Okay, onto business. ManUre’s win over Bolton means we can now do some run-in math. With 8 games to go, they are 3 points ahead plus goal difference. Their remaining fixtures are:
Liverpool (h)
Aston Villa (h)
Middlesbrough (a)
Arsenal (h)
Blackburn (a)
Chelsea (a)
West Ham (h)
Wigan (a)
It isn’t completely fanciful to see they can drop points. L’pool could frustrate them. Villa, too, but only if they play a blinder. Boro probably not (they’re only our bogey team), ditto B’burn. Chelsea-ManUre could also easily be a stalemate, but I see them beating the Hammers. And Wigan if it comes to the last game of the season, even with Wigan’s strafed Iraqi landing strip of a pitch.
I can’t really see ManUre losing again this season, except for the dream-come-true of our little visit to Old Trafford. But they could drop around 6 points.
Our remaining games are:
Chelsea (a)
Bolton (a)
L’pool (h)
Man Utd (a)
Reading (h)
Derby (a)
Everton (h)
Sunderland (a)
Obviously, if we win at OT, we wipe out the points deficit as it stands. But it also means we can’t afford to lose to Chelsea or L’pool, and pretty much to have to win all of our other games.
Anyone else care to call it?
20 Responses to “Title predictions for the run-in”
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March 20th, 2008 at 10:24 am
Correction: Blackburn have beaten ManUre three times at home in the past 5 seasons.
Here is an encouraging analysis in the Guardian about ManUre’s weaknesses in midfield and Rooney/Tevez’s profligacy. Basically, without Ronaldo, where do the goals come from?
http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/sport/2008/03/19/ronaldos_brilliance_masks_unit.html
“Twenty-four league goals so far represents a stupendous return for the Portuguese; if he were to get injured or suspended or simply have a couple of off-days during the run-in, however, a more pertinent statistic may be his number of league assists - a paltry three, which shows how often his team-mates have spurned the chances he’s created for them.”
March 20th, 2008 at 10:33 am
We simply have to concentrate on ourselves. If we win our games, it doesn’t matter if ManU slip to Chelsea or Wigan.
March 20th, 2008 at 10:34 am
The article you linked yet again highlights ManU’s dependence on Ronaldo, a topic discussed extensively in the last article.
March 20th, 2008 at 1:49 pm
I thought I’d say this after not having said a thing in the last thread. This whole business of “What an achievement for a wide player!!” is a bit of a joke really. Yes he is a great player and has carried United so far but saying he is a winger is an absolute joke. Let me explain:
Ronaldo is not a winger. He is a two footed inside forward which is the main reason why he can play left wing and right wing without a problem; because he is direct and goes straight at goal. He is not a winger because I can count the number of crosses he puts in and has played second striker numerous times this season. He is always there for predatory tap ins and takes all dead ball situations. All these are hardly qualities of a winger. For example..if tomorrow Rosicky scored 30 goals (bah) and someone said that it was the highest for a winger that is rubbish as well; primarily because all these guys play so centrally. Now if someone like Stuart Downing got 15 goals a season that i stunning because he is a true out and out winger. Ronaldo,Hleb,Rosicky, Freddie,Robben .. these guys are not wingers — they just play “on the wings”.
Before I’m accused of sour grapes I’d like to say that CR7 has had a fantastic season and deserves the credit…its just that he is not a winger. He is an inside forward in a direct 4-3-3 which is built around him. Does anyone have stats of how many crosses Ronaldo has made this season?
March 20th, 2008 at 1:53 pm
I predict we will win at least 6 out of the 8 left and draw the remaining 2.
March 20th, 2008 at 2:02 pm
Impossible to call. There is so much that can happen and it depends on which Arsenal shows up. I just hope that we can raise our game for the tough games as we have managed to do well this season and also be clinical in the games we perceive to be easier. One thing is for sure, this is still a very wide open race and its not getting any easier. We shall see. I agree 100% LDE on Ronaldo.
March 20th, 2008 at 2:05 pm
Arsenal:
Chelsea (a)3-1
Bolton (a)1-1
L’pool (h)1-1
Man Utd (a)1-0
Reading (h)1-0
Derby (a)0-1
Everton (h)2-0
Sunderland (a)2-3
14 points
United:
Liverpool (h)1-1
Aston Villa (h)3-1
Middlesbrough (a)0-2
Arsenal (h)1-0
Blackburn (a)0-1
Chelsea (a)1-0
West Ham (h)4-0
Wigan (a)1-3
19 points
Thus United will finish eight points ahead of ourselves.(plus the bonus point of goal difference
March 20th, 2008 at 3:43 pm
It just amazes me as to how you guys can predict what the scores will be 7 weeks from now!!!!
It will all be about which TEAM is the most consistent in the run in and the one who drops the least amount of points in the run in…
May it be Arsenal….
March 20th, 2008 at 4:13 pm
At Stag……
“Yes. Injuries are a feckin’ excuse. EVERY team has them.”
So next year if Ronaldo & Rooney spend most of the year out injured and ManU fail to win the title does that mean they just aren’t good enough? Will you advise them sagely to ‘just deal with it’. Their injuries would just be an excuse?
March 20th, 2008 at 4:29 pm
Sorry, Nipuna, right now even if we beat ManUre and win all our remaining games, it won’t win us the league UNLESS ManUre drop some points, or we win every game 3 or 4-0.
