The race for a Champions League place

[cookiemonster]

Manure keeps numbers in the back, bypass MF and play long ball. that's why they've been allowing less goals lately, not because they've playing better defense. they are becoming Stoke city with better strikers.

Does it matter?

They are not leaking goals...we are

Hence they will likely finish above us

 

[tdk101]

Does it matter?

They are not leaking goals...we are

Hence they will likely finish above us

It does matter. Sooner or later, they are gonna stat getting a load of draws instead of all those lucky wins they've been getting against weak opponents.

 

[Good Doctor M]

If you don't qualify for the Champions League, you go into the Europa League, If you come 3rd in the group stages of the Champions League, you go into the Europa League, as I said before, it plays 2nd fiddle to the Champions league. So I don't rally care what prize they put up for winning it, It isn't worth the hassle of all the games you play.

I remember years ago, when we had the European Cup, Cup Winners Cup and the UEFA Cup, all 3 were completely seperate and all had more prestige to win than the Europa League. Until UEFA make the Champions League and the Europa League
seperate competitions, one will always be the servant of the other.

Look at the teams that have won the EL recently. They're big teams and although it's a fucking horrendously admininstered competition, a Mickey Mouse Cup, it most certainly is not.

If we managed to win it, it would be the club's biggest acheivement in my lifetime. (I'm over 30)

I want us to win that cup way more than I give a shit about coming fourth...

FOURTH?

YAY... 4th best... we are 4th best! Yay! Celebrate.. we are the Champions... we are the Champ... I mean, we're in the Champions League, we're in the Champion's League, we're in the Champion's League, qualifying round!

Oh the glory!

 

[Mr Pink]

It does matter. Sooner or later, they are gonna stat getting a load of draws instead of all those lucky wins they've been getting against weak opponents.

And they are leaking goals anyway!

 

[Beni]

Going to be really difficult to predict and tight. Arsenal always seem to get it right and get top 4, and Liverpool are on an amazing run of form. Man U are getting results whilst playing poorly, and Southampton are still playing well.

We will be up there, but can see Thursdays impacting us if we progress against Fiorentina.

 

[Mr Pink]

Going to be really difficult to predict and tight. Arsenal always seem to get it right and get top 4, and Liverpool are on an amazing run of form. Man U are getting results whilst playing poorly, and Southampton are still playing well.

We will be up there, but can see Thursdays impacting us if we progress against Fiorentina.

Agree, although I thought Liverpool were incredibly fortunate yesterday - but results wise they're on a real run. I also thought we deserved at least a draw at their place. 6 points their performances didn't merit IMO. Anyway they face a resurgent City next week after a long hard trip to Turkey - I'll be amazed if they win that.

But totally agree, if we progress this Thursday we won't be finishing top 4. If we don't progress we have every chance in the League. That's why I'd prioritize the Cup final this Sunday and concentrate on the League. Its still doable with our fixtures remaining IMO.

 

[Beni]

Agree, although I thought Liverpool were incredibly fortunate yesterday - but results wise they're on a real run. I also thought we deserved at least a draw at their place. 6 points their performances didn't merit IMO. Anyway they face a resurgent City next week after a long hard trip to Turkey - I'll be amazed if they win that.

But totally agree, if we progress this Thursday we won't be finishing top 4. If we don't we have every chance. That's why I'd prioritize the Cup final this Sunday and concentrate on the League. Its still doable with our fixtures remaining IMO.

They have been extremely lucky, then that's the same as us yesterday people could say and earlier in the season also, but it's a sign of big teams getting big decisions or grinding out results when not playing well.

Agree with you about prioritising the league, as think that's easier to get champs league than winning the Europa. But, a bad week in going out in the Europa league on Thursday and losing on Sunday, Poch is going to have a big job to get the morale and confidence back up.

 

[talkshowhost86]

I have no hope that we'll finish top 4 to be honest. I just think there are too many squads that are better than ours in terms of quality, and I don't think enough of them will struggle enough for us to overhaul them, particularly as we aren't consistent enough anyway.

If you take City and Chelsea as a given for top four, I think Arsenal, Man Utd and Liverpool are all better than us and I just don't see two of them slipping up enough for us to sneak in.

 

[tototoner]

Current top 4 odds ( PP)

Arsenal 2/9
Man Utd 8/11
Liverpool 9/5
Southampton 7/2
Tottenham 5/1

 

[Grey Fox]

Basically it's a 5 horse race for 2 spots and we are only 4 pointsoff 3rd, just hope the players dont have the same mindset as some on here. I think utd and Southampton will drop several points before the end of the season and we will still be battling it out with Arsenal and Liverpool at the end.
Still 36 points to play for ffs

 

[Mr Pink]

I don't think Liverpool are better than us, we're pretty close IMO - like the league table suggests. And I expect us to be above them and Southampton soon enough. Liverpool have a very difficult run in, and with Europa League and FA Cup to navigate, fixture congestion will start to bite them as it has us.

Arsenal will finish top four, so its United who will have to miss out if we're to make it. The game at OT looks a monster one now.

 

[dontcallme]

While I agree Liverpool aren't anything special I feel with Sturridge and Lallana returning they'll have goals in them again.

I worry Kane and Eriksen might burn out and our goals will dry up.

