Race for the Top 4 - 2017/18

[scat1620]

No, as great as it would be to win the FA Cup, fincnailly and and generally going into the NuLane with CL football is more important and 7 games is enough for things to change even if it looks unlikely.

Nah.

 

[MyNameIsNicolaBerti]

I'd prefer both.

So would I, which is why I disagree with the idea of priortising one over the other.

 

[scat1620]

So would I, which is why I disagree with the idea of priortising one over the other.

And I thought I was the pessimist...

We'd have to really fuck up not to seal a Top 4 spot from here, so IMO - without totally just sacking off the effort in PL games completely - we can prioritise preparations for the FA Cup.

 

[coys200]

Our best players are used to back to back high intensity fixtures this season.City/ Brighton/ United is a lot easier than other periods this season we’ve coped with manfully.

City- hopefully be hungover from celebrating
Brighton- may well be safe and Chris might do us a favour.

 

[Lighty64]

And I thought I was the pessimist...

We'd have to really fuck up not to seal a Top 4 spot from here, so IMO - without totally just sacking off the effort in PL games completely - we can prioritise preparations for the FA Cup.

so are you suggesting putting out a weakened team v Brighton away? so that we can go full guns blazing v Man U. don't get me wrong, Poch will field our strongest XI available for the Semi's, but not sure they will be fresh bar the wing backs.

even if we get to the final, it doesn't guarantee us a cup. a top 4 guarantees us CL football going into a stadium that will want as near to a full house for at least 22 games, compared to 19 possible full and 3 half full. yes we should be able to win 5 of our remaining 7, but we won't if we don't take them serious enough, just like Southampton and Newcastle the end of 2015/16 season.

the only way we can take the FA Cup more seriously is if that result today makes Chelsea totally implode.

there are to many people on here hoping City to take their foot off the gas if they beat Utd. it won't happen, because PG won't allow it, and City have the chance to set so many records. only hope is they have a difficult match v Man U and also a tough match v Liverpool in the 2nd leg

 

[Lilbaz]

so are you suggesting putting out a weakened team v Brighton away? so that we can go full guns blazing v Man U. don't get me wrong, Poch will field our strongest XI available for the Semi's, but not sure they will be fresh bar the wing backs.

even if we get to the final, it doesn't guarantee us a cup. a top 4 guarantees us CL football going into a stadium that will want as near to a full house for at least 22 games, compared to 19 possible full and 3 half full. yes we should be able to win 5 of our remaining 7, but we won't if we don't take them serious enough, just like Southampton and Newcastle the end of 2015/16 season.

the only way we can take the FA Cup more seriously is if that result today makes Chelsea totally implode.

there are to many people on here hoping City to take their foot off the gas if they beat Utd. it won't happen, because PG won't allow it, and City have the chance to set so many records. only hope is they have a difficult match v Man U and also a tough match v Liverpool in the 2nd leg

Why can't we take all our remaining games seriously?

 

[Lighty64]

Why can't we take all our remaining games seriously?

we can take them all seriously, I'm just saying that playing Man C, Brighton and then Man U in a semi final will take it's toll. we should be guaranteed a CL place after yesterday, but 3 draws and a loss could let Chelscum right back in it. we have to field our strongest XI until CL spot is secured

if you want a guaranteed fully fit, and strongest possible XI v Man U, then Poch would need to rotate for the Brighton match. guarantee Moaninho will field a weaker XI v Bournemouth than he does to face Man C then us.

 

[Lilbaz]

we can take them all seriously, I'm just saying that playing Man C, Brighton and then Man U in a semi final will take it's toll. we should be guaranteed a CL place after yesterday, but 3 draws and a loss could let Chelscum right back in it. we have to field our strongest XI until CL spot is secured

if you want a guaranteed fully fit, and strongest possible XI v Man U, then Poch would need to rotate for the Brighton match. guarantee Moaninho will field a weaker XI v Bournemouth than he does to face Man C then us.

We have a strong enough squad to rotate if and when players get tired. Moura, wanyama, aurier and toby are all good enough to come in if needed.