March 20th, 2008 at 4:37 pm
Chelsea (a): 1-2 to Arsenal
Bolton (a): 0-2 to Arsenal
L’pool (h): 3-1 to Arsenal
Man Utd (a): 1-1 draw
Reading (h): 3-0 to Arsenal
Derby (a): 0-2 to Arsenal
Everton (h): 2-1 to Arsenal
Sunderland (a) 0-2 to Arsenal
22 points
United:
Liverpool (h) - Loss for Man U.
Aston Villa (h) - Win for Man U
Middlesbrough (a) - Win for Man U
Arsenal (h) - Draw for Man U
Blackburn (a) - Draw for Man U
Chelsea (a) - Draw for Man U
West Ham (h) - Win for Man U
Wigan (a) - Win for Man U
15 points
I predict we win!
March 20th, 2008 at 7:08 pm
I’m not going to get in on any of these pointless predictions, it’s all up to luck as to whether or not they turn out to be true. (Though if I may toot my own horn, I have predicted all the NCAA games right so far!)
Anyways, @ LDE: Ronaldo,Hleb,Rosicky, Freddie,Robben .. these guys are not wingers — they just play “on the wings”
I agree with that. Better add Pires to the list as well. These guys start out wide, but rarely cross, and instead come inside the box to operate like a withdrawn striker. I noticed this when watching the DVD of the Invincibles the other day. Pires and Ljungberg weren’t prolific crossers of the ball, they were scorers.
March 20th, 2008 at 10:31 pm
Mike you must have a secret stash of all these appropriate and amazing pictures to use for the articles
March 21st, 2008 at 12:38 am
macmac123, I know that even if we win all games, we may not win the title. All I am saying is that there is no point in predicting that ManU will drop points here or there. We should concentrate solely on our game. If we win, then it does not matter in which particular game ManU drop points. Did we predict that ManU will lose at Bolton or at home to ManCity? Ia ManU too win all their games, then they deserve the title.
March 21st, 2008 at 3:12 am
Two good pts from nipuna and LDE:
Yes, we don’t really need to care how other teams doing. Take every one of the rest of the fixture as a cup final, and win them all, the title will be ours. Otherwise, even Man U drop points to the likes of Wigan, Boro, if we couldn’t win our games, it’s irrelevant.
LDE. Of Ronaldo, I believe Man U do not play a 442 this season, some of their own fans complained on 606 of Fergie’s 451 policy (sound familiar?). In truth, they are playing more like a 4231 these days. Ronaldo is more like a supporting striker.
Anyway, it’s still one hell of a performance he has been put up this season. I always felt Henry was the greatest player ever played in the Premiership, should Ronaldo be able to maintain this soft of performance for a few more seasons, he would be up there with the King Henry XIV.
March 21st, 2008 at 3:15 am
agree with Sachin. The choice of picture to the article on this site has been brilliant! Always put a : ) on my face. don’t know where MikeK got those pics from?!
March 21st, 2008 at 3:27 am
@ stag, ever since u picked up those “No-nonsense” NONSENSE from our dear old pal LoveG, you become very boring.
There is a fine line between FACT and RUBBISH.
In any sports, INJURY and LUCK always play a part.
Think about that “Invincibles” squad u admired so much, had van Nistelrooy’s final minute penalty at that infamous Old Tradfford day gone in instead of hitting the bar, then we can forget about that “Invincible” tag. What do u call this? LUCK.
As for injury, during our 1998 double seasons, we made a brilliant late charge to overcome a 12 pts deficit to beat Man U to the title. Yet it also coincident with the fact that Roy Keane was out injury during that period of time. So tell me INJURY is not a factor in the game.
just look at all those big clubs, WHY they would want to build a big SQUAD?
As far as i m concerned, pointing out the fact one of our key players van Persie has been out for large part of the season is just like pointing out the number on the back of his shirt is number 11. It cannot be more FACT than a FACT.
March 21st, 2008 at 4:14 am
Theo Walcott now being called up by England. Come on Theo, grabs ur chance with two hands, seals down a first team place, and i sure hell won’t mind if Capello plays him on right wing. Then I would love to see how David “I have made it big” Bentley feels he has the right to give young Theo a career “ADVISE”!!!
i m also glad David Beckham get recalled as well, and truly hope he can earn his 100th cap. He deserves it. I think for every English man, they should have proud they got a player like David Beckham playing for England. Over the years, he has shown a passion playing for his country which might not even be seen playing for his clubs.
The man loves his country, despite the fans been riding on his back from time to time. And imagine he would ever say NO to England, even back when he’s a kid to the Under 21 call up.
March 21st, 2008 at 10:21 am
Alright, I’LL go out on a limb. Arsenal to pip Chelsea 2-1 on Sunday.* ManUre to get held 1-1 by L’Pool.
* Assuming Good Arsenal shows up. If the current Mediocre Arsenal continues to show up, then we’ll lose 2-0.
March 21st, 2008 at 11:35 am
Kiwi / Andez…
Please stop the “we have injuries” tirade… THAT is boring Andez.
no, I’m not close to LoveG’s level. Sorry.
I just don’t want to hear about the injuries. Every team gets them. You deal with them… or you prepare for them.
We knew going in that RVP is very injury prone. We never expected or counted on Eduardo anyway.
If Ronaldo and Rooney were injured, you can bet your ass United would bring people in to replace them…
We’ve played fantastic for most of the year. Its not down to injuries that we are stumbling like drunks coming in… I don’t accept that as an excuse. Its bullshit.
We played pretty well at AC Milan… so why the feck can’t we play something remotely close to that against the shite of the EPL??? INJURIES?
NO. Thats not the correct answer.