Even if you win your next 2 games its unlikely you'll make up 4 points on either City or Liverpool, you'd expect them both to pick up at least one win, though Liverpool do have a tough run starting now so you could pass them in 3 or maybe 4 games time. Given this season its hard to know though... results are crazy.
Top 4 race 2016/17
- Thread starter Yorkeontop
- Start date
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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?
Said it since November. Our best shot of CL is still the EL. We simply won't score enough goals to finish top four.
We don't get many weekends where all teams drop points which makes me conclude the race is over. The last few games has been so frustrating to watch.
We have no flow and no one seems up for a fight. Bunch of over paid dabbing twats.
We have no flow and no one seems up for a fight. Bunch of over paid dabbing twats.
I was berated and laughed at when I said we wouldn't make top 4 in November. I was told naive facts like "um, we're 3 points behind with 25 games to go". It's like form doesn't exist, patterns don't exist, our weaknesses don't exist. No, all that mattered was that we were a number of points behind with a number of games to go. That's such a shallow way to discuss an issue and has an element of burying one's head in the sand about it.
As far back as October and November I repeatedly said that:
1- We could never take advantage of our rivals dropped points.
2- We couldn't do anywhere near enough against the teams above us (currently 1 win in 6, 4 home games).
3- We were nowhere near good enough against the teams under us in the table. In response to that I was bizarrely told that we were doing better against teams below us compared to LVG, and when I responded that LVG was much better against big teams than we have been this season, so it balances out, the replies stopped.
It's not a shame to face the reality and just because you enjoy the football under Mourinho doesn't mean his results haven't been absolutely pathetic. We won't even go into his decisions.
There are certain traits about this squad that confirm we won't get top 4 and they're crystal clear for everyone to see. Better to see it now than later on in the season when it will hurt much more. I accepted it a couple of months ago which is why I also kept saying that I was losing interest in our league season and was more focused on our cup campaigns, especially the Europa League. As expected I was mocked for that too.
You could see this result coming from miles away and I would actually bet that if Spurs, Arsenal and Liverpool won last night, we would have won tonight. Our players simply can't deal with the pressure and have no cojones. There are reasons things happen and there are reasons why we can never get ahead. They're the same reasons it won't change even at the end of the season.
My advice is to look forward to the Europa League, stop degrading it as a Mickey Mouse competition and believe we can win that, somehow. Personally, I have completely lost interest in our league season as of tonight.
As far back as October and November I repeatedly said that:
1- We could never take advantage of our rivals dropped points.
2- We couldn't do anywhere near enough against the teams above us (currently 1 win in 6, 4 home games).
3- We were nowhere near good enough against the teams under us in the table. In response to that I was bizarrely told that we were doing better against teams below us compared to LVG, and when I responded that LVG was much better against big teams than we have been this season, so it balances out, the replies stopped.
It's not a shame to face the reality and just because you enjoy the football under Mourinho doesn't mean his results haven't been absolutely pathetic. We won't even go into his decisions.
There are certain traits about this squad that confirm we won't get top 4 and they're crystal clear for everyone to see. Better to see it now than later on in the season when it will hurt much more. I accepted it a couple of months ago which is why I also kept saying that I was losing interest in our league season and was more focused on our cup campaigns, especially the Europa League. As expected I was mocked for that too.
You could see this result coming from miles away and I would actually bet that if Spurs, Arsenal and Liverpool won last night, we would have won tonight. Our players simply can't deal with the pressure and have no cojones. There are reasons things happen and there are reasons why we can never get ahead. They're the same reasons it won't change even at the end of the season.
My advice is to look forward to the Europa League, stop degrading it as a Mickey Mouse competition and believe we can win that, somehow. Personally, I have completely lost interest in our league season as of tonight.
I'm annoyed by all our draws too, but to give up on top 4 with 15 games to go and only a 4 point gap, is just silly. Teams have eaten up twice that amount in half the time.
I'm not confident we'll even win our next two, gone off the boil at the wrong time. Gotta keep hoping though.
Me too. For some reason the rest of the Caf just didn't want to face the music. It's turning out exactly the way we predicted, shocking how that works.
