Race for the Top 4 - 2018/19

[thinktank]

Gonna be between us and scum for 4th place...and the way we're playing I can't see us doing it.

Poch isn't helping with his decision making - continuing to employ a shape that sucks the life out of our game and playing Dier (and both Dier and Demebele together ffs) in midfield.

Stupid.

Scum have a new manager and are buzzing on him now: optimism, consistency and momentum.

And they are jammier than any other team I've ever seen play the game.

Poch needs to become a more technical manager, in making more precise decisions suited to each game and improve his fine tuning.

For me a domestic cup is top of my list of things I want this season; but with united being shite and no other team looking like they are going to mix it for CL, we can still make it if we get our shit together properly (Poch).

WALOB

Played 5out of 7 away . won 4
One of our best ever starts to a season Scum are shit and wont finish within 6 points of us. We are improving every game . attractive open play doesnt always bring results. We have a winning mentality now and it will continue.
Wanyama back in mid field fully fit will make a massive difference. We were without two of our best players and won easily yet you still complain. Madness!

Yeah, don't trust your lying eyes, mate. lol

I'm being critical. And poch deserves it, because he's making life hard for himself and it's totally unnecessary.

You are also vastly underestimating what is happening up the road.

They are getting their shit together and are a threat.

You have to have the vision, my friend.

They are a threat.

Keep watching.

We can continue this conversation in a few weeks.

Are you ready to continue the conversation now, or are you prepared to concede that the Scum are shit and are no threat to us?

Scum are now exactly where I suggested they would be - fighting for 4th.

The very pleasant surprise is we are doing much better than I thought we would be at this stage.

Expected us to be hovering around there with them.

Also, I'd advise against getting cocky with a 10 point lead.

13+ I'd get me balls out a bit, but I've seen too many 10 point gaps dissipate in this league to start largin' it.

I actually said we will finish at least 6 points ahead of them , and youre quite right I wont large it just yet I will wait until the end of the season and large it big time then. BTW i still stick to what II said back in September they are shit and will not be a challenge to us, and their performance last night exemplifies this. Pure and utter shit.

The Arsenal resurgence you smelled never really came to fruition though. They are and have been all season a very unbalanced the with no depth whatsoever.

Maintain what I say. We thumped Bournemouth too.

 

[TheSpillage]

Clearly we’re on a terrible run at the moment and the fact we’ve been reined in from such a good position has got us all shitting our pants right now.

But, and I appreciate I might be banging my head against a brick wall here, can we all just calm down a little bit please? The amount of posts on here stating categorically that we definitely won’t qualify for the Champions League now are, frankly, embarrassing.

There will be plenty of twists and turns before the season is over. We are into the quarter finals of the Champions League and we are still just about favourites for top four.

We all would’ve taken this situation at the start of the season and it’s not the end of the bloody world.

 

[Mouse!]

Man Utd losing today and then having a 3 week break could really damage them.

They were running on pure optimism and momentum. Interesting to see what happens to them now.

 

[dannythomas]

But we know there will be more screw ups

In that case we should be prepared for Thursday nights...

 

[hutchiniho]

Its undoubtedly close now but it has been more a case of us blowing up than anyone else doing something special.

Just look at that last 6 form guide

Chelsea 10 from 18

Arsenal and United 13 from 18

None of those records are that brilliant

But

US 7 from 18 ... FFS

This is all on us.

Mostly due to individual mistakes at the back and complacency up front.

Even if we had just seen off 17th place Southampton, we'd be 6 points above 5th.

I guess we're just sodding lucky Arsenal didn't take their penalty chance against us.

 

[Lighty64]

All the teams will drop points for sure, including daft points. But what is clear is that the quality difference between the four teams is paper thin.

With our resources compared to them, plus our injuries compared to them, the amount of players we have had play in international matches as well as the World Cup compared to them, we have done well to be in this position.

We all knew we needed signings in the summer, we all want to win things, but not all of us seem to understand that we are the 6th richest in our league, the most competitive league in the world, with teams that are above us have been able to throw a lot more money at winning things. We have owners that are not willing to take the risks, but are still the ones that have got us where we are.

Until we get new owners or our owners actually take a few risks there is nothing any of us can do about it. We all need to be patient and try and enjoy what we are achieving, and if it turns out right we can all then smile, if it doesn’t we then have to carry on being patient.