 

[shelfboy68]

I don't think Liverpool are better than us, we're pretty close IMO - like the league table suggests. And I expect us to be above them and Southampton soon enough. Liverpool have a very difficult run in, and with Europa League and FA Cup to navigate, fixture congestion will start to bite them as it has us.

Arsenal will finish top four, so its United who will have to miss out if we're to make it. The game at OT looks a monster one now.

Agree about Liverpool the game against them could have gone either way there looked to be little between us both.
For us to attain top four the defence needs to sharpen up and quick it has let us down before and will do so again unless he sorts it quickly.

 

[talkshowhost86]

I don't think Liverpool are better than us, we're pretty close IMO - like the league table suggests. And I expect us to be above them and Southampton soon enough. Liverpool have a very difficult run in, and with Europa League and FA Cup to navigate, fixture congestion will start to bite them as it has us.

Arsenal will finish top four, so its United who will have to miss out if we're to make it. The game at OT looks a monster one now.

I think the defeat at Liverpool was a real kick in the teeth. If we'd got a result there then it would look very different, but they are really on a roll at the moment and I just think they've got more quality in key areas than we have.

Having said that they are the most likely team that we'll finish above. Arsenal are very strong despite our win against them and even though United are comically disorganised, they have more than enough quality to see off most teams.

The fact that we're so closed to the top 4 is, in my opinion, quite an achievement in itself and I maintain that 6th would be a good return for Poch's first season. I just don't think we've got enough quality to push on for that higher place just yet.

 

[nicdic]

I think the defeat at Liverpool was a real kick in the teeth. If we'd got a result there then it would look very different, but they are really on a roll at the moment and I just think they've got more quality in key areas than we have.

Having said that they are the most likely team that we'll finish above. Arsenal are very strong despite our win against them and even though United are comically disorganised, they have more than enough quality to see off most teams.

The fact that we're so closed to the top 4 is, in my opinion, quite an achievement in itself and I maintain that 6th would be a good return for Poch's first season. I just don't think we've got enough quality to push on for that higher place just yet.

I agree that it's a mammoth achievement that we're as close as we are, but I don't think we're any worse off for the run in than anyone else, except maybe for Arsenal. It's totally there for the taking. Let's just enjoy it, see what happens, and remember that at the beginning of the season none of us thought we'd be in this sort of position.

 

[talkshowhost86]

I agree that it's a mammoth achievement that we're as close as we are, but I don't think we're any worse off for the run in than anyone else, except maybe for Arsenal. It's totally there for the taking. Let's just enjoy it, see what happens, and remember that at the beginning of the season none of us thought we'd be in this sort of position.

Yes I realise that my initial post sounded very negative which is why I've added that I think we're actually doing quite well in the circumstances.

I personally don't think we'll do it because there isn't enough quality in our squad. We rely on scraping through games far more than other teams and I'm not sure how sustainable that is, and I just can't see us going on the sort of consistent run that is needed at this stage.

But if we end up coming 6th having given it a reasonable go, then I don't think anyone can be disappointed. In fact anyone who is disappointed was clearly being wildly over-optimistic in the first place.

 

[Mr Pink]

Yes I realise that my initial post sounded very negative which is why I've added that I think we're actually doing quite well in the circumstances.

I personally don't think we'll do it because there isn't enough quality in our squad. We rely on scraping through games far more than other teams and I'm not sure how sustainable that is, and I just can't see us going on the sort of consistent run that is needed at this stage.

But if we end up coming 6th having given it a reasonable go, then I don't think anyone can be disappointed. In fact anyone who is disappointed was clearly being wildly over-optimistic in the first place.

I think we were very unlucky to come away with nothing at Anfield. On balance I think we played the better football that night to.

For me its pretty simple. If we continue in the Europa League fourth is gone. If we don't progress there's a huge silver lining in that our chances of finishing in the top four improve considerably.

We still won't be favourites but we'll have a real shot at it. We can't ignore the drop in performances and results after Europa League. No point in arguing why it happens and that it shouldn't happen - it does happen.

Anyway I'm very encouraged for the future under Pochettino and no matter what happens from here on in, next season and beyond, we're heading in the right direction under him.

 

[Spurs_Bear]

I think we were very unlucky to come away with nothing at Anfield. On balance I think we played the better football that night to.

For me its pretty simple. If we continue in the Europa League fourth is gone. If we don't progress there's a huge silver lining in that our chances of finishing in the top four improve considerably.

We still won't be favourites but we'll have a real shot at it. We can't ignore the drop in performances and results after Europa League. No point in arguing why it happens and that it shouldn't happen - it does happen.

Anyway I'm very encouraged for the future under Pochettino and no matter what happens from here on in, next season and beyond, we're heading in the right direction under him.

I think a draw would have been a fair reflection on the game, I also cannot believe how lucky Liverpool have been in recent weeks. Yesterday against Southampton another example.

 

[Mr Pink]

I think a draw would have been a fair reflection on the game, I also cannot believe how lucky Liverpool have been in recent weeks. Yesterday against Southampton another example.

Indeed. I can't believe more hasn't been made out of it. There's getting lucky and then there's getting every single significant decision going your way. No wonder Rodgers was praising the referee.

City will beat them next week I think, a tough trip to Turkey on Thursday and with the form City are now in. Can't see them winning that.

 

[mightyspur]

We have the potential to go on a run with our remaining fixtures. Let's hope we have the belief to do it.