Title Race

[RedAndWhite]

I've been pretty relaxed about not strengthening the squad, but with the increase in games next year with European competition, we definitely need reinforcements.

I'm the same - it would have been nice to get one or two players bedded in for next year instead of having to bed in alot of players

[Alex]

It's on

[dom9]

It's on

Champions League football, yes. Title, no. Definitely not. 6 points is bridgeable, if it was one team we were catching, but to hope that all three **** is a hope too far.

But, to be in this position right now is pretty glorious after the last few seasons.

[Alex]

I'm in dreamland though. To be in the conversation at this point is great considering our position 24 months ago.

[dom9]

Could you imagine if we beat City and Chelsea?

[JohnDoe]

Champions League football, yes. Title, no. Definitely not. 6 points is bridgeable, if it was one team we were catching, but to hope that all three **** is a hope too far.

But, to be in this position right now is pretty glorious after the last few seasons.

It's less about the teams we need to catch and more about the consistency we need to show. I don't see any of the three going on a run, but can we?

[Norbs]

Could you imagine if we beat City and Chelsea?

[Liverpool]

Could you imagine if we beat City and Chelsea?

if we are going to dream of the title we have to win both so effectively we are only3 points behind them

[Exiled_red]

Tough fixture pile up for them, but come April they have an easier run in. We'd need to be ahead of them by then or hope their confidence had gone. 5 points is nothing at this stage if you can win all your own games, but we've shown we are not capable if that just yet.

Our major problem is a lack of quality on the bench to bring on when others aren't at the races. That has cost us a crack at the title. Konoplyanka would have been a massive signing for that reason. We don't really need a winger if we had everyone fit & firing, but when we drop off we needed options.

Ok we have a few injuries at the moment but our bench has looked very poor over the last few weeks. Joe Allen is the best player on there, but I don't really see any of them being players to call on if the game is in the balance. And certainly you wouldn't expect anyone to come on and change the game.

That said we have some quality in the first team and we don't get anymore injuries than we have at the moment I think we can make the top three and then whether we can do better than that will depend on how we do in the games against the other top teams in the head to heads.

[ChesterDave]

To replace the BBC one

http://www.the-mustard.com/predictor.html

[dom9]

It's less about the teams we need to catch and more about the consistency we need to show. I don't see any of the three going on a run, but can we?

It's both. We need to put together a good run, beat City and Chelsea, and hope that they both drop more than a few points.

One thing is for sure, we will drop more points in the next 13 games. I'd rather draw at West Brom than lose to Chelsea, Everton, City, Spurs or any other teams around us.

[Molby]

Our next four premiership games are Fulham, Swansea, Saints & Sunderland. These are the sort of games we've dropped points over this season...(thinking of the hull, villa, newcastle & west brom matches).. If we get 12 out of 12 from this, then it has to be game on for a title push..

with the plastics and city to come at Anfield..if we aim for the stars, then it's feasible to be in the mix for at least 2nd or 3rd.

I'm just worried that we aim for 4th, we could come up short...

But hey, it's better than what we were talking about at this stage of the season as past few years

BR is some kid, we've got a gem in Brendan.

[ChesterDave]

Our next four premiership games are Fulham, Swansea, Saints & Sunderland.

9 points from the corresponding last season. I'd say 10 minimum to be title pushing. 8 would be enough but 9 or 10 desirable to chase 3rd/4th

[RichC]

I think 3rd is possibly up for grabs but a little like the Mancs behind us it's too much to expect 3 sides to capitulate for us to grab the title this season.

Not out of it of course and impressive that at this stage we've still very much in it but for me it's too big a step from the previous 4 abject seasons we've suffered

[Fredo]

We could win it because I think we've improved as a team since the Christmas period when we lost at City and Chelsea. We're a better team now. Just not sure we're consistent enough to win regularly away from home.