Sack Rafa, Fergie, Scolari and Wenger

[rudedog]

Well it's hardly controversial to suggest they're likely to cost us.

Remember last season, after all.

Nobody has said that these dropped points definately wont cost us- where did you get that impression?

[Craig_H]

Yes but you are saying it is not good enough to win the league, but at the moment it has gotten us a 1 point lead at the top and the second best home form in the league.

So why is it not good enough to win the league?

Because the league lasts 38 games, not 17.

No other PL winner has won it by only winning 56% of home games. Why would that be, do you think?

[Craig_H]

Nobody has said that these dropped points definately wont cost us- where did you get that impression?

From the whole 'but we are top, its all ok' vibe.
And the fact that people have been criticising me for saying it might cost us.

[nbryan1764]

Matt,

Home to Hull - drew
Home to Stoke - drew
Home to WHU - drew
Home to Fulham - drew

One question - good enough?

certainly not but then you could counter that with:

Home to Man U - win
Away to Everton - win
Away to Chelsea - win
Away to Man C - win
Away to Bolton - win
Away to Blackburn - win

Is that good enough?

Anyone coming up with these arguments could argue their points and neither would be wrong, but there is a middle ground. Overall I am sure that at the start of the season we would have taken the position we are currently in, especially if we had been told that Torres had been out for 8 of our 17 games. Its not been perfect, far from it at times but at least we are still in the hunt come Christmas and the worse we can be on Christmas Day is 2 points behind the leaders and its a long time since we could say that.

All I hope is that we go on a run from next Sunday on...we could have it wrapped up by Easter

[Craig_H]

Our away record is superb mate, no doubt.

Our home form has to improve, no? Cos that's all i'm saying

Your point about easter is interesting, even though you're joking, because had we not dropped those silly 8 points, it could've been said in a less joke-type manner.

[nbryan1764]

Our away record is superb mate, no doubt.

Our home form has to improve, no? Cos that's all i'm saying

Your point about easter is interesting, even though you're joking, because had we not dropped those silly 8 points, it could've been said in a less joke-type manner.

unfortunately I was joking and yes it would be nice to improve the home form. However I will sacrifice the home form if we can keep our away form and win the league. I said in the other thread, if we maintain the points average we end up with 84. You, quite correctly stated somewhere that this year it could be won with 82 points. If you are right and we maintain the average, we are champions!! Albeit not by Easter!

[rudedog]

From the whole 'but we are top, its all ok' vibe.

ahh, from a vibe.

And the fact that people have been criticising me for saying it might cost us.

I think saying 'people' were criticising you is a bit of an exaggeration. A single poster said you were being hypercritical/negative and I think that was more for the way your were actually trying to put your point across.

Nobody criticised you for just coming out and saying 'it might cost us' because pretty much everyone already accepts that. However, at the moment it hasn't cost us which is something to be thankful for.

[Craig_H]

It's cost us 8 points, which i'm not thankful for. It boils down to whether people are upset about not being 9 points clear. I am, others arent. Nothing more to say mate, have a good night.

[rudedog]

It's cost us 8 points, which i'm not thankful for. It boils down to whether people are upset about not being 9 points clear. I am, others arent. Nothing more to say mate, have a good night.

Nobody is thankful for dropping those 8 points Craig. However, its something we have no control over so its probaby not a good idea to let something like this keep you upset you for too long (we are top of the league still).


Some people spend their whole lives worrying what may or may not happen - others just go out to enjoy it and see what happens

[Craig_H]

After a bad result, it usually needs the next win to perk me up again.

Typical that we dont play again for a week now!

[Neil Young]

You really do have a superiority complex

You see, that's funny because I don't claim my point of view is better or more accurate or more realistic than other people's. Yet, weirdly given I'm the one with the superiority complex, you do. People can't or refuse to accept "simple facts" etc.

The things we claim to see in others so often reveal ourselves.

[Robbie-9-Fowler]

Seeing as you've conveniently ignored an FA Cup win, lets put this in perspective shall we??

Fergie's first 5 years - 1 FA Cup, 1 League Cup, 1 Cup Winners Cup.

Wenger's first 5 years - 1 Premier League, 1 FA Cup.

Rafa after 4 full seasons - 1 European Cup, 1 FA Cup.

Fairly comparable, don't you think?

Rafa hasn't even had finished his 5th season yet and so far we're still in contention for both the League and European Cup so who knows what he may have to show for 5 years in charge?

Also, if you want to argue that the European Cup win was a fluke, then how do explain finishing runners up in 07 and reaching the semi-finals again last year???

Sorry mate, but I just don't know what answer you expect to your "poor relation" question?

Brilliant post was thinking exactly the same before I read it.

[BFG]

rafa set his team up that night and lost. it was our destiny to win at istanbul.
i'm not degrading winning the european cup but that was nearly 5 yrs ago in his 1st season.

oh i didn't forget the fa cup win, but souness won us one of them, doesn't mark a good manager.

we're top of the league, and as the thread starter insinuated this has as much to do with the failings of the other 3 teams at least as much as what we've done well.

my point is that with the exception of scolari who's hardly been here a season and is already competing at the top of the league the other two managers in wenger and fergie have proven themselves in the premiership and i doubt very very much whether they'll be sacked anytime soon.

****ing hell can't believe I celebrated like a lunatic for a cup that we lost.

You're right though, if he'd set Traore, Smicer, Baros etc up right then we'd have destroyed that **** Milan team in the first half.

[The_weatherman]

Because the league lasts 38 games, not 17.

No other PL winner has won it by only winning 56% of home games. Why would that be, do you think?

Maybe not, but teams have won the title by winning more away points than home points. There is the first for everything, we don't need to compare ourselves to anyone, just need to stay top, the rest takes care of itself.

There is no formula for winning titles except gatherin more points than the other teams - doesn't matter where they come from.

From Skysports

AWAY THE LADS
Chelsea have only picked up 12 points from their eight home games so far this season but have collected a maximum 24 points from their eight away fixtures. How many teams (if any) have won the Premier League by collecting more points from their away than their home games? Richard, Oxfordshire MARTIN SAYS: There is plenty of encouragement for Chelsea, Richard, because the feat has been achieved twice before in the Premier League - and once by the Blues themselves. Jose Mourinho's class of 2004-05 collected 48 of their record 95 point-total away from Stamford Bridge, though their one defeat of the season came on the road at Manchester City - courtesy of a goal from none other than Nicolas Anelka. Arsenal were the others to do it, winning 47 from 87 points on their unbeaten travels during their 2001-02 title-winning campaign. The Gunners' 'Invincibles' also went unbeaten away from home during the 2003-04 season, but they won 41 points - eight fewer than at Highbury.

[rage]

****ing hell can't believe I celebrated like a lunatic for a cup that we lost.

You're right though, if he'd set Traore, Smicer, Baros etc up right then we'd have destroyed that **** Milan team in the first half.

like i said - destiny.