Domestic form has tailed off a bit of late, but every team has a blip every now and then. In previous seasons, we've got our blip out of the way at the start of the season; this season we're having a mid-season wobble, at least as far as the league is concerned. While we've been superb in the Champions League, our recent league form has been far from spectacular.
Two defeats against United and Arsenal where we didn't really turn up, a disappointing draw against West Brom and a narrow, unconvincing win over Palace. This has coincided with injuries to key players - Kane, Toby, Alli, Lloris, Winks - and our main attacking threats going through a bit of a dodgy period. Alli has only been doing it in fits and starts this season, and has been poor of late, Eriksen's gone off the boil and even Kane hasn't been at his sharpest. The Champions League games - and the draining effect this has - has no doubt played a part too. But there are plenty of reasons to remain upbeat, despite us slipping out of the top 4 and behind Arsenal.
- this time last season we had the same number of points as we do now, and were one point behind Arsenal. We ended up finishing 2nd and being Chelsea's closest challengers.
- this is typically the part of the season where we start to motor under Poch. In his 3 seasons in charge so far, we have tended to perform best over the festive period. Our record at Christmas is unbelievably good - no defeat since 2006, I believe - and we've scored some big hits over our rivals in the late November to January period.
- there were calls for Dele to be taken out of the team last season around this time because of poor form. He scored a great goal against CSKA and, from there, started to find the net on a regular basis. He needs to stop believing the hype, stop the theatrics and on-field silliness, and get back to doing what he does best. He's still scored goals this season, and set plenty up, but because of his huge talent expectations are a lot of higher of him, a bit like Bale. He's probably judged unfairly and scapegoated a bit, but it's only because he has so much talent.
- Son's in great form. While Eriksen, Alli and even Kane are having a bit of a dip in form, our super South Korean has been doing the business. He was our best player against West Brom, got the winner against Palace and scored a brilliant goal against Dortmund.
- We respond well to setbacks. After losing to United, we beat Real. After losing to Arsenal, we beat Dortmund. After drawing with West Brom...you get the picture.
- We play best when the spotlight is off us. When we're not getting praised to high heaven, we tend to play better. Going under the radar is usually to our advantage.
- Last October we went on a run of 7 games without a win, including defeats in the Champions League and League Cup. After this, our form was mixed for a bit - wins and defeats - until we lost of United at OT. After this, in mid-December, we started to motor. Two vital home wins against Hull and Burnley, followed by big wins over Soton, Watford, Chelsea and West Brom. We didn't lose again until February at Anfield.
- Our away record against teams outside the top 6 is good. Leicester won't be easy, but our recent record there is strong.
Clearly, the top 6 is far more competitive this year. City have improved massively, so have United (although they're still often drab), Chelsea are still a force to be reckoned with and Arsenal are always there or thereabouts. Liverpool are horribly inconsistent - capable of being brilliant or awful - but we nearly always finish above them. Top 4 is going to be difficult, especially with the Champions League and the Wembley factor as distractions.
Talks of a curse have been put to bed, but clearly we are having a problem against teams who are happy to sit back, frustrate, disrupt and thwart. Against Palace, Swansea, Bournemouth, Burnley and West Brom, we haven't looked convincing once. Unless we fix that, we'll be relying too heavily on our away form.
Anyway, if we start to be rubbish in the league, we can just win the Champions League instead! How hard can that be?
Reasons to be upbeat
posted on 28/11/17
Are*
posted on 28/11/17
comment by ツ VertongHєиgу• (U9129)
posted 6 minutes ago
comment by Chronic (U3423)
posted 1 minute ago
4. All our rivals have flaws as obvious as ours
--------
do they?
united and Chelsea look a better all round team at the moment.
Liverpool and arsenal's attack is functioning a lot better than ours at the moment.
at the back we have started leaking awful goals.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Ate honestly saying you can’t see Liverpools obvious flaw?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
they are awful at the back, yes.
that's only one team
posted on 28/11/17
comment by Mark O'Hara (U1734)
posted 2 hours, 1 minute ago
comment by Diamondlights (U20501)
posted 35 minutes ago
The main reasons to be upbeat
1) Champs league redemption.... after last years disaster
2) A reality check, we are not winning the league, its gone. We have as good a chance as United, Liverpool, Chelsea & Arsenal of making the top 4. All our rivals have flaws as obvious as ours
3) Some tough games out the way and week by week we are closer to getting the likes of Toby, Victor, Lamela back in the squad
4) Cup football, lets enjoy the champs league while it last, frankly it seems like the only time Wembley comes alive for us, hopefully we can do the same in the FA Cup and win it (no stupid teams/ tactics please Poch !!!)
