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Run up To Christmas/New Year

thinktank

Hmmm...
Sep 28, 2004
45,893
68,893
West Brom (H) - 25th Nov--1-1----D
Leicester (A)---------------------2-1----L
Watford (A)------------------00.1-1----D
Stoke (H)--------------------------5-1----W
Brighton (H)---------------------2-0----W
City (A)-----------------------------4-1---.L
Burnley
(A)
Southampton (H)
West Ham (H)
Swansea (A) - 2nd Jan

If we up our energy and determination we can take 21 points form that lot (injuries permitting).

If I was poch I'd be looking at that run to solidify/stabilise our league position for the run-in.

We've got it in us; but need to have a fierce mindset.
 
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dannythomas

Well-Known Member
May 17, 2004
3,757
2,813
If we’re not well clear of the 5th Place team after that group of matches then we can look forward to being in the Europa next season.
 

thinktank

Hmmm...
Sep 28, 2004
45,893
68,893
If we’re not we’ll clear of the 5th Place team after that group of matches then we can look forward to being in the Europa next season.
Which is what I mostly expected before the season began tbh (Wembley being factored in). Reason why League cup was high on MY priority list...though, not so much Poch's. *grumble*

We'll be without Toby, but hopefully Wanyama will get up and running and Lamela will grab his cock and dive back into the swing of things and we start to press teams again and get the balance of controlling the ball and risking high tempo 1/2 touch back in order.

I also think poch should trust Foyth's raw, natural talent and begin to include him more.

He's mentally mature enough to handle it imo.

Any injury to Kane though - without us buying a viable back-up option to him in the window - will set our aspirations, over this period, back a bit. In such an instance - touch wood it doesn't have to come to it - Son should directly deputise, for me.
 

ljinko888

Well-Known Member
May 17, 2016
2,080
5,376
The strong second half of last season was off the back of beating comfortably the bottom half sides. Once you get on a roll and performances get better then your belief in big games grows.

Look at City - took a while to get going on the opening day at Brighton, a late equaliser at home to Everton followed by a 96th minute winner against Bournemouth. Things could be so different had the referee blew his whistle at Bournemouth when the minimum stoppage time was up. At that time they didn't look ominous but they've gone from strength to strength.
 

Yid_Summers

Active Member
Apr 27, 2012
722
762
West Brom (H) - 25th Nov
Leicester (A)
Watford (H)
Stoke (H)
Brighton (H)
City (A)
Burnley (A)
Southampton (H)
West Ham (H)
Swansea (A) - 2nd Jan

If we up our energy and determination we can take 21 points form that lot (injuries permitting).

If I was poch I'd be looking at that run to solidify/stabilise our league position for the run-in.

We've got it in us; but need to have a fierce mindset.

21? We should be looking at 25. Only City and Burnley away should be difficult.
 

shelfboy68

Well-Known Member
Jun 14, 2008
14,566
19,651
Which is what I mostly expected before the season began tbh (Wembley being factored in). Reason why League cup was high on MY priority list...though, not so much Poch's. *grumble*

We'll be without Toby, but hopefully Wanyama will get up and running and Lamela will grab his cock and dive back into the swing of things and we start to press teams again and get the balance of controlling the ball and risking high tempo 1/2 touch back in order.

I also think poch should trust Foyth's raw, natural talent and begin to include him more.

He's mentally mature enough to handle it imo.

Any injury to Kane though - without us buying a viable back-up option to him in the window - will set our aspirations, over this period, back a bit. In such an instance - touch wood it doesn't have to come to it - Son should directly deputise, for me.

The Kane situation still hasn't been addressed and until it does will still impact on our chances of top four if he sustains an injury or two.
The purchase of llorente doesn't look justified to me as i can't see where he fits in with the way we play, unless we can unearth a gem in January which is unlikely we look set to struggle until may Kane continuing to play nearly every game.
 

thePessimist

Well-Known Member
Jul 4, 2012
1,261
3,344
Should be able to win most of these if our focus is right, but we must find ways to beat the defensive minded bus parkers at home
 

Gbspurs

Gatekeeper for debates, King of the plonkers
Jan 27, 2011
26,945
61,824
I have no stats to back this up but it feels like every season we struggle around October/November and then hit our stride in the run up to christmas, peaking in January. See what happens this year I guess.
 

