Title challengers
Posted: Sun Sep 25, 2016 8:58 amSo, 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
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