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Serious relegation fears

The Arse and West Ham games within a few days of each other are huge. Both decent sides and very realistic that we could either win both or lose both. I'd love 4 points, possibly take 3 if we beat Arse so meant they couldn't take more than us over their equivalent two games
 
36 points is a long way to go ...

no more games against City or Leicester, so really the objective has to be not lose against the Scum, and play the rest one by one

all 4 teams will lose/win/draw unexpectedly in that 12 game run.
 
We absolutely are in a title race now. We're not flying under the radar anymore. If you go by current form and over the course of the season, we have been the best team, but it's not always just about who plays the best. It's about who wins games even when they have an off day and who manages their squad their best.

I truly believe we have to prioritise the league over everything else. If that means resting our most important players for the cups then so be it. Winning the league after so many years of failing to do so and being reminded of it by our near neighbours on a daily basis would be out of this world and would top any achievement the club has managed since 1961.
 
SUIYHA said:
Poch has never been involved in a title race before - actually as far as I know he's never been seriously involved in any sort of "race", except maybe a relegation scrap in his first season at Espanyol.

Will be interesting to see how he handles the pressure, the squad rotation at the business end of the season, and also the media mind games that will come with it. The good news for him is that he's up against Ranieri and Wenger who are both serial chokers when it comes to title races. Ranieri has never won a league title and Wenger hasn't since Dele Alli was 8 years old...
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I'm pretty sure Poch is talking to Bielsa and any other of his mentors/friends who have been involved in a title race and getting all the tips and pointers he can get. That's what I would do, and I'm sure he's at least 5 times as smart as me.
 
I think we will handle the race one game at a time. We have shown that, this season, we are a match for anybody in the division.

The next game is Fiorentina. Let's rotate sensibly (I have total faith that Poch will have a plan) and keep winning!
 
SUIYHA said:
Poch has never been involved in a title race before - actually as far as I know he's never been seriously involved in any sort of "race", except maybe a relegation scrap in his first season at Espanyol.

Will be interesting to see how he handles the pressure, the squad rotation at the business end of the season, and also the media mind games that will come with it. The good news for him is that he's up against Ranieri and Wenger who are both serial chokers when it comes to title races. Ranieri has never won a league title and Wenger hasn't since Dele Alli was 8 years old...
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Neither had Pelligrini before City. He had won nothing as a manager IIRC

And people say we don't have the experience but forget that we have Toby, Jan, Christian, Hugo, Dembel and I think Cahldi who all won French or Dutch leagues with big sides and huge pressure I'd say (except demebel and Chadli at AZ and Twente respectively)
 
Bedfordspurs said:
Neither had Pelligrini before City. He had won nothing as a manager IIRC

And people say we don't have the experience but forget that we have Toby, Jan, Christian, Hugo, Dembel and I think Cahldi who all won French or Dutch leagues with big sides and huge pressure I'd say (except demebel and Chadli at AZ and Twente respectively)
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Toby also has a league winners' medal from his time at Atletico.
 
We shouldn't get ahead of ourselves. And we shouldn't work ourselves into a mindset where finishing third in the league feels like a disappointment.

I said at the start of the season that I could maybe see us challenge for fourth, but given the youth of the team I didn't expect us to become real contenders until next season (at the earliest). Instead I find myself with my expectations massively exceeded. I'm starting to worry that if we suffer a late fall-off, and finish third behind Arsenal and Leicester... I won't be able to enjoy it as much as I should. We haven't seen the best of this team yet; I truly believe that; so I want to be able to celebrate finishing third (while still hoping for more).
 
DublinSpur said:
We shouldn't get ahead of ourselves. And we shouldn't work ourselves into a mindset where finishing third in the league feels like a disappointment.

I said at the start of the season that I could maybe see us challenge for fourth, but given the youth of the team I didn't expect us to become real contenders until next season (at the earliest). Instead I find myself with my expectations massively exceeded. I'm starting to worry that if we suffer a late fall-off, and finish third behind Arsenal and Leicester... I won't be able to enjoy it as much as I should. We haven't seen the best of this team yet; I truly believe that; so I want to be able to celebrate finishing third (while still hoping for more).
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Strangely I think I'd more disappointed with 2nd than 3rd. I know that is irrational but to be runners up would be so disappointing when the prize is so close. That doesn't make a whole lot of sense I know but I feel I'd be able to appreciate and enjoy the 3rd place finish more than dwell on what might have been if we were 2nd.
 
Can I just say how happy this season is making me. Even if we don't win the league, I'm pretty sure that Champions League is now within our grasp. However it's the team spirit, lack of a big name star, style of play and of course consistent results that are making me smile. Thanks Poch.
 
i remember 20 odd years ago Saudi Sportswashing Machine were 12 points clear at around this time and didnt win the league, forget about analysing future matches, if it was easy as that, leicester would be 17th and not 1st. Leicester have such a massive advantage in being able to concentrate completely on the league, that will be very telling come the last few weeks when fatigue definitely plays a part.
 
Rorschach said:
Strangely I think I'd more disappointed with 2nd than 3rd. I know that is irrational but to be runners up would be so disappointing when the prize is so close. That doesn't make a whole lot of sense I know but I feel I'd be able to appreciate and enjoy the 3rd place finish more than dwell on what might have been if we were 2nd.
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You know if we finish 2nd and it is within 6pts of Leciester City people will forever wonder 'what if'. If we do finish 2nd I actually hope we finish 7pts behind them
 
Bedfordspurs said:
Neither had Pelligrini before City. He had won nothing as a manager IIRC

And people say we don't have the experience but forget that we have Toby, Jan, Christian, Hugo, Dembel and I think Cahldi who all won French or Dutch leagues with big sides and huge pressure I'd say (except demebel and Chadli at AZ and Twente respectively)
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It's a media narrative, much like Man U winning the league with kids when that team was laced with experienced pros.
 
My concern now is the West Ham game and in particular Noble trying to noble some of our players before the Arse game. It would be typical of him
 
The next two games are season defining(I suppose every game from here is in a way)

If we beat West Ham and Arsenal and Arsenal also lose to UTD away then we give ourselves the platform we need (given the other tough away games we have coming up) to win the league. We absolutely have to beat Arsenal
 
My Main concern is that Kane genuinely looked knackered yesterday, I think FA CUP and Fior are rests needed.

Other than that its getting to uncharted area for me, I am starting to poop it a little
 
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