Latest installment in the race for 3rd....

RichMc70

SuprSi wrote: »

Good result for Villa, with a lucky penalty decision. I'm hoping it's actually a good result overall as it will mean Villa will try extra hard next weekend against City. We just have to beat Bolton next weekend.

I think the result was probably for the best to. Gives Villa something to really fight for and they'll be no pushovers for City.

As you say, we have to beat Bolton.

mickman

if the pool draw today and we beat bolton next week then they cant finish ahead of us . !!

richardjjd

Little to be doing during lunch, so decided to wreck my head. How about these results:

Spurs (+26)
1. Draw with Bolton (+26)
2. Lose to City (+25)
3. Beat Burnley (+26)

Villa (+16)
1. Draw with City (+16)
2. Beat Blackburn (+17)

City (+27)
1. Draw with Villa (+27)
2. Beat Spurs (+28)
3. Draw with West Ham (+28)

Liverpool (+28)
1. Beat Chelsea (+29)
2. Beat Hull (+30)

end result? All teams finished on 68 points. Unlikely, but possible. Goal differences in brackets based on all games won or lost finishing 1-0.Liverpool 4th, City 5th, Spurs 6th, Villa 7th (unless we do a Chelsea on Burnley)

ziedth

It would be amusing to see but west ham will not draw with city and I can't see Liverpool getting anything off Chelsea without torres. They only care about the Europa cup IMHO, I won't be happy till they are out of the running though. I think they will fall apart in the summer if they only finish 6th or 7th.

I can see us drawing with city Bolton and beating burnley which would just get us over the line.

In all honesty I think the Bolton game is actually more important then the city game as I can actually see villa pulling one out of the bag there.

In poker terms we're ahead on the flop and this weekend is the turn where it can all change.

richardjjd

ziedth wrote: »

It would be amusing to see

Amusing isn't the word I'd have for it Sunday week, with 15 minutes to go!

ziedth wrote: »

but west ham will not draw with city and I can't see Liverpool getting anything off Chelsea without torres

Agreed.

I see City drawing with both Villa and ourselves and we all win on the last day, finishing Spurs on 69, City 68, Villa 68, Liverpool 65.

ziedth

That is roughly what I would have in my head too.

It would be just epic if we could get away with a loss v man city and still have it in our own hands but that's a big ask.

I don't know what I'll do if we get it.

Bodie Doyle

If Villa can beat City at the weekend then all we have to do is win against Bolton and Burnely and 4th spot is ours. We would be 4 points ahead of City when we play them next Wednesday so we could afford to lose and still finish ahead of them. We would finish level on points with Villa but at the moment we have a + 10 goal difference.
If it is a draw at Eastlands on Saturday then its all still to play for. A City win would put them in the driving seat.
Don't worry about Liverpool, Chelsea will take care of them.

Dublin Spur

I have always said that it will go to the last day.
I'm pretty confident it will be Spurs that finish 4th.
We are in the best position going in the final 3 games.

COYS

slegs

We have to beat Bolton this weekend...puts all the pressure on Man C to come at us in Eastlands. If Villa take a point off them and we beat Bolton it takes huge pressure off us.

ziedth

Agreed,

If we beat city and bolton after villa draw or beat city would we have it wrapped up before the final game?

richardjjd

ziedth wrote: »

If we beat city and bolton after villa draw or beat city would we have it wrapped up before the final game?

Yes if City and Villa draw(and assuming 'Pool don't beat Chelsea). Even if Villa beat City, their goal difference puts them way behind us.


1.
Villa and City Draw
Spurs beat Bolton

Spurs 67 pts
Villa 65
City 64

2.
Spurs beat City

Spurs 70 pts (1 game left)
Villa 65 pts (1 game left)
City 64 pts (1 game left)

ziedth

That would be nice,

I dunno how my heart will hold out final day if it's between us and them

WHL

BBC Sport reporting that Martin Fulop has joined Man City for the remainder of the season. I hope that it won't be a case of an old boy coming back to bite us.....

ziedth

Regardless,

no keeper they can get will be as good as shay given.

I would before someone like fulop then a young youth player who has nothing to loose looking to make a name

Anto12

A win against Bolton would be massive .. really put the pressure on City to come at us but they have been very negatice against Uth & Arsenal .. Still cant see the pool getting anything out of the chelsea game -

ziedth

Even if Liverpool do win their last two (and I don't think they will) I can still see us finishing with one or two points more. I think it will honestly be WDW our last three.

I think it's essential to get three points off Bolton. A draw wouldn't be the worst if villa and city did the same or a villa win.

SuprSi

If we can't beat Bolton at home we should be shot. We'll have almost a full squad, playing at home against a Bolton team who are realistically safe from the drop. We have an easier game than City and cannot view a draw as being acceptable, regardless of the outcome in the other game. As Anto said, if we win against Bolton and City don't win against Villa, it puts the pressure on City to come at us, and our lads are used to getting decent results up there so hopefully we could sneak the draw.

Either way, I still see it going down to the last game of the season, and we will undoubtedly still need a win to guarantee 4th.

golfball37

I would settle for 6 points against Bolton and Burnley and let the cards fall where they may after that.

If we win both of these games then we have had a great season regardless of where we finish. If City can beat 70 points then fair play to them, it won't be our fault.

If we don't finish 4th as a result of not winning these 2 games I think I'll just give up ....:rolleyes:

SuprSi

That's a very good way of looking at it. Getting 70 points is a terrific achievement, whatever way we look at it. Not getting 4th with that haul of points would be a killer, but if City get there ahead of us, they will need 2 wins and a draw from their next 3 games, assuming we get 6 points, which would be a great achievement from them.

Kiith

I agree. If we lose 4th place because of points dropped at home to Bolton and Burnley, then we don't deserve Champions League football. If we lose 4th becauase City beat us, i'll still be pissed, but i can accept it.

We wont lose 4th place though.

ziedth

I also agree I think 70 is what we will get tbh,

Something in me is saying that we will loose to city but they will fluff it elsewhere.

RichMc70

Bolton put up a good fight against Chelsea last week and were unlucky not to get a point and at least one penalty. They won't be a pushover.

In our last six games against them (home & away), our record is........Won 2, Lost 1, Draw 3

So I'm not taking this game for granted. I think it is vital that we score first in this match and hopefully early. However, if Bolton score first then we may find it hard to break them down, as they'll have 11 men behind the ball and play us on the break (e.g. Portsmouth style in the semi-final).

Man City v Villa is a massive game for both sides. I think a Villa win or the draw would suit us best and demoralise City before our crunch game on the 5th. Of course this is providing we get the 3 points against Bolton.

mickman

i dont think bolton are going to put 11 behind the ball the way wolves et al have done. they have nothing to play for so will go for the win and try enjoy the game. so i would say 2-0 to spurs

markesmith

It's got to be WDW. Home at Bolton (safe from the drop) and away to Burnley (already dropped) are must-wins. We can do it, we're on the home straight and in a great position.

Then again, we're Spurs, so we'll likely crash and burn. Hope not though! :pac:

SuprSi

Come on Villa! 0 - 1, John Carew.

Pacing Mule

1-1 penalty - not sure if thats a or tbh

Pacing Mule

No it's a :(:(:(:(:(:(:(:( 2-1 Man City

ziedth

I said it in the other thread,

let's just beat everyone.

el diablo

ziedth wrote: »

I said it in the other thread,

let's just beat everyone.

Come on the Villa. a 2-2 would be nice. City are a far bigger threat to 4th place than Villa.

Pacing Mule

3-1 :mad: