Race for the Top 4 - 2018/19

[Adam456]

Just noticed, btw if anybody else hadn't, that Watford are away to Reading in the league cup tomorrow night. I would assume that they will recognise a good chance to progress a bit in that and will therefore need to play a fairly strong team. Plus it's a bit of a south east derby

Leicester, on the other hand, are at home to Fleetwood and should be able to rest their first XI ahead of their match at home to Lolpool on Sat.

The others ties are not much help to us unfortunately (Bournemouth at home to MK Dons before they go to Chelsea, Newcastle away at Forest before playing Citeh)

 

[coys200]

Watford will play a reserve team guaranteed. They have a pretty big squad. One thing I did notice in regard to Liverpool game is firmino plays at 1.30 weds AM for Brazil I think in Brazil. Unlikely he’d make a 12.30 sat kick off.

 

[IfiHadTheWings]

I think deep down in our heart of hearts we know...and im not going to get ahead of myself but it is evident we are going to win the league.

COYS

 

[tobbi]

Actually starting to think that mentality wise Wembley may do us a favour long term. It’s taken away the dependence of a home stadium you can use as a crutch. I think it’s made us tougher. Is it a coincidence in the space of 6 months we’ve had our best 2 results at the bridge and Old Trafford in recent memory. The Home and away thing is 80% psychological. Maybe Wembley has lessened that percentage.

I also think it will help when we finally move in to new WHL,most teams struggle when they move into a new stadium but moving in half way into the season will be completely different as the team will be up to speed and hopefully playing well.

 

[TottenhamLegend]

Just noticed, btw if anybody else hadn't, that Watford are away to Reading in the league cup tomorrow night. I would assume that they will recognise a good chance to progress a bit in that and will therefore need to play a fairly strong team. Plus it's a bit of a south east derby

I fully expect Watford to make 8+ changes despite any of this.

 

[Adam456]

I fully expect Watford to make 8+ changes despite any of this.

You may be right and I think if they did that it would be virtually condeding any interest. Which is fine but if I were a Watford fan I wouldn't be happy with making little effort to go through. It rather depends where they see themselves. If staying up was all important then fine. But I think as a club they are past that (and they already have 1/4 points required in August) and in addition to finishing as high as possible I would be thinking about a cup run

 

[kmk]

Watford will play a reserve team guaranteed. They have a pretty big squad. One thing I did notice in regard to Liverpool game is firmino plays at 1.30 weds AM for Brazil I think in Brazil. Unlikely he’d make a 12.30 sat kick off.

Also Alisson and Fabinho are in the Brazil squad.

 

[Dzejkob]

 

[Lighty64]

is that Ally Gold getting up at the end?

 

[Adam456]

I fully expect Watford to make 8+ changes despite any of this.

11 changes for Watford ha ha

Everton only changed 8 and they're at home to Rotherham

 

[coys200]

Said Watford have massive squad 31 players.

 

[Bulletspur]

'Race for the top 4' is so 3 weeks ago, I think the title of this thread should be changed. All the players were talking about trying to win the league after todays game, that's our clubs aim and if we can't it then becomes a top 4 aim.

If both Chelsea and Liverpool fail to get all three points over the weekend, and we beat Watford, the fate of being the English Premier League Champions will solely be in our hands! Yes I know, along way to go

 

[Dillspur]

If both Chelsea and Liverpool fail to get all three points over the weekend, and we beat Watford, the fate of being the English Premier League Champions will solely be in our hands! Yes I know, along way to go

And we'll be bottle jobs when we don't win it....

 

[spursfast]

If both Chelsea and Liverpool fail to get all three points over the weekend, and we beat Watford, the fate of being the English Premier League Champions will solely be in our hands! Yes I know, along way to go

we haven't beaten Watford yet...yea I know we will for sure, but as u know it doesn't work like that

 

[Bulletspur]

we haven't beaten Watford yet...yea I know we will for sure, but as u know it doesn't work like that

I have no idea what you are trying to say

 

[spursfan77]

A squad like Chelsea's just cannot be written off IMO. The likes of Jorginho, Kante, Kovacic and Hazard would get in our first XI I'd say, and it's likely that Willian and Alonso would have a shout.

Don't get wrong, I think we're better placed, but they've got some great players (as you'd expect them to with the money they've spent) and I'm not ruling them out at all

Plus they are only just starting off under the new manager and hazard hasn’t played that much for them yet. If they kick on under him I think they will be up there. Although I still think their centre halves are suspect. David Luiz in a back 4 really should be exploited at every opportunity.

 

[Lilbaz]

I have no idea what you are trying to say

Don't take it for granted we will get 3 points from watford i believe is the message i think.

 

[TottenhamMattSpur]

Plus they are only just starting off under the new manager and hazard hasn’t played that much for them yet. If they kick on under him I think they will be up there. Although I still think their centre halves are suspect. David Luiz in a back 4 really should be exploited at every opportunity.

Are we all taking Chelsea seriously again now?
A few weeks ago they were being judged on last seasons fiasco and written off, not the season before when they won a record number of games in a row and walked the title. It's the same squad, subtract a demented manager that wanted out add a new one that wants to be there and add a couple of extra players.
They'll be up there this season IMO.

 

[Timberwolf]

Are we all taking Chelsea seriously again now?
A few weeks ago they were being judged on last seasons fiasco and written off, not the season before when they won a record number of games in a row and walked the title. It's the same squad, subtract a demented manager that wanted out add a new one that wants to be there and add a couple of extra players.
They'll be up there this season IMO.

Yeah I reckon Chelsea and Man Utd will trade places in the top 4 this season. Their squad looks too imbalanced to challenge for the title but I think they'll comfortably finish in the top 4, especially as they won't have CL to worry about.

Regarding your comments on them having the same players that won the title, It's also worth taking into account the change of system when judging their squad. The sole reason they won the league a couple of years back is because Conte rogered the entire league tactically with his back 3 and it took everyone about 4 months to learn how to deal with it, by which time they were too far ahead to catch. I think their defence in particular looks a lot more vulnerable now that they're playing 4-3-3 and it's highly unlikely Morata will hit the same heights that Costa did that season. Despite having 90% of the same squad, they're a completely different proposition now.

 

[TottenhamMattSpur]

Chelsea do have nohoper league games to contend with though, which is often worse.