Race for the Top 4 - 2018/19

[Saoirse]

Don't get hopes too high just yet, but the Times tomorrow is reporting that Man City are facing a ban from European competition over their FFP breaches and subsequent fraudulant cover-ups. Would mean the 5th placed team from England would qualify instead of them and make us heavily odds-on favourites (to the extent that there'd be a strong argument for prioritising the cups) given Mourinho's excellent work at bringing United down to mid-table standard.

 

[daryl hannah]

Arsenal havn't been as good as people are making out. Yesterday they were, in a Derby at home in their biggest game of the season, but I plenty of other games they simply havn't been, lucky to beat Bournemouth last week.

It's how funny how opinions change so dramatically after ONE game lol.

They're improved no doubt but we're still the better team, and the league table will most definitely reflect that by the turn of the year.

We had a huge week that took it's toll whilst they had a breeze in comparison.

The energy levels looked poles apart and that's why it was quite an alarming watch.

We'll be back above them soon, probably Wednesday night, and they'll be in our rear view mirror for the rest of the season.

The problem is the type of game - it was the NLD and they have a new manager - new era for them. It was a make or break game for them. 'Are they really any good?' sort of thing. 'Is Emery going to take the NLD seriously?'

The answer to both those questions, is yes.

 

[DiscoD1882]

Don't get hopes too high just yet, but the Times tomorrow is reporting that Man City are facing a ban from European competition over their FFP breaches and subsequent fraudulant cover-ups. Would mean the 5th placed team from England would qualify instead of them and make us heavily odds-on favourites (to the extent that there'd be a strong argument for prioritising the cups) given Mourinho's excellent work at bringing United down to mid-table standard.

Would love this to be true. But it will never ever happen. Money talks. The Emirates will hand some cash over to build a new training centre somewhere and this will all
Go away. This is UEFA after all.

 

[Ghost Hardware]

Would love this to be true. But it will never ever happen. Money talks. The Emirates will hand some cash over to build a new training centre somewhere and this will all
Go away. This is UEFA after all.

100% this, UEFA are just blowing their trumpet trying to look as if they still have values. They will probably even have an “official investigation” but by the end of the season they will have pulled down their pants and bent over in front of a money mountain leaving only silence.

 

[shelfboy68]

The problem is the type of game - it was the NLD and they have a new manager - new era for them. It was a make or break game for them. 'Are they really any good?' sort of thing. 'Is Emery going to take the NLD seriously?'

The answer to both those questions, is yes.

But in that case you might as well say that because Wenger was leaving last year they beat us to give him a send off, where do the excuses start and stop more to the point is why has the team failed to turn up twice to a NLD away.

 

[shelfboy68]

Don't get hopes too high just yet, but the Times tomorrow is reporting that Man City are facing a ban from European competition over their FFP breaches and subsequent fraudulant cover-ups. Would mean the 5th placed team from England would qualify instead of them and make us heavily odds-on favourites (to the extent that there'd be a strong argument for prioritising the cups) given Mourinho's excellent work at bringing United down to mid-table standard.

Nothing is going to happen to city sponsors will not allow the CL to be weakened or less glamourous by taking the wealthy clubs out of it, FFP was one of those things set up to keep owners like ENIC happy and to pretend we have a level playing field.

 

[dagraham]

But in that case you might as well say that because Wenger was leaving last year they beat us to give him a send off, where do the excuses start and stop more to the point is why has the team failed to turn up twice to a NLD away.

Yeah agree. It’s all very well having the best team on paper, but you have to go out there and prove it.

As much as I hate to admit it the difference between us and them in the past is more often than not they lived up to their billing as favourites by backing it up on the pitch in these games where as we haven’t.

Although to be fair to us the gap quality wise between the two teams was much wider then. Yes overall we have better players now but the way some Spurs fans talk Arsenal apparently have no decent players, which is simply not true.

 

[shelfboy68]

Yeah agree. It’s all very well having the best team on paper, but you have to go out there and prove it.

As much as I hate to admit it the difference between us and them in the past is more often than not they lived up to their billing as favourites by backing it up on the pitch in these games where as we haven’t.

Although to be fair to us the gap quality wise between the two teams was much wider then. Yes overall we have better players now but the way some Spurs fans talk Arsenal apparently have no decent players, which is simply not true.

Again I agree the gap between the club's is nowhere near as big previously in fact we are probably on par with each other in terms of league positions and players, the only notable exceptions are that they can still pick up a cup fairly regular which is beyond us and they tend to deliver in these games more than we do.
I see last week even merson was at it with the mind games telling the press it was a more important game for them and as usual their player's deliver while ours believed in the hype and think all they have to do is turn up.

