Pulis to win it. I can see itTitle winning teams are built on strong defences.
The Title Race 2017/18 | Done and dusted.
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Tight race this year. A mere six points covers the whole league from top to bottom.
How can people say its too early for this thread? The title race starts at the beginning of every season...
We've definitely won it this month. The question is who is going to win it next month. I say Liverpool. They're looking solid at the back.
All the jests aside, we should get a minimum of 20 out of 24 points from our first 8 fixtures, and win all home games. A good home record is something we have always lacked since Fergie's departure and you can't win the title without getting 45+ pts at home.
This thread would be way better if the people disagreeing with it would just kindly piss off.
We have relatively easy fixtures compared to the rest. Let's capitalize on that and get a few wins on the bounce. A strong start will do wonders for our confidence and will exert pressure on our rivals as well.
They conceded 3 goals against watford, how did you come to conclusion they look solid at back?
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At the earliest.
United : look much improved over last season, better balance. I expected them to be comfortably top after 6 games though due to their very easy start. We won't really see how it's panning out for them until Xmas and a few injuries hit them though.
Liverpool : we have the same team as last season and looked very good in pre-season (yes I know, it's pre-season). Coutinho staying and signing Salah could both be imperative to our season. Getting over the line against smaller teams need to improve and looks to have (pity about Watford). Need to finish more of the host of chances we are creating, despite an early injury crisis. If we don't sign another 2-3 good quality experienced players before the window closes we could be in trouble.
Spurs : Have looked off last season's form despite their results. Struggling vs. Newcastle before their Red card and unable to breakdown Chelsea. Also in need of further recruitment before the window closes.
City : early days with a much changed side. Still comfortable favourites to win the PL for me.
Arsenal : they don't look all there do they. Without Sanchez they are going to struggle - critical they keep him.
Everton : impressive start results-wise even if not performance-wise. new team though, could settle and challenge top 6.
Chelsea : Probably main challengers to United for 2nd. More of the same from last season in terms of style. Some question marks over every area of the team though (attack, midfield and defence).
Hmm united too close to City and Chelsea too far away, for me.
City 1/1
United 9/4
Chelsea 5/2
Liverpool 7/1
Spurs 8/1
Arsenal 10/1
Everton 12/1
Forget what I wanted before the season , I want the title now
Their shirts are a darker shade of red. It makes them look more resilient.
Most teams only lose 5 games or less to win it so losing games early on does make a difference and puts pressure on turning draws into wins. Saturdays game is interesting as Leicester are tricky and if we are comfy winners against them, will be another indicator. The games against the top 5/6 are more of a lottery and sometimes come down to who gets the rub of the refs big decisions....
Not a good comparison. The league is closer to a marathon. You don't start predicting the winner just because somebody sprinted for the first few minutes after the gun.
We can enjoy the start of the race but until the pack starts to thin everything is wide open.
Players are still returning to fitness. European football has yet to fully get underway. Cups haven't started yet.
We need to get a little deeper into the race before we start getting carried away.
West Brom with the Pullis/Megson mega-axis are looking very strong, with a water-tight defence. Think they'll definitely be taking it next week when the league ends.
Can't discount Huddersfield either, they're play with real heart and vigor. Think they'll come out 3rd though, we should take second spot.
Can't discount Huddersfield either, they're play with real heart and vigor. Think they'll come out 3rd though, we should take second spot.
You are away to Stoke and Saints. Not an easy task at all.
Agreed think this 'easy start' of ours has been overblown there's certainly some challenges in there but I suppose we are avoiding the real big boys
Leicester up next is tricky as well, but you should be beat them at home.
I'd still have them over Pool and Chelsea away.
There are no true walkover anymore in the PL, saves maybe a couple of games at home, but those kind of fixtures are still the ones we need to come out with all 3 points to be in conversation for the title.
Too early to draw any conclusions.
After Chelsea lost 3:0 vs Arsenal last season, it seemed that they would struggle to make the top 4, let alone to win the league. But they finished on 93 points.
