The Race to the title 2016/17 (plus Top 4 Cup)

Manchester Utd

Chelsea going very well. 10 wins in a row with only 2 goals conceded.

Harry Palmr

Harry Palmr wrote: »

So then a good night for all the contenders, with Arsenal having slipped up last night.

Chelsea still grinding out those low scoring wins! Something that is constantly harped on about is Liverpool's defence, yet when you have a proper look only Chelsea and Spurs can really feel happy they are set up correctly at the back

Chelsea 34:11 (one third)

Liverpool 40:20 (half)

Arsenal 37:17 (almost half)

Manchester City 34:19 - (more than half)

Tottenham 27:11 (about 40%)

Manchester United 22:17 (about 75%)

A Liverpool fan coming up with an alternative way to look at stats!? Surely not!

Harry Palmr

You can see Utd's problem though - not scoring enough for the amount they concede

Harry Palmr

A bad bad week for Arsenal, November was a false dawn maybe!

Liverpool victory was vital if only to stop Chelsea being crowed champions with 19 games to go :pac: Man Utd and Spurs continue to win and City's victory from behind (the first in three years!) should give them a boost of confidence.

This weeks alternative stat % of total team goals scored by top scoring player

Man Utd Ibrahimovic 45.8
Chelsea Costa - 37.0
Arsenal Sanchez - 31.5
Man City Aguero - 27.0
Spurs Kane - 24.0
Liverpool Mane - 19.0

Harry Palmr

Everyone's a winner baby. No change but obviously something will have to give this weekend as Liverpool host Man City. The gap between Man Utd and the rest is now 7 points, so we can ignore everyone below sixth for a possible top 4 finish probably.

Berserker

Think it's gonna be between Liverpool and Chelsea myself. Both of then look unstoppable at the moment. Chelsea's to lose but I still fancy Liverpool to win it myself. Man city will finish third but they'll drop too many points to stay in the title race.

Dirty Dingus McGee

Arsenal

I think Liverpool's defence and keeper which is still not close to being as good as Chelsea's will be their undoing.

You can't rely on your forwards to be so good all the time at some stage they'll miss chances or have a bad game and usually the sign of a title winning team is they can win tough games when they haven't played well.

Liverpool look brilliant when they play well but I'm not sure they have the same capacity to play badly and win as Chelsea have.

greendom

Arsenal

Berserker wrote: »

Think it's gonna be between Liverpool and Chelsea myself. Both of then look unstoppable at the moment. Chelsea's to lose but I still fancy Liverpool to win it myself. Man city will finish third but they'll drop too many points to stay in the title race.

Could be wrong but I can't see Chelsea losing 4 3 to Bournemouth

the whole year inn

Spurs

Dirty Dingus McGee wrote: »

I think Liverpool's defence and keeper which is still not close to being as good as Chelsea's will be their undoing.

You can't rely on your forwards to be so good all the time at some stage they'll miss chances or have a bad game and usually the sign of a title winning team is they can win tough games when they haven't played well.

Liverpool look brilliant when they play well but I'm not sure they have the same capacity to play badly and win as Chelsea have.

Doesn't seem to bother barca.
Joking aside I'd say Chelsea be hard to catch, just there Pl run with no CL really helps any team look at Pool as well. Poor Leicester are getting blasted in the ass.

5starpool

the whole year inn wrote: »

Doesn't seem to bother barca.
Joking aside I'd say Chelsea be hard to catch, just there Pl run with no CL really helps any team look at Pool as well. Poor Leicester are getting blasted in the ass.

I don't think CL is to blame for their woes in the league.

the whole year inn

Spurs

5starpool wrote: »

I don't think CL is to blame for their woes in the league.

It has defently affected there position, I don't think they'd be close to top 4 but they would be out of the regulation zone. There is a hangover after playing a in CL and then Pl a few days later, Leicester squad no where deep enough for it.

