Top 4 Race 19/20 | duffer: "We [Chelsea] are getting 3rd. Despite what the lunatics in here think, Man United are not all that."

Sandikan

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Chelsea to lose to Liverpool and Wolves with Sheff Utd winning all their games to take 5th from them would be ideal :lol: :lol: :lol:
With it coming out that despite the briefs, city DO have their ban too!
That'd be incredible scenes.
 

Rish Sawhney

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Fundamentally, Sheff Utd beating Chelsea has not changed anything for us: We needed to win every game to qualify for the Champions League before and we still do.

However, the way the Chelsea defence crumbled at Bramall Lane makes you think Chelsea may well drop points against Liverpool and Wolves.

You also think Sheff Utd might do something against Leicester.

It's a little crack of hope that, if we slip up, it might not all be over. Obviously though we are hoping that we don't need to rely on anyone else.
It has put 3rd firmly in our handsTM
 

Gazza

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GPGFGAGDPTS
3Chelsea3563491460
4Leicester3464323259
5Man Utd3459332658

CHELSEALEICESTERMAN UTD
Norwich (H)Bournemouth (A)Southampton (H)
Liverpool (A)Sheff Utd (H)Crystal Palace (A)
Wolves (H)Tottenham (A)West Ham (H)
Man Utd (H)Leicester (A)
 

youngrell

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A Chelsea slip up usually means we will slip up aswell. Too many times this season have we failed to take advantage when our rivals lose, I hope it's not the case this time.

This is the chance to prove that we are not the same team we used to be, that we have evolved. If we win on Monday I'll be confident of a top 4 finish.
Haven’t we been doing that recently already? We’ve literally caught Chelsea and Leicester by capitalising on their dropped points.

Can understand the caution given the amount of times over the last few years we’ve messed up but we are in a different groove this time I reckon.
 

VP89

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Leicester:
Bournemouth (A)
Sheffield (H)
Spurs (A)
Manchester United (H)

Chelsea:
Norwich (H)
Liverpool (A)
Wolves (H)


Will be tight between these two if we continue our form. Both have some big games ahead - Chelsea we know will be fine for Norwich but this result still really hurts them.
 

P-Nut

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GPGFGAGDPTS
3Chelsea3563491460
4Leicester3464323259
5Man Utd3459332658

CHELSEALEICESTERMAN UTD
Norwich (H)Bournemouth (A)Southampton (H)
Liverpool (A)Sheff Utd (H)Crystal Palace (A)
Wolves (H)Tottenham (A)West Ham (H)
Man Utd (H)Leicester (A)
Leicester actually have a good chance of dropping out of top 5. Its mean losing their last 3, but their all rough games no matter how poor Spurs are
 

Djemba-Djemba

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I don't think we'll win all our games.

But I also don't think we'll have to, I think we'll drop points and still make top 4.
 

Gazza

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GPGFGAGDPTS
3Chelsea3563491460
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5Man Utd3459332658

CHELSEALEICESTERMAN UTD
Norwich (H)Bournemouth (A)Southampton (H)
Liverpool (A)Sheff Utd (H)Crystal Palace (A)
Wolves (H)Tottenham (A)West Ham (H)
Man Utd (H)Leicester (A)
Could see Chelsea getting 6 points from their last three games and Leicester at least 6 points out of their next three games. There will be so much riding on that last game between ourselves and Leicester, I don't see us being comfortable before the final day.
 

Rish Sawhney

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Ages ago? It’s been happening majority of this season. If we had taken advantage we would be sitting top four comfortably a long time ago. So it’s not nonsense. We would be on the tails of City let alone Chelsea if we had taken advantage.
Did we make up all the points on them by magic then? It definitely happened at times that they lost and we failed to take advantage, but it also happened many times that they lost and we did take advantage. Or we wouldn't be any closer to them.
 

mu4c_20le

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Leicester actually have a good chance of dropping out of top 5. Its mean losing their last 3, but their all rough games no matter how poor Spurs are
Spurs are only 'poor' in terms of performance, they are still capable of grinding out results and have Harry Kane. Leicester are right to be worried, hence they were ecstatic with todays result
 

VanGaalEra

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Chelsea’s goal difference is horrible, has a club ever finished top 4 with a goal difference as bad as that?
 

Sandikan

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Leicester:
Bournemouth (A)
Sheffield (H)
Spurs (A)
Manchester United (H)

Chelsea:
Norwich (H)
Liverpool (A)
Wolves (H)


Will be tight between these two if we continue our form. Both have some big games ahead - Chelsea we know will be fine for Norwich but this result still really hurts them.
Classic one game at a time for us.
Chelsea have one banker, but the other two games will be tough! Liverpool may be easing down, but they do dislike Chelsea and certainly won't want to lose their massive long unbeaten home record to them!

And Leicester again have a fair banker and then 2 tough games before us.

Let' hope we do meet Leicester not needing even a draw!
 

