Race for the Top 4 - 2017/18

[rossdapep]

We need a real dribbler like a sterling for these type of games. Non of eriksen dele Lamela Son id really class as a dribbler closest maybe Son. You can say it’s crazy for just a specific type of game but I’d now say half the games we play this season will be against a parked bus. Zaha is actually perfect he’d make things happen. But it’s a very specific type of player we need.

We'd have won this game if we had a 'Modric' type dictating things from deep. That's what I feel was lacking, someone who can get the ball into the frontline quickly. It's no coincidence that All of our best play came when we shifted it quickly. Unfortunately Sissoko can't offer that and whilst Dier is actually a decent passer he's not someone who fits that mould. I don't think a Zaha would have made much difference as there was no space to run into. By the time we worked into these areas, WH were already camped inside their penalty area. You need somone to pick the pass instinctivly, no hesitation and no first touch. Also, Sonny was doing Zabaleta only to find Kouyate covering each time. They'd have deployed the same tactics on Zaha.

Silva and De Bruyne are cases in point. Two dictators who spot the pass before the defence can respond to it. That's why City have been relentlessly breaking defences down.

Imagine if we had Eriksen and a 'Modric', throw in Winks and we'd be getting somewhere closer.

Don't get me wrong, we could do with a Zaha but perhaps Sessegnon could do that in time.

 

[Lighty64]

Well that is definetly one way to qualify!! ;-)

But I actually think they were implying if City or United won it then 5th place in PL would qualify....which I don’t think is correct?

I believe you are correct, we only get 5 teams if someone outside top 4 wins either the CL or Europa, and not 100% that is correct, might only be if someone wins the Europa. so us finishing 5th and winning the CL would possibly place the 4th place team in the Europa league instead.

 

[Everlasting Seconds]

Here is the thing. We need to buy this window. End of story. Later this month, we've got United, Liverpool and Arsenal lined up three in a row. Those matches can be used to decide a CL spot for the season. We need a match ready guy to come in and help out immediately.

 

[thePessimist]

Here is the thing. We need to buy this window. End of story. Later this month, we've got United, Liverpool and Arsenal lined up three in a row. Those matches can be used to fetch for the season a CL spot. We need a match ready guy to come in and help out immediately.

Hear you, but not going to happen...

 

[Everlasting Seconds]

Hear you, but not going to happen...

Lessons have been learned
Levy has activated the over draft with the bank
Levy has placed an order for gourmet pizza take away for deadline day
They club understands the situation – targets have been secured for the summer

 

[Good Doctor M]

3 points off top four at the start of 2018...

If you'd offered me this at the start of the season, considering the Wembley factor, I'd have bitten your hand off for it.

We've been remarkably quick to get relatively used to playing at the stadium, so a little less negativity is in order...

Also, we are in the last 16 of the CL.

Things are good. We'll still make it to fourth imo, we're in a good place at the moment and are coming into some seriously good form, whilst Liverpool are inconsistent enough to screw themselves up.

 

[arunspurs]

Only few backs we were behind Burnley sitting 8th in table.Need to have some perspective. Since December we have won 5,drawn 2, lost 1. Both draws (westham & watford) have mitigating circumstances. Lost was to a brilliant City side.

Top4 is not decided now . Another 5 months to go. Obvious areas to improve is defense

We have scored more than Chelsea & only 3 behind United. Problem is with 21 goals conceded. That’s a goal conceded a game. Hopefully Wanyama & Toby back means we improve our defense. When that happens automatically we will convert draws into wins & loss to draws.

Having said this, we still have to go to the market this month & buy a good creative player.

 

[Everlasting Seconds]

3 points off top four at the start of 2018...

If you'd offered me this at the start of the season, considering the Wembley factor, I'd have bitten your hand off for it.

We've been remarkably quick to get relatively used to playing at the stadium, so a little less negativity is in order...

Also, we are in the last 16 of the CL.

Things are good. We'll still make it to fourth imo, we're in a good place at the moment and are coming into some seriously good form, whilst Liverpool are inconsistent enough to screw themselves up.

Points compared to the past matters not. Each season is different. Table position compared to the past, that's what matters.

 

[arunspurs]

Points compared to the past matters not. Each season is different. Table position compared to the past, that's what matters.

But table position does not matter in Jan but only in May.

