Will we win the league this season?

Cheadle_hulmeBlue said:
We won the league four years in a row and had one season of finishing 3rd. Of course we’re a top side.

We’ve also got the best manager in the world, best striker, arguably best gk and a load of fantastic players.
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Yes we do but we also have a load of very average players, the drop off to past sides is huge.
That's not me moaning, just being honest
 
Tbh after seeing yesterday I am none the wiser.

We played some good stuff there, especially at the start it was like watching the our previous teams at times. So I think we're on the way, have the right players. When Villa scored we lost our heads I thought, not lost it but no confidence, no "how dare they score" attitude with us. That will come, especially if we have luck and I thought we had none yesterday, and as good as Villa were I think they were helped by the ref and just how things went at times. Not an excuse, we always play through the bad luck and even it out when we are on top of our game.

So I am confident we have the beginnings of a good team. Maybe this year, just maybe it is Arsenals year... But there's a long way to go yet, especially Christmas crumble time.
 
bridgeno1 said:
87 points left to play for and Arsenal are 6 ahead of City. I'd say we were home and hosed if there were 15 points left to play for but 87 is a hell of a lot and statistically we are bound to have a blip sometime.

We have an easy-ish run of games until after the international break and then it gets tough so I think if we get to New Year still 6 ahead I'll get more excited but until then it's 1 game at a time.
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You've got to be confident, but you are of course right. I don't think City fans have ever really recovered from the intensity of the Klopp era where even a draw in November might ultimately cost you. I think the big thing for City is not dropping points before you do now. I still think we are in it, but if we drop points to either Bournemouth or Liverpool and we are in serious trouble.
 
bluemoon32 said:
Yes we do but we also have a load of very average players, the drop off to past sides is huge.
That's not me moaning, just being honest
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I agree we’re not as good, but we’re still a top side. Between us, Liverpool and Arsenal there’s not much in it.

I’d argue most of the league and top teams in Europe have seen a drop in quality as well
 
bluemoon32 said:
Yes we do but we also have a load of very average players, the drop off to past sides is huge.
That's not me moaning, just being honest
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Don't have a load of average players we have a load of younger plars that haven't reached their peak and acheived consistency yet.Signs we are building towards what will be a very good team, that we won't see the best of until at least next season.
 
blueparrot said:
Don't have a load of average players we have a load of younger plars that haven't reached their peak and acheived consistency yet.Signs we are building towards what will be a very good team, that we won't see the best of until at least next season.
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I hope you're right mate, i really do
 
Father Paul said:
Brentford were poor that day but we did defend well and Donna is proving why signing quality matters. Sadly along with those positions you mention 3 or 4 others in forward positions will be required. I am starting to think it might be 2 or 3 seasons before we can compete seriously and that is dependent on getting the right players and replacement for Pep in. The real possibility emerging is that rather than strenthening we get weaker and lose Rodri and Haaland.
The next few games in the league are crucial in terms of whether we can finish near the top I think.
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I think we need to take the League Cup seriously this season and the FA Cup as well.
 
The Black Shed said:
That's a very positive spin on the current state of play.
Bournemouth next though -- eek!
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This narrative that we are 8 points beter off than the equivalent games last season is a load of bollox. We are where we are and face a Bournemouth team ahead of us in the league next. The same fixture last year is meaningless come next Sunday.
 
bluemoon32 said:
Yes we do but we also have a load of very average players, the drop off to past sides is huge.
That's not me moaning, just being honest
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That's what some were saying in November and December 2020. Also, many thought our squad in 22/23 was clearly inferior to previous squads, especially to 17/18 and 18/19. Just 4 months before we won the Treble many were pessimistic about the season (we lost at Spurs 2:0 in early February, things looked bleak).

Fans are poor judges of potential quality. Rodri is the prime example. Rodri was deemed worse than average according to many on here. If you had told them back in 2020 or even 2022 (after two titles with him) that Rodri would win a Ballon d'Or, they'd have found that absolutely ridiculous.

Those who are signing the players understand the game better than us. That's why we won 4 in a row including the Treble. Right now we have one of the youngest squads in the PL. Many of the players are not in their prime yet. Only time can tell whether they'll be good enough to win titles. Some of them are likely to develop into top players, others will remain squad options or get sold. But we'll know more by the end of the season. Right now it's too early to tell.
 
On the evidence of yesterday, no. But it's still very early days, and I hope the media wankfest over Arsenal will see them buckle under the pressure of expectation.
In the past, I saw us going 1-0 down as a temporary blip. We could have been playing until today and we wouldn't have scored against Villa - bad luck, nobody trying their luck, marginal offsides, constant FKs against us.
For all of the comments re Pep 2 bringing back intensity to our game, I was sick of seeing us (especially on the right wing) turn and pass it back, rather than having a go at Tigne.
 
