The battle for 4th place

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We should be able to cope no matter what team we put out - but only if the manager has a clear set of tactics and formations, and sets his training regime accordingly.

You look at Klopp - he put half the youth team out against Bournemouth, but they played the same way and got a result. Again last night, they played with a fluency that suggests that the players understand what they need to do.

Pellegrini has had three years to get his ideas across, and taken us backwards!!! The CL run has papered over some huge cracks, and imo completely taken the focus away from the bread and butter of the PL. That is unacceptable.

Given our record against the top 8 this season, I think it is inevitable that we will miss out on top 4, to be replaced by the Rags and/or Liverpool. And for what - a semi-final in a cup competition (and no, I don't think we can win it - it would surprise me if we are still in it after the first leg of the semi, but that's just my opinion)?

And to those saying it wouldn't be too bad to not be in CL - you have got to be joking. For the stage the club is at, it would be a complete disaster. But don't worry about that Pellers old chap - you charming man!
 
YaYa's Left Peg said:
We should be able to cope no matter what team we put out - but only if the manager has a clear set of tactics and formations, and sets his training regime accordingly.

You look at Klopp - he put half the youth team out against Bournemouth, but they played the same way and got a result. Again last night, they played with a fluency that suggests that the players understand what they need to do.

Pellegrini has had three years to get his ideas across, and taken us backwards!!! The CL run has papered over some huge cracks, and imo completely taken the focus away from the bread and butter of the PL. That is unacceptable.

Given our record against the top 8 this season, I think it is inevitable that we will miss out on top 4, to be replaced by the Rags and/or Liverpool. And for what - a semi-final in a cup competition (and no, I don't think we can win it - it would surprise me if we are still in it after the first leg of the semi, but that's just my opinion)?

And to those saying it wouldn't be too bad to not be in CL - you have got to be joking. For the stage the club is at, it would be a complete disaster. But don't worry about that Pellers old chap - you charming man!
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Great post Yaya, and anyone who wants to see the financial implications of no top four this year should read Prestwich Blues excellent piece "we're in the money" . It makes alarming reading if no top four.

I can't see Liverpool dropping another point and that would take them to 69 points, we would therefore need 2 wins and 2 draws. We would then be reliant on Leicester and West Ham taking points off Utd. How have we got in this mess ??
 
8pts will get 4th so 2 wins and 2 draws. Despite all the issues covered we have enough to get this given the fixtures and fairly sure we will. No panic.
 
YaYa's Left Peg said:
And to those saying it wouldn't be too bad to not be in CL - you have got to be joking. For the stage the club is at, it would be a complete disaster. But don't worry about that Pellers old chap - you charming man!
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I agree with most of your post but not this. We were never going to be top 4 forever and we have to be able to cope and rebuild without the CL money. I'm not saying it will be a good thing but it won't be a "disaster". Leicester, Spurs and Liverpool have all been out of the CL this season and all are better than us. The challenge, whether we're in the CL or not, is to be a great deal better than we have been this season. If we are, and it would be a truly Cityesque cock-up if we aren't, we'll qualify next year or the year after and someone else will have this terminal angst from which our fans seem to suffer unduly.
 
United could still get 71 if they win all their games. To be assured of getting above Utd we would need three wins and a draw and do them on goal difference.

The Stoke game is mega.
 
kismet said:
United could still get 71 if they win all their games. To be assured of getting above Utd we would need three wins and a draw and do them on goal difference.

The Stoke game is mega.
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No chance Utd will win all 4, agree Stoke is huge and is a must for 3 pts
 
kismet said:
United could still get 71 if they win all their games. To be assured of getting above Utd we would need three wins and a draw and do them on goal difference.

The Stoke game is mega.
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Think they'll drop at least a couple of points somewhere, so we can probably get away with two wins and a draw.

I don't think missing out will be the end of the world anyway. A little embarrassing but nothing more. The draw of Pep will be enough to get the players we want.
 
We've seen United, Liverpool and W Ham all win yesterday, comfortably, against teams with little to play for. I expect the same from City on Saturday, nothing less than a win will do and there are no excuses.
 
10 points definitely sees us in top 4 top 3 with 12 points but I feel 8 points will see us reach top 4 the next 2 home matches are massive a win v stoke and Madrid will have confidence flying through the club! Also we need to have nasri/silva available for every game as our ball retention without them is just awful.
 
KippaxCitizen said:
That's absolutely nothing to do with fate.
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KippaxCitizen said:
Fate, destiny, luck, karma, the big joojoo man in the sky, a little fairy that pops a penny under your pillow if you've lost a tooth - none of that actually exists. None of them are real.

Attributing those things to events that have happened in the real world is pure barmy talk!

You said it yourself, we've done things the hard way. We've done some amazing things as a club, there have been some bizarre things happen and mad coincidences. But "fate" has never touched anything real.
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You can't prove any of those things don't exist the same way I can't prove they do. Pointless.
 
Wreckless Alec said:
I agree with most of your post but not this. We were never going to be top 4 forever and we have to be able to cope and rebuild without the CL money. I'm not saying it will be a good thing but it won't be a "disaster". Leicester, Spurs and Liverpool have all been out of the CL this season and all are better than us. The challenge, whether we're in the CL or not, is to be a great deal better than we have been this season. If we are, and it would be a truly Cityesque cock-up if we aren't, we'll qualify next year or the year after and someone else will have this terminal angst from which our fans seem to suffer unduly.
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Hahaha.... thanks for at least attempting to cheer me up. I really hope you are right, but I'm not as optimistic as you re our ability to resurrect ourselves.

Leicester, and to a lesser extent spurs, are exceptions to the rule, emerging from the ashes of a freakish season. Next season, we will not only have to contend with these two, but also a resurgent Liverpool who will buy players even more suited to Klopp's style, Rags who will go big again in the transfer market and may even have a decent manager in charge, Arsenal who will do an Arsenal and take up a top 4 spot, a re-invigorated Chelsea under Conte's guiding hand, and the likes of West Ham who will benefit greatly from their move to the Olympic Stadium. This is without the possibility of another 'Leicester' emerging next season!

The only bright light on the horizon is that Pep will be our manager, and he is without doubt one of the best in the business. However, as good as he is, he is no miracle worker, which is what I think we will need if we drop out of the top 4.
 
bellsouth said:
You'd think so, wouldn't you. But if we play like we did at the Toon we'd lose all 4
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3 of them teams have nothing to play for thankfully.

Whereas United have Leicester going for League, West Ham for CL still and Norwich to stay up.
 
kismet said:
Great post Yaya, and anyone who wants to see the financial implications of no top four this year should read Prestwich Blues excellent piece "we're in the money" . It makes alarming reading if no top four.

I can't see Liverpool dropping another point and that would take them to 69 points, we would therefore need 2 wins and 2 draws. We would then be reliant on Leicester and West Ham taking points off Utd. How have we got in this mess ??
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Exactly. And to those who say being out of the top 4 hasn't effected Liverpool and United, well I agree to a certain extent. But the unpalatable truth is that those clubs have a fan base and media support like no others in England, and therefore any impact of dropping out of CL is always going to be much less than it would be for a club like ours.
 
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