Chelsea is definitely getting better. And they have some of their players coming back, Pulisic is almost ready as well. I think they will hold on to 4th. Leicester though I can see slipping down. That last game of the season may just be the decider.
Our Final 9 Games
- Thread starter esmufc07
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik @Rood and Imran @Annihilate Now! start with the good news by celebrating Manchester United Women's emphatic FA Cup win over Spurs at Wembley and the future of manager Marc Skinner.
Then it's the bad news and the ever worsening form of our Men with losses to Arsenal and Palace.
Finally the main debate - ETH Out now or keep him until the end of the season - if not longer. Are you Team Nik or Team Imran?
Geez, 2 day turn around between our 2nd leg against LASK and Norwich FA Cup game.
Hopefully we smash them in the first leg and have heavy rotation for the second.
Hopefully we smash them in the first leg and have heavy rotation for the second.
Predicting these things never really work out. On our day we can beat all these teams comfortably, but I feel we may hick up against Palace and Leicester. If we carry on our points average we will finish on 59 points (extra 14 points) so I reckon we need at least 21 points out of these fixtures to get a Champions League spot.
Every single one of those should be 3 points. Sheffield United and Leicester are the only decent sides there. If we can keep players fit and if that show pony Pogba decides to show up for the rest of the season then we should definitely aim for maximum points.
Chelsea remaining league fixtures below.
Aston Villa A
Man City H
West Ham A
Watford H
Crystal Palace A
Sheff Utd A
Norwich H
Liverpool A
Wolves H
Leicester City remaining league fixtures below.
Aston Villa H
Watford A
Brighton H
Everton A
Crystal Palace H
Arsenal A
Bournemouth A
Sheff Utd H
Spurs A
Man Utd H
Aston Villa A
Man City H
West Ham A
Watford H
Crystal Palace A
Sheff Utd A
Norwich H
Liverpool A
Wolves H
Leicester City remaining league fixtures below.
Aston Villa H
Watford A
Brighton H
Everton A
Crystal Palace H
Arsenal A
Bournemouth A
Sheff Utd H
Spurs A
Man Utd H
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FA Cup matches haven't been scheduled yet. We'll play on a Sunday I'm sure.
Theoretically it's a decent list on paper but some of these teams will be fighting for their lives and we've had rotten luck with injuries, we've just got to take things one game at a time. We've still got 2 avenues to CL but I'd very much like us to be in the top 4, think it's a big statement with how our form was earlier. Has to be said, been years since we've been looking better at the end of the season than the beginning, usually we're stumbling to the finish line from November onwards.
Sheffield and Leicester will be the toughest games. Hopefully, top 4 is secured by the time we play Leicester
Was thinking the exact same thing during the match. It's going to be an interesting end of the season. Leicester are definitely headed the wrong way and Chelsea are in the same spot we were at the beginning of the season - wildly inconsistent.
4 winnable home games, and 2 away against bottom teams (Brighton and Villa). So, I'm expecting 18 points at least.
And hopefully another 3 points off Spurs, Palace, or Leicester away.
Would it be enough for Top 4, though? If Pogba fit even for half end of those games (and Bruno stays fit), I think we have massive chance.
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If recent development can be a measure we have improved. But I still think we're not there yet. Probably averaged out 2pts per game, which is good. I give it 18 more pts from here to game 38. Give and take.
I am expecting 27 points or at least 25 from our last 9.
Realistically, I'd be very happy with 20 points: six wins, two draws, one defeat.
I believe there's a good chance Chelsea will do at least three points worse than that.
I believe there's a good chance Chelsea will do at least three points worse than that.
I'd expect you to be disappointed.
18-21 would be an good return and is doable but you never know with this team.
We need everyone to remain fit so as to allow us to rotate. I'm no fan of Pogba but we need him back to make up the numbers, if nothing else. Similarly if we can get Rasford fit even for the final 2-3 weeks of the season, that would be a huge bonus as well. If we reach the semis of the EL and FA Cup, we're gonna be playing every 3-4 days until the end of the season. So we need everyone fit. If we can do that, with the momentum we have, I can see us finishing top 4.
I know. Trying to be optimistc, going with the momentum. Generally speaking from the last few years trend, to qualify top 4 a team needs at least 70 points. We are 45 right now and crossing 70 is a huge task. So we need to fight every next game as cup final. Lets see what characters this team is built of.
Its in a worrying way a kind fixture list and we'll only have ourselves to blame if we fail to finish in the top 4. Of course we'll have the excuse of fixture pileup and no doubt a few more injuries along the way, but I'll be very annoyed if we mess it up again.
It'll be a big achievement from here but I still think we can make top 4.
With Chelsea on 48 and the way Leicester have been playing I don't think 70 will be needed this year. I can't see us catching Leicester but we've a good chance of over-taking Chelsea. It could come down to the last day and if Leicester are safe they mightn't be arsed.
This 70 points is from the old top 4 or 6 days I think, when there generally was a big gap between the top 4 and the rest . Now looking at the table I'd say apart from the scousers we're having top 10 or even top 11.
This year I don't think we'd need that 70 points to get top 4. The old top 6 are getting worse or the rest getting stronger or both idk.
Anyway I kinda hate this kind of thread, just enjoy the next match I think.
