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

Jesus, we are now down to talking about top 6. How far has this great club gone back.
 
It will be another exciting season for top two and third and Fourth. City/Liverpool/Spurs/Arsenal

None of it will match the battle for 5th though.
 
I think we are favourites for top four or the third spot after Holding, Tierney, and Bellerin return in September. That's basically three of our best back four.
 
roonster09 said:
Maybe based on your username.
Click to expand...
And sure its the hope that kills us :(
Casanova85 said:
That we would have 7 points if we had scored two penalties.
Click to expand...
We had plenty of ifs buts and maybes moments other seasons United missed out on top 3/4. I think at best United might sneak 4th but it will probably require Arsenal,Chelsea to get 70 points max.
 
Xyx said:
I think we are favourites for top four or the third spot after Holding, Tierney, and Bellerin return in September. That's basically three of our best back four.
Click to expand...
I think so too. With the firepower that you have, you don't need an elite defence to get into the top 4.
 
Bestietom said:
Jesus, we are now down to talking about top 6. How far has this great club gone back.
Click to expand...
Probably back to where United was in 1986 to 1990. Major rebuilding to be done right now and by the end of it United might have a team that can challenge for major honours once more.
 
Xyx said:
I think we are favourites for top four or the third spot after Holding, Tierney, and Bellerin return in September. That's basically three of our best back four.
Click to expand...

Holding in your best back 4, jeez you are in trouble :lol:
 
Think it will be a fight between Leicester and arsenal for that 4th spot, still expect spurs to get their act together soon and they have shown over the years that they have it in them to go on lengthy unbeaten runs.
 
Will be an interesting for race sure.

Arsenal, Spurs and Chelsea all dropped as well this weekend.
 
Fight for top 4 will be like end of last season...... Shockingly bad.

You take....no you take it..... please I insist you take it.
 
AJ10 said:
Fight for top 4 will be like end of last season...... Shockingly bad.

You take....no you take it..... please I insist you take it.
Click to expand...
I think the points gap between second and third will be even bigger than it was last season.
 
A good counter-attacking side will always get the better of Arsenal, whose top four chances will really depend on their away form.
 
Think Spurs will get 3rd by default really. Arsenal 4th. I wouldn't be shocked to see the gap between 2nd and 3rd be record amount of points. Liverpool and City are just streets ahead of the rest.
 
It's pretty close so far as expected:

Arsenal - 7
Man Utd - 5
Spurs - 5
Chelsea - 5

Liverpool & City are expected to and probably will maintain a cushion of 6+ points over the nearest challenger for most of the season once it settles down a bit further (getting into October). If one of the four teams can in question can hit a good run of form (undefeated in 10 or so with majority wins) then the opportunity is there to stake the claim for third. I think all of these teams are capable of doing that, but they're also all capable of just being sluggish and indifferent for long periods as well. I wouldn't be surprised if only 3 points or so separates all four teams after we've played another four rounds.

Leicester and Everton will probably be quietly confident of breaking into this pack at the moment and rightly so, as no one seems to be able to find a level of consistency. Leicester has a big opportunity if they can come to Old Trafford and win, that will really lay a marker down. In terms of United, we have to play Leicester, West Ham, and Arsenal all with Europea League / League Cup fixtures mixed in-between. With how we're playing now, I wouldn't say it'd be a massive shock if we win none of those games which will put heaps of pressure. On the other hand, if we can just find that extra 10-20% we're lacking then we could win all three and put us in a very strong position come October. The games we haven't won have all been very close and with a bit of luck / being more clinical we'd have won them all more often than not. It might not be as bad as it seems, but we need to find a few wins soon or the confidence will just be shot.
 
I still think the current points total is unfortunate (basically the reverse of what happened during Ole's first several games last year) and competing for the Top 4 is possible.
 
Spurs will get 3rd with Kane & Son in their side.

United/Arsenal/Chelsea will be decided on who is more shit. I haven't seen anything drastic from Leicester/Wolves or Everton to think they'll break in to the top 4.
 
VanGaalEra said:
Spurs will get 3rd with Kane & Son in their side.

United/Arsenal/Chelsea will be decided on who is more shit. I haven't seen anything drastic from Leicester/Wolves or Everton to think they'll break in to the top 4.
Click to expand...

Don't lump Arsenal in with us and Chelsea, they have a much better squad.
 
Havak said:
It's pretty close so far as expected:

Arsenal - 7
Man Utd - 5
Spurs - 5
Chelsea - 5

Liverpool & City are expected to and probably will maintain a cushion of 6+ points over the nearest challenger for most of the season once it settles down a bit further (getting into October). If one of the four teams can in question can hit a good run of form (undefeated in 10 or so with majority wins) then the opportunity is there to stake the claim for third. I think all of these teams are capable of doing that, but they're also all capable of just being sluggish and indifferent for long periods as well. I wouldn't be surprised if only 3 points or so separates all four teams after we've played another four rounds.

