Page 2 of 10

Re: EPL Title race - 21/22

PostPosted: Sun Jan 16, 2022 8:05 pm
by kazza
We need to focus on keeping clean sheets, go on a winning streak and see what happens. Still have a lot of points to play for although clearly City would be favorites.Win our games in hand, they drop  points against Spurs and we could be 5 points back when we play them. I wouldn’t quit just yet, they are due for a wobble. They have really have had the rub of the green in terms of refereeing decisions, surely the law of averages says they are due to get some bad VAR decisions like everyone else go against them.

My fear is other teams believing City are invincible and rolling over.

Re: EPL Title race - 21/22

PostPosted: Sun Jan 16, 2022 10:26 pm
by redshade
All teams drop points,it is inevitable. Our only hope is IF we somehow go on a mad winning streak.

Re: EPL Title race - 21/22

PostPosted: Sun Jan 16, 2022 11:10 pm
by red till i die!!
11 points with a game in hand isn't the biggest mountain. Win that and its 8 then beat City and its 5.  Its possible they could drop that.

kazza wrote:They have really have had the rub of the green in terms of refereeing decisions, surely the law of averages says they are due to get some bad VAR decisions like everyone else go against them.

My fear is other teams believing City are invincible and rolling over.


Cmon Kazza, they have a top top manager and have a good team. Consistency has been there as well year after year and are the team for everyone to beat. Var aren't helping them and no side will roll over either. We all knew they would dominate for years once they got pep.

If Klopp had a better squad to work with things would be different mate.  As it stands we will probably have to sell Mo just to freshen up the squad which will only set us further back.

Re: EPL Title race - 21/22

PostPosted: Tue Jan 18, 2022 11:13 pm
by damjan193
Well Chelsea look like they are out of the race for sure after drawing with Brighton today. With 12 points behind City plus City having a game in hand, it's over for them. Can't believe I said they were the team to beat a few months ago, even hoped they'd lose against City, which they did and I was happy. But honestly, I don't know how I could underestimate the abomination that is Manchester City. I thought since they were without a proper striker this season they'd struggle but that's been no problem for them at all. Well, I learned my lesson, even a lesser abomination like Chelsea is better than City, at least we can still compete with them. The sheikhs are just indestructible with the amounts of money they spend. Plus I'm very confident they've paid off somebody to win them the league via referee decisions but that's another topic that I'm sure most won't agree with here.

Re: EPL Title race - 21/22

PostPosted: Wed Jan 19, 2022 1:07 am
by ycsatbjywtbiastkamb
damjan193 » Tue Jan 18, 2022 10:13 pm wrote:Well Chelsea look like they are out of the race for sure after drawing with Brighton today. With 12 points behind City plus City having a game in hand, it's over for them. Can't believe I said they were the team to beat a few months ago, even hoped they'd lose against City, which they did and I was happy. But honestly, I don't know how I could underestimate the abomination that is Manchester City. I thought since they were without a proper striker this season they'd struggle but that's been no problem for them at all. Well, I learned my lesson, even a lesser abomination like Chelsea is better than City, at least we can still compete with them. The sheikhs are just indestructible with the amounts of money they spend. Plus I'm very confident they've paid off somebody to win them the league via referee decisions but that's another topic that I'm sure most won't agree with here.


Chelsea were flying until they lost Kante and Chillwell, they haven’t looked the same since. They still don’t lose many but draws are as good as defeats these days.

Re: EPL Title race - 21/22

PostPosted: Wed Jan 19, 2022 5:00 am
by kazza
damjan193 » Tue Jan 18, 2022 10:13 pm wrote:Well Chelsea look like they are out of the race for sure after drawing with Brighton today. With 12 points behind City plus City having a game in hand, it's over for them. Can't believe I said they were the team to beat a few months ago, even hoped they'd lose against City, which they did and I was happy. But honestly, I don't know how I could underestimate the abomination that is Manchester City. I thought since they were without a proper striker this season they'd struggle but that's been no problem for them at all. Well, I learned my lesson, even a lesser abomination like Chelsea is better than City, at least we can still compete with them. The sheikhs are just indestructible with the amounts of money they spend. Plus I'm very confident they've paid off somebody to win them the league via referee decisions but that's another topic that I'm sure most won't agree with here.

Most but not all damjan, refs make as much as 70,000 k per year (top) in a world where almost every player makes at least that per week. Strange decisions that are just written off as “ref made a mistake” but always seem to favor City. I cannot remember Guardiola complaining about refs ever! It’s all circumstantial but still, highly suspicious. How easy would it be for owners with no moral compass that already spend billions to throw a couple of millions spread amongst the refs. I think it would be stranger to think it didn’t happen given the facts than it did.

I used to think the PL was above it and how in England we would never do that sort of thing, I’m not so sure anymore. City have flagrantly broken PL FFP rules and they have flagrantly broken UEFA FFP rules and never been punished. Even if the PL found out they would do nothing about it as imagine the fallout! It would definitely damage their precious “brand”.

