The race for 4th..

Hatch99

kakee wrote: »

To be fair if we don't finish 4th it will because of Spurs and not anyone else.

I meant the Blackpool result..

yosemite_sam

Shambles last night, getting rid of reserve team football looks like a decission of an idiot by the day

SuprSi

One thing I will say - we had 4 away games over the last few weeks, one CL and 3 league. We have taken a combined total of 9 from 12 possible points (if points were awarded for the CL) so taking last nights crap result and striking performance (again) into consideratioin we haven't done too badly.

It still hurts that we could've put distance between us and Chelsea because you'd have to reckon on Chelsea winning their game in hand and us going into 5th. There's still a long way to go but last night was a big setback.

Bodie Doyle

SuprSi wrote: »

One thing I will say - we had 4 away games over the last few weeks, one CL and 3 league. We have taken a combined total of 9 from 12 possible points (if points were awarded for the CL) so taking last nights crap result and striking performance (again) into consideratioin we haven't done too badly.

It still hurts that we could've put distance between us and Chelsea because you'd have to reckon on Chelsea winning their game in hand and us going into 5th. There's still a long way to go but last night was a big setback.

Yep people seem to forget that we have just won 4 games on the trot and 3 of the 4 were away. We had 9000 shots last night and their keeper had the game of his life. A couple of refereeing decisions did not go our way also. Write it off as one of those nights and move on.


Chelsea's game in hand is against Man Utd next Tuesday. I cannot see them winning that on current form.

At the moment we are in 4th spot 2 points behind City having played the same amount of games. Even if Chelsea win their game in hand we will only be 1 point behind them with 11 games to play.

Yes we had a great opportunity to cement our place in the top 4 and it may come back to haunt us at the end of the season but we still have an excellent chance for a CL place. With Bale, VDV, Hudd and maybe Ledley all to return we will ber right up there until the finish.

Big Pussy Bonpensiero

I've been hearing that if Chelsea win the CL (realistic enough considering there Euro form), we finish 4th and they finsh 5th (again, realistic enough considering the form), then they would get the 4th CL spot ahead of us!? That's madness!

SuprSi

Yeah there was a precedence when Liverpool won it but finished outside the top 4, thanks to Everton. All 5 teams had to go through, but from now on the 4th placed team is displaced in favour of the winner of the CL if the winner didn't finish in the top 4. Let's hope it doesn't come to that!

tomo75

THFC wrote: »

I've been hearing that if Chelsea win the CL (realistic enough considering there Euro form), we finish 4th and they finsh 5th (again, realistic enough considering the form), then they would get the 4th CL spot ahead of us!? That's madness!

Can't see Chelsea winning the CL. They will get beaten in much tighter games than last Tuesday night.

As for the CL spot for us - 3rd is still on. As shown in another thread, we have City, Arse and Chelsea in the space of 13 days. That will determine who finishes where.

SuprSi

Yeah those 3 games will have a huge impact on what happens. If we could beat Arsenal and get a draw out of one of the others I'd be happy enough.

The next 4 games are interesting though, with City having the easiest run. The are at home to Fulmah, Wigan, and Sunderland at home with Chelsea away, so you'd have to think they'll get at least 9 points from that. Chelsea are at home to Utd and City and away to Stoke and Blackpool. No idea what sort of return they'll get but you'd be thinking 6 points at least anyway. Finally we're away to Wolves and Wigan, and at home to Stoke and West Ham, and we should absolutely have a minimum of 6 points from that, though if we can beat either Wolves or Wigan away we'll obviously add to that.

Big few weeks coming up because we really need to get as many points as possible before the Arsenal/City/Chelsea games.

ruiseal

SuprSi wrote: »

Yeah there was a precedence when Liverpool won it but finished outside the top 4, thanks to Everton. All 5 teams had to go through, but from now on the 4th placed team is displaced in favour of the winner of the CL if the winner didn't finish in the top 4. Let's hope it doesn't come to that![/QUOTE]

Spurs to finish 5th and win the CL?;)

tomo75

Good result today with City and Fulham. The race is still on for 4th. UTD to beat the Russians on Tuesday and it game!!:D

tippspur

West Ham beating Liverpool was another good result for us,the Pool were creeping up on us.

