charlietheyid
Banned
This. I still think Chelsea will be fine for 3rd.
It will go down to the last day between us a Arsenal again. It looks a lot like last season but this season we play them at Home which is very important.
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Suddenly, second place doesn't look like such a moonshot
- Thread starter greatwhitenorf
- Start date
This. I still think Chelsea will be fine for 3rd.
It will go down to the last day between us a Arsenal again. It looks a lot like last season but this season we play them at Home which is very important.
chicken_badge
Gudni Bergsson
It looks pretty convincing when put that way but part of the story isn't what matters, it's what the overall story is. Chelsea look wonderful from that but the fact is they are well out of the title race. We look shambolic but we are only one point behind them.
You're only looking at ten key matches per team and missing out another 28. We could get 0 points in that mini-table but go on and bag 84 for the other matches which would be pretty close to being champions.
All that table tells us is this season we look like we are bottling it against our immediate rivals. But it ignores the fact that we've played all but one of the away matches, and have to play 3/5 of them at home. And while its an interesting table, it's a very dangerous statistic to then use as a guide to the top four. Why end there? Why not include Liverpool, West Brom?
Looking at another way, if you pick out results between the top three teams in England, the three in the title race - Spurs, Man U and Emirates Marketing Project, we'd be top
braineclipse
Steve Sedgley
Very small sample size for that internal top 6 table posted. Also worth noting that we have 4 away games and only 2 home games in that.
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I don't think that anyone is saying that we are going to judge this season based on a goal to get 2nd, just that we can all have a look, dream, hope and see that it's not impossible. Mancini is still talking about a 10% chance of winning the league, why can't we talk about our chances of finishing 2nd?
Of course we need to get some big results to get there, but we've done that before and it won't be impossible to do it again.
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I don't think that anyone is saying that we are going to judge this season based on a goal to get 2nd, just that we can all have a look, dream, hope and see that it's not impossible. Mancini is still talking about a 10% chance of winning the league, why can't we talk about our chances of finishing 2nd?
Of course we need to get some big results to get there, but we've done that before and it won't be impossible to do it again.
chicken_badge
Gudni Bergsson
Home side normally does best in the NLD.
We are due a win at Stamford Bridge, this time it seems almost inevitable.
I think we have some big results still left in us this year. Those three games in March, Everton, City, Chelsea, will be crucial. But I'm encouraged all are in London.
Good job the season is based on playing ALL the teams then, stats like that mean very little unless it was a 6 team division.
Jurgen the German
Erik Thorstvedt
This 100%
SUIYHA
Scott Parker
Behave.
Put it this way, I don't think we have any chance at all of getting 2nd and I think 3rd is extremely unlikely. But really hope that AVB is getting the players to keep an eye on City's form, talking about it in the dressing room, on the training ground and making them all too aware of the closing gap between us. Because even if we fall just one place short of over-taking them, we'll be in 3rd, and if it's two places, we're still in 4th. I'd much rather the players (not the fans) be taking that mentality of always looking up the table, striving to close that gap and climb even higher, than looking over their shoulder, sitting on their laurels that we're 4 points ahead of Arsenal and getting nervous every time Arsenal look like closing the gap on us.
Jurgen the German
Erik Thorstvedt
It would top anything Redknapp achieved but yeah, to say it's as better than winning trophies is a bit OTT
Can we get 2nd?
Mumorn
Vic Buckingham
Well, Everton won't finish in the top 6.
glorygloryeze
Tom Huddlestone
I like the fact that the last 3 teams we play this season might all have nothing to play for whereas in Arse's last 4 games they have to go to QPR, who might have to win that game to avoid relegation, play Man U (who wont do them any favours) and go to Noocastle who are improving and I think look like a decent side.
My concern is that there's a good few tricky games in our next 8 games. All are winnable but there's some tricky ones in there. Far far too close to call if you ask me and too many variables....
My concern is that there's a good few tricky games in our next 8 games. All are winnable but there's some tricky ones in there. Far far too close to call if you ask me and too many variables....
Danishfurniturelover
the prettiest spice girl
or qpr could already be down, man u could already have won the league and Saudi Sportswashing Machine comfortable in mid table.
glorygloryeze
Tom Huddlestone
Worringly, this
glorygloryeze
Tom Huddlestone
Absolutley, This; So SO True...
greatwhitenorf
Edgar Davids
I suppose what prompted me to put up the OP is that the media are about to begin picking apart City. They've failed to defend their title and in humiliaiting fashion, showing none of the hunger that spurred them on in the closing stages last season. United look very comfortable to win the league and Paddy Power has already offered punters early paydays for those who bet United to win.
Mancini is as good as gone, a proverbial dead man walking. Not a good situation to keep a high-priced, talented and underachieving team motivated. They've already flopped badly in two CL appearances. The whole Balotelli soap opera left a bad taste. There's some very unhappy chappies who came to City thinking they'd hit the big time only to be forced into a secondary role, i.e. Richards, Lescott, you could even argue Nasri. Self interest is about to take hold there and it will do nothing for their competitiveness.
