1. City
2. Liverpool
3. Arsenal
4 ?
2. Liverpool
3. Arsenal
4 ?
2016/2017 Title race
- Thread starter Adisa
- Start date
I jsut think they have the better squads and cannot possibly have as bad a season as last year. Last season was an absolutel freak of a season, it just was
Because for the past 10yrs? Arsenal do the same thing, year in year out. I genuinely believe they'll never win the title again so long as Wenger is in charge. Harsh i know, but my opinion. I just think City, Chelsea and Utd have the best squads in the prem, and theyve all got managers who winning is a habit, thats my reasoning
Arsenal have a better squad than both Utd and Chelsea, unfortunately.
Before the season started I thought it was between City and United. For me it's City's to lose, they have an embarassment of riches up front, on the wings and their defense and midfield should surfice although they may struggle a little if Gundogan goes down. United had some very good signings and some top young players but the chemistry and squad depth is poor. Your style of play isn't gelling yet. Arsenal haven't got a good enough forward line but should be much better over the course of a season than last year in midfield and defense. Liverpool are playing out of their skin but they're squad depth won't be good enough and they're already slipping up against small teams who sit deep and counter attack them. Chelsea don't look devestating and have too many old players past their best like Fabregas, Ivanovic, Terry and Matic too not getting back to his form of 2 seasons ago while Luiz is a disaster.
Still Arsenal-Chelsea and Liverpool-United will answer some interesting questions.
United are actually the most interesting, a team who is set up to play counter attacking football but only has 1 defensive midfield, an attacking midfielder playing as a DM and 4 forwards in front of them. If they actually start with a DLP and DM/B2B alongside Pogba their fortunes may change. But then you have Rooney, Martial, Rashford, Mkhitaryan, Lingard fighting for 2 spots on the wings.
Still Arsenal-Chelsea and Liverpool-United will answer some interesting questions.
United are actually the most interesting, a team who is set up to play counter attacking football but only has 1 defensive midfield, an attacking midfielder playing as a DM and 4 forwards in front of them. If they actually start with a DLP and DM/B2B alongside Pogba their fortunes may change. But then you have Rooney, Martial, Rashford, Mkhitaryan, Lingard fighting for 2 spots on the wings.
That's fair enough, it's all down to opinions after all. I do disagree though, I think the Arsenal squad is comparable to the United one, if not a little better.
Chelsea will easily finish ahead of Arsenal & Liverpool. Conte just needs to pick his best players & make earlier subs.
Doubt they will finish above either, Arsenal have better players and Liverpool have a better manager and probably players as well.
Chelsea will be relying on no European football to help bridge the gap.
Because Arsenal are a team of annual bottlers and Liverpool are a fairly poor squad who are doing a good job of playing an extremely fast, intense attacking game again which will result in the team being knackered by Jan/Feb. Plus they're Liverpool and therefore can be immediately discounted as a title contenter on the ground that they're shit. Hope this helped.
How much would you bet that you finish below Arsenal?
No, we're relying on having a better squad. Why you would think Arsenals is stronger is bizarre quite frankly. I suppose you'd sign Giroud over Costa or Iwobi over Hazard right?
There wont be a title race. City will finish with a lot of points above all others. Then the likes of Chelsea,Arsenal,Liverpool,Tottenham,United.
I think City will piss it. Although they won their first five games last season too..
I thought it would be between Manchester City and Manchester United but City are far out in front as favourites at the moment.
United are with Arsenal, Chelsea, and Liverpool (alphabetical order) in the chasing group. I don't think there's much reason to say that one will perform better than the others yet. Perhaps they'll be joined by Tottenham.
United are with Arsenal, Chelsea, and Liverpool (alphabetical order) in the chasing group. I don't think there's much reason to say that one will perform better than the others yet. Perhaps they'll be joined by Tottenham.
I still think we'll be somewhere in the top 3 with City winning it. I didn't anticipate we would win this year though, as long as we guarantee CL qualification & put up a decent title run i'll be happy.
That's a bold statement to make after your poor outing last weekend but I wouldn't expect anything else from you.
Like Klopp's Dortmund was always knackered by Jan/Feb? Oh wait.. And don't come up with the standard winter break argument, we have no European football so that should even it out. A lot of people on here just discount us based on the they'll be knackered by the end of the season argument because we play a high-tempo, attacking game while it's really just wishful thinking. We could be, but we could very well not be either.
Fwiw I absolutely don't think we're even close to being title challengers, but we could (easily) finish above United and Chelsea if they keep playing like they have been.
Anyone who stays within 3-6pts of City come Dec/Jan will be in with a chance. There's no way they carry on with this sort of form, they had an incredible start last season before hitting a slump of form. I'm not saying they won't win the title, I still think they are favourites, but they won't win it at a canter like some have predicted on here.
Every team will go through a bad run/month and struggle to pick up points. Pep plays a frantic pressing game which can lead to a lot of fatigue/injuries, and it will be interesting to see how they deal with that when the games are coming thick and fast.
Every team will go through a bad run/month and struggle to pick up points. Pep plays a frantic pressing game which can lead to a lot of fatigue/injuries, and it will be interesting to see how they deal with that when the games are coming thick and fast.
FWIW I think if we (City) don't win it, it will be because United beat us to the title.
I cannot see Chelsea coming from the disarray they were in last season to Champions in one fell swoop. Liverpool don't have the consistency and defensive resiliance. Arsenal are perennial also-rans, and will remain so whilst Wenger is in charge. Leicester - forget it. Spurs don't have the depth of squad.
