The Top 4. Can we get there?

I have now! F*ck knows who the other bloke was  .

Er... he was the first to say "it" this time? You must be gutted Mick. 

But I might as well be the first to say it: the both of you are off your champ. 

Er... he was the first to say "it" this time? You must be gutted Mick. 

But I might as well be the first to say it: the both of you are off your champ. 

 Nah I was the first to say it weeks ago mate. Looks like I was wrong about the "comfortably" though, it's probably going to be quite tight now  .

No we can't. We will be too far behind once Sturridge gets back to fitness. Better off writing this season off and start playing Markovic every game so he might start realising his potential and be ready for next season.

Er... he was the first to say "it" this time? You must be gutted Mick. 

But I might as well be the first to say it: the both of you are off your champ. 

Hahaha.

They way we are playing for most of the season we'll finish about 7th or 8th.

However if we beat Arsenal next week and go 4 points behind them, then scrap a few wins until the New Year when Sturridge returns and we get another striker, then catching Arsenal will be possible.

I have to cling to hope even if it seems highly, highly unlikely...

Hate hindsight, but heres what we should have done....

Throw money at the situation and bring in 3 quality attacking players (if we absolutely had to sell Suarez). Sanchez, Cavani, Fibreglass, Reus, Isco, whomever.... thats not my job but the club should have gone and made sure they spent 120m on 3 quality. Depth of squad could have come from the players out on loan/Sold/out of favour.. Alberto, Borini, Iliori, Sakho, Agger, Aspas, Wisdom, Suso, Ibe. Turns out they are no worse nor better than those we brought in.

We messed up.... Funny how you can quote me on saying "Suarez aside, this could have been our best Window ever" How wrong I was.

Buying future talents is all good, when you have a solidifed winning team.

Nah I was the first to say it weeks ago mate.

I know mate, I know; that's why I was careful to write "this time".

it's probably going to be quite tight now  .

As tight as a nun's chuff mate. 

I think the saying goes- are you having a laugh?

there is only one answer to this question
not this season,we should be happy if we finish in the top of the half
but no mather what this team has my 100% support

Considering if Everton win tomorrow (at home against QPR so likely) then we'll be in the bottom half of the table it's going to take a monumental turn around in our fortunes.

Said a few weeks ago "top 4, don't make me laugh" and still think that. Think our form will improve when Sturridge gets to fitness but there's probably just as much chance he'll get injured again so we can't pin much hope on that.

January, who are we realistically going to buy that's going to miraculously come in and hit the ground running? Very unlikely in reality that we will manage to even buy a striker, let alone a good one.

The thing that wont change is our shocking defending and that alone (without both Suarez and Sturridge to hide it) will be enough to give us absolutely no chance.

The thing that wont change is our shocking defending and that alone (without both Suarez and Sturridge to hide it) will be enough to give us absolutely no chance.

Our shocking defending did improve with Toure and Lucas in the team. We need to ditch Lovren permanently and never play Gerrard defensive midfield again.

A win today was a must for us to have any chance of 4th. It's not just the points but the confidence it can give to everyone. Absolutely agree Luke that we cannot afford to rely on Sturridge, we tried that and look where that got us. Our worst start for 50 years apparently.
I really don't know where we go from here, Arsenal next, I can't see that being positive for us, the negativity is infectious.
What is really damning is if the players can't get themselves up for playing our hated rivals, what chance against the likes of Stoke or Hull. Or come to that Bournemouth.

This has been a shocking season for everyone in the league bar chelsea, we really would be running a muck if we had of held even 70% of last seasons form.

7 losses already with 22 games to go. We have absolutely no chance of 4th now in my opinion. On for a 7th place finish at this rate.

Tis depressing but we are fooling ourselves thinking anything different.

Think we will improve substantially after xmas, but the damage is too great.

this thread should be closed

1_Chelsea___________39 PPG 2.438___90+
2_Manchester City____39 PPG 2.294____87
3_Manchester United__32 PPG 1.882____71
4_West Ham United___31
5_Southampton______29
6_Arsenal___________27 PPG 1.588___60
7_Tottenham Hotspur__27 PPG 1.588___60
8_Swansea City_______25
9_Newcastle United____23
10_Liverpool_________22 PPG 1.294___49

21 games left.
Reckon we need to hit 2.25 from now to the end of the season to qualify.
In other words we to go on a winning run pretty sharpish.

