Grant: We Are Still In The Title Hunt

[pluto 0]

Technically we are certainly not out of it yet but realistically we are getting into that zone where the chances are getting slim.

Liverpool are as good as out I feel in my gut, we still have a chance but have to rely on both MU and Arse to collapse and not recover and for us to maintain consistent form - I just don't see that happening.

At best we can do 2nd but my instinct tells me we will end up 3rd.

[Badboy 1,526]

As much as I'd love to see him go, I cant see Grunt being given the sack. He's just been given a new 4 year deal and although that doesnt mean much nowadays its obvious that RA intends to stick with him.

Thats what i really can not fucking understand. Why did roman give him a new 4 year deal just because

he got some wins, it was going to come under any one who took the job. Man its not like uncle fester came in and changed our results roman is a weird person he needs help.

Edited December 31, 2007 by Badboy

[chrismada9 1,948]

We have virtually a whole team sidelined through injury, and he still thinks we can win the title??

Give me a break!!

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Our second string side is good enough to get at least a CL place, I think. Things can't get much worse.

[pluto 0]

The way Grant's luck is going at the moment he may well do so.

Whenever he looks like getting in the sh*t he always comes up smelling of roses due to some dodgy decision being given.

So on that basis he could be right - we could win it!

[Layla 0]

Not right now we arent

[Steve 10,227]

with that win and hopefully arsenal and manu lose some games maybe we are but i dont no

[Layla 0]

Ah bugger Arsenal 2-0 up and other scum 1-0.

Dont think they'll slip up today...can hope loly

Edited January 1, 2008 by Layla

[Ollie 4,400]

well we're somehow winning games even with our injury crisis, you never know, Arsenal dont look like slipping up tho. We need Arsenal to slip up desperately. They shouldve against everton but got unbelievably lucky. It seems as tho their names on it with the amount of luck they're getting this season.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Arsenal don't lose Adebayor as Togo didn't qualify, but they'll be leaking goals left, right and centre when Toure goes.

[Ollie 4,400]

they lose that wanker Eboue too i think. wish they lost their whole squad tho fukin hate em

[Layla 0]

Well Tevez got carried off today so duno how bad/if at all how long he'd be out for.Without him they're in trouble slightly.

Arsenal pleh.I think they'll slip up again,once the FA cup kicks in more games etc then we'll see the true them.Happened last season and could happen again.Hope so anyway

[warnie_666 1,081]

I agrre with Grant that we are still in the Race. Last year with 2 injuries in our squad we struggled to win at home. This year with 8 injuries in our squad we are winning away and at home.

Last year it was just Man Utd and Chelsea and other teams were well below power. This year its Arsenal Chelsea Man utd Pool Citeh Villa all rite behind each other cabale of beating each other hence 6 points behind the leaders this season is no big deal when compared to the last season.

And btw....Last year Jose couldnt organise a defence without terry, and we drew 2 games at home against weak teams like fulham and some other team. Drew again at Villa ( away) on the new year. Inspite of losing only Cech and Terry. Look at us this season. We dont have half of our team and we are still up there. winning away games. Look at the positives of your manager rather than paying minute attention to his negatives. No one blamed Jose when his defense gave away last minute GOALS against weak teams. WE COUDNT DEFEND then. But im sure had it been Grant...you guys would have eaten him up for Supper!!. Most of you choose to pay attention to Jose's positives and Grant's negatives. Try changing it for God's sake. Jose is gone. Move on guys!!

[Fulham Broadway 16,392]

Bloke shouldn't be in the job and is winging it.

We have a chance of the title, with or without Grant. Abramovich needs to open his wallet this month, and buy Berbatov, Anelka and a quality defender. And Ronaldhino while we're at it.

[pluto 0]

I agrre with Grant that we are still in the Race. Last year with 2 injuries in our squad we struggled to win at home. This year with 8 injuries in our squad we are winning away and at home.

Last year it was just Man Utd and Chelsea and other teams were well below power. This year its Arsenal Chelsea Man utd Pool Citeh Villa all rite behind each other cabale of beating each other hence 6 points behind the leaders this season is no big deal when compared to the last season.

And btw....Last year Jose couldnt organise a defence without terry, and we drew 2 games at home against weak teams like fulham and some other team. Drew again at Villa ( away) on the new year. Inspite of losing only Cech and Terry. Look at us this season. We dont have half of our team and we are still up there. winning away games. Look at the positives of your manager rather than paying minute attention to his negatives. No one blamed Jose when his defense gave away last minute GOALS against weak teams. WE COUDNT DEFEND then. But im sure had it been Grant...you guys would have eaten him up for Supper!!. Most of you choose to pay attention to Jose's positives and Grant's negatives. Try changing it for God's sake. Jose is gone. Move on guys!!

Despite the points haul, I'm still with Fulham Broadway, Grant is just winging it and making it up as he goes along. He was praised for the Mikel sub like it was some genius decision, it was a good one yes but considering it was blatently obvious to all and sundry that is what was required I fail to be that impressed with his tactical nous as yet.

And Fulham last year were 12th in the league and a far stronger proposition, this season they have just sacked their manager and are 19th and look like being relegated!

Newcastle - ditto - team in crisis and a current soft touch, lacking confidence.

So Grant yes has done better over Christmas than Mourinho no question but he did not face the same quality teams in at least two cases. And he played Villa at home and drew, Mourinho played Villa away last season - always a difficult place for us to go.

As for the many injuries, how many of those players Grant has had available now would you say he would pick in normal circumstances?

I would suggest SWP, Joe, Mikel, Essien, Belletti, Paulo, Kalou, Ballack.

Bridge can easily sub for Ashley and in fact I think he plays often better.

Did we really miss Sheva and Malouda?

The only players that really count for us that were out are Drogba, Cech, Riccy, Lamps and Terry.

Lamps appeared out of form just prior to his injury so Ballack as his sub is more then a good replacement and Alex is doing a great job for us.

Grant was lucky that he met a weak Newcastle and Fulham when he did otherwise we may have had a much more uncomfortable time of it I'll wager.

So yes he did a good job no question but I'm not doing cartwheels over his obvious managerial genius just yet and our injury woes though bad are not quite as horrific if you look at the calibre of players he can still call upon.

As for giving Mourinho stick when things went wrong, from what I can recall he only had to get a few draws or lose one in the odd game and the moaning was endless. He hardly got a free pass when he failed, people expected great things of him and were not happy when it went wrong.

Same thing will apply to Grant, how can it be any different?

We have become used to setting high standards for ourselves now.

Edited January 2, 2008 by pluto

[Aesthetic Relic 301]

And btw....Last year Jose couldnt organise a defence without terry, and we drew 2 games at home against weak teams like fulham and some other team. Drew again at Villa ( away) on the new year. Inspite of losing only Cech and Terry. Look at us this season. We dont have half of our team and we are still up there. winning away games. Look at the positives of your manager rather than paying minute attention to his negatives. No one blamed Jose when his defense gave away last minute GOALS against weak teams. WE COUDNT DEFEND then. But im sure had it been Grant...you guys would have eaten him up for Supper!!. Most of you choose to pay attention to Jose's positives and Grant's negatives. Try changing it for God's sake. Jose is gone. Move on guys!!

Difference being last season when Terry was out we hadnt any defensive cover so we had to use Essien at CB and a;so we had Bridge AND Cole out too for some time and used Ferreira at LB for a time too. WE've been fortunate this year to have either Bridge or Cole fit to play, Have Belletti to play at right back and also Ben Haim and Alex to cover at CB.

We didnt have that last season, plus, with losing Essien from midfield took a massive chunk out of our midfield and not having him there was a major reason why our performances weren't up to scratch.

Of course we're going to compare between Jose and Grant, especially when he continues his back handed comments about "HIS" style of football is more attractive and effective than his Joses. He brings most of it on himself, so its there to be debated.

What exactly are Grunts positives ???

As far as I can see he's been fortunate to get as far as he has due to the depth of the squad. He's been found wanting when its mattered against so called title "rivals". When the crunch comes to the crunch he hasnt got it. More and more fans are cottoning onto him after giving him a chance to prove himself.

One day you too may see the light :thumbsup:

[joe_kura 0]

Difference being last season when Terry was out we hadnt any defensive cover so we had to use Essien at CB and a;so we had Bridge AND Cole out too for some time and used Ferreira at LB for a time too. WE've been fortunate this year to have either Bridge or Cole fit to play, Have Belletti to play at right back and also Ben Haim and Alex to cover at CB.

We didnt have that last season, plus, with losing Essien from midfield took a massive chunk out of our midfield and not having him there was a major reason why our performances weren't up to scratch.

Of course we're going to compare between Jose and Grant, especially when he continues his back handed comments about "HIS" style of football is more attractive and effective than his Joses. He brings most of it on himself, so its there to be debated.

What exactly are Grunts positives ???

As far as I can see he's been fortunate to get as far as he has due to the depth of the squad. He's been found wanting when its mattered against so called title "rivals". When the crunch comes to the crunch he hasnt got it. More and more fans are cottoning onto him after giving him a chance to prove himself.

One day you too may see the light :thumbsup:

totally agree. last season we played with makeshift defence. we had to play essien at CB, sometimes fereira, essien at right back, fereira at left back but we didnt concede as much as we are right now although we have enough cover. we also dont have our top wingers (cole and robben) for a long period and lampard played with a broken toe while ballack has been on and off the field.

avram try to tell us that he is much better than mourinho but ironically he always follow mourinho tactical changes. during mourinho first year, we are a record breaking team (most clean sheets, fewest goals conceded, most victories, most points earned). so all i want is a manager to repeat those feat. not a manager who talks big, but inside, he is only a 'morgue manager'.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

The difference between this point now and this point 12 months ago is that teams outside the top four are very much capable of beating Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester United. Now there are teams like Everton, Man City and Villa who are all capable of causing upset, and of course West Ham are United's bogey club.