Another weekend down, and another weekend closer to matching our league ambition of getting into the top 4 and securing CL football for another season.
We still need 5 wins and 4 draws and I am still looking at our 5 remaining home games to pick up these wins. We then have to pick up 8 points from our remaining 5 away games. 5 home games are all winnable games and IMO, we have to be targeting 15 points from these.
Newcastle,
Watford
Bournemouth,
Stoke,
Brighton
The Bournemouth one comes after a CL 1/4 final, so we may see some rotation for this one.
The Stoke one is at the very end of April, so they will no doubt be fighting for their lives. Hopefully they are relegated by then and have nothing to play for, or safe. Whichever is easiest!
As for the aways, they are somebit tricker, but there are some fixtures in which we can pick up points.
United
Palace
Everton (sandwiched in between the CL 1/4 finals)
West Brom
Chelsea
So we have to pick up 8 points here and straight away the eyes will jump to United & Chelsea. But we are currently in a position where we are not needing to beat either. A draw at both grounds will suffice. If we can keep 4 points ahead of Chelsea before we go to the Bridge, we will get top 4. It's as simple (
) as that.
United away, while it would be nice to beat them for a number of reasons - they are United and it's always great to beat them, we can overtake them and fight for 2nd place, add pressure to Jose, and also to further our grip on top 4 position. But a draw will do here. As long as we don't lose, and give Chelsea a lifeline.
WBA - these should be relegated by the time we play them and I really hammer these p-ricks cos of the 0-0 earlier in the league and the FA Cup game, which was our best hope of silverware this season.
Everton away - they will be up for this one big time, but they are terrible at the moment. Especially away, and they will set up as the away side in this one, but the fans won't like that and will get on Big Sam's back. They want him out and they will let it known that sitting back at home and parking the bus at home in the derby will not be good enough. We may see rotation for this game also.
Palace will be tough ground to go to, but winnable.
2nd place is there for us to aim for. and if we miss out, well then top 4 is vital. We can do this. Aim for the stars etc...But I am confident that we can get this.