The battle for 4th place

[tolmie's hairdoo]

Tomorrow is huge, a win gives us a positive lift ahead of Madrid, gives us an artificial cushion over United and means Arsenal have to win at Sunderland. It is an absolute must win and let's hope we finally win a 12.45 kick off.

A win tomorrow and Tuesday and the whole squad will be buzzing ahead of the Southampton trip.

I think Swansea will still be important but hopefully to decide whether we finish 3rd or 4th.

Arsenal going to Sunderland, much as they are shit, we can hold hope of them dropping points there and Norwich are also in the equation for United, having already beaten them at the shit pit.

We MUST win on Saturday, although I fear we will either be too leggy or too much rotation for the Southampton game.

Hoping Nasri is fit, he's crucial.

 

[prof-taf]

It's time to play the a team for the next 6, hopefully 7 games. Bring on b team members when it appears won. There fit boys and I'm sure will manage to dig us out of this little hole.

 

[pavelsrnicek]

Arsenal going to Sunderland, much as they are shit, we can hold hope of them dropping points there and Norwich are also in the equation for United, having already beaten them at the shit pit.

We MUST win on Saturday, although I fear we will either be too leggy or too much rotation for the Southampton game.

Hoping Nasri is fit, he's crucial.

Nasri being fit would be hugely beneficial, he was badly missed on Tuesday as the 11 on the pitch took turns at giving the ball away in great positions, dangerous areas of the pitch or with genuinely awful touch and passing.

If Nasri and fit Yaya link up away to Southampton in the right set up we should be ok for a draw at least.

I think we need a minimum of 69 points as Liverpool could easily reach that, means united need to win their last four. Two wins and 2 draws should be enough.

 

[Malty]

4th won't matter if we win the fecking thing !

3 games lads, 3 games away from heaven and immortality !

 

[Cheesy]

Who'd have thought at the beginning of the season that a thread titled "The Battle for 4th Place" would be in the main forum and not in the general football one?

 

[The blue phantom]

Who'd have thought at the beginning of the season that a thread titled "The Battle for 4th Place" would be in the main forum and not in the general football one?

We were odds on to get 90+ points in September, now we are likely to still be in the 60's points bracket come may. Unbelievable.

 

[kaz7]

Everyone fit except sami

 

[BillyShears]

Who'd have thought at the beginning of the season that a thread titled "The Battle for 4th Place" would be in the main forum and not in the general football one?

Chelsea mid table. Leicester and Spurs fighting for the title. City in the semi final of the CL. It's been a who'd have thought kind of season all round.

 

[Claytop]

Everyone fit except sami

Sounds like he'll be fit for Southampton which could be crucial.

 

[Chippy_boy]

He will be banned as he rightly got sent off for diving then proceeded to call the ref a ****. I hope he is banned as it's justice. If we lose out on top 4 it is because of our own failings and not on Vardy playing against the rags. You said as much yourself in your next sentance

Agreed, I just find it all a bit galling that we all know if it were Rooney facing a 1 match or more ban just before the Leicester game, he's only get the 1 match ban. Call my cynical, but I think the system is as bent as that.

 

[SWP's back]

If it finishes as is, they would take our COC place by dint of current league position not as COC runners up.

Yes. By league place

 

[MSM]

Arsenal going to Sunderland, much as they are shit, we can hold hope of them dropping points there and Norwich are also in the equation for United, having already beaten them at the shit pit.

We MUST win on Saturday, although I fear we will either be too leggy or too much rotation for the Southampton game.

Hoping Nasri is fit, he's crucial.

Nasri is out but according to reports Silva is back.

 

[Tam]

Yes. By league place

you understood that?

 

[SWP's back]

you understood that?

Ha.

 

[almir]

If someone had told me last August that we could be going into the last game of the season needing a result to get 4th in the league I'd have laughed in their face.

What a fucking waste of a season. A complete & utter fuck up with most (not all) of the blame being on our manager.

Savage might even come right. Good he changed his prediction after we won first 5 games.

 

[East Level 2]

Exactly. People just want to again point lazy fingers. I'm certain we'll make top four. United have some hard games, and we'll win our last four.

And would you have said "we'll win our last five" before Tuesday?

 

[Metalartin]

Some of our fans love to break out the fanny wipes and have a good worry don't they?

 

[kaz7]

Some of our fans love to break out the fanny wipes and have a good worry don't they?

 

[Metalartin]

Lol Karen. :) Innit... why worry about all the bad that could happen when we are STILL in 4th place, we can still easily get 3rd from Arsenal and the champions league? Anything can happen... this is football as Mancini used to say.

 

[80s Shorts]

No, it's an opinion. Like I (and you) have mentioned there are no doubt (factual) benefits to finishing 3rd over 4th - however whether someone perceives those benefits as a "big difference" or "fairly insignificant" is their opinion. I assume you & whoever posted the original feel there's a big difference (your opinions) whereas I see it as fairly insignificant when put in perspective (my opinion) - you can disagree with my opinion sure, but that doesn't make yours an "obvious fact" sorry.

My opinion is that 1) the qualification should be a fairly straight forward event for either City/Arsenal (if we're hoping Pep takes us to CL success I'd think most agree we shouldn't fear this), 2) that the higher prize money is pretty insignificant in football terms (£1.23M I believe is the difference between 3rd or 4th), and 3) I can't claim to have much knowledge on how qualifying affects pre-season, but is it not after the start of the season? At least it was this year for United. If that's the case I don't see how it would have much impact.

But not here to argue that or start a debate about something I don't care about. My actual point was that come the 2nd last match of the season, given Arsenal's very favourable fixtures, that I'm expecting they'll be safely in 3rd-4th (should be safely 3rd) when we play them - giving them less to play for than teams fighting for a final European spot or the title or relegation.


Stoke + Sot'on could both be 10+ points off 6th when they play us if results go badly for them (i.e. West Ham win their games in hand).

My post was a little presumptuous in terms of results going certain ways - should have said we could face 4 out of 5 teams with little to play for rather than will definitely face.


This season it was after the start of the season (2 legs; one after 2nd PL match & other after 3rd PL match). I assume it's usually that way & will be that way next season.


Unless I'm mistaken with regards to when the qualification round is, why would we have to come in & prepare for it? Surely we should be 100% prepared by the start of the premier league, and given that the qualification matches will be after the start of the season we should be prepared by that point whether we're qualifying or not (i.e. if we come 3rd or 4th).

Tell me anything in my post that isn't a fact. You are a balloon: now that is an opinion.