 

[Lighty64]

We have a strong enough squad to rotate if and when players get tired. Moura, wanyama, aurier and toby are all good enough to come in if needed.

not being funny, but not sure we will see Toby in a Spurs shirt again unless we sort his contract out.

will Poch show loyalty to Vorm v Man U, ok keepers don't need so much rotation. yes we will rotate the full backs, and Moura could replace Lamela, but we need to play Son, Eriksen, Alli and Kane in all 3 matches, Brighton's home defence is what is keeping them safe for the moment, whether they go on the beach if they are safe by time we play them is anyone's guess, but Houghton is a proud man and will want to finish as high as possible, he isn't a Tony Pulis type.

Dembele will be on the bench v Brighton, our WB will be rotated, and Wanyama can give Dier a rest, unless Poch drops Dier back and rest Sanchez. I just don't think Poch will go OTT unless Chelsea fail to win any of their next 2 and we take full points

 

[Lilbaz]

not being funny, but not sure we will see Toby in a Spurs shirt again unless we sort his contract out.

will Poch show loyalty to Vorm v Man U, ok keepers don't need so much rotation. yes we will rotate the full backs, and Moura could replace Lamela, but we need to play Son, Eriksen, Alli and Kane in all 3 matches, Brighton's home defence is what is keeping them safe for the moment, whether they go on the beach if they are safe by time we play them is anyone's guess, but Houghton is a proud man and will want to finish as high as possible, he isn't a Tony Pulis type.

Dembele will be on the bench v Brighton, our WB will be rotated, and Wanyama can give Dier a rest, unless Poch drops Dier back and rest Sanchez. I just don't think Poch will go OTT unless Chelsea fail to win any of their next 2 and we take full points

I think if we rest players against brighton it will have just as much to do with having played city only 3 days prior. The semi is 4 days after.

Think we will rotate a couple for that game.

 

[Lighty64]

I think if we rest players against brighton it will have just as much to do with having played city only 3 days prior. The semi is 4 days after.

Think we will rotate a couple for that game.

yes most probably will, i just hope we get the right results from Stoke, and something off of City.

to be honest I expect Chelscum to implode, though I would like them to beat Wet Spam and drag them back down, but looking at just Stoke and Southampton's remaining fixtures, Wet Spam are most probably going to avoid going down

 

[Hoddtastic72]

we can take them all seriously, I'm just saying that playing Man C, Brighton and then Man U in a semi final will take it's toll. we should be guaranteed a CL place after yesterday, but 3 draws and a loss could let Chelscum right back in it. we have to field our strongest XI until CL spot is secured

if you want a guaranteed fully fit, and strongest possible XI v Man U, then Poch would need to rotate for the Brighton match. guarantee Moaninho will field a weaker XI v Bournemouth than he does to face Man C then us.

We've got to go for it now. We're close to getting a first trophy and finishing in a champions league place, so the players are just going to have to suck it up; no excuses. If we want to be up there competing with the top clubs we have to play like a top club

 

[ziggy]

Sky going on about us and 4th place after today but win our game in hand and we're above the bin dippers into 3rd

 

[Graysonti]

We have to try and win every game.

What’s all this pick and choose ffs - has nothing been learnt these last few years.

Win the next game

 

[walworthyid]

We have to try and win every game.

What’s all this pick and choose ffs - has nothing been learnt these last few years.

Win the next game

Exactly. It's all redundant anyway, Poch will want to win every match. 9 pts in 7 games a lot to lose but certainly not impossible so we have to win every match.

 

[tototoner]

We have to try and win every game.

What’s all this pick and choose ffs - has nothing been learnt these last few years.

Win the next game

Exactly, go the rest of the season unbeaten, hopefully finishing 2nd and winning the FA Cup

 

[tototoner]

Are people really expecting Chelsea to win their remaining 7 league games, they haven't won 2 consecutive league games since December and Conte is a dead man walking, I reckon we'll finish 15+ points ahead of them

 

[tttcowan]

Are people really expecting Chelsea to win their remaining 7 league games, they haven't won 2 consecutive league games since December and Conte is a dead man walking, I reckon we'll finish 15+ points ahead of them

They've got nothing to play for now as well. They had to win yesterday. They didn't. Realistically the season is over for them and they'll know it. They don't have the steel to keep going now... Lads. It's Chelsea.

 

[Trix]

Anyone got an updated top 6 mini league table?

 

[tototoner]

Anyone got an updated top 6 mini league table?