Top 4 ?

[Barnfred 55]

Oh that's why I'm refusing to get carried away. The bonus for us, is we've got away games left, and we're seemingly playing Villa twice without Grealish, but we will Everton this up, it's the only way.

What's the latest on Grealish?

Our postponed Villa match hasn't been rearranged yet has it?

 

[barneygumble]

What's the latest on Grealish?

Our postponed Villa match hasn't been rearranged yet has it?

Apparently, he's definitely out for the next fortnight, and they mightn't rush him back before end of the season, so 100% out (if you believe Smith isn't playing mind games) at the weekend, and then the only available place to play is 10 days time isn't it? As there are plans to move the penultimate fixtures to midweek, to ensure all fans can attend.

So the only two available dates are...

W/E of 15-16 May or the midweek dates of 4-6 May.

So we've got Villa twice in the next fortnight really, and no idea why it hasn't been announced.

 

[Philw]

View attachment 125276
Courtesy of https://kassiesa.net/uefa/ , a fantastic unofficial source for all things UEFA competition related

Wtf is this mess???

I really wish the teams above us would stop slipping up and put us out of our misery! Despite all the loses to the likes of Newcastle and Fulham we're still within touching distance of 4th.... It's the hope that kills you! Has anyone compared the fixture lists/run ins yet???

 

[Martin Alvito]

Wtf is this mess???

I really wish the teams above us would stop slipping up and put us out of our misery! Despite all the loses to the likes of Newcastle and Fulham we're still within touching distance of 4th.... It's the hope that kills you! Has anyone compared the fixture lists/run ins yet???

Plenty.

Our run-in is fairly good, but congested. City away in a likely dead rubber for them in the last, home and away against a reeling Villa sans Grealish and a six-pointer with West Ham. The remainder are home against relegated Sheffield and home against Wolves.

Chelsea's is wretched - Madrid twice, City with something to play for, Arsenal, Leicester twice due to the FA Cup final, Fulham and Villa plus a possible CL final. Leicester's first three are fodder but are followed by Old Trafford, Stamford Bridge, Wembley, home against Spurs.

West Ham and the lot across the park have the advantage on fixtures. West Ham's last tricky fixture is the six-pointer with us; the rest are fodder. Liverpool has to go to Old Trafford next, but that's sandwiched between the Roma Europa fixtures and the league is all but dead for United. The rest are fodder. Spurs probably have too much to do under a caretaker.

A Leeds run isn't insane with just Spurs left, but even 15 from 5 just leaves them on 62. Villa has a lot of fixtures left but no Grealish, no form and the fixtures are tough.

 

[Brisan123]

My Predictions

Chelsea 4th 55 points (Final 64)

West Ham v Chelsea D
Chelsea v Fulham D
Man City v Chelsea L
Chelsea v Arsenal D
Chelsea v Leicester W
Villa v Chelsea W

West Ham 5th 55 points (Final 66)

West Ham v Chelsea D
Burnley v West Ham D
West Ham v Everton L
Brighton v West Ham W
West Brom v West Ham W
West Ham v Southampton W

Tottenham 6th 53 points (Final 65)

Spurs v Sheffield United W
Leeds v Spurs D
Spurs v Wolves W
Spurs v Villa W
Leicester v Spurs D

Liverpool 7th 53 points (Final 65)

Liverpool v Newcastle D
Man U v Liverpool D
Liverpool v Southampton W
West Brom v Liverpool W
Burnley v Liverpool D
Liverpool v Crystal Palace W

Everton 8th 52 points (Final 65)

Everton v Villa W
West Ham v Everton W
Everton v Sheffield United W
Everton v Wolves W
Man City v Everton L
Villa v Everton D

Final Table
4. West Ham 66
--------------
5. Liverpool 65
6. Tottenham 65
7. Everton 65
8. Chelsea 64

A lot is riding on that West Ham v Everton game in a couple of weeks. HUGE!

Gone by the wayside after the first game

 

[Brisan123]

7th at best and even that ends if wide boy Mason sneaks a new manager bounce win in the league cup final sunday.

Well he did not so 7th gets Europe in some form or another

 

[Brisan123]

I'd say we'll be hard pushed for top 4, although it's close it pretty much requires us winning all of our games bar City and requires Chelsea to drop points somewhere. Obv that can change depending on results around us but would say we'll need at least 12-15 pts from our remaining 6 fixtures. Win 3 and draw 1 and we'd be in with a real hope but it's a big ask. But the fact that we're still talking about it at this point of the season is good. Season is usually done by now for us.

Chelsea have to play City away and Leicester at home
Plus 2 games against Real Madrid and a cup final

 

[Brisan123]

5th gets champions league if City/Chelsea win the champions league. Think we should be aiming for that 5th spot so we want Chelsea to win today.

If City win the CL only 4 English teams go into CL
If Chelsea win it and get top 4 still only 4 teams in CL
Its only if Chelsea win the CL and finish outside top 4 then 5 teams go into CL

 

[Brisan123]

Nope

only way you get 5 in is if Chelsea and Arsenal both win the European cups and the other 3 spots go to 1 2 3

if City or PSG or RM win it 1,2,3,4 go in unless Arsenal win the EL then 1,2,3 Arsenal

if Chelsea win it but finish 5th or lower then 1,2,3 Chelsea

Wrong

 

[Brisan123]

If we catch Leicester as well and finish 3rd we take it out the equation! Ha ha.

Ultimately its still in our own hands if we do our part we'll make it. If we don't we miss out.

Delph to mishit a shot that ends up the winner against City and send us marching into the Champions League.

Unless he shoots from 70yards (the nearest he will get to their goal) I doubt it
Although the mishit part is accurate

 

[Thomasc]

Chelsea’s fixtures are horrible

 

[Brisan123]

I, of course, would be glad for us to finish as high as possible and qualify for CL, but I don't think that we're ready for that competition.
It would be a fluke and not representative of our current level.

Even if we get it, the scenario of us getting relegated to Europa in the playoffs before the group stage is the most realistic to me.

What I am saying is, progress has to be made gradually, so getting into Europa or that new 3rd grade comp would be better for us at this moment of time.
It would allow us to actually compete and also would give Ancelotti another year to build the proper team so that when we qualify for the CL we aren't going to embarrass ourselves.

I doubt we will get top 4
However if we do I can see Moshiri and Usmanov going balls deep in the transfer market and binning FFP
The money we would get from a run in the Cl would make most of it back
60-80 M plus sales is my forecast for this summer without CL
With CL god only knows

 

[MrGrumpy]

Wrong

no it’s not If Chelsea finish 5th And win Champions League they take 4th spot

 

[Brisan123]

no it’s not If Chelsea finish 5th And win Champions League they take 4th spot

If Chelsea finish 5th and win champions league they create and take a 5th spot in the Cl
Top 4 still qualify
Its only if Chelsea and Arsenal win Euro trophies and both finish outside top 4 that 4th lose out

 

[everton1953]

Cut the crap. Our target is to be higher than the RS. That is it. If that gets us into Europa so be it. With no crowds or hardly any crowds probable this year it won't matter playing on Thursdays and Sundays.