Top 4 ?

[AndyGray]

Chances of 4th are less than 10% currently. But the possibility is there still.

 

[Jimmy Grimble]

I think the next 3 league games, 9 points should be the aim against Burnley, Palace and Brighton. Tough run of fixtures after that Spurs h, Arsenal a, Vlla h and West Ham a. Teams that are all in and around us, they all have to play Chelsea as well I believe.

We got a chance but we need Chelsea or Leicester to slip up...... If they dont there is not a lot we can do, just rue our missed opportunities. Would be a great to get CL football but lets be honest I dont think weve been good enough.

I think we can take 12 points from those 7 games easy

 

[messymascot]

Just noticed (looking at the current league table) how poor our goal difference is. It's that bad, compared to the teams around us, I can't see us improving it sufficiently enough at this stage of the season. So we're pretty much a point down which isn't going to help us.

I have a horrible feeling it might be a deciding factor. We just don't batter teams never really have. A couple of seasons under Moyes and Koemans first season are about the only times I remember us bucking that trend. It looked like we might be going that way at the start of the season bit it's now attriotional stuff again. We are so far behind we aren't going to make it up so just need to make sure we get the extra point.

 

[Jim Hopper]

I have a horrible feeling it might be a deciding factor. We just don't batter teams never really have. A couple of seasons under Moyes and Koemans first season are about the only times I remember us bucking that trend. It looked like we might be going that way at the start of the season bit it's now attriotional stuff again. We are so far behind we aren't going to make it up so just need to make sure we get the extra point.

This is why it’s even more miraculous we are where we are. We must be one of the only teams in the league that struggles to keep possession of the ball and churn out clear cut chances consistently from open play. It just further proves how useless our back up players are. The fact Andre Gomes & Sigurdsson have played more games than Allan & James this season really says it all. Sigurdsson to be fair to him has at least contributed mostly but again ideally you want him on the bench at least as he’s no James.

My concern for next season is, will James be in the same position, in and out of the team due to his calf problems? and will Allan be able to go a whole month without picking up an injury keeping him out for weeks?

Priority should be getting a new ride side but think we could do with another option or two in the middle, even if they’re only loan deals for next season. We just simply can’t go into the new season with Gomes as an option.

 

[messymascot]

This is why it’s even more miraculous we are where we are. We must be one of the only teams in the league that struggles to keep possession of the ball and churn out clear cut chances consistently from open play. It just further proves how useless our back up players are. The fact Andre Gomes & Sigurdsson have played more games than Allan & James this season really says it all. Sigurdsson to be fair to him has at least contributed mostly but again ideally you want him on the bench at least as he’s no James.

My concern for next season is, will James be in the same position, in and out of the team due to his calf problems? and will Allan be able to go a whole month without picking up an injury keeping him out for weeks?

Priority should be getting a new ride side but think we could do with another option or two in the middle, even if they’re only loan deals for next season. We just simply can’t go into the new season with Gomes as an option.

I'm hoping we buy a RW and a AM in the summer and we can rotate James in the 2 positions when he is fit. Brands has said he wants 7 midfielders I'm happy if the first 3 are starters (Allan, Doucoure + New AM/James), Davies as 4th choice cover for Allan and Doucoure. Sigurdsson 5th choice, Gbamin if fit 6th choice and Gomes 7th choice mainly used in Europe where the game is a little slower.

That would give us plenty of options. Hopefully the new AM is the type that can get 8-12 goals in a season. That's where we have fell down Allan, Doucoure, Davies, Sigurdsson and Gomes have 6 league goals between them. Then extra goals could have meant our goal difference was at least competitive.

 

[barneygumble]

I mean, as the games grow on, the chances of Liverpool winning the Champions League (after Porto going through, it's a given thats who they'll get) and Spurs or Arsenal winning the EL increase too.

I just can't get excited, as I know we'll end up getting shafted. This applies equally to 6-7th place.

 

[Jim Hopper]

I'm hoping we buy a RW and a AM in the summer and we can rotate James in the 2 positions when he is fit. Brands has said he wants 7 midfielders I'm happy if the first 3 are starters (Allan, Doucoure + New AM/James), Davies as 4th choice cover for Allan and Doucoure. Sigurdsson 5th choice, Gbamin if fit 6th choice and Gomes 7th choice mainly used in Europe where the game is a little slower.

That would give us plenty of options. Hopefully the new AM is the type that can get 8-12 goals in a season. That's where we have fell down Allan, Doucoure, Davies, Sigurdsson and Gomes have 6 league goals between them. Then extra goals could have meant our goal difference was at least competitive.

I think a new winger and full back is essential. Coleman on his last legs doesn’t give us the consistency he was once able to give us but can still do a job when called upon, when available.

