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

Adnan

Talent Spotter
Joined
Oct 5, 2013
Messages
29,891
Location
England
We need to go for it against West Ham and start the game strong. Push the defensive line high and impose our game from the get go. If we score early then it could rain goals and we should maintain intensity for 90 mins in the quest for goals.
 

charlenefan

Far less insightful than the other Charley
Joined
Aug 17, 2005
Messages
33,052
Who gets a Europa League place? 5th, 6th and Arsenal if they win the cup? What if Chelsea win the cup does it go to Arsenal as runners up or whoever finishes 7th?
 

Samid

He's no Bilal Ilyas Jhandir
Joined
Dec 12, 2012
Messages
49,499
Location
Oslo, Norway
Who gets a Europa League place? 5th, 6th and Arsenal if they win the cup? What if Chelsea win the cup does it go to Arsenal as runners up or whoever finishes 7th?
You have to win the cups these days or it goes to 6th and 7th.
 

charlenefan

Far less insightful than the other Charley
Joined
Aug 17, 2005
Messages
33,052
No? 5th is confirmed EL. The other two spots are reserved for the cup winners but go to 6th and 7th if cup winners already are qualified.
Ah sorry misread your last post
 

charlenefan

Far less insightful than the other Charley
Joined
Aug 17, 2005
Messages
33,052
So Sunday will be a must win for Wolves if they want to be in the EL next season otherwise they're relying on Chelsea ironically to win the FA Cup
 

Antisocial

Has a Sony home cinema
Joined
Jul 15, 2010
Messages
15,637
I really hate that the game we have with so much riding on it is against fecking West Ham :nono:
 

TheMagicFoolBus

Full Member
Joined
Nov 5, 2016
Messages
6,583
Location
Lisboa, Portugal
Supports
Chelsea
So Sunday will be a must win for Wolves if they want to be in the EL next season otherwise they're relying on Chelsea ironically to win the FA Cup
That or they have to hold on vs. Palace then hope Palace beat Spurs. A draw between Spurs and Palace won't do it for them unless they score at least five goals before full time today and only lose by 1 vs. Chelsea - Spurs are ahead by 3 in GD right now and have an insurmountable lead in goals scored.
 

charlenefan

Far less insightful than the other Charley
Joined
Aug 17, 2005
Messages
33,052
That or they have to hold on vs. Palace then hope Palace beat Spurs. A draw between Spurs and Palace won't do it for them unless they score at least five goals before full time today and only lose by 1 vs. Chelsea - Spurs are ahead by 3 in GD right now and have an insurmountable lead in goals scored.
Come on your know Palace ain't beating Spurs :lol:

I don't think they'll make personally I think the best they can hope for is a draw at the weekend and that won't be enough if Spurs win. I do believe Arsenal will win the FA Cup as well (which for the record I'd hate)
 

TheMagicFoolBus

Full Member
Joined
Nov 5, 2016
Messages
6,583
Location
Lisboa, Portugal
Supports
Chelsea
Come on your know Palace ain't beating Spurs :lol:

I don't think they'll make personally I think the best they can hope for is a draw at the weekend and that won't be enough if Spurs win. I do believe Arsenal will win the FA Cup as well (which for the record I'd hate)
It's a derby! Who the hell knows!

(Obviously I agree, but just wanted to point out that there is a scenario where they finish 6th).

Also we'll see re: the FA Cup - much will come down to Kante's fitness I reckon. If we can field Kante and Kovacic in the middle in a 3-4-3 I fancy our chances.
 

charlenefan

Far less insightful than the other Charley
Joined
Aug 17, 2005
Messages
33,052
It's a derby! Who the hell knows!

(Obviously I agree, but just wanted to point out that there is a scenario where they finish 6th).

Also we'll see re: the FA Cup - much will come down to Kante's fitness I reckon. If we can field Kante and Kovacic in the middle in a 3-4-3 I fancy our chances.
I hope you're right, cannot stomach Arsenal winning the FA Cup and the hyperbole about Arteta that will ensue
 

TheMagicFoolBus

Full Member
Joined
Nov 5, 2016
Messages
6,583
Location
Lisboa, Portugal
Supports
Chelsea
How many qualify for Europa league? Only 5th and 6th?
5th and 6th do (since City won the Carabao Cup and they're in a European place already), 7th do if Chelsea beat Arsenal in the FA Cup otherwise Arsenal get the spot.

Chelsea thus have the opportunity to deny Arsenal European football in a cup final that virtually none of their fans can attend for the second year running
 

RDCR07

Not a bad guy (Whale Killer)
Joined
Aug 14, 2009
Messages
30,410
Location
Transfer Forum
5th and 6th do, 7th do if Chelsea beat Arsenal in the FA Cup otherwise Arsenal get the spot.

