Yep. Just two. Manchester United -- 69 Chelsea -- 68 Arsenal -- 67 All three teams have played 31 out of 38 games. Arsenal have the "easiest" schedule of the three. Ostensibly the difficult games remaining on their docket are Tottenham away and Manchester City at home. The others--@ Birmingham, v Wolverhampton, @ Wigan, @ Blackburn, and v Fulham--will see Arsenal as heavy favourites. Nothing guaranteed as always. Chelsea hammered Pompy today but in recent weeks their form has dipped. The Blues have only three wins in their last seven overall games. In their remaining games they play v Aston Villa, @ Manchester United, @ Tottenham and @ Liverpool. A markedly more difficult schedule than Arsenal or ManU. Manchester United need to stumble for us to get some silverware out of the season. Their schedule is slightly harder than ours with Chelsea at home and Tottenham and Manchester City away, but they will be favourites in those fixtures. Unfortunately like us United have been knocked out of the FA and the Carling so fatigue won't be a factor. Some have said that Arsenal don't deserve to win this season given their losses to Chelsea, City, and ManU. Those losses could wind up costing Arsenal the title--or rather winning it for one of those two squads. However points and goals are what are tallied, not win/loss records against other top squads. There are 21 points to be had each. Some winning scenarios for the Gunners... If... Arsenal run the table (21 points + 67 points = 88 points) ManU must... win six + draw one (have higher GD, 88 points) Chelsea must... win seven (89 points) If... Arsenal win six of seven, draw one (19 points + 67 points = 86 points) ManU must... win six (87 points), win five + draw one (have higher GD, 86 points) Chelsea must... win six + draw one (87 points), win six (have higher GD, 86 points) If... Arsenal win six of seven (18 points + 67 points = 85 points) ManU must... win five + draw two (86 points), win five + draw one (have higher GD, 85 points) Chelsea must... win six (86 points), win five + draw two (have higher GD, 85 points) Keep in mind that ManU and Chelsea will play each other so one or both teams will drop points. I suspect one loss might be enough to knock us out of the race completely. The boys have to stay on form all the way through.
This makes me freak out, speeds. I can see us keeping up the good form the rest of the season but the Spurs game with be a huge test and one of the biggest derby's (for us) in a long time. Other than that, I am confident we can win every other game without much fault. City should be a win since they have had a dip in form and Fulham are the only other test we will have to face. They lost yesterday, we just have to keep an eye on Zamora. Up the Arsenal!
Make it four... *sigh* Chelsea and ManU scored 11 goals and looked like championship contenders. Arsenal scored a very late goal then conceded a weak one looking like paper tigers. Our situation is considerably more difficult, now.
ManU shit the bed v Blackburn today drawing nil-nil. The Arsenal in position to take control of second place. Go Bolton! Chelsea 74 ManU 72 Arsenal 71
We can only get three-points against Spuds or we're out of the title (FOR SURE THIS TIME). Chelsea 74 United 73 Arsenal 71 By the way.
