Must be something that the statisticians have looked at. I know Liverpool for example, we have massively worked on our attacking patterns of play and massively go for risk vs reward. Definitely a noticeable difference in that regard, which I put down to us struggling against low block defences. My worry is City have a really nice run of fixture and they are just going to go on a massive run and coast away, can't see when they might drop points next where as I suspect Chelsea aren't too far away and I know Liverpool will.

 

The lack of squad depth will hurt you I think, plus of course losing Salah & Mane for AFCON. City definitely love a ridiculous early year winning run so would still have them down as favourites but all it takes is a few key injuries to completely derail everything.

 

All these hammerings are going to be for nothing for two out of those teams by the end of the season so good luck to them. They'll just go down as glorified nearly men! If it was to go down to the last match of the season that would be even better because the feeling would be more painful.

 

What I'd give to be in an actual title race that went to the wire again mind! I really think the 3 teams will each win one of the League, CL & FA Cup still annoyingly.

The lack of squad depth will hurt you I think, plus of course losing Salah & Mane for AFCON. City definitely love a ridiculous early year winning run so would still have them down as favourites but all it takes is a few key injuries to completely derail everything.

 

What I'd give to be in an actual title race that went to the wire again mind! I really think the 3 teams will each win one of the League, CL & FA Cup still annoyingly.

It would be good if teams lower in the table can cause upsets for those at the top. Imo the best title races are the ones where no one goes on a long winning run and the teams towards the top lose matches or draw consecutively. It's not good for the league as a whole if teams at the top win every week like how the 2018/19 season was for example.

The lack of squad depth will hurt you I think, plus of course losing Salah & Mane for AFCON. City definitely love a ridiculous early year winning run so would still have them down as favourites but all it takes is a few key injuries to completely derail everything.

What I'd give to be in an actual title race that went to the wire again mind! I really think the 3 teams will each win one of the League, CL & FA Cup still annoyingly.

 

Fingers crossed we only lose Salah and Mane for 2 league games. I actually think our squad depth is much better than the media and people give us credit for. But still think City are the clear favourites.

 

It would be good if teams lower in the table can cause upsets for those at the top. Imo the best title races are the ones where no one goes on a long winning run and the teams towards the top lose matches or draw consecutively. It's not good for the league as a whole if teams at the top win every week like how the 2018/19 season was for example.

 

The problem is I think the teams these days under Klopp and Guardiola especially just have that extra 1%. To get to 95 points to win the league is insane, I still can't believe we got to 97 points and didn't win the league in 18/19.

Must be something that the statisticians have looked at. I know Liverpool for example, we have massively worked on our attacking patterns of play and massively go for risk vs reward. Definitely a noticeable difference in that regard, which I put down to us struggling against low block defences. My worry is City have a really nice run of fixture and they are just going to go on a massive run and coast away, can't see when they might drop points next where as I suspect Chelsea aren't too far away and I know Liverpool will.

 

They’ll drop points when you least expect it like home to Southampton!

Good win and a clean sheet just what was needed was beginning to think it would end up 0-0 but a quality goal by Fred, all in all a good result now lets go on a winning run

Good win and a clean sheet just what was needed was beginning to think it would end up 0-0 but a quality goal by Fred, all in all a good result now lets go on a winning run

 

You've got the perfect fixtures now to go on a run. Spurs are looking ok too, I know Houdini hates it, but that 4th spot looks tough, although I'd expect Utd to win it.

You've got the perfect fixtures now to go on a run. Spurs are looking ok too, I know Houdini hates it, but that 4th spot looks tough, although I'd expect Utd to win it.

I don't hate it, my point before was that whoever finishes 4th will get the same prize as the two glorified nearly men that will finish 2nd & 3rd this season.

But they don’t they are different positions 😳

They'll get a few million more right? Which is couch change to the big teams.

 

And do 4th still have to have a CL play-off or is that defunct now?

And do 4th still have to have a CL play-off or is that defunct now?

 

Not for quite a while now. Premier League is top of the coefficients now so no chance of that happening for a long time.

Yeah I thought as much.

It still means a hell of a lot of say the 4th place team this year is well of the pace of the top 2/3 who may well be in a title challenge.

 

I mean the season we came a point behind City on 97 points I look at as a hugely successful season(especially when we put the disappointment to bed in the champions league a few weeks later)!

Edited December 7, 20213 yr by Christmasteve201

It was a great season for you but like you say it was completely disguised by the fact you won the CL & Prem the next season. Had you not done that it would have been seen as failure imo. It's no different to Spurs 16/17 who were very close to winning the league that year under Poch and because they ended up ultimately with nothing (which remains to this day) they're still the laughing stock of the league.

It was a great season for you but like you say it was completely disguised by the fact you won the CL & Prem the next season. Had you not done that it would have been seen as failure imo. It's no different to Spurs 16/17 who were very close to winning the league that year under Poch and because they ended up ultimately with nothing (which remains to this day) they're still the laughing stock of the league.

 

Good teams win things though, the 97 points and not winning the league was crazy. I don't think that will ever happen again in our lifetimes. But like City, we were a good team and we won trophies. The Spurs team in 15/16, was a good team but that was it. They needed a couple of extra players to get to that next level and become an elite one (like when Liverpool signed Allison and Fabinho).

There’s no way getting 97 points is a failure as I’ve said before only one team can win things in football, that’s why it so fun. I bet spurs fans enjoyed that season as most of their fans have never seen them win barely anything of a certain age. It’s such a big club mentality to think that it’s a failure.

so is just Son vs for tottenham this week? seems like they will have to postpone another game at this rate.

so is just Son vs for tottenham this week? seems like they will have to postpone another game at this rate.

 

Son is one of the players who allegedly has covid. Think the Brighton game will get postponed, but not sure if any others will to be honest. I'd be shocked if the Liverpool game next weekend gets postponed for example.

Son is one of the players who allegedly has covid. Think the Brighton game will get postponed, but not sure if any others will to be honest. I'd be shocked if the Liverpool game next weekend gets postponed for example.

 

yeah i just saw.

 

great weekend fixtures. all top teams playing at saturday 3?

 

premier league must want to get tv views up of other teams before xmas.

Bees vs Hornets - one team got stung, the other was absolutely buzzing.

Jorginho celebrates scoring a penalty like he's just dribbled past eight men and banged it in the top corner...