2016/2017 Title race

BlueCelery said:
That Tottenham game on Wednesday is going to be a cracker. After seeing that disgrace of a game Liverpool/City played the other night I'm definitely looking forward to that one.
Click to expand...

Pochettino has already started the mind-games by saying that every football fan in England wants Tottenham to win.

This will be a test of whether Conte's team can handle the pressure. Let's see.

My prediction is that Spurs will win 3-2.

Alot of Chelsea fans I know have long felt that the winning run would be ended at Spurs. Apart from the rivalry and the obvious fact that it is a derby, Spurs will also want revenge for you costing them the title last season.
 
RooneyLegend said:
Not really a masterstroke, just coaching your team different systems hence when he abruptly changed the system when arsenal was toying with them the players knew immediately how to play in the system.

I wouldn't say that. luiz, Matic, Cahil, Azpilicueta(never seen before as a Center back) is hardly the most illustrious list of names you could think of.
Click to expand...

Me neither. But I'd say Costa, Hazard, Matic, Kante, Azpilicueta and Courtois would be. Spine... aka experience from top to bottom.
 
Treble_Winning said:
Why are you so eager to write off UTD?

Applying the same logic that you used, if Spurs beat Chelsea, and Liverpool also beat Chelsea, and we beat Chelsea at Old Trafford and match their results (whether they win/lose or draw) and do the same for Liverpool (i.e. beat Liverpool at Old Trafford and then match their results) I believe that even if UTD doesn't win the title, we will be in the race until April or May.
Click to expand...

You are not in the race right now. Join in first, then we can talk.
 
We are not in the title race. It's one thing to catch up one team but to try and catch up 5 teams and hope they all drop a significant number of points in half a season is next to impossible. We should be hoping for Chelsea to beat Spurs and continue walking away with the title.
 
I think it's starting to pan out where the top 6 are streets ahead of the rest. Anyone that drops points against the rest will miss the top 4. We're going to end up with all the top teams on record numbers of points for their final position.
 
royboy16 said:
I have a feeling liverpool are going to win it this year.
A 6 point lead is feck all at this stage of the season.
Click to expand...
Liverpool are gonna pull out an Arsenal at a certain point of the season. The league is Chelsea to lose.
 
Santi_Mesut_Alexis_87 said:
Liverpool are gonna pull out an Arsenal at a certain point of the season. The league is Chelsea to lose.
Click to expand...

Why?

Liverpool don't look like they are going to hit a rough patch anytime soon.

I was very impressed with them against City, whilst it might have been a poor spectacle they hit the early goal and then managed the game with relative ease against a team who regardless of form who have very dangerous players.

I can't quite understand how people aren't impressed with Liverpool, they are fluid, on the front foot, score goals even without Coutinho and look very well drilled.

I have to say as well that Jordan Henderson who is a player I have always had little regard for has been excellent this season, and is leading this Liverpool team.
 
SirHenryPercy said:
Why?

Liverpool don't look like they are going to hit a rough patch anytime soon.

I was very impressed with them against City, whilst it might have been a poor spectacle they hit the early goal and then managed the game with relative ease against a team who regardless of form who have very dangerous players.

I can't quite understand how people aren't impressed with Liverpool, they are fluid, on the front foot, score goals even without Coutinho and look very well drilled.

I have to say as well that Jordan Henderson who is a player I have always had little regard for has been excellent this season, and is leading this Liverpool team.
Click to expand...
Never denied their great form. I just don't think they are completely ready to win the title. Their defence are still a massive worry.
 
Santi_Mesut_Alexis_87 said:
Liverpool are gonna pull out an Arsenal at a certain point of the season. The league is Chelsea to lose.
Click to expand...
Isn't to 'pull an Arsenal' reliant on being in 34 competitions in late February only to be out of them all by early March? Liverpool not having Europe immediately eliminates the possibility of doing an Arsenal this season. It's physically and spiritually impossible.
 
PickledRed said:
Isn't to 'pull an Arsenal' reliant on being in 34 competitions in late February only to be out of them all by early March? Liverpool not having Europe immediately eliminates the possibility of doing an Arsenal this season. It's physically and spiritually impossible.
Click to expand...
I still trust Klopp to totally drain out the team physically with his training methods and observe a dip in form :). The first half of the season was good, it gave interesting lessons for each of the teams. Let's see how it goes in the second half but I would be cautious.
 
