Well well well

It’s back in our hands but to win every game is such a tall order

We still have the hardest run in but right now if we win all our games and stay ahead on GD (+9 on Liverpool) the title is in our own hands again.

Watch out for 3 back-to-back-to-back away games for Liverpool coming up after their home game v Palace, and an away trip to Villa on the penultimate game,and a home game v Spurs sandwiched between a possible Europe semi-final. Drop 2 points and suddenly the fixtures don't look so easy

Man City have got a staggeringly easy run in - spurs away and brighton away but they should rightly be favourites

Yep, no idea where their midfield goes at times, their forwards never track back and the defence is at best in place, but is a shambles.
That game should have finishes about 5-2 to Liverpool.

This is what I've been saying about having a tight defence that doesn't give up chances let alone shots, if you're forwards miss chances - which can happen - you need your defence to shut down the other end of the pitch to allow your forwards to have a bad game. Liverpool forwards had a really bad game and still scored 2, 2 should be enough to win any game if you concentrate in defence

Maybe although I can think of many times we threw away leads.

It's ours to lose.

Spuds are the only team I fear the way we are playing now.

With players coming back we are looking good to go

Jurgen Klopp on whether Arsenal will drop points at Old Trafford on May 11. "Arsenal is a good football team and if #MUFC play like today, Arsenal will win that game, I'm 100% sure of that."

Klopp can be quite salty and spikey when Liverpool don't win

That's not quite accurate. Klopp can be an utter prick when Liverpool don't win. The way he treated that German (?) reporter a few weeks ago was abhorrent.

We did, but that was mainly because we were continuing to attack with abandon. United's midfield goes AWOL in games where they are not forcing the issue at all. I mean, what was that first half today all about? Anyway, long may it continue.

I'm not sure I'd go as far as to say 'its ours to lose'. 1 point separating 3 teams. One slip and someone else will win it. Ridiculous that we could have a record of 16 wins + 2 draws in the final 18 games and still be pipped to the post by one of the other two.

All 3 teams have the 'form', but our matches have looked the least likely of the 3 to drop points. Hoping that catches up with the other 2.

Bookies still have City as favourites but we've now moved ahead of Liverpool as 2nd favourites.

The Opta % chances still have us 3rd favourites
City 39%
Liverpool 31%
Arsenal 29%

We won't but neither will Liverpool. City might though. That CL draw is a huge bonus for Liverpool. It's all to play for and I certainly can't call it.

True, I went to easy on him!

Pep as well goes in to a kind of childish uber-sarcasm mode to avoid answering questions he doesn't like. He was asked about his on pitch animated 'dressing down' of Grealish recently and his answer was 'I do it on purpose so all the cameras are on me and for my ego because I'm the most famous person in the team'

If we only had the league to deal with, I'd fancy our chances playing one intense game a week. Not every 3 or 4 days for 5 weeks or so. Man Utd always play us tough at home but with playing them likely when there is not much to play for and them not having an issue with us beating either team to the title, they seem less of a threat than Spurs.

Our saving grace is going to be team defense. If we are good enough to keep so City at bay at home, we're good enough to stop Man Utd or Spurs or others at no more than 1 goal if any at all. We'll need a wee bit of luck as well. Most of our 2024 clean sheets came with a great save by our GK or a sliding tackle or such similar obstacle.

We are the best in the league on current form by some distance. We'd be smart to try and kill off a mediocre (by their standards) Bayern Munich in the first leg. 2-0 would do nicely. The problem will come if or when we advance and having to the winner of RM or City while having to win the league games around the tie. I'd much rather play RM even though its the harder game. Emotionally having to play City two more times will be tougher .

Not that I'm in the habit of praising Spurs players but if I could add any of their team to our squad it would be Van der Ven the CB. I wouldn't pick him over Gabriel of course but Van Der Ven is a very good player, everything you'd want in a CB. Crucially outrageous pace which allows top teams to play that higher dominating line, he's left footed which is fare more rare and important for the build up from your left sided CB, his passing and technique is good and he's very physical against strikers - and still only 22. He'd never come to Arsenal but if I were any of the other clubs who consider themselves bigger than Spurs I'd be tracking him very closely - he's worth upwards of £60m already I think.

I was over at Redcafe the other day enjoying the meltdown after Chelsea. Someone posted a clip on there of Rashford sauntering around with zero effort to make a tackle. Looked to me like some of the players are trying to get Ten Hag sacked.

Edit: here it is…
https://x.com/TrollFootball/status/1776207506559111604

I think you are correct. Until they realise they have to get rid of some of these players, it won’t matter if they get a new manager.