5) January.. Lets finally buy a proper striker to back up/play with Kane (someone with Pace... DEMBELE)
6) Next Season..... New Home, back to our fortress, keep our best players and kick on !
COYS
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Fixed it for you
The main reasons to be upbeat
1) Champs league distraction will mean missing out on top 4
2) A reality check, Spurs are not winning the league, its gone.
3) Some tough games on the way and week by week we are closer to having to have Lamela back in the squad
4) Cup football, fixture congestion and distractions while it lasts
5) January.. Lets buy another flop of a striker like Janssen or Soldado to hamper Kane (DEMBELE)
6) Next Season..... New soulless Home, not going back to our fortress, sell our best players
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Barry this needs refining again m8
posted on 28/11/17
comment by Chronic (U3423)
posted 19 minutes ago
comment by ツ VertongHєиgу• (U9129)
posted 6 minutes ago
comment by Chronic (U3423)
posted 1 minute ago
4. All our rivals have flaws as obvious as ours
--------
do they?
united and Chelsea look a better all round team at the moment.
Liverpool and arsenal's attack is functioning a lot better than ours at the moment.
at the back we have started leaking awful goals.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Ate honestly saying you can’t see Liverpools obvious flaw?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
they are awful at the back, yes.
that's only one team
----------------------------------------------------------------------
So the do they question then using Liverpool wasn’t the smartest thing to do.
Liverpool = shiet defence
Arsenal = very consistent
Chelsea = over reliant on one player ( Hazard )
Just the Manchester teams that look good to me
posted on 28/11/17
Wring !!! CFC fell apart when Kante was missing not Hazard
posted on 28/11/17
*Wrong
posted on 28/11/17
comment by Conte'nt = eism (U20893)
posted 2 minutes ago
Wring !!! CFC fell apart when Kante was missing not Hazard
----------------------------------------------------------------------
So technically it’s not wrong as you’re over reliant on 1 plsyer.
The moral is everyone has obvious flaws as the Op said
posted on 28/11/17
comment by ツ VertongHєиgу• (U9129)
posted 19 minutes ago
comment by Chronic (U3423)
posted 19 minutes ago
comment by ツ VertongHєиgу• (U9129)
posted 6 minutes ago
comment by Chronic (U3423)
posted 1 minute ago
4. All our rivals have flaws as obvious as ours
--------
do they?
united and Chelsea look a better all round team at the moment.
Liverpool and arsenal's attack is functioning a lot better than ours at the moment.
at the back we have started leaking awful goals.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Ate honestly saying you can’t see Liverpools obvious flaw?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
they are awful at the back, yes.
that's only one team
----------------------------------------------------------------------
So the do they question then using Liverpool wasn’t the smartest thing to do.
Liverpool = shiet defence
Arsenal = very consistent
Chelsea = over reliant on one player ( Hazard )
Just the Manchester teams that look good to me
----------------------------------------------------------------------
surely being consistent is a good thing? especially when they constantly squeeze past team that we are struggling against this season.
I think we will finish 5th above liverpool. i hope i am wrong.
posted on 28/11/17
comment by Phenom (U20037)
posted 31 minutes ago
comment by ツ VertongHєиgу• (U9129)
posted 19 minutes ago
comment by Chronic (U3423)
posted 19 minutes ago
comment by ツ VertongHєиgу• (U9129)
posted 6 minutes ago
comment by Chronic (U3423)
posted 1 minute ago
4. All our rivals have flaws as obvious as ours
--------
do they?
united and Chelsea look a better all round team at the moment.
Liverpool and arsenal's attack is functioning a lot better than ours at the moment.
at the back we have started leaking awful goals.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Ate honestly saying you can’t see Liverpools obvious flaw?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
they are awful at the back, yes.
that's only one team
----------------------------------------------------------------------
So the do they question then using Liverpool wasn’t the smartest thing to do.
Liverpool = shiet defence
Arsenal = very consistent
Chelsea = over reliant on one player ( Hazard )
Just the Manchester teams that look good to me
----------------------------------------------------------------------
surely being consistent is a good thing? especially when they constantly squeeze past team that we are struggling against this season.
I think we will finish 5th above liverpool. i hope i am wrong.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Obviously meant inconsistent
posted on 28/11/17
what were those reasons again? its absolute garbage at the moment isn't it