Ok, we're nearly at December and the league is taking some shape, with at least ten teams within realistic touching distance of the top of the table. How do we think it will pan out? Leicester are top playing the recently outlawed 4 4 2. Proving what utter bollocks it is to suggest this formation is somehow outmoded. Liverpool went to champions in September Man City and absolutely dicked them playing fluid, attacking football. This with a piss poor goalie and an average defence. Yes, you heard it, an average defence. The type of which that is supposed to make you retreat into your attacking shell. Like we do. They showed the rest how it should be done, to be perfectly frank. There is no outstanding side and all the top ten have major faults so how's it going to end? I'll stick my neck out. In order, the top four will be; Manchester United Manchester City Liverpool Arsenal That's ASSUMING Leicester tail off the way Saints did last season. Absolutely no guarantee that will happen but I see them finishing sixth, with Spurs fifth. Disc(u)ss.
We will finish top 4 ccomfortably. Weird season, the title isn't about who is likely, but more about crossing off who is unlikely. In that sense we can rule out Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal and in all honesty, United. So, while I believe this City side wouldn't have got near a league title 5 years ago, I have to say they're probably still the most likely to now. United really should be giving them a pasting and I think we'll be there or there abouts without really showing enough conviction or self belief in enough games to cross the finishing line. City United Arsenal Liverpool/Spurs
The destination of the title essentially depends on the fitness of Kompany. With him, City will have enough to get over the line, without him they'll leak too many goals to win. Can't see us winning the league, but then with City out of the equation, and assuming Leicester don't pull some magic out of the hat, I can't see anyone else likely to either. So on the basis that Kompany's calf problems seem to be getting worse every season, I predict: Utd City Arsenal Spurs
This is it, City should win. But they've got an average manager, an extremely half arsed flaky midfield maestro and they depend far too heavily on Kompany and Aguero. Both of whom are injured quite often. The chasing back probably shouldn't win but have an excellent chance to do so. I reckon we're the best of that bunch and should size the opportunity. Liverpool and Arsenal fighting for third/fourth for me.
I don't think we've got any chance of winning the league as we don't score enough goals. But our defensive set up should see us in the top 4 comfortably. I think we need to sign a pacey winger, even if he's only a temporary fix, in January. City will win it by default but they will need a major rebuild next season. Arsenal will be top 4 as it's what Wenger does. That leaves one place and I'll go with Spurs. Liverpool were excellent yesterday and it will be interesting to see how they get on in their next few games. I suspect it will be Jekyll and Hyde stuff for them this season. So.... City Arsenal United Spurs
Too early to be that optimistic for Liverpool imo. They had a great performance yesterday, but this could be a similar bounce as they had when Dalglish came in and they gave us a similar hiding. They need consistency, which they haven't really shown under Klopp yet (other than their consistent draws when he first came in). I think Arsenal will probably be closer to second than 4th - they have the players to challenge but will probably bottle it as usual, although probably later than they usually do. Although if they keep being as bad as they've been in the CL they may only have the league for focus on by then.
I'll throw this out there (particularly to the ppl who've got Utd to likely win the league), do you see United more likely to win the league or more likely to win a trophy (for the sake of argument and realism, lets just say the FA Cup).
Given our surrender in the league cup then I think we're a better bet for the league. I can see van Gaal treating the FA cup with similar disdain to that which he treated the league cup. I fail to get why you don't think we've a chance of winning the league? We've as good a chance as the rest and a better one than most.
On Leicester, when I heard Ranieri had got the job my instinct was to stick a tenner on them being relegated. Thankfully I didn't. Massively wrong on that call.
Yeh I think there's an unpredictably about the FA Cup which wouldn't work well for LVG. Ironically he can undo and overcome setbacks far better because of the nature of the league. I think we have a chance. I agree there's nobody there I would say is better than us or that we couldn't finish above in the league. I can best explain it by saying that I can see us having moments in the season when we have our chances to really push for the title, only to end up dropping points when it matters. We'll go the whole season carouselling between 1st to 4th in my mind. We'd need to be 1st or 2nd and pulling away from the crowd come March to give us a realistic chance and I don't see that happening.
Don't technically need to catch Spurs. Them 3rd and Liverpool 4th will do. Man Utd are in a dangerous position. Even after scraping a win yesterday you still have fewer points than from the same fixtures last season, when you only just got top 4 in a much weaker league. There are no signs of improvement either. An amazing transfer window with buys that instantly have impact is your best hope.
Clutching at straws comparing those results, new season, new signings best way to compare is games played vs points obtained. We have a good run in up to the half way point as well, could easily be top at Christmas.
say's the man who supports a team that will have gone from 9th to 10th (assuming Palace get a point against Sunderland) in the 5 game bounce their new manager has produced.
