Certified Legendary Thread Matchday 14 - November Title Decider?

[bok_party]

Koscielny is fit for the weekend supposedly, Walcott back in full training so only a week or two away, the rest are still fairly long term though.

Our squad fully fit is pretty good, but they are only ever fully fit for about 10 minutes during pre-season, that's our main problem.

Cazorla is in doubt too at the moment so I wouldn't even include him.

 

[glenferry23]

Cazorla is in doubt too at the moment so I wouldn't even include him.

He's still got one leg at least, ensuring Wenger will still play him.

 

[jod23]

Essentially Chelsea are targeting finishing above 3 of City, United, Arsenal, Spurs, Dippers and Leicester - with the latter 3 being the more likely. It's not an impossible ask, but neither will it be easy. You can forget all the other teams ahead of Chelsea as they wont be finishing top 4. I believe Leicester should be considered top 4 challengers at this time

Yeah it's just the current top six they would be chasing and jury is still out whether Leicester can keep this up.

 

[jod23]

Question for Liverpool fans - can you win the title this season?

I wouldnt have thought so no. But no reason why we cant finish top four. I dont think United, Spurs or Arsenal are any better than us. So it will just come down to getting results and trying to stay consistent.

I think as a supporter group we are fairly upbeat. Considering the start we were handed, our first seven away trips being Stoke, Chelsea, Arsenal, City, United, Tottenham and Everton. I mean that's as tough as it gets really. Then you add in the injuries to three of our very best players in Sturridge, Henderson and Sakho and then further injuries to good young/depth players like Gomez and Ings.

Then you take in a change of management too.

All that and we are just four points off 4th spot and just six points off top spot. Well that's incredible to still be right in the mix. Really pleased we're sitting where we are.

The title though is probably a bridge too far. City's squad is far too good you would think.

 

[Magma]

The difference between City with Hart-Kompany and without is incredible!

leadership. consider zaba is probably the only other natural leader and he's going through the first injury run of his career we're really lacking in the department. but we're still top missing some world class players, and usually now is about time we kick on.

i do believe spurs will actually make a decent run of it too. just need to stop conceding a few silly goals, but you can cop that with how youthful the side is.

 

[bok_party]

It's still such an open race. Everyone thought that City would romp it home but they have stumbled a couple of times, just like everyone else has. Every side has some pretty big injury worries too that have been detrimental at some stage. This season may all come down to who has the best depth.

Liverpool definitely look reinvigorated under Klopp but it's still so early to even suggest that they can sustain this intensity and grind out results if need be. United seem to be doing it best at the moment while Leicester (weird to even mention them in the same breath as everyone else) are playing the "score more than the other team no matter how many you concede" gameplan.

Chelsea have obviously started poorly but realistically aren't that far behind to catch up and make top 4 at least but they just don't look capable at the moment of pulling that off. They might get some fortune in the Christmas period with so many games and teams dropping points when they normally wouldn't due to the heavy fixturing. Arsenal may have their season derailed due to injuries at the most pivotal time of the year but I don't think any of us Arsenal fans would really have expected us to be 2 points behind at this stage of the season and we tend to play well in the new year.

I think the biggest threat is honestly Tottenham. Again, can they sustain this form? Remains to be seen especially if Kane goes down because who is their backup striker really?

 

[jod23]

Agreed we've played fantastic so far but that still has us behind City and Arsenal who have had pretty ordinary run with injuries and have much stronger squads than us. The 13 game unbeaten run has more draws than wins, we're still not at the stage of captalising on our good play. 3 0-0 draws at home to Everton, Liverpool & Chelsea would have yielded 6+ points for a side ready to win titles.

Liverpool are an unknown with Klopp. Will he be able to turn things around quickly enough to make the most of the top sides being weaker than usual who knows? Whilst Mignolet is starting though there's always going to be some dropped points that will cost them

The draws will kill you. It's cost us titles in the past. You look at those home draws and getting a point against Chelsea, Liverpool and Everton arent horrible results, they are good sides. But if you had gone gung ho and nicked the game against Everton say, but also gone gung ho against Liverpool and we scored on the counter and you lost. That sucks you lost. But 0-3-0 gets you three points whilst 1-1-1 gets you four. Every point counts.

I used to see it with United year in and year out under SAF. They would go for victory at all costs. It was about winning games. Sometimes they would venture too much, get caught out and lose a match. But they would win far more. I remember back in 08/09 when we ran United so close. We lost just twice all season, but draws just killed us. 11 in all.

