Having only one less win than city at this stage of campaign is mental considering our prospects at the start of the season.
Race for top 4 | Finito.
- Thread starter Andycoleno9
- Start date
Only if they both draw and lose a few. Let's just say we need City to win or draw at Emirates and Villa to take something at home to Arsenal on Saturday. Hard to see that looking at how City took them apart today.
When was it not?
I dunno why people are so overly pessimistic towards our Top 4 chances. Us dropping a bunch of points means any chasers have to take full advantage of that, by winning their games and maintain winning games until the end of the season in my opinion. I can’t see any team below us who are capable of putting such a run together.
Top 4 is surely nailed on. 3rd looks favourite.
It’s not out of the question that we run City and Arsenal close. Could even win it. 3rd is more likely.
It’s not out of the question that we run City and Arsenal close. Could even win it. 3rd is more likely.
We need other teams to play those two like it's their cup final which Everton, Brentford and Spurs managed to do well
Was looking a little shaky before this weekend, and if the results had gone against us, but the opposite happened.
I think we're in a good place at the moment. Silently sitting there in third. Hopefully Arsenal and City can scrap away for top spot and take points off each other. Hopefully we can keep the consistency going and do our jobs while Spurs and Newcastle can put pressure on each other for the fourth spot.
Yeah least we can keep a watching brief on the game at Emirates,haven't been able to say that much in the last 10 years.
The joy the ABU media got out of the first 2 games was great to sell. Erik Ten Games etc. Its the same look those teenagers have in Friday the 13th when Jason returns to slice their heads off. Nobody saw this coming.
A nice gap know between ourselves and spurs who also happen to have a serious injury concern with their midfield. Only two healthy players right now in skipp and sarr
We will finish top 4 and if any surprise comes along, we might find ourselves top 2. Next season will be a proper challenge if we manage to sign 3-4 quality, we will 100% be challenging. I hope we can sign a top striker, 1 top midfielder, 1 top CB. 1 young backup striker and 1 young midfielder. I want to see Maguire, McTominay and Elanga sold.
We got the top 4 nailed on. Not worried about that. Still don't think we are part of the title race yet.
The fixture congestion is crazy and while I believe winning the barca tie will be amazing. Even getting knocked out might do is a favor
The fixture congestion is crazy and while I believe winning the barca tie will be amazing. Even getting knocked out might do is a favor
Who do you have in mind for the roles roles mentioned,particularly interested in your choices for the backup ones
Yeah will say this until I am blue in the face only gonna say that IF we can stay this close having played same number of games
Incredible to think we are only 11 pts off last seasons tally and still got 15 games left which I had to just check to believe it
Let's not get carried away with clinching the title yet. We should focus 1 game at a time to win every game. Title is already not in our hands and we need 2 of the best teams in the league to capitulate for us to get a chance on it for this season. Nevertheless always good to be hopeful. Top 4 should be safe and getting 3rd will already be a very good first season for ETH considering the mess he took over from last season and the ronaldo problem at the start of this season.
Let's hope for the best and build on that next season for our first title since SAF retires.
Let's hope for the best and build on that next season for our first title since SAF retires.
An injury to Rashford or Casemiro would completely derail our season. Hence the justifiable worry about the top 4 race.
Yeah we are relying on a double capitulation which seems unlikely,however for top two to feel any pressure at all we will need to keep gap around 6 or less.
Agreed. We just need to do our part to keep the pressure on. There is a chance for that to happen for Arsenal as they don't really have strong backups for their first team players if there is an injury crisis. Less likely for City who has at least 2 world class players for each of their position. I guess that contributed a lot why they can be a consistent title winners for the past years. They are hardly affected. That's why all other teams are after their blood for the recent alleged charges.
Yeah I can't remember the last time City had a bench where they lacked quality,having said that there is no reason this can't be us too in a couple of windows time new owners permitting.
Have you seen Arsenal lately? Brentford should have put 3 past them easily. They are struggling and that too nearly with a full-strength squad. They are one Partey injury away from crumbling.