Chelsea will have the Spanish Waiter Inquisition to deal with. I can't say the media will do us all sorts of favours because this is a club steeped in controversy and they rode it to lift the European Cup. But they had something to play for and sacrifice for. Now, they have no chance at the title, out of CL, the fiasco of trying to paddle-shock Torres' withering talent into life, financial fair play regs that will be their undoing because they can't build a proper stadium to help cook the books. The graceless handling of Lampard, another year of decline for Terry and Cech looking mortal amidst a softening backline. Lke us, they also have to play Europa League. It won't be a pleasure. It will be a chore, one performed begrudgingly. Still, they have little to compel them to play at the top of their game.
Say what you want about our last 10 games, but we've won six drawn four and kept five clean sheets. We've won some very ugly victories. But we've shown enough character to get it done. Although we've lost one of the best DMs in the league, we're still tough to score on. Our defence is getting healthier and more comfortable with Lloris. Holtby is beginning to emerge as a great playmaker and goal threat. You have to wonder if this is what we hoped Sigurdsson would become early on. Maybe this will be what brings out the best in him. We should have all our striking options back before the NLD. Having finally opened this season, are we beginning to see the benefits of our new training centre?
We've had to come through an early season baptism of fire in the media. AVB got hammered. There was all sorts of scurrilous coverage over Modric's antics and eventual departure, as well as VDV's exit. There was the Lloris-Friedel situation. The fabricated stories of player dissension over AVB's tactics.
Spurs players have heard and seen it all and have continued to battle through it as a well-knit group. We've got a mentally hardened team as a result of this process and the progress they've made is significant. When you see Chelsea and City throwing away games late on or losing to far lesser clubs, it's a big hint that their players aren't in a good frame of mind. I look at Arsenal and see a very beatable side. Soft as a grape at the back, with Sagna likely to put self-preservation ahead of club succes as he is leaving after the season. Jack Wheelchair is looking a very tender boy. Walcott has the constitution of a lightbulb. Diaby is hailed a medical marvel if he plays three games in a row. Czszsnszny hardly inspires confidence.
I think Liverpool are in a good frame of mind and capable of rising in the talbe. Not so sure about Everton, who will be undermined by the speculation that will grow about where Fellaini will be off to. Both sides lack the depth to overcome any injuries.
The fans of other clubs that I chat with are envious. Spurs don't have to be sensational to finish above fourth. Just keep going the way they are and let human nature and the media run their courses with the other teams.
Mancini is as good as gone, a proverbial dead man walking. Not a good situation to keep a high-priced, talented and underachieving team motivated. They've already flopped badly in two CL appearances. The whole Balotelli soap opera left a bad taste. There's some very unhappy chappies who came to City thinking they'd hit the big time only to be forced into a secondary role, i.e. Richards, Lescott, you could even argue Nasri. Self interest is about to take hold there and it will do nothing for their competitiveness.
Chelsea will have the Spanish Waiter Inquisition to deal with. I can't say the media will do us all sorts of favours because this is a club steeped in controversy and they rode it to lift the European Cup. But they had something to play for and sacrifice for. Now, they have no chance at the title, out of CL, the fiasco of trying to paddle-shock Torres' withering talent into life, financial fair play regs that will be their undoing because they can't build a proper stadium to help cook the books. The graceless handling of Lampard, another year of decline for Terry and Cech looking mortal amidst a softening backline. Lke us, they also have to play Europa League. It won't be a pleasure. It will be a chore, one performed begrudgingly. Still, they have little to compel them to play at the top of their game.
Say what you want about our last 10 games, but we've won six drawn four and kept five clean sheets. We've won some very ugly victories. But we've shown enough character to get it done. Although we've lost one of the best DMs in the league, we're still tough to score on. Our defence is getting healthier and more comfortable with Lloris. Holtby is beginning to emerge as a great playmaker and goal threat. You have to wonder if this is what we hoped Sigurdsson would become early on. Maybe this will be what brings out the best in him. We should have all our striking options back before the NLD. Having finally opened this season, are we beginning to see the benefits of our new training centre?
We've had to come through an early season baptism of fire in the media. AVB got hammered. There was all sorts of scurrilous coverage over Modric's antics and eventual departure, as well as VDV's exit. There was the Lloris-Friedel situation. The fabricated stories of player dissension over AVB's tactics.
Spurs players have heard and seen it all and have continued to battle through it as a well-knit group. We've got a mentally hardened team as a result of this process and the progress they've made is significant. When you see Chelsea and City throwing away games late on or losing to far lesser clubs, it's a big hint that their players aren't in a good frame of mind. I look at Arsenal and see a very beatable side. Soft as a grape at the back, with Sagna likely to put self-preservation ahead of club succes as he is leaving after the season. Jack Wheelchair is looking a very tender boy. Walcott has the constitution of a lightbulb. Diaby is hailed a medical marvel if he plays three games in a row. Czszsnszny hardly inspires confidence.
I think Liverpool are in a good frame of mind and capable of rising in the talbe. Not so sure about Everton, who will be undermined by the speculation that will grow about where Fellaini will be off to. Both sides lack the depth to overcome any injuries.
The fans of other clubs that I chat with are envious. Spurs don't have to be sensational to finish above fourth. Just keep going the way they are and let human nature and the media run their courses with the other teams.