Race for the Top 4 - 2017/18

[dontcallme]

It's essential we get top at least this season. Simple as that. Couldn't give a toss who we do/don't finish above.

Going into the new stadium being in the elite competition will be massive for sponsors etc and if we are playing in our amazing new home against some Belarus Cup winners it's frankly going to be a bit embarrassing.

Would be nice for Liverpool to miss out as they clearly aren't fucking about and despite losing Coutinho, are willing to spend big to address weaknesses in their team. I'd put money on them going for Butland and with Keita coming in, will sort their midfield. They are potentially another centre back/Keeper short of an incredible first XI.

That happens, we finish above everyone.

 

[piedpiper]

Far too much is being made of Liverpool losing Coutinho. They not a one man team. They've won plenty a game without him.

I think we are more reliant on Kane than they are on Coutinho. We have won games without Kane and if they were to lose Coutinho they will remain a challenger for a top 4 position.

We have gone on incredible winning streaks after December in the last 2 yrs.. We do that again and im certain we will be okay. The key is having our injury situation clear up for the next 4 months.

 

[arunspurs]

Far too much is being made of Liverpool losing Coutinho. They not a one man team. They've won plenty a game without him.

I think we are more reliant on Kane than they are on Coutinho. We have won games without Kane and if they were to lose Coutinho they will remain a challenger for a top 4 position.

We have gone on incredible winning streaks after December in the last 2 yrs.. We do that again and im certain we will be okay. The key is having our injury situation clear up for the next 4 months.

I don’t agree. When things go well Coutinho isn’t missed. But when things don’t pan out, he has been their difference maker. They have belief he can always rescue a situation. Losing him won’t affect their game play but will affect their morale & belief they can do something out of ordinary

 

[piedpiper]

I don’t agree. When things go well Coutinho isn’t missed. But when things don’t pan out, he has been their difference maker. They have belief he can always rescue a situation. Losing him won’t affect their game play but will affect their morale & belief they can do something out of ordinary

In essence its saying they a one man team, which they clearly not. Sure they would miss him but not to the extent that it would derail their season. Too much weight is being placed on him leaving.

 

[arunspurs]

In essence its saying they a one man team, which they clearly not. Sure they would miss him but not to the extent that it would derail their season. Too much weight is being placed on him leaving.

No , you are inferring it as one man team...
Ronaldo playing for Portugal is one man team. Ronaldo playing for RM, he is their go to man in adverse situation. RM is not one man team. Same applies to Liverpool & Coutinho

 

[dontcallme]

In essence its saying they a one man team, which they clearly not. Sure they would miss him but not to the extent that it would derail their season. Too much weight is being placed on him leaving.

Saying a player is a big loss is not the same as saying they are a 1 man team.

Football is game of fine margins, losing a key player can be the difference in league places.

We’d miss Kane, Eriksen or Alderweireld. Doesn’t make us a 1 or 3 man team.

Coutinho would be a big loss.

 

[tiger666]

Not like @piedpiper to big up Liverpool

 

[piedpiper]

Not like @piedpiper to big up Liverpool

I know it appears that way tiger.. But i despise them and their fans.. More so than our Woolwhich neighbours. I would get endless satisfaction seeing them not qualify for the CL...

Im just not as dismissive of them as some of you are...

 

[Shadydan]

Put him on ignore, it's bliss.

 

[piedpiper]

No , you are inferring it as one man team...
Ronaldo playing for Portugal is one man team. Ronaldo playing for RM, he is their go to man in adverse situation. RM is not one man team. Same applies to Liverpool & Coutinho

Lets see how their season pans out if he were to leave. I dont think they will be as affected as some make out.

 

[piedpiper]

Put him on ignore, it's bliss.

Favour returned. Sanctimonious bellend.

 

[scat1620]

Well, tonight didn't help any.

 

[Pellshek]

Well, tonight didn't help any.

No points would have not helped.

 

[King of Otters]

Effectively four points behind Liverpool, and we still have to go to Anfield where we routinely get our arses handed to us.

Not looking great.

 

[belsunz]

Pessimistic about our chances of finishing in top four after today’s performance and result. We’ve dropped too many points at home this season. There seems to be an arrogance or lack of urgency in our play that wasn’t there last season. The 2 percent more effort we only put in when going behind isn’t there from the start.

 

[L-man]

We’re really helping ourselves out and ramping up the pressure.

Just the small matter of 3 consecutive league games against Liverpool A, United H and Arsenal H, with a few champions league knockout games against Juventus chucked in for good measure, to get through very soon

 

[scat1620]

We’re really helping ourselves out and ramping up the pressure.

Just the small matter of 3 consecutive league games against Liverpool A, United H and Arsenal H, with a few champions league knockout games against Juventus chucked in for good measure, to get through very soon

As I mentioned a couple of pages ago, I won't be disappointed if we finish in 5th above Arsenal at this stage. Not because I wouldn't be much happier finishing in the top 4, but rather because I think that we can't rule out the possibility that we could easily finish outside the CL places AND below Arsenal.

 

[Shadydan]

As I mentioned a couple of pages ago, I won't be disappointed if we finish in 5th above Arsenal at this stage. Not because I wouldn't be much happier finishing in the top 4, but rather because I think that we can't rule out the possibility that we could easily finish outside the CL places AND below Arsenal.

There's no winners in that scenario

 

[scat1620]

There's no winners in that scenario

If we fail to finish in the top 4, for me I would still see finishing above Arsenal as something to enjoy and be happy with.

*Again, for the hard-of-thinking reading this (not you, Shady), that's not me saying that I wouldn't like to finish in the top 4.

 

[JayB]

Our central midfield options are a million miles away from being good enough. That's not a knee-jerk reaction to tonight's match, I've been saying it since the summer. We can't move the ball with any semblance of tempo and it's absolutely no surprise whatsoever that we have dropped more points against the dregs of the league than any of our rivals.

It's exceedingly difficult to create chances against teams parking the bus when you spend the better part of 75 minutes passing the ball side to side at a glacial pace. With the relegation battle as tight as it is this season, and with as many points as we have dropped against teams that deploy defensive tactics against us, I'm guessing we'll see virtually every team in the bottom half of the table set up exactly the way for the rest of the season.

I can't see the situation changing in the January window, so it's very difficult to see us finishing ahead of two of United, Chelsea, and Liverpool.