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Race for the Top 4 - 2017/18

chinaman

Well-Known Member
Jul 19, 2003
17,974
12,423
I agree Chelsea are a joke of a club, before Harding and oil money came along, they were no where. As you say we are a club with a real history, that's one of the reasons why I find this record very aggrevating. We are definitely capable of beating them, hopefully we can do it this time around and then do them in the CL as well.


While I despise everything the present day Chelsea represents, the Chelsea of old played their part in making football a spectacle. In the late 50's to the early 70's, they turned out so many exceptionally good footballers either through their own apprenticeship programme or buying relatively unknown players and turned them into household names much like what we are doing now.
Our number one idol Jimmy Greaves , and a later mid-field general of ours , Terry Venables both came through their junior ranks. Other internationals like Peter Bonetti, David Webb, Ray Wilkins, Ron Harris, Eddie McCreadie, Ian Hutchinson and the incomparable trio of Peter Osgood, Charlie Cooke and later Alan Hudson achieved fame wearing their colours.

If they ever turn the clock back doing what they were doing in the past, my disgust of them will turn to admiration once again.
 

Ironskullll

Well-Known Member
Nov 15, 2010
1,378
1,894
While I despise everything the present day Chelsea represents, the Chelsea of old played their part in making football a spectacle. In the late 50's to the early 70's, they turned out so many exceptionally good footballers either through their own apprenticeship programme or buying relatively unknown players and turned them into household names much like what we are doing now.
Our number one idol Jimmy Greaves , and a later mid-field general of ours , Terry Venables both came through their junior ranks. Other internationals like Peter Bonetti, David Webb, Ray Wilkins, Ron Harris, Eddie McCreadie, Ian Hutchinson and the incomparable trio of Peter Osgood, Charlie Cooke and later Alan Hudson achieved fame wearing their colours.

If they ever turn the clock back doing what they were doing in the past, my disgust of them will turn to admiration once again.
They were still founded by politicians out for a quick buck, back at the start of the 20th century. Hard to respect.
 

guiltyparty

Well-Known Member
Sep 21, 2005
9,023
13,524
It's a Premier League fantasy footy difficulty index (2=relatively easy, 5=the most difficult)

I suppose it might not be ok to post that here. Someone or I can take it down if this is some sort of copyright issue.

So we’re a 5 and Arsenal are a 4?

:D
 

Mr Pink

SC Supporter
Aug 25, 2010
54,776
99,338
Defining period for us. Stay professional and we'll finish top 4.

We've really stood up when it's mattered.

Massive strides with our mentality under Poch, really starting to come to the fore.
 

'O Zio

Well-Known Member
Dec 27, 2014
7,405
13,785
Man utd WIN
Liverpool DRAW
Arsenal WIN

I would have taken that a month ago.

Cracking period for us

Agree. When I saw this run on our fixture list I was dreading it but we've done brilliantly. Got a lot of the tough games out of the way in one fell swoop now as well which gives us an advantage for the rest of the season now.
 

parj

NDombelly ate all the pies
Jul 27, 2003
3,586
5,861
Agree. When I saw this run on our fixture list I was dreading it but we've done brilliantly. Got a lot of the tough games out of the way in one fell swoop now as well which gives us an advantage for the rest of the season now.

Just need to show up and take advantage of the easier games now. If we do then I reckon 2nd is target
 

Pellshek

Well-Known Member
Dec 30, 2015
2,509
7,289
Mind-boggling how tough the task still is: we have to hold off two of Liverpool, Chelsea and Arse, and two of those teams are ahead of us if they win their games in hand. It's still a monster of a challenge.
 

'O Zio

Well-Known Member
Dec 27, 2014
7,405
13,785
Just need to show up and take advantage of the easier games now. If we do then I reckon 2nd is target

Not too unrealistic either. Utd are probably our biggest competition in that respect, but they're definitely going to drop points along the way. Liverpool are pretty hot and cold and with their crazy style and makeshift defense they're also going to have their fair share of slip-ups. As for Chelsea, they look like they're on the cusp of having a complete meltdown so I don't see them as a threat at all.

Top 4 will be City, Utd, us, Liverpool most likely I reckon. As you say though, we need to just make sure we don't have too many of those silly dropped points against Swanseas and the like. I think now that our injury situation is slowly sorting itself out we should avoid too many poor results.
 

'O Zio

Well-Known Member
Dec 27, 2014
7,405
13,785
Mind-boggling how tough the task still is: we have to hold off two of Liverpool, Chelsea and Arse, and two of those teams are ahead of us if they win their games in hand. It's still a monster of a challenge.

Not gonna be easy, that's for sure, but like I said in my other post, Chelsea look like they're about to implode. So many off the field problems in the squad and with Conte and Chelsea seem like they're reluctant to sack him until the end of the season. If they carry on like this they're going to fall behind us I think. Also Liverpool will drop points, it's just on us to make sure we capitalize on those opportunities when they arise. A tough task, no doubt, but after this recent run we're looking more likely for top 4 than not IMO, especially considering Toby, Wanyama, Rose etc. (i.e. 3 of our best 11) are on their way back in.
 

