter that they got done 4-0.

Agreed 100% Haaland teared around like a loon first few games ..to sort of look like he was pressing. Ive watched a few clips back and he rarely won tge ball so stopped really pressing after Oct. Alvarez for me all day away v Madrid as you say.