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

[sewey89]

That late goal isn’t the disaster that a lot of people on here made out it was. We gained a point on leicester and Chelsea that everyone would’ve taken prior to this round of fixtures.

My only worry is how it affects our confidence moving into the remaining 3. We need to bounce back strongly against Palace and pile the pressure on the other 2 going into their difficult remaining games

 

[amolbhatia50k]

Does anyone really have any confidence that this lot will not feck it up again? And we're talking about Top 4 mind, not even winning a major trophy.

No, but do Leicester City fans confidence that their team can win two of their remaining games? We have three teams that are capable of dropping points with United being the one who has been playing some great stuff of late. Let's wait and watch, nobody has it in the bag and any 2 of the three sides, can make it from here with just 3 games to go.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

That late goal isn’t the disaster that a lot of people on here made out it was. We gained a point on leicester and Chelsea that everyone would’ve taken prior to this round of fixtures.

My only worry is how it affects our confidence moving into the remaining 3. We need to bounce back strongly against Palace and pile the pressure on the other 2 going into their difficult remaining games

Next two are must wins. It's as simple as that. We could possibly get away with one slip but not two.

 

[The holy trinity 68]

No matter what happens from now until the end of the season, I am extremely proud of the team. We might make top 4, we might not, but the lads have been on an amazing run to get so close to Leicester and Chelsea when no one gave us a chance in December.

A top signing or two in the summer and we look good for next season. The squad is moving in the right direction regardless of the league position at the end.

 

[Feed Me]

No matter what happens from now until the end of the season, I am extremely proud of the team. We might make top 4, we might not, but the lads have been on an amazing run to get so close to Leicester and Chelsea when no one gave us a chance in December.

A top signing or two in the summer and we look good for next season. The squad is moving in the right direction regardless of the league position at the end.

Do we make the reinforcements we need without CL football? I very much doubt it.

 

[The holy trinity 68]

Do we make the reinforcements we need without CL football? I very much doubt it.

If these reinforcements are Sancho and Grealish then yes we do make them in my opinion.

 

[Feed Me]

If these reinforcements are Sancho and Grealish then yes we do make them in my opinion.

I hope you are right on Sancho. I’m not overly fussed about Grealish but I suppose he’s a good upgrade on the likes of Lingard, Pereira and Mata.

 

[Greck]

No matter what happens from now until the end of the season, I am extremely proud of the team. We might make top 4, we might not, but the lads have been on an amazing run to get so close to Leicester and Chelsea when no one gave us a chance in December.

A top signing or two in the summer and we look good for next season. The squad is moving in the right direction regardless of the league position at the end.

IMO We will absolutely make top 4 because of Leicester's form but if we don't this lot collectively do not deserve any credit for coming close to almost finishing above Leicester. Am already livid that we fell that far behind such a mediocre team especially after taking their best player and also with Arsenal and Spurs eliminating themselves from top 4. They owe it to us to right that wrong. Bottling this opportunity would be pouring salt on the wound. How the heck are Leicester going to give us their best defender then beat us to a CL spot. If ever there was a year top 4 was begging us to grab it

 

[Judas]

For me the two games in the run in that have worried me before we even kicked a ball were the Palace and West Ham games. Two games which are often absolute stinkers for us and we're going into them after a poor performance, with an obviously tired team at our lowest since the restart. I can't say I'm not a bit nervous, and we've also got a semi-final wedged in the middle.

I just know if Sheffield United don't get a result against Leicester on Thursday before we play, this place and probably rightfully will be even more of a nervous wreck as it was for the build-up to yesterdays game.

 

[McGrathsipan]

I didnt see any mentality issues.
Tiredness sure but if there is mentality issues it will be evident against palace.

I dont think there is any issues. We just didnt play too well which happens.

If we go out and roll over against palace then there will be questions to answer.

The mentality on this forum on the other hand......

 

[TrustInJanuzaj]

We do need to bounce back against Palace which I think we will. Unlike Southampton, Palace are in their holidays already and have been shocking since the restart. They won’t press as well as Southampton either.

 

[Judas]

If we can't beat a team that managed to lose to Villa we might as well go on our holidays. We should be even more fired up than we were for our previous game with how disappointing it ended up being.

 

[Escobar]

Before lockdown maybe, but I think this theory can die now. We've been consistently getting results when those around us haven't.

Well...

 

[Judas]

Well...

I had faith! Of all the people to have faith and trust, I did.

 

[Kostov]

No matter what happens from now until the end of the season, I am extremely proud of the team. We might make top 4, we might not, but the lads have been on an amazing run to get so close to Leicester and Chelsea when no one gave us a chance in December.

