The battle for 4th place

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kismet said:
This post absolutely nails it for me, spot on. For me the Stoke game is just as important as the Madrid one.
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As ridiculous as it sounds, I agree. Of course I want us to go for the champs league and win it, but if we were to go out at the semis and still qualify for next season's tournament, it would still represent some kind of progress and set us in good stead for next season's rebuild. To drop out of the champion's league would represent a major set back. It wouldn't be the end of the world, but it sends us backwards at quite a pivotal point in time. Nasri's come back gives me a lot of hope though as we can play him as much as we like in the league given he's not in the champion's league squad.
 
coleridge said:
I have to congratulate all the officials for the consistency of their incompetence which rendered any potential benefit to either team completely null and void. Good work.
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I'm not saying it's a good thing they got both decisions wrong. I'm saying it would be ridiculous for Newcastle fans to blame that offside for their relegation. They got a huge let off in that game too that benefited them.
 
I believe that if the rags win all of their remaining games, then we will miss out on 4th. I cannot see us taking full points from our remaining games. Arsenal at home, and Saints away are particularly tricky. Play like we did last night, and 2 pts from those 2 might be optimistic.
 
Why all of a sudden should the rags become invincible and will win all their remaining games?
 
tedmak said:
At the end of the day, we want to qualify for the CL so that we can actually win it.
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I've heard this a lot and yes, of course it's a factor, but it's not the main one.

The main reason for playing in the CL is:-

Attracting and retaining top class players who can be used both domestically and in the CL itself.

With a new manager coming and a rebuild required it's even more vital than normal that we are in it next season.

It's ironic but the old amateur ethos of the taking part is more important than the winning actually applies to this highly lucrative competition.
 
Shirley said:
Why all of a sudden should the rags become invincible and will win all their remaining games?
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Because they have players mostly staying next year and can smell blood and it is us. Reasons enough. We have a lot of players awaiting their next club and who might not be quite as 100% determined to see off United.

Not to mention Liverpool are playing really well and managing to do so with European games also. Win the derby tonight and they are only 7 behind with a game in hand. Their run in is easier than Uniteds and they play Newcastle at home at the weekend. I do not expect them to be as bad as we were. Luckily their goal difference is even further behind ours so that 7 behind is more like 8 (5 of they win game in hand).

We have very little wriggle room now and three wins out of four might well be needed. We do not want to go into a last day shoot out with Swansea away being one of these three still required given who the others have that same day (United, Bournemouth home, Arsenal Villa home, Liverpool West Brom away, West Ham Stoke away).

So we have more than one threat behind us to think about. But if we drop five points in the last 4 games we are probably not going to get top 4 anyway as one of United, West Ham and Liverpool will win most or all of their games.
 
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