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FTY
Player Valuation: £70m
In the context of the top 4 race it's 2 games, our game and Chelsea's game, stopping them getting points is as important is getting some for ourselfIts one game
Biggest league game for years this
Then they face
City, United ,West Ham ,Chelsea ,Spurs
Might need your eyes checked
blue_aussie05
Player Valuation: £8m
Let’s see what happens tonight. I’m not expecting much to be honest, but am deffo not writing us off before a ball is kicked. I think this season has proven that anything can happen.
A defeat may knock our confidence, though. A heavy defeat definitely will. A draw still keeps us in it, and a win would be awesome.
Whatever the result, it won’t define our season.
A defeat may knock our confidence, though. A heavy defeat definitely will. A draw still keeps us in it, and a win would be awesome.
Whatever the result, it won’t define our season.
blue_aussie05
Player Valuation: £8m
People have mentioned the Arsenal home game in Martinez’s first season, which was billed as a top 4 decider at the time. I don’t think this Chelsea game is in the same category, though, as there’s far more teams in the equation this season.
If you remember, we were flying in the league in 2013/14 but we had to beat Arsenal in April in a must-win game to stand any chance of finishing 4th. I seem to remember we were 5th about 4-5 points behind with a game in hand, so really needed to beat them to go within striking distance.
We won comfortably 3-0 playing some great footy and made a big statement that day. The weekend after we won at Sunderland in a scrappy game to leapfrog Arsenal and go 4th. It was our 7th straight league win, and we were now sitting in pole position for top 4 with only 5 games left. That midweek we played Palace at Goodison in our game in hand and nobody saw anything but us winning, which would have cemented us in that top 4 spot with 4 games left. As everyone knows, we played awful and lost. We also lost 2 of the 4 games left, and ultimately ended up 7 points behind Arsenal. 7 points! Not even close.
After Arsenal lost to us, they obviously just kept winning, but we lost 3 of the last 5.
Our points tally of 72 points would usually have finished anywhere between 2nd to 4th any other year, although Spurs also finished 5th with 72 points the year before and Arsenal finished 5th with 75 points in 16/17. Just shows each season is different, and you just have to play with the cards that are in front of you at any given moment. This season is deffo an unusual one, and presents a great chance of either silverware or top 4. Let’s do our best to achieve both, but if we don’t get either, let’s at least go down fighting and believing!
If you remember, we were flying in the league in 2013/14 but we had to beat Arsenal in April in a must-win game to stand any chance of finishing 4th. I seem to remember we were 5th about 4-5 points behind with a game in hand, so really needed to beat them to go within striking distance.
We won comfortably 3-0 playing some great footy and made a big statement that day. The weekend after we won at Sunderland in a scrappy game to leapfrog Arsenal and go 4th. It was our 7th straight league win, and we were now sitting in pole position for top 4 with only 5 games left. That midweek we played Palace at Goodison in our game in hand and nobody saw anything but us winning, which would have cemented us in that top 4 spot with 4 games left. As everyone knows, we played awful and lost. We also lost 2 of the 4 games left, and ultimately ended up 7 points behind Arsenal. 7 points! Not even close.
After Arsenal lost to us, they obviously just kept winning, but we lost 3 of the last 5.
Our points tally of 72 points would usually have finished anywhere between 2nd to 4th any other year, although Spurs also finished 5th with 72 points the year before and Arsenal finished 5th with 75 points in 16/17. Just shows each season is different, and you just have to play with the cards that are in front of you at any given moment. This season is deffo an unusual one, and presents a great chance of either silverware or top 4. Let’s do our best to achieve both, but if we don’t get either, let’s at least go down fighting and believing!
Saint Domingo
Player Valuation: £80m
This is the problem of plying catch-up and even trying to close small gaps. People say ‘it’s only 6 points’ etc. but in reality a team needs to win three games in a row to get ahead of the opposing team who wins none. Then once ahead that form needs to be maintained to stop the opposition simply leapfrogging your again. This is what usually happens, a team is decent which is why they’re above you in the table so if they do lose a few they normally hit back sooner or later and win a few. Equally if you’ve won a big number in a row you’re probably due a loss as most teams simply don’t win more than a handful of games in a row. That’s what ultimately happened I. The 13/14 season, we came from too far back and thought we’d overhauled Arsenal but all that happened is our 7 game streak inevitably came to an end and they snapped out of some bad form to win a few games. It’s not often a far out chaser gets top 4 unless a team above collapses.