Leicester and Everton will probably be quietly confident of breaking into this pack at the moment and rightly so, as no one seems to be able to find a level of consistency. Leicester has a big opportunity if they can come to Old Trafford and win, that will really lay a marker down. In terms of United, we have to play Leicester, West Ham, and Arsenal all with Europea League / League Cup fixtures mixed in-between. With how we're playing now, I wouldn't say it'd be a massive shock if we win none of those games which will put heaps of pressure. On the other hand, if we can just find that extra 10-20% we're lacking then we could win all three and put us in a very strong position come October. The games we haven't won have all been very close and with a bit of luck / being more clinical we'd have won them all more often than not. It might not be as bad as it seems, but we need to find a few wins soon or the confidence will just be shot.
Click to expand...
It's rather close but Spurs have had two of their three most difficult fixtures of the season already done with (2/6 pts away at Arsenal/City) whereas ourselves and Chelsea have had far easier games.

I've watched a lot of these early games and watching Arsenal, they're many levels above us and Chelsea in performances currently. Spurs haven't been playing very well but they are always horrible in the first 5-6 games so I always refuse to bet against their insane spammy luck and last minute goals.

Our depth is also very, very worrying and I think we will struggle more as we play more games and the same players have to play a lot of minutes and no longer run and press all game as we have been able to thus far.
 
Spurs have picked up just 16 points in their last 16 matches! 4 wins, 4 draws and 8 defeats. No away win since January.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Liverpool are a class above. I think it's between Arsenal, Spurs, us, Chelsea, Leicester and Everton for the final 2 spots. Spurs are in horrific form but should be strong enough to recover, Arsenal should also have enough, but they are weak in midfield and awful at the back.
 
Schmeichel's Cartwheel said:
Liverpool are a class above. I think it's between Arsenal, Spurs, us, Chelsea, Leicester and Everton for the final 2 spots. Spurs are in horrific form but should be strong enough to recover, Arsenal should also have enough, but they are weak in midfield and awful at the back.
Click to expand...

I agree with this, Arsenal CB pairing of Luiz - Sokratis is a disaster waiting to happen. I also do not rate Xhaka(the hacker), he is a worse version of Fellaini. Their attack will carry them though, PEA, Lacazette, Pepe, Ceballos real quality in that attack.

Spurs have had two really tough fixtures already, away at Emirates for the NLD and away at City. And somehow are in an injury crisis despite the season just starting. How is Davies, Dier, Walker-Peters, Aurier, Foyth, Ndombele all already injured? With Alli just returning from injury and not match fit? It's been four games :lol:

Chelsea are in a bit of a rebuilding phase. I think Lampard might get a bit of a pass this season from the usual trigger happy Abramovich. Maybe even the Chelsea fanbase will realise they shouldnt be expecting too much from a transitional season.
 
I posted in the top 6 prediction thread before the start, here is the top 4 from it

City
Pool
Spurs
Arse

Also posted a while back that Spurs might be the surprise team to fallout out of it. Sometimes it can be hard to pick the players up after a CL final loss and another unlikely title push. Still they have good players and will probably be best of a lesser bunch so I'll stick with it.

It's quite sad to see this thread title now on here. I immediately think ha unlikely for United every time. We just have to hope the squad gels better over time, we have an outside chance.

Also very alarming how much of a grip Liverpool and City have on all the teams.
 
I don't think there is a chance United will get into the top 4 this year.

Struggle away from home because teams will score against us.

Struggle at home because teams will play with a low block - barely any goals scored.

We don't score enough goals and do not keep enough clean sheets.

Every team in the prem knows United are vunerable.
 
I think it'll end up being Man City, Liverpool, Arsenal and Man Utd.

The one longshot I have is that I think Leicester will come good this year for a top 6.
 
My prediction in order:
Contenders for the League:
Man City
Liverpool

Contenders for the other European spots
bracket 1:
Spurs
Man Utd
Arsenal

Bracket 2:
Chelsea
Leicester
Everton
Wolves
West ham

In other words: City, Liverpool, Spurs, United.
 
Basso said:
Spurs have picked up just 16 points in their last 16 matches! 4 wins, 4 draws and 8 defeats. No away win since January.
Click to expand...
We're on pretty similar form ourselves, but you'd say Spurs probably have a better starting XI or first 14-15 players overall maybe. It's probably debatable actually, but most non-United fans would probably take more Spurs players.

20 Points for us in the last 15 Premier League games with our last away win coming in February anyway. 5 wins, 5 draws, 5 losses - the epitome of average.
 
Liverpool and Citeh out on their own.

May the two least crap teams finish third and fourth.
 
Last edited:
5 weeks in and the season is already taking shape: Pool champions, City 2nd 5-6 points short of Pool; big gap then 3rd (Spurs?). Utd and Chelsea unpredictable and fighting for the 4th spot. Arse and Leicester EL.

That said, it will be hilarious if WH reaches the 3rd spot this Monday.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.