We play Man Utd in may I think. Man Utd fans want us to win badly. If City wins, its 4 straight. No one has done 4 straight. So, they see it as a record that will likely not be broken for some time if at all. They don't want Liverpool to win because of the number of titles record. So, by default us.

Klopp knows this. His statement translates as "I'm going to shame Man Utd into playing a full strength side in May even though there is nothing to play for. Their league position will likely have been solidified by then. Players looking forward to a break. And if them not showing up means Arsenal winning the title then okay."

Their midfield is their strength. They don't get enough credit but they have one of the best midfields in the league.

We should beat Chelsea at home...should. They played us very, very well in the first game. I was surprised how well they were and we had to come back just to get a draw.

This is a different team from back then. Much tougher. But its a huge London derby and they would want nothing better to deny us the title. That said, we should win. I don't know if we'll keep a clean sheet but we should win.

Spurs away....we win that one then I think we can win it all. Like Chelsea they are super motivated. For both Chelsea and Tottenham, they'd like to win, but know its unlikely so they'll celebrate a draw if it means we will loe the title race.

The mid week games are going to hurt us a lot. What will hurt us a lot is they have a long rest. They play away to Newcastle on the 13th and don't have to play again till us on the 28th. They'll be fully rested. We'll be playing them 5 days after a tough game vs Chelsea and the 4th game in 11 days. Bayern, Wolves and Chelsea before.

This month will make us or break us. Its the number of games. We are much better than the teams we are playing in the league on current form. The key I think is going to be whoever is on the bench. They will either have to come in to help us get a win or close out a lead. God forbid having to come in to equalize.

'Arsenal fans at King's Cross boarding a special train to Huddersfield for the FA
Cup semi final against Grimsby, 1936.'

More context ...

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/footb ... d-End.html

City have so many talented players. de Bruyne and Grealish seem to be coming into form just when we don't need them to, and our fixture list just looks too daunting.

Nevertheless, it is hard not to feel optimistic. We are seriously good.

Contrast that to Havertz tracking all the way back to snuff out a Brighton break.

It's going to be interesting to see what happens to City.

Everton deducted two points for second breach of Premier League financial rules
https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/68723109

Id we win all our games leading up to the Spurs game, and we've been able to rotate a bit I'd rather play them with just 5 days rest and them having had 15 days off. We'll be flying and in the groove of match-recover-match-recovery, whilst they sit twiddling their thumbs. Spurs will still have a difficult job making sure their players are sharp.
It is the biggest game in the league for us. Real contrasting styles born from the same overall philosophy.

After Arsenal went 2-0 up on Saturday, Brighton had 81% possession.

From that point on they had 1 shot on goal.

We had 6.

It's possible the lay off for sperz could make them not come out guns blazing but its an NLD with title implications for us. I doubt they'll be nothing but come out flying. Closing us down everywhere on the pitch. Coming in hard to every 50/50 ball.

Assuming we get past Chelsea.

“He showed me a completely different spectrum of how to play football, which I have never experienced before. I’ve never had a coach before who was so detailed.”

Kai Havertz on Mikel Arteta’s impact on his game.

This is now so common for every new player to say how Arteta is showing them aspects of football they had never learnt before. Pretty obvious why Arteta can improve so many players and why he prioritises general football intelligence in his signings

Well today’s the big one. Back amongst the big time.

Will be an odd match with no away fans but there seems to be some complacency in the fanbase about the game. I’m expecting it to be nowhere near as easy as some are forecasting. Team full of world class players and they will want to use the game to hide their bad league form.

I expect the players to be up for BM. First time for most of these players to be in such a big European game and its going to be a lot for them. I also think because of the amount of emotional/mental energy as well as physical energy exerted, the first 10 to 20 minutes may see us start off slow.

Villa haven't played as well in the 2nd half of the season as they did in the first half but they are still a tough team, home or away. I don't expect a blow-out as much as I'd like one. They will play very defensively, be hard to break down and will counter well.

It's been a long wait. Exciting times.

Didn't realize this is how they teach reaction to deflections from keepers. Kinda cool.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/V0CILOG_sPQ

It's hard to believe anyone could be complacent about this game. People have such short memories!

Latest rumor is we are after BM midfielder Kimmich in the summer.

Arteta!

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/C498CFLmGik

Isis trying to disrupt champs League games.

i prefer these old videos when the scoreline isn't in the title. It hits different when you don't know what will happen.

Must have been amazing to be at the games in those days. Much more pure.

Nutters.

Then you've got those nutter Arse fans who just might try selling Bayern away fans their tickets.

I fancy us against that Bayern back 4. Especially if they push on and leave space.

As long as they don't sell them to ISIS