The Title Race - 2024/25

[Crooked_rain]

Wasn't that long ago Liverpool went from being top of the table and hands down favourites, to barely making top for by the skin of their teeth with a freak goal by their goalkeeper.

Lots can happen yet. To them, as well as to us.

That's true

However we don't look equipped to catch them unless we close the gap on Sunday. 11 points would be too much of a stretch for our current team which isn't as fresh as the teams we've had that caught up front runners.

Arsenal are just as far behind and I'm not sure they're gonna stay consistent enough for 6 months.

Chelsea are ticking away but again, I'm not sure they've really got the consistency over a full season.

So given the above, if Liverpool win on Sunday, they would need to absolutely piss it away i think.

No doubt it can happen. No team is immune from an absolutely shocking run of form. I just think if any team has a huge lead over this current City team of this season, they'll never have a better chance of winning the title.

 

[Blue2202]

If we are aiming for any less than 15 then maybe pep shouldn’t have renewed. However I still have every faith 15 will be the target but genuinely fear a loss on Sunday would result in media hyperbole pigmol supporting the narrative and those twats strolling to 92+ pts

Of course maximum points would and should be the target, I'm just asking how many points you think are realistic. I don't see us taking more than 9/15 - I hope I'm wrong but we are a right mess at the moment. I'm still not over Tuesday night, it was absolutely shambolic.

 

[Blue2202]

Well it really paints a gloomy picture that you're concerned about the points tally from those games, and I'm not necessarily in disagreement. In previous seasons we'd be looking at nigh on full points, putting the dippers game aside. The fall off this season has been dramatic and the recovery from this point would have to be equally so if we're to challenge. It's a bit of a shame really because these winter months have been quite productive in the past.

Are you not concerned? It's not inconceivable we that we could be 15+ points off top at Christmas.

I'd call the 19/20 season a fall off. What we are seeing now is something else entirely... the last two games have only put further doubt in my mind as to how bad of a state we are in.

 

[Roachy]

Are you not concerned? It's not inconceivable we that we could be 15+ points off top at Christmas.

I'd call the 19/20 season a fall off. What we are seeing now is something else entirely... the last two games have only put further doubt in my mind as to how bad of a state we are in.

I am concerned and stated I wasn't in disagreement with you. FWIW I think we started the season quite well but I saw signs from when Brentford came and gave us a game things weren't right. It's been hit and miss since then with the past month being an absolute shit show at times. Injuries, Rodri especially, have been a big factor in all this as we know. We have problems at the back, in the middle and upfront with some players really not doing much. I thought we would reset a bit after the internationals, but the Spurs game and the last 15 mins on Tue were frightening. There's a big refresh required and a few posters are going to have to get over their emotional attachment to some members of our current squad, they need replacing.

 

[Blue2202]

I am concerned and stated I wasn't in disagreement with you. FWIW I think we started the season quite well but I saw signs from when Brentford came and gave us a game things weren't right. It's been hit and miss since then with the past month being an absolute shit show at times. Injuries, Rodri especially, have been a big factor in all this as we know. We have problems at the back, in the middle and upfront with some players really not doing much. I thought we would reset a bit after the internationals, but the Spurs game and the last 15 mins on Tue were frightening. There's a big refresh required and a few posters are going to have to get over their emotional attachment to some members of our current squad, they need replacing.

I agree, we looked good up until the first international break and have been pretty poor since. Injuries, fatigue, no recruitment and the fact other teams have figured out a way to play against us have all contributed to the downturn, but we look the most vulnerable we have looked for probably 20 years never mind since the takeover.

I don't see it improving unless Pep decides to change something, and I fear he simply won't. In last weeks press conference he seemed adamant that we would continue to play and set up how we have done in previous seasons.

 

[Roachy]

I agree, we looked good up until the first international break and have been pretty poor since. Injuries, fatigue, no recruitment and the fact other teams have figured out a way to play against us have all contributed to the downturn, but we look the most vulnerable we have looked for probably 20 years never mind since the sheikh took over.

I don't see it improving unless Pep decides to change something, and I fear he simply won't. In last weeks press conference he seemed adamant that we would continue to play and set up how we have done in previous seasons.

Well I hope it does improve otherwise this season is going to be remarkable for all the wrong reasons. I know the players have exerted a lot over the seasons, that's not in dispute, but this fall away in performance is quite stark. We have to find a way with the players we have available, with hopefully an addition in Jan to bolster us. I think after Sunday the picture will be a little clearer one way or the other.

 

[Mr Blue Moon]

This is spot on. The transition should have started in the Summer and be ongoing - but it didnt because we have a Director of Football seeing out the final months of his contract , a manager suffering some kind of breakdown, and our board trying to ensure the whole club doesn’t go up in flames at the 115 tribunal.

We are the left with the absolute mess we are in which is gonna get a whole lot worse in the next few weeks.

And yet despite all this we are currently 2nd…

 

[thismeansfour]

And yet despite all this we are currently 2nd…

And after this weekends fixtures, could be 5th. Every step of this people have chirped up "we are still top" "we are still unbeaten" "can't be that bad" How far does it need to go before we say shit this is a bit of a mess.

 

[Mr Blue Moon]

And after this weekends fixtures, could be 5th. Every step of this people have chirped up "we are still top" "we are still unbeaten" "can't be that bad" How far does it need to go before we say shit this is a bit of a mess.

And after this weekends result we could still be 5 points from top. It all depends on how much faith you have in Pep and the boys

 

[Kippax77]

We know, or should i say most of us know we aren't winning the league this year.
A rebuild is apparent and probably a tad overdue.
Our biggest, greatest achievement was the glorious treble.
But lets not underestimate how huge it was to go and win the league again the following season, not just for it being 4 in a row (that for me will stand the test of time) but just for doing it again after so much was put in to win 'The Treble'.
Arguably our 2nd greatest achievement in the circumstances.
But, there is a but, in achieving this 4 in row i think it took the club's eye off the ball for beginning this rebuild.
We know it will be addressed in the summer.
So for me, if we could finish in the top 4 this season and let others exhaust/crucify themselves in a tight title fight, i'm sure we'll be bang there and bookies favourites again next season