I have to admit as much as I like the praise we are getting in the media, I'm a little uncomfortable with us been labelled title favourites after blitzing Everton. I feel like the media are doing what they always do and get carried away. They even do it when sh*t hits the fan, like when they were saying Conte's job was at risk after losing back to back to Liverpool and Arsenal. Don't get me wrong were playing the best football I've seen since that first half of the season 2014-15 and the fact we only have two competitions to concentrate on is a big advantage but I just don't like when the media get carried away.

How does everyone else feel about this?

I don't think title favorites. Liverpool has been the most consistent so far and they haven't shown any sign of stopping. Arsenal and Man City are obviously in it, as are Tottenham and to a lesser extent Man Utd.

I'll take a CL spot and the FAC right now.

I think we are heading towards CL spot. Too early to talk about title. We need to see how things work when Haz, Costa or Moses are unavailable.

The media had written us off a month ago.

So I don't rate their opinions anyway.

Hope we keep playing the way we have done in the last five games.

Man City are title favourites and with the squad they have should win the league.

Not really sure what Pep is upto with Kolorav as CB and no Kompany or Otamendi, this league is no Spain or Germany. You will get punished at some point.

I see more City have left the door open at the moment and for me the most dangerous teams for them are Chelsea and Liverpool. Both have no European football and can concentrate fully on the PL. Both playing good football and seem settled with there first teams.

Love the fact Conte is picking the same 11 every game and Moses and Pedro are getting a real run in the team and playing well. 

I think Chelsea are up there for a chance of winning the league and will be running Ciry close till the end.

Arsenal will be same old Arsenal when push comes to shove. You can't win the league with Sanchez as your forward and they don't like the cold as Keane says lol.

Much too early to say. We are going through a purple patch right now but it's a long, long season and injuries, suspensions may take there toll.

But at the moment it's one of the best mini runs I can remember. I hope we continue against Boro away and especially Spuds at home? Now that would be the icing on the cake...

City will win it I think, and as they should. They have the better squad. I expect us to be in the mix but who knows, the league is sort of unpredictable. 

hard not to get carried away at the moment, because as a team we have looked amazing in the last month or so- more than the sum of our parts.

but I do think city for example are still a potentially better side and have more individual quality. there is a nagging feeling that maybe matic could lose form again, or that the back five, all of whom have clear theoretical weaknesses, could get exploited. it is hard to believe this squad is capable of maintaining this level of performance. push comes to shove I don't believe it can. 

 

1 hour ago, g3.7 said:

hard not to get carried away at the moment, because as a team we have looked amazing in the last month or so- more than the sum of our parts.

but I do think city for example are still a potentially better side and have more individual quality. there is a nagging feeling that maybe matic could lose form again, or that the back five, all of whom have clear theoretical weaknesses, could get exploited. it is hard to believe this squad is capable of maintaining this level of performance. push comes to shove I don't believe it can. 

 

Very good points, tbh I think this is a season too soon for us

The football we showing in our last 5 games affects everyone. If we will continue in that way there's no reason that we won't be title favorites. We got only PL and FA Cup as competitions to play for. 

If we will continue to play like we played in our last 5 games, then it would be impossible to stop us in counter attacks. We all could watch this by ourselves, all our team is working hard. Defence is strong, midfield is working very well and our attack scores goals, isn't that what we want?

Our big tests are coming, game against Spurs, game against City, even game against Middlesbrough is a test for us. A team that ending 1-1 against Man City at Etihad means something. 

When I look at our squad and at our current form, then I do believe winning a title is a reality for us. In my opinion, we got the best CB in the league who also affects on Cahill and helping him to show a good form and Azpilicueta who always giving 100% for the team. This trio could lead us to that, with Zouma and Terry as well. Matic and Kante are doing an awesome work, Matic is finally back to himself, one of our best performers. Costa is scoring goals, Hazard is showing class, Pedro is starting to show his class as well and our most important improvements are Moses who turned to be one of the best RB's in the league and Alonso who starting to fit himself. 

What I afraid about is injuries, if something happens to Hazard, Costa, Moses, Courtois, there's no player at the same level to replace them. Batshuayi still need more playing time, I do think he's a great striker and he can be a big goalscorer for us, but Costa offers us more than just scoring goals. Willian's work on the pitch is important, but he can't replace Hazard. 

There's January as well, let's see how the transfer window will work, maybe we will get someone, Conte has plans for sure. Anyways, I think we can be title candidates, our squad is good enough.

We have the most well balanced team, the best manager, best striker, best midfield, best defence and best player in the league! As long as our key players stay fit we should get our title back! 

