The Race for the Title, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th or even 6th Thread.

[journeyman]

Liverpool look like they relish playing us every time now, like Man Utd under Fergie. So disheartening.

Agree with poster above that, in form, we’d be hoping to take 7-9 points from next 3 games, but with things as they are, 3-5 a more likely return. We could really use Bale stepping up and building on his Wycombe performance while Kane out.

 

[Doctor Dinkey]

I am very much of the opinion of using the league games for the rest of this season to test players and formations etc. Our priority has to be the cups. We’re not good enough / far too inconsistent to mount a serious push for the title and IMO the top 4 so let’s give ourselves the best possible chance of a cup success.

I agree with this to some extent, but we have to make sure we at least qualify for the Europa League. Not even getting that in Jose’s legendary second season would be a disaster, and would almost certainly mean the end of his tenure. Cup runs also need consistency and I’m afraid we always look on the verge of going out in almost every tie. I can’t see us getting past Everton, or a decent European team either. So we can’t just dump the league.

 

[handsomecake]

We look far away from the likes of Leicester and Manchester United at the moment.

Top 4 will be tough....

They pepper teams with shots . Same with Liverpool and city.

we are going nowhere when we are taking one shot per half .

 

[H-SF]

Win our game in hand and we're a point off the top four.

Yeh but with the Europa League that we will presumably go deep in, the League Cup final to prepare for and play and a potential Fa Cup run combined with our current form and Kane's injury I'd be surprised if we got top 4. The more our bad form ITL continues Mourinho will probably just bin it and focus solely on the cups.

 

[Deleted member 27995]

Yeh but with the Europa League that we will presumably go deep in, the League Cup final to prepare for and play and a potential Fa Cup run combined with our current form and Kane's injury I'd be surprised if we got top 4. The more our bad form ITL continues Mourinho will probably just bin it and focus solely on the cups.

Yeah, if we lost against Brighton at the weekend this could be the line he takes, but he must know the pressure he places on himself and the squad.

Kane injury is a spanner in the works.

 

[onthetwo]

I am very much of the opinion of using the league games for the rest of this season to test players and formations etc. Our priority has to be the cups. We’re not good enough / far too inconsistent to mount a serious push for the title and IMO the top 4 so let’s give ourselves the best possible chance of a cup success.

I agree but TV money and pride make that a bitter pill to swallow for DL in particular.

 

[Guntz]

Europa or bust it looks like unfortunately

 

[stormfly]

I am very much of the opinion of using the league games for the rest of this season to test players and formations etc. Our priority has to be the cups. We’re not good enough / far too inconsistent to mount a serious push for the title and IMO the top 4 so let’s give ourselves the best possible chance of a cup success.

I agree about the title but top 4 is wide open.

 

[mightyspur]

We look far away from the likes of Leicester and Manchester United at the moment.

Top 4 will be tough....

The Manchester United that just lost to bottom of the league Sheffield United? That Manchester united?

 

[TheTanguy]

The Manchester United that just lost to bottom of the league Sheffield United? That Manchester united?

I wouldn't buy into the United hype either, it's not unthinkable that they even finish outside the top four. They certainly aren't title contenders.

 

[dontcallme]

I wouldn't buy into the United hype either, it's not unthinkable that they even finish outside the top four. They certainly aren't title contenders.

With Liverpool’s injuries and Man City’s lack of form it looked possible for an outsider to do it.

But none of the surrounding teams consistently stepped up and it looks like a straight race between Pool and City.

 

[KikoSpurs]

The Manchester United that just lost to bottom of the league Sheffield United? That Manchester united?

Burnley won against Liverpool. So it doesn't really matter.

In terms of performance we look so far behind them.

 

[mightyspur]

Burnley won against Liverpool. So it doesn't really matter.

In terms of performance we look so far behind them.

I take it you didn't watch them play Sheffield then, because they were dog shit.

 

[KikoSpurs]

I take it you didn't watch them play Sheffield then, because they were dog shit.

We are dog shit every match....

 

[wrd]

I think last nights game really represented a closing of a chapter on part of our season. I think we will now see a new structure in place in terms of who is trusted to regularly start and we'll probably change tactically how we approach games.

I think going forward I'd really like to see us go back to basics with a 4-3-3, we're hearing that Bale is starting to pick up steam so I'd like see when the injury situations abates:

Lloris
Aurier Alderweireld Rodon Reguilon
Hojbjerg Ndombele
Lo Celso
Bale Kane Son

With the injuries we have, I'd expect Davies, Bergwijn and Vinicius take the spots of Reguilon, Gio and Kane. I think we should be putting all our efforts into trying to get this team into reality so we can finish the season strong with hopefully a few finals.

 

[Griff001]

With Liverpool’s injuries and Man City’s lack of form it looked possible for an outsider to do it.

But none of the surrounding teams consistently stepped up and it looks like a straight race between Pool and City.

Man City's lack of form? They had a shaky start but they've been solid since and I think unfortunately they'll walk the league.

 

[dontcallme]

Man City's lack of form? They had a shaky start but they've been solid since and I think unfortunately they'll walk the league.

The first sentence is clearly in the past tense.

The second sentence is present tense.

 

[EQP]

We could probably still shithouse 4th if we focused solely on the league but still being in 4 competitions its probably a couple of trophies or bust for us this season

I would take that. Couple trophies and top 6 finish.

 

[H-SF]

I would take that. Couple trophies and top 6 finish.

Same, but it will be tragic if we blow the league season away and come like 9th but also lose the league cup final, lose in the FA Cup quarter finals and the Europa League semis.

 

[Griff001]

The first sentence is clearly in the past tense.

The second sentence is present tense.

Yep you're right. I mistook 'looked' for 'looks'.