Treble_Winning said:
Why are you so eager to write off UTD?
Click to expand...
Simple mathematics. Anyone with an iota of common sense can see that United are a 1,000-1 shot at this point in time. It would require an amazing confluence of circumstances for United to take the title.
 
Gasolin said:
I still trust Klopp to totally drain out the team physically with his training methods and observe a dip in form :). The first half of the season was good, it gave interesting lessons for each of the teams. Let's see how it goes in the second half but I would be cautious.
Click to expand...
Dortmund often came on strong in the second half of the season. You seem to be basing an opinion on wishful thinking, though to be fair you are most certainly not alone in that !
 
Rafateria said:
Dortmund often came on strong in the second half of the season. You seem to be basing an opinion on wishful thinking, though to be fair you are most certainly not alone in that !
Click to expand...
Dortmund had a winter break in Germany my friend, I am certain that in the case of Liverpool, the physical training methods will have their toll, just like Arsenal suffers the same. Let's just watch how it goes.
 
Gasolin said:
Dortmund had a winter break in Germany my friend, I am certain that in the case of Liverpool, the physical training methods will have their toll, just like Arsenal suffers the same. Let's just watch how it goes.
Click to expand...
Do you even know what Klopp's training methods are? I don't think Mourinho goes any easier on his players than Klopp does in training, no one goes to training half-heartedly at that kind of level.

Our first XI will have 13 days off after today's game, which is almost a two-week break from any competitive football. Add to that we'll get our best player back in two weeks who'll be fresh and looking to carry on his brilliant form early in the season. Anyone saying we'll run out of gas by the end of the season is just wishful thinking and trying to reassure himself that we won't be challenging this season. For anyone watching our games, it becomes fairly obvious that we have a lot more to our game than the infamous gegen-pressing.
 
RobinLFC said:
Do you even know what Klopp's training methods are? I don't think Mourinho goes any easier on his players than Klopp does in training, no one goes to training half-heartedly at that kind of level.

Our first XI will have 13 days off after today's game, which is almost a two-week break from any competitive football. Add to that we'll get our best player back in two weeks who'll be fresh and looking to carry on his brilliant form early in the season. Anyone saying we'll run out of gas by the end of the season is just wishful thinking and trying to reassure himself that we won't be challenging this season. For anyone watching our games, it becomes fairly obvious that we have a lot more to our game than the infamous gegen-pressing.
Click to expand...

If there is one thing for certain over the next 5 months it's that Liverpool won't run out of gas.

They may lose form or get hit by injuries, but they definitely won't gas.
 
Rafateria said:
Simple mathematics. Anyone with an iota of common sense can see that United are a 1,000-1 shot at this point in time. It would require an amazing confluence of circumstances for United to take the title.
Click to expand...

Whilst agreeing it would be highly unlikely, the bookies actually have us at around 28-1 currently. Bit of a difference. Just saying.
 
imo the title is far gone but our sights must definitely be on second place. We have done very well in the last few games and are starting to play as a team. We have some excellent catalysts in the middle in Herrera and Pogba, good flank players in Mkhitaryan and Martial and the target man is a genius. Our back 4 is gaining confidence every match. Our attitude has completely changed and every home game is buzzing, just buzzing! We can continue this great run of form and ignore every other team until May and then maybe see how things are. Top spot, not impossible but honestly very difficult. Second and Europa league should be our target.
 
royboy16 said:
People have been saying that for months now or that they would struggle without Coutinho.
They look very threatening and their dodgy defence got a clean sheet against City also.
Click to expand...
Against a City side so fecking toothless upfront. If they could keep a clean sheet against you and Chelsea i would definitely admit they have improved at the back.
 
Santi_Mesut_Alexis_87 said:
Against a City side so fecking toothless upfront. If they could keep a clean sheet against you and Chelsea i would definitely admit they have improved at the back.
Click to expand...
If a side with an attack consisting of KDB, Aguero and Silva looks toothless up front, it's only, or at least partly, because we made them look like that. We've definitely improved at the back.
 
We've been out of it since we drew to West Ham in late November. We'd have to win all our remaining games to stand any real chance of becoming champions which would probably be a greater feat than Leicester winning the title last year...
 
RobinLFC said:
If a side with an attack consisting of KDB, Aguero and Silva looks toothless up front, it's only, or at least partly, because we made them look like that. We've definitely improved at the back.
Click to expand...
Well yes to an extent, but you have to admit City's style of play allow the opponents to organize at the back (apart from us :nervous::lol:. I am still fuming at our defeat against them).
 