I believe.

But let's not ponder.

 

i think scholes is one of the worst pundits out there, but he made an interesting point about how different playing styles can make for different seasons. scholes made the point that liverpool, although extremely solid looking as of now, plays with an intensity rarely seen (gegenpress and all that). he then made the point that spurs play similarly, but ended up knackered in march-april last year. klopps philosophy might work in germany with their winter break, but he doesn't have that luxury in england.

city focuses more on possession, but play the same intensive pressing game. i don't think we are as dependent on winning the ball back as fast as the other contenders. i think we are the team best equipped to sit back and soak up pressure (a lot of it down to our formation) and playing purely a counter attacking style if needed, and i also think conte is the most cynical manager out of the top 5-6 candidates (at least certainly more than klopp and guardiola).

i thought this was an interesting angle to look at things from.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p04fdcb2

I think we definitely are contenders but I would say Liverpool are my favourites as Klopp has then performing just as good. Maybe city as well after January as I know Jesus will be joining and probably a few more.

If it's not us I hope it's anyone but Liverpool. Insufferable bunch of c*nts right now. 

I think this season the title will be decided by the top 7 mini-league and so far Liverpool have done the best on that score with 8 points from 4 games against other top 7 sides. We have 6 points from 4 matches.

Arsenal and City each have 4 points from 3 matches.

Liverpool's last 8 fixtures are against mid to lower mid table sides - we've got City, United and Everton in our last 8.

 

 

 

Liverpool is in a great position to be on top by the end of the year at least. The had the one off game vs Burnley at the beginning of the season, which they lost, but apart from thay they've won 12 and drawn 2 (all competitions).

And just look what other results Liverpool already has behing them (ergo games they won't have to play):

Arsenal A (win)

Tottenham A (draw)

Chelsea A (win)

Leicester A (win)

Manchester United H (draw)

They have basically already played all of the toughest games of the first half of the season save for Manchester City and yet they are still first. Right now Liverpool has a relatively easy schedule at least until Christmas with the toughest game Everton A, apart fom that they are playing Sunderland, Stoke, Southampton, Bournemouth, West Ham and Middlesbrough.

Liverpool will be most vulnerable in January / February when the lose Sadio Mane to the African Cup of Nations.

2 hours ago, carrickblue said:

I think this season the title will be decided by the top 7 mini-league and so far Liverpool have done the best on that score with 8 points from 4 games against other top 7 sides. We have 6 points from 4 matches.

Arsenal and City each have 4 points from 3 matches.

Liverpool's last 8 fixtures are against mid to lower mid table sides - we've got City, United and Everton in our last 8.

 

If we play half as good as we did yesterday for the rest of the season, Liverpool and anyone else can forget the title.

Recency bias.

We are flavour of the month because we are on a good run - as are the dippers.

Teams will have peaks and troughs between now and May, I'll get excited in April if we are still right in it.

 

I think on paper City have the best squad and it's theirs to lose...

Liverpool look v. Good this year...

i think it's between them two and us v. Close behind...

8 hours ago, Jon Stakes said:

Liverpool is in a great position to be on top by the end of the year at least. The had the one off game vs Burnley at the beginning of the season, which they lost, but apart from thay they've won 12 and drawn 2 (all competitions).

And just look what other results Liverpool already has behing them (ergo games they won't have to play):

Arsenal A (win)

Tottenham A (draw)

Chelsea A (win)

Leicester A (win)

Manchester United H (draw)

They have basically already played all of the toughest games of the first half of the season save for Manchester City and yet they are still first. Right now Liverpool has a relatively easy schedule at least until Christmas with the toughest game Everton A, apart fom that they are playing Sunderland, Stoke, Southampton, Bournemouth, West Ham and Middlesbrough.

Liverpool will be most vulnerable in January / February when the lose Sadio Mane to the African Cup of Nations.

They have been heavily linked with Lacazette. If they pursue this Mane won't be missed.

1 hour ago, cfcblue said:

I think on paper City have the best squad and it's theirs to lose...

Liverpool look v. Good this year...

i think it's between them two and us v. Close behind...

Agree that City have the best squad though not necessarily that it is theirs to lose. The January transfer window could potentially play a huge part this year, if any of these managers get their targets it could well make the difference in who finishes strongest.

Edited November 7, 20169 yr by nutmegsw6

At the moment we have very good players, and some great ones playing as a team to their full potential.Conte has the drive and desire to make sure this continues.I wont be thinking about the title for now but i am enjoying watching some marvellous football.....UP THE CHELS!