Race for the Top 4 - 2018/19

[spursfan77]

We're probably gonna have to get a win at city, Chelsea or Liverpool. Big ask. Having seen arsenal's quality yesterday I feel we are outsiders for top 4 despite the complacency on here.

Last season we won at Chelsea and could have conceivably won at Liverpool but I get what you’re saying.

In order to finish top 4 we will need to pick up a couple more points against the other teams up there with us. We simply can’t afford to lose any more of the 6 pointers unless the other teams in the league suddenly grow a pair and start to beat them. For example, Everton yesterday not getting something at Liverpool was a massive kick in the nuts. Those are the kind of points we need teams like Liverpool to drop.

Man Utd while seemingly out of it might be the team that we need to rely on most against the other top 4 teams as they are most likely to beat them. Let’s hope they have some defenders back for their game against arsenal in midweek as we desperately need them to win that game.

 

[SargeantMeatCurtains]

We need to improve our record against the top 5 this season if we want top 4. Teams aren’t really dropping points so I think the margin will be the results against the top 5 that decides the final placings.

So far, we’ve lost to City and Liverpool at home and Arsenal away. We’re gonna have to pick up some away wins which are incredibly rare for us.

 

[fletch82]

Arse will drop points for certain
Yesterdays game was a extreme effort for them not sure they have ever played at that level or intensity, they will suffer the effects of that midweek or at the weekend for certain.
There squad is not as deep as ours baring up front it will definitely have taken it's toll.

As for us we have a good run coming up now against sides we should be beating be that grinding them out or smashing them we will finish above them I'm certain.

 

[bubble07]

Looking at the table currently we are the weakest of the top four contenders with 4 defeats and the most goals conceded, add into the mix we still have all the top four to play again we could be looking at 8/9 Maybe 10 defeats by the time the season ends that's probably too many to get top four.

Not if you don't draw any

 

[bubble07]

By the start of Jan 2019 we will be third. We just need are injured players back. Our squad is only good enough to compete if we have the full squad to pick from

 

[shelfboy68]

By the start of Jan 2019 we will be third. We just need are injured players back. Our squad is only good enough to compete if we have the full squad to pick from

That is wishful thinking mate no one can expect to keep a full squad all the time especially one that lacks the depth compared to the others, we can't hope to attain top four by winning a couple then losing a couple that's not consistent enough.

 

[Johno1470]

Upon reflection, yesterday's game should provide us with a huge wake up call. Aside from the Chelsea game and Inter - how many good performances have we had this season? Away to United game and ?? I can't think of much else.

We have been so stop start this season however we have picked up a lot of points and seen some great individual performances from Lucas early on, Lamela & Foyth.

As much as it is deflating getting embarrassed by that lot, we enter a busy period for us and thankfully we have Southampton in a few days time to correct things hopefully. If I remember correctly, last season we got beat by City in December and went on a pretty long unbeaten run. I am hoping we see something similar again this season and pick plenty of points up over the festive period.

We can only move on and try get the 3 points on Wednesday and look forward to the weekend and Barcelona after. All I hope is that Poch doesn't take this defeat lightly and demands a reaction out of the players over the coming performances.

 

[Primativ]

Away to united was hardly a good performance. Amazing what time can do to the memory of a game. First half we were diabolical. Almost as bad as the opening 20 minutes yesterday. Easily could have been 2 nil down to united. Second half we blew them away by scoring From three quick fire chances but I’m sorry, it was hardly a vintage performance. Even Poch said post game the result flattered us hugely. Was such a desk result and if that’s the yard stick of our best performances of the season we really have been poor generally.

 

[dricha1]

FFS we are 8pts up on the same fixtures from last year...we are 1pt off 3rd, far too early to write us off. The Europa league will bite Chelsea and Arsenal in the latter stages as the level of opposition increases.

Poch Ballsed up big time yesterday but we’re still in great shape..

 

[Johno1470]

Away to united was hardly a good performance. Amazing what time can do to the memory of a game. First half we were diabolical. Almost as bad as the opening 20 minutes yesterday. Easily could have been 2 nil down to united. Second half we blew them away by scoring From three quick fire chances but I’m sorry, it was hardly a vintage performance. Even Poch said post game the result flattered us hugely. Was such a desk result and if that’s the yard stick of our best performances of the season we really have been poor generally.

That's my point. Our best performance came only in a few minutes period where we blew them away. The rest of the season we have been largely mediocre, getting important goals but more often than not, conceding late goals putting unnecessary pressure on us time after time.

