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

el3mel

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Both Chelsea and Manchester United benefited from a weaker league this season. The points to get into the top four has been falling for the last four seasons.

76 points
75 points
71 points
66 points

Both teams need to improve massively next season as I don't it is going to be as weak. We actually got fewer points than we did in Mourinho's first season when we finished 6th and won the Europa League.

I think both teams were fortunate this season. The kind of the form we have seen from both would not usually see you into the top four.
We need a much better squad depth imo, as for Chelsea they need several defensive signings.
 

KirkDuyt

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Poor Leicester, in the top 4 all season only to lose it on the last day. Their coach would be a good fit for you guys, what's his name? Bernard? Brando?
 

LawCharltonBest

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Poor Leicester, in the top 4 all season only to lose it on the last day. Their coach would be a good fit for you guys, what's his name? Bernard? Brando?
Technically they fell out of the top 4 a few days ago. So not the last day, but they lost it on the last week
 

P-Ro

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You don't think Ole is building something quite special here?

Another question, do you actually think Frank is building something special at Chelsea?
I don't think Ole is building anything special. He's been lucky that the players that were signed before he came or have come through the academy have hit a run of good form towards the end of the season. The recruitment has been poor and he's bottled the big decision by not dropping your keeper.

And I do think something is brewing at Chelsea. We are clearly signing another goalie and hopefully with another defender or 2 we will be challenging. We have the 3rd best attack in the league which has been let down consistently by awful goalkeeping and defending from set pieces. Fix them and we can at least start catching up on city and Liverpool.
 

The Purley King

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Congrats Chelsea!
Strong 4 teams for England next year.
Happy for Lampard he always seems like a good bloke.
Roll on next year.......
 

Number32

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I still think we are the winners here despite finishing below you on goal difference because you'll still be managed by Ole next season. I really think you should try and get Poch.
No thanks, Ole is better than poch. Happy for you pal, don't forget you have to pass the CL qualification earlier than us.

Good luck to find a new GK and CB to avoid embarassing defeat before the group stage.
 

Charlie Foley

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No thanks, Ole is better than poch. Happy for you pal, don't forget you have to pass the CL qualification earlier than us.

Good luck to find a new GK and CB to avoid embarassing defeat before the group stage.
That’s not the case anymore
 

Sandikan

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I don't think Ole is building anything special. He's been lucky that the players that were signed before he came or have come through the academy have hit a run of good form towards the end of the season. The recruitment has been poor and he's bottled the big decision by not dropping your keeper.

And I do think something is brewing at Chelsea. We are clearly signing another goalie and hopefully with another defender or 2 we will be challenging. We have the 3rd best attack in the league which has been let down consistently by awful goalkeeping and defending from set pieces. Fix them and we can at least start catching up on city and Liverpool.
It's funny, my take is exactly the opposite of yours - I can barely see anything special in your team at all and think you have utterly zero chance of catching the top 2.

Football fans eh :)

Let's see how next season goes.
 
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He has ~770 times as many posts as you do mate. Simmer down and appreciate @duffer the way all on here do, oppo fans or not.
@duffer is really the best opposition fan here. I like how he takes everything about football lightly and in a funny way. Hope we can actually learn this from him, me included.
i'm not a frequent poster on here but I totally agree - @duffer is a great poster on here - and well respected
 

Sandikan

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No thanks, Ole is better than poch. Happy for you pal, don't forget you have to pass the CL qualification earlier than us.

Good luck to find a new GK and CB to avoid embarassing defeat before the group stage.
Not sure there is any difference between 3rd and 4th for the champions league these days?
 

WeePat

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I've enjoyed the back and forth with you lot this season. Great outcome for both clubs in the end.
 

Untd55

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Surely its a stronger league if teams below the top 4 are getting more results against the big boys?
More likely the top teams have fallen in quality resulting in the lower teams taking more points off them. The number of points we dropped to the lower clubs in the first half of the season was ridiculous; that is far too much to say it is the improvement of lower clubs that resulted in that.

Tottenham have certainly weakened. There were signs of their deterioration last season, and they certainly got worse in this one. (12 points dropped)

Chelsea deteriorated also because of the loss of Hazard. Pulisic is good, but he needed time to bed in and has only started showing recently that he could possibly replace Hazard. Too late in the season. (6 points dropped)

Arsenal has got worse. Last season they finished above us with 70 points. Now, they have 56 points. (14 point drop)

Manchester United (Exactly the same point total), which was a bad season.

I cannot see where such an improvement in the lower teams could have come from to result in teams dropping such an abnormal amount of points against the lower clubs. It must be the deterioration of the top sides.
 

el3mel

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No thanks, Ole is better than poch. Happy for you pal, don't forget you have to pass the CL qualification earlier than us.

Good luck to find a new GK and CB to avoid embarassing defeat before the group stage.
There's no more CL play off for 4th. Before taking a dig at someone check your facts first is my only advice.
 

P-Ro

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More likely the top teams have fallen in quality resulting in the lower teams taking more points off them. The number of points we dropped to the lower clubs in the first half of the season was ridiculous; that is far too much to say it is the improvement of lower clubs that resulted in that.

