If recent history is anything to go by, we win the mini league and we win the title?

[Van Halen]

Apologies if this is replicating previous threads, but I saw this in the Telegraph:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/arsenal/3415595/History-suggests-mini-league-will-determine-Premier-League-champions-Football.html

KEY FIXTURES BETWEEN THE SO-CALLED 'BIG FOUR'

Nov 30 Chelsea v Arsenal
Dec 21 Arsenal v Liverpool
Jan 10 Man Utd v Chelsea
Jan 31 Liverpool v Chelsea
Mar 14 Man Utd v Liverpool
April 18 Liverpool v Arsenal
May 9 Arsenal v Chelsea
May 16 Man Utd v Arsenal

So far Liverpool are in pole position with 6 points with 12 more to play for. I hope we end up with at least 14 points in total and avoid losing to the likes of Stoke, Hull and Fulham. Feedback please.

[bobbyfallon]

if we can take points of the others then yes it should make it easier IF we get the results against the other teams below us.

chelsea are going to be hardest to stop imo

[Woobus]

Was saying the same after the Stoke game that it wasnt a big blip as the league winners normally come from who comes out top when the big teams play themselves.

[Reece]

Arsenal have a nice easy finish then

[The_weatherman]

Arsenal have a nice easy finish then

It will be tough for them indeed, are they traditionally strong finishers or weak?

[Parm]

possibly, who won the mini league last year?

[bobbyfallon]

i think arsenal will be competing with villa for 4th . bad a start as united have had they cant be written off either. chelsea look strong most of the time.

what points total you think for this year ??

how many losses can we afford ??

[Parm]

I dont think we can afford more than maybe 1 or 2 max losses from now and until end of season. That is also assuming that we beat the Chavs in the return game and they drop points to say the Mancs

[Woobus]

possibly, who won the mini league last year?

United.

[bobbyfallon]

I dont think we can afford more than maybe 1 or 2 max losses from now and until end of season. That is also assuming that we beat the Chavs in the return game and they drop points to say the Mancs

if we can come out of the season with only 3 losses we will win the league

[Craig_H]

Was saying the same after the Stoke game that it wasnt a big blip as the league winners normally come from who comes out top when the big teams play themselves.

But that only happens if they minimise the number of blips they have, against rubbish like Stoke. We could top the 'big 4 mini league' but if we dont put away the lesser sides, we wont win anything.

[dww]

We did well overall against the lesser teams last year, particularly towards the end of the season. If we match that and win the mini league I think we will win the league. However it will be hard as the standard of many of the teams have improved. Luckily by the looks of things so have we.

I think that we need to keep momentum throughout the season and not get into any ruts like we did at times last year which sapped confidence for big games. The key for me is to get Kuyt and Keane contributing goals regularly throughout the season to lessen the pressure on Gerrard and Torres.

[JonesLegend02]

I reckon winning the mini league is more important from a psychological point of vew than anything else.

The likes of Keys on Sky make a big deal out of our poor record against the top 4 until this season, but too many away defeats and home draws against 'lesser' opposition have been more costly.

Thankfully - touch wood - we now seem better equipped to improve on both fronts.

[Craig_H]

We did well overall against the lesser teams last year, particularly towards the end of the season. If we match that and win the mini league I think we will win the league. However it will be hard as the standard of many of the teams have improved. Luckily by the looks of things so have we.

I think that we need to keep momentum throughout the season and not get into any ruts like we did at times last year which sapped confidence for big games. The key for me is to get Kuyt and Keane contributing goals regularly throughout the season to lessen the pressure on Gerrard and Torres.

IIRC, we drew at home to Villa, Wigan, Spurs and Birmingham. That kind of thing cant happen this time around. Stoke was one - but it has to be a one-off.

[Chris]

Arsenal won the mini league the other year beating Utd home and away and finished 4th. Its obviously handy to at the very least win 1 match against Utd, Arsenal and Chelsea but theres also 16 mediocre teams to take care of.