Top 4 Race 19/20 | duffer: "We [Chelsea] are getting 3rd. Despite what the lunatics in here think, Man United are not all that."

Next seasons English CL entrants, via the league, could be Liverpool, Leicester, Sheffield Utd and Wolves. That’s barely believable.
 
Through the winter snow, the chasing wolf pack closes in on Chelsea's reindeer. They smell blood.
 
It's a heck of a race for Top 5. I even think Arsenal and Everton could even sneak in there if they can put a run together. It's whoever can win those games on the bounce.
 
It's getting tight in there...

#TeamPlWDLFAGDPts
4Chelsea2612594336+741
5Tottenham Hotspur2611784334+940
6Sheffield United2610972824+439
7Manchester United2610883829+938
8Wolverhampton Wanderers2681263532+336
9Everton26106103438-436
10Arsenal2671363634+234
11Burnley26104123039-934


Next round of fixtures:

Chelsea vs Tottenham
Man Utd vs Watford
Arsenal vs Everton
Sheff Utd vs Brighton
Wolves vs Norwich
Burnley vs Bournemouth
 
I hope Lampard plays Giroud upfront.

Only chance they get something out of the Spurs match.
 
Leicester is not clearly in yet. 11 points ahead of 6th but not in a great form. Hard games remaining are

City (H)
Everton (A)
Arsenal (A)
Sheffield United (H)
Tottenham (A)
United (H)

Could see them needing results against Spurs and/or United in the last two fixtures to get into CL.
 
Arsenal have an obscene number of draws there. 13 draws out of 26 is just way too much. Apart from Spurs away, I think all games against the traditional big six are done, so Arteta still has a chance to steer the side into a good place by the end of the season.
 
Considering those next round of fixtures, absolutely vital we beat Watford.

If Chelsea v Spurs is a draw, we'd leapfrog Spurs and be 1 point behind Chelsea with a superior GD.
 
A lot rests on the impact of Fernandes.

Without him, there wouldn’t be anything to suggest that we could show the consistency required to qualify. If he is instrumental in helping us beat Watford, I’ll start to be believe we have a chance.

No pressure, Bruno. :)
 
Son out for a while

ERDfkDDXYAAm2-S
 
We should really be finishing top 5 when we get Rashford, Pogba and McTominay back. We should also be competing for the 2 remaining cups.

IF we get them all back that is. We have a favourable April and May so definitely doable.
 
I remember him going down in the first half, seemed o.k afterwards. He could've at least subbed himself off with ten minutes to go. Dele Ali would've probably hit north stand boxes with the 94th minute chance way he was finishing them on Sunday.
 
Its going to be close this year!
Hopefully Chelsea and Spurs draw this weekend and we put Watford away. Absolutely vital that we go on a bit of a run now, but our next few fixtures are horrible after Watford.
A rejeuvenated Everton at Goodison, at home against City, then away at Spurs and finally at home against Sheff Utd.
We can't drop too far behind after that run of 4 games..............
 
All we need is some decent combinations of run. Any type of run would do. Everyone bar Liverpool is dropping points
 
jeez. chelsea lose kante. spurs lose son heung-min. injuries suck, but this could be a real opportunity for united to get themselves into the top 4, even if rashford is still 2 months away from returning (and pogba 3 weeks). McTominay's relatively imminent return should be a big boost for us. Beat Watford on the weekend and whatever happens in the chelsea spurs game, we should be starting to get into pretty decent shape table-wise.
 
Its a tight race for the 4th spot this year all contenders being bang average means least shit one scrapes through. I believe 64 points might be enough for top 4 this time around.
 
This season really is going to be touch and go. Lets hope Pogba and Rashford are back sooner then later.

Going forward though....These are the players id sell this summer.

Pogba
Martial
Shaw
Jones
Lingard
Perreira
Matic

Use the money from there sales + £200m kitty and build a fine tuned monster ready to challenge for the top again
 
Looking at the fixture lists, Sheffield United really do look like a dark horse for Top 4. Here's their fixture list.

22/02/2020Sheffield UnitedvsBrighton
PostponedAston VillavsSheffield United
07/03/2020Sheffield UnitedvsNorwich
14/03/2020Newcastle UnitedvsSheffield United
21/03/2020Manchester UnitedvsSheffield United
04/04/2020Sheffield UnitedvsTottenham
11/04/2020BurnleyvsSheffield United
18/04/2020Sheffield UnitedvsWolverhampton Wanderers
25/04/2020Sheffield UnitedvsChelsea
02/05/2020LeicestervsSheffield United
09/05/2020Sheffield UnitedvsEverton
17/05/2020SouthamptonvsSheffield United

Home Games:

22/02/2020Sheffield UnitedvsBrighton
07/03/2020Sheffield UnitedvsNorwich
04/04/2020Sheffield UnitedvsTottenham
18/04/2020Sheffield UnitedvsWolverhampton Wanderers
25/04/2020Sheffield UnitedvsChelsea
09/05/2020Sheffield UnitedvsEverton

Away Games:

29/02/2020Aston VillavsSheffield United
14/03/2020Newcastle UnitedvsSheffield United
21/03/2020Manchester UnitedvsSheffield United
11/04/2020BurnleyvsSheffield United
02/05/2020LeicestervsSheffield United
17/05/2020SouthamptonvsSheffield United

Home fixtures are pretty tricky granted, Brighton and Norwich are must wins and the rest are going to be difficult ties. Away fixtures don't look too bad outside of United and Leicester. Burnley/Villa are pretty average at home, Southampton have the worst home record in the league.

