Will we win the league this season?

Don't think we'll win it

Certain that Chelsea won't be near it. I see them going the same way as this time last year when people touted them as being a possible rival for Liverpool and then they couldn't buy a win over Christmas and New Year, losing at home to Fulham and the likes
 
IrishBlueSince92 said:
Don't think we'll win it

Certain that Chelsea won't be near it. I see them going the same way as this time last year when people touted them as being a possible rival for Liverpool and then they couldn't buy a win over Christmas and New Year, losing at home to Fulham and the likes
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I disagree. No way do a 10 man Chelsea last season hold out for a point last night. They have something about them this season. Whether that’s enough to go all the way we will see but if Cole Palmer reaches anywhere near last seasons levels they will be a very serious contender.

Reece James was head and shoulders the best player on the park as well I never realised he had that in him as a midfielder.
 
Danny Tiatto said:
I just can’t see us being poor all season. Teams have highs and lows and a guardiola team traditionally goes up a level in the new year. If this is currently our poor period than things really aren’t that bad.

We also don’t need the Ballondor winner coming back at full ability. Even Rodri at 80% wil be enough to see us take control of the middle and knit things together.
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Not sure about the 80% part your either back and fit or your not. Difficult to say at this stage if Rodri has just been unlucky and picked up niggles or is he suffering long term implications of his injury and rehabilitation. We probably won't know until the New Year and by then we may well be out of the race. The shambles that was the 2nd half against Leeds does little to encourage belief that we are in with a shout but who knows maybe Phil's last gasp effort might make all the difference in May.
 
Danny Tiatto said:
I disagree. No way do a 10 man Chelsea last season hold out for a point last night. They have something about them this season. Whether that’s enough to go all the way we will see but if Cole Palmer reaches anywhere near last seasons levels they will be a very serious contender.

Reece James was head and shoulders the best player on the park as well I never realised he had that in him as a midfielder.
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He is an outstanding player but will he available for selection week in week out. A man called Johnny Boulders springs immediately to mind. Maybe they both will confound the critics this season!!
 
Danny Tiatto said:
I just can’t see us being poor all season. Teams have highs and lows and a guardiola team traditionally goes up a level in the new year. If this is currently our poor period than things really aren’t that bad.

We also don’t need the Ballondor winner coming back at full ability. Even Rodri at 80% wil be enough to see us take control of the middle and knit things together.
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Father Paul said:
Not sure about the 80% part your either back and fit or your not. Difficult to say at this stage if Rodri has just been unlucky and picked up niggles or is he suffering long term implications of his injury and rehabilitation. We probably won't know until the New Year and by then we may well be out of the race. The shambles that was the 2nd half against Leeds does little to encourage belief that we are in with a shout but who knows maybe Phil's last gasp effort might make all the difference in May.
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I think it's a pretty open debate. Players can come back not fully fit, and still play an important role. They grit their teeth, and somehow get through. Laporte was a case in point — he said it himself — and it's very much to his credit that he contributed what he did in that last season. (Still feel a bit bad about him going, if I'm honest).
Some while back, I saw a discussion, a panel, between Lampard, Gerrard and a couple of other players. Quite casually, as if it was obvious and everyone there knew it, Lamps said “Let's face it, we often played injured, or at least not quite right. But we played because we wanted to, regardless”. Everyone else just nodded, as if it didn't need further comment.
It hardly needs saying that I want a 100% fit Rodri. But that does not mean, even then, that he'll play with the supreme confidence and swagger he had pre-injury. This is one hell of a long way back, but I remember that Peter Osgood always seemed to play a bit gingerly, as if he was holding back, after he broke his leg. He looked as though he was going to be a phenomenal player. After it, he was a good player. No more.
What I do know is this. A massive part of our problems — and this goes right back to early last season, and has persisted in this — continues to be through the centre of the park. If we can re-establish even most of the control in that area that we took for granted during the period from 2017-2023, we can have a bloody good go at regaining that title. I'm certain that if we remain chaotic through the centre, we have no chance.
 
In the 1st half vs Leeds we were creating chances relatively easily and the team was functioning well. In the 2nd half. Leeds early goal made City nervous and we lost control. That can happen to anyone but City had a player in Foden who under pressure magiced up a goal in injury time.

We've got Haaland, Cherki and Doku who I think can do that. We didn't have that last season (Doku was not so good, and Foden was in hibernation). So to the press who asked Pep at today's press conference, was the Leeds game one we would have drawn last season, the answer if most likely yes.

City are still slightly off the pace and I agree with all those people who say City are not bossing games in midfield like we used to. That's what Rodri can do for us. Rodri won't play at Fulham, and I doubt that he will be back for Sunderland but if we can take 6 points from the next 2 games, then we are going to be right on Arsenal's tail with one of our best players about to come back in.

Chelsea slowed Arsenal down and showed that they are not as good as some people.
 
