Title challengers

[nottsblue]

So, we are six games in and though it is still very early days, the PL table is starting to take a familiar feel.

Who do you think will be fighting it out over the course of the season? I assume we will be in the mix. I say this only after last season when we won the first five but tailed away. Obviously we have new management, direction and style but nothing in football is certain. But the way we have started bodes well. Not played anyone of note yet but you can only beat what's in front of you.

In terms of the rest, the side I think will run close are the dippers. Already played Spurs, Chelsea and Arsenal away and got 7 points. To be honest I'd bite someone's hand off to get that haul from those away games. They also score plenty of goals and aren't involved in Europe so will be a bit fresher come the business end of the season. Their squad depth isn't great so injuries may hamper them but if they get lucky with injuries like Leicester did last year then their first eleven is a match for most sides.

The rags started well but having already lost twice will hurt them. I think this year might be a 90 point target to win the title so realistically a side can only afford three or four defeats over the 38 games and I can't see the rags only losing a couple more times. The Shrek/Pogba dilemma will rear it's ugly head again for Mourinho and if/when he drops Shrek for a longer period the in fighting and back stabbing will start. Egos like Shrek, Zlatan and Mourinho will clash hard at some point.

Chelsea for me can't win the title this year. The wins they got have been fortunate with Costa getting a couple of very late winners after he could have been sent off. They have looked very patchy with no cohesion and if Costa doesn't score I can't see where the goals will come from. Also their defence is still very much a work in progress.

Arsenal. Always the bridesmaid, never the bride. Play some fantastic stuff, especially at home. But again, take Sanchez out and the are a different, less potent, less threatening outfit. They are susceptible to losing games they really shouldn't and when push comes to shove I'm not sure they've got the bottle.

Spurs could be dark horses. They play some lovely football and have a very solid back line. Losing Kane for a couple of months will be a blow but Son has shown he is a tasty player. Lamela, Ali, Erikson are all capable of winning games. The manager is decent as well and has the advantage of having worked with his players for a couple of seasons. Again, I can't see them lifting the title come May, but I refer back to last season. Football is a funny old game at times.

All in all it's shaping up to be a very exciting PL season. I just hope we have the legs with the number of games we will play to carry us over the line

[Woodyblue]

I pray that it's us but if not then the spuds hate the thought of the rags or dippers even in the top four.

[Woodyblue]

I pray that it's us but if not then the spuds hate the thought of the rags or dippers even in the top four.

[Justified logic]

I would agree with you NB. I thought Chelsea might be challengers as well what with no European football as distraction and a, supposedly, quality manager but, like last season, they aren't at the races and their defence is another year older and slower and injury prone now.

I think the situation will become a lot clearer after the weekends of the Spurs and Everton games.

Everton v Crystal Palace
Swansea City v Liverpool
Hull City v Chelsea
Sunderland v West Bromwich Albion
Watford v AFC Bournemouth
West Ham United v Middlesbrough
Manchester United v Stoke City
Leicester City v Southampton
Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester City
Burnley v Arsenal

Chelsea v Leicester City
AFC Bournemouth v Hull City
Arsenal v Swansea City
Manchester City v Everton
Stoke City v Sunderland
West Bromwich Albion v Tottenham Hotspur
Crystal Palace v West Ham United
Middlesbrough v Watford
Southampton v Burnley
Liverpool v Manchester United

[Piccsnumberoneblue]

I generally don't mind that scouse and spurs look a threat at the mo. I'm hoping they can be good enough to beat the shite to Euro spots. There could be trouble for the rags if they miss out again.
Liverpool are the danger in my opinion, shades of 2014 with their less congested fixture list.
What we must try to do is get a big enough lead in the league where we can rotate when the bigger games come around later in the season. Easier said than done. Winning our CL group would be a huge help too.

[PeterParker]

I think Scouse might actually be a real threat this year. They are not playing in Europe and they have a similar schedule like they did in 2013/14. They are better than United, look more composed, but they will lose points at places we will win like Swansea, etc.

[patrickblue]

I think Scouse might actually be a real threat this year. They are not playing in Europe and they have a similar schedule like they did in 2013/14. They are better than United, look more composed, but they will lose points at places we will win like Swansea, etc.

No slippy steve to help us out this season either!

[johnny crossan]

twitter reckons Kev is hopeful it is not a serious injury and he'll be back in a couple of weeks - in time for Barca?

