Race for 4th (or higher) 4.0

[CowInAComa]

how have they halved? if chelsea had lost today we'd still be behind them and arsenal. meaning any result but a spurs win against chelsea leaves us 5th with two games to go for each. just as it is now.

Because if we had drawn with Chelsea we would have needed either Chelsea or arsenal to not win one of their last two games. 2 each is 4. Now it's just arsenals 2 games. Ie half.

Winning our last 3 inc Chelsea AWAY is a far less likely scenario.

 

[bigpalacios]

Red nose lost on purpose, he is trying to stop us getting champions league so he can get bale.

Bastard

 

[shelfboy68]

Even if we fail to achieve a top four finish this season I think we can all be proud of our club and manager this season. We lost arguably are two best player(Luka & VDV) the brains of our outfit, removed the manager and replaced him with someone who at the time was damaged goods! We have still competed well against Chelsea & Arsenal, who lets not forget have near 30 years Champions League experience between them, they are much much bigger in terms of infrastructure than us, yet we have stayed with them better than any other team from the chasing pack. We were unfortunate last season when Chelsea won the Champions League and I believe we have been unfortunate, when Chelsea appointed Rafa Benitez as manager. A manager of his ability was never going to fail with the resources available to him at Stamford Bridge. Arsenal under Wenger just know how to get over the line every season, think the year makes it 17 Champions League qualifications in a row, coupled with worls class stadium, it was never going to be easy. I for one can hold my head up high this season and say the whole team ( Fans, Manager. Chairman) can be proud of what we have achieved this season.

Not sure about that mate for the second year running it was in our hands but piss poor defending at Liverpool and worse home to Fulham have cost us dearly plus our form of late is wank.
I fear the worst against chelsea as we will be asked serious questions of our defending which we wont be able to deliver on.
Poor decisions in the transfer windows plus poor coaching regarding our defending will have cost us imo.

 

[Matt_Spurs]

Think we can still do it. Arse will get 4 pts - they will find St James' Park tough if Newcastle need a point to stay up. Think they will finish on 71 pts.

We need 72 pts. Draw on Wed and win the remaining two. In fact Chelsea may play more defensively against us after the result today. A draw wouldn't be a bad result for both teams.

 

[Blackcanary]

I stop reading at Defoe up top and channel running

Terry Ivanovic or whoever will eat him alive

Is this, in fact, because Ivanovic is now a vampire following the Suarez bite?

 

[Wsussexspur]

Cant see us catching the chavs now. Was hoping they might not be so fired up for Wednesday after todays result. But then if they beat us then barring a miracle they are pretty much guaranteed Champions league football so will be able to rest players for the Saturday game against Villa before the Europa league final.

 

[pablo73]

This has a very different feel to last year for me. Last season I felt we had the 3rd best squad in the country and threw it away, combined obviously with the chavs ridiculous luck in fluking the Champions league. This year I think we have the 5th best squad and some long-term injuries to key players, yet have been kept in it by a combination of Bale's amazing form and AVB getting the most from a limited squad. I'm not writing us off yet by any means (although I suspect we will fall short) but if we don't make it, Levy will have to take a hard look at himself in the mirror (not that I'll be holding my breath). His stated aim is that we aim to finish each transfer window with a stronger squad than we started it. That clearly wasn't the case last summer, not by a long way.

 

[Dick Dastardly]

We could conceivably get to the last day of the season with us, the Scum, Sunderland and Newcastle all needing a win to either qualify for CL or avoid relegation. That would be very interesting.

 

[talkshowhost86]

Arsenal is still going to play Wigan and Newcastle, two teams fighting to avoid relegation. Sure, they should win both but I wouldn't rule out a loss in one of those games.

I agree.

But whereas the fixtures suggested that Chelsea would be our best hope, that isn't the case anymore. Even if we beat Chelsea we need to win our two other games AND hope they slip up.

So it's now Arsenal or bust really, and to finish above them we'll need to win all three games to be sure.

 

[am_yisrael_chai]

Red nose lost on purpose, he is trying to stop us getting champions league so he can get bale.

Bastard

Was just thinking the same, there is no other rationale for his team selection.

