Eight points from that set of fixtures is doable. It should also be enough if we perform as we should against the rest.
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Eight points from that set of fixtures is doable. It should also be enough if we perform as we should against the rest.
It's in our hands but I fear not getting a striker in January will bite us. I just don't think we score enough goals.
Yeah those games in one way or another worry me, we are going to need to take some points from some of them. The only one I am really confident about is the West Ham game, I think we are good enough to go there and win.Quote:
Originally Posted by Marc Overmars
The others are all potential losses, even United at home....but on the other hand, the only game that I have written off as a guaranteed loss out of that set of fixtures is Liverpool at home, so it's not all doom and gloom!
yeah like you say it's good to have something to be fighting for, though i'm not optimistic.Quote:
Originally Posted by Marc Overmars
you have to factor in at least one Xhaka sending off per half-dozen games so that's one game scuppered, i don't think we'll get more than a draw at Shite Heart Lane but let's see
This is my worry. Spurs have Son and Kane up front. We've got Laca and...that's about it really, and he's not all that. Others are chipping in with goals but we don't have anyone reliable. Spurs should walk it with that front line but they're being pretty Spursy. It's really hard to call.Quote:
Originally Posted by GP
It’s actually a minor miracle that we’re even in this position having only scored 38 goals. 1/4 of which came in 2 games at Christmas against Leeds and Norwich. It’s a testament to the strength of the defence but we will definitely need to score more to finish the job. The contribution of Laca will be key really, he’s going to start every game and if he doesn’t find his scoring boots we will most likely fall short. Just an extra 5-10 goals from him would make all the difference. It’s not a lot to ask for and hopefully that fluke the other day gets him going.
I'm feeling pretty relaxed about where we are right now, so I'm just going to enjoy the run in for once. Let's still give top 4 (or top 3!) a bloody good go - it's there for the taking right now so why not? - but I'm also looking at the average age of the team we've only just put together, and the fact that it's still an obviously incomplete side with at least two future starters (CF and a left-8) missing, and I'm thinking that we're very likely ahead of where anyone at the club had planned for us to be at this point. Again, that doesn't mean that we shouldn't push hard for a CL spot if it's all opening up for us earlier than expected - it just means that I don't think the club's current strategy is contingent on CL qualification being essential in yr1. It'll be far more of a disaster for united or spurs if they miss out than it will for us.
Yeah, I know what you mean - it feels like it's going to cost us a win at any moment. But then part of me also wonders whether we're maybe worrying more about this more than we need to at the moment? Yes, Lacazette misses a lot, and could / should / will be upgraded on in the summer... but for all of those misses the attack still somehow works, really, really well with him in there. Since we dropped Auba I think we're only third to Man City and Liverpool in terms of chances created, xG and goals scored, so something is going right. Our wide players are our strikers in this system: Saka, ESR and Martinelli, and If Pepe has found his second-half-of-the-season form again then you can add him to that group too. Ødegaard was also scoring semi-frequently before Christmas and should be well capable of chipping in with some goals - I'd even chuck Gabriel in there as a reliable threat from set-pieces. That's 6 credible goal threats without even needing to look at the two nominal CFs. If Laca and Nketiah can contribute anything at all then you could almost say it's a bonus.Quote:
Originally Posted by Letters
Also, let's not forget that the aim is to score more than we concede, and our defence is looking a lot more solid than any of our direct rivals' right now.
A draw at the Spuds is a good result in the grand scheme of things. Basically not losing to any of the Spuds, West Ham & Man United will be good results if we put the games we should be putting away to bed.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mac76
On the plus side we do create a lot of chances, sure we don't score that much but that is mainly down to poor finishing which can definitely be improved upon. It's definitely a worry of mine and is probably our biggest issue in the team now....but outside of the games against the traditional top 4 and maybe Spuds, I think this team will score goals against the teams we have left to face.Quote:
Originally Posted by Letters
Spuds are a big threat for 4th place, as are United....but United are kind of running out of games now and have a brutal schedule the next month or so.