Yep, forgot about Napoli. We were meant to struggle against Fener, but that was before the season actually started so people never really talked of it as a test.
What about Tottenham, after they had spent over ?100m, still had Bale and we'd only signed Sanago? Marseille is tougher than people think, especially at their ground.
They are and deservedly so, but with the exception of Spurs who as i said bought 1,000 new players the fixture list has been a tad kind to them.
Extremely kind. From their first 8 games, they gained 19 points and were top. From the corresponding 8 fixtures last season, they gained 24 points which just shows the easy run they have had so far. Next month will be telling ...
If you look at top 4 clubs only City have gained points from corresponding fixtures last season. We've had quite easy run on paper, but it doesn't tell the full story. You also played against 1,000 new player Tottenham and failed to beat them like you did last season. You played against little bit struggling Utd and failed to beat them like you did last season.
You managed to beat City, but they haven't been great at their travels and were without Kompany.
Next month will be telling, but so will the month after that and so on.
Sorry didn't know we were discussing Chelsea here ...
When you played Spurs, they 'had' Bale, but he didn't actually have much (or any) game time, so it was almost like they didn't have him.Yep, forgot about Napoli. We were meant to struggle against Fener, but that was before the season actually started so people never really talked of it as a test.
What about Tottenham, after they had spent over ?100m, still had Bale and we'd only signed Sanago? Marseille is tougher than people think, especially at their ground.
Not really, I have never cared about the league cup, and never will (If you could be bothered to go back all the way to last season, I remember having a discussion with someone on this thread about how unimportant the league cup is. The fact is most big clubs use it to get players match fitness, or to give youngsters/players who aren't in the first XI match time.
All that match showed was that Chelsea had (much) better squad depth. Our first XI is one of the best in the league, but it is when injuries strike (which they will) that we will see how good we actually are (And no, personally I don't think we can seriously consider challenging for the title, unless we buy alot of players in January)
It's not a case of 'turning my nose up' at the league cup, it's just I only see it as a way for clubs to get more money (mainly football league clubs) rather than a serious competition. Just as I would rather not be in Europe at all than be in the Europa league (As we'll more likely to get fitness and struggle in the league), I would rather go out of the league cup than risk injuries to key players.
(And Marseille have since lost their last 5, they hadn't at the time. And of those 5, 3 were home games (and 2 were against Dortmund and PSG, and Dortmund found it a much closer match than when we beat them). If we had beaten Chelsea last night, people would of discarded it at playing against Chelsea's reserves, and that is was only the COC.
Being a Liverpool fan, I know what it's like to have your team's achievements played down, but it's different for Chelsea than for Arsenal. Chelsea largely have the same squad as last season (but improved), which finished above Arsenal in the league and also won the Europa League (as well as reaching the FA Cup Semi-Finals).If you look at top 4 clubs only City have gained points from corresponding fixtures last season. We've had quite easy run on paper, but it doesn't tell the full story. You also played against 1,000 new player Tottenham and failed to beat them like you did last season. You played against little bit struggling Utd and failed to beat them like you did last season.
You managed to beat City, but they haven't been great at their travels and were without Kompany.
Next month will be telling, but so will the month after that and so on.
Being a Liverpool fan, I know what it's like to have your team's achievements played down, but it's different for Chelsea than for Arsenal. Chelsea largely have the same squad as last season (but improved), which finished above Arsenal in the league and also won the Europa League (as well as reaching the FA Cup Semi-Finals).
Chelsea haven't been great so far this season (we all know they can do so much better), but still, they're only two points behind Arsenal. It's unlikely Arsenal will keep this up for the rest of the season, but it's likely Chelsea will - the fact that Chelsea can pick up so much points whilst not really being on-form is why they're being considered as serious title-contenders; and why Arsenal aren't. And once fatigue and injuries start to kick in, it's clear that Chelsea will have a big advantage due to their hugely-talented subs bench.
Mind you, though, I'm not taking anything away from Arsenal - Wenger's built a great Starting-XI on a tight budget (bar ?zil, obviously)!
But Arsenal're clearly on-form, as we (Liverpool) are too. It's obvious that both teams are playing beyond what's expected of them, so it's unlikely either team will be able to keep this up all season. Chelsea, on the other hand, are not really on-form, albeit they're doing decently.By two points and won Europa League after finishing 3rd in their CL group. Considering their squad not that impressive.
Neither have we, but we still are top of the table. I don't see us getting any credit for picking up points while not being on top form and also having most injuries in the Premier League at the moment. Among them all of our wingers for example. So injuries have kicked in and yet we are getting the results still. Fatigue also for some players with people out injured.
Still I have no doubt saying that they are current favourites for title considering how results have gone for City. But as people have been talking about credentials I'm not so sure they've yet shown theirs either. Last season they started really well, but fell away in november so it's not only for us to show that we have what it takes.
Not only starting-XI, but also some of our squad players are good. Vermaelen, Monreal, Rosicky, Ox and Podolski. Also two of Ramsey, Wilshere, Arteta and Flamini should be counted in there as they wouldn't all be playing if weren't for injuries at the moment.
But Arsenal're clearly on-form, as we (Liverpool) are too. It's obvious that both teams are playing beyond what's expected of them, so it's unlikely either team will be able to keep this up all season. Chelsea, on the other hand, are not really on-form, albeit they're doing decently.
TheFalse9 said:Chelsea haven't been great so far this season (we all know they can do so much better), but still, they're only two points behind Arsenal. It's unlikely Arsenal will keep this up for the rest of the season, but it's likely Chelsea will - the fact that Chelsea can pick up so much points whilst not really being on-form is why they're being considered as serious title-contenders; and why Arsenal aren't. And once fatigue and injuries start to kick in, it's clear that Chelsea will have a big advantage due to their hugely-talented subs bench.
Mind you, though, I'm not taking anything away from Arsenal - Wenger's built a great Starting-XI on a tight budget (bar ?zil, obviously)!
Playing to your true level? That's essentially what on-form is: playing to your maximum ability.On-form or just not underachieving? Personally I think we are just playing true to our level and I believe we can still be better when we got all of our players available to us.
Playing to your true level? That's essentially what on-form is: playing to your maximum ability.
But your true level is different to what is expected from you. You can't expect a team to always be playing at their true level, since that's impossible due to human errors, fatigue, etc. Having said that, I don't think there's a definitive definition for 'on-form', so fair enough if that's what you think.Yeah maybe, for me on-form is playing at least bit above what is expected from you. Take for example Roma at moment in Serie A.
But your true level is different to what is expected from you. You can't expect a team to always be playing at their true level, since that's impossible due to human errors, fatigue, etc. Having said that, I don't think there's a definitive definition for 'on-form', so fair enough if that's what you think.
Well then Arsenal would fall into the former category, wouldn't they? I team who has only challenged for Champions League in previous years and not won a trophy is now top of league and unbeaten? That's more Roma than Juve.Well if we take that Roma example they've won 10 games straight in Serie A with 24 goals scored and 1 conceded. For me that's on-form.
Then another Serie A example Juve reigning champions I think they have 8 wins 1 draw and 1 loss and that's what I'd call "true level".
Can't really explain it better as this is pretty vague.
Well then Arsenal would fall into the former category, wouldn't they? I team who has only challenged for Champions League in previous years and not won a trophy is now top of league and unbeaten? That's more Roma than Juve.
Well then Arsenal would fall into the former category, wouldn't they? I team who has only challenged for Champions League in previous years and not won a trophy is now top of league and unbeaten? That's more Roma than Juve.
You can't honestly say you were expecting something like this from Arsenal, given the results of the previous seasons (no, they weren't bad, but there were mostly far from this), surely!?It depends on your perspective. If you look at it from previous seasons positions and current ones then you could say so.
Roma though are overachieving heavily whereas we aren't. We have fared quite as well as was expected in preseason. I expected couple draws more and no defeats at this point, but counting points we are thereabouts where I was expecting.
You're almost unbeaten in the league though - I forgot about the Villa game when I posted that. And Juve are the reigning champions, so it's different - they are performing decently, you're performing very well.We're not unbeaten...
I don't think we have been exeptional like Roma. We have a similar record to Juve this season, it's just that the other big teams have dropped points. My money's still on City to win the title.