Ultimately I don't think we can win the league but that's got more to do with the sheer number of fixtures and fixture congestion we have coupled with our squad's lack of quality in depth. If we were to focus solely on the league, I'd say we have a good chance to chase down Arsenal as they seem to be slowing down.
We will be doing it legally though
I predicted a top 4 finish at the start of the season.
at the moment we're well on course...7 points ahead of 5th place Spurs.
Gonna need a bit of luck with injuries from here on in if we're going to maintain form in the league and to continue in these cups..
at the moment we're well on course...7 points ahead of 5th place Spurs.
Gonna need a bit of luck with injuries from here on in if we're going to maintain form in the league and to continue in these cups..
A lot depends on what happens with Barca. If we go through we are playing midweek from now to the end of the season and that will be tough. If we go out we will piss top 4 with quite a few free midweeks between now and the end of the season, we might even get competitively close to Arsenal and City although I don't think we can win it. Overall we are favourites for top 4 right now as then teams below us don't look convincing, particularly Spurs although there is a long way to go still.
Bentacur out for the season with ACL injury. Spurs are knackered imo. Top 4 nailed.
Exactly, and the way the schedule is and the fact that Rashford is having to play every single game is going to tell at some point.
Have a feeling that Liverpool are going to sneak into the top 4. Everyone is dropping points ahead of them. Key players back in the squad after injury. If they win their games in hand they're only 6 pts off Newcastle or 8 off United. Of course, they're not very good, but I think they're still capable with a bit of the usual scouse luck of winning say 4 out of the next 5 and being right in the mix.
You could say that about any team. It’s not justifiable when it’s an open concern for everybody.
It’s mental how people go through all sorts of mental gymnastics in order to convince themselves that we’re about to feck it up, yet on the other hand manage to justify the uptick in form from sides like Chelsea and Liverpool. Teams who for the most part haven’t managed to string three league wins together in what must be months. It’s weird.
Mate, it's a really big stretch to go from our season is fecked due to a hypothetical injury that hasn't happened, to Liverpool are suddenly going to go on some sort of winning streak and get top 4. They were playing quite poorly before the injuries, they just compounded it, and they're still devoid of quality in midfield and heavy up top.
I'm not saying it can't happen, but maybe don't lose any sleep over it quite yet.
I didn't realise how close Brighton are to the top 4. As long we keep our best players fit/available for much of the season then we should be fine. Bentancur being out for the season is a major blow for Spurs.
I think the next 5 league games will be pivotal in the race for top 4. We play Leicester (h), Liverpool (a), Southampton (h), Brighton (a), Newcastle (a) - if we can come away from these fixtures with 10 points then I think we will be in a great position.
I think the next 5 league games will be pivotal in the race for top 4. We play Leicester (h), Liverpool (a), Southampton (h), Brighton (a), Newcastle (a) - if we can come away from these fixtures with 10 points then I think we will be in a great position.
But if we win all those games we get Champions League next season anyway, which is a shorter slog than the remaining 15 games in the league, with the added bonus of another European trophy to stick in the cabinet.
I didn't say our season is fecked due to a hypothetical injury. I said it would be should such an injury occur, and the likelihood is non-negligible.
The Liverpool thing is a stretch though, I agree. Just an intuition, a feeling. Objectively unlikely.
Arsenal lost Jesus and Partey at some stage didn't they?
Tottenham midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur out for the season with knee injury.
Massive blow for Spurs!
Massive blow for Spurs!
I think Partey has been injury free all season?
Still shouldn’t be playing but that’s Arsenal for you
The pessimism here is crazy. imo you guys are nailed on for top 4. I have no doubt United will finish in the top 4. For me top 2 is attainable and should be the focus. Hang on City's tails and when they catch Arsenal you will be there.
Yeah we've had a few set backs now and managed to come through relatively unscathed barring a couple of unfortunate results with the Palace draw (late goal conceded) and the Arsenal loss (late goal conceded). We've had Case out for a few games, Eriksen, Martial of course, Sancho, Antony, and we STILL making magic happen.
With the way Newcastle is going we SHOULD look good for the Carabao cup, a favourable tie against West Ham and for me the sky is the limit this year. Next year we are truly cooking.
Nope he missed a couple of games at the start of the season including the one against us.