The race for the title

[homer hotspur]

Nope.

That's good then

 

[1882andallthat]

If anyone on here is supremely confident that we will finish in the top 4 I would challenge them to produce a convincing argument as to the basis for this submission.

I am not being pessimistic, I am being realistic, I'm not saying we won't, I'm simply saying that we have as much chance as any of the other 4 teams around us. It's highly unlikely that anyone other than the Chavs will win the league. 2nd down to 6th really is too close to call.

Of those 5,including ourselves in this, I'm reasonably confident that Arsenal and Man City won't win the Champions League, which potentially give us and Utd two goes at qualification, it could work for or against us and Utd, but on balance I think we could and should not throw away that other option via winning the Europa League, in my view it should be as much as a priority as top 4, all the time Utd remain in this competition we must give that competition as much of a priority as top 4, otherwise that lottery of five fighting for 3 places potentially becomes a lottery of two places (2nd and 3rd), and if I'm honest and I would suspect most of us will feel the same, winning silverware and qualifying for top 4 is better than qualifying for champions league without silverware.

 

[archiewasking]

Dier needs to come out of the defence for good now. He either plays in midfield or sits on the bench. Kevin Wimmer is a natural LCB and is a much better defender than Dier.

Dier is a fine DM but every time I see him in defence I worry. Wycombe's third was a giveaway by him and then left for dead by a league 2 attacker. Lost possession for one of Pool's yesterday. And we seriously need an upgrade on Davis. Not his fault but not suited for how we play. I would rather have played Walker left to match Mane for pace and put Trippier right.

 

[bubble07]

We have played city, Chelsea and Liverpool twice now and have united and arsenal at home.

We are currently 2nd with the best GD from the teams below us

Vertonghen Rose and Lamela should be back end of the month

So some positives there

 

[g_harry]

hope this result doesn't affect the players like Chelsea away last year. Poch needs to take some of the blame, not sure about challenging the players publicly.

 

[Mullers]

I mean even if Poch said that we are fighting for a top 6 place, technically he would be right. We're 9 points ahead of Everton so can't afford to be complacent.

 

[Good Doctor M]

Dier is a fine DM but every time I see him in defence I worry. Wycombe's third was a giveaway by him and then left for dead by a league 2 attacker. Lost possession for one of Pool's yesterday. And we seriously need an upgrade on Davis. Not his fault but not suited for how we play. I would rather have played Walker left to match Mane for pace and put Trippier right.

Agree for the most part, but Davies shouldn't have been put in the postion he was. If you're going to have him marking Mane, instruction has to be given to whoever you put on the left that his first priority is covering Mane. Davies is a fine back-up for me, but if you're playing him, you need to give the guy a chance - he was hung-out to dry for me - it's not like it was a surprise that Mane had him for pace.

 

[shelfboy68]

What does it matter what the title of the thread is? Just to score a silly internet point. Jesus...

You have real issues my friend constantly sniping and trolling people on here it's time you disappeared for good, it's time for the ignore button goodbye.

 

[shelfboy68]

hope this result doesn't affect the players like Chelsea away last year. Poch needs to take some of the blame, not sure about challenging the players publicly.

Well he has a point to an extent because he can only prepare the team all week and impart his instructions, but once they cross the line which is a cliche I know it's down to the players to perform.
Yesterday was similar to the city game in which we didn't turn up and apply ourselves from the start but against city we got out of jail, but yesterday we got what we deserved nothing.
Considering some of the players comments in the media during the build up to the game they sounded quite bullish and yet come the start of the game they turned into lamb's as soon often is the case.
So yeah Poch realises that he still has issues with players mentality within the squad as well as a lack of quality game changers Nkoudou and Janssen are not good enough for us imo.
Despite this look how well we have done got ourselves into the top four among the big boys punching above our weight all of which is more than credible for a club with financial constraints.

 

[Luka Van der Bale]

If anyone on here is supremely confident that we will finish in the top 4 I would challenge them to produce a convincing argument as to the basis for this submission.

I am not being pessimistic, I am being realistic, I'm not saying we won't, I'm simply saying that we have as much chance as any of the other 4 teams around us. It's highly unlikely that anyone other than the Chavs will win the league. 2nd down to 6th really is too close to call.

Of those 5,including ourselves in this, I'm reasonably confident that Arsenal and Man City won't win the Champions League, which potentially give us and Utd two goes at qualification, it could work for or against us and Utd, but on balance I think we could and should not throw away that other option via winning the Europa League, in my view it should be as much as a priority as top 4, all the time Utd remain in this competition we must give that competition as much of a priority as top 4, otherwise that lottery of five fighting for 3 places potentially becomes a lottery of two places (2nd and 3rd), and if I'm honest and I would suspect most of us will feel the same, winning silverware and qualifying for top 4 is better than qualifying for champions league without silverware.

I'm not entirely sure as you've phrased that quote awkwardly, but I think you're suggesting if Spurs or United win the EL and finish outside the top 4 then 4th wouldn't qualify for CL? That's not the case - there would simply be 5 English sides in next season's CL.