 

[Jaddas]

Arsenal's away record currently stands at 19 points from 14 games, so an average of 1.36 points per game. This will probably get better as they have played all the top 5 away already.

The good news is their remaining away games are the next tier of teams Wolves, Everton, Leicester, Watford plus Burnley. Going to need these teams to do us a favour as they're only 1 point behind.

It’ll be an almighty fuck up if they finish above us, especially when we were 10 points clear only 2 weeks ago.

 

[coys200]

Yes be annoying to finish below them. But if we get top 4 I can live with it this season.

 

[worcestersauce]

Do you mean them and us will be third and fourth or someone else will be third and fourth will be between them and us?

 

[dondo]

?

 

[thinktank]

Do you mean them and us will be third and fourth or someone else will be third and fourth will be between them and us?

It's shaping up to be exactly as I said.

But the most stunning thing about my prediction - that others couldn't see (frequently the case) - was scum's scope to get to this point.

 

[thinktank]

?

White Flag'd be better.

 

[TheSpillage]

It's shaping up to be exactly as I said.

But the most stunning thing about my prediction - that others couldn't see (frequently the case) - was scum's scope to get to this point.

You were right all along Thinky! And we just couldn’t see it. We’re such fools

Thank god you’re on hand to remind us of stuff you said ages ago. What would we do without you!? You’re so clever ???

 

[Mate]

Whilst our form is shocking, we can take comfort that 5 of our last 8 are at home, are all winnable and should hopefully be in the new stadium, giving us a huge lift. 5 wins puts us on 76, which should hopefully be enough for top 4, because...

5 of Chelsea's last 8 are away, 2 of those being Utd and Liverpool, with Everton and Leicester also thrown in there.

Man Utd have 4 away games left, however they still have tough games against City, Chelsea, Wolves and Everton. They also have FA Cup to deal with.

We just need to ensure that we don't panic after a potential loss to Liverpool, as we'll likely be overtaken. Brace yourselves, this is likely to go to the last day.

 

[Mr Pink]

Just looked at the Goons away games left. Fucking tough.

No way they're finishing above us.

 

[worcestersauce]

It's shaping up to be exactly as I said.

But the most stunning thing about my prediction - that others couldn't see (frequently the case) - was scum's scope to get to this point.

I posted somewhere (can't remember which thread) that I thought Arsenal were on the right track, Chelsea are still hoping for instant gratification with their manager choice just to get CL, Arseanl took a step back and chose a manager to build back to where they can challenge, It will take a year or two but they are doing better than I thought this season and certainly with the players they have got at the moment.

 

[spursfan77]

Whilst our form is shocking, we can take comfort that 5 of our last 8 are at home, are all winnable and should hopefully be in the new stadium, giving us a huge lift. 5 wins puts us on 76, which should hopefully be enough for top 4, because...

5 of Chelsea's last 8 are away, 2 of those being Utd and Liverpool, with Everton and Leicester also thrown in there.

Man Utd have 4 away games left, however they still have tough games against City, Chelsea, Wolves and Everton. They also have FA Cup to deal with.

We just need to ensure that we don't panic after a potential loss to Liverpool, as we'll likely be overtaken. Brace yourselves, this is likely to go to the last day.

So this is where I need to own up. A month ago when we were well clear I was organising a holiday in Cornwall with a few mates. The only potential date everyone could do was the weekend of the last game of the season. I thought (stupidly) that we’d all be ok then and I could afford to miss the last game so I said yeah let’s do that weekend, it will be fine.

It’s all gone tits up since then.

 

[scat1620]

Yes be annoying to finish below them. But if we get top 4 I can live with it this season.

Season would be ruined for me if we finish below Arsenal. I'd be fuming if we let that happen, and literally only winning the Champions League could redeem that for me.

 

[Mr Pink]

Season would be ruined for me if we finish below Arsenal. I'd be fuming if we let that happen, and literally only winning the Champions League could redeem that for me.

We won't finish below them mate, no way.

They might leapfrog us temporarily, but we'll be above them come then end.

 

[RichieS]

Squeaky bum time is here. WE (the fans) need to make sure the 5 home games in the new ground are played in a raucous, positive atmosphere. We can be the 12th man and drag our knackered, embattled players over the line. None of this "definitely not getting CL now" in the stadium please!