A winger is just imperative, no other side in the league doesn’t have a winger on each flank, you look at last season and even though we were poor we were still able to create chances down the right with Walcott, see the Chelsea home game. I can’t recall a single goal being scored from our right hand side this season... maybe Palace away when Coleman played DCL in? Think King was a stop gap, I’d be genuinely surprised if he turned into some boss winger whipping crosses in for fun. Iwobi needs booting out.

 

[messymascot]

I mean, as the games grow on, the chances of Liverpool winning the Champions League (after Porto going through, it's a given thats who they'll get) and Spurs or Arsenal winning the EL increase too.

I just can't get excited, as I know we'll end up getting shafted. This applies equally to 6-7th place.

Ideally Spurs get Arsenal and Chelsea get Liverpool in the QF this guarantees the double shaft chances decrease 50%. We hope that the winners preferably Chelsea in CL and Arsenal then get the hardest possible semi final.

 

[messymascot]

I think a new winger and full back is essential. Coleman on his last legs doesn’t give us the consistency he was once able to give us but can still do a job when called upon, when available.

A winger is just imperative, no other side in the league doesn’t have a winger on each flank, you look at last season and even though we were poor we were still able to create chances down the right with Walcott, see the Chelsea home game. I can’t recall a single goal being scored from our right hand side this season... maybe Palace away when Coleman played DCL in? Think King was a stop gap, I’d be genuinely surprised if he turned into some boss winger whipping crosses in for fun. Iwobi needs booting out.

RB is my number 1 priority but I was saying about midfield as we were talking in context of goal difference. RW is my 2nd priority as we can move James to AM. AM is my third priority and GK 4th. Finally a Striker but we can manage without as Richarlison can cover and maybe the new RW may also be able to.

 

[barneygumble]

Ideally Spurs get Arsenal and Chelsea get Liverpool in the QF this guarantees the double shaft chances decrease 50%. We hope that the winners preferably Chelsea in CL and Arsenal then get the hardest possible semi final.

I don't see a scenario where Chelsea don't finish in the Top 4 now.

Infact they're coming in to the type of form, which could easily see them make a run at winning the Champions League.

But Liverpool will do Dortmund and Porto if they get them, so for me, it's a case of ensuring we can at least get Europe.

Dinamo Zagreb will be a breeze for Spurs, and I'm sure Arsenal will have learned their lessons from Olympiacos.

 

[messymascot]

I don't see a scenario where Chelsea don't finish in the Top 4 now.

Infact they're coming in to the type of form, which could easily see them make a run at winning the Champions League.

But Liverpool will do Dortmund and Porto if they get them, so for me, it's a case of ensuring we can at least get Europe.

Dinamo Zagreb will be a breeze for Spurs, and I'm sure Arsenal will have learned their lessons from Olympiacos.

I agree and that's why I'm happier if they go through as that would pretty much put the double shaft to bed. It's just if they did get focused on it and we finish 4th one point ahead of them and they are in CL final and Spurs Arsenal are in the EL final it would be still on. So much football still to play let's hope we at least get Europa League.

 

[Jim Hopper]

RB is my number 1 priority but I was saying about midfield as we were talking in context of goal difference. RW is my 2nd priority as we can move James to AM. AM is my third priority and GK 4th. Finally a Striker but we can manage without as Richarlison can cover and maybe the new RW may also be able to.

I think long term a new AM is required but I’d say we’ve done mostly okay this season both James and Sigurdsson have contributed with what they’ve been give to work with. I think if we can get that right hand side sorted out next season that will take a massive burden off other areas within the squad from a creativity point of view.

I’d like to see a RB, winger, possibly two if we intend on keeping Richarlison playing mostly further forward and one or two central midfielders on loan or whatever.

 

[barneygumble]

I agree and that's why I'm happier if they go through as that would pretty much put the double shaft to bed. It's just if they did get focused on it and we finish 4th one point ahead of them and they are in CL final and Spurs Arsenal are in the EL final it would be still on. So much football still to play let's hope we at least get Europa League.

I mean, I know expectations change through the season, but we'd have all took Europe this season before we kicked a ball, right?

Which ever of the three competitions we end up in, it'd be a great effort all round and with room for improvement. I just hope we don't end up in a place which would normally get European football, but end up being shafted, especially by the really weak Europa League this year... Molde/Granada await someone in the last 8.

 

[Tidal]

I think it's gonna take at least 70 points this year which means 8 wins or 7 wins and 3 draws from our last 11. Not impossible with our fixtures but would take a big effort. We simply have to win the games we're expected to win and then try and scrape enough points from the others.

 

[Egil Olsen]

Man. City, Man Utd, and Chelsea are obvious. We can not compete with them. However, we have a fair chance at Leicester. I think their curve will be downward the rest of the season. We should be able to compete with West Ham and Tottenham, and Liverpool seem completely out of it.