Hots Purr

Delighted with today's results (including the non-related Carling Cup final too). We've been very fortunate this season that when things haven't been going our way with our own results and injuries, the other teams around us have all failed to capitalise on it. It's happened several times now, this weekend being another example. So hopefully that means luck is on our side.

I can't see Chelsea winning the CL this season myself although of course right now it can't be completely ruled out but here's hoping United can beat them Tuesday night and do us a favour, it's not like United don't owe us a few

everdead.ie

Hots Purr wrote: »

Delighted with today's results (including the non-related Carling Cup final too). We've been very fortunate this season that when things haven't been going our way with our own results and injuries, the other teams around us have all failed to capitalise on it. It's happened several times now, this weekend being another example. So hopefully that means luck is on our side.

I can't see Chelsea winning the CL this season myself although of course right now it can't be completely ruled out but here's hoping United can beat them Tuesday night and do us a favour, it's not like United don't owe us a few

You could look at it as us failing to capitalise on others failures.

Hots Purr

everdead.ie wrote: »

You could look at it as us failing to capitalise on others failures.

True, I know, but what can I say, I'm a glass half full kind of girl, I have to find the positives somewhere in a week when Blackpool beat us

Seillejet

I felt a little after the Blackpool result but after time to reflect, I feel there are positives to be taken from that freak game. Modric was class and Bassong just isn't up to the jon. Results have gone our way since too.

4 wins in a row is tough in Premiership. Hopefully we motor on with Wolves and Milan coming up.


I presume O Hara won't be eligible to play against us. Fair play to him he takes his chances when they come his way.

kakee

The race is on now for 3rd place. City are 3 points ahead and we have a game in hand on them again now. Hopefully Utd can do us a favour against Chelsea tomorrow night. It would be great to finish in 3rd spot and avoid the champions league qualifiers next season.

ziedth

I think had we won at blackpool I'd almost be confident of 4th but the game is wide open. Gotta beat wolves now, simply I think only a win will do.

BERBA

Chelsea winning tonight means nothing less than 3 points next sunday will do

RichMc70

BERBA wrote: »

Chelsea winning tonight means nothing less than 3 points next sunday will do

And they looked good to, so we are going to have to be on good form until the season end, I think.

The Lilywhite

RichMc70 wrote: »

And they looked good to, so we are going to have to be on good form until the season end, I think.

Thats true and our forwards have to start scoring, I read somewhere that Defoe hadnt scored a premiership goal this season or maybe it was this year, I really hope it was this year :eek:

The Lilywhite

The Lilywhite wrote: »

Thats true and our forwards have to start scoring, I read somewhere that Defoe hadnt scored a premiership goal this season or maybe it was this year, I really hope it was this year :eek:

I've just checked the Spurs website he hasnt scored in The Premiership this season

ziedth

That game last night is a big big worry. It's games like that can kick a team like Chelsea into a ten game winning streak.

It would be pure gold if we did finish 5th and won the champions league knocking them out

Mr. Guappa

We are still very much in the race for 3rd/4th after todays draw with Wolves. We have 10 games left, with 6 of those at home. 5 of those home games are very winnable with Arsenal the other one. The away games will be crucial, we will need 3 points at Wigan, and to pick up something at either City or Chelsea, with the last away game at Liverpool.

The good news is that West Ham at the Lane is our only other league game this month, so if we can pick up 3 points there hopefully we can get some players back from injury for a very busy April. It's good to have come through a spell with so many players missing still in contention for 4th. I think it's crucial that we get either Corluka or Kaboul back ASAP, Hutton looked like a liability today.

Edit: City have 9 games left, only 4 at home, and they are still in the Europa League and FA Cup. There next 2 away games are Chelsea and Liverpool, while we have 3 very winnable games, things could look a lot rosier by the time we get to Eastlands.

