Top 4 head to head

[Letters]

1	Chelsea	6	5	1	0	4	1	13	2	+11	16	2.67
2	Manchester City	6	2	1	3	0	1	12	11	+1	7	1.17
3	Liverpool	6	2	0	4	0	2	10	11	-1	6	1.00
4	Arsenal	6	1	2	3	2	2	7	18	-11	5	0.83

Interesting. Chelsea miles ahead, and yet they're still relying on other teams slipping to win the league.
And while we're 'bottom' of the mini-league it's only a couple of points in it.
For all Liverpool's brilliance at times this year they've still lost 4 of the 6 head to heads.

I'm not sure what point I'm making really, I guess it's that the '6 pointers', while important, aren't the be all and end all.

[Özim]

1	Chelsea	6	5	1	0	4	1	13	2	+11	16	2.67
2	Manchester City	6	2	1	3	0	1	12	11	+1	7	1.17
3	Liverpool	6	2	0	4	0	2	10	11	-1	6	1.00
4	Arsenal	6	1	2	3	2	2	7	18	-11	5	0.83

Interesting. Chelsea miles ahead, and yet they're still relying on other teams slipping to win the league.
And while we're 'bottom' of the mini-league it's only a couple of points in it.
For all Liverpool's brilliance at times this year they've still lost 4 of the 6 head to heads.

I'm not sure what point I'm making really, I guess it's that the '6 pointers', while important, aren't the be all and end all.

Your point would make sense if we weren't out of the title race whilst all the other teams were. We've been out of the title race for a while now in fact, maybe not mathematically bu realistically.

[AKBapologist]

It became mathematically impossible for us to win the league a week or two ago.

[Letters]

Your point would make sense if we weren't out of the title race whilst all the other teams were.

That's pretty much exactly why the point makes sense. Liverpool are more likely to win it than Chelsea, Chelsea have got excellent results in the 6 pointers but dropped silly points elsewhere, Liverpool have poor results in those games - only getting one more point than us over the season - but have done the business elsewhere.

[selassie]

1	Chelsea	6	5	1	0	4	1	13	2	+11	16	2.67
2	Manchester City	6	2	1	3	0	1	12	11	+1	7	1.17
3	Liverpool	6	2	0	4	0	2	10	11	-1	6	1.00
4	Arsenal	6	1	2	3	2	2	7	18	-11	5	0.83

Interesting. Chelsea miles ahead, and yet they're still relying on other teams slipping to win the league.
And while we're 'bottom' of the mini-league it's only a couple of points in it.
For all Liverpool's brilliance at times this year they've still lost 4 of the 6 head to heads.

I'm not sure what point I'm making really, I guess it's that the '6 pointers', while important, aren't the be all and end all.

Looks like it's going to go down to Goal difference this year, if City and it's a big IF, win at Everton next Saturday then I fancy them to take the title, if not Liverpool should do it.

Whilst there are only a couple of points in it regarding us being bottom of the mini league it's the manner of the defeats, we got our arses whipped against the other 3, the Chelsea and Liverpool away games were over after 15 minutes. I think if we would of lost these games 1-0 or 2-0 then the calling of "Wenger's head" and the "collapse" type threads wouldn't even exist.

[Marc Overmars]

I think the problem for us has been the adverse mental effect of consistently not winning these games and also the manner we've lost them in.

You don't have to win them but I'd say you have a hell of a lot more to gain if you do. That table shows they aren't the be all and end all, however we're bottom of that and also happen to be the only ones not involved in the title race.

[Özim]

That's pretty much exactly why the point makes sense. Liverpool are more likely to win it than Chelsea, Chelsea have got excellent results in the 6 pointers but dropped silly points elsewhere, Liverpool have poor results in those games - only getting one more point than us over the season - but have done the business elsewhere.

Liverpool have got two wins however two big wins in the run in, the most important time to get them, which make all the difference, in the run in we've collapsed and got thrashed.

The context of the defeats is important, as is the manner and the manner of ours has been, let's be honest, shameful.

[Letters]

Whilst there are only a couple of points in it regarding us being bottom of the mini league it's the manner of the defeats.

Agree with that.

I'm not arguing these games aren't important but it's received wisdom that you can't do poorly in these games and win the title and while it makes it harder Liverpool are still top having performed very poorly in these games.

[LDG]

I think we've been slightly unlucky in the way the games have fallen. We had two bitchy runs where we had to play 3 or 4 big games on the trot. My point being that if you cock one up, the pressure builds and your subsequent games suffer.

But it seems pretty clear, that our chances of winning the league, or at least challenging, hangs on the 6 pointers against our "rivals".

Quite simply, we were poor against all three away from home. Tactically naive, gutless and outplayed.

[Marc Overmars]

The margins are very fine, just 1 more win for us against any of those sides would see us currently involved in the mix. It's obviously not an exact Science though.

I'd also question poor games against United and Everton if we want to look at our performances against the better sides overall. Though Spurs were nice enough to give us 6 points which is good.