I think we are rightly favourites, but conceivably Mourinho can work his magic and get United into relentless grinding out wins mode. That's what I fear the most.
I cannot see Chelsea coming from the disarray they were in last season to Champions in one fell swoop. Liverpool don't have the consistency and defensive resiliance. Arsenal are perennial also-rans, and will remain so whilst Wenger is in charge. Leicester - forget it. Spurs don't have the depth of squad.
I think we are rightly favourites, but conceivably Mourinho can work his magic and get United into relentless grinding out wins mode. That's what I fear the most.
City have started off in flying fashion showing no signs of a "tough transitional period" but that's probably a lot to do with other teams not adjusting to them yet. You'd expect the rest of the league to slowly adapt their playing style to counter City and start taking points off them.
Of course, whether that adaptation is enough to stop them from winning the title remains to be seen. Also, they have only played us among the big teams so perhaps the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool, etc. might fare a lot better against them which will of course influence the final standings.
Of course, whether that adaptation is enough to stop them from winning the title remains to be seen. Also, they have only played us among the big teams so perhaps the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool, etc. might fare a lot better against them which will of course influence the final standings.
City always do this though, they always start the season well and then their form dips come Christmas.
I think City will be clear winners followed by Liverpool. My top 4.
1. City
2. Liverpool
3. Arsenal
4. Everton
Some may be surprised by Everton but Koeman is a much better coach than he is given credit for and will get the maximum out of of a decent group of players.
1. City
2. Liverpool
3. Arsenal
4. Everton
Some may be surprised by Everton but Koeman is a much better coach than he is given credit for and will get the maximum out of of a decent group of players.
I actually think Liverpool could well win the league
The knee jerking in here. 
Whilst you may well be right, equaliy you could be miles off. We just don't know yet.
Mourinho took over a relatively successful Chelsea in 2004 but nevertheless a team that many felt were underperforming under Ranieri. I remember thinking it was harsh of Abramovic to get rid of Ranieri and that he should have been given more time.
And yet Mourinho transformed the team and they went on to win by 12 points clear, amassing 95 points in the process.
There are parallels with City now. Many have thought that City have had the best squad for a while and that we have actually underachieved bearing in mind the quality of the 1st team personnel over the past few years. I think Pellegrini was a rank average manager at best, and this certainly seems to be borne out in the results so far.
So is it impossible that Guardiola will do the same at City as Mourinho did with Chelsea in 2004/5? Is it impossible that we will carry on the current form? Definitely it is not.
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We've had some crap managers though.
I think it's wishful thinking from certain people, like they say it to convince themselves. But it's not founded on anything really.
I think you'll finish 3rd behind city and Arsenal.
You my friend are sounding like a Liverpool supporter
Is it team selection or managers tactics? You have some great players in your squad but have a manager setting up to counter attack with little pace in his starting 11.
On Liverpool our squad depth as keeps getting mentioned isn't as bad or shallow as some seem to think. Last nights game for instance, I know it was Derby but we made seven changes from the previous game giving a couple of 1st starts for some but you would not have noticed as they fitted in seamlessly. A sign of the entire squad buying into Klopps system and understanding what he wants from them.
As for the title race. Who knows? If City do not run away with it then I can see it being a massive and exiting scrap. If you are in with a shout of top four this season then you will probably be in the title race as well as it could well be that tight
Aside from Emperor Palpatine, I'd agree with that. Still think nobody should be jumping to many conclusions until Christmas at the least though. Going by many predictions on here, Arsenal who were in ''crisis'' as usual a little over 2 weeks ago are now a force again.
It does not matter, arsenal get way more injuries than all the other clubs. One can almost bank on it.
I really don't think they do. They do however play a brand of football that Wenger has them playing for years now, that's pretty much flawless in beating the mid table/relegation teams.
Still going to say its going to be between City and United by a margin of less than 5 points. Chelsea will look like they are in the title race mid season but will finish 10-15 points off the top. Arsenal will be in top 2 by January only to drop and finish 4th as the usual suspects get injured.
Rest of the teams will not do enough to be considered in the title race post round 10. Dippers, Everton and spurs to finish 20-30 points off the top.
Rest of the teams will not do enough to be considered in the title race post round 10. Dippers, Everton and spurs to finish 20-30 points off the top.
I think not. Man for man Arsenal team is better than Chelsea. United are probably a bit better than arsenal squad wise.
They also get way more penalties awarded to them leading to them getting the three points needed
Well whatever you think, the fact is that Arsenal have proven themselves to be flat track bullies for years upon years now. Nothing they've done so far this season is any different to previous seasons. If Jose gets us playing to our strength's, we'll turn out far stronger. Same with Chelsea.
If Jose had this arsenal squad (provided they stay fit) he would win the league. United squad is not settled, Jose does not know his best 11 at United.
You mean like you've successfully carried it on all the way to the end of the season previously, triumphantly winning the title?
Do you expect both United and Chelsea to keep playing the way they have been, with new players and new managers still settling in?
No it isn't, what the hell are you talking about?
You never brought up settlement in the first place, you made a claim that Arsenal' squad is outright better that United' and Chelsea's. Once fully settled then, who do you reckon is stronger?
I can see it all going pear shaped for Guardiola at some point this season. Teams will figure out how to stop City playing the way they are now.
They've had a great start and we haven't.
They've had a great start and we haven't.
With the amount of money we spent our target should at least be to qualify for Champions League. Anything better than 3rd or 4th would be great but anything lower than that should be considered as a bad season.
I do not know why but i think a lot of players seem uninterested on pitch. Is it just me?
I do not know why but i think a lot of players seem uninterested on pitch. Is it just me?