That’s why it’s just important we stick in the fight, if the gap starts to become 6 or 9 points at this stage then it gets very very hard to close over ten games unless someone just implodes. A draw keeps us right in the hunt. A win for us starts to put Chelsea in the awkward territory of not being able to afford another slip or they’re hoping for an implosion.
catcherintherye
Player Valuation: £80m
And the Martinez season we were unlucky too. We got 72 points which would normally get you 3rd, some seasons (like the one after) 2nd. We were just unfortunate that at that point, the brea off and instability of the top teams hadn't really kicked in yet. Arsenal were still a very consistent top 4 mob, Chelsea were also a top team (whereas now are a level below that) and you had City too. Liverpool had an amazing season (similar to United this year) and rode a big wave.
This year it will be scrappier. You have more competitive teams all the way down to 13/14th in the table and potentially the relegation race alive and well with sides who have incentive to play for more as well. Newcastle and West Brom are becoming quite nuggety and hard to beat, Fulham look on a bit of a role, and Brighton will pick points up. At the other extreme, City will beat most teams before the season is warpped up.
We just have to keep going.I know I've said to you we go on ups and downs and little runs. We are on one now, and it would be great if we can make it a 5 or 6 game winning run, or like 6 wins from 7 with a draw or whatever.
blue_aussie05
Player Valuation: £8m
This is a unique season, and the fact we’re even in the conversation about top 4 is a miracle due to the squad not being great in quality or depth, and ultimately this is what will probably make the difference if we don’t go on to get top 4. If we don’t, I think it’s imperative we get top 6, which still exceeds my expectations at the start of the season.
We’re not the type of team to blow other teams away by winning by 3 or 4, and our +6 goal difference compared to those we’re competing just shows you what we’re fighting against. I wish we could put teams to the sword and win 4-0, but this feels very much like the 04/05 season where we also had a poor goal difference and were scraping games by the odd goal. We finished top 4 that season, though, so why not this too?
The big difference this time though is we’re relying on more than just one team imploding while we keep winning. In 04/05, it was just the RS, this time we need to rely on at least 2-3 teams doing worse than us!
Unlikely, but anything’s possible. I believe it’s got more to do with Carlo than our players too. I feel excited and confident for the future, regardless of what happens this season. But only because of Carlo.
We’re not the type of team to blow other teams away by winning by 3 or 4, and our +6 goal difference compared to those we’re competing just shows you what we’re fighting against. I wish we could put teams to the sword and win 4-0, but this feels very much like the 04/05 season where we also had a poor goal difference and were scraping games by the odd goal. We finished top 4 that season, though, so why not this too?
The big difference this time though is we’re relying on more than just one team imploding while we keep winning. In 04/05, it was just the RS, this time we need to rely on at least 2-3 teams doing worse than us!
Unlikely, but anything’s possible. I believe it’s got more to do with Carlo than our players too. I feel excited and confident for the future, regardless of what happens this season. But only because of Carlo.
blue_aussie05
Player Valuation: £8m
Before the season started, I thought there were 7 teams better than us and therefore likely to finish above us - RS, Man C, Man U, Chelsea, Leicester, Spurs and Arsenal.
I thought in order to finish higher than 8th, we had to have a really good season and hope any of them had an off one. I think a lot have had poorer than expected seasons, which may be proven by their end points tallies. It remains to be seen if this will be in our favour or not, but all we can do is focus on us and our games while hoping they falter.
Having said that, the only team I’m confident won’t finish higher than us now is Arsenal, but West Ham have now replaced them in the frame. I know the RS have gloriously imploded, which is fantastic to see, but there’s still plenty of points to play for and they’ve still got adequate quality to turn the corner. All it takes is a bit of a spark or a bit of luck to turn their season and they’re still only 3 points behind us, albeit having played 2 games more. For example, Spurs seem to have turned a corner, and are now banging the goals in. They’re deffo still in the top 4 frame. Quality usually rises to the top, which is my worry about all the teams around us.
Can see us finishing anywhere between 4th to 9th, if we falter and the teams below us turn it around. I trust in Carlo. We’re in an ideal position to take advantage, so I’m hopeful. Finishing 4th won’t be easy, but I suspect will be far easier this season than any other in the near future.
I thought in order to finish higher than 8th, we had to have a really good season and hope any of them had an off one. I think a lot have had poorer than expected seasons, which may be proven by their end points tallies. It remains to be seen if this will be in our favour or not, but all we can do is focus on us and our games while hoping they falter.
