So we are nearly half way through the campaign and it is looking like it is going to be a two horse race between ourselves and the dippers. I know Spuds and Chelsea aren’t far behind and there are still 22 games to go but I personally think they are too far behind. Also I don’t think their respective squads are good enough.
I don’t subscribe to the theory the dippers aren’t good enough. They are top of the pile as it stands and have a solid spine and in Salah, a guy who scores for fun. However, we also have a solid spine and in Aguero a guy with over 200 goals for us. I’d also argue our current squad has stronger depth than theirs.
But. There is a nagging feeling that the footballing gods are conspiring against us with injuries and such and that it appears that the dippers are getting a number of marginal decisions go their way. So do we need to tweak anything or is there nothing to concern ourselves over?
Do we need anyone in January? I know Pep has stated we won’t be active in January, but a serious injury to Fernandinho or another setback for Aguero and we suddenly don’t look as strong. I think a Pep has eyes on converting Sterling to centre forward myself, but if so, wouldn’t be a quick process. Sadly Jesus seems to have temporarily lost confidence in front of goal and I have every confidence he will get it back, but again this will take time. It was telling he didn’t start on Saturday. Buying a striker however in January is never easy as the guy coming in has to hit the ground running. So it’s very unlikely we will recruit another striker.
A replacement full stop for Fernandinho is needed soon, possibly even by next summer. Whether we can bring in our identified target(s) earlier remains to be seen. Can Delph fill the role? Stones? Watching Laporte recently makes me think he would be better suited than Stones as his positional sense, distribution and tackling and a bit better than Stones’s.
Might we see a tweak in formation? Pep has done if a couple of times before. He certainly isn't a one trick pony.
Do we do nothing and hope we don't pick up any further injures. Hope the dippers have a spell of lost form, which you would assume they will? Do we need to get a little bit cuter in game management? Certainly we can’t afford to lose at home to the dippers just after New Year. Do we give Foden and Diaz more game time? Youthful energy and a sense of the unknown can easily work in our favour.
I don’t think we will achieve what we did last season. That’s okay. Winning it again will be enough. And in most other seasons we’d have clear daylight between ourselves and second place, but that’s not the case this time round. So, thoughts on what is required to ensure our name is on the trophy again come May. And taking our chances is an obvious given
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