I thought the same but after the huge missed opportunity today, I'm just disheartened. I'd be more confident if we haven't been total piss since the start of 2017.
Have you seen how they react to anything Liverpool related?
I had to put a disclaimer in there, anyway all that mocking of our home draw with the Champions elect looks ridiculous now after tonight.We're better off going for the europa league. We seem to be doing everything in our power to stay 6th in the league at the moment.
His statement is spot on. He's been hyped up so much in his absence that he'd surely win the Grand National and Super Bowl for good measure upon his return.
Anyone seen our fixtures in May?
Arsenal (A), Tottenham (A), Palace (H)
We'd have to be a minimum 5 points ahead of 5th if we was to get top 4 with those being our final 3 games.
Arsenal (A), Tottenham (A), Palace (H)
We'd have to be a minimum 5 points ahead of 5th if we was to get top 4 with those being our final 3 games.
We won't finish top 4, at least that's what I'm forcing myself to believe from now on so I won't get angry, frustrated and disappointed almost every week. It's not impossible to reach the 4th spot however, but if we keep drawing against shite teams at home say bye-bye to champions league.
It's absolutely crucial that we gain points now because nearing the end of the season, we have a bunch of difficult away games and our record against the top 6 is not something to brag about.
It's absolutely crucial that we gain points now because nearing the end of the season, we have a bunch of difficult away games and our record against the top 6 is not something to brag about.
We're a Benny Hill show whenever we have a chance of actually getting close to that fourth spot. Embarrassing.
We're not getting fourth, and the sooner we deal with it collectively, the more pleasant of a place the Caf will be.
We're not getting fourth, and the sooner we deal with it collectively, the more pleasant of a place the Caf will be.
thats the spirit
The worst for the games to come is the confidence hole the squad is digging for themselves, very difficult to come out by sheer strength and willpower now, also because there is no historical block of players allowed to speak for the group, only Rooney and Carrick maybe and both looking spent so not leading by example. Leicester - United is going to be a game for the damned imho because a draw would kill both.
There's also the City away game still to be rescheduled. Good chance it could be somewhere near our final 3 games.
How do you know if Iam agitated by reading that ?
Iam far from agitated mate.
You can tell your head is twatted by your last comment.
Anyway. Ta - Ra .
Yeah, it does suck to be in the real world instead of fairytale "easy fixtures coming up", "just need to finish our chances" la la land, I'll give you that.
Some of you need to get a grip. You're not out of the race in the slightest (all the way up to second).
All 6 of those teams have weaknesses, either in terms of squads, individual positions or mentality. The only position I'm convinced about is Chelsea. Otherwise 2-6 could be any teams in any order.
All 6 of those teams have weaknesses, either in terms of squads, individual positions or mentality. The only position I'm convinced about is Chelsea. Otherwise 2-6 could be any teams in any order.
You'll be fine. One game per week for the next 15 weeks, an easy run-in and you're home dry. Klopp was always going to struggle a bit with his high-intensity pressing when the fixtures were coming thick and fast in a ludicrous Christmas/New Year schedule. None of that to worry about now. It's Spurs and particularly Arsenal that have the most to be concerned about in my view.
The main problem with us is the clear lack of attacking prowess in this team that can rival the teams above us, we're just so impotent in front of goal and it's going to cost us. We're not going to get many big opportunities like today.
Yes defence wins titles. Scoring 33 in 23 doesn't.
We're not out of it by a long shot, but it's looking more and more unlikely-
Financial times prediction model gives us a 13% chance of top 4. 55% chance of staying in 6th. Won't be far wrong.Tweet
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I'm not saying that you'll definitely get in or anything like that (or even that you're likely).
However, I'm looking at the teams 2-6. Not one of them is amazingly strong mentally imo.
Now, my own team (Spurs) have made huge strides in that over the past few years but I'd hardly say we're steady as rocks. Nor Liverpool nor Arsenal nor Man City. Or you for that matter.
But I just don't see the point in giving up so easily. 4 points to 4th, 5 to 2nd. Admittedly you'll need to collect one more due to GD. That's a swing of 2 games. Not exactly impossible.
Every top six team bar Man City, and possibly LFC, will be annoyed with themselves over the last round of fixtures. Still all to play for to be fair, just got to put a run of games together, Chelsea are where they are because of consistency.
