8 games in: Are we contenders?

Saturday we lined out against the champions, and at the time league leaders. We played them off the park. This done with our most expensive signing on the bench, our talisman in his first start in 7 months and 2 of our star defenders out.

Granted we have an 8 point gap to make up but with 7 months football to go theres ample chance to catch that up. With money available to strengten up in January if need be and of course no European football (sadly( to drain the legs are we in a good position to challenge for the title?

I know a top 4 finish is seen as the promised land but I see no reason to think we cant go all the way. City and utd are well capable of dropping pointsand they will, we just need to pounce on it.

Can we?

Theoretically, we can ... In reality, we are couple of top players and a full season of team development away ...

Theoretically, we can ... In reality, we are couple of top players and a full season of team development away ...

I think 4th/3rd is our target for this season, which we're well in contention for. If we can succeed that, then I think we can look forward to taking the step up to fight City and Utd for the title.

The hardest part of the season comes at Christmas, so I'll wait until January to make a reasonable opinion.

think we need 1 more season as a team to develope .Top 4 this year 2 world class players and then a big push for the title next year

In a word - yes!

Yes, and we are until mathematically impossible.

Of course we can but we really need to work on our finishing and kill games early.

Struggle for goals have been an issue, me thinks.

It doesn't matter if we concede (though I do want Pepe to win golden gloves) but as long as we're scoring more than opponents, no one is going to care as long as the 3 points are ours.

Not for me. Improve our form on the road and prove we can come back and win games that we're losing and then we might be in the running. I think we'd also need to take 4 points from our games with City and Chelsea to be up there as well. VEry tall order for this season but based on where we've been the last few years i'd snap ya hand off for 4th spot right now.

This.

In a word - yes!

And This.

Yes, and we are until mathematically impossible.

prove we can come back and win games that we're losing

We have not done this under Kenny so far. But, the match against the mancs was a step in the right direction. We pushed hard to score the winner. It reminded me of the CL game against Chelski when we were knocked out in the quarters (08-09 season I guess). But, the defeat was not due to lack of effort from our players.

But, the thing about coming back and winning is a confidence thing. If we go on a winning streak of 5 or more games and score 4 or 5 goals in one of the games, the lads will start believing that they can never taste defeat.

Yes we are.

Who knows how the season will play out but as things stand we are contenders for the title.

I think that Brian78 has asked some reasonable questions, opening a reasonable debate ...

Unfortunately, some of the answers are not worthy of a 6-year-old ...

The important thing for me about saturdays fixture is that UTD came for a draw which means Fergusons thinks we can and he hasn't done that for a long long time. Charlie Adams is coming on great making runs through the middle left side is the best we have had for years,Carragher has got his Mojo back and our bench is the best we have had for decades.So hell yes we can win the league.

Can we still win? Yes! But the gap by January will need to be 6 points max otherwise I think it would be a long shot

No not yet, we'll be contenders when Carroll or Kuyt will start to score regularly; when Maxi or Downing will be decisive and when Henderson will have confidence. We're not far

I think that Brian78 has asked some reasonable questions, opening a reasonable debate ...

Unfortunately, some of the answers are not worthy of a 6-year-old ...

Especially this one, with the offending bit highlighted. 

Especially this one, with the offending bit highlighted. 

Can you please add something to the actual debate of this thread ?

Can you please add something to the actual debate of this thread ?

Yes, but I'm busy at work at the moment.  Just your duplicitous reply peed me off.  In a nutshell, we're not out of it until we're out of it, however improbable.

I wont stop believing until its impossible

I think that Brian78 has asked some reasonable questions, opening a reasonable debate ...

Unfortunately, some of the answers are not worthy of a 6-year-old ...

Pot. Kettle. Black. WUM.

Regarding the thread - damn right we're contenders.

I can't help looking at it like this. Both City and United have come out the blocks this year with all guns blazing and to be honest I don't think we have played 'that' well and there is only 8 points between us and the top. This squad hasn't even clicked yet and we are right amongst it.

I've got no doubt that there is a hell of a lot more to come from us yet.

For me City and Chelsea will be there all the way but Villas Boas is in a whole new world managing in the Premier League and will need more than a year and has Mancini got the stomach for a fight? And don't think there won't be anymore in-house drama within that squad.

Man U will always be there or thereabouts as usual but is that squad any better than ours? Okay they have got certain areas in the team that are better but we've got areas that piss on their's. We were a couple of finishes or a little bit of luck off twatting them comfortably on Saturday whilst still looking like we could play a whole lot better.

Spurs - very much doubt it. Think the league is a step up too far for Redknapp's managerial capabilities. Arsenal - say no more and although they will improve they are out of it for this year with that squad.

Add Steven Gerrard into the equation aswell.

Not having it, at this stage of the season, people saying we haven't got a shout. But its probably the same people saying we haven't who want to rip the side and pick holes in the manager's decisions for drawing against the mancs but went AWOL in the post match Derby thread.

F***ing right we are contenders, just wait until we move up a gear because I'm not so sure whether the two Manc clubs have one to move up into.

We are just 8 games and we still got a long way to go. I do feel that we got what it takes to be a champion. Even if we're not, a top 4 spot is not something unachievable this season.

Do we feel inferior against the wealth of Abu Dhabi? NO!
Do we feel we're technically inferior than the Scums? NO!
Do we feel we're older than the Chavs? Hell NO!
Do we feel we're winning? YES!
Do we feel we're champion? YES!
Are we a champion?YES!

We'll rip this season apart and that's the bottom line...

We are just 8 games and we still got a long way to go. I do feel that we got what it takes to be a champion. Even if we're not, a top 4 spot is not something unachievable this season.

Do we feel inferior against the wealth of Abu Dhabi? NO!
Do we feel we're technically inferior than the Scums? NO!
Do we feel we're older than the Chavs? Hell NO!
Do we feel we're winning? YES!
Do we feel we're champion? YES!
Are we a champion?YES!

We'll rip this season apart and that's the bottom line...

And when do we want it? NOW!

You a cheerleader mate?