5starpool

It's probably contributed, but I'd imagine most of it is attributable to a couple of things:

1. Teams raising their game against the champions and also adapting better to how they set up for Vardy.
2. Leicester players having achieved their life's dream and the collective game has dropped a crucial few %.

the whole year inn

Spurs

5starpool wrote: »

It's probably contributed, but I'd imagine most of it is attributable to a couple of things:

1. Teams raising their game against the champions and also adapting better to how they set up for Vardy.
2. Leicester players having achieved their life's dream and the collective game has dropped a crucial few %.

Fair enough.

Harry Palmr

Chelsea in Crisis Alert!

So then Spurs end that run and throw a cat among the pigeon's - obviously the main effect of this result is to create belief in the other top 5 that they can all win the league!



Interesting fact - Chelsea have now conceded more goals in the last two PL games than the previous 12.

blueser

Harry Palmr wrote: »

Chelsea in Crisis Alert!

So then Spurs end that run and throw a cat among the pigeon's - obviously the main effect of this result is to create belief in the other top 5 that they can all win the league....

I'm guessing that Sky & BT aren't too heartbroken about tonight's result. More opportunity for their hype machines to go into overdrive. More subscriptions.

hadepsx

Screw their overpriced subscriptions. Kodi is your friend.

blueser

hadepsx wrote: »

Screw their overpriced subscriptions. Kodi is your friend.

Fine if you've got decent quality broadband. Not down here in the back of beyond though (2mbps). Streams (or their equivalent) are about as useful as a chocolate teapot.

Johner

Arsenal

Next game is huge for us, win and we are back on track, lose and it becomes open. Liverpool are the main danger and could make a big statement if they win at Old Trafford. I don't think City, Arsenal Spurs or United will win it but see United as being massive players next season, worryingly they are starting to gel and Jose will know exactly who he wants to be buy in the summer. I think it's too late for them this season though.

RobertKK

United are in the title race.
All in the top 6 have everything to play for.

Johner

Arsenal

RobertKK wrote: »

United are in the title race.
All in the top 6 have everything to play for.

United can't afford any slips at all, they'd have to go on a crazy run from now until the end of the season to win the league. They are in good form at the moment but I just don't think they'll go on that type of run needed to get up there to challenge. If United get in the top 4 I think that will be a good season for them, Jose has got them playing like he wants now and with some strong additions in the summer they'll be challenging next season from the off. Obviously they'd have liked to have challenged this season but in the long run this season will serve United well if they get top 4 which I think they will.

TitianGerm

Arsenal

Harry Palmr wrote: »

Chelsea in Crisis Alert!

So then Spurs end that run and throw a cat among the pigeon's - obviously the main effect of this result is to create belief in the other top 5 that they can all win the league!



Interesting fact - Chelsea have now conceded more goals in the last two PL games than the previous 12.

Is that table showing Chelsea finishing on 91 point? And Liverpool on 86?

GLaDOS

Almost impossible to call top 4 at this stage anyway, Chelsea are the only ones you would predict with much confidence.

Harry Palmr

So then a very bad weekend for Man City and no way of disguising that, mind you it looks like everyone bar Chelsea is scrapping for 2nd to 4th so the actual result may not be damaging in the end but the psychology is awful - they looked clueless and Pep Guardiola somehwat bewildered.

Elsewhere big wins for Arsenal and Spurs against shoddy opposition (reports that WBA were half decent seem to have been overstated) keep it tight with Liverpool doing the minimum to keep Man Utd just a bit further from the action than they'd like.

Here is the PPG chart to win the title from here - as you can see Chelsea need just 2.18 to be pretty sure of the title, much lower than anyone else

greendom

Arsenal

Good article, ostensibly about Man Utd but covers all the top 6 and their relative abilities at scoring and conceding late goals...

https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2017/jan/23/manchester-united-premier-league-fergie-time-wayne-rooney

Harry Palmr

Ah yes, update time

Liverpool fecked it up again against lesser opposition, Man Utd scrapped a point away at the Brittania, and Spurs/City played out a draw so Arsenal by a hairs breadth and Chelsea are the winners of the weekend. If Chelsea prevail against Liverpool or even draw then surely it's really all over for er real and it'll be perm 3 from 5 unless Everton can make a late charge but that seems very unlikely at this stage.