Mullers

Unknown member
Jan 4, 2006
25,914
16,413
I don't think they are writing Arsenal and Chelsea off. They are sports journos, asked as part of an article who they think will finish in the top four. Not who they know will finish in the top four, but they think will. They can hardly say "I refuse to answer that question on the grounds that I may incriminate myself of believing Cheslea and Arsenal are spent and can be written off." Can they? Or say: "Well, I think United, Liverpool and Spurs will take the remaining top four spots...but as seen as we can't write Arsenal and Chelsea off I am going to pretend that I believe United, Arsenal and Chelsea will...that way that Mullers fella on SC won't get on my case."

If you look at it rationally right at this moment, Chelsea are in disarray and have just lost to two minor clubs, one at home, scoring one and conceding seven. The manager is at odds with the board over transfer policy and there are rumours he has lost, or semi-lost, the dressing room. ArseAnal are four points adrift of the team in fifth, going into a difficult away game, when their away form has not been great - against that team in fifth. I won't analyse Liverpool and United, because it doesn't concern us - but we are in a good run of form, with several key players getting back from injury, with good reason to expect a strong finish in terms of fitness. You can't write them off - but it is not entirely illogical, either, to believe we are in a stronger position going into the run-in. If you look at the table @jolsnogross has kindly posted for us, Cheslea have still to play the other four four of the top five - two of them away. They also have to travel away to Burnley and Swansea - they are fixing to be two very difficult games, too. It is true that our record at SB is pitiful - so was our record away to the Goons (not sure where, probably lots of different places...the beggar keep on moving!) and at OT.

There is always scope for the unforeseen - for things to go tats oop, in other words. Going into the game at the Emirates I wouldn't have foreseen that Kane was visibly injured enough to be off his game or that the Goons would outperform us in terms of desire and energy. They were the better team, so I am not griping, but neither did we foresee that Mike Dean would be so desperate to show that he isn't biased in our favour by giving them everything and us nothing, including the ridiculous free-kick leading to the first goal, allow two offside goals and be lenient with two Scum players who were on yellows and committed clear yellow card offences. That's football. No-one can foresee that player x, y or z will have a rush of blood to the head and toe-punt an opposition player from behind, in the penalty spot (Vergil, I'm looking at you), or that a stalemate between two dour teams will be broken by the ball ricocheting off of eight players and trickling over the line. But we are in a better position than Arsenal and Chelsea at this precise moment and there is nothing outlandish in choosing us if put on the spot and made to chose who you think will finishing in the top four.
At least one of the journos said that Arsenal were too far off the pace. I'm sure these journos will only be to pleased to stick the knife in if we fail. I don't put too much stock in what the journos say, good or bad, really.

I wouldn't disagree too much with your assessment of the top four situation. However I can't commit to say that we will or won't qualify at this stage, although the win today does help a lot.
I think it will still go right down to the wire.
 
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Shadydan

Well-Known Member
Jul 7, 2012
38,247
104,143
Mind-boggling how tough the task still is: we have to hold off two of Liverpool, Chelsea and Arse, and two of those teams are ahead of us if they win their games in hand. It's still a monster of a challenge.

We've come out of our most difficult phase of the season with 7 points and we're the form team. I'd be looking at the other teams thinking that's it's gonna be more difficult for them to finish top 4 not us.
 

Mullers

Unknown member
Jan 4, 2006
25,914
16,413
While I despise everything the present day Chelsea represents, the Chelsea of old played their part in making football a spectacle. In the late 50's to the early 70's, they turned out so many exceptionally good footballers either through their own apprenticeship programme or buying relatively unknown players and turned them into household names much like what we are doing now.
Our number one idol Jimmy Greaves , and a later mid-field general of ours , Terry Venables both came through their junior ranks. Other internationals like Peter Bonetti, David Webb, Ray Wilkins, Ron Harris, Eddie McCreadie, Ian Hutchinson and the incomparable trio of Peter Osgood, Charlie Cooke and later Alan Hudson achieved fame wearing their colours.

If they ever turn the clock back doing what they were doing in the past, my disgust of them will turn to admiration once again.
They sound like the old west ham, don't win much trophies but played good football.
 

tototoner

Staying Alert
Mar 21, 2004
29,387
34,059
We've come out of our most difficult phase of the season with 7 points and we're the form team. I'd be looking at the other teams thinking that's it's gonna be more difficult for them to finish top 4 not us.
Exactly and they have to play each other
 

fortworthspur

Well-Known Member
Nov 12, 2007
11,244
17,536
should finish next weekend top 4 as Chelsea are away to United. 7 points from the last 3 games has been massive.

er, that would be in 2 weeks.
 
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King of Otters

Well-Known Member
Jun 11, 2012
10,751
36,093
I may have written us off at some point but I fancy us now. Momentum is with us and we always finish strongly under Poch.

We can forget about Arse, it's all about Liverpool and Chelsea, with the latter looking very vulnerable now.
 
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