 

[Dick Dastardly]

Red nose lost on purpose, he is trying to stop us getting champions league so he can get bale.

Bastard

I actually struggle to think of another possible reason for that team selection.

 

[Lilbaz]

Am I the only one looking forward to the Chelsea game? This is what it's all about, if you want to be successful you have to win these big games.

Bring it on, it will be like a cup final.

 

[murichej]

finally stopped crying. it is, what it is now.. LET'S DO THAT!

 

[alex3]

if chelsea win the europa league they should put them in the europa league next year, as its seems that UEFA like to have the winners defending the tournement like we saw last year ! so 5th should get us CL football!

 

[RuskyM]

finally stopped crying. it is, what it is now.. LET'S DO THAT!

I'm amazed that you were crying. Get a grip man.

 

[KevinW]

Not sure about that mate for the second year running it was in our hands but piss poor defending at Liverpool and worse home to Fulham have cost us dearly plus our form of late is wank.
I fear the worst against chelsea as we will be asked serious questions of our defending which we wont be able to deliver on.
Poor decisions in the transfer windows plus poor coaching regarding our defending will have cost us imo.

Don't disagree with your points on those specific games, but , overall, if we get top 4 it will be in spite of not having a top four set of strikers. There is no excuse for this - it has been an obvious needs for the last three or four windows. Levy has done some good things for the club, but his transfer dealing on strikers definitely is not one of them

 

[ackie]

We really need to win at SB on Wednesday. If Chelsea win, they are guaranteed top 4.
Basically we need to win ALL our games!

 

[ajspurs]

Am I the only one looking forward to the Chelsea game? This is what it's all about, if you want to be successful you have to win these big games.

Bring it on, it will be like a cup final.

Well, I'm glad I'm working

All I hope is that we give it a good go and manage to play flowing football.

I feel there's just too many "hopefully's" for me to actually look forward to the game.

Hopefully Adebayor will finally have a good game
Hopefully Defoe can perform and won't be anonymous
Hopefully Lennon will play like he's match fit and run at defenders
Hopefully Parker can protect the back 4 and not concede possession so much
Hopefully we can feed Bale throughout the game and not just in small patches
Hopefully our high line won't be picked apart

For such a big game I just think we have a lot of problems as a team going into it. Fortunately most of them are problems that can dissipate on the night but I wouldn't bet on it.

 

[Beni]

Got us now to finish 4th, aslong as we avoid defeat against Chelsea on Wednesday, think a draw would be fine...

Chelsea v Spurs - DRAW +1 Pt (Chelsea + Tottenham)

Arsenal v Wigan - WIN +3Pts

Chelsea v Aston V - WIN +3Pts

Stoke v Tottenham - WIN 3Pts

Chelsea v Everton - DRAW +1Pt

Newcastle v Arsenal - DRAW +1pt

Tottenham v Sunderland - WIN +1pt

3. Chelsea 73pts
4. Tottenham 72 pts
5. Arsenal 71 pts

Obviously win all of our games, we get into CL. But can't see us winning all our last 3 games. Aslong as we win 2 and draw 1, think we will do it. Even if that means beating Chelsea, but drawing to either Sunderland or Stoke and winning the other.

 

[Spurger King]

Got us now to finish 4th, aslong as we avoid defeat against Chelsea on Wednesday, think a draw would be fine...

Chelsea v Spurs - DRAW +1 Pt (Chelsea + Tottenham)

Arsenal v Wigan - WIN +3Pts

Chelsea v Aston V - WIN +3Pts

Stoke v Tottenham - WIN 3Pts

Chelsea v Everton - DRAW +1Pt

Newcastle v Arsenal - DRAW +1pt

Tottenham v Sunderland - WIN +1pt

3. Chelsea 73pts
4. Tottenham 72 pts
5. Arsenal 71 pts

Obviously win all of our games, we get into CL. But can't see us winning all our last 3 games. Aslong as we win 2 and draw 1, think we will do it. Even if that means beating Chelsea, but drawing to either Sunderland or Stoke and winning the other.

Nice on paper but we all know Arse will play shit against Newcastle then win with a last minute deflected shot that bounces off a beach ball into the ref and off a Newcastle player into the back of the net.

Christ I hate it when teams play badly and still get all three points.