The Title Race - 2024/25

[Damanino]

realistically we will be 11 points behind dippers in a week. they have Real Mdrid tho midweek we only have Feyenoord, normally we should take advantage of this but in current form its near impossible.

 

[The Fat el Hombre]

I don't think I've conceded the league in any of the previous seasons when it looked unlikely at times, but we aren't winning the league this year. Not without rodri.

We've got liverpool away next week, maybe if we win that we've got a chance but otherwise I think this season league wise is a write off

 

[pavelsrnicek]

I’ve said before this season is looking very like 2016/17, Pep finding out who can play his system and realising that a number of players can’t do it. At the same time a new manager getting a free run with an established team is probably going to win the league.

We need to buy in January to make sure of a top 4 finish. We desperately need a 6 and some athleticism in midfield. We could also do with a right back. We may have to gamble on the likes of Wright, O’Reilly and McAtee because it’s hard to see our midfield being worse than yesterday. Lewis and Foden may also need to be rested as Foden is miles off the pace this season and Lewis is really struggling to find a position.

This summer we’re going to have to move Walker, Gundogan, Silva and KDB which will be a sad day considering what they have all given to the club but the years seem to have caught up with them.

Viana is going to have a huge job in sorting the squad for the next five years or so. We have bought badly in recent windows, especially in midfield with the likes of Phillips, Gundogan and Nunes, plus we allowed Walker to stay too long. It was abundantly clear that we needed cover for Rodri but we balked at Guimaraes price. I wonder where we would be if we had gone for him.

I am confident that Pep will get a fix to get us through to January but we’ll need to be quick out of the blocks on reinforcements. We desperately need to get some form from KDB and get Dias back into defence.

 

[bridgeno2]

Worth pointing out that every team has a blip every season. Arsenal have had one, City are in one. Dippers will have one. I remember at the start of the season thinking 'damn it City keep winning games and this is supposedly their shit part of the season'. Contrast to today. And some of you guys are lamenting the fact that the title has 'gone' because you're so far behind the victims yet you forget they'll go through a period where they will drop points.

Nothing is over and just take a look at your fixtures from end Feb onwards, compare them with the Dippers. Arsenal also have an easy run in apart from a trip to Anfield.

So it seems like the title is a million miles away yet things will absolutely change. I'll put money on it that the top 2 will be City and Arsenal, not sure what order that will be but while it seems ridiculous now I'll wager Liverpool get 3rd as they've had a piss easy fixture list so far - even their 1 tough game at the Emirates they were playing a depleted Arsenal team that lost its back line during the game. They'll have much trickier fixtures to come, they'll come thick and fast and they'll be balancing with the CL.

Only thing I'd say is watching today's match I did feel some of the City players weren't giving 100%. Savinho for one. Akanji also. Pep will need to look at that as the minimum expectation to play for a Pep side is you work like hell for the team.

Every season before Xmas City have 'lost the title'. Every season. Then once Feb arrives they get their shit together and grind it out. Why would it be any different this time?

Reckon for one minute you can take your nose out of these city supporters backsides. They all think you are joke with the amount of nonsense you spout.

I love how you are on here pretending to know the going’s on with a modern day title race but you have zero clue. That piss easy Liverpool fixture list includes matches against Arsenal, Chelsea, Brighton, Villa & United. That match at the Emirates where you were depleted Liverpool were missing just as many key first teamers as Arsenal.

Once Feb arrives what would be different you say? You realise the only time City lost a premier league title under Pep (not including his first acclimatising season) was when Klopps Liverpool ended the title as a contest by Christmas which so far has proven to be the only way to beat these guys to a league title. Credit where it’s due if city have a sniff in February they will most likely win it so you need to not give them that opportunity. If and it’s a big if Liverpool win their next two matches Slot will be well on his way to replicating this approach and I think most City fans on here would agree with me.

I get your club and manager are under huge pressure to deliver especially if Arne Slot in his first season having spent 12mill (on a player who hasn’t even played) beats Arteta after 6 years and 100s of millions of dollars spent to a league title is borderline embarrassing but those are the cards you have been dealt.