BringBack_leGin

Well-Known Member
Jul 28, 2004
27,719
54,929
Home games are key, we should win them all. Southampton home on Boxing Day will be our twentieth league match, if we win that and the other four home games we’ll have a minimum of 38 points from 20, and that’s assuming we pick up nothing away from home. If that where we are we’ll be third or fourth and pretty happy. Definitely need to improve our performances both individually and collectively but if we do, we should enter 2018 in a strong position.
 

bubble07

Well-Known Member
Dec 27, 2004
22,959
29,895
If kane is fully fit and doesnt get injured/banned we will pick up around 25pts
 

thinktank

Hmmm...
Sep 28, 2004
45,893
68,893
I want 27 points minimum
You don't think not having Toby for 6-8 weeks and likely not having Vic for next 2/3 weeks will have any impact on us?

Dier's inconsistent in either position he plays.

Burnley and Spam are definite bogey games, where they can take points of us

Potential to go on a strong run, but I sense it won't be as easy as it looks.
 

kaz Hirai

Well-Known Member
Nov 5, 2008
17,692
25,340
You don't think not having Toby for 6-8 weeks and likely not having Vic for next 2/3 weeks will have any impact on us?

Dier's inconsistent in either position he plays.

Burnley and Spam are definite bogey games, where they can take points of us

Potential to go on a strong run, but I sense it won't be as easy as it looks.

We need it, we need to perform much better the opposite end. We used to swarm teams with high energy attacking. We look mostly lacklustre in the league this year. Dier is decent enough but if we're lumbering one paced the other end it means nothing, teams are always gonna get chances even with Toby

Hoping this defeat changes our approach cause there will be many 0-0 and 1-1 results from that list otherwise
 

coys200

Well-Known Member
May 22, 2017
8,436
17,403
I don’t think Toby being out is such a big impact in these games.dier was superb against Madrid,I’m prepared to give benefit of doubt yesterday off back of 180 mins chasing Brazil and Germany.In last few weeks Dier has faced Real x2 manu pool Brazil Germany arsenal. Guy must be mentally/physically drained. Also these games will be more about breaking teams down than defending.
 

panoma

Well-Known Member
Jan 16, 2012
3,901
12,188
If we only get 21 points (2 points a game) from such a favorable run we are in trouble imo.

Should not use excuses like missing Toby either. We still have better CB's than any other side in the league. United played with Lindelof and Smalling while City finished the game with Mangala and Kompany. Verts and Sanchez lightyears ahead of those

Need a better haul than that if we want to play CL football next year.
 
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nightgoat

Well-Known Member
Sep 12, 2005
24,604
21,898
Only have APOEL in between that run but that's a game where we can rotate and rest key players.
 

JollyHappy

Well-Known Member
Oct 9, 2005
1,437
1,158
An average of 2 points a game over the season gets you 4th place or better. 24 or more points from these games replicated over the season would get us back to at least 80 points. I'm sure we can do that even after the disappointment of the Man U and Arse away games.
 

panoma

Well-Known Member
Jan 16, 2012
3,901
12,188
An average of 2 points a game over the season gets you 4th place or better. 24 or more points from these games replicated over the season would get us back to at least 80 points. I'm sure we can do that even after the disappointment of the Man U and Arse away games.

Yes 2 points avarage generally finish 4th, but you need a better haul in the easy games as we will have much tougher games later where we will struggle to avarage 2 points
 

Gaz_Gammon

Well-Known Member
Apr 16, 2005
16,047
18,013
West Brom (H) - 25th Nov
Leicester (A)
Watford (H)
Stoke (H)
Brighton (H)
City (A)
Burnley (A)
Southampton (H)
West Ham (H)
Swansea (A) - 2nd Jan

If we up our energy and determination we can take 21 points form that lot (injuries permitting).

If I was poch I'd be looking at that run to solidify/stabilise our league position for the run-in.

We've got it in us; but need to have a fierce mindset.


Because these are the games when we really, really, really need to up our game.

FFS.
 
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