Will we win the league this season?

[SkyBlueFlux]

That’s all we can ask for and aim for. Improve on what we dished up last season and hope our injury record is much better. See where that leaves us come crunch-time.

I feel like I have no real idea how good this team is yet. At times in the first half today (and at various stages through the season so far) we played like we’d been sniffing glue pre-game, at other times through the game (especially second half) we cut Everton open with top class play and looked like we could have scored a bag full.

It’s all a bit schizophrenic.

Individuals are playing well and others aren’t. Donnarumma, Haaland, Foden, O’Reilly, Nunes are all playing well. But even with that, we haven’t really looked like we’ve clicked as a new unit yet. Reijnders hasn’t settled, Nico looks really good in spells but lacks confidence in himself to make a forward pass that’s on at others, wingers look good one minute but look like they couldn’t score in a brothel the next (although Håland was guilty of that today as he missed chances that were easier to score than the header he did score!)…

The points situation is the same n’all. What do we take from it? We’re looking alright points-wise, as you say, compared to last season’s corresponding games; conversely, the 2-points a game we have so far this season would only see us finish on 76-points come the end of the season.

No idea!

Just going to enjoy it and see what happens.

The first two months of the season are great at creating a false illusion of what a team is actually capable of. There are teams that look like they have it all worked out, and there's some that look like a group of strangers. Experience tells me that by May those two can swap places. The reason for that is the old truism that form is temporary but class is permanent - and it's often difficult to tell between the two in October.

That is why for me the most important thing I look for at this point in the season is not the performance or even the results, it's solidity, it's our defensive record since Donnarumma joined. Conceding 2 goals in 5 Prem games, 4 in 8 in all competitions - the best defensive record of any team over that time. That's a necessary foundation for a great team, and one we didn't have last year.

I think we have a great squad and some players that are still acclimatising, and there's no guarantee all of those players will be good enough. But if Reijnders, Cherki, Nico G, Ait-Nouri and a few others can find more consistency (and stay fit), then come Feb-Mar I have no doubts that we'll be back somewhere between good and great.

 

[blueste41]

Not at our best but 2-0 after an international break against a tricky Everton. If Liverpool or Arsenal won like that we would be saying that’s what champions do. Some people are so hard to please haha

I honestly wouldn't. I would be cursing Everton for their missed chances in the first half and questionning how Liv/Arse could possibly defend against better teams.
We could win the league but in my opinion it would have to be a low total points season.

 

[alexmcity]

Scousers will come good, just going through a rough patch.

Not sure about that. They have been a bit average since March or so. Their problems in defence look quite serious.

 

[Matt Diablo]

I expect Arsenal to win the title because they have an insanely strong squad.

But City look like we are getting stronger. I am expecting a top 3 of Liverpool, Arsenal and City to emerge.

City still have Cherki, a fit Rodri and Marmoush to come in. I no longer look at the City squad and imagine us being outfought or outpaced at the back.

When Ait-Nouri comes back, can we / should we play O'Reilly in midfield?

Regarding Arsend - yes but your missing the key point they're a squad of players who have generally won FA

 

[Axel Freed]

The first two months of the season are great at creating a false illusion of what a team is actually capable of. There are teams that look like they have it all worked out, and there's some that look like a group of strangers. Experience tells me that by May those two can swap places. The reason for that is the old truism that form is temporary but class is permanent - and it's often difficult to tell between the two in October.

That is why for me the most important thing I look for at this point in the season is not the performance or even the results, it's solidity, it's our defensive record since Donnarumma joined. Conceding 2 goals in 5 Prem games, 4 in 8 in all competitions - the best defensive record of any team over that time. That's a necessary foundation for a great team, and one we didn't have last year.

I think we have a great squad and some players that are still acclimatising, and there's no guarantee all of those players will be good enough. But if Reijnders, Cherki, Nico G, Ait-Nouri and a few others can find more consistency (and stay fit), then come Feb-Mar I have no doubts that we'll be back somewhere between good and great.

Yep, only letting in 2 goals in 5 games since Don arrived is title winning stuff albeit from a largely easy run of fixtures.

The absence of a standout team means a superstar keeper and a superstar striker could be enough to win us the league this season

 

[Danny Tiatto]

Regarding Arsend - yes but your missing the key point they're a squad of players who have generally won FA

Can’t believe how many people are overlooking this.

 

[moomba]

Will be very happy if I'm wrong. But still no.

 

[PepGuardiola]

We will win.

 

[Ric]

Think we’ll probably still fall a bit short ultimately, but we’re right back in the mix now which seemed unthinkable just over a month ago.

 

[DiscoSteve]

feeling confident after this weekend irrespective of what happens tomorrow at klanfield, would help if the rags showed a backbone and not get royally spanked by the dippers

 

[Combat Carl]

I think we're looking really solid at the back with the addition of Donnarumma making a massive difference. We're always going to score goals and I don't think Arsenal will. We're bang in this, need to just keep putting the points on the board.

 

[EL APACHE TEVEZ]

Yes Comfortably

 

[SWP's back]

Scousers will come good, just going through a rough patch.

I think they’re actually reverting to the mean after being overly lucky in the opening month and a half.

 

[cheekybids]

Imagine we’re in touch by the turn of the year, Rodri is fully fit, the players have bedded in then it’s ours. We’re 8 games unbeaten without a pre-season, the worlds best player & rarely out of 1st gear.

There’s a few “ifs” but I think we have a very good chance.

 

[eastmanc]

Not at our best but 2-0 after an international break against a tricky Everton. If Liverpool or Arsenal won like that we would be saying that’s what champions do. Some people are so hard to please haha

The last half an hour was more like it yesterday, when Bernie and Cherki came on we looked very good. The pass from Cherki to Big Earl was sublime, hopefully signs of things to come.

 

[Lost in space]

I rate we squeek it on the last day with a fucking outrageous Cherki chip.

 

[BringBackSwales]

Regarding Arsend - yes but your missing the key point they're a squad of players who have generally won FA

Arsenal had one major issue, no striker, thank fuck they spunked out on striker who is more hojlund than Haaland

 

[supercity88]

Stay in touch, as we are and see what happens from January onwards. We are improving and Arsenal still don't look the unplayable force you would expect after so many 2nd place finishes and so much investment.

We may invest again in January to close the gap further and if Rodri is back to playing week in week out we will go up another couple of levels.

 

[Marvin.]

Stay in touch, as we are and see what happens from January onwards. We are improving and Arsenal still don't look the unplayable force you would expect after so many 2nd place finishes and so much investment.

We may invest again in January to close the gap further and if Rodri is back to playing week in week out we will go up another couple of levels.

I agree with this. City are improving and have a number of players who are talented but are not at their full potential (Khusanov, Marmoush, Savinho, Cherki ?, Reijnders, Bobb) and Rodri of course. We also have strength in depth now. Bernardo came on and ran and managed the game very well from deep.

Arsenal are relying on set pieces to win games. I think if we can stay close there will come a period when they will drop points. I want Man Utd to beat Liverpool today, or take points from them. Liverpool look unbalanced this season. They have a lot of attacking threat but their defence looks weak. I don't think Liverpool are strong enough to win the title this season, nevertheless I want them beaten today.

 

[Danny Tiatto]

Don’t underestimate how desperately Pep will want the league title either. There is just no way he will accept going two years on the run without winning it.