Top Four Race 2017/18

[RedSky]

Liverpool beat Brighton and they are in the top 4. Tottenham need a win and a draw. Chelsea need 2 wins and need to hope Liverpool/Spurs slip up. Liverpool could even draw against Brighton and if Chelsea drop points they'll finish Top 4.

Pressure is on though and a lot of the players are starting to play for the world cup rather than their clubs (i.e. not trying to get injured).

If one of Southampton/Swansea win in their midweek game then it relegates West Brom. If however they draw then it gives West Brom a chance of staying up, which frankly is incredible.

 

[alsabi]

The only teams in the PL who cannot move up or down the table from their current positions are City, Arsenal and Burnley.

 

[Akshay]

If you really think we're going to lose to brighton with a week of full rest then you're delusional.

I think you'll make it anyway, but you may need a win not just to avoid losing.

 

[el3mel]

Can see it Spurs are going to bottle the 4th place aren't they ?

 

[Kentonio]

Nice top 4 you’ve got there Liverpool. Be a shame if anything happened to it..

 

[dwd]

Why are we playing West Ham on Thursday?

 

[Toni's Left Foot]

If you really think we're going to lose to brighton with a week of full rest then you're delusional.

If Liverpool only manage a draw against Brighton you can finish out of the top 4.

 

[Bojan11]

Newcastle away is hardly a banker win for Chelsea. They have a mixed record there and then you have Benitez.

So even if Liverpool or Spurs drop points, Chelsea still need to do their job which is a tougher game than what the other two teams have got.

 

[Joe Cole Is Exhausted]

Not over yet! That was just the kind of result we've been getting lately. Not pretty, but resolute and determined. Is it too much to hope that Liverpool has blown itself out? Scoreless in their last two Prem games. Just need a draw from them now!

 

[Kapardin]

Newcastle away is hardly a banker win for Chelsea. They have a mixed record there and then you have Benitez.

So even if Liverpool or Spurs drop points, Chelsea still need to do their job which is a tougher game than what the other two teams have got.

Newcastle have nothing to play for when they face Chelsea. There is certainly an advantage in that.

 

[Sky1981]

Probably the tiredest we've looked all season which is understandable at this stage after all the Champions league games and injury pile up in midfield.

The good news being that a week off will more than likely be enough to refresh some legs.

End of the day if we can't beat Brighton at home when we absolutely must then we don't deserve it. Good news is that we were in the same position last season and came through easily enough.

Same with Spurs, the hard work has been done and will be finished off no matter Chelsea's Arsenalesque run with the pressure off.

On paper yes. But when you're put in a must win game nervousness can play it's part. Cough... crystanbul

 

[JamesO]

On paper yes. But when you're put in a must win game nervousness can play it's part. Cough... crystanbul

Ha. Crystanbul is always overstated on here. I understand why but the title was already gone when City beat Everton on the Saturday before.

If we'd just needed the win we would have got it. Trying to win by 8 goals is what caused the comeback. Look at Palace's 2nd to see that. Scored from our corner cos we'd piled forward.

 

[Irrational.]

I reckon Chelsea will get top four.

Out of Liverpool and Spurs, I can see Spurs bottling it.

 

[Don Juan Matus]

If you really think we're going to lose to brighton with a week of full rest then you're delusional.

You had a full week of rest before the West Brom game..

 

[AgentP]

A Spurs draw and a Chelsea win will setup the final week perfectly.

 

[RedMane]

I’m not sure you can say an established top four team Glaston with confidence going forward as I think it’s a bit of both occurring the last 4-5 years. With regards EPL quality amongst the “top traditional teams” (for a better phrase sorry) Chelsea City Arsenal United and Liverpool who have normally been there or there about have all dipped in quality. Spurs have improved as did Leicester who both capsulised on this down turn. Not Spurs fault but that’s how I saw it.
This season from united down to yourself we have benifited from Chelsea and Arsenal in disarray. If Chelsea had not been so bad I think you guys or Liverpool would miss out on top 4 (margins that fine) and Poch or Klopp would be getting viewed differently. That’s been out your hands granted and nothing to do directly with Poch but he’s really benefited this season from a poor season by Chelsea league wise or he’d be getting pelters as press/football fans are that fickle nowadays.
The fact Spurs have the best team in North London has not really came to anything as Arsenal still have continued to been more successful since Poch joined Spurs. This season is a disaster from Arsenal granted but the fall out from uncertainty of Wenger has plagued them the last 2-3 years. Yet comparing them to you guys is baffling as I’d pick your team/players hands down but it’s not worked that way regarding trophies etc so I’m not sure who’s to blame or get credit but it’s just baffling he gets so much praise yet Wenger is slated. Do you see what I’m saying my friend (I might not be putting it great).

IMO Arsenal and especially Chelsea ain't in as big a disarray as lot of people making it out, especially at this stage of season. If you take a look at points table you will see Chelsea at 69 points with two games to go, they look set to make it 75 points in 38 games( on average 68 points are enough), which would have guarantee them champions league football in every season with 20 teams in the league. But if Liverpool wins Chelsea will miss out on top four, so Spurs are going to qualify not because Arsenal or Chelsea were bad but more because Liverpool and Ours raised the bar for top four. Which is making Chelsea look worse than they have been.

 

[Random Task]

A Spurs draw and a Chelsea win will setup the final week perfectly.

That'll make for a great final day.

 

[Dumbstar]

Nice top 4 you’ve got there Liverpool. Be a shame if anything happened to it..

There's a famous saying on redcafe: it's the hope that kills.

 

[cyberman]

If you really think we're going to lose to brighton with a week of full rest then you're delusional.

A weeks rest means little at this stage, the damage is already done.
We experienced this ourselves last year when we tanked the league for EL. We still had Pogba actually collapsing from exhaustion v Burnley.
Its tired minds more than anything.

 

[CA1]

Got a feeling Brighton will get a result. Klopp's arse will be going big time next week.

The only thing is I can see is one of Chelsea/Spurs fecking up. Chelsea have a terrible record at St James' Park.

 

[Random Task]

Newcastle away is hardly a banker win for Chelsea. They have a mixed record there and then you have Benitez.

So even if Liverpool or Spurs drop points, Chelsea still need to do their job which is a tougher game than what the other two teams have got.

If Chelsea beat Huddersfield midweek, the momentum will be firmly with them going in to the final day of the season. Liverpool looked exhausted today and a weeks rest isn't going to make much difference truth be told. They also have one eye transfixed on that CL final as an alternative to CL football next season. Chelsea and Spurs do not have that luxury, they will be pulling out all the stops to finish in the top 4.

 

[caid]

It would be incredibly spursy for them to feck up top 4. They definitely have it in their locker

 

[endless_wheelies]

It's still too late for Chelsea. Liverpool have fluffed their lines with deliberately weakened teams for the Champions League in recent weeks but with next week's game pretty isolated in scheduling they'll likely crush an already safe Brighton at home. Brighton also have to play Man City away three days before just for a kicker.

Tottenham are more likely to slip up but with their games being at home to comfortably mid-table and form-plummeting Newcastle and Leicester - also only needing to avoid defeat in one or two draws - it's unlikely they'll slip up enough.

 

[CA1]

I'd rather be in Spurs' position than Liverpool's as far as Top 4 race goes. They have two pretty easy home games and can afford another slip.

 

[el3mel]

I'd rather be in Spurs' position than Liverpool's as far as Top 4 race goes. They have two pretty easy home games and can afford another slip.

You never know with Spurs, massive bottlers that crumble under pressure. If I'm going to bet on one missing top 4, I'm going to bet all my money on Spurs.

 

[Klopper76]

A weeks rest means little at this stage, the damage is already done.
We experienced this ourselves last year when we tanked the league for EL. We still had Pogba actually collapsing from exhaustion v Burnley.
Its tired minds more than anything.