Brightwell Bros. said:
You've got to be confident, but you are of course right. I don't think City fans have ever really recovered from the intensity of the Klopp era where even a draw in November might ultimately cost you. I think the big thing for City is not dropping points before you do now. I still think we are in it, but if we drop points to either Bournemouth or Liverpool and we are in serious trouble.
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Agreed. I think City v Liverpool at the Etihad is a match I'll watch with popcorn as essentially that is probably the match to really put a dagger in the chances of whoever doesn't win it. City have Bournemouth and Liverpool whereas Arsenal have Burnley and Sunderland so Arsenal getting 6 points out of those games would be big.

However at the end of November Arsenal have a fixture run of North London Derby, Bayern Munich, Chelsea away, Brentford and then Villa away in consecutive matches so that points buffer could easily be whittled away if City keep winning.
 
Stockton Heath Blue said:
On the evidence of yesterday, no.
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On the evidence - in fact - of this entire season, no.

Arsenal are going to win the league. It's obvious. I've thought so even when Liverpool where miraculously several games clear.

This season is a fight for C/L spots... and we are among many such teams that could finish 2nd through... whatever position ultimately qualifies for C/L competition. Probably we'll qualify for a C/L spot - but the competition is brutal and our side has enough major flaws that we're equal among 6 or so sides that are legitimately in contention for C/L qualification.
 
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bridgeno1 said:
Agreed. I think City v Liverpool at the Etihad is a match I'll watch with popcorn as essentially that is probably the match to really put a dagger in the chances of whoever doesn't win it. City have Bournemouth and Liverpool whereas Arsenal have Burnley and Sunderland so Arsenal getting 6 points out of those games would be big.

However at the end of November Arsenal have a fixture run of North London Derby, Bayern Munich, Chelsea away, Brentford and then Villa away in consecutive matches so that points buffer could easily be whittled away if City keep winning.
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Liverpool have Villa this weekend too which isn’t easy given how they are both playing.

Bournemouth is a hard game for us but we are better at home. It’s the away performances that concern me.
 
Father Paul said:
This narrative that we are 8 points beter off than the equivalent games last season is a load of bollox. We are where we are and face a Bournemouth team ahead of us in the league next. The same fixture last year is meaningless come next Sunday.
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It isn't meaningless when you're comparing our performances from year to year.
 
bridgeno1 said:
Agreed. I think City v Liverpool at the Etihad is a match I'll watch with popcorn as essentially that is probably the match to really put a dagger in the chances of whoever doesn't win it. City have Bournemouth and Liverpool whereas Arsenal have Burnley and Sunderland so Arsenal getting 6 points out of those games would be big.

However at the end of November Arsenal have a fixture run of North London Derby, Bayern Munich, Chelsea away, Brentford and then Villa away in consecutive matches so that points buffer could easily be whittled away if City keep winning.
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It wouldn't honestly surprise me if City were about four to a maximum of six points behind Arsenal on 18th April. It's a long way ahead, and much can happen, but I just think that will be one hell of a crunch match. I'm pretty sure the league won't be done or dusted by that point, far from it, but I'm also pretty sure that Arsenal will not drop away this year, as in previous years.
With three defeats, City have already put themselves in a position where the team needs to go on a Rodri Run. No guarantee that that's going to happen.
Their current results notwithstanding, Liverpool will come back into it, too. Count on it. I think they'll probably be too late, though.

I admire what they're doing, but I'd be even more astonished by Bournemouth and Sunderland lasting the pace than I was by Leicester. Or anyone else.
 
bridgeno1 said:
Agreed. I think City v Liverpool at the Etihad is a match I'll watch with popcorn as essentially that is probably the match to really put a dagger in the chances of whoever doesn't win it. City have Bournemouth and Liverpool whereas Arsenal have Burnley and Sunderland so Arsenal getting 6 points out of those games would be big.

However at the end of November Arsenal have a fixture run of North London Derby, Bayern Munich, Chelsea away, Brentford and then Villa away in consecutive matches so that points buffer could easily be whittled away if City keep winning.
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Much as I like you Bridge * channelling my inner Mandy ( Dick Emery), and I know its not your fault,but the London away games for all the capital teams annoy me intensely. Why? Because there is very little travel involved. One year when Chavs were good ( maybe 16/17) I happened to look at their December/ New Year fixtures. Every away game was to another London team, not having to schlep God knows where and back in time to scoff Xmas pud!!

Fwiw I actually think it's Arsenal's to lose. Mind you Arteta has spent enough money. You've a good squad and lethal with set pieces - the set piece coach you ' acquired ' from City has done far more with your team than ever with us. That said we are a basjet case at set pieces.

I don't think we are strong enough, and apart from Gigi, Erl and Rodri not a lot of steel or determination in the team.

I'd rather Sunderland won the PL myself if we can't but we are where we are! X
 
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