Topic: Chasing the Title

[Jack Barrels]

If we do get through, we’re getting one of the English teams. Just so you’re not shocked 

Spurs it is, let's have 'em

[vicar]

Shit, Pawson is the ref on Sunday....

Mind you it could have been worse. It could have been Moss, Tierney, Marriner, Taylor, Atkinson......jesus there is not much choice is there.

[Sharado]

Shit, Pawson is the ref on Sunday....

Mind you it could have been worse. It could have been Moss, Tierney, Marriner, Taylor, Atkinson......jesus there is not much choice is there.

he's not good [few are now] but for me he's not as bad as Moss taylor or atkinson.

[G Richards]

Sunday 12th May
Saturday 1st June

Two weeks and six days between the last league game and the CL final. It's too much. Consider the results we had after the Dubai and Spain breaks. On the one hand the sample is too small, and anything can happen in any game, but you can make a fair argument to say the breaks disrupted our rhythm. (Hopefully at the end of the season we will be able to make the argument that they were crucial to winning the Premier League!)

Anyhow, at first glance, twenty days between games is far too much.

[1892tillforever]

Assuming City get through to the FA Cup SF,  they want to bring forward the Cardiff home league game to the midweek beforehand because it the only blank midweek available that doesn't either clash with Champions League QF/SF weeks or the midweek scheduled PL game against United.

Do Cardiff have to agree or can they tell City to do one?

In theory, Wanker and co. could pick a time where City have to play them 2 days after a game and 2 days before the next one. Cardiff have no chance of getting a result unless they can force City to play at a ridiculous moment.

[Kashinoda]

Hopefully this works, for easy reference. I will update as we go!

Suggestions for changes to the structure welcome, I designed it yesterday and played with a few formats but basically this is all about a quick glance easily to tell where we could be and they could be after the next few rounds of fixtures.

Feel free to share download edit- all good. Cheers!

Perfect, nice one

[the_red_pill]

Hopefully this works, for easy reference. I will update as we go!

Suggestions for changes to the structure welcome, I designed it yesterday and played with a few formats but basically this is all about a quick glance easily to tell where we could be and they could be after the next few rounds of fixtures.

Feel free to share download edit- all good. Cheers!

A lot of love went into that sheet I see...
Jeepers that run of City's after the International break is gruelling!

[Caligula?]

You have to look at Spurs, United, Burnley, CL Semi 1st leg (assuming they get there) and then Leicester as the set of fixtures that'll settle it. On paper those are a really difficult set of fixtures with not much rest time in between.

[SteveZissou]

Sunday 12th May
Saturday 1st June

Two weeks and six days between the last league game and the CL final. It's too much. Consider the results we had after the Dubai and Spain breaks. On the one hand the sample is too small, and anything can happen in any game, but you can make a fair argument to say the breaks disrupted our rhythm. (Hopefully at the end of the season we will be able to make the argument that they were crucial to winning the Premier League!)

Anyhow, at first glance, twenty days between games is far too much.

Totally agree. It affected us last year and in Athens.
I'm hoping Klopp schedules a friendly against our B team Southampton or someone, so we can win the double.

[the_red_pill]

You have to look at Spurs, United, Burnley, CL Semi 1st leg (assuming they get there) and then Leicester as the set of fixtures that'll settle it. On paper those are a really difficult set of fixtures with not much rest time in between.

Just before that, there's Palace AWAY as well. That's a threacherous run.
4 battling fixtures in a row. If that was us, we'd already have some wetting the bed weeks in advance and once more on each matchday, just for good measure.

[BazC]

Good job with that fixtures table.

It’s imperative we win the next 3 games. That’s a big uphill battle for them if they drop any points in their next 3. We’d be running with a game in hand and the pressure would be massive on them after that if they lost points in any one of their next few on top. It would demand perfection from them in the league at a point they may also still be in the middle of CL and FA Cup challenges.

We have to win the next 3 games. Should set us up for it perfectly.

[Trendisnotdestiny]

Just before that, there's Palace AWAY as well. That's a threacherous run.
4 battling fixtures in a row. If that was us, we'd already have some wetting the bed weeks in advance and once more on each matchday, just for good measure.

All so true.

And when you look at a squad who all have had some injuries (all in some form of recovery or recent fitness), we might see more.

