Can we gloat yet?

Man City are quite a recent entry into the top teams...shows it is possible to change the hierarchy. The top teams were United, Arsenal, Spurs, and Liverpool a few years back. Chelsea and City are now fully accepted in that group, whereas Spurs are living on past history. Newcastle are a big club that have fallen from grace....you expect them to be about 10th now. When I was young of course, the top wasn't so set in stone...Leeds being a good example of that...they were massive then. I can see us filling the Spurs spot...a team you expect to see somewhere near the top and never to be written off. It would be great if we end up with a more feared reputation than that as it would prove that you can break into the top with a good plan rather than just throw stupid money at it.

 

Man Utd, Liverpool, Arsenal, Man City, Chelsea and Tottenham. They consistently get top 6.

Everton have recently got back to that but from the days when they used to be contenders right up to a few years ago they would have 1 good season followed by a poor season, then another good season etc.

 

going into the two week break we are 11 points clear of liverpool and spurs and 9 clear of man utd; of the 11 sides we have played all but three of them would be in the top ten now had they beaten us, and two would be in the top four (one of whom is newcastle????).

....now can I gloat? Even just a little?

 

I think we can all laugh at Tottenham. In fact, let's...

 

It would be rude not to laugh.

 

[video=youtube;P9O6pCYyelA]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9O6pCYyelA[/video]

 

The Premiership table is looking realy good at the moment!! Let us recall what happened at the US Tennis Open in September when Djoko and Federer were supposed to get to the final. As we know Cilic and Nishikori had other ideas. Perhaps this is being transferred into the PL where the so-called elite clubs are supposed to get the CL places. Who knows what will happen as the season unfolds but perhaps it is time for some of the "lesser lights" to break the mould? So come on Southampton do it!! Also good to see West Ham, Swansea, Newcastle and Stoke turning over the glamour clubs!!!!! I do think Manchester United are gradually sorting themselves out so watch out for them. Let us hope Arsenal's, Liverpool's and Tottenham's miserable form continues well into the New Year!!!!

 

I think Liverpool and Tottenham will be midtable teams this season; they needn't get excited about their squads being depleted by fire-sales and "mass exoduses", sorry guys!

 

I'm not so sure over Man U. They should have got hammered on penalties alone last week and winning 1-0 at home to a Warnock Palace team isn't exactly getting back to anything like form.

 

Van Gaal is attempting to lower Man U's expectations by claiming that it will be three-year project to restore their fortunes. We can obviously help with that by lowering their expectations even further

 

Don't swallow this three years suggested by van Gaal. Yes, if you were rebuilding using Academy lads, but they can win by buying players. Shouldn't take more than one season of judicious buying for United to be title contenders. If it takes 3 years, he is a crap manager with no idea how to build a side.

 

I agree with you Fran, but Man U haven't done very well (yet), despite the money already spent this season (I seem to remember reading that under Van Gaal, Man U have spent more so far than they did under Moyes, but with little to show for it). Van Gaal's just getting his excuses in first, before the end of season witch-hunt

 

You're absolutely right, Fran. There are plenty of us out here who don't swallow that line either. ManU [apparently] have the resources to buy in an entire team of cherry-picked superstars, if they want to. Half a season max to make them all gel. The secret, as we know, is getting the right ones, and not buying with the scatter gun method so beloved of certain teams, but most notably Spurs. Personally, I think ManU have used the same method.

 

They should have stuck with Moyes...hardly improved under van Gaal and I'm sure Moyes would have favoured having a defence.

 

Is Van Gaal the Dutch Keegan (You score four, we'll score five)? Maybe he was sold the line that "We are Manchester United, everyone else will roll over, as no-one will have the temerity to score against us"