A top signing or two in the summer and we look good for next season. The squad is moving in the right direction regardless of the league position at the end.

Christ man, give yours head a wobble. We are 5th, fighting to finish in top 4, we are Manchester United for feck sake, why are you so proud of them? These last 15 or so games, should be the minimum required of this team, we are not Leicester or Arsenal for feck sake. If they fail to get into top 4 it is an embarrassment for this club yet again.

 

[Judas]

Yeah anyone proud of this team if we fail to make top 4 AGAIN is a joker. We have to be making it, the door has been left open for us so many times this year and we've kept messing it up. There's nothing to be proud of finishing 5th in the PL.

 

[Drainy]

Christ man, give yours head a wobble. We are 5th, fighting to finish in top 4, we are Manchester United for feck sake, why are you so proud of them? These last 15 or so games, should be the minimum required of this team, we are not Leicester or Arsenal for feck sake. If they fail to get into top 4 it is an embarrassment for this club yet again.

At the start of the season the club thought it could be a bad season.

They were ball parking that we could be down where Arsenal and Spurs are if things didn't go our way, but accepted it as part of the cultural reset and squad overhaul that was needed over the course of 3-4 windows after Van Gaal and Mourinho wasted hundreds of millions.

We brought in 4 players now, but look at how little depth we still have after having shit squad replenishment for the past decade.

It's a season where so many historically mid table or lower clubs have decent teams and Sheffield have had that first year bounce as well.

If we get top 4 it will be hitting the minimum for our club by historic standards but this season it wasn't considered a guarantee with this squad vs others in the league. We would be ahead of actual expectations at the start of the season. That is likely why Ole's job wasn't really in doubt in January. The club know the squad isn't good enough and needs time for young players to grow and more depth in quality. The manager and coaches can only do so much with the back up players.

 

[Rajma]

Yeah anyone proud of this team if we fail to make top 4 AGAIN is a joker. We have to be making it, the door has been left open for us so many times this year and we've kept messing it up. There's nothing to be proud of finishing 5th in the PL.

Especially, in this PL where top team is raking up 100 points and where our lowest point tally in the premier league history might actually get as that CL place. Not getting in will probably mean this is our worst ever season in premier league in terms of points.

 

[Kostov]

At the start of the season the club thought it could be a bad season.

They were ball parking that we could be down where Arsenal and Spurs are if things didn't go our way, but accepted it as part of the cultural reset and squad overhaul that was needed over the course of 3-4 windows after Van Gaal and Mourinho wasted hundreds of millions.

We brought in 4 players now, but look at how little depth we still have after having shit squad replenishment for the past decade.

It's a season where so many historically mid table or lower clubs have decent teams and Sheffield have had that first year bounce as well.

If we get top 4 it will be hitting the minimum for our club by historic standards but this season it wasn't considered a guarantee with this squad vs others in the league. We would be ahead of actual expectations at the start of the season. That is likely why Ole's job wasn't really in doubt in January. The club know the squad isn't good enough and needs time for young players to grow and more depth in quality. The manager and coaches can only do so much with the back up players.

You make some valid points, but tell me you watched that game last night and you felt proud of that team? You watched some of our shit shows this season and you were proud of them? Nah mate, I ain't proud of these lot until they prove to be worthy of wearing the iconic shirt. Not when they bottle a must win game at home against Southampton. The same Southampton that we failed to beat when they were at home with 10 players, the same Southampton that we only beat 2 out of 7 matches in the last couple of years.

 

[The holy trinity 68]

I hope you are right on Sancho. I’m not overly fussed about Grealish but I suppose he’s a good upgrade on the likes of Lingard, Pereira and Mata.

We managed to buy Maguire, Bruno and AWB without CL football and all of them have proved invaluable this season.

If a player doesn’t want to be here because of no CL football then the club should avoid buying that player. We want players that are hungry to get the club back into the CL, and motivated to believe the club will get there. Players should come that believe in the project. I think this is the type of player Ole will want to bring in.

Avoid prima donna’s that only care about CL football and don’t have the passion to play for such a huge club.

 

[klsv]

Since losing back to back against Pool and Burnley in January, we've gone on a run of 11 games unbeaten. With ourselves beating Chelsea and City along the way. The run took us to being one point off third and a three goal margin of a goal difference away from being fourth with three games to go. Yet some of you are making it sound as if we're in a position as shit as we were in January.

 

[RashysTekkers]

There's still 3 games to play and some lot here acting like we just lost 5-0 and got relegated. Talk about knee jerk and over dramatic.