1. Kompany
2. Stones
3. Laporte
4. Fernandinho
5. Jesus
6. Mendy
7. DeBruyne

[Mr_Shane]

ITs already come to the stage when once we drop points there is little chance of getting them back, especially when you are talking about a title challenge.

Those teams from 3rd to 6th. They are there because they are too inconsistent. They also have more chance of clawing back the lost points. In our case and City;s if either of us drop any more points, its going to be an uphill battle

[the_red_pill]

Good job with that fixtures table.

It’s imperative we win the next 3 games. That’s a big uphill battle for them if they drop any points in their next 3. We’d be running with a game in hand and the pressure would be massive on them after that if they lost points in any one of their next few on top. It would demand perfection from them in the league at a point they may also still be in the middle of CL and FA Cup challenges.

We have to win the next 3 games. Should set us up for it perfectly.

That Palace away kicks it all off. They're currently on 33pts.
It'll be a war of attrition with a frantic pace. You just know the Owl would be up for it. He would want to maintain his "rep" as "one of the most respected coaches in Europe" by beating Pep again- thereby showing that his method do indeed translate... from Malmo to the Eithad, to Selhurst Park. Dragging them down into the gutter and beating them with "experience".

[Blue Coop]

No worries, I was spending too long trying to figure out how many points ahead we can get if City progress through FA Cup etc, and when they play catch up game/s. If they get through and we keep winning that pressure won't half be on City. We could be 5 pts clear (albeit with them having 2 games in hand) before they play Spurs for example, and then they'll have a fixture pile-up too to contend with. I can't see where that (almost certainly) rearranged Cardiff game easily fits.

I think Cardiff would actually get pulled forward into the midweek similar to the Everton fixture.

Definitely a potential for fixture pile up though if not!

[cowtownred]

If the Owl can beat City again, I personally would have him in for our 'Manager of the Season'.  And he should be on one of our Kop banners for ever.

[swoopy]

If the Owl can beat City again, I personally would have him in for our 'Manager of the Season'.  And he should be on one of our Kop banners for ever.

[AttaRed]

It looks that way to me, though they could presumably move the Cardiff game forward to the midweek between Sun 31st March and Fri 5th April, otherwise the only space I can see (presuming they reach the CL Semis) is somewhere between the CL SF 2nd Leg, and the Final day of the season. Which would mean a CL SF and two premier league fixtures in about 5/6 days.

This is what Man utd have done with the league fixture against Wolves. They are due to play each other on the weekend of the FA cup semis, but seen as 1 of them will be in the semi (as they've drawn each other in the quarters) they've bought the league game forward to the 2nd April. City would want to do something similar.

[The Naby Keita fan club]

Right up there, we need to win the most of our games, I believe City will drop some points. Come on the Pool! This is finally our year.

[Mighty_Red]

they've bought the league game forward to the 2nd April. City would want to do something similar.

Happy if City want to do the same to be honest, that takes away their one free week and the chance for recovery ahead of CL quarters, esp coming after the intl break.

We could do with Swansea taking them to extra time and pens too!

For ourselves, let's just get through each week, will take another draw on Wed, as long as its 1-1 😁

[exiledintheUSA]

Happy if City want to do the same to be honest, that takes away their one free week and the chance for recovery ahead of CL quarters, esp coming after the intl break.

We could do with Swansea taking them to extra time and pens too!

For ourselves, let's just get through each week, will take another draw on Wed, as long as its 1-1 😁

Or 2-2, 3-3, 4-4 etc.

[GeorgiaRed]

Been so obsessed with the title, but the champs league is wide open with Real Madrid and PSG out.

If we beat Bayern I don’t know what to prioritise. A real shot at making history, just need everyone in red to go out there and grab it

The double, The double, we want the double!   

[LFC_NCL]

The double, The double, we want the double!   

exactly, i want to win both

[Alan_X]

I hate the fact we still have Chelsea to play, they seem to have something over us for some reason
Did I read a stat earlier, could be wrong, in the prem we have only beaten them twice from 16 games

Who gives a shit about the past. Until this year we never had as many points after 30 games... ever.

Was Klopp the manager for all of those games? Was Van Dyjk the rock in our defence? Was Allison in goal? Did we have Mo, Sadio and Bobby up front? Did we have two of the best young full backs in Europe putting in fantastic balls form the wings? Did we have Hendo, Gini, Milner, Keita, Shaqiri, Fabinho to choose from and plyuaers coming back from injury like Gomez and Oxlade-Chamberlain?...

Fuck history.