That's what I like about Klopp though, his rock n roll football as he calls it. We wont die wondering that's for sure.

 

[jod23]

I think you're overstating the Klopp factor for this season. Still a weaker squad than nearly all the other contenders for top 4.

We have a weaker squad than City's or Arsenal. But not Leicester obviously and we are right on par with United and ahead of Spurs.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

We have a weaker squad than City's or Arsenal. But not Leicester obviously and we are right on par with United and ahead of Spurs.

We've been on this carousel before and I disagreed then and still do now.

 

[jod23]

We've been on this carousel before and I disagreed then and still do now.

Yes I know. We disagree. Your squad still needs a lot of work. As does ours obviously, but just far less work.

 

[jd2010]

Yes I know. We disagree. Your squad still needs a lot of work. As does ours obviously, but just far less work.

What work? All I can see is a backup to Kane. We were one DM down going into the season before converting Dier

 

[Jatz]

Yes I know. We disagree. Your squad still needs a lot of work. As does ours obviously, but just far less work.

In your opinion...

 

[jod23]

How so?

All we need is a back up striker. Kane gets injured and we're in trouble but outside that we have a stable squad and a solid defence.

Can you post your best XI followed by your backup XI for me?

 

[Art Vandelay_]

Can you post your best XI followed by your backup XI for me?

Assuming everyone is fit?

 

[jod23]

Assuming everyone is fit?

Of course.

 

[Loonerty]

We looked way better at the back last week. Even Ivanovic wasn't absolute s**t.

Fabregas was woeful however and should probably be replaced by Ramires this weekend who actually can defend and at the moment will connect with more passes.

Hazard getting back into the groove. Largest issue is who plays striker. It better goddamn be Remy.

 

[jd2010]

Vorm
Trippier Dier Wimmer Davies
Mason Bentaleb
Chadli Alli NJie
???

 

[jd2010]

Trippier the weak link in the xi but there's some very handy youth prospects coming through. Funnily enough at right back Kyle Walker-Peters is the one being talked up massively. Only 18 I think so probably one for next season. Serbian u20 World Cup winning CB Veljkovic one that id like to see more of in cup football this season

 

[moomba]

So you've never read one of Moomba's posts then?

?????

 

[jod23]

Vorm
Trippier Dier Wimmer Davies
Mason Bentaleb
Chadli Alli NJie
???

So first team?

 

[jd2010]

So first team?

Lloris
Walker Toby JV Rose
Dembele Dier
Lamela Eriksen Son
Kane

Yes Dier is named twice but that's the beauty of flexibility. If he is injured we've got cover for him at CM and CB level. We'd need 2 injuries to CB's to hit before having to call on either Fazio or a youth player. I do still think Fazio will be farmed off and another young CB will come in if Poch & co don't think Veljkovic is up to it. But from what I've seen of him in the few cup games he has got and reading from the U20 World Cup he looks a likely type

 

[jod23]

Lloris
Walker Toby JV Rose
Dembele Dier
Lamela Eriksen Son
Kane

Yes Dier is named twice but that's the beauty of flexibility. If he is injured we've got cover for him at CM and CB level. We'd need 2 injuries to CB's to hit before having to call on either Fazio or a youth player. I do still think Fazio will be farmed off and another young CB will come in if Poch & co don't think Veljkovic is up to it. But from what I've seen of him in the few cup games he has got and reading from the U20 World Cup he looks a likely type

You cant have one bloke in both teams.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

Of course.

Lloris
Walker Toby Vert Rose
Dier Alli
Lamela Eriksen Son
Kane

Vorm
Trippier Wimmer Fazio Davies
Bentaleb Dembele
Chadli Mason N'Jie
??

In reality though Fazio isn't as likely as that makes out given Dier can go back to centrehalf, so as I said we need another striker.

Alli and Dembele was a toss up so I backed the young kid lol

 

[moomba]

I can see Chelsea making top 4. Not a lot of room for error and it's likely that they'll fall short, but it's not impossible for them.

Still at this stage it's looking Arsenal, City and United in the top 3. Then one of Spurs, Liverpool, Chelsea, and yes Leicester has to be considered (although I would expect them to drop off). Probably Spurs at this stage.

 

[jd2010]

You cant have one bloke in both teams.

When he is 4th choice CB and 1 of 7 guys who can play in the deep 2 CM spots it'd need to be one hell of an injury run to have to call on anyone not in that 2nd XI. In all honesty though our current 4th-6th choice CBs right now would be all guys who are regulars in other positions. I'd happily play Davies or Walker at CB before Fazio!