The Race for the Title 2019/20

[beats1]

If we don't make top 4 this season, then serious question need to be asked of the coaching staff, top level management and ownership

Because no way frank or Ole should be finishing ahead of us with their lack of quality or experience

 

[Lighty64]

Police need to start arresting people. Even if it's only to give them a fine it's better than nothing.

totally agree, and it's time twitter don't do enough to make sure people can't hide

 

[shelfboy68]

If we don't make top 4 this season, then serious question need to be asked of the coaching staff, top level management and ownership

Because no way frank or Ole should be finishing ahead of us with their lack of management or experience

But you know both will finish above us and then the usual mob will try to fob us off with excuses such as it was a hot summer and the players were not ready, Argentina lost a ping pong so poch and his country men were in a bad place so that had an effect, or perhaps the uncertainty over Brexit caused the club some concern and they lost momentum all perfectly good reasons of course.

 

[spids]

We need to already be looking to improve our weaknesses - namely RB, LB and DCM. DCM might be on ice as we wait to see how Ndombele and Lo Celso settle in.

 

[ShaunL84]

Change the title of this thread. We're in no title race.

 

[Pellshek]

Decent home win to start >> point at City >> used up one of our few permitted home losses for the season >> point at Arse.

That's probably better than it looks on the table.

 

[wrd]

We're 2 points behind where I expected us to be, looking at the face of it you have to ask, will we win 8 points more than Liv over the next 34 games, personally can't see that myself.

We have a lot of weak areas in our game which will get upgrades by the time Palace rolls around.

Ndombele for Sissoko
Foyth for Sanchez
Possibly Sessegnon or Davies for Rose.

Dele fully fit, Dier Fully fit, Lo Celso getting 2 more weeks under his belt.

Looks like Eriksen, Aurier are staying too so we have immense depth.

 

[coys200]

Change the title of this thread. We're in no title race.

Liverpool have some tough games in next 5 before we play them and ours much easier on paper. Who knows how much circumstances have been effecting us. Still believe we have the squad to get closer than last season. Chelsea were written off in 16/17 after a few games then won 13 on the bounce. An injury to Salah or mane and Liverpool whole dynamic changes. 5 more games before I throw the towel in.

 

[Lighty64]

I actually think Liverpool will suffer towards the end of the season. last season was the 1st they never suffered with burnout. they still have the CWC to play in 2+ games in Qatar in December the busiest month of the year which means they have to fit 2 games extra in later. will they throw the CoC? if they do get involved in it will they play a strongish team if they play stronger opps that will be more fixtures.

last season they went out of the 3rd round (their 1st) in both domestic. they also had more players not having a preseason this season, or proper rest during this summer just gone, then they did in the WC season. if they escape injuries, will they escape tiredness 20-30 games in

 

[SpartanSpur]

I actually think Liverpool will suffer towards the end of the season. last season was the 1st they never suffered with burnout. they still have the CWC to play in 2+ games in Qatar in December the busiest month of the year which means they have to fit 2 games extra in later. will they throw the CoC? if they do get involved in it will they play a strongish team if they play stronger opps that will be more fixtures.

last season they went out of the 3rd round (their 1st) in both domestic. they also had more players not having a preseason this season, or proper rest during this summer just gone, then they did in the WC season. if they escape injuries, will they escape tiredness 20-30 games in

I'm glad you reminded me of the CWC, felt it could be Liverpool's undoing this season in their battle with City and I didn't even consider if they'll end up with more domestic cup games on top. Fatigue could really hurt them down the lin, they don't actually have the biggest of squads. Their only real depth is CM. Didn't Utd drop out of the league cup the year they played the world club championship too?

City have a major injury issue with their top CB right now. This could end up costing them points unless Fernandinho becomes a worldy at CB. I also think they'll be putting a lot of eggs in the CL basket in the second half of the season.

Do I think we have enough about us to get involved, probably not, but I do have a feeling we will go from strength to strength over the course of the season. Our squad is very good when all fit and firing, and a quality signing (RB please) or two in Jan could improve us even further.

