Title Race

[Alex]

Think Chelsea getting that draw with West Brom last night should be a bit of a reality check for some fans.

[The_weatherman]

Arsenal v Man Utd
Everton v Crystal Palace
Man City v Sunderland
Newcastle v Tottenham
Fulham v Liverpool

Interesting night tonight for sure. Next round it's

Chelsea v Everton
Arsenal v Sunderland
Man City v Stoke
Crystal Palace v Man Utd
Liverpool v Swansea
Norwich v Tottenham

I'll keep United in there for fun but there is a decentish chance Newcastle will overtake them soon.

City will get six points and Arsenal at least four, Tottenham should also get at least four points but you never know. If we can get six points from our next two league games we'll be in a very, very good position as at least one of Everton/Chelsea will lose points over the weekend.

[The_weatherman]

Think Chelsea getting that draw with West Brom last night should be a bit of a reality check for some fans.

It was a bit for me, although I also got irritated about that Kolo howler.

[kev776]

In a strange way I can understand why he (Martinez) is saying this. Most fans hate it when the manager lowers expectations.

I can remember when under the Bodge, just before a derby he spoke about how strong Neverton were and how we needed to contain them etc when what I really wanted to hear was how we were going to rip them a new arse hole in the center of their forehead.

Imagine a military Commander telling his troops just before a battle that they will all die, that the mission is pointless because we are not good enough etc.

If his comments inspire one player to make the extra effort because "the boss believes in us" or it inspires the fans to give extra support, then the effort is worthwhile.

[Alex]

It was a bit for me, although I also got irritated about that Kolo howler.

Those mistakes stay in my head forever

The Skrtel one against City last year still sticks in my mind every time I see him play.

[kev776]

It was a bit for me, although I also got irritated about that Kolo howler.

I was ****ing raging, not especially at Kolo but at the injustice of it all. We were not playing well but hold out easily against a decent team, just what you needed to do to be serious about a challenge, then ****ing BAMM! back to reality.

[wavydavy]

I think that's a toughie for Spurs tonight vs Newcastle. Up at St James's Park midweek,under lights with a big crowd. They'll do well to get a result there and if I'm honest it's that fixture I've got my other eye on tonight. A defeat for Spurs and a win for us would leave us needing a disastrous end to the season and I just can't see Brendan and the players letting that happen.

[Fosterbloke]

Spurs will win as Newcastle have been a shambles since Cabaye left.

Surely they could have agreed to sell him at the end of the season?

[dizzycat]

Today is ridiculous. Woke up and the first thing I thought of was Fulham away. It feels like a Cup final day or the morning of one of those massive CL nights under Rafa. Ridiculous really But the entire day is about this match.

Everyone's like that because subconsciously we're all thinking the unthinkable.

[PTP]

i'm a wreck all over the place

one minute i am thinking...we're in this...we can defo challenge

then i think we're a solid top 4 bet.

then i think. **** - we could still finish 6th

i know you can look at all teams and all results and say had we done that or they did this then we'd top etc but for me the two recent draws against Villa and West brom are really frustrating - wins there and we'd be on 54 points and a game tonight that could a win would put us on 57 points...we'd be virtually there for top 4 and well in the title race.

but it's those results that give me a nagging doubt and bring me down and it's why i'm so nervous about tonight.

[baitman]

Think Chelsea getting that draw with West Brom last night should be a bit of a reality check for some fans.

the big difference here is that west brom won their point against chelsea. we gave them the point, and threw away two of our own in the process

[Darkon]

i'm a wreck all over the place

one minute i am thinking...we're in this...we can defo challenge

then i think we're a solid top 4 bet.

then i think. **** - we could still finish 6th

i know you can look at all teams and all results and say had we done that or they did this then we'd top etc but for me the two recent draws against Villa and West brom are really frustrating - wins there and we'd be on 54 points and a game tonight that could a win would put us on 57 points...we'd be virtually there for top 4 and well in the title race.

but it's those results that give me a nagging doubt and bring me down and it's why i'm so nervous about tonight.

And I'm certain that City fans think the same with results like Norwich and Stoke, Chelsea with WBA and West Ham, Everton with WBA and Stoke, the scum with just about anyone etc.

Every team have the ups and downs, the matches they would have / should have won and then the surprising results as well.

It's not really about the individual games but about how the team reacts and plays over a period of time and in that regard we done really really well this season. So far we are in line with the goals of the season, and even playing some fantastic football in a lot of the matches.

I still see CL qualification as the big goal of the season, and I'm extatic if we get there considering where we were at the start of the season and the past 4 seasons.

All this title speculation is not really helping our own calm and sanity Nor is being expectant all of a sudden because of some incredible results here and there

[RedReet]

the big difference here is that west brom won their point against chelsea. we gave them the point, and threw away two of our own in the process

Surely that's all the more reason to be confident? Why does Chelsea being outplayed put them in a better position than us who were unlucky? Why are they still title challengers, yet when we drew it was a sure sign we are a mid-table side that has no chance of CL qualification (according to some)?

Basically I don't see this 'big difference'.

[baitman]

Surely that's all the more reason to be confident? Why does Chelsea being outplayed put them in a better position than us who were unlucky? Why are they still title challengers, yet when we drew it was a sure sign we are a mid-table side that has no chance of CL qualification (according to some)?

Basically I don't see this 'big difference'.

im not saying that result puts chelsea in a better position than us, but with their bigger stronger squad it might not be unseasonable to expect them to grind out wins from potential draws, and maybe be stronger at the back when it matters. im just saying if we are really going to make the push then we need to be tougher and not chuck away vital points.

ok, chelsea slipped up and dropped points just like anyone could. they dropped points because of west brom managing to make their own breaks and steal a point.
we made a mistake and gifted west brom their point.

you might say we should be more confident because chavs and other top teams can drop points here and there. this also includes us. just when it looked like we were going to hang on and nail the three points we end up letting the win slip away. this wasnt down to some great play from the opposition, more to do with our **** up. we are not in a position of being able to give away points. some games we have played fantastic, others we havent turned up.

if we want to make top four then we have to treat every game like it matters. to even consider more than this, and i dont even want to mention the unthinkable until we are in a position to wrap it up, we need to be ruthless and relentless.

[cream]

Think Chelsea getting that draw with West Brom last night should be a bit of a reality check for some fans.

Yeh, Chelsea aren't as good as some people make out and mourinho is not the messiah.