Apart from Liv/Chelsea, other upcoming top 6 meetings are

04/02/17 Chelsea 12 : 30 Arsenal
11/02/17 Liverpool 17 : 30 Tottenham Hotspur
26/02/17 Manchester City 14 : 15 Manchester United
04/03/17 Liverpool 15 : 00 Arsenal

Iused2likebusts

Harry Palmr wrote: »

Ah yes, update time

Liverpool fecked it up again against lesser opposition, Man Utd scrapped a point away at the Brittania, and Spurs/City played out a draw so Arsenal by a hairs breadth and Chelsea are the winners of the weekend. If Chelsea prevail against Liverpool or even draw then surely it's really all over for er real and it'll be perm 3 from 5 unless Everton can make a late charge but that seems very unlikely at this stage.

Apart from Liv/Chelsea, other upcoming top 6 meetings are

04/02/17 Chelsea 12 : 30 Arsenal
11/02/17 Liverpool 17 : 30 Tottenham Hotspur
26/02/17 Manchester City 14 : 15 Manchester United
04/03/17 Liverpool 15 : 00 Arsenal

City utd will be cancelled for Carling cup final.

rwbug

Iused2likebusts wrote: »

City utd will be cancelled for Carling cup final.

It will simply be moved to the Wednesday after.

Iused2likebusts

rwbug wrote: »

It will simply be moved to the Wednesday after.

There is 5th rd fa cup replays scheduled for the midweek after that final. There would be less than 2 weeks to confirm the date so that may be a problem.

blueser

Can't see Chelsea blowing it now. It's the scramble for a top 4 spot that will be more interesting.

GavRedKing

Arsenal

blueser wrote: »

Can't see Chelsea blowing it now. It's the scramble for a top 4 spot that will be more interesting.

Our next 3 games are Liverpool away, Arsenal home and Burnley away.

Thats as tough a run as you can get at the moment, IMO.

We'll see how we are after those 3 games but I'm going to guess the lead will be down to maybe a point or two.

ronjo

GavRedKing wrote: »

Our next 3 games are Liverpool away, Arsenal home and Burnley away.

Thats as tough a run as you can get at the moment, IMO.

We'll see how we are after those 3 games but I'm going to guess the lead will be down to maybe a point or two.

Which means you probably think we will turn you over at the Bridge.
To be fair Gav there is nothing to point to that happening as much as I hope it does.

GavRedKing

Arsenal

ronjo wrote: »

Which means you probably think we will turn you over at the Bridge.
To be fair Gav there is nothing to point to that happening as much as I hope it does.

No, its the away games I fear, especially the burnley game.

I think we'll get something from the Arsenal game, dont think we'll lose but if we go through the 3 fixtures picking up 1 - 3 points we'll be reeled in by the other teams so the league is then blown wide open.

I wouldnt be popping any champagne anyway with 16 games left in the season and 3 very touch games on the horizon for us.

I dont think we'll finish outside the top 4 anyway, not from here, it would take a serious meltdown for that to happen and thats what nearly every Chelsea fan wanted this year given the other squads and managers.

Rayne Wooney

Chelsea have won it, will probably see the trophy a couple of games before the end. With 16 games left they would need to lose 4 or 5 and Arsenal or Spurs (double lol) will need to be just about perfect.

Top 4 is the interesting one now, Pool seem to be the one team on a downward trajectory out of the 5, interesting to see Liverpool fans call for Klopp to spend money this month after praising him earlier in the season for not spending money, work that one out. Arsenal will surely Arsenal it at some stage so could be in danger, City seem to be stuggling with Pep's philosophy, United could turn at any point with the squandering of chances every game. Very tough to call those 3 spots


Fair play to Conte, special mention to a certain special one for building that side.

