Currently nine shots on target in the city game with a total of 2.9xG, and yet nine goals. Just play 11 outfield players each maybe yeah?
City were a Gvardiol-clearance-off-the-line away from totally bottling a 5-1 lead. I know they're only 2 points behind us (as it stands), but I'm just not sold on them at all, especially defensively. I'm not gonna 100% write them off because they are still City and Pep is still a top manager. And I know things can change in the second half of the season. But I never saw these vulnerabilities in their 22/23 or 23/24 teams - and I think these issues are both structural and due to personnel, which won't all be solved in the Jan transfer window.
The issue is they play with 10 men in their defensive set up every week - with Haaland's role purely to score goals. Every team that plays against them can create overlaps/space. Because they don't sit back it makes them very open. They do keep picking up points, though, despite the scrapes and they will improve when it really matters in the last 3rd of the season. Right now I would make Chelsea favourites for the league, with City next. I am quite down on our chances at this time given what I have seen from us in big games. All may change , though - it's early. Our job right now is to beat Brentford - which I am not overly confident of.
please log in to view this image Mate Chelsea can play well in big games when we want, but we are inconsistent as hell, our defence is half baked, and this season we cant seem to keep 11 men on the pitch for 90 minutes. Aint no way we winning no league unless Arsenal AND City both **** the bed and have dreadful seasons...that aint happening
Ok, I think this far too cynical, Jay. Chelsea have a talented group of players and a good coach, but they are not emotionally mature enough. I also question their quality up front and at centre half. They also have SIX red cards already this season, which is an abomination. I just don't see them doing it. City as I said are in the mix and I will never fully write them off, but they look extremely vulnerable and the last 2 games have shown they have a high degree of complacency when they get into a cushioned lead. They will need to tighten up defensively if they're serious about the league. For me, we are the best equipped to win the league from a balance perspective. The one thing I can see stopping us is not getting a clean bill of health when it comes to injuries. We were able to navigate through it so far because of our depth this season, but we will struggle if we continue to have our core players out for lengthy periods of time. We need our spine to have some continuity, not constant chopping and changing. One thing that's not been mentioned is the fact that City and Chelsea both have some difficult away fixtures in the second half of the season that we won't need to worry about as we'd have already ticked those games off. It's going to be very tough, but IF we get wins in the next 2 games, we'd have an 8 point lead on City before they play against Sunderland. Things could still get better for us... But yes, let's not look too far forward - one game at a time - let's get through tonight against Brentford and then a very difficult away fixture against Aston Villa beckons in an early Saturday kick-off.
I am definitely in a cynical phase at the moment - still quite pissed off with the performance against Chelsea TBH. Not just the result against 10 men, but how we played. On the remaining away fixtures - we do still need to go the Etihad and also to Spurs. Tough away games I'd say - for different reasons. City will be a direct rival and Spurs is an NLD. For now, though, hoping the team can step up the performance tonight and play with more fluidity and drive with markedly different levels of execution. It's a game we do need to win.
That second Romero goal last night was weird. No pace, not in the corner, no deflection. Wtf was Ramsdale doing? How does a pro goalkeeper let than go in? So weird.
100% Agree! That's why Arteta obviously saw something different from all of us way back when.....I'm just glad Raya worked out, it was certainly a questionable time when Raya took the #1 GK jersey.
I think Ramsdale did very well for us - he played so well he broke into the reckoning for England... and I will never forget the double save against Leicester... maybe the single best bit of goalkeeping I have ever seen. Reminder ... it's other worldly I do think Raya has worked out well though and quite simply won the battle. I will be forever grateful to players like Ramsdale, Jesus, White, Zinchenko, etc who were the first batch of the rebuild and started the turn around for this club. We got back in the CL and were able to go forward and attract more players.
Whaaaaaaaaaaat ?!!! Bro, thats madness ! Chelsea favourites then City ?! Surprised you haven't lumped Liverpool in there ahead of us too. Chelsea are far too hit n miss and Man City are conceding far too many goals. We on the other hand are ticking along, not even playing well but still atop the table with a gap. How you don't make us favourites is a mystery.
He's hilariously cynical. 18 games unbeaten, top of the league and the Champions League. Plenty of reasons to be optimistic
I was going to say yesterday (before they lost to Leeds) that NOWAY are Chelsea title challengers. Sure they have good attacking young players but they are too error prone to make a consistent run. City will be our main challenge come March.
Even if you drop points at Villa, I still dont see anyone beating you for the league, as has just been proven, our managers tactical naivety and a lack of quality at the back will not see us good. And City are far too attack minded, they can score goals for fun but they are leakier than a busted tap at the back.
They might drop out of the top 4 if that happened. But it would be up to Chelsea and teams like Villa and Sunderland to make them pay for it. In short, they'd still probably have enough to get top 4, we or Villa might pip them to second and third, but I cant see anyone else getting their **** together enough to put a in a run.
The thing that annoys me is we are already hearing the narrative the league is weaker this year.. and it's just because Arsenal are likely to win it. Last Season Liverpool won the league on 82pts ... does anyone really think Arsenal wouldn't have gotten more points than that without an Injury crises? (we got 89 in 23/24) City have improved this term, Chelsea are better. If anything Liverpool had it easy last Season.
Remains to be seen, but Liverpool are nowhere near where they were last year, Forest have taken a nosedive.....us (being Chelsea) probably are a little bit better, City about the same I would say. I think people are just upset because they wanted a title race, and for the second year running, it doesnt look like there is going to be one.