[Mikhail Chigorin]

I think Scouse might actually be a real threat this year. They are not playing in Europe and they have a similar schedule like they did in 2013/14. They are better than United, look more composed, but they will lose points at places we will win like Swansea, etc.

I've been on Talksport several times of late and, already, they're all talking excitedly about Liverpool winning the title (shades of 2014) so, now that that's been sorted, we might have to console ourselves (this early in the season) and just hope for no more than a top four spot here and now.

Everton, under Koeman, are a different proposition than under Martinez and, although winning the title is highly improbable, they might be dark horses for a top four finish. They might well 'splash the cash' in January to reinforce this.

Leicester, as champions and with a little pride to play for, might raise their game again to levels of last season, in some of the big encounters and succeed in 'putting a spanner in the works' for some of those teams' title hopes (not, however, like they managed against the Scum), whilst finishing mid-table themselves.

At the end of the day, I can't bear and live with the thought of Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Spurs or the Scum winning the title, so Pep has got to work his magic for the entire season and ensure we finish on top and stamp our superiority on the entire Division. Apart from anything else, it would set down a marker for succeeding seasons.

[PeterParker]

Everton, under Koeman, are a different proposition than under Martinez and, although winning the title is highly improbable, they might be dark horses for a top four finish. They might well 'splash the cash' in January to reinforce this.

Yes, but he did a big mistake on not sorting his gk situation after Timmy left. Stekelenburg will always be a back-up.

His snub on Joe will cost them a lot this season.

[nottsblue]

Everton, under Koeman, are a different proposition than under Martinez and, although winning the title is highly improbable, they might be dark horses for a top four finish. They might well 'splash the cash' in January to reinforce this.

Yes, but he did a big mistake on not sorting his gk situation after Timmy left. Stekelenburg will always be a back-up.

His snub on Joe will cost them a lot this season.

Everton will be very lucky to finish top 4 for my money. Us, rags, spuds, dippers, arse and chelsea all have better first elevens and squads. Lose Lukaku for a length of time and they are a mid table outfit

[Peter Doherty (AGAIG)]

I fancy Spurs to come second.

[iwasthere2012]

Agree with NB.
I thought Chelsea would be our nearest challengers, but can't see them in the mix at all.
Liverpool have the best chance they've had , well since 2014. They have no other distractions, a better manager than last time, the media will be behind them again.
This time around though they haven't got Suarez. So it'll be interesting at the very least.

[phips]

Liverpool, Arsenal, & Spurs

[PrezIke]

Liverpool, Arsenal, & Spurs

Pretty much agree with this.

I think folks are writing Arsenal off too easily. I think they will challenge. Moving Alexis to the middle has been working. They sure looked good yesterday, although Chelsea's defence is pathetic.

[Moonchesteri]

Liverpool, Arsenal, & Spurs

Yeah right now I'd rank these as the main challengers but maybe even spurs ahead of arse. Liverpool deffo looks to be the main competitor right now for reasons mentioned here. Koop will get his players and the fans fired up and last season showed how far that can take you. And the lack of Europe really is a factor that should not be underestimated.


But having said that it's way too early to write off teams or hand the title to anyone. Let's see where everyone is at Christmas...

[Im_Spartacus]

Liverpool, Arsenal, & Spurs

Pretty much agree with this.

I think folks are writing Arsenal off too easily. I think they will challenge. Moving Alexis to the middle has been working. They sure looked good yesterday, although Chelsea's defence is pathetic.

Hard to see past these 3 at the moment, spurs for sure I think will be our closest challenger and I fancy a few quid on them to derail us next week even though they haven't been playing amazingly.

Would like to see the dippers have a good run this season, if only to put the shits up the rags

[Wonderwall]

I really cant stand the media hype if Liverpool are in the hunt, which I think they are. IMO they are our closest rivals looking at the performances of late.

Every media outlet will be behind them and all the old wankers will be wheeled out on each and every program with their view on how great this team is and comparing Klopp with Paisley yada yada yada.

I would much prefer them to crash and burn.

[Foreverinbluedreams]

Ask me again at the end of November, not writing anyone off just yet after what I witnessed last season.

[Pretty Boy Lee]

I personally don't see it in Liverpool. I think spurs and scum will finish above them. Maybe arsenal too.