Tottenham have certainly weakened. There were signs of their deterioration last season, and they certainly got worse in this one. (12 points dropped)

Chelsea deteriorated also because of the loss of Hazard. Pulisic is good, but he needed time to bed in and has only started showing recently that he could possibly replace Hazard. Too late in the season. (6 points dropped)

Arsenal has got worse. Last season they finished above us with 70 points. Now, they have 56 points. (14 point drop)

Manchester United (Exactly the same point total), which was a bad season.

I cannot see where such an improvement in the lower teams could have come from to result in teams dropping such an abnormal amount of points against the lower clubs. It must be the deterioration of the top sides.
I guess we just have a different definition of what a 'stronger league' is. It seems you are of the opinion that having 6 or 7 teams steamrolling the bottom 10 teams is indicative of a strong league and I don't agree with that but there's no right or wrong answer in this. Having a league where any team can beat another is for me an indicator of a stronger league as a whole in that it is more competetive.
 

Sandikan

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I didn't actually report his post. I know some people mistake what I think is clearly a silly joke that makes me look dumb for a WUM.
What's your more sensible verdict on your boys and ours, in terms of building something?

I'm obviously biased and think we are, but i don't overly see it with you. But you're obviously planning an almost Abramovich days style spending spree, so it'll be an intriguing next season.
 

Striker10

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I don't think Ole is building anything special. He's been lucky that the players that were signed before he came or have come through the academy have hit a run of good form towards the end of the season. The recruitment has been poor and he's bottled the big decision by not dropping your keeper.

And I do think something is brewing at Chelsea. We are clearly signing another goalie and hopefully with another defender or 2 we will be challenging. We have the 3rd best attack in the league which has been let down consistently by awful goalkeeping and defending from set pieces. Fix them and we can at least start catching up on city and Liverpool.
Sorry mate, you have us confused for a plastic oil bankrolled club.......

We don't have oil. So we have to move players and buy player in the market you plastic clubs have created. So we can't put De Gea on the bench. It isn't that simple actually. Because his value would be a big loss and not something planned for. And actually, he's still only 29 and Oles given him the benefit of the doubt.
 

Sandikan

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Half are laughing at me, the other half saying how great I am!
Yeah, i can only say what a tribute it is you see to have a lot of fans on here!
Takes some doing, as I barely recognise any regular posters apart from an aggro mod and a couple of wind up merchants!
 

Gasolin

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I don't think Ole is building anything special. He's been lucky that the players that were signed before he came or have come through the academy have hit a run of good form towards the end of the season. The recruitment has been poor and he's bottled the big decision by not dropping your keeper.

And I do think something is brewing at Chelsea. We are clearly signing another goalie and hopefully with another defender or 2 we will be challenging. We have the 3rd best attack in the league which has been let down consistently by awful goalkeeping and defending from set pieces. Fix them and we can at least start catching up on city and Liverpool.
So Chelsea is special but United with a front 3 of 60+ goals is not? Sure. That’s why all the teams are now so afraid of our transitions and are throwing out bodies to try to disturb it! Because there’s nothing special in this team!
 

sport2793

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All good trading banter with Chelsea fans like @duffer but really both teams now need to push on and improve in the transfer market (Chelsea already have, United won't be too far behind). With that said, I do think it will be easier for United to fix its deficiencies than Chelsea (defence + GK).
 

Mr.Ridiculous__

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I don't think Ole is building anything special. He's been lucky that the players that were signed before he came or have come through the academy have hit a run of good form towards the end of the season. The recruitment has been poor and he's bottled the big decision by not dropping your keeper.

And I do think something is brewing at Chelsea. We are clearly signing another goalie and hopefully with another defender or 2 we will be challenging. We have the 3rd best attack in the league which has been let down consistently by awful goalkeeping and defending from set pieces. Fix them and we can at least start catching up on city and Liverpool.

Let me make this abundantly clear.

You can brew whatever the feck you want. As long as you have a hole in that fecking pitcher, nothing's gonna stick.
Also Ole smacked Lamps 3 times this season, with most of best players out.

Sit down.
 

P-Ro

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It's funny, my take is exactly the opposite of yours - I can barely see anything special in your team at all and think you have utterly zero chance of catching the top 2.

Football fans eh :)

Let's see how next season goes.
We have scored the third most goals in the league this year and our attack is getting a major upgrade in Ziyech, Werner and probably Havertz. Shore up the defense so we concede as many as Wolves did this season and we are a team transformed. But we'll see. You might have a decent transfer window and get rid of DDG, sign Sancho and a decent FB and CB.
 

AneRu

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I still think we are the winners here despite finishing below you on goal difference because you'll still be managed by Ole next season. I really think you should try and get Poch.
Nah man it's still the same Ole that has taken us to third despite the depths that we plunged to in the first half of the season. Add a twenty goal forward to this side and a top CB we will finish in the CL places once again.
 

P-Ro

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Let me make this abundantly clear.

You can brew whatever the feck you want. As long as you have a hole in that fecking pitcher, nothing's gonna stick.
Also Ole smacked Lamps 3 times this season, with most of best players out.

Sit down.
Wow mate, so angry. Chill out. Brew yourself a night nurse.
 

duffer

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What's your more sensible verdict on your boys and ours, in terms of building something?

I'm obviously biased and think we are, but i don't overly see it with you. But you're obviously planning an almost Abramovich days style spending spree, so it'll be an intriguing next season.
I think we'll have almost half a new team next season. At the very least 4 new starters so difficult to say.

I'm happy with us this season, all things considering.