Goal difference , goal scored & conceded are the pointers midsession. We are 4th best scorers but 5th in conceding. Correct the defense we should be in top4 end of season

 

[Everlasting Seconds]

But table position does not matter in Jan but only in May.

Goal difference , goal scored & conceded are the pointers midsession. We are 4th best scorers but 5th in conceding. Correct the defense we should be in top4 end of season

I do see your point, but when starting at these stats, what you are pointing to is only part of the story. Why are we performing better as scorers? Because when we are playing really well, we tend to score a bunch of goals. So that parameter might be slightly obscured because we probably don't score in a high enough proportion of matches, even if we have a high overall goal tally. Hence, we also need to fix the attack in order to increase scoring consistency. Winning 3, 4, 5-1 is fun and exciting, but won't lead directly to top 4 (unless it comes down to tiebreakers).

 

[arunspurs]

I do see your point, but when starting at these stats, what you are pointing to is only part of the story. Why are we performing better as scorers? Because when we are playing really well, we tend to score a bunch of goals. So that parameter might be slightly obscured because we probably don't score in a high enough proportion of matches, even if we have a high overall goal tally. Hence, we also need to fix the attack in order to increase scoring consistency. Winning 3, 4, 5-1 is fun and exciting, but won't lead directly to top 4 (unless it comes down to tiebreakers).

It evens out. We score 4 or 5 or could score nothing. Same holds true for the other teams too. We have 5th best GD & we are in 5th position. That to me is a consistent stat.

 

[Everlasting Seconds]

It evens out. We score 4 or 5 or could score nothing. Same holds true for the other teams too. We have 5th best GD & we are in 5th position. That to me is a consistent stat.

This comment shows that you are missing out on the nuance I'm pointing to, so I'll put it in an extreme ulterior reality. Say you score 50 goals in one game and draw 21 games 0-0. After 22 games you'd be second best at scoring and 2nd best at goal difference, but you'll be sitting 11th in the table. If that hypothetical team had increased the number of games in which they scored at least one more than the opponent did, they would probably be in a better overall position. Spurs sits neatly in a modified version of that scenario.

Note that I'm not negating your point, I'm adding an important parameter to complete the actual picture.

 

[coys200]

Next 6 games:
Everton h
Southampton a
United h
Liverpool a
Arsenal h
Palace a

If we are still in touch maximum 4 pts adrift we have a relatively easy run in and it’s still game on. Any worse than 4 pts and I’d suggest it’s all over. We probably need to win 2 of those top 6 games and at least draw with pool.Everton really is a must win with games coming and Southampton.

 

[Sp3akerboxxx]

Looking at the fixture list I don't think we can make top 4 anymore. We have dropped too many points.

 

[Shadydan]

Looking at the fixture list I don't think we can make top 4 anymore. We have dropped too many points.

Of course we can, it's still I'm our hands lol

 

[tttcowan]

Looking at the fixture list I don't think we can make top 4 anymore. We have dropped too many points.

It's January 6th. And we're 4 points from top 4. So I just can't see how you can say "I don't think we can make top 4 anymore". And that's not about being a pessimist or optimist. It's just calling it way way waaaaaay too early considering the position we're in.

 

[coys200]

Looking at the fixture list I don't think we can make top 4 anymore. We have dropped too many points.

Liverpool have exactly same games apart from Arsenal. But we do need to try and stay in touch and not count on a late rally. Coutinho looks all but gone which weakens them massively imo. With no Salah or coutinho last night they looked bang average created very little and needed a dodgy pen and awful keeping by Pickford. Even if they get mahrez he’s s massive downgrade on coutinho.

 

[arunspurs]

paul joyce‏@_pauljoyce Coutinho travelling to Barcelona tonight. Official confirmation tonight possible, or tomorrow.

Gone for 142m...142m for him is simply ridiculous.

Anyway, this is brilliant news for us. Even if they bring Keita in this Jan, he cannot replace Coutinho, IMO.

This will turn the table on top4 fight towards us.

 

[coys200]

Don’t expect a countinho replacement they’ve already spent it on Vvd Salah Ox robertson. With keita they are -£40m. FSG rarely spend more than £20-30m net a window max.

 

[coys200]

If Chelsea win fa cup replay. They will have had to play 22 back to back games(3 days gap) by the time they play Bournemouth on 31/1 . Surely that has to take its toll on them.