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

TheReligion said:
Leicester have a number of injured players and if we can't get a positive result then we don't deserve CL football. That's my view now. With yourselves Wolves can give anyone a game on their day whilst being a pain to breakdown. That said Pulisic is your man at the moment it's just if you can keep them out at the other end.
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Agreed with all of that - I'm not trying to be a reverse-jinxing twat but I think your team is suited to destroy Leicester a la Spurs - you're more or less a better version of them in almost all positions. Given their injuries, they'll struggle to keep up with pacy attackers and I think you'll have a field day.

Chelsea vs. Wolves is more of a toss-up - if Wolves come out and try to attack I think we may have some joy on the counter. Who knows though; if we play like we did in the first half tonight we'll get run ragged. Personally I hope Caballero plays.
 
United being favourite for third, but Chelsea favourite for top 4 is still so weird.
 
Gasolin said:
Except if Shaw is back. Then good luck on Leicester pressing us, we will get out of the press and f*** them every single time form that left side.
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Shaw played against Southampton and we still couldn't deal with their pressing. Not sure why he's suddenly elevated to this godlike figure who will lead us to the promised land via his magical press resistance.
 
Can see Wolves beating Chelsea people are forgetting they are in a straight race for 6th place with Spurs and if Arsenal win FA Cup 7th place will not have European football next season, we’ve been giving so many chances this season could easily see Leicester wining and Wolves nicking a win and Ole lucky streak continuing !!
 
I think Wolves are an honest side, so will give it a good shot, but don’t see EL qualification ensuring that they play out of their skin, especially as they are already in the comp and will fancy their chances of winning it and making the CL. Sixth may well have the three brutal rounds of EL qualifiers too.
 
Siorac said:
Shaw played against Southampton and we still couldn't deal with their pressing. Not sure why he's suddenly elevated to this godlike figure who will lead us to the promised land via his magical press resistance.
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Because he was one of our best players up to getting injured and gives us loads of width I would imagine .
 
redshaw said:
All this talk of Leicester and a draw changes nothing has been annoying.

A push for a win at home to a team just above relegation that was practically safe would have us on 65 points tonight.

Now we face a tough away tie to the very team that can take our CL spot with a win, a very threatening Vardy could tear us a new one, a team with a huge goal of CL football ahead with just one win, incredibly pumped. If we lose to Leicester we could've been through still but all Chelsea have to do is draw and send us to Europa with that timid performance against West Ham.
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Eh?
 
redshaw said:
All this talk of Leicester and a draw changes nothing has been annoying.

A push for a win at home to a team just above relegation that was practically safe would have us on 65 points tonight.

Now we face a tough away tie to the very team that can take our CL spot with a win, a very threatening Vardy could tear us a new one, a team with a huge goal of CL football ahead with just one win, incredibly pumped. If we lose to Leicester we could've been through still but all Chelsea have to do is draw and send us to Europa with that timid performance against West Ham.
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Broadly agree with your post, but home advantage means very little without fans.
 
fecking hell if Wolves hadn’t lost that 96th minute equaliser to Burnley they’d be beating Chelsea for automatic Champions League!

Sore one.
 
Would have taken being in this position before the restart.

Hoping Wolves beat Chelsea.
 
cyberman said:
Leicester have had relegation form since Christmas. Its made up nonsense that doesnt stand up to scrutiny.
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Why would I bother making it up? I hope you're right but we'll have to wait and see.
 
Big Ben Foster said:
Broadly agree with your post, but home advantage means very little without fans.
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Leicestr are unbeaten at home since the restart, draw, win win and have not conceded a goal.

Pretty conclusive that home advantage does mean something to them, as their away results are a mess.
 
Siorac said:
Shaw played against Southampton and we still couldn't deal with their pressing. Not sure why he's suddenly elevated to this godlike figure who will lead us to the promised land via his magical press resistance.
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And if you remember against City he’s the one who bypassed the press by quickly inter playing on this side and we insisted on playing short. Shaw also provides the automatism to create runs and stretch a bit the opposition. He will be useful to us on Sunday if he’s fit.
 
Wolves have improved since then. Abraham was bang in form. Honestly think it's pointless coming up with any reasoning as to what is going to happen. I can see all of the variables happening.
 
It could have been over for us if we just cleared that last minute corner. This club always find a way to create some drama
 
Gasolin said:
And if you remember against City he’s the one who bypassed the press by quickly inter playing on this side and we insisted on playing short. Shaw also provides the automatism to create runs and stretch a bit the opposition. He will be useful to us on Sunday if he’s fit.
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Yes, he will be useful. But he's not a world class miracle worker: we can and did in the past struggle just as much against pressing teams with him in the side as without him.
 
