So far....over 38 games is that level of defensive solidity going to be good enough to see you crowned Champions? Not for me it isn't, especially if he persists with that keeper, who looks like well out of his depth.
Well so far despite our terrible defence we are level with the other top 2 and we've arguably had harder start. I do find it odd that people suggest our attack can't bail out the defence every week and they will fail at some point.. but don't think that the defence may have the opposite situation and have 1 good game every now and then when needed. Just as much chance of our defence defence doing what's needed one week as our attack failing one week.
Like arsenal.... or Chelsea... or Spurs... or Leicester.. or united... ? None of which have beaten us his year.
If we have conceded fewer goals, we should be above city and Arsenal on goal difference. If at the end of the season we are leveled on points with city and Arsenal, but with inferior goal difference we cannot be champion.
So far you've conceded more goals than anyone in the top 6 - 13 That equates to 1.3 per game and 49/50 over a 38 game season, No-one in the top 6 last season conceded more than 40. The stats say that you'll have to tighten up defensively if you're going to possibly win this division.
#reality : 1. We don't concede many goals at all 2. There have been many times we've had a 1 goal lead with 20 minutes to go and been completely comfortable Claiming that seeing out a 1-0 is the stuff of champions but seeing out a 2-1 is meaningless is #desperate stuff from rivals and the media
These teams who like to play for 1-0s are just waiting to drop points the day someone hits a worldie against them Consistently winning points requires the ability to score multiple goals per game If you can score 3-4 goals a game then a clean sheet is just a meaningless footnote (like most of Lukaku's goals)
Stats says we have 23 points same as City and Arsenal having played tougher games away from home That equates to 2.3 points per game and 87 points per season which is enough to be there or thereabouts come end of season.
You've conceded more than anyone else in the top 6 - FACKHT Only 1 side has conceded more in the top 10 (Bournemouth - 14) - FACKHT The last sentence is an argument literally no-one has put forward. Your defence is porous, it remains to be seen whether your forward line will score enough to make it largely irrelevant. The stats from the history of the PL suggest that's unlikely to be the case.
Conceding in games you still win costs you no points #reality Conceding multiple goals in games you lose costs you no more points #reality We've conceded 13 goals and only 2 of them mattered (Vokes for Burnley and Rose for Spurs) #reality
Our defense is our weakest spot for sure Tobes. We're in a less extreme form compared to when Brodge took us to 2nd but similar scenario. Scoring lots of goals but conceeding a bunch too. Lovren is ok if not under pressure. Moreno is rubbish. Milner has done well and deserves to be on the field, but perhaps not as a defender. Both keepers are not playing well enough. Matip is fine and Clyde is fine. Gomez to be our hero? Klaven? Not worked out for us yet.
It's like having a discussion with a chimp this. #bored Ok mate, you win, you'll win the league despite sieving goals as you're beyond boss.
@Tobes let me explain it like this Stats suggest the team with the top scorer comes at or near the top Last season Lukaku scored a million and Everton came nowhere This statistical anomaly is known as #doingalukaku We are the defensive equivalent of this anomaly - only 15% of goals against us mean anything
Leicester conceded 17 goals after 10 games last season. They also got their first clean sheet on their 10th game. They ended the season with 15 clean sheets. Not saying that we are going to do the same because we have a different style. But I highly doubt we will go through the whole season with 1 clean sheet every 10 games. We'll hit a defensively purple patch I'm sure.
It's very easy to say Liverpool (or pretty much any team) won't win the league, and that it will be their defence that costs them It's such a generic statement it means nothing If Liverpool don't win the league, who will and what will their clean sheets look like, if clean sheets are so important? Will there be no PL winner this season if the team with the most points doesn't have as many clean sheets as previous winners? Liverpool are 2nd favourites with the bookies. The first are City. They have two clean sheets this season, both in 4-0 wins. This is supposed to be a key factor? We can even say Man City haven't kept a clean sheet against a team in the top 9. We have. So our clean sheet against Man Utd is worth more than theirs against Bournemouth and West Brom.