Sandikan

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Chelsea’s goal difference is horrible, has a club ever finished top 4 with a goal difference as bad as that?
Let me check our top 4 from the Van Gaal era...

EDIT - surprisingly we managed +25 in the top 4 season, but +14 when joint 4th the season after. (well, 5th)
 

VanGaalEra

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We've taken a few hidings this season for sure.
You had a good run earlier in the season and I remember you scoring a lot of goals. Which other games have you taken a beating in, I just remember the 4-0 against us.
 

Offside

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If we win our next 3 there’s every chance that we will be confirmed ahead of Chelsea by the final day. Let’s do this. 3 wins needed against teams we should be beating. Chelsea will lose to Liverpool.
 

Guy Incognito

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Chelsea’s goal difference is horrible, has a club ever finished top 4 with a goal difference as bad as that?
Newcastle finished third in 2002/03 with +15. They were spanked 6-2 at home to United, lost 5-3 away.

Chelsea finished fourth that season with +30.
 

Sandikan

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Think we got 49 the season after, LVG’s first season we scored about 60.
Jesus, how did we only manage 49 goals in his second season.
Yeah second season. Although Mourinho only had us at 54 the next season.

Dreadful days looking back.
 

Sandikan

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Can't wait for the season to be over and to see who our new goalie is. An FA Cup win would be nice!
After we've beaten you 3 times this season, losing to you is inevitable I think :)

But generally I just don't get your team at all.
Liverpool a few years ago had a comedy defence, but were clearly building a system and an attack that was special. I think United are well onto that sort of plan now, with a less weak defence.
Chelsea, I just don't see you anywhere near. But we'll see how those attacking buys go. As Bruno has showed, one big signing can ignite everyone.
 

Steven7290

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Chelsea may potentially drop another 6 points in the last 2 games against Liverpool and Wolves judging by their defensive forms recently. The gate to top 3/4 is suddenly blown open for us.
 

Shiva87

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I would think Ole wants the team to finish as best as they could in the league. Winning Europa and FA will be like a bonus. That being said, I do think that the latter two are filled with more suprises.
I think we should get into top 4, and then have a go at Europa with our talented youngsters. Give Pogba, Bruno, Rashford, Martial, Maguire a rest for the tournament.

We could stink up the place, but we have a very good chance of getting to the final. I'd like to see Mangi, Brandon, Chong, Mason, Garner get a crack at this. It's fanciful thinking as I don't think Ole will see it like that. He'll want this squad to win a European competition for their confidence!
 

rotherham_red

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Yeah second season. Although Mourinho only had us at 54 the next season.

Dreadful days looking back.
That Mourinho season gets more and more overrated as time goes on. It was decent enough to start with, but by March I was close to giving up on football, irrespective of the two trophies.
 

SAFMUTD

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Now its not the time to feck up, continue with the winning streak and let them feel the pressure, they will drop points and we will capitilize, we're finishing third I can feel it.
 

Gasolin

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After we've beaten you 3 times this season, losing to you is inevitable I think :)

But generally I just don't get your team at all.
Liverpool a few years ago had a comedy defence, but were clearly building a system and an attack that was special. I think United are well onto that sort of plan now, with a less weak defence.
Chelsea, I just don't see you anywhere near. But we'll see how those attacking buys go. As Bruno has showed, one big signing can ignite everyone.
We’ve been preparing for Bruno though, see how we compensate for his attacking mindset by constantly recreating the defensive shape. Bruno was just a last piece but we needed to stabilize the defense!

Lampard was a smart player, I’m sure he’s trying to understand but as of now, I think he completely underestimated how far behind they are in reality compared to United. If he is not careful, next season, the gap might further. Cause we won’t be conceding too much. And we will be scoring more.

Chelsea has been in free fall, we closed a 12 pts gap with 3rd and made it a 2 pts gap I think in the last 10 games? Yet people are stuck with the ranking. The upward trend we are on clearly shows who got it and who is still naive.
 

utdalltheway

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It would be nice to have secured CL football before we play the Leicester game - and having that result decide Chelsea’s CL fate.
That all may be moot after Monday, but still.
 

Sandikan

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That Mourinho season gets more and more overrated as time goes on. It was decent enough to start with, but by March I was close to giving up on football, irrespective of the two trophies.
We've certainly had some crap seasons to compare recently haven't we!

Nothing beats Moyes for crapness overall, but Van Gaal's football was arguably the worst, entertainment wise. When your philosophy is aimless keep ball, no risks, and not allowing players to shoot unless there's a high chance of a goal, what else can you expect?!

Jose's worst wasn't much better though.

I'll always want to know with Jose though, why did he go for defenders like Bailly and Lindelof, both of whom are weak in the air, and not his standard type of defender? Were they club calls, and he'd prefer them over no-one?
Maybe we'll find out one day - though I expect it'd always have his spin on the story.