The battle for 4th place

[kaz7]

I still can't believe we are fighting for 4th,i can't imagine it will happen again all the dropping stupid points etc

 

[mosssideblue]

I still can't believe we are fighting for 4th,i can't imagine it will happen again all the dropping stupid points etc

Think there are still twists and turns to occur. I do think next season we will still drop points where we least expect to. I also believe the league will now get harder and harder, but we do have a head start on most

 

[DClarkMiamiU]

Our squad team will be overall younger next year (IMO) and we will utilize them far more in the Cap 1 and FA Cups.
-that focus will help a lot to have a better EPL season.

But i do agree with most... it's going to get much harder to stay top four perminently.
Gunners are Gunners
Rags always tough
Spurs, new stadium, more $ will stay in the hunt
West Ham- same thing
Chelsea- should be a much better team, at least competitive for UCL (especially since they likely will only be in 3 competitions)
LCFC- who knows
Sesspool- u'd have to think Klopp keeps them trending up.

Southampton- likely fall off if they lose their manager.
Everton.. lol

 

[mosssideblue]

Our squad team will be overall younger next year (IMO) and we will utilize them far more in the Cap 1 and FA Cups.
-that focus will help a lot to have a better EPL season.

But i do agree with most... it's going to get much harder to stay top four perminently.
Gunners are Gunners
Rags always tough
Spurs, new stadium, more $ will stay in the hunt
West Ham- same thing
Chelsea- should be a much better team, at least competitive for UCL (especially since they likely will only be in 3 competitions)
LCFC- who knows
Sesspool- u'd have to think Klopp keeps them trending up.

Southampton- likely fall off if they lose their manager.
Everton.. lol

Hate to say this but I think Klipperty will have the Redscouse comfortable in the top 4 next season.

 

[East Level 2]

Things have become clearer:
If we finish 2nd (still possible) or 3rd we go into CL group stage which starts on 13/14th September.
If we finish 4th we go into CL play-offs with the first leg a few days after the first PL game.
If we finish 5th we go into EL group stage which starts on 15th September.
Any lower and our League Cup win means we start in EL third qualifying round with games on 28th July and 4th August and then a play-off with games on 18th & 25th August.

 

[city2]

We will just scrape 4th unless a competley different city team turn up on sun as opposed to th team in Madrid

 

[gordondaviesmoustache]

I think we might beat Arsenal despite how shit we have been for the simple reason we almost always do the business in key matches especially when we are favourites.

I can only really think of a couple of games we have messed up in where it was absolutely vital that we must win.

Wigan being the main one. Liverpool in semi, rags in semi and Spurs at home for top 4 being others but three of them are distant. Barcelona of course. We were probably only favourites in two of those.

On the flip side....

Rags at Wembley
Stoke at Wembley
United in the Prem
Newcastle away prem
QPR
Chelsea semi final
Sunderland cup final
Everton semi at home
Everton away in league 13/14
Palace away 13/14
Villa and West Ham 13/14
Roma away CL
Gladbach home - CL
Liverpool cup final
PSG home

That's what I am hoping anyway!!!!!

Some really good memories in there mate.

 

[Proy]

It's in our hands.

But I just feel so dejected about us right now, I have a bad bad feeling we are going to throw it.

 

[geoff clipp]

Feel like we just have to hope that united drop points on Saturday and Spurs win. Given that Arsenal wouldnt be able to catch Spurs in that scenario, a draw against us would guarantee them top 4 and leave them just needing a point to finish third at home to villa. I think theyd play for a draw if that were the case.

A draw against Arsenal would leave us needing to beat Swansea to guarantee top 4. Not ideal but I'd take that scenario right now as at least our fate would be in our own hands last game of the season and united would be facing a tricky game at West Ham with the cup final on their mind.

 

[BobKowalski]

Meh. Right now not fussed. We get a top 4 spot great. If we don't well it's our own bleeding fault. Season ended tonight. Remaining games are just sorting out in which order 'the teams that fucked up the league the most' finish.

 

[Healdplace]

Things have become clearer:
If we finish 2nd (still possible) or 3rd we go into CL group stage which starts on 13/14th September.
If we finish 4th we go into CL play-offs with the first leg a few days after the first PL game.
If we finish 5th we go into EL group stage which starts on 15th September.
Any lower and our League Cup win means we start in EL third qualifying round with games on 28th July and 4th August and then a play-off with games on 18th & 25th August.

That is going to work out well for Pep and the club having to play in July when we are supposed to be having glamour tours around the world. But the way things are going there is a very serious chance we will finish 6th behind United and West Ham.

Hope someone up top suddenly realises that this is a distinct possibility and does something to put a rocket up this team before Sunday.

Or better still kidnap Pep and fly him over here to give the team their instructions.

After tonight hard to see them doing anything other than mope around feeling sorry for themselves and scramble a 0-0 v Arsenal if we are lucky.

 

[bugsyblue]

We won't finish 4th

 

[cityisOURS]

It is now very hard to be confident for the final two games when you consider the clear mentality issues in this squad. Are they going to be 100% motivated to ensure we get champions league football next season? I doubt it

 

[Bootador]

A draw against Arsenal would leave us needing to beat Swansea to guarantee top 4. Not ideal but I'd take that scenario right now as at least our fate would be in our own hands last game of the season and united would be facing a tricky game at West Ham with the cup final on their mind.

If the rags win all 3 games we have to win both our games

 

[pavelsrnicek]

Can't see us beating Arsenal after that pathetic exit.

Thursday nights here we come

 

[geoff clipp]

If the rags win all 3 games we have to win both our games

You've only quoted my second paragraph there, which was based on a scenario where united dropped points against norwich (which I said in the first paragraph.) I did go on a bit though so I can see how you missed it.

 

[Bootador]

Sorry mate, I'm really worried United will win out (albeit I thought they'd beat Leicester as well!)

 

[geoff clipp]

Sorry mate, I'm really worried United will win out (albeit I thought they'd beat Leicester as well!)

I'm worried too, hence me saying we just have to hope they drop something. I guess I'd probs have them as favourites in each of those games in isolation. Looking at it as a whole though, there's always a chance they'll drop something.

 

[Healdplace]

Problem is that if you give a team like United or West Ham a sniff of Champions League they have the desire to want it. We just look like a bunch of players ambling into the summer and - in several cases - the exit door.

Without Vinny to motivate them (which I think cost us big time tonight) I just do not see enough fight left.

A departing Yaya will probably be captain (but it should be Hart as he is the one player we know wants to really, really win on Sunday).

In my view we HAVE to win to get top 4. Do that and we will beat Swansea and come third, Lose or draw and I think we will be fifth or even sixth and then playing qualifiers just to get into the Europa in July!

We could end up out of Europe all together before the season starts if we are unlucky.

So Sunday is now THE biggest game of the season.

The hard part is getting half the team to know that or care.

 

[Big Yaya Wilko 12]

I think Top 4 is going to be a huge ask.

Can't see us beating Arsenal on Sunday. And it's my birthday on Sunday, too.