BERBA

in the race for 4th spot , a return of 1 point in games against blackpool and wolves is poor , it will come down to those 2 away games against city and chelski , those games will decide our fate

2nd Row Donkey

Its that time of the season we i spent half an hour a day using this >>

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_prem/predictor/default.stm

Away to chelsea
Away to Man City
Away to Liverpool

Looks like we'll need 6 or 7 points from the 9 available to clinch 4th.

Hots Purr

BERBA wrote: »

in the race for 4th spot , a return of 1 point in games against blackpool and wolves is poor , it will come down to those 2 away games against city and chelski , those games will decide our fate

I totally agree BERBA, we should have picked up at least four points from these two fixtures. Granted, they were both away fixtures and both teams have had their moments against the bigger clubs, particularly Wolves of late, but only a point is simply not good enough.

Just like last season when we played and beat City at Eastlands to secure 4th spot, this year those games against city and chelski will be decisive. Hopefully, we can pick up a decent haul of points in our other games but with (fingers crossed) a last eight tie in the CL to contend with as well as that very hectic April league schedule, our injury list could prove crucial.

KingdomYid

2nd Row Donkey wrote: »

Its that time of the season we i spent half an hour a day using this >>

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_prem/predictor/default.stm

Away to chelsea
Away to Man City
Away to Liverpool

Looks like we'll need 6 or 7 points from the 9 available to clinch 4th.

Did this for the craic too, and the way it worked out in my prediction was us 2 points behind city without us playing each other (not on the fixture list due to cup semi final). It is going to be close and I believe it is between us and City again.

Kiith

Unless we get a very good run of results, i don't see us getting 4th this year. Too many missed opportunities against team's that we should be beating comfortably. I'd obviously love it, but i'm just not that optimistic about it.

kakee

SPURS FIXTURES

APR
02 Away Wigan Athletic Prem League

05 Away Real Madrid Champ League

09 Home Stoke City Prem League

13 Home Real Madrid Champ League

20 Home Arsenal Prem League

23 Home West Brom Prem League

30 Away Chelsea Prem League

MAY 07 Home Blackpool Prem League

15 Away Liverpool Prem League

22 Home Birmingham Prem League

TBC Away Man City Prem League


MAN CITY FIXTURES

April 03, H Sunderland Barclays Premier League


April 11, A Liverpool Barclays Premier League


April 25, A Blackburn Rovers Barclays Premier League


May 01, H West Ham United Barclays Premier League


May 07, A Everton Barclays Premier League


May 10, H Tottenham Hotspur Barclays Premier League


May 14, H Stoke City Barclays Premier League


May 22, A Bolton Wanderers Barclays Premier League




LIVERPOOL FIXTURES

2 Apr 2011 Premier League WBA A

11 Apr 2011 Premier League Man City H

17 Apr 2011 Premier League Arsenal A

23 Apr 2011 Premier League Birmingham H

1 May 2011 Premier League N'castle H

7 May 2011 Premier League Fulham A

15 May 2011 Premier League Tottenham H

22 May 2011 Premier League Villa A

Bodie Doyle

kakee wrote: »

02 Away Wigan Athletic Prem League
05 Away Real Madrid Champ League
09 Home Stoke City Prem League
13 Home Real Madrid Champ League
20 Home Arsenal Prem League
23 Home West Brom Prem League
30 Away Chelsea Prem League
07 Home Blackpool Prem League
15 Away Liverpool Prem League
22 Home Birmingham Prem League
TBC Away Man City Prem League

I think the Man city away game will have to be played either in between the Blackpool/Liverpool games or in the last week of the season. If by some miracle (please please please let it happen whoever is up there) we beat Real then our semi final legs will be played on April 26/27 and May 3/4 which really only leaves the last 2 weeks of the season for the City game.
If you look at our next 4 league fixtures we should be able to put pressure on or even go above City. By the time the pivotal game v City comes around we may already be clear of them. Then again its been such an unpredictable season anything could happen.
Keep the faith lads, we had to beat Chelsea, Arsenal and City last year to finish in the top 4 and we are more than capable of doing it again this season.