A few weeks ago we were winning the league, Treble etc

[Peter]

Prior to the Villa game we were on a pace for 90 points which is very much title winning form

89.3 actually

And is 90 points enough? Apart from last season, where Liverpool didn't need to reach it, the only title in the last 10 years that you could have won with 90 points was 20/21.

In 22/23, City did finish on 89 points. But they were on 88 with two games remaining, had won 12 in a row and were chasing a treble. Had we forced them to do so, I think we can assume they would have fielded strong sides in fhe two remaining games and scraped their way to 90....

[Peter]

Max Dowman out for 2 months

We teach them how to be Arsenal players early doors nowadays

Important that he learns the ropes

[redgunamo]

you've to score more goals, in the football match, than your opponent scores".

Cloughie knew, see. He himself was a top striker, back in his day.

[redgunamo]

Given the injuries and the relatively small number of games played so far it's too early to say where the problem is. Note that the problem has not stopped us from being top of the league regardless.

Given where we are and the injuries we have had and the lack of an opponent on top form, it's hard not to see us as favourites at this point. But as Peter keeps pointing out, the margins are too fine to think we can maintain this over the next 23 games.

A good run with the first choice back four, midfield and with Havertz/Gyokeres up front will tell us more, but I think it's likely such a run would put some distance between us and City.

Right. We're top and still have plenty of room, and potential, for improvement.

[Peter]

Cloughie knew, see. He himself was a top striker, back in his day.

He was indeed. I believe he 'knew where the goal was'.

[Herbert Augustus Chapman]

He was indeed. I believe he 'knew where the goal was'.

his career and stats,quite how lethal he was.

[Maravilloso Marvo]

89.3 actually

And is 90 points enough? Apart from last season, where Liverpool didn't need to reach it, the only title in the last 10 years that you could have won with 90 points was 20/21.

In 22/23, City did finish on 89 points. But they were on 88 with two games remaining, had won 12 in a row and were chasing a treble. Had we forced them to do so, I think we can assume they would have fielded strong sides in fhe two remaining games and scraped their way to 90....

Statistically though, teams that win the league generally aren't tracking for 90 points at this stage of the season. The usual cadence is to hit form in the new year and go on a run that takes your tally to the 90 point mark. As you have shown with your Man City example, 12 wins in a row... After 19 games in that season, Man City were on 42 points, tracking for 84 points.

[Peter]

Statistically though, teams that win the league generally aren't tracking for 90 points at this stage of the season. The usual cadence is to hit form in the new year and go on a run that takes your tally to the 90 point mark. As you have shown with your Man City example, 12 wins in a row... After 19 games in that season, Man City were on 42 points, tracking for 84 points.

I think it is more that that is what City do. Liverpool's two title wins involved fast starts. Outside of City there are few other examples in the last 10 years....

[redgunamo]

I think it is more that that is what City do. Liverpool's two title wins involved fast starts. Outside of City there are few other examples in the last 10 years....

Didn't Wenger win loads of games in a row to snatch a title.

Oh. Last ten years, you say

[Maravilloso Marvo]

Okay, I've done the research... Below shows the perecentage of the total point tally to win the league at the halfway point of the season.

Red, you are thinking about 2002 I guess.

If you average it out over these 25 years, it comes out at exactly 50% at the halfway point

2000 Man Utd 47%
2001 Man Utd 54%
2002 Arsenal 41%
2003 Man Utd 47%
2004 Arsenal 50%
2005 Chelsea 48%
2006 Chelsea 57%
2007 Man Utd 53%
2008 Man Utd 52%
2009 Man Utd 46%
2010 Chelsea 49%
2011 Man Utd 51%
2012 Man City 51%
2013 Man Utd 52%
2014 Man City 48%
2015 Chelsea 53%
2016 Leicester 48%
2017 Chelsea 53%
2018 Man City 55%
2019 Man City 45%
2020 Liverpool 56%
2021 Man City 48%
2022 Man City 51%
2023 Man City 47%
2024 Man City 44%
2025 Liverpool 55%