Our current run - LWWDLD

I feel its fairly simple. Its either us or the gooners. Scums with no mid week games are hard to catch and they'll shell out another 100 in Jan to bring in defenders.

5-point gap now and we have a chance to make up for that over the next 6 games.
Liverpool's next 6 - Burnley(A), Swansea(H), Leicester(H), Sunderland(A), Villa(A), West Ham(H) - We should look at 5 wins and a draw - 16 points
Arsenal's next 6 - QPR(H), West Ham(A), Saints(A), Stoke(H), Man City(A), Villa(H) - I would say 11 points

February will be our test of resolve - Everton(A), Spurs(H), Saints(A), City(H)

I feel its fairly simple. Its either us or the gooners. Scums with no mid week games are hard to catch and they'll shell out another 100 in Jan to bring in defenders.

5-point gap now and we have a chance to make up for that over the next 6 games.
Liverpool's next 6 - Burnley(A), Swansea(H), Leicester(H), Sunderland(A), Villa(A), West Ham(H) - We should look at 5 wins and a draw - 16 points
Arsenal's next 6 - QPR(H), West Ham(A), Saints(A), Stoke(H), Man City(A), Villa(H) - I would say 11 points

February will be our test of resolve - Everton(A), Spurs(H), Saints(A), City(H)

You can chuck in EL games too. 

You can chuck in EL games too. 

This presents us with a massive dilemma. Winning the Europa League gives automatic entry in to the Champions League next season and our squad is in dire need of European experience. At the same time, do we throw fringe players and kids in to that competition, forget a trophy this season and focus exclusively on a top four finish? Right now I don't think we have enough talent in the squad to be successful in four competitions and I certainly don't think we can win the EL so I'd be inclined to focus on the league.

If we say Chelsea and City are nailed on certainties for a top four finish, and that West Ham and Saints will fall away eventually, that leaves two places between four teams.

Next six games:

Liverpool:

Burnley (A)
Swansea (H)
Leicester (H)
Sunderland (A)
Villa (A)
West Ham (H)

Spurs:

Leicester (A)
United (H)
Chelsea (H)
Palace (A)
Sunderland (H)
West Brom (A)

Arsenal:

QPR (H)
West Ham (A)
Southampton (A)
Stoke (H)
City (A)
Villa (H)

United:

Newcastle (H)
Spurs (A)
Stoke (A)
Southampton (H)
QPR (A)
Leicester (H)

On paper us and Arse seem to have the easier fixtures. I can't see Spurs winning Chelsea but they should get a draw with United. After that we have a difficult start to February so we need to build confidence going in to those games.

You can chuck in EL games too. 

The Thursday night specials in Riga , in Dubrovnik and other exotic places flying back knackered on Fridays.

I still don't think we'll get there, evidently we would be comfortably the lowest team (in terms of points total) at Christmas to get into the top 4 since the spot offered qualification. It would take a hell of a run. Win the next four on the bounce and maybe things will look a little different mind.

I still don't think we'll get there, evidently we would be comfortably the lowest team (in terms of points total) at Christmas to get into the top 4 since the spot offered qualification. It would take a hell of a run. Win the next four on the bounce and maybe things will look a little different mind.

4-5 wins in a row is a minimum requirement and anything less is a Europa league spot for us at best .

I reckon we probably have a better chance at winning the EL and entering the CL that way than reaching the top 4 tbh.

Europa League is a seriously hard cup to win. Long travel, pissy thurs nights, 2 day recovery for your next BPL game. Really cant see us winning it.
All doom and gloom Im afraid, as I cant see us getting 4th either. Saying that my spirits have been lifted by our last 3 games. Finally we can see the way BR had the team playing last season. Think we will go on a winning streak now for the next 6 but cant see us winning all 6 without Studge.
Think we will finish 5th or 6th.

Damage has been too great thus far.