 

[Slysi17]

I live in New Zealand and Manchester United play on the 17th July here which is my birthday. I hope they give me a birthday present of being in the top four and beating Crystal Palace.

 

[The holy trinity 68]

The lads have just gone unbeaten for 18 games, how can you not be proud of that. What I am saying is you can’t just look at a subjective league table when the team have got more points than even Liverpool and City since Bruno joined.

The project is ahead of schedule anyway, no way were we expected to make top 4 at the start of the season. How the team is moving in the right direction is a massive positive and the league table in 3 games time is subjective for who is the best teams. Taking into account how bad this team was the first half of the season. This isn’t the same team, it looks and performs completely different.

If we finish 5th, we are still better than Chelsea and Leicester and are on the right track for the next few years.

The 2nd half of the season, this team has been breaking records and performing admirably and if you are going to judge everything for the future on this seasons league table then you do that.

Other people can see what we are building towards.

 

[Drainy]

You make some valid points, but tell me you watched that game last night and you felt proud of that team? You watched some of our shit shows this season and you were proud of them? Nah mate, I ain't proud of these lot until they prove to be worthy of wearing the iconic shirt. Not when they bottle a must win game at home against Southampton. The same Southampton that we failed to beat when they were at home with 10 players, the same Southampton that we only beat 2 out of 7 matches in the last couple of years.

We are so used to winning that it difficult to accept less than that.

I wouldn't say I am proud of this team overall, but every team starts off like this before it develops into a proper team. It may never happen and we could end up mediocre in the end but inconsistency and poor results are expected at this stage of development. Hurts every time but the team look to be heading in the right direction and faster than expected so at least that is positive. No one would have expected this squad to go 18 unbeaten at any point this season, even if yesterday feels like a loss because of the context.

 

[Pow]

The lads have just gone unbeaten for 18 games, how can you not be proud of that. What I am saying is you can’t just look at a subjective league table when the team have got more points than even Liverpool and City since Bruno joined.

The project is ahead of schedule anyway, no way were we expected to make top 4 at the start of the season. How the team is moving in the right direction is a massive positive and the league table in 3 games time is subjective for who is the best teams. Taking into account how bad this team was the first half of the season. This isn’t the same team, it looks and performs completely different.

If we finish 5th, we are still better than Chelsea and Leicester and are on the right track for the next few years.

The 2nd half of the season, this team has been breaking records and performing admirably and if you are going to judge everything for the future on this seasons league table then you do that.

Other people can see what we are building towards.

Lmfao what revisionism is this ?
You were absolutely expected to finish top 4 at the start of the season. Anything below is a failure.

 

[Judas]

Lmfao what revisionism is this ?
You were absolutely expected to finish top 4 at the start of the season. Anything below is a failure.

I don't think many on here were confident of achieving such a feat at the start of the season, I know I wasn't.

 

[Pow]

I don't think many on here were confident of achieving such a feat at the start of the season, I know I wasn't.

And what 4 teams pray tell were expected to finish ahead of you ?

 

[Greck]

Lmfao what revisionism is this ?
You were absolutely expected to finish top 4 at the start of the season. Anything below is a failure.

I don't know if the majority expected us to finish top 4 but people like myself who thought it was possible we could finish outside top 4 did so with the expectations that it would be Spurs and arsenal beating us to it. With those clubs flopping hard it should be us replacing them not Leicester

 

[Judas]

Take you pick out of Spurs or Arsenal don't care, but we didn't look like a squad capable of finishing top 4. Confidence was low going into the season.

 

[AneRu]

I think we blew it, we now need to win against Palace and West Ham and I don't see us doing that. Looking at how mentally soft this team is we will do well to avoid a collapse.

 

[treble_winner]

The lads have just gone unbeaten for 18 games, how can you not be proud of that. What I am saying is you can’t just look at a subjective league table when the team have got more points than even Liverpool and City since Bruno joined.

The project is ahead of schedule anyway, no way were we expected to make top 4 at the start of the season. How the team is moving in the right direction is a massive positive and the league table in 3 games time is subjective for who is the best teams. Taking into account how bad this team was the first half of the season. This isn’t the same team, it looks and performs completely different.

If we finish 5th, we are still better than Chelsea and Leicester and are on the right track for the next few years.

The 2nd half of the season, this team has been breaking records and performing admirably and if you are going to judge everything for the future on this seasons league table then you do that.

Other people can see what we are building towards.