Having said that, the only team I’m confident won’t finish higher than us now is Arsenal, but West Ham have now replaced them in the frame. I know the RS have gloriously imploded, which is fantastic to see, but there’s still plenty of points to play for and they’ve still got adequate quality to turn the corner. All it takes is a bit of a spark or a bit of luck to turn their season and they’re still only 3 points behind us, albeit having played 2 games more. For example, Spurs seem to have turned a corner, and are now banging the goals in. They’re deffo still in the top 4 frame. Quality usually rises to the top, which is my worry about all the teams around us.
Can see us finishing anywhere between 4th to 9th, if we falter and the teams below us turn it around. I trust in Carlo. We’re in an ideal position to take advantage, so I’m hopeful. Finishing 4th won’t be easy, but I suspect will be far easier this season than any other in the near future.
Drico
Player Valuation: £50m
I wouldn't be writing us off tonight. Are we favourites? No. Are we in with a chance? Yes. Can we brush off a defeat as a mere setback? Not really.
The truth is, this is an opportunity. If we win, it does not mean we will finish top four, but our chances rise hugely. If we lose, it does not mean we are out of the race, but our chances regress significantly. You can look at the game as an opportunity or as a burden. I see it as the former. There is no doubt that it is a significant game. It's a chance to boost our own hopes and seriously damage a direct rival's. And yes, whether we like it or not, if we consider ourselves runners in this race, Chelsea are a direct rival, not an opponent to be submissively waved through into their rightful top four placing.
I don't think we'll finish top six, let alone top four, but you're in the race until you are out of it. Make no mistake, tonight is a huge game. It decides nothing, but it materially impacts the eventual outcome. Let's grasp it with both hands. Waiting for Leicester to collapse is a riskier strategy than trying to keep pace and overhaul a Chelsea side we have already beaten this season.
The truth is, this is an opportunity. If we win, it does not mean we will finish top four, but our chances rise hugely. If we lose, it does not mean we are out of the race, but our chances regress significantly. You can look at the game as an opportunity or as a burden. I see it as the former. There is no doubt that it is a significant game. It's a chance to boost our own hopes and seriously damage a direct rival's. And yes, whether we like it or not, if we consider ourselves runners in this race, Chelsea are a direct rival, not an opponent to be submissively waved through into their rightful top four placing.
I don't think we'll finish top six, let alone top four, but you're in the race until you are out of it. Make no mistake, tonight is a huge game. It decides nothing, but it materially impacts the eventual outcome. Let's grasp it with both hands. Waiting for Leicester to collapse is a riskier strategy than trying to keep pace and overhaul a Chelsea side we have already beaten this season.
Mitch Ward's Minder
Player Valuation: £5m
Took the liberty to map out the top 10 (prior to this weekends fixtures) run in of fixtures. Everyone has pretty much got to play everyone with ourselves having to face 7, but also no relegation scrappers that could trip us up (I'm assuming Sheff U will be down by May), so the bottom half teams to face may be easier than we're used to (although no game is a given with the blues). Chelsea and Leicester probably have the toughest final run ins and I think that will shape the top 4 final positions. If we're in with shout after 33 games I'd be confident. Villa and Arsenal will be out Euro contention, especially after this weekend, so it's effectively a top 8 scrap. Liverpool may put a run together towards the end with their fixtures, but who knows. FA cup progression for any side still in it will mean fixture pile up, add that into the mix of teams still playing in europe this year just adds to an exciting next few months. One game at a time and hopefully by the end of it, we've got something to show for this season.
blue_aussie05
Player Valuation: £8m
Just out of interest @Drico who do you think will finish above us? I said earlier today that we could drop to about 9th if it all goes t1ts up, but I’m not expecting us to drop that low.
We’re currently 5th, so which two teams do you think will leapfrog us? Spurs, RS, West Ham?
.....who’d have thought we could finish above the Reds and not be Top 4.
Saint Domingo
Player Valuation: £80m
I don’t think there’s any easy games in the league now this season. The bottom of the table is still competitive with West Brom Fulham and Brighton causing problems for everyone. Mid table has some horrible teams like Leeds Wolves and Arsenal in it who can on their day outplay anyone. Then you have a very competitive top half with good teams no one would want to face (and we’re included in that).
Apart from getting a Palace team that might be ok the beach at some point, there’s not an ‘easy’ game for anyone.
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