 

[The Doc]

Again I agree the gap between the club's is nowhere near as big previously in fact we are probably on par with each other in terms of league positions and players, the only notable exceptions are that they can still pick up a cup fairly regular which is beyond us and they tend to deliver in these games more than we do.
I see last week even merson was at it with the mind games telling the press it was a more important game for them and as usual their player's deliver while ours believed in the hype and think all they have to do is turn up.

Imo. Still think we're head and shoulders above them.

 

[spursfan77]

Shit result yesterday but still think we are very well placed for top 4, even with Chelsea and Arsenal's improvement. Our season has been the most disrupted of all of the others and yet we are still only 1 point off 3rd, and could well return there Weds night. We've played the rest of the top 6 once already whereas the other two have a game to go.

Arsenal used that home advantage well yesterday, you'd hope we'd flip that on it's head in the reverse fixture.

Biggest concern I agree with is the strain on CM with the games coming thick and fast, however most teams are having a heavy schedule too, and overall we tend to go well over these busy winter periods.

We had people in here after demolishing Chelsea saying this should be a 'chase for the title' thread, now some are having us as outsiders for top 4. Bit of balance is needed I think.

Exactly. I didn’t go over the top when we beat Chelsea (I definitely would have had we got 7 or 8 like we could of) and I won’t for losing on Sunday.

We’ve been below par for most of the season and will probably have to keep grinding out the wins like we have done. It’s because our players are running on empty. I still think Poch not playing Toby was a mistake Sunday but we don’t know his fitness levels. Had he done his hamstring again we’d be complaining about that instead and losing him for two months on top of the defeat.

We’ve got some winnable games coming up. I’m sure some will be tough and I’m sure we will under estimate some teams and probably deserve to batter others but let’s see where we are come FA Cup weekend and I’m sure we will all be happy enough.

 

[spursfan77]

I agree. They are a very serious proposition and with their new manager and renewed attitude, I simply can’t see them falling away like last year. And in Aubemyang they have a world class striker in terrific form.
My feeling is it will be very hard to finish above them this year. Our best bet of getting CL will be finishing above Chelsea I reckon.

Time to put him back in my fantasy team then. He didn’t score the whole time I had him!

 

[am_yisrael_chai]

But in that case you might as well say that because Wenger was leaving last year they beat us to give him a send off, where do the excuses start and stop more to the point is why has the team failed to turn up twice to a NLD away.

Context is needed. We played them at the end of a week where we had 2 really tough games and in contrast they rested most of their players. That aspect definitely hampered us in the second half. It doesn’t change my belief that we have the better team over 38 games.

 

[GioW]

If City found guilty of breaking FFP then 5th place gets champions League.

 

[piedpiper]

Arsenal under Emery are a different proposition. A new manager who is still adjusting to the league. They may not fade off as in previous seasons, Emery may adapt even better in the 2nd half of the season, who knows. I'm not writing them off as real competition for top 4.

I'm comforted by the following: 1.our performances after a defeat, we tend to go on unbeaten runs. 2. We heading into the phase of the season where we move up a gear and everything just clicks.3 a series of home games to come, even if it is at Wembley. 4 Our Chelsea performance filled me with hope that it can still click and we play with dynamism. 5. Played Chelsea, Inter and Arsenal in 7 days. Our loss was down to us vs Arsenal.

I just wish that Poch can ease in some youngsters in midfield over the next 10 odd games. That will set us up nicely and may negate us not doing any business in the previous transfer window.

 

[coys200]

Arsenal haven’t won away at another “top 6” since January 2015 that’s nearly 4 years. Unbelievable Geoff ?

 

[Westmorlandspur]

Arsenal will not play at the pace they played against us. It’s not physically possible. Best thing for us is for Arsenal to go ahead with 20 mins to go as that is the only time Utd ever play. Would have thought Utd would have beaten Soton on Sat after coming back from two down but then half time arrived and they went back to their normal turgid selves

 

[Wheeler Dealer]

100% this, UEFA are just blowing their trumpet trying to look as if they still have values. They will probably even have an “official investigation” but by the end of the season they will have pulled down their pants and bent over in front of a money mountain leaving only silence.

When you have all the money that City hold, you go and employ the very best lawyers on the planet, who then drive a bus through any UEFA rulings or penalty and it then quickly returns to business as usual with the minimal of inconvenience.

 

[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.

.

As I was saying...

And the added bonus of also leap-frogging Chelsea.

 

[tototoner]

Well what do you know, 3rd again

4 days a long time in football

 

[L-man]

Well what do you know, 3rd again

4 days a long time in football

Didn't the season end on Sunday after seeing Arsenals title winning celebrations?