 

[marco]

I’ve said before this season is looking very like 2016/17, Pep finding out who can play his system and realising that a number of players can’t do it. At the same time a new manager getting a free run with an established team is probably going to win the league.

We need to buy in January to make sure of a top 4 finish. We desperately need a 6 and some athleticism in midfield. We could also do with a right back. We may have to gamble on the likes of Wright, O’Reilly and McAtee because it’s hard to see our midfield being worse than yesterday. Lewis and Foden may also need to be rested as Foden is miles off the pace this season and Lewis is really struggling to find a position.

This summer we’re going to have to move Walker, Gundogan, Silva and KDB which will be a sad day considering what they have all given to the club but the years seem to have caught up with them.

Viana is going to have a huge job in sorting the squad for the next five years or so. We have bought badly in recent windows, especially in midfield with the likes of Phillips, Gundogan and Nunes, plus we allowed Walker to stay too long. It was abundantly clear that we needed cover for Rodri but we balked at Guimaraes price. I wonder where we would be if we had gone for him.

I am confident that Pep will get a fix to get us through to January but we’ll need to be quick out of the blocks on reinforcements. We desperately need to get some form from KDB and get Dias back into defence.

i think pep will see us through to jan as you say, title has gone IMO although you just never know, top 4 has to be the target and not fall to far off before the transfer window opens, replace the loss of Alvarez if we can 'there most likely working on that already' then my guess is we shouldnt have any problems qualifying for the CL

 

[Bez]

Until its mathematically impossible the title is not over yet. But, recent form makes it look like a big ask right now. Remember we've won 6 of the last 7 Premier League titles and we were runner up in the other season. That is hyper performance from City. My guess is the players are goosed from playing at such a high level for so long. They've won it all. I just hope we can turn the corner. Come on City!

 

[KS55]

I’ve said before this season is looking very like 2016/17, Pep finding out who can play his system and realising that a number of players can’t do it. At the same time a new manager getting a free run with an established team is probably going to win the league.

We need to buy in January to make sure of a top 4 finish. We desperately need a 6 and some athleticism in midfield. We could also do with a right back. We may have to gamble on the likes of Wright, O’Reilly and McAtee because it’s hard to see our midfield being worse than yesterday. Lewis and Foden may also need to be rested as Foden is miles off the pace this season and Lewis is really struggling to find a position.

This summer we’re going to have to move Walker, Gundogan, Silva and KDB which will be a sad day considering what they have all given to the club but the years seem to have caught up with them.

Viana is going to have a huge job in sorting the squad for the next five years or so. We have bought badly in recent windows, especially in midfield with the likes of Phillips, Gundogan and Nunes, plus we allowed Walker to stay too long. It was abundantly clear that we needed cover for Rodri but we balked at Guimaraes price. I wonder where we would be if we had gone for him.

I am confident that Pep will get a fix to get us through to January but we’ll need to be quick out of the blocks on reinforcements. We desperately need to get some form from KDB and get Dias back into defence.

Yes. When Rodri missed three games a couple of years ago, we lost them all. It was obvious that another high quality No.6 was needed and would get plenty of minutes as Rodri was playing 60 or more games per year.
Pep’s high line not only demands a sweeper keeper but a really good No. 6.
Is there a case for abandoning the high line until a decent 6 comes in? If so, Ortega might be a better bet in goal.

 

[Scaring Europe to Death]

The last two PL campaigns have been fairly similar with a decent start followed by a rocky period with a few injuries and at least one awful performance (Spurs A 22-23 Villa A 23-24)

On both occasions it felt as though we were off the pace, but then our opponents dropped some silly points and suddenly everything clicked.

This feels like deja vu apart from the last bit.

 

[bellsouth]

We won’t win the league and it doesn’t matter. We’ve won 4 in a row, never been done, 5 was always going to be tough/almost impossible.
But we now need to get our s**t together and have a real run at the CL and the World Club Champs and of course must finish top 4

 

[Damanino]

we finished on 91 points last season. to do that now we would need 22 wins, 2 draws, 2 losses out of 26 games left