I've been looking over the fixture lists and Sheffield Utd and Arsenal seem to have the easiest ones of the remaining teams. The difference being that most clubs have Europe as a distraction while Sheffield Utd only have the FA Cup.
 
There are so many variables in this race but the Son injury and Chelsea's problems really leave the door open for us. It just has to happen for United now, especially if we get through this difficult set of fixtures in the coming weeks.
 
Irwin99 said:
especially if we get through this difficult set of fixtures in the coming weeks.
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Well thats the big concern right? We have 4 very difficult fixtures coming up all sandwiched together amid cup fixtures. Going to be a tricky 4 weeks, but if we're still relatively close to the Top 4 fight then we should be looking pretty decent given Rashford will be back for the end of the season (hopefully).
 
I have never known a season be this open for the last Champions League place. I think we can rule out 5th place being good enough due to the amount of time City's appeals will take. Literally anyone from 5th to 11th has a great chance if they can put together a decent run of victories. On paper, if we can get through the next four league fixtures without dropping too many points, our last eight games are extremely kind. Problem is i'm sure i posted something very similar last year before the wheels totally fell off
 
Chelsea are in rubbish form, comes from having a team of youngsters without much consistency that blow hot and cold. Spurs have lost Kane and Son for the season, that is massive for top four, you might as well call them mid table FC looking over the lineup without Kane/Son. Manchester City facing a prolonged ban which of course they will appeal, but.....

We are right in this.
 
I still think top 4 ends as it is now. No matter how poor we play prior, we always (9 times out of 10) have a habit of beating Spurs. after Spurs our next game against the "big guns" is City home at the end of March. then Liverpool away last but one.

Hopefully Abraham and possibly CHO and/or Pulisic can be fit for the weekend.
 
Hopefully Chelsea play Giroud now who is a better striker than they have been using against Spurs whilst son is injured and wins.

Whilst that happens I hope we can setlle ighalo and Greenwood in to the final section of the season because we need both more than James to help Martial upfront.
 
ZolaWasMagic said:
I still think top 4 ends as it is now. No matter how poor we play prior, we always (9 times out of 10) have a habit of beating Spurs. after Spurs our next game against the "big guns" is City home at the end of March. then Liverpool away last but one.

Hopefully Abraham and possibly CHO and/or Pulisic can be fit for the weekend.
Click to expand...
15 points from 15 games.. Youve been on borrowed time for a long while now. I dont know who will get fourth but it wont be Chelsea.
Its not the big guns you only struggle against.
 
March will decide the season for Man Utd. Playing Everton, Spurs, City, Sheffield. So it's either going to one good yet lucky season or a collapse....
 
What are current odds?

Assuming City is banned the following season, safe to assume Liverpool and Leicester are locks. Genuinely can't tell for who the other two teams will be.
 
Can we please for the love of god just go on a fecking run and get 4th? Thanks.
 
BluesJr said:
Can we please for the love of god just go on a fecking run and get 4th? Thanks.
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Would be lovely wouldn't it? I just want to see some consistency for once. Seen us win games like last night too often this season then mess up the next game to get even remotely hopeful though, sadly.
 
JJ12 said:
We should really be finishing top 5 when we get Rashford, Pogba and McTominay back. We should also be competing for the 2 remaining cups.

IF we get them all back that is. We have a favourable April and May so definitely doable.
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We should finish 4th regardless of those players being back. Chelsea squad we played yesterday is barely midtable. Tottenham have no strikers. Our squad is very healthy all things considered.
 
Bebestation said:
I hope Lampard plays Giroud upfront.

Only chance they get something out of the Spurs match.
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Think we could do with spurs winning or a draw to be honest, spurs are probably gunna drop more points with son and kane injured, were 2 points behind spurs and 3 behind Chelsea so..
 
ariveded said:
March will decide the season for Man Utd. Playing Everton, Spurs, City, Sheffield. So it's either going to one good yet lucky season or a collapse....
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There all the teams we are most likely to do something against, the teams that will stop us from getting 4th will be the teams in the bottom halve of the table I think.
 
africanspur said:
Ffs we cannot catch a break this season. That's a crushing blow with Kane out as well.
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My guess is we'll have to play either Alli or Lamela as a false No. 9, with Bergwijn and Moura as wide attackers on either flank and Lo Celso in central attacking midfield ahead of the usual double pivot CM (ideally Winks and Ndombele, if the latter is match fit).

It could work if the attackers are fluidly inter-changing, but you're right ... losing two of the very best forwards in Europe is a big blow.
 
Being at home v Spurs (or away usually) id bank on 3 pts, in normal circumstances. With Kane and Son out i'd be even more convinced. But weirdly being at home, Im less than confident this season

Still think we might just nick it. Abraham is fit again, RLC back in squad. Would put us 4 ahead of Spurs and 6 again ahead of Utd, dependant on results. We then do not play a "big gun" until 21st March
 
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