New Thread to continue discussion for General Premier League. Old thread closed.
it's over
whatever about City catching them, Arsenal definitely won't
Hopefully you're right! Just a bit early to say still
The gap is currently 6 points between Liverpool & Arsenal.
Next Sunday afternoon I expect that to be down 3 or 4 points with Arsenal winning at home to City after Liverpool drawing or losing away to Bournemouth.
Can't see Arsenal beating City, where are the goals going to come from? Would have to be a dour 1-0 from a corner type win, which I would expect to be Arteta's gameplan actually.
If they can scrape through just about keeping in touch until Saka comes back then maybe there's a chance but I would say they'll be at best still 6-9 points back by then.
And they have about 10 of them on the books so how bad are the rest.
You say Arsenal will have their feet up at home midweek but they do have to travel to Spain for the CL game. Yeah they’re pretty much qualified with a top 8 spot but they still have to play and how many players can they rest? They had 2 keepers on the bench yesterday. City have probably turned a corner despite the PSG game and in fairness yesterday could have went a different way if they went 2-0 down, which should have happened but I think they should match Arsenal next weekend. The Brugge game of course is massive and they need to go all out to win that. I don’t want Liverpool to win it but I think they will and I’d say City will end up second to them.
Only saw the Skelly tackle this morning. I'd assumed it was something more borderline but it's a clear yellow only. Don't know how VAR didn't overturn it.
I watched the Southampton game yesterday and couldn't believe that VAR got involved to award a penalty for Newcastle deeming it a clear and obvious error by the Ref to not award a penalty.
Very little media outcry for little Southampton.
City will beat Brugge without breaking a sweat
I don't know the exact extent to the injuries to Merino & Odegaard, but assuming that they are just knocks, the below team could lineout midweek. Arsenal don't need to win, they can just draw and be fine. A loss isn't the worst result either as automatic qualification is already secured.
Raya
Timber Saliba Kiwior Miles-Skelly
Jorginho Merino Partey
Nwareni Trossard Sterling
Zinchenko is also available to use too.
That would give a rest for Gabriel, Rice, Calafiori, Odegaard, Havertz for Sunday's game.
City have an incredibly bad run of fixture in the league in the next 6, they would have to win all 6 to have a chance to even be in a title race and I'd say by the times it's over they will be well discounted.
they’re 22/1 currently so they are discounted
I didn't mean by the bookies I meant by general fans and commentators you still see city might come, my point was they won't even be a might by the time that run ends
What happens if they win all 6? They're in great form
If they beat arsenal, spurs, Liverpool, Newcastle, forest and Brighton and are somewhere between 9-6 points behind they would be worthy of being in the conversation with Liverpools tough end to the season.
I don't think it will happen but if it did I'd imagine the conversation around them swings massively in the other direction to what I said
they'll beat Arsenal without breaking sweat too
Yeah I agree. I think anyone within 6pts of Liverpool with 5 games to go (if they're still top by then) has an excellent chance given those final 5 fixtures
They didn't in the home game. But they're certainly capable of it the way they're playing right now
First time I can remember wanting Arsenal to lose to City! In previous years its either been the other way around or irrelevant
A draw would be nice too
Regarding the Skelly tackle, by definition it's a straight red, it's a professional foul, it was cynical eyes only on the man.
I hate the way the game has come down to fouling players who are on a dangerous break, it's shithousing and every team does it to some extent, delighted it's getting punished
Obviously Arsenal have been the loudest moaners (the only team to get harsh reds and the only team to get cards for delaying the game 😁), but Southampton have been easily the hardest done by, by actual VAR decisions this season.
In any generation of football someone makes that foul.
Taking one for the team is not a new phenomenon, it's just become more encouraged and regimented. Firmino was world class at doing it and avoiding cards for years.
In no was does it make that foul a red in anyone other than Michael Oliver's head.
the punishment for that skelly tackle should be a 15 minute sit out in the bin. A black card type rule.
Rodri is another master at it, gets away with it multiple times in a game.
I just don't see how City can be considered contenders from what's currently going on with them. They're still woeful defensively, and concede way to many chances every game.
The league will probably be won with somewhere between 83 to 85 points this season. And City will have to win 14 of their remaining 15 games to reach 83 points. I just don't see how on earth that's possible with their defence as it is.
a draw would suffice! Pool need to be getting 3 pts v Bournemouth which will be very difficult, away to Everton will be the same , Moyles has them cooking
Something nobody has done this season at the Emirates eh? Including the mighty Liverpool. Interested to hear your reasoning for that.
I think the red for Skelly was harsh. But, it reminded me of Stephens earlier in the season on Rashford. It’s one thing to deliberately be late in order to take the attacking player out, but it’s another thing entirely to take him out by making contact above the ankle and being very late, which is why VAR didn’t overturn.
If Doherty was shielding the ball and someone came in and made no effort to ply the ball and caught him on the calf, it’d be a red. We are conditioned to the counter attack being stopped and a yellow given. But the severity of the foul and the intent override the simple yellow for stopping the counter attack. As I said , I think it was harsh, but maybe reds are trying to stop the attitude of “take him out at all costs”. The VAR should have overturned the Wolves second yellow to a red.
Newcastle beat them at the Emirates the other week I think didn't they? League cup, but was the strongest team Arsenal could put out.
Regardless, Arsenal V City is one that could go any way at all - could be a tight 0-0, or equally either side could romp to a win.
Meant the league as it's the PL thread. I certainly think City could win, but to say they'll win without breaking sweat, considering how inconsistent they've been, is ridiculous in my opinion.
Ah, I saw "this season" so took it as they hadn't lost at home this season. Regardless though, their strongest available 11 lost at home already, so I wouldn't think it's all that impossible for it to happen again not long after. Totally agree it's ridiculous to think it will be easy for City though. Both sides quite mercurial at the moment so it could be, but it could also be easy for Arsenal, or it could be a real battle. I wouldn't be confident of any result.
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