Random Task said:
Think it through.

Carefully.
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Summit said:
Must be. We avoid defeat and we are golden. If we won we still have to avoid defeat
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Forget about avoiding defeat and the actual points calculation. This draw is a blow in confidence and of course in mentality, for the 100th time we fail to take advantage and bottle it. I fear we will do the same on sunday. and you bet your ass many of the players will think the same.
 
bosnian_red said:
So any draw from their last 2 games (likely against Wolves) sees them through.

We looked brutal today, but I think the Leicester game suits us. We are good at counter attacking, and struggle when we have to attack a deep defence like today. Leicester needs a win, our defence is good enough to hope we can grind out a draw and we'll have pace on the counter. Just hope Ole goes for the work horses like McTominay, Fred and James to give us some freshness in the starting 11 and hope we can kill the game enough and then get openings on the counter.
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Agreed with you in a matchday thread and agreeing with you again. Fred, McT and Pogba, Bruno being throwed in later on. I hope Ighalo will be given a chance earlier too if need be. James is a good shout, we're going to defend and James for the counter would be ideal, if nothing to cause havoc in their defense.
 
Leicester, Chelsea, and United are all doing their utmost to stay out of the top 4 at the moment. Whenever there's a chance to get ahead and cement their place, they immediately drop points.
 
Boils down to the simple fact that even with a knackered team thin on top quality, if we can't beat a very out of sorts and injury ridden Leicester team we've got no right to be annoyed, we simply don't deserve to be in the CL, we're simply not good enough if thats the case.
 
jamesjimmybyrondean said:
It could have been over for us if we just cleared that last minute corner. This club always find a way to create some drama
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I don't really get the 'Oh if we only.....'
Leicester were literally cruising against Bournemouth until the stupid clearance by Schmeichel and red card a minute later.
Every team can think like that.
 
Silverman said:
I don't really get the 'Oh if we only.....'
Leicester were literally cruising against Bournemouth until the stupid clearance by Schmeichel and red card a minute later.
Every team can think like that.
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So many if only's. In the end the top 4 is in Chelsea Leceister and United's hands so whoever fecks up deserves to not qualify
 
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The thing is memory is short and if you think back to the start of the season pre-Bruno and to be in this position with still a shout of top 4 is kind of mental, ok our form has fallen off a cliff last few games but we were terrible for weeks pre christmas and thats caused us to be in this position more than the last couple games. Its all ifs and buts though now, it comes down to Sunday now and unfortunately I am not sure who is more mentally shot, United or Leicester both seem to have buckled under the pressure, Chelsea have been a bit up and down but I can see them getting the job done at home against Wovles, then its just one other...
 
I want Wolves to hold off Spurs for Europe and Utd out of the top 4 but I don't think both are possible simultaneously if Tottenham wins, right? If not, hoping for a Chelsea draw and Leicester win on Sunday.

If Utd does get top 4 it will be deserved - it might be a case of "who's least shit" but your form post-break (and after the acquisition of Bruno) has been way better than that of both Chelsea and Leicester.
 
GGT said:
Leicestr are unbeaten at home since the restart, draw, win win and have not conceded a goal.

Pretty conclusive that home advantage does mean something to them, as their away results are a mess.
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most of those results were also with Soyuncu, Chilwell in the side though..maybe even Maddison but I am not sure.
Conversely, we have got more points in away games than home games since the restart, so home teams coming to attack and being more open suits us too.. our attackers, if in any sort of form, should tear that makeshift backline into shreds
 
duffer said:
Don't worry about Chelsea, just beat fecking Leicester! That's your one and only job!
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You know we can't do that. Even if you don't watch our other games, you had to see us on Sunday. That's what you can expect from us at Leicester.
 
jamesjimmybyrondean said:
Cant believe this dragged on till the final day
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at least we have something to look forward to and fight for on the final day, when was the last time it happened? Also, did we even dream we would be in contention for top 4 after that Burnley defeat in Jan?
 
5 points out of 9 for United

3 points for Leicester and 3 for Chelsea out of 9

All playing shite, but dunno why everyone is quick to write United off against a team that have played much worse than us since the restart. They were 15 points in front of us.
 
duffer said:
Don't worry about Chelsea, just beat fecking Leicester! That's your one and only job!
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I dont want to be optimistic anymore, for the first time in years I thought we are looking good and then start to play poorly.
 
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