It'll be interesting to see where we are at Xmas. If theres under 10 points in it we could be a dark horse with pretty much all the big games being at home.

I feel pretty confident of top 4 now that I've seen the competition and that we seem to have patched up the internal issues. Top 3 and a trophy would be a very good season and I think its achievable.

 

[rossdapep]

Every one of the top 6, bar City and Liverpool - last season - seems to have the 'crisis period'. Think we may be finishing ours, the break will help now too. I fully expect Arsenal to have a crisis period, which may well be the end of Emery or at least put sever pressure on.

Chelsea and United are getting let off a little at the moment, probably because their coaches are well liked "football club men" but that won't last forever if it continues to get worse. Once one of Chelsea or United become under immense pressure it'll take some heat off of us and we should be able to kick on.

I said before the season I felt we'd start slowly (ok, I was worried last week though and didn't expect the Newcastle defeat) but them two draws away at Ars, City give us a potential advantage over the others. Not many of the big 6 will accomplish both and we should be much better when we play the teams who took points off Chelsea and United.

Once we put the problems behind us I fully expect us to hit our groove and start to put a real run under our belts. If we can stay 5-8 points behind Liverpool by January, I think we can really get them under pressure. As mentioned by many here, the CWC and lack of rest in the summer will certainly make their attack a little slower and I would be watching that Mane, Salah situation - that has been brewing for a while and isn't done yet.

Hopefully over the next month or so we'll start to see this team gel and the new players become pivotal and breathe new life into attack. Also, Poch should be able to stick to a back 4 on the whole that transmits a bit more stability.

Just no more Newcastle performances, ey?!

 

[JCRD]

The only real annoying result was Noocastle - going into this international break with two wins and two draws would have been pretty great, Performances have been sub standard though which is concerning but I saw signs yesterday against Arse that we were trying to up the tempo and intensity (then again it was a derby and that is a given)

 

[Bulletspur]

Liverpool have some tough games in next 5 before we play them and ours much easier on paper. Who knows how much circumstances have been effecting us. Still believe we have the squad to get closer than last season. Chelsea were written off in 16/17 after a few games then won 13 on the bounce. An injury to Salah or mane and Liverpool whole dynamic changes. 5 more games before I throw the towel in.

I agree that we do have a good and talented squad, but my concern is that Poch's questionable game management and tactics will be our downfall. Unless we up the anti, I do not see us making top four now

 

[Shadydan]

I agree that we do have a good and talented squad, but my concern is that Poch's questionable game management and tactics will be our downfall. Unless we up the anti, I do not see us making top four now

What lol there's no way Utd or Chelsea are finishing above us, you're concerned about our tactics and game management, have you seen theirs?

 

[Bulletspur]

What lol there's no way Utd or Chelsea are finishing above us, you're concerned about our tactics and game management, have you seen theirs?

That may be so, but we do also have to watch for the gate crashers, Leicester as an example

 

[$hoguN]

With our performances so far we probably need to change the title

 

[shelfboy68]

With our performances so far we probably need to change the title

Well there is no title challenge the team looks nothing like a side that could put pressure on the top two, we are a demotivated mess conceding goals for fun and in need of some imagination and organisation.

 

[Marty]

Just no more Newcastle performances, ey?!

This is the crux of it. If we don't mess up any more of our home games against the weaker sides, we can put it down as a blip and the momentum we gain will see us top four comfortably. But we cannot afford another one of those days.

 

[coys200]

Liverpool have Chelsea and United away and Leicester at home plus a trip to Napoli before we play them. Let’s see what the gap is when we go to Anfield.

 

[Vedran c]

It’s fucking crazy that nothing seems to be done about it, the technology companies and the police have the technology and powers to come down on these people, yet they do fuck all.

Its entirely possible for social media platforms to use filters so that racist language is automatically filtered, accounts could be suspended and police informed all automatically, all this could be made legal requirement, baffling as to why this doesn't happen.