Chelsea thus have the opportunity to deny Arsenal European football in a cup final that virtually none of their fans can attend for the second year running
I kinda want you to lose to Arsenal cause I don’t want Mou and Spurs in Europe next year.
 

TheMagicFoolBus

Full Member
Joined
Nov 5, 2016
Messages
6,583
Location
Lisboa, Portugal
Supports
Chelsea
I kinda want you to lose to Arsenal cause I don’t want Mou and Spurs in Europe next year.
Well that is just so rude, I never.

That said, the (cautiously) optimistic side of me is saying this'd be irrelevant as Chelsea will hopefully beat Wolves on the last day thus consigning them to 7th. Don't think Palace will beat Spurs on the final day so they'll get 6th and guaranteed EL football. I obviously am in agreement over the sentiment of wishing ill on Jose and Tottenham, however!
 

sammsky1

Pochettino's #1 fan
Joined
Feb 10, 2008
Messages
32,841
Location
London
The only good thing from loss vs Chelsea is we get FA Cup final Saturday off. Of course am hoping that we qualify via league, but that extra rest will come in handy if we need to win Europa to qualify.

Assuming we play 2nd XI vs LASK, all our key players get 15 days rest before 1/4 final on 10th August.

I’m still angry at Ole for not properly rotating but here we are. He has to play our best XI in every game and hope the extra skill outweighs fatigue factor and no-one gets muscle injuries because of tiredness.
 

RkkMan

Full Member
Joined
May 16, 2019
Messages
2,179
Very likely that Tottenham will beat Crystal Palace therefore Wolverhampton must beat Chelsea to get the important EL group stage place.

Our next opponent West Ham will be safe unless Aston Villa are beating Arsenal.

Chelsea have tough matches at Liverpool and against Wolverhampton.

Leicester have no Maddison, Chilwell, Pereira, Söyüncü & Fuchs and their defence is Justin/Bennett/Morgan/Evans/Thomas.

Everyone must be sacked if we aren't in the top 4 on Sunday evening........this scenario is a dream after what has happened against Burnley at home in January.
West Ham are already safe. Their goal difference is better than Villa`s by 14 goals no way Villa can score that many in 2 games even if West Ham lost all their games. They have no serious need to "go all out" vs Utd
 

cyberman

Full Member
Joined
May 26, 2010
Messages
37,331
God i hate Wolves. They will grind Chelsea down since theyre Burnley on steroids, plus they have the extra rest. .
 

Alemar

Full Member
Joined
Jul 11, 2017
Messages
7,604
1 goal win and a draw against West Ham are basically the same in the context of outcome needed from our game against Leicester.
Not at all - if Chelsea gets 2 draws, then 1 goal win against West Ham is enough to be above them, whereas a draw is not. It’s the same only in the context of our fight with Leicester, but top-4 race includes three teams
 

RedRonaldo

Wishes to be oppressed.
Joined
Aug 17, 2003
Messages
18,996
I think we will just beat West Ham, but maybe not by much as our players are clearly tired from overplaying without any rest. Imagine if West Ham is trying hard to press us, it won't be easy game for us with our many tired legs. So in the last game, we must at least draw against Leicester, we simply cant afford to loss.
 

Alek M

Da manic one
Joined
Aug 2, 2002
Messages
6,535
Location
M A C E D O N I A
I would feel comfortable with a 3-0 win at west ham. Everything less and I will be worried.

We probably start a defensive 451 or 5-4-1. Counter with vardy up top and can easily score one. Then we go for it and they score a second. And then open game.
 

Alek M

Da manic one
Joined
Aug 2, 2002
Messages
6,535
Location
M A C E D O N I A
If Chelsea loses today then it will be interesting. Wolves Chelsea will be a dogfight and can easily see wolves winning.

Then we can lose today and draw against Leicester. But a win against west ham will give us the luxury to draw against Leicester. Provided thag Chelsea looses today.

So come you reds.

It will be hilarious if Chelsea ends up without ucl. Then that fa cup game was a masterstroke by Ole. Fielding a strong side so that Chelsea tries hard but telling them to not put effort and winking at De Gea.
 

Dave Smith

Full Member
Joined
Oct 14, 2019
Messages
2,516
Supports
Anything anti-Dipper
If Utd do not get CL from here it will be their own fault. My prediction for Uts's next two games are:

Utd 3 - 0 WHU
Lei 2 - 2 Utd

Chelsea to miss out. I simply do not trust their defence against the Dippers and Wolves.