 

[Lighty64]

By the same token, those players coming out saying they had learnt from last season for a push for this season but delivered a meek display against a poor-form Liverfools that wiped our title credentials away should be knocked themselves first..


I think all fans think that way, a top 4.. But it doesn't fail, unless (edit) we allow ourselves to, to challenge for the top.. And on the table, started a couple of weeks back, there is only one team above us..

their poor form has been against teams that sit back, they have the best record and an unbeaten 1 at that this season v the top 6 teams. this was the 1st time since December they had a full week to prepare for a match, against us a team that with the injuries to the left side of our defence, that decided to play way too high for a team that has pace.

since Jan got injured the only time we have used Wimmer was in a 3 at the back, yet him and Toby when played in a 4 last season were pretty solid, Toby and Dier in a back 4 is so badly balanced which is weakened even further with Rose missing

 

[shoggy33]

Yesterday's performance does not make us a bad team. We always struggle against teams that press us, cos it exposes the fact that most of our players are not technically gifted. However there are only 2 or 3 teams capable of playing that way so we will continue to dominate and win most games.

Games like yesterday should be a wake up call to anyone who thinks there isn't massive room for improvement in our squad and even first 11 though. Dier at CB is a disaster, and for all the qualities in our attacking positions we are desperately short of a quality playmaker and decent alternative to Kane. We were also relying on a 19 yr old with about 5 PL appearances to come on and change the game, which says it all about our strength in depth. Until we address this we will not properly challenge for the title.

 

[homer hotspur]

Chelsea are gone and will not get caught. They could easily do the double too. Liverpool now have a 2 week break to prepare for one game a week( plus a couple of free weeks), just like leicester last season. I expect them to go on a run now. I think that Man City will also be very strong with the addition of Jesus to add to their riidiculous attacking options. I think it is now a battle for 4th between ourselves, Arsenal and Man Utd. Curremtly, Man Utd look the most likely as they seem to have become very consistent and defensively sound. The fact we have to play them both at WHL may prove to be significant.

 

[Mr Pink]

Chelsea are gone and will not get caught. They could easily do the double too. Liverpool now have a 2 week break to prepare for one game a week( plus a couple of free weeks), just like leicester last season. I expect them to go on a run now. I think that Man City will also be very strong with the addition of Jesus to add to their riidiculous attacking options. I think it is now a battle for 4th between ourselves, Arsenal and Man Utd. Curremtly, Man Utd look the most likely as they seem to have become very consistent and defensively sound. The fact we have to play them both at WHL may prove to be significant.

Don't be silly, Liverpool are not a shoe in, nor city.

It's five fighting out for 3 positions.

 

[kaz Hirai]

We're 2nd and we've played all the top teams away . We are done with the best teams (Chelsea, pool and city) for the season so it's totally in our hands.
If we can't at least finish 4th then we just aren't good enough at the moment. Too many injuries and lack of options

Hopefully we do a better job of spending 60 million or whatever it was we wasted on trash

 

[millsey]

Will get back to 352 within 2 weeks and start winning games again

 

[homer hotspur]

Don't be silly, Liverpool are not a shoe in, nor city.

It's five fighting out for 3 positions.

It is, but that is the way I see it playing out. Liverpool's massive advantage is the lack of Europe/cup involvement.

 

[Mr Pink]

It is, but that is the way I see it playing out. Liverpool's massive advantage is the lack of Europe/cup involvement.

And our advantage is having played all the top 5 away from home already, and also been away to Everton, Southampton and West Brom.

I'd say that's pretty significant for us.

 

[RichieS]

If anyone on here is supremely confident that we will finish in the top 4 I would challenge them to produce a convincing argument as to the basis for this submission.

I am not being pessimistic, I am being realistic, I'm not saying we won't, I'm simply saying that we have as much chance as any of the other 4 teams around us. It's highly unlikely that anyone other than the Chavs will win the league. 2nd down to 6th really is too close to call.

Of those 5,including ourselves in this, I'm reasonably confident that Arsenal and Man City won't win the Champions League, which potentially give us and Utd two goes at qualification, it could work for or against us and Utd, but on balance I think we could and should not throw away that other option via winning the Europa League, in my view it should be as much as a priority as top 4, all the time Utd remain in this competition we must give that competition as much of a priority as top 4, otherwise that lottery of five fighting for 3 places potentially becomes a lottery of two places (2nd and 3rd), and if I'm honest and I would suspect most of us will feel the same, winning silverware and qualifying for top 4 is better than qualifying for champions league without silverware.

We have a sightly greater chance by virtue of the fact that we are currently above all of the other challengers. Add this to the fact that our hardest games are now behind us and, while I'm not "supremely" confident, I think we'll be ok. There is no way we're going to lose to Arsenal in the last NLD at the old Lane, nor United in the last game there full stop, so maintaining the form we've shown over the season so far should see us in the top 3 again, let alone top 4.

 

[RichieS]

It is, but that is the way I see it playing out. Liverpool's massive advantage is the lack of Europe/cup involvement.

They'll lose to whatever shithouse team they have next in the league before schooling Arsenal the way they did us (and Chelsea for large parts of that match). It's just what "Klopp's Liverpool" do.