May as well be first...I think we're going to seriously challenge for the title.

I get the impression after the weekends results that I'm still on my own on this particular bandwagon, but that's OK. Man City and Chelsea both were impressive, Arsenal got a good result but we got the better of the exchanges between ourselves, Man Utd and Spurs. Indeed Spurs are looking like they cannot win it or even challenge, while the Mancs are starting to need snookers.

We've got some winnable games coming up. Indeed the nest two matches if we can win them ought to see the potential winners of the title reduced to a maximum of five, even potentially as few as four. We have Hull Away and Norwich at home, and if we win both we will be in a strong position and my guess is I'll have company on this wagon. Here's everyones next TWO games:

Liverpool : Hull (A), Nor (H).

Man Utd : Tott (A), Ev (H)

Man City : Swan (H), WBA (A)

Chel : South (H), Sun (A)

Ars : Card (A), Hull (H).

Now I expect Man City, Arsenal and Chelsea to win both. If they do, then one or the other of the Mancs or Spurs will be as good as out of it after their game. The Mancs then have Everton which won't be easy, and if we win our two my guess is the league will be as good as down top a four horse race between Man City, Arsenal, Chelsea and us.

Agree with this, it's even better if man city away form is not improved, as we all know that WBA is a good side when dealing with top teams (but we put 4 goals to them )  ... and after that trashing, Tottenham will be much motivated, and it's hard to think that they will lose it again against MU.

Two teams that I concern until Xmast are Arsenal and Chelsea... despite our visit to Etihad Stadium next month is also creepy..

Would be delighted with top 4 then to challenge next year once we buy alba, yaya toure and Ribery

I think we are the best in the league in terms of attack minded play. Better even than Arsenal or Man City in terms of a constant threat.   That is a big plus and cant be underestimated. We also have a fantastic goalkeeper and at least strength in depth within central defence. They the positives in our squad. But ask yourself a question....what happened to our midfield in the derby? And away to Arsenal?   I have not watched the game back since Saturday. Everyone is saying it was one of the best derbies ever. They are probably correct. But I dont like watching Everton players running through our midfield with 20 yards to spare in front of them. I dont enjoy our goalkeeper having to protect our lead with countless one on ones. I dont like seeing Lucas being constantly booked because he is doing the work of two players and trying to firefight. Where was our midfield!?   We played the extra man with Allen but Everton dictated midfield play for much of the game and only in short bursts did we have any dominance in the centre of the park. We will always be a threat with Suarez, Sturridge,  Couthinos vision and Gerrards crossing. But its not enough against passing teams. We could not control midfield when we had the lead. That doesnt speak to me of a potential title winner. Id be thrilled if we came 4th.

If we can get in suitable midfielders in January, by suitable I mean a proper DM who can provide serious competition to Lucas and another AM who can fill in if Couthino is unavailable. With these additions we can challenge for the title because apart from Arsenal no other team will have the consistency to stay up there IMO.

Competing at the top end of another table too.

http://www.premierleague.com/en-gb/matchday/fair-play.html

Competing at the top end of another table too.

http://www.premierleague.com/en-gb/matchday/fair-play.html

Nice to see who's bottom   

Competing at the top end of another table too.

http://www.premierleague.com/en-gb/matchday/fair-play.html

I hope that doesn't mean Suarez will be another target come Sunday, seeing where Hull are in that and given fat head is their manager.

I get the impression after the weekends results that I'm still on my own on this particular bandwagon, but that's OK. Man City and Chelsea both were impressive, Arsenal got a good result but we got the better of the exchanges between ourselves, Man Utd and Spurs. Indeed Spurs are looking like they cannot win it or even challenge, while the Mancs are starting to need snookers.

We've got some winnable games coming up. Indeed the nest two matches if we can win them ought to see the potential winners of the title reduced to a maximum of five, even potentially as few as four. We have Hull Away and Norwich at home, and if we win both we will be in a strong position and my guess is I'll have company on this wagon. Here's everyones next TWO games:

Liverpool : Hull (A), Nor (H).

Man Utd : Tott (A), Ev (H)

Man City : Swan (H), WBA (A)

Chel : South (H), Sun (A)

Ars : Card (A), Hull (H).

Now I expect Man City, Arsenal and Chelsea to win both. If they do, then one or the other of the Mancs or Spurs will be as good as out of it after their game. The Mancs then have Everton which won't be easy, and if we win our two my guess is the league will be as good as down top a four horse race between Man City, Arsenal, Chelsea and us.

I wouldn't rule the mancs out mate. They are one of the few teams that have proved time and time again that they can go on a run of winning games. Whether they still have that ability under Moyes we will have to wait and see, but DON'T RULE THEM OUT.

I will be happy if by Christmas Spurs are completely out of the running, then imo it will be 5 teams for 4 spots (I am expecting Saints to drift). I really think we will need a fifth gear if we are to keep in the running for the title after Christmas ..... Hope Father Christmas is feeling generous. Top 4 should be a reasonable target as I think teams are still struggling to become accustomed to their new managers ....even us.

I still find it strange that 5 of the top 6 clubs have new managers with only Arsenal reaping the benefit of a long standing manager. 

May be that the first team to get it's act together and go on a decent run of winning games wins it.

I still expect we will finish 5th or 6th but I have real hope now that we can do better if we buy well.   

As predicted by everyone, the Top 3 is taking the expected shape with the best teams and squads at Chelsea, City and Arsenal occupying the Top 3 slots.

So we are still fighting it out for Top 4. Luckily, Spurs are struggling a bit and United are still inconsistent, but we are in for a real pre-Xmas struggle to stay in touch.

The Hull result was, sadly, totally unsurprising with the same old issues to the fore: defensive frailty, poor midfield, and no cover for Sturridge or Coutinho.

MAKE THE MOST OF Suarez. He's off soon. And quite rightly. He's to good for us and deserves to be playing in a better team, surrounded by better players. Thank God Arsenal didn't get him in summer.

MAKE THE MOST OF Suarez. He's off soon. And quite rightly. He's to good for us and deserves to be playing in a better team, surrounded by better players. Thank God Arsenal didn't get him in summer.

This is sadly how I see it too. He is not going to hang around here, he wants and deserves Champions League football.
Top 4 is looking increasing unlikely without some very astute signings in January.
 I hope yesterday was just a bad day at the office, but if I'm honest, I think it's been coming. Do we have enough players with the character and mental attitude to dig deep and grind out results. Sadly it seems not.

Second smallest and second youngest squad in the Premier League.

Until we address that with a couple of players that have the quality to improve our first team
then we wont challenge for the title.

Once our key men get injured it all falls apart because there is no strength below them.
Squad size is what has the likes of United winning the title consistently.
They can adjust when players get injured.
We can not.

This is sadly how I see it too. He is not going to hang around here, he wants and deserves Champions League football.
Top 4 is looking increasing unlikely without some very astute signings in January.
 I hope yesterday was just a bad day at the office, but if I'm honest, I think it's been coming. Do we have enough players with the character and mental attitude to dig deep and grind out results. Sadly it seems not.

I don't think it's anyting to do with mental attitude, our problems are solely down to a lack of talent in the side. Too many CB, not enough attacking options, especially in the midfield. I've said it since the close of the Window, our Summer was a disaster and we're paying the price for it now. Until we sign players with talent and pace we cannot expect to challenge for honours. We need a clear out with Allen, Henderson, Aspas, Sterling, Moses and Coates all being shown the door and Lucas being relegated to a squad player.

what bothered me yesterday was Luis Suarez.He had the look of a man who really did not want to be there and with Moses and Sterling alongside him could you blame him.
If his form dips we could be in for a difficult time ahead

what bothered me yesterday was Luis Suarez.He had the look of a man who really did not want to be there and with Moses and Sterling alongside him could you blame him.
If his form dips we could be in for a difficult time ahead

He could be playing through an injury.
Don't forget that shithouse's tackle.