Marvin. said:
In the 1st half vs Leeds we were creating chances relatively easily and the team was functioning well. In the 2nd half. Leeds early goal made City nervous and we lost control. That can happen to anyone but City had a player in Foden who under pressure magiced up a goal in injury time.

We've got Haaland, Cherki and Doku who I think can do that. We didn't have that last season (Doku was not so good, and Foden was in hibernation). So to the press who asked Pep at today's press conference, was the Leeds game one we would have drawn last season, the answer if most likely yes.

City are still slightly off the pace and I agree with all those people who say City are not bossing games in midfield like we used to. That's what Rodri can do for us. Rodri won't play at Fulham, and I doubt that he will be back for Sunderland but if we can take 6 points from the next 2 games, then we are going to be right on Arsenal's tail with one of our best players about to come back in.

Chelsea slowed Arsenal down and showed that they are not as good as some people.
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The problem is that on numerous occasions over the last fifteen months, the same pattern has emerged time and time again. Play really well for half an hour to a full half, fail to put the opposition away, then have a second half spell when we collapse like a pack of cards and throw it all away.
 
DD said:
The problem is that on numerous occasions over the last fifteen months, the same pattern has emerged time and time again. Play really well for half an hour to a full half, fail to put the opposition away, then have a second half spell when we collapse like a pack of cards and throw it all away.
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you could argue this is a theme through out pep's era it's just only noticeable now because of how bad last season was
 
thomas1307 said:
you could argue this is a theme through out pep's era it's just only noticeable now because of how bad last season was
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I'm not so sure mate. In quite a few seasons prior to the last one, we didn't seem to have this very noticeable differing 45 mins that have been apparent this season at times. We were more adept at stifling the opposition, scoring then controlling the majority of the game. I think this is largely down to the number of exceptionally high quality players we had compared to now.
 
Marvin. said:
In the 1st half vs Leeds we were creating chances relatively easily and the team was functioning well. In the 2nd half. Leeds early goal made City nervous and we lost control. That can happen to anyone but City had a player in Foden who under pressure magiced up a goal in injury time.

We've got Haaland, Cherki and Doku who I think can do that. We didn't have that last season (Doku was not so good, and Foden was in hibernation). So to the press who asked Pep at today's press conference, was the Leeds game one we would have drawn last season, the answer if most likely yes.

City are still slightly off the pace and I agree with all those people who say City are not bossing games in midfield like we used to. That's what Rodri can do for us. Rodri won't play at Fulham, and I doubt that he will be back for Sunderland but if we can take 6 points from the next 2 games, then we are going to be right on Arsenal's tail with one of our best players about to come back in.

Chelsea slowed Arsenal down and showed that they are not as good as some people.
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Tbh we actually didn't do too badly v Arse away and it was only pushing up for a stupid highline by Dias that got them that point. We were away as well.

We are nowhere near winning the PL this year, not only midfield - wtf is up with Kovacic? , but we have very little creativity ( but props to PWF47on Saturday), only Jezza is a decentish winger, and we rely a lot on Erling. Arse have cover for every position like we used to, they are well drilled, fit and fantastic on set pieces. I hate watching them because there are aspects of our 17-19 team in there and makes me sad for what we no longer have.

The lower PL teams are all a lot better and on their day can cause upsets. Let's hope some are headed the way of Arse.

So my answer is no for this season and possibly next unless there is some good recruitment, decent training so team are fit and a more settled team who know their roles.
 
Roachy said:
I'm not so sure mate. In quite a few seasons prior to the last one, we didn't seem to have this very noticeable differing 45 mins that have been apparent this season at times. We were more adept at stifling the opposition, scoring then controlling the majority of the game. I think this is largely down to the number of exceptionally high quality players we had compared to now.
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i mean one big noticeable one is been 2 goals up on aggregate against madrid going into injury time and conceding 2 goals in 2 mins. in the same season 4-0 up against leicester at half time and then that going to 4-3 before we eventually going on to win 6-3. there are other examples i could find but because we was winning loads it goes under the carpet tbh

17/18 been 2-0 up at home to united to win the league and ending up losing 3-2
 
69FACUPfinal said:
Tbh we actually didn't do too badly v Arse away and it was only pushing up for a stupid highline by Dias that got them that point. We were away as well.

We are nowhere near winning the PL this year, not only midfield - wtf is up with Kovacic? , but we have very little creativity ( but props to PWF47on Saturday), only Jezza is a decentish winger, and we rely a lot on Erling. Arse have cover for every position like we used to, they are well drilled, fit and fantastic on set pieces. I hate watching them because there are aspects of our 17-19 team in there and makes me sad for what we no longer have.

The lower PL teams are all a lot better and on their day can cause upsets. Let's hope some are headed the way of Arse.

So my answer is no for this season and possibly next unless there is some good recruitment, decent training so team are fit and a more settled team who know their roles.
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you are talking about an arsenal side 6 years into there so called project if they didn't have the squad now after 4 years challenging something seriously wrong would of happened
 
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