GavRedKing

Arsenal

Rayne Wooney wrote: »

Chelsea have won it, will probably see the trophy a couple of games before the end. With 16 games left they would need to lose 4 or 5 and Arsenal or Spurs (double lol) will need to be just about perfect.

Top 4 is the interesting one now, Pool seem to be the one team on a downward trajectory out of the 5, interesting to see Liverpool fans call for Klopp to spend money this month after praising him earlier in the season for not spending money, work that one out. Arsenal will surely Arsenal it at some stage so could be in danger, City seem to be stuggling with Pep's philosophy, United could turn at any point with the squandering of chances every game. Very tough to call those 3 spots


Fair play to Conte, special mention to a certain special one for building that side.

I'll also mention that the same said special one destroyed that side and had them 16th in December, 1 point above the relegation zone.

I'm still not convinced we'll win yet, if we're top after the next 3 league games we'll have done very well and I'll be more optimistic.

The only thing we've got nailed on is top 4, I cant see us falling out of it unless we go on a seriously bad run.

ronjo

GavRedKing wrote: »

I'll also mention that the same said special one destroyed that side and had them 16th in December, 1 point above the relegation zone.

I'm still not convinced we'll win yet, if we're top after the next 3 league games we'll have done very well and I'll be more optimistic.

The only thing we've got nailed on is top 4, I cant see us falling out of it unless we go on a seriously bad run.

Gav if you are not top in 3 games time it means you have had a max of 1 point from them and Arsenal won all 3.
Considering how Chelsea have played the last few months the likelyhood of that happening is remarkably small.
That said, it would be superb if that happened

Jayop

Arsenal

GavRedKing wrote: »

I'll also mention that the same said special one destroyed that side and had them 16th in December, 1 point above the relegation zone.

I'm still not convinced we'll win yet, if we're top after the next 3 league games we'll have done very well and I'll be more optimistic.

The only thing we've got nailed on is top 4, I cant see us falling out of it unless we go on a seriously bad run.

We all had hoped that the only thing would stop you was losing Costa. Well you did that for a few games and won them all handy enough. I wouldn't bet against Chelsea now even if I was getting massive odds. The title is yours.

Skylinehead

Rayne Wooney wrote: »

Arsenal will surely Arsenal it at some stage so could be in danger,

That makes no sense. If Arsenal Arsenal it, we'll finish 4th. As the legend foretells.

GavRedKing

Arsenal

ronjo wrote: »

Gav if you are not top in 3 games time it means you have had a max of 1 point from them and Arsenal won all 3.
Considering how Chelsea have played the last few months the likelyhood of that happening is remarkably small.
That said, it would be superb if that happened

Stranger things have happened, Liverpool have to react and I cant see them losing 3 out of their 4 last home games. If we can get 5 points or more from those 3 games I'd be delighted and would set us up for a good finish.

Jayop wrote: »

We all had hoped that the only thing would stop you was losing Costa. Well you did that for a few games and won them all handy enough. I wouldn't bet against Chelsea now even if I was getting massive odds. The title is yours.

We've still a few dodgy games to get over, Liverpool and Spurs have the easiest run in, IMO.

We've Burnley, Pool, Utd, West Ham, Everton and Man Utd away that I'd be worried about.

Iused2likebusts

City utd will be postponed due to Carling cup final. Not many dates that game can be refixed for. Their is a big possibility it will be refixed for the midweek between the spurs and arsenal away games. That would be some week for utd if it is that week. Spurs city and arsenal all away in 7 days.

Jayop

Arsenal

Iused2likebusts wrote: »

City utd will be postponed due to Carling cup final. Not many dates that game can be refixed for. Their is a big possibility it will be refixed for the midweek between the spurs and arsenal away games. That would be some week for utd if it is that week. Spurs city and arsenal all away in 7 days.