[harleydanger]

Been so obsessed with the title, but the champs league is wide open with Real Madrid and PSG out.

If we beat Bayern I don’t know what to prioritise. A real shot at making history, just need everyone in red to go out there and grab it

lol at PSG  ever winning it, they're the Spurs of Europe

[Crimson_Tank]

Who gives a shit about the past. Until this year we never had as many points after 30 games... ever.

Was Klopp the manager for all of those games? Was Van Dyjk the rock in our defence? Was Allison in goal? Did we have Mo, Sadio and Bobby up front? Did we have two of the best young full backs in Europe putting in fantastic balls form the wings? Did we have Hendo, Gini, Milner, Keita, Shaqiri, Fabinho to choose from and plyuaers coming back from injury like Gomez and Oxlade-Chamberlain?...

Too right Alan.

[latortuga]

Don't know about you all but it was doing my head in trying to keep track of the fixtures / dates / games v points etc. So I made this. Let me know anything that needs to be fixed otherwise I'll keep it updated through the end of the season. Cheers!

If there's an easy way to embed this as an image (its made in Drive) let me know!

This is fantastic, very aesthetically pleasing.

Personally think that while I would hate to see City win the UCL - softened only by us winning the BPL - their progress to the semis can potentially benefit us if Pep starts resting players. 

[Ratboy3G]

Who gives a shit about the past. Until this year we never had as many points after 30 games... ever.

Was Klopp the manager for all of those games? Was Van Dyjk the rock in our defence? Was Allison in goal? Did we have Mo, Sadio and Bobby up front? Did we have two of the best young full backs in Europe putting in fantastic balls form the wings? Did we have Hendo, Gini, Milner, Keita, Shaqiri, Fabinho to choose from and plyuaers coming back from injury like Gomez and Oxlade-Chamberlain?...

Fuck history.

Well said Alan 👍

[MNAA]

Who gives a shit about the past
Fuck history.

[latortuga]

Fuck history.

What about 18 and 5? 

[harleydanger]

Who gives a shit about the past. Until this year we never had as many points after 30 games... ever.

Was Klopp the manager for all of those games? Was Van Dyjk the rock in our defence? Was Allison in goal? Did we have Mo, Sadio and Bobby up front? Did we have two of the best young full backs in Europe putting in fantastic balls form the wings? Did we have Hendo, Gini, Milner, Keita, Shaqiri, Fabinho to choose from and plyuaers coming back from injury like Gomez and Oxlade-Chamberlain?...

Fuck history.

Who gives a shit about the past.
Fuck history.

Fuck history.

Fuck.

[demain]

What about 18 and 5? 

Alan's right. Those numbers hold as much relevance to the title race as the number of people in Britain that eat marmalade on toast of a morning.

[Alan_X]

What about 18 and 5? 

What about them? United have 20 league titles and Real Madrid have 13 European Cups.

[SlowRap]

Until this year we never had as many points after 30 games... ever.

Who gives a shit about the past.

[spider-neil]

The only place I see City dropping points is Manu. So I think we need to win our remaining games. I don't see City dropping points in two fixtures.

[Barneylfc∗]

The only place I see City dropping points is Manu. So I think we need to win our remaining games. I don't see City dropping points in two fixtures.

Anything could happen if there's a level playing field and the officials don't intervene if things aren't going well for City.
Taking each game in isolation, they're capable of winning every one of them.
Looking at them on paper doesn't account for injuries, fatigue, complacency, pressure or anything else.
I still think there's another twist to come. I just hope there isn't a turn after it.

[harleydanger]

The only place I see City dropping points is Manu. So I think we need to win our remaining games. I don't see City dropping points in two fixtures.

They lost to Newcastle.

[spider-neil]

They lost to Newcastle.

A month ago. They are currently on a run of 17 wins in 18 games. Unsustainable? Maybe.

[harleydanger]

They were 12 from 13 when the lost to Newcastle.

[Jookie]

If someone offered you a guaranteed 6 wins and 2 draws from the last 8 games would you take it?

Would mean we ended up on 93 points. Would that be enough? City would need to drop 6 points in the remaining 8 games (assuming their GD stayed better).

If not 93 points what do people think the points threshold we need to reach is to stand a better than 50:50 chance of winning the league.

Personally I wouldn't be surprised if 93 points wins the league. I think 95 would definitely do it (7 wins and a draw). Though getting to 93-95 points is so much easier said than done.