Last edited:
RobinLFC said:
Do you even know what Klopp's training methods are? I don't think Mourinho goes any easier on his players than Klopp does in training, no one goes to training half-heartedly at that kind of level.
Click to expand...
Which many have proposed as the reason Mourinho teams get run out of steam after the second year.
 
RobinLFC said:
Do you even know what Klopp's training methods are? I don't think Mourinho goes any easier on his players than Klopp does in training, no one goes to training half-heartedly at that kind of level.

Our first XI will have 13 days off after today's game, which is almost a two-week break from any competitive football. Add to that we'll get our best player back in two weeks who'll be fresh and looking to carry on his brilliant form early in the season. Anyone saying we'll run out of gas by the end of the season is just wishful thinking and trying to reassure himself that we won't be challenging this season. For anyone watching our games, it becomes fairly obvious that we have a lot more to our game than the infamous gegen-pressing.
Click to expand...

We play saints away next Wednesday in the EFL semi final first leg - games coming thick and fast in January.

I agree tho that the narrative about our pressing is based on wishful thinking - especially considering we don't have European games. Next season I expect more rotation, especially as the season progresses.

People on here talk like Klopp and co don't have access to or use sports science techniques and methods.
 
UsualSuspect said:
Me neither. But I'd say Costa, Hazard, Matic, Kante, Azpilicueta and Courtois would be. Spine... aka experience from top to bottom.
Click to expand...
The spine is the middle line of the team, from top to bottom. i.e Courtois, luiz, Azpilicueta, Cahill, Kante, Matic, Fabregas and Costa. Out of the bunch only costa and Courtois, maybe Kante would be defined as world class players. Then you have others Hazard, Moses, Alonso, Willian and Pedro and it doesn't look a team that should be looking to break the points total.
 
Think they'll get something out of this. Conte knows how to shut up shop effectively. Which is really bad for Pool. They'd effectively lose 2 points on the Chavs today even if the latter draw.
 
The easier scheduling for Chelsea has just about finished it to be honest.
 
I fancy Chelsea to win against Spurs. That extra day of rest can make the difference in such a busy period.
 
Treble_Winning said:
Pochettino has already started the mind-games by saying that every football fan in England wants Tottenham to win.

This will be a test of whether Conte's team can handle the pressure. Let's see.

My prediction is that Spurs will win 3-2.

Alot of Chelsea fans I know have long felt that the winning run would be ended at Spurs. Apart from the rivalry and the obvious fact that it is a derby, Spurs will also want revenge for you costing them the title last season.
Click to expand...
Poch can feck off. Rather Chelsea wins it than letting any of Arsenal, L'pool to get a sniff. With L'pool drew, I would like a draw for this (technically ends their winning streak). Unless we're second I wish Chelsea keeps a safe point gap with the rest.
 
Last edited:
SirHenryPercy said:
Why?

Liverpool don't look like they are going to hit a rough patch anytime soon.

I was very impressed with them against City, whilst it might have been a poor spectacle they hit the early goal and then managed the game with relative ease against a team who regardless of form who have very dangerous players.

I can't quite understand how people aren't impressed with Liverpool, they are fluid, on the front foot, score goals even without Coutinho and look very well drilled.

I have to say as well that Jordan Henderson who is a player I have always had little regard for has been excellent this season, and is leading this Liverpool team.
Click to expand...


That's how. Defense let's them down.
 
Even though it could be a record equalling game, I would take a draw at shite hart lane if one was offered now.

Hopefully with a couple of signings in Jan we will have enough cover in attacking areas for any bad luck with injuries.

All that said, this is not over by any stretch of imagination, 6 points is nothing. I remember we had a 5 point lead over city in mid dec-14 only to come out joint top come new years day 2015. Anything can happen.
 
Rafateria said:
I look at it another way. Chelsea were my tip to win the PL before the season started, I still think they will. However IF we are to have any chance of overtaking them (and this goes for Arsenal & Spurs too - I think City and United are just those few points too far back for serious consideration) then we will need a helping hand (e.g. Spurs beating them on Wednesday) AND us to beat them when they come to Anfield AND match their results thereafter (whether they win, lose or draw). That is a very unlikely series of events, but not beyond the realms of possibility.
Click to expand...

Today's scoreline is exactly why I place us as outsiders - we have it in us to drop enough silly points to not win the league.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.