My prediction of not needing more than 77 points is getting closer to reality as Arsenal drop points again. It's like all the top teams in the league are playing chicken to see who can drop the most points in the last 8 games.
The reality is that the league all the way down to around 17th is more competitive than ever. I think fans have just been spoiled by how good City's title winning sides, our sides under Klopp and Arsenal in the previous two seasons were, because unless the top sides are somewhere near their best on a consistent basis, they will drop points
I made this point earlier in season when every time us or Arsenal dropped points it was, is that the end of the title etc. They were still pretending that it was like us/city going at it those 3/4 years where a 4 point gap was very very difficult to overcome because neither were drawing games let alone losing. This season, everyone is far more competitive and Arsenal and us aren’t as good as those sides, so both teams were always going to drop more points. As you say, mid table now are a lot more competitive and the qualities are far higher. Look at wolves with players like Cunha and Gomes. West Ham with pacqueta, kudus and Bowen. Spurs with son Maddison vd ven, Everton and United with… ok got me therr palace with Eze mateta brentford with Wissa mbuembo those are all relegation fighting or bottom half teams and most of those players listed would be top 6 players easily.
I think that; A) every premier league side has a player or two of real quality, right down wolves. B) there are more games than ever. When a and b combine you have teams with a week's rest playing teams who have played midweek every week. There's more injuries, any drop of form and tiredness is punished. League cup to Newcastle.(early unjuries put them out of top 4) League to lfc (who faded badly for last 8 to 10 last season) Fa cup. Probably city.out of everything. Injuries and loss of legs. Who's going ok the league? 1 game a week forest. Who's no longer going so well as the fa cup hits them? Forest. The midtable sides with little to risk are playing 1 a week and able to hurt the team trying to play in Europe. More games pile up and more injuries come. Spurs are down the bottom due to injuries and stupid manager but doing on in Europe. Utd are woeful due to managers and bad signings but also cruising in Europe. They just show the level if the midtable sides.
Two things I found funny this weekend 1. Man U have loads of money to spend in the summer.... but only if they can sell the duds. First off, they have to have convince other clubs to be interested in players that have proven to be ****, who the hell wants to buy Onana? And second the prices quoted (that would raise the 200m+ being thrown around) are laughable. So even if a club might be interested, again why would they spend serious money on failed players. I mean £52m for Højlund , no chance (especially not an Italian team like Juve). 2. Arsenal fans no longer care about dropping points cause they're going to win the CL apparently. Turns out beating Real Madrid automatically means you are favourites to win, never mind the other teams still in it or even the 2nd leg away in Madrid, it's a done deal looking at Arsenal fans comments after yesterday.
To be fair, Madrid were massive favs and Arsenal defended brilliantly against them. Did they get lucky that a guy that’s never scored a free kick scored 2 worldies? Maybe, but can see why after beating Madrid relatively comfortably why they would be favs. However Barca and psg still look like the teams to beat for me. If arsenal do it will have to probably beat both of them plus Madrid which is fair play
First 3-0 is decisive. That tie should be over. Second real couldnt cope. They turned into last years psg with 2 or 3 watching the rest try to defend. Thry won't be able to out run arsenal. Third the semi final is psg. They will tear arsenal up with pace. Fourth it will be barca in the final Best of luck arsenal, you'll need it. Thry have the work rate, and the energy ino to do it but they don't have the discipline. Somewhere along the line skelly will be off or they will be caught out at the back. Psg imo are slight favourites over barca in the final.
Wolves 2 spurs 0 Ispwich 2 Chelsea 0 Absolute shockers. (Well spurs is non shock given their **** manager and europa tie midweek)
Until Newcastle scored, Man U actually looked ok. Since the goal they've reverted to a clown school. Remarkable to think that Newcastle are back in the race to pinch that 5th CL place considering the position of the other clubs not long ago. Chelsea, from title contenders to scrabbling for 5th. Edit: Moments after posting this Garnacho manages to locate the goal after months. Undeserved 1-1
I see it being Newcastle, Forest and Citeh for the other CL places, probably in that order Chelsea are too out of form and Villa have a difficult set of fixtures to finish being behind in the running
I know a fair few Man utd and Spurs fans have been keen to label this as the worst season ever, but it's looking to me like Aston Villa will qualify for back to back CL campaigns (i think they will overtake Forest) while Newcastle will qualify for their 2nd campaign in 3 years Are they becoming part of a new big 6?
That'll be 3rd place newcastle now. City will be 4th if they want it. Villa will be 5th. Nuno will be found out as he **** houses and defends rather than trying to score goals.
I mean, if they win on Wednesday they'll only be 4 points behind Arsenal. Arsenal look likely to go through against Real, so that'll put more emphasis on the CL SF for them and given the fact the CL has already cost Arsenal points. Also Arsenal and Newcastle have to play each other on the penultimate game. Newkie could finish 2nd if they keep going well. Arsenal have spent so long wondering if they'll close the gap to us, they've forgotten about the gap below them.
It's laughable that either Spurs or ManU could be in the CL next season. 14th and 15th in the league, neither has reached the 40 point mark yet. Totally unworthy to be in the top European competition. If the EL had had the CL teams drop into it, like previous season, both clubs would have been out by now. Really hope one of the other teams win it.
