The benefit with challenging for the top 4 is that you are able to drop silly points. That's why it's a top 4 race and not a title race.
Top Four Race 2017/18
- Thread starter Damien
- Start date
We will be lucky to finish 4th unless we click soon.
If liverpool wins it is 5 points clear. Not great not bad. But we must win all those "easy games". 4 points dropped in 4 days. That is not good
We're having a dip in form for god sake, we won't be "lucky to finish 4th" at all.
Some of you lose your damn minds I swear.
If we don't stop conceding set piece goals we're in trouble. The players can't even clear a ball safely.
Looks like we'll be drawn into that top four battle before I anticipated. I was hoping we would be able to bring home a couple of three pointers now to keep it at arms length, but at this point I'm well and truly fearing whether we'll be able to hold on to a top four spot. Right now we're realistically looking at our third straight season where we lose all semblance of form around the new year, and in the previous two we've shown no ability to stem the tide when it's happened.
For me, it'll be a positive surprise if we manage to get through February without dropping out of the top four.
For me, it'll be a positive surprise if we manage to get through February without dropping out of the top four.
It may not be as much a foregone a conclusion as some thought. Liverpool, to me, definitely look a top 4 side. And Spurs are hitting form as well. We are postioned well but need to recover form. 2 points from the last 3.`
We will be. You can be as blinkered as you want.
Watching the other contenders, we’re playing by far the worst football. Very worrying times.
Could easily see us finishing behind Spurs again but we'll get top four. Not at all impressed by Chelsea or Arsenal and as good as Liverpool can look, they always have a potential clanger in them.
Points difference has varied between 4 and 7 for most of the season but goal difference came in from 20 to 8
Exactly. That is so true. There will be a lot of points dropped and the teams who drop less will get into the top 4 by default.
Agree, the teams that drop the least points will usually get the higher spots on the table.
That needs updating la.Points difference has varied between 4 and 7 for most of the season but goal difference came in from 20 to 8
You're always at it with the dramatics
Im emotional ....You're always at it with the dramatics
When that free kick went in I punched the counter top and broke my kids flash yoyo that he got from Santa.
Mate you need a Xmas Chill Pill! We'll be ok I promise.Im emotional ....
When that free kick went in I punched the counter top and broke my kids flash yoyo that he got from Santa.
What I will say: I agree that we need to improve and quickly. I knew today wouldn't go well with Ibrahimovich starting, he slows everything down.
We're seemingly doing our best to replicate that dreadful Christmas under Van Gaal.
Southampton up next, they need to be gunned down.
Southampton up next, they need to be gunned down.
I was just trying to remember the last time football didn’t make me want to self combust at Christmas. We always find a way to ruin it lately!
The "logic" was good today, Ibra in there as well as Burnley offer nothing going forward and we'll need his "Know how" to unlock a packed defence.
Then they inexplicably get one then two up.
We did pretty well to rescue it I think.
Well if we lost against them it would be December 2015 all over again. The memory of the 0-1 defeat in January 2016 at OT still haunts me.
Home defeats are the worst thing in football. It was a big thing that we didn't lose today, even if every single fan would have been disappointed with a draw pre game
From +9 difference to around +4 at the moment
Swansea are useless.They really are shite . Hopefully we should close the gap even more.From +9 difference to around +4 at the moment
Liverpool have taken a massive chunk from the goal difference gap.
That's worth a point in a top 4 race.
Shit.
That's worth a point in a top 4 race.
Shit.
Yeah, from +20 to +3 in 11 games is bad. Liverpool are gaining confidence while we're losing it at the moment.
Top 4 should be brilliant this year. Its unfortunate that there will not be a title race this year but city are well deserving off there lead and are quite a big margin ahead of the rest in terms of consistency.
United as most non United fans predicted have started to drop points, there matches leading up to this whilst wins were not at all convincing.
Chelsea have shown that they struggle to break down teams playing deep and so are guaranteed to slip up a few more times. The other 3 teams are all different variations of inconsistency.
I still predict as I have thought for a few weeks;
City
Chelsea
United
Spurs
United as most non United fans predicted have started to drop points, there matches leading up to this whilst wins were not at all convincing.
Chelsea have shown that they struggle to break down teams playing deep and so are guaranteed to slip up a few more times. The other 3 teams are all different variations of inconsistency.
I still predict as I have thought for a few weeks;
City
Chelsea
United
Spurs
Or four.
Still see us finishing the season at 2nd place , which would be a great improvement.However, it would have even great had we been close to city and not others.
Football isn't a science.
Any team, at any time, will go on a dodgy run.
Liverpool are far more likely to go on that dodgy run than the others nearer the top. Although we've been dodgy last few fixtures.
Saying that, who gives a crap really? Whilst the CL is great, I want us to challenge for trophies. Just being in the CL is meh when you're as big as Man Utd or Liverpool. Both clubs are a million miles away from where they aspire to be right now.
Any team, at any time, will go on a dodgy run.
Liverpool are far more likely to go on that dodgy run than the others nearer the top. Although we've been dodgy last few fixtures.
Saying that, who gives a crap really? Whilst the CL is great, I want us to challenge for trophies. Just being in the CL is meh when you're as big as Man Utd or Liverpool. Both clubs are a million miles away from where they aspire to be right now.
Ah yeah, +4. Forgot United drew.
Players. If we finish out of the top four and don't get CL football it'll be harder to attract players as well as keep hold of the likes of De Gea.
Yep, how can a player like De Gea not be in the CL? Unthinkable.
Hmm not having that. We attracted the likes of Di Maria when we were rubbish.
City bought who they wanted without CL. Same for PSG.
Liverpool still attract good players despite being terrible for decades.
Football is mostly about money now. CL is overrated.
Real Madrid booted him out and he didn't even want us. Only came here because PSG were hamstrung financially and he had nowhere else to go.
Situation with City and PSG happened years ago.
Fair enough with Liverpool though their squad isn't exactly brimming with talent apart from the front line and they still lose their best players - see Sterling and Suarez.
Looking at that list just makes me feel sadIt's ok lads it's meant to be next season
12/13 Man Utd
13/14 Man City
14/15 Chelsea
15/16 Leicester
16/17 Chelsea
17/18 Man City
18/19
as damien pointed out, Di Maria never wanted to join
Fair enough. But just being in the CL doesn't guarantee better players.
Money talks first and foremost. If City or PSG didn't make the CL this season, they'd still buy world class players in the summer.
We have loads of money. It's whether our owner's want to spend it.
Im emotional ....
When that free kick went in I punched the counter top and broke my kids flash yoyo that he got from Santa.
That's terrible