 

[Lighty64]

Looking at the table currently we are the weakest of the top four contenders with 4 defeats and the most goals conceded, add into the mix we still have all the top four to play again we could be looking at 8/9 Maybe 10 defeats by the time the season ends that's probably too many to get top four.

you do know 1 win and Arse or Chelsea get a draw or loss, both not played all the other top 5 yet (including United) Arse play United away this week, Chelsea still have to play Man C. I know the game to game comparison means little, but on last season we are 6pts better off, and so are Arse and they had shit away form last season, so not so hard for them to improve. if we matched every result like last season till the end we should be heading for 83pts, Arse will not get 21pts extra than they did last season.

 

[WalkerboyUK]

I'm concerned about the performance yesterday, but the reality is that there are 24 games still to play and we are only out of the top 4 on goal difference.
Yes, we could have opened up a 6 point gap on Arsenal, but it's not the end of the world.
We could very well be back to a 2/3 point gap on them by 10pm on Wednesday.

Name me one team, other than City, who is capable of winning a game against top 5 opposition on Sunday, midweek CL against a very good Italian side in a do-or-die fixture, then another PL game against top 5 the next Sunday.
Yesterday was shit, but last Sunday morning I'd have been happy with 3 points out of 6 in PL and still being alive in CL.

 

[shelfboy68]

you do know 1 win and Arse or Chelsea get a draw or loss, both not played all the other top 5 yet (including United) Arse play United away this week, Chelsea still have to play Man C. I know the game to game comparison means little, but on last season we are 6pts better off, and so are Arse and they had shit away form last season, so not so hard for them to improve. if we matched every result like last season till the end we should be heading for 83pts, Arse will not get 21pts extra than they did last season.

Yes I know it's so tight seeing as we were 3rd Saturday morning then 5th by Sunday evening things can change of course and as i have stated already in another post we are pretty much maxed out on what is achievable.
But whilst I agree we maybe better off points wise than last year the rest of the competition apart from Utd have also improved so in that case it's as we were.
If you look at the others apart from Utd no one has lost anywhere near what we have for a top four side or conceded it's a problem that needs addressing if the club want to progress.

 

[Colonel Dax]

FFS we are 8pts up on the same fixtures from last year...we are 1pt off 3rd, far too early to write us off. The Europa league will bite Chelsea and Arsenal in the latter stages as the level of opposition increases.

There’s a chance we could be in the Europa League too.

 

[Primativ]

Yes I know it's so tight seeing as we were 3rd Saturday morning then 5th by Sunday evening things can change of course and as i have stated already in another post we are pretty much maxed out on what is achievable.
But whilst I agree we maybe better off points wise than last year the rest of the competition apart from Utd have also improved so in that case it's as we were.
If you look at the others apart from Utd no one has lost anywhere near what we have for a top four side or conceded it's a problem that needs addressing if the club want to progress.

It' actually better to win more and lose more often than it is to draw many games if that makes sense....unbeaten records where teams have quite a few draws, like Arsenal, can be deceiving.

 

[coys200]

In the next 12 we have 8 at home and only have to face United of the “top 6” at home.

Arsenal are away to United City Liverpool and home to Chelsea. If we aren’t at least 6 points clear of them come mid February I’d be very disappointed I’d hope to be 9 pts clear.

Arsenal and Chelsea have both played 8 home games as well as opposed to our 5.

Said before Chelsea/Arsenal 6pts dreamy 4pts good and 3pts was ok. Tbh I’d have taken x2 draws quite happily. Let’s see how we get on in the cup game when they haven’t had a weeks rest.

 

[King of Otters]

There’s a chance we could be in the Europa League too.

Yeah, but we'll get ourselves immediately eliminated.

 

[worcestersauce]

In our next seven games we don't play any of the top five, Chelsea play one but that one is Man City home, Arsenal play one but that is Liverpool away, City play Chelsea away and Liverpool home which means Liverpool play Arsenal home and City away, it therefore follows that two three or four of our challengers must lose points the rest is down to us to take advantage of that.

 

[dagraham]

Away to united was hardly a good performance. Amazing what time can do to the memory of a game. First half we were diabolical. Almost as bad as the opening 20 minutes yesterday. Easily could have been 2 nil down to united. Second half we blew them away by scoring From three quick fire chances but I’m sorry, it was hardly a vintage performance. Even Poch said post game the result flattered us hugely. Was such a desk result and if that’s the yard stick of our best performances of the season we really have been poor generally.

Absolutely spot on. Watching the first 20 mins yesterday was very reminiscent of the first half at Old Trafford. Struggling to string 3 passes together against an aggressive pressing team at a tough away ground.

Difference being Arsenal are better than Utd this season.

 

[dagraham]

There’s a chance we could be in the Europa League too.

I’d say more than just a chance.