He could be playing through an injury.
Don't forget that shithouse's tackle.

I wasn't criticising Luis he has been a beacon of light now for best part of 3 years.He wants CL football and he wants it with us but seeing that side play against Hull and fall apart must be very upsetting for him.

I wasn't criticising Luis he has been a beacon of light now for best part of 3 years.He wants CL football and he wants it with us but seeing that side play against Hull and fall apart must be very upsetting for him.

For him : Frustrating...

...and what does frustration lead to .............anger.

Ooops.



Brendan bought sh*te... and now he is moaning the squad isnt good enough.

Two windows and your team Brendan.

Guys all we need to lift our spirits and also Luis's is a top notch attacking midfielder, FSG HAVE to go out and spend money this January and bring in some real quality, we NEED something better than Henderson.

I only had hope that we might challenge for the title. Of course there was a part of me that thought we could, there still is! That said, I feel a top 4 finish is about the best we can actually achieve and that's not going to be easy. It's perhaps the getting up of hopes that leads to the knee jerk reactions later on?

Guys all we need to lift our spirits and also Luis's is a top notch attacking midfielder, FSG HAVE to go out and spend money this January and bring in some real quality, we NEED something better than Henderson.

We are in the position we are directly as a result of FSG's actions or inaction, they have diluted the squad to such an extent one transfer window could only apply patches to a ravaged team.
They have neither the expertise or commitment to fix anything in January.
Their modus operandi is faulted, as much has been pointed out numerous times on this very forum, a lack of any basic understanding of the game, it's tradition and history together with a refusal to familiarise is a recipe for disaster.
Unfortunately JWH's refusal to understand soccer also prevents him from recognising our demise.
     

Regardless of what happens in the league we'll win the fair play league, our midfield doesn't do tackling

For him : Frustrating...




Brendan bought sh*te... and now he is moaning the squad isnt good enough.

Two windows and your team Brendan.

Luis bites when he is frustrated we all knowthat.
Glad we have got passed blaming Kenny's signings for the clubs demise. Would you trust Brendan to spend £100mil ?.
As a club it is hard to see where we go especially if the results go against us  before Jan.Some people think the sun shines out his arse some think he talks out of his arse and some of us have been waiting to see what FSG saw in him.Still waiting........

For him : Frustrating...

...and what does frustration lead to .............anger.

Ooops.



Brendan bought sh*te... and now he is moaning the squad isnt good enough.

Two windows and your team Brendan.

I still think with our strongest team available we're a decent side.
Clearly most of the players BR has brought in haven't looked good enough, he took a chance on players he worked with, and they haven't shown whatever he saw in them.
In fairness though, Borini was in the Italian national squad for the Euros, and BR must have thought he'd be better than he has shown.
Allen wouldn't be here at all if Spurs hadn't sniped Sigurdsson from under us. Likewise, Aspas, Moses and Alberto might not be here if we had signed Costa. Or Mikhitarian.
FSG did state the type of players they want the boss to buy, young with a high resale value, or something along those lines.
I'm disappointed with the standard of most of the players BR has bought, and it seems they were only bought for the sake of it, since most of them can't get a game.
There's no way in hell we'll challenge for the title with this squad!

Luis bites when he is frustrated we all knowthat.
Glad we have got passed blaming Kenny's signings for the clubs demise. Would you trust Brendan to spend £100mil ?.
As a club it is hard to see where we go especially if the results go against us  before Jan.Some people think the sun shines out his arse some think he talks out of his arse and some of us have been waiting to see what FSG saw in him.Still waiting........

Would I trust Brendan to spend £100 million? It would depend on whether he was allowed to spend it on 2-3 players, or 15 players as FSG would prefer!