Are we going to bottle it?

[Siang]

I posted this question on TLW forum and was labelled a "winding up merchant"!!!

 

Thing is, we were never in this position (i.e. 1st place in Jan) before thus, it's more of a question whether we can handle Sir Fudgie's mind games and our players have the mentality to grind it out!!!

 

Yes yes yes, we came from behind numerous times early this season but have we finally lucked out? I don't know...

 

it's more of a theoretical question than a winding up post

[Rovingronrobyrugbyreporter]

The phrase "Tempting Fate" always comes to mind when someone puts a post like this up.

 

My answer would be "I dont know". No one knows, take it one match at a time like the team does and hope for the best. My only hope is that Rafa starts consistently playing his strongest team and will realise that he may have to start throwing caution to the wind in some matches.

[Jarg Armani]

bloody winding up merchants.

[AE]

If we don't win it it's not going to be bottling FFS.

We do not have the resources or squad that the other two currently have. IMO.

Whatever happens this season we have progressed. We now know we can win it.

 

FFS.

[Stevie H]

if we're five points clear with two games to go and don't win it then we might have bottled it. talk of bottling with 17 games to go though is mentalism.

[Jacks Jackie Jackson]

I posted this question on TLW forum and was labelled a "winding up merchant"!!!

 

Thing is, we were never in this position (i.e. 1st place in Jan) before thus,

 

I can recall many, many occasions when we were in 1st place in January. Are you one of those "football began in 1992" merchants?

[Flasher]

If we don't ultimately win it, it's because we're not as good at winning games as the team/s above us, which will be purely because our players collectively are not as good as theirs, whoever 'they' might be.

 

Nothing to do with bottle, though experience does help in these situations.

[Magic8Ball]

The fact that this thread exists already implies that some fans are bottling it

[Rory Fitzgerald]

AE & Stevie H have taken the words outta my mouth - big difference between not winning it and bottling it.

[Bootle Buck]

Hopefully the players mindset and attitude is better than many of our fans. We are a point behind Utd who are on a great run, yet we can win tonight and go top again. I think the league will be exciting all the way through to May and I don't see too many dropped points from us, Chelsea or the Mancs. A lot will depend on keeping key players fit and fixtures coming thick and fast. With Utd normally strong finishers we will have our work cut-out and the game at Old Trafford could be crucial. I think Chelsea still can't be written off at this stage either. I can see Utd winning it but not by us bottling it. A win tonight though is very, very important for the players confidence and their mindset for the rest of the season.

Edited January 19, 2009 by Bootle Buck

[Sir Tokyo Sexwale]

Labels go a long way. It is almost impossible to judge a product in absolute isolation. Stick a Diesel logo on a pair of Primark Y-fronts and both the credibility and price will increase eightfold. The same applies to sport, and in football there are few labels more powerful than that of Manchester United. Today, United went top of the league for the first time this season with yet another 1-0 win, this time at Bolton. Six of their last seven league wins have been by that scoreline, and the majority feel that such victories are, as the cliché goes, the mark of champions.

 

Yet if any other side, with the possible exception of Chelsea, were playing like this – poorly, scraping a succession of wins by the odd goal – there would be a sense that such luck could not last. If George Graham's Arsenal did it, they would have been crucified. The jury should really remain out on whether are United are moving inevitably to the title or a side overly dependent on a defence that inevitably cannot maintain the truly exceptional level of performance that led them to equal Chelsea's Premier League record of 10 consecutive clean sheets today.

 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/20...-premier-league

[Andy-oh-six]

Can we even get fourth is the real question. Villa are in good form and Arsenal coming back. We shouldn't even be thinking of the title yet.

[Hassony]

Can we even get fourth is the real question. Villa are in good form and Arsenal coming back. We shouldn't even be thinking of the title yet.

 

 

[Andy-oh-six]

 

I was being tongue in cheek but considering the potential negativity of the initial post it is worth considering that currently (and if we lose tonight) we are only 5 points ahead of Arsenal in 5th and 2 ahead Villa in 4th. If we implode in the title race we would face a real battle for fourth.

[Hassony]

I was being tongue in cheek but considering the potential negativity of the initial post it is worth considering that currently (and if we lose tonight) we are only 5 points ahead of Arsenal in 5th and 2 ahead Villa in 4th. If we implode in the title race we would face a real battle for fourth.

 

so you weren't being tongue in cheek afterall!

[Gray - YPC]

IF we don't win the League does that mean we've bottled it? Does it mean it's Rafa's fault? Does it mean a better side won it?

[Maldini]

How can we bottle it when we were never in a position of clear superiority?

[John am Rhein]

No we are not going to bottle it.

 

We are going to win the League.

[Kvarme Ate My Food]

how pissed off would you be if Villa won it?

[MFletcher]

More chance of Middlesbrough winning it.

 

Villa have relied on some farcically good luck in the past few games. Fair play to them - but it won't last.

[Alonso]

IF we don't win the League does that mean we've bottled it? Does it mean it's Rafa's fault? Does it mean a better side won it?

Or the players bottled it or a combination of all the afforementioned?

[Hemal]

Bottled it today IMO

 

No fight from too many

[Owen1978]

I dont think its a matter of bottling it, personally i think our first 11 attacking wise is not on the same level as manyoo, chelsea or arsenal. Our defence is our greatest strength, so i never worry about us losing but due to the nature of our game i.e. defensively minded play, getting everyone back for corners, not enough bodies in the box etc... I do worry how

we gonna score.

[Barnesy_10]

think we were at least matched tonight, also against Stoke. We seem pretty clueless in how to approach physical games these days.

[Siang]

I can recall many, many occasions when we were in 1st place in January. Are you one of those "football began in 1992" merchants?

/

 

nope...for me football started in 1977

 

well, as far as i know, i can't recall us being in 1st position in Jan for the pas 5-6 seasons!!! i stand to be corrected!!