Re: EPL Title race - 21/22

PostPosted: Wed Jan 19, 2022 11:13 am
by Reg
- 'Struggling' 2nd-placed Liverpool after 21 matches this season: 45 pts.
- Liverpool's 'best ever team' in 1988/89 after 21 matches: 32 pts.
- Man Utd's treble-winners after 21 matches: 38 points
- Arsenal's 'Invincibles' after 21 matches: 49 pts.

The fact that City are so far ahead after 12 unbeaten games shows the power of money.

Re: EPL Title race - 21/22

PostPosted: Fri Jan 21, 2022 2:58 pm
by Eagle
Through to the final of the League Cup at Wembley, 4th round of the FA Cup, and last 16 of the Champions League after a 100% record in the "group of death".

In the league it's been fine margins with City being able to eke out a few narrow wins while some sloppy goals have meant we've drawn a few that we should have won. We've scored 1 goal more than City having played 1 game less, we've both lost 2, but they've conceded 5 less which has meant they have drawn 4 less than us. The Brentford and Brighton games stick in the throat particularly. City have also had a bit more luck with Covid and I'm certain we would have beaten Spurs if Thiago and Fabinho weren't missing with Covid and we didn't have to play Morton.

Overall I'm a bit surprised by the amount of doom and gloom on the forum. We'll need to put together a really good run of wins to make it a genuine title race but I'm really enjoying this season. We've played some great football and if we stay clear of big injury problems and I think we'll have a strong final few months.

Re: EPL Title race - 21/22

PostPosted: Fri Jan 21, 2022 3:51 pm
by ycsatbjywtbiastkamb
Reg » Wed Jan 19, 2022 10:13 am wrote:- 'Struggling' 2nd-placed Liverpool after 21 matches this season: 45 pts.
- Liverpool's 'best ever team' in 1988/89 after 21 matches: 32 pts.
- Man Utd's treble-winners after 21 matches: 38 points
- Arsenal's 'Invincibles' after 21 matches: 49 pts.

The fact that City are so far ahead after 12 unbeaten games shows the power of money.


1988/89 was before the advent of the premier league, it was much more of a level playing field back then, the wealth gap between the teams at the top of the table and the bottom was nowhere near what it is now.

Re: EPL Title race - 21/22

PostPosted: Fri Jan 21, 2022 6:12 pm
by kazza
As I said in another thread, make defense our foundation and keep clean sheets, we’ve got enough to score at least one a game and then see what happens down the line. We do that and I’m sure the gap will close and pressure will build on City.

Re: EPL Title race - 21/22

PostPosted: Sat Jan 22, 2022 8:51 pm
by damjan193
Well City finally drop points. They had a few ridiculous VAR checks but (surprisingly) weren't given anything. Anyway, if we win our games in hand we'll be 6 points behind them and we still have to play them. Would be a small miracle for sure if we do reach them, but this race isn't over just yet.

Re: EPL Title race - 21/22

PostPosted: Sat Jan 22, 2022 10:22 pm
by ycsatbjywtbiastkamb
Yep, win our 2 games in hand and beat them at their place then there’s only 3 points in it, easier said than done I know but there is a route there back into this title race. If we can drag ourselves back into it it will be a sickener for City who must have thought it was in the bag already.

Re: EPL Title race - 21/22

PostPosted: Sat Jan 22, 2022 10:44 pm
by Eagle
Beating Palace tomorrow would be a big result. After tomorrow there's a 2 week break and by the time the next league game comes round, Thiago, Keita, Elliott, Mane, and Salah, will all be back. We could be at pretty much full strength going into February which is a massive contrast compared to this time last year when we were scratching around trying to rustle up a CB partnership and a decent midfield.

Re: EPL Title race - 21/22

PostPosted: Sun Jan 23, 2022 5:10 pm
by 7_Kewell
Eagle » Sat Jan 22, 2022 9:44 pm wrote:Beating Palace tomorrow would be a big result. After tomorrow there's a 2 week break and by the time the next league game comes round, Thiago, Keita, Elliott, Mane, and Salah, will all be back. We could be at pretty much full strength going into February which is a massive contrast compared to this time last year when we were scratching around trying to rustle up a CB partnership and a decent midfield.


Things are looking up, that's for sure. 

We should be able to put together a good run in the league from now until we meet City on 9 April.

Re: EPL Title race - 21/22

PostPosted: Mon Jan 24, 2022 3:22 pm
by ycsatbjywtbiastkamb
City have got a run of tricky fixtures from mid Feb up until they host us on the 9th of April

Tottenham (H)
Everton (A)
Manchester United (H)
Crystal Palace (A)
Brighton (H)
Burnley (A)
Liverpool (H)

A few potential banana skins in there, we may not need to beat them at their place yet. Everything depends on us going on a 10+ game winning run, pointless them dropping points if we are going to do the same ourselves.