You really think we’ll fail to beat Brighton next week?

 

[cyberman]

You really think we’ll fail to beat Brighton next week?

You've won once in five games and they just beat us!
You'll need to fill Salah up with plenty of red bull for it though

 

[Tincanalley]

So Utd are guaranteed second now? Maths not my strong suite.

 

[breakout67]

You really think we’ll fail to beat Brighton next week?

Coutinho was amazing against Brighton earlier in the season, I think losing Chamberlain and Lallana has hurt you a lot.

 

[alsabi]

So Utd are guaranteed second now? Maths not my strong suite.

Not quite, if Spurs win both of their games and we lose both of ours they'll finish above us on GD. Need a point to guarantee it.

 

[Klopper76]

You've won once in five games and they just beat us!
You'll need to fill Salah up with plenty of red bull for it though

We’ve got a week to prepare for it I think we’ll be fine. We haven’t dropped many points at home to sides outside the top six I don’t think.

 

[Klopper76]

Coutinho was amazing against Brighton earlier in the season, I think losing Chamberlain and Lallana has hurt you a lot.

So were Salah and Firmino. Lallana should be fit for Brighton. Can maybe for the final.

 

[breakout67]

So were Salah and Firmino. Lallana should be fit for Brighton. Can maybe for the final.

If Lallana is fit then I see you breezing past them. I think every team needs that playmaking midfielder to regularly beat the smaller sides.

 

[Klopper76]

If Lallana is fit then I see you breezing past them. I think every team needs that playmaking midfielder to regularly beat the smaller sides.

I think it depends on the opponent but most of the time I’d say you’re right.

 

[Random Task]

So were Salah and Firmino. Lallana should be fit for Brighton. Can maybe for the final.

It really is a squad game and Liverpools lack of depth has shone through towards the end of the season. Thought Lallana and Can were out for the season.

 

[Klopper76]

It really is a squad game and Liverpools lack of depth has shone through towards the end of the season. Thought Lallana and Can were out for the season.

Lallana should be fit beforehand and we’ll know more about Can tomorrow. He has a scan or something. Matip and Chamberlain are ruled out.

 

[DRM]

I know this isn't the thread for it, but listening to the Liverpool fans moaning about tiredness after a CL semi, not evening fighting for the league and out of the FA cup makes me appreciate the united 99 treble team so much more.

Semi v juve, semi v arsenal, final league game v spurs then still to play Bayern in the CL final. feck me what a team, what an achievement.

 

[Klopper76]

I know this isn't the thread for it, but listening to the Liverpool fans moaning about tiredness after a CL semi, not evening fighting for the league and out of the FA cup makes me appreciate the united 99 treble team so much more.

Semi v juve, semi v arsenal, final league game v spurs then still to play Bayern in the CL final. feck me what a team, what an achievement.

Teams like that don’t exist any more. When was the last time an English side competed for the league and CL in the same season? United in 10/11?

 

[Lawman]

IMO Arsenal and especially Chelsea ain't in as big a disarray as lot of people making it out, especially at this stage of season. If you take a look at points table you will see Chelsea at 69 points with two games to go, they look set to make it 75 points in 38 games( on average 68 points are enough), which would have guarantee them champions league football in every season with 20 teams in the league. But if Liverpool wins Chelsea will miss out on top four, so Spurs are going to qualify not because Arsenal or Chelsea were bad but more because Liverpool and Ours raised the bar for top four. Which is making Chelsea look worse than they have been.

Points this season are strange as bottom 11 with a couple games to go are all under 41 points or less and too 4 as you rightfully state are higher. We could win leagues with our tally in a very average league.

 

[Summit]

I'd rather be in Spurs' position than Liverpool's as far as Top 4 race goes. They have two pretty easy home games and can afford another slip.

If Spurs lose their next game ("another slip") and Chelsea win, they are out the top four going into the last game of the season. Have I read the table wrong, not sure what you mean regarding they can afford another slip? Do you mean another draw?