You have some valid points. The things is...this is exactly what Liverpool fans and RAWK have been saying for the last 30 years. There's a fine line between "being patient" and "accepting mediocre". You cannot say a league table is "subjective" when they are all hard cold stats and numbers. Stats don't line. Points don't line. We have been hovering around 5 to 6 for too long.

In Jose's first season here (2016 - 2017) we also went on a winning run and approaching top 4. Then we fell apart and had to focus on Europa League to get to Champions League. Right now if we cannot get top, this unbeaten run you talked about would end up being the same as the old Jose's unbeaten rule. They will be forgotten swiftly. We need tangible results, not just a nice run here and there to boost up hope only to give everything up again.

You said we have come a long way, but I don't think we have learned that much from last season's ending. The manner in which we drew against Southampton last night was exactly the same as the way we ended the season last time: Lackluster, frustrated and mentally weak. Now our entire left flank is decimated with no LB. If we put Dalot there, Rashford would surely have to contribute in defense way more and his attacking output would decrease. This would let to a decrease in both goal outputs and his fitness. I actually think the situation is much grimmer than many of you assumed. We could be on course to a similar collapsing end to our season, much like last year. And I'd be really glad if I'm wrong.

 

[Greck]

I think we blew it, we now need to win against Palace and West Ham and I don't see us doing that. Looking at how mentally soft this team is we will do well to avoid a collapse.

Leicester have to beat 5th, 7th and 8th. Chelsea have to beat 1st and 6th on the table. What are the odds they both win all their games? That's without even factoring their atrocious forms. This thing is wide open

 

[Pow]

I don't know if the majority expected us to finish top 4 but people like myself who thought it was possible we could finish outside top 4 did so with the expectations that it would be Spurs and arsenal beating us to it. With those clubs flopping hard it should be us replacing them not Leicester

Take you pick out of Spurs or Arsenal don't care, but we didn't look like a squad capable of finishing top 4. Confidence was low going into the season.

Neither of them were expected to finish above you at all.
Spurs come off losing 20 odd games last season and losing a cl final.
Arsenal signed david luiz ffs to fix their defensive issues.
No one expected Leicester to do what they did.
Lets not pretend after bolstering your defence for big money you expected to finish 5th or below.

 

[Berbasbullet]

Now we will see what this team is made of, bouncing back is a hallmark of champions. Need to see a reaction here.

 

[Drainy]

Lmfao what revisionism is this ?
You were absolutely expected to finish top 4 at the start of the season. Anything below is a failure.

We really weren't. We sold our best striker replacing him with young players and lost our starting midfielder on a free and replaced him with young players. We also started the season with Lingard and Andreas as the starting number 10s between them and Dan James was a starting winger.

Then decided to loan out squad players who just don't fit but would still likely would be in the match day squad because we wanted a cultural reboot and to develop younger players with a future at the club.

Maybe if you judge a squad by how much was spent in the previous window you'd expect big things but the club looked at the squad and expected a tough season possibly finishing as low as 8or 9th if things went wrong with injuries to key players.

 

[The holy trinity 68]

Lmfao what revisionism is this ?
You were absolutely expected to finish top 4 at the start of the season. Anything below is a failure.

Expected to finish top 4 by who?

 

[The holy trinity 68]

We really weren't. We sold our best striker replacing him with young players and lost our starting midfielder on a free and replaced him with young players. We also started the season with Lingard and Andreas as the starting number 10s between them and Dan James was a starting winger.

Then decided to loan out squad players who just don't fit but would still likely would be in the match day squad because we wanted a cultural reboot and to develop younger players with a future at the club.

Maybe if you judge a squad by how much was spent in the previous window you'd expect big things but the club looked at the squad and expected a tough season possibly finishing as low as 8or 9th if things went wrong with injuries to key players.

Thank you. Exactly.

 

[Greck]

Neither of them were expected to finish above you at all.
Spurs come off losing 20 odd games last season and losing a cl final.
Arsenal signed david luiz ffs to fix their defensive issues.
No one expected Leicester to do what they did.
Lets not pretend after bolstering your defence for big money you expected to finish 5th or below.

The people you quoted were agreeing with you. I was at least. The early season prediction was based on the top 6 actually finishing top 6

 

[The holy trinity 68]

Neither of them were expected to finish above you at all.
Spurs come off losing 20 odd games last season and losing a cl final.
Arsenal signed david luiz ffs to fix their defensive issues.
No one expected Leicester to do what they did.
Lets not pretend after bolstering your defence for big money you expected to finish 5th or below.

City, Liverpool, Chelsea and Spurs all had better teams at the start if the season. If you don’t believe that then you are kidding your self.