The Title Race - 2024/25

[IronsideKozuch]

Isn't it crazy that we have, an injury crisis, ageing midfield, small squad, 150m net profit with only one new signing, uncertainty around a manager, changes to the structure higher up, distractions around the ATP case, unknowns over the 115 and the circus with that, fatigue from multiple games and 7 trophies in two years, a jinx in Oasis reuniting, competition in an excellent and hungry Liverpool and Arsenal...

And yet.. you still wouldn't rule us out to win it and other trophies this season.

Isn't that just amazing? What a time to be a blue.

Great line of thinking. Some perspective and almost a proof for a positive approach in world of judgments.

 

[blue44]

Isn't it crazy that we have, an injury crisis, ageing midfield, small squad, 150m net profit with only one new signing, uncertainty around a manager, changes to the structure higher up, distractions around the ATP case, unknowns over the 115 and the circus with that, fatigue from multiple games and 7 trophies in two years, a jinx in Oasis reuniting, competition in an excellent and hungry Liverpool and Arsenal...

And yet.. you still wouldn't rule us out to win it and other trophies this season.

Isn't that just amazing? What a time to be a blue.

Doesn't change the fact
chips and pies and asahi are too dear in the ground though does it...

 

[IrishBlueSince92]

Them

Isn't it crazy that we have, an injury crisis, ageing midfield, small squad, 150m net profit with only one new signing, uncertainty around a manager, changes to the structure higher up, distractions around the ATP case, unknowns over the 115 and the circus with that, fatigue from multiple games and 7 trophies in two years, a jinx in Oasis reuniting, competition in an excellent and hungry Liverpool and Arsenal...

And yet.. you still wouldn't rule us out to win it and other trophies this season.

Isn't that just amazing? What a time to be a blue.

Yeah, and there are probably people in the media or fans of other clubs who will argue that we should be winning the title this year, even with all that taken into account.

 

[IrishBlueSince92]

The dippers have quite a tough run of games over December and Christmas

 

[Gary James]

Literally the only time we've cantered through a season and won the title with room to spare was ’17-’18. That goes back to ’11-’12 and ’13-’14. In fact, it goes back to the 1967-68 season, while we're about it (can't speak for 1936-37, calling @Gary James). We're good at negotiating tight situations in the second half of the season. That's why no definitive judging of anyone's prospects can be done at this point. Arsenal are not out of it. Six, seven points at this stage of the season is nothing very much. Liverpool are obviously a threat.
To be even in the mix when we've not played at all well, by and large, is an extraordinary testament to the sheer bloody cussedness of this lot. I think we'll play better as the season goes on, but there's no guarantee. By the way, I was astonished at how bad we were at Bournemouth. Long time since I've seen us as gormless as that. Let's just enjoy the ride.

1936-37 - last home game; one to spare.

 

[Lovebitesandeveryfing]

1936-37 - last home game; one to spare.

Cheers, Gary. So basically it means we always just squeak it, needing to win either the last or the penultimate game, whether home or away, the one exception ’17-’18. It's what we do. Makes life exciting. Or shortens it, maybe.

 

[the blue panther]

The dippers have quite a tough run of games over December and Christmas

I'll concede that it's looking like a 2 horse race between us and them, but, 11 games in and they think they have it won.
Their bad spell will come, and the new manager bounce will tail off, and if we're still in the mix at that time, 5-peat incoming. Looks like a bit of a stretch for us at the moment but, there's a long, long way to go, so keep the faith brothers and sisters.

 

[MadchesterCity]

I blame the Gallaghers. Oasis reform and we turn to shit

That shit top designed by Noel

 

[MadchesterCity]

When you look at the signings in a few short time frames,where the quality of players were regularly very high:

2009-2011 we signed Tevez, Barry, Lescott, de Jong, Džeko, Yaya, DSilva, Milner, Agüero, Nasri (with a fair few who weren’t as good, of course). Who were the backbone to winning two PL titles, an FA Cup and an EFL Cup, and a few still huge in the Centurions and Fourmidables.

2015-2017 we signed De Bruyne, Sterling, Otamendi, Stones, Sané, Gündoğan, Laporte, Walker, BSilva, Ederson (with a fair few who weren’t as good, of course). Who were the backbone to the Centurions and Fourmidables seasons, and a few still huge in the Treble and four-in-a-row seasons.

It really does feel like time for a couple of years of high ambition investment drives like that to reïnvigorate the squad again.

Recently, Haaland and Gvardiol have been a good signings and Savinho for the future. Like Fernandinho, Navas and Demichelis were a good signings in 2014. However, recently we haven’t had the abundances seen between 2009-2011 or 2015-2017. But I think we need as many new big signings seen in those two time frames over the next few years: a right back, a centre half, a defensive/central midfielder, two central/attacking midfielders, a striker and a winger and be ruthless with our transfers out as the number, quality and lack of reliability of fitness of our older players are in too much of an abundance and too many of our younger or prime players are not of a high enough standard.

3 World class players in January, no fucking about

 

[blueparrot]

3 World class players in January, no fucking about

Not a chance, be lucky if we do that in Summer.