After Chelsea lost 3:0 vs Arsenal last season, it seemed that they would struggle to make the top 4, let alone to win the league. But they finished on 93 points.
I am sure you are gonna beat them in the end, unlike us who doesn't really know how to come out with the 3 points against them.
FWIW I think you did enough to come away with a win, even with the weird defensive line. However, if Wenger continues to persist with Danby then those afternoons won't cease anytime soon.
As for us, I think Jose had the right of it when he said he wants to see how the team respond going a goal down. We generally play well when we get an early-ish goal, which we did the last two matches. Based on our preseason and the SuperCup match, I wouldn't say we are there yet.
Very early and not based off the first few games really, but its between City. United & Chelsea. Don't think the other 3 have enough to win it.
When squeaky bum time comes it'll stand between United and City. The rest aren't good enough and the Wembley factor will feck up Spurs' season.
A strong start is needed. I don't care what you say but if we go on a string of 5+ wins we'll get rolling and the confidence and belief will come in. Mourinho's last Chelsea title started off well and they never took their foot off the gas from then on.
Nice comparison.That's true. We did enough to win, but Welbeck let us down.
How many times did you come from behind last season?
At what point do marathon races start, then? I assume you don't believe they start at the beginning.
I've read your post numerous times and I have absolutely no idea what you are trying to say or how it remotely relates to what posted.
Cheers.
Do you believe that people don't discuss marathons from the very beginning? Or that predictions aren't made from the starting pistol? It's really not complicated.
No way City is going to win the league. My money is on chelsea.
I've seen a lot of people in this forum and elsewhere that they have Man City as overwhelming favourites for the title. I certainly see why they should be considered amongst the front runners but this theory because they have spunked crazy sums on some full backs suddenly makes them irresistible seems a little odd to me.
Agreed. City have been title favourites every year since 2011. They've delivered two titles in that timeframe. Let people continue to hype them up. It suits United down to the ground.
They have a great squad but the problem right now is...Pep. Personally, I think that he's making a huge mistake with this 3-5-2 formation. It can't utilise the huge attacking talent he has at his disposal. Last season, Sane, Jesus and Sterling saved their ass in the second half of the season. The curent formation is likely to bench at least 2 of them...And he has B. Silva as well and the current formation may leave him on the bench as well.
I'm still pessimistic about our chances. I still don't think our attack is balanced. We have no outlet on the left since our options at LB aren't attack minded.
The next three games are the key for me.
In previous years, we would be dropping points.
The next three games are the key for me.
In previous years, we would be dropping points.
Its all about an evolution, has a team moved on? from what has been the main problem on why they failed, city have stood still since that promising 2011/12 season. United we will see, 2 games in is way too early. We are seeing an evolution of where Jose Mourinho wants us to play and that is promising, and who he wants to get, so its getting stronger. Jose Mourinho said he is at 75% of where he wants the team, if they have already progressed at 75%, god help everyone if we get to 100%. So far for united looking good, the attack is powerful, our engine room is strong and mobile, but we will see against stronger sides, but its good we got a few plans on systems, and especially when we need to use herrera and fellaini in certain games.
I think United are favourite just because Josè always win the league in his second season.
I'm surprised more people aren't backing Spurs to be in the title race. They lack backup in attack for sure, but its not like City, Chelsea or us are flawless outfits. Bad luck & injuries can strike any team, but from a purely footballing perspective, I don't see why Spurs wouldn't be well involved this year's race.
City love on here has been unbearable since their first title win. They weren't title favourites in 2011-12 BTW, it was actually a surprise they managed to pull it off after being nowhere near in 2010-11, but ever since they won their first league title RedCafe has been in absolute love with their team and praised them to the sky after every half decent performance.
I actually had 2012 down first before I edited my post. Still, the point remains: they've been title favourites practically every season of the last seven, and they've only got two titles to show for it. Those two titles were gifted to them at the death, as well, somewhat fortuitously. We've yet to see them dominate a Premier League campaign from start to finish like the great United, Arsenal and Chelsea sides have done.
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