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We seem to be intent on never making the Champions League. Look at last season, if we'd drawn with West Ham we'd have made it and we're 2-1 up with less than 20mins to go and we lose 3-2. Every time we have the opportunity to seize it we don't capitalise. I can see another late season feck up to finish outside the top 4 again. We're better off going for the Europa League. Our league form is completely hindered by incredibly inept finishing every single week, without fail.
feck off.
None of the top 6 bar Chelsea are that impressive. Each has gone through periods in which they looked really good and through bad periods. Do I think we are amazing and deserve to be in the top 4? Not necessarily. I think we have a good chance though because I see the other four teams having glaring issues as well.
At this point we are obviously at a disadvantage because of the small point advantage the others have on us. I would say though that we do have some advantages. We have a good run of games coming up and we have a deeper squad than some other teams.
At this point we are obviously at a disadvantage because of the small point advantage the others have on us. I would say though that we do have some advantages. We have a good run of games coming up and we have a deeper squad than some other teams.
Jesus Christ. You missed it again ! His statement was that 99% of Liverpool supporters on here think we will win the PL (which not one of us has said so it's our fabricated BS) the bit about Mane was just a childish name change I have no issue with.
Close this thread and we will make it
A few weeks ago there were a few that had convinced themselves we could challenge Chelsea 
I'm having serious doubts, to be honest. We have consistently failed to break teams like Hull down that sit back against us and it's a real problem. We have the joint highest amount of draws in the league and the majority of those games were very winnable, that we dominated but were completely useless in front of goal.
We really need to beat Leicester on Sunday.
Chelsea are a cert.
Arsenal have it within their DNA.
Tottenham are just too solid at the moment.
City seem to be getting their swagger back at the perfectly wrong time for us.
We're definitely not out of it, just can't see us realistically making it past any one of the teams mentioned above without a dramatic change in the team's performance levels, which seems highly unlikely. And that's without mentioning Liverpool who have nothing else to focus on.
Arsenal have it within their DNA.
Tottenham are just too solid at the moment.
City seem to be getting their swagger back at the perfectly wrong time for us.
We're definitely not out of it, just can't see us realistically making it past any one of the teams mentioned above without a dramatic change in the team's performance levels, which seems highly unlikely. And that's without mentioning Liverpool who have nothing else to focus on.
We won't get Top 4 as long as Rooney is our attacking sub in games where we are chasing a goal.
We got bailed out again by the teams in front of us loosing points as well. If we don't improve, it will be difficult.
It's more frustrating and costly for us to drop points when teams above us do. Keeping on track with them and not capitalising when they finally do slip up is why we've been in 6th place for about 12 games in a row.
We just can't seem to take advantage and all these home draws will be what costs us.
More frustrating yes but we're not in a much worse position than before this gameweek. Our chances of top 4 haven't changed much, but the way we're playing is so uninspiring, I can't see us making it if we don't find ways to improve. We can't blame profiligacy in front of goal anyomore, we have hardly been creating chances like before.
Whilst I completely agree with most of your points I'm not quite as despondant to the league, I do think we have a gold carrot in the Europa League and I think the advantage to us is that it doesn't rely on anyone else slipping up.
A couple of counter points, Jose has nothing to do with this freak cloud hanging over us, last season and the season before we had an alarming lack of ability to capitalise on rivals dropped points, like you I absolutely knew we wouldnt win and even in the pre-match thread I said "not a chance we win this game".
I just dont get it at all, how is it possible that we just dont show the desire to win games like this, it was HULL bottom 3 side at home, I was going crazy watching the game it drove me throw a shirt hanger across the room lol, I just knew it.
I think we should focus on EL and just get into the CL, there is a fat chance we win it but to be honest if Sevilla can do it, we certainly can. A nice trio of cups FA, League and EL would be absolutely amazing.
I think our rivals will screw up more and we will again fail to capitalise, it will happen and well be locked into 6th until the end of the season. We have to win the Europa League, does anyone know if we go into the group stage or need to qualify?
They are going through their tough games now and in the coming few weeks. Soon they will, for the most part, be over, while our difficult matches will still be ahead of us.