Easy......

Flint Fredstone

Iused2likebusts wrote: »

City utd will be postponed due to Carling cup final. Not many dates that game can be refixed for. Their is a big possibility it will be refixed for the midweek between the spurs and arsenal away games. That would be some week for utd if it is that week. Spurs city and arsenal all away in 7 days.

Why that week?

Iang87

Cant see it being that week. champions league semis are on that week and isnt there some crap rule about no league games on UEFA nights. Probably mid april between champions league quarters and semis

Iused2likebusts

Arsenal

Iused2likebusts wrote: »

City utd will be postponed due to Carling cup final. Not many dates that game can be refixed for. Their is a big possibility it will be refixed for the midweek between the spurs and arsenal away games. That would be some week for utd if it is that week. Spurs city and arsenal all away in 7 days.

Bit of a random week to pick? Utd could also be impacted by Europa League

Iused2likebusts

Looked at it again the midweeks that are free for games to be refixed are after the Burnley game and after the spurs game . All the other weeks are taken up by European football and set aside for fa cup replays. It will also be impacted by how far utd progress in the fa cup as the qfs and sfs clash with league games which then would also need refixing. The two most likely dates for the city game are the midweek after the Burnley game which may also get cancelled due to fa cup sf . Or the midweek after spurs away not what I originally said I was posting from memory. The midweek after arsenal away is set aside for European football so it can't be that one and not giving you those 3 away games in a week but instead 3 in 10/11 days. Its quite likely 3 of utds last 4 fixtures are arsenal away ,spurs away, city away in succession .

fyfe79

Rayne Wooney wrote: »

Fair play to Conte, special mention to a certain special one for building that side.

That is one of the funniest posts I've read here in a long time. Forgetting the fact that his last season with them was a disaster, I still remember Utd fans being so vocal about not wanting him to take over. He now has Utd in 6th and has somehow cast his spell over the fan-base. He truly is special.

Conte is the man here, a class act tbf.

grumpymunster

Jayop wrote: »

We all had hoped that the only thing would stop you was losing Costa. Well you did that for a few games and won them all handy enough. I wouldn't bet against Chelsea now even if I was getting massive odds. The title is yours.

What you need to understand Jayop is that as a Chelsea fan you are by nature pessimistic we would make Victor Meldrew an icon of optimism. We are so adept at making a rocks of things historically it is not funny.

Vanolder

Is Liverpool's best shot at CL football next year resting on Arsenal winning the CL this year and finishing top 4 and thereby generating an extra spot for the premier league?

KaiserGunner

Vanolder wrote: »

Is Liverpool's best shot at CL football next year resting on Arsenal winning the CL this year and finishing top 4 and thereby generating an extra spot for the premier league?

No, if that scenario did happen no extra spot would be given. The only way Liverpool can qualify is to finish in the top 4.

GavRedKing

Arsenal

Vanolder wrote: »

Is Liverpool's best shot at CL football next year resting on Arsenal winning the CL this year and finishing top 4 and thereby generating an extra spot for the premier league?

If any of the English sides are going to win the UCL its going to be City but to answer the first part, no, Liverpools best hope of UCL is to finish top 4 and maintain the levels theyve had all year and they'll get top 4.

Also, no English side in the next 3 years will win the UCL or go close, the short and harsh truth is theyre not good enough, not when compared with the best in Europe.

Rayne Wooney

fyfe79 wrote: »

That is one of the funniest posts I've read here in a long time. Forgetting the fact that his last season with them was a disaster, I still remember Utd fans being so vocal about not wanting him to take over. He now has Utd in 6th and has somehow cast his spell over the fan-base. He truly is special.

Conte is the man here, a class act tbf.

While it was obviously tongue in cheek, Chelsea have won 3 league titles in Joses 5 years in charge, without Jose they've won 1 league title in 62 years.