How many

[Craig_H]

Points ahead and at what stage in the title race would it be possible to rule Man Utd out of it? Or is that something you couldnt ever do?

Reason i ask is that we're currently 8 points ahead (albeit having played one extra game) and their next two games are away at Villa and away at City, either side of a trip to Villarreal.

People often talk about us being 10-15 points behind by December and say we're out of it, reasoning that the leaders wont lose 4 or 5 games in the 2nd half of the campaign.

Would the same apply to Man Utd if, for example, they only took 1-3 points from the next two games, while us and Chelsea won both?

I'd be interested in people's views.

[Red_Polo]

I think people get too carried away with saying a team is in or out of the title race - each result at this stage can only really make things a lot harder or a little easier.

If they drop more points in the coming games then they will certainly be facing a much harder task than they ought to have been, I'm not sure how anyone could really rule them out though.

[-V-]

I hope we can maintain this lead over them by the time we move into late december. If the World Club Championships cause them some fatigue with travelling and playing those games then they might well struggle through the xmas and new year fixtures and thus leaving us with a big enough lead to rule them out.

Personally i think Chelsea have an extremely strong squad and it will be extremely difficult for us to beat them to the title. By January i think and i hope it will be a two horse race between us and Chelsea with Man Utd playing catch up

[pondus]

I read an article on Teamtalk, where it was mentioned that the scum face all the 10 highest finishers in the league from last year, away from home, before Christmas. Don't think we could rule them out even if they were 12 points behind after the Christmas period.

[Craig_H]

I think people get too carried away with saying a team is in or out of the title race - each result at this stage can only really make things a lot harder or a little easier.

If they drop more points in the coming games then they will certainly be facing a much harder task than they ought to have been, I'm not sure how anyone could really rule them out though.

I know what you mean and i'd tend to agree, it's a very dangerous to rule them out and arguably not possible.

Going back to the theory of how likely it is for us and/or Chelsea to lose, say, 4 games out of the final 20 however, you could foresee a situation whereby you'd say that it would take a catastrophe to give Man Utd a realistic chance of winning it. For that to happen though, they'd need to lose a couple of games between now and Christmas, or draw 3.

[Craig_H]

I read an article on Teamtalk, where it was mentioned that the scum face all the 10 highest finishers in the league from last year, away from home, before Christmas. Don't think we could rule them out even if they were 12 points behind after the Christmas period.

On paper, i agree with you but it's very difficult to close a big gap, regardless of having 'easier' games left to play because that kind of points gap does two very significant things.

Firstly, it puts enormous pressure on the side doing the chasing, because they basically have no margin for error left, and everyone knows that one mistake could be fatally costly.

Secondly, for the teams in pole position, there is a greater impetus to keep their momentum going, knowing that every win could be the one which puts the chasing team out of reach. That's the kind of mentality that wins titles IMO, the one which starts to see the finish line far ahead in the distance and then goes for the kill by winning game after game.

[Craig_H]

Just for reference purposes, Man Utd's next 8 league games:

Stoke (h)
Villa (a)
City (a)
Sunderland (h)
Spurs (a)
Stoke (a)
Middlesbrough (h)
Chelsea (h)

That takes them upto mid January and there's a couple of potential banana skins in that lot. Villa, City and Spurs are 3 tricky away games.

[Guest]

Too early to say anything.

The title race is never over until a team is mathematically ruled out.

[slimbimjim]

I would say Chelsea Middlesborough, Spurs and Villa are the tougher games there.

I think they can deal comfortably with Delap's throw-ins but they have been a bit comical with their defensive approach the past few games.

I'd go with Fredo and say no one can be ruled out until it's mathematically impossible. Go ask Kevin Keegan about leading the league by a big margin...

[The_weatherman]

I read an article on Teamtalk, where it was mentioned that the scum face all the 10 highest finishers in the league from last year, away from home, before Christmas. Don't think we could rule them out even if they were 12 points behind after the Christmas period.

But before Christmas? That's almost half of the season, so of course they will have met most of the strong teams, they will have met most of the teams.

[Neil Young]

But before Christmas? That's almost half of the season, so of course they will have met most of the strong teams, they will have met most of the teams.

The key words are "away from home".

[Elvoz]

they always win at villa and citeh are ****e right now

i personally think its a two horse race but i wouldnt rule them out til march

[Matt]

they always win at villa and citeh are ****e right now

i personally think its a two horse race but i wouldnt rule them out til march

Can never rule out the scum - they know exactly what it takes to win and are easily capable of going on a massive unbeaten streak.

I still think the title is Chelsea's to lose though.

[Neil Young]

Even secretly harbouring hopes that Man United won't challenge is a triumph of hope over experience.

The reason there are doubts about Arsenal's challenge is that they haven't won anything for years and they've already lost to Hull, Stoke and someone else (Bolton?). So the doubt is that if they're capable of losing those games then how many others might they lose - answer: pretty much any game.

Man United are current champions and, while they have dropped points against us, Arsenal and Chelsea, they still have all three home matches to come. They're five points behind if they win their game in hand.

I hate to say this but fredo is right.

[Rich]

United have played their 3 worst away fixtures already - even if they did ****e in them.

They know that if they beat us, Arsenal, and Chelsea at Old Trafford they'll be in the mixer.

I wouldn't be happy that United are out of it until there is a good 15 points margin!