4th place still in sight???

[Philw]

Love the optimisim on here! I thought we are Evertonians, not giving up hope till it's mathematically impossible!
It may be a bridge too far, and in recent seasons we have tired towards the end, but that has coincided with cup runs which in turn meant a hell of a lot more match time than usual, and 50 game seasons.
This season we could at least get back up to 5th, and Villa are definately due a bad run (they have lived off luck the last few months).
Arsenal looked very average on wednesday even if their squad was slightly depleated and as said they play big teams when their big players are scheduled to return.
It will be a tough ask but it's do-able.

why should our squad be hit by fatigue, so far we've only played 5 games on top of the regulation league games. Its a standard season for th boys who played 50 odd matches last season...
Villa and the arse are still also in F.A and european cups, they will fatigue alot more and both have equally as thin, if not thinner squads at the moment.

I really don't think Villa are that good, how they're doing so well is bewildering. Aresnal are talented, but too young and inexperienced now. However 11 points is still too much, but i think we could challenge Arsenal for fifth, although we'll probably just fall short

 

[Jamo Martinez]

Ive been saying for months that getting knocked out of the Carling and Uefa cups, though not desirable, could be a blessing in disguise. European competition starts up again this month, and Villa and Arsenal are still in the mix. They've both got Cup replays aswell so they'll be feeling the strain and there could be injuries. Interesting to read the match report of Bolton v Spurs. Suggests that the Spurs squad were done in because of the injury to Defoe. I laughed out loud as I read it, but it is indicative of the difference between our team and the majority in the prem. If barry, young or Gabby were to be injured (or 2 of them or all three of them) I'm not sure they could handle it mentally, let alone play enough football to stay up there.

 

[toffeemax]

Ive been saying for months that getting knocked out of the Carling and Uefa cups, though not desirable, could be a blessing in disguise. European competition starts up again this month, and Villa and Arsenal are still in the mix. They've both got Cup replays aswell so they'll be feeling the strain and there could be injuries. Interesting to read the match report of Bolton v Spurs. Suggests that the Spurs squad were done in because of the injury to Defoe. I laughed out loud as I read it, but it is indicative of the difference between our team and the majority in the prem. If barry, young or Gabby were to be injured (or 2 of them or all three of them) I'm not sure they could handle it mentally, let alone play enough football to stay up there.

apparently they are relying on route one at the moment, and Wigan looked just as likely to score yesterday.
Carew is meant to be coming back soon, but can't see him making too much of an impact 'cos after he gets into his stride the season will be over.

 

[Nebbiolo]

Everton v Bolton (3)
Newcastle v Everton (1)
Everton v West Brom (3)
Blackburn v Everton (1)
Everton v Stoke (3)
Portsmouth v Everton (3)
Everton v Wigan (3)
Aston Villa v Everton (1)
Chelsea v Everton (0)
Everton v Man City (3)
Sunderland v Everton (1)
Everton v Tottenham (1)
Everton v West Ham (3)
Fulham v Everton (3)

I make that 66 points at the end of the season. I've given us 29 points from a possible 42 points (average of about 2 points per game, which is on the generous side). Villa are on 48 points now, so would need another 18 points, or 6 victories, from their final 14 games to match that (average of about 1.3 points per game, which is not on the generous side).

I think we've got no chance if you look at it like that.

 

[toffeemax]

i think a few of your one points need to be converted into 3s and a few to 0s, e.g fulham - never win at their gaff.

 

[Seamus Colemole]

Yes. For sure, even without the CL teams winning stuff. It could even go to 7th and possibly 8th.

Associations ranked 7–9 in the UEFA coefficients will send the Cup winner and three other teams to the UEFA Europa League qualification.

But we aren't ranked 7-9. Pretty sure we are ranked number 1.

So we get more Champions League slots but less Europe League slots.

Sure we only get 3 Europa. 1 FA Cup, 1 League Cup and 5th place in the League.

So we need one of the top 5(or us) to win a cup.

 

[Nebbiolo]

i think a few of your one points need to be converted into 3s and a few to 0s, e.g fulham - never win at their gaff.

Maybe, but I doubt we'll do more than 29 or maybe 30 points from those matches. To go higher than that would be incredible form.

 

[Nebbiolo]

But we aren't ranked 7-9. Pretty sure we are ranked number 1.

So we get more Champions League slots but less Europe League slots.

Sure we only get 3 Europa. 1 FA Cup, 1 League Cup and 5th place in the League.

So we need one of the top 5(or us) to win a cup.

The League cup would be best, which would then guarantee an extra UEFA place. With the FA cup, the UEFA place could well go to the runner up, if it is someone needing a UEFA spot.

But now that the Intertoto thingy has been stopped, I was under the impression that the highest ranked team to have been able to enter it, would automatically qualify for the first round of the UEFA cup instead. If so, that would mean even if only 5th position was good enough for the UEFA via the league, 6th place would still qualify via that mechanism. It would just mean an extra 2 relatively easy games in the qualifying rounds.

 

[Goat]

double post

 

[Goat]

But we aren't ranked 7-9. Pretty sure we are ranked number 1.

So we get more Champions League slots but less Europe League slots.

Sure we only get 3 Europa. 1 FA Cup, 1 League Cup and 5th place in the League.

So we need one of the top 5(or us) to win a cup.

Yes the thing i read had us ranked 7th, cant find it now, which is strange, but your right, we are ranked 1st.


So what you say is correct.

UEFA coefficient - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Nebbiolo]

Yes the thing i read had us ranked 7th, cant find it now, which is strange, but your right, we are ranked 1st.


So what you say is correct.

UEFA coefficient - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Just checked with the ever-reliable Wiki and it states that teams who would have entered into the intertoto directly, will now enter in the qualifying stages of the new UEFA cup. So I work that out as meaning should sixth place not qualify via league placing, it will qualify because it would previously have qualified via the intertoto. There would be an extra 2 rounds, as such teams start at round 1, rather than at round 3.

UEFA Intertoto Cup - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Seamus Colemole]

The League cup would be best, which would then guarantee an extra UEFA place. With the FA cup, the UEFA place could well go to the runner up, if it is someone needing a UEFA spot.

But now that the Intertoto thingy has been stopped, I was under the impression that the highest ranked team to have been able to enter it, would automatically qualify for the first round of the UEFA cup instead. If so, that would mean even if only 5th position was good enough for the UEFA via the league, 6th place would still qualify via that mechanism. It would just mean an extra 2 relatively easy games in the qualifying rounds.

They changed it so the runners up in both cups dont qualify and the place drops back to the league.

God knows about the intertoto thing though. Those links didn't seem to confirm anything although it looks good for us.

 

[Number_25]

If we were to enter the Intertoto and win, would it come under a major trophy?

 

[Goat]

If we were to enter the Intertoto and win, would it come under a major trophy?

There is no Intertoto next season.

 

[Cal]

Unless we get some funds in the next 2 days to buy 2 superb players then we won't be near Villa or anyone like that.

We can maybe catch Arsenal, if we win around 80% of our games.

We're not good enough for the top 4 yet, we have a great base to start on for next season but only if we strengthen it with around 30 million pounds worth of quality players and squad players who will improve both the team and the squad as a whole.