Leicester will be the game for spot number 4. You heard it here first
Draw or win versus spurs and I think the remaining fixtures, with squad on good form, we will get top 4
It’s been said many times before
I think people are forgetting we struggle in the ‘easier’ fixtures a bit.
We’ve heard it several times already on this thread.
I think we will slip up against Spurs (0/1 point) but then go on a decent run of wins and maybe another slip up in one of the aways.
Leicester and Chelsea are not on great form, and there are others in the chasing pack too, not just us. Wolves, Sheff United, Spurs and Arsenal are not out of it.
Chelsea's fixtures for comparison:
Aston Villa (a)
Man City (h)
West Ham (a)
Watford (h)
Palace (a)
Sheff United (a)
Norwich (h)
Liverpool (a)
Wolves (h)
I think 20 points will get us 4th. Can see Chelsea dropping quite a few points here.
Aston Villa (a)
Man City (h)
West Ham (a)
Watford (h)
Palace (a)
Sheff United (a)
Norwich (h)
Liverpool (a)
Wolves (h)
I think 20 points will get us 4th. Can see Chelsea dropping quite a few points here.
Threads like these are usually followed by a string of losses. If we go down at White Hart Lane, we can tell Jose whom to thank.
5 away 4 home
Jose owes us to phone this next match in.
Momentum is massive in sport and there's no doubt we're enjoying it atm
The boys will feeling invincible after yesterday, if we can beat spurs next week then I think we sweep home.
Chelsea have 3 very tough games, though the wolves one could be cushioned if wolves are still in the europa
Leicester have decent fixtures but are out of sorts atm, tonight will be a test for them should they lose it I can see them falling off
As it stands I think utd and Leicester qualify, could even see a friendly draw in the last game
The boys will feeling invincible after yesterday, if we can beat spurs next week then I think we sweep home.
Chelsea have 3 very tough games, though the wolves one could be cushioned if wolves are still in the europa
Leicester have decent fixtures but are out of sorts atm, tonight will be a test for them should they lose it I can see them falling off
As it stands I think utd and Leicester qualify, could even see a friendly draw in the last game
Spurs, Sheffield and Leicester are all tough games. You just know they're going to step up their game against us.
I think City (nothing to play for), Liverpool (already won the league so expecting a reserve side) and Wolves (Europa league to play for) will all be Chelsea wins. It's the West Ham, Sheff United, Watford games where they'll drop points.
Couldn't ask for a more favourable final set of fixtures.
Jose parked the bus against Burnley - I would be surprised if he didn't set up a low block against us and have Dier man-mark Bruno. He would love more than anything to get a smash and grab against Ole.
Im excited because these games left are mainly ones that we have failed at all season. Its a great feeling beating City but we know we are good at those type of games. Now lets see how far we have come by beating relegation fodder and mid table teams. Its a real test but means that Ole gets the chance to show he can play differently. Playing Mata who is good at these types of games and his link up with Fernandes will be interesting. Pogba back as well means we can play 4-2-3-1 with Pogba-DM(Matic, Fred, McTominay)-Fernandes and Mata on the right. That should be enough to break the low block. Playing teams fighting for relegation when they have only a few games left are the hardest games but if he can do it then this will stand us in a great position for next season
Spurs (a) - these are dead food at the moment, if we play to our best we should win
Sheff Utd (h) - tough game, but I expect us to win
Brighton (a) - this is the kind of game we usually struggle in. Doubt we win
Bournemouth (h) - who knows, we should smash them but again, can we break them down?
Villa (a) - easy 3 points as always as Villa Park
Southampton (h) - should win but wouldn’t surprise me if we drop points
Palace (a) - see above
West Ham (h) - win
Leicester (a) - draw wouldn’t be the worst result
Sheff Utd (h) - tough game, but I expect us to win
Brighton (a) - this is the kind of game we usually struggle in. Doubt we win
Bournemouth (h) - who knows, we should smash them but again, can we break them down?
Villa (a) - easy 3 points as always as Villa Park
Southampton (h) - should win but wouldn’t surprise me if we drop points
Palace (a) - see above
West Ham (h) - win
Leicester (a) - draw wouldn’t be the worst result
Pts totals are down across the board except for one team
I reckon 65ish should get 4th place this year. Won't be far off it anyway I imagine.
I'd expect us to stay unbeaten.
That's how high my confidence is now.
That's how high my confidence is now.
I'm feeling so confident and excited about these remaining fixtures. Very strong chance of top 4. Even though we struggle against some of those type of teams we're better than every one of those teams on paper and current form
Leicester, Chelsea, Wolves, Sheff United and Arsenal all more than less play each other - so big opportunities for us.
We should put away Spurs which would be a huge start for us
We should put away Spurs which would be a huge start for us
Based on our current form I think aiming for 20ish points here would put us in a nice position to challenge for top 4.
We should be winning all of those, also, we can not, indeed MUST not, rely on top 5 being enough, we have to go for top 4.
Anyway, I think 2 of the 4 places are up for grabs, I can see Leicester dropping out of the top 4, United and Chavs taking 3rd & 4th, possibly respectively.
Also, I have fixed the following:
Anyway, I think 2 of the 4 places are up for grabs, I can see Leicester dropping out of the top 4, United and Chavs taking 3rd & 4th, possibly respectively.
Also, I have fixed the following: