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

Lee565 said:
To be fair we have had Chelsea's number this season even without needing pogba, greenwood or Fernandes, I think we could easily afford to rest such players along with shaw for williams as well
Click to expand...

Incorrect.

The first game we played was the first game of the season with our fully fit squad that included Pogba.

Second game was a League cup game where Chelsea rested their players.

Third game we had Bruno.

No way we win this game with resting all the ones you mentioned. No chance.
 
Last edited:
Given the significance of the city verdict, I think the importance of the FA cup semi went down manifold for both teams.

I can't see ole giving too much of a rest to the first 11, either tonight or against CP, though he may definitely look at playing the likes of Ighalo, Mctominay, Fred, Williams, Bailey and James for the FA cup.

Finishing third on the league after such a volatile season will definitely set up a marker for next season.
 
romufc said:
Incorrect.

The first game we played was the first game of the season with our fully fit squad that included Pogba.

Second game was a League cup game where Chelsea rested their players and it went into extra time.

Third game we had Bruno.

No way we win this game with resting all the ones you mentioned. No chance.
Click to expand...

It didn't go to extra time.
 
Blades1889 said:
It’s a shame about the City decision or we would’ve had a very very slim chance of making CL. I would rather we achieved it on merit but we’ve come so close :(
Click to expand...

Also means there are further question marks over whether or not you'll get Europa. So no letting up against Leicester please :)

By the way, whatever happens to you this season from here on out, you've been great to follow and watch.
 
If we miss the champions league, the transfer ban last season will have proven fatal.
 
A possible scenario: Top 4 secured before game vs Leicester + losing against Leicester will send them ahead of Chelsea.

Not very likely, but if it happened, would you take that loss to send Ch€£$€a out of top 4?
 
Shaw Mee Tah Mané said:
A possible scenario: Top 4 secured before game vs Leicester + losing against Leicester will send them ahead of Chelsea.

Not very likely, but if it happened, would you take that loss to send Ch€£$€a out of top 4?
Click to expand...
If we get top 4 secured before Leicester game, we should be resting the first team in that match, so i reckon it's quite possible if Chelsea slip up some more.
 
shaky said:
If we get top 4 secured before Leicester game, we should be resting the first team in that match, so i reckon it's quite possible if Chelsea slip up some more.
Click to expand...

Would take a lot to secure it before that game. Although if Leicester keep being crap and us great it will happen.
 
shaky said:
If we get top 4 secured before Leicester game, we should be resting the first team in that match, so i reckon it's quite possible if Chelsea slip up some more.
Click to expand...

FA Cup final is 1st August, which we're hopefully be part of, and we'd have played the Wednesday before, so yes, resting a few wouldn't be out of order by any means.
 
Shaw Mee Tah Mané said:
A possible scenario: Top 4 secured before game vs Leicester + losing against Leicester will send them ahead of Chelsea.

Not very likely, but if it happened, would you take that loss to send Ch€£$€a out of top 4?
Click to expand...
Yes I would. Hopefully we beat then in the fa cup too. We would have made a mockery of Chelsea this season
 
Shaw Mee Tah Mané said:
A possible scenario: Top 4 secured before game vs Leicester + losing against Leicester will send them ahead of Chelsea.

Not very likely, but if it happened, would you take that loss to send Ch€£$€a out of top 4?
Click to expand...
Nope, I want us to always win. Winning is a culture but if we have fa cup final in few days then it's better we rest players.
 
We have to push for third just because it's the only top 7 position that we haven't finished in since 2013.

1st 2013
7th In the season that we can't talk about
4th 2015
5th 2016
6th 2017
2nd 2018
6th 2019
 
JinnerJamie said:
We have to push for third just because it's the only top 7 position that we haven't finished in since 2013.

1st 2013
7th In the season that we can't talk about
4th 2015
5th 2016
6th 2017
2nd 2018
6th 2019
Click to expand...

Cant even remember the last time we finished 3rd.
 
RDCR07 said:
feck the FA CUP. No resting players for league games. Played a second XI for the semis. League is more important. Europa league is still there for a trophy.
Click to expand...

While I agree with your point that the league is far more important than the FA Cup.. if we win tonight and Thursday, then that’s top 4 pretty much done and dusted. We can go into the semis with huge confidence, win that and then look at resting players before the final/Europa league
 
RDCR07 said:
Ok genius explain how are players going to play 4 games between now and the West Ham when we have started the same team 4 games in a row. Technically 5. Pogba didn’t start at Spurs. You got to trust your players. They did a job earlier this season. You can’t keep playing the same XI between now and the end of the season.
Click to expand...


Because in the last 4 PL games we have been winning by 3 goals pretty much with 30 mins left and brought on 5 subs in all them games. From now until the West Ham game there are 10 days, which works out at 2.5 days a game.

Elite footballers can easily play 60 minutes a match and play the next 4 games. That is only 240 minutes of football. Some of the players can play 90 minutes which maximum is 360 minutes in 10 days. It isn’t too difficult especially with the 5 sub rule. Also if we win our next 2 PL games and Chelsea lose to Liverpool and Leicester lose to Sheff Utd and Spurs then top 4 is wrapped up before the Leicester game.
 
JinnerJamie said:
We have to push for third just because it's the only top 7 position that we haven't finished in since 2013.

1st 2013
7th In the season that we can't talk about
4th 2015
5th 2016
6th 2017
2nd 2018
6th 2019
Click to expand...
That 2018 finish always felt hollow tbh.
 
sammsky1 said:
We need to create habits we've not had since SAF, ie being ruthless, putting together long unbeaten runs, and also the ability to rise to the occasion when a specific challenge is demanded. Our target should be 70 points and 70 goals scored.

I think its good mental preparation for next season.

Loving every aspect of this squads development since the arrival of Bruno.
Click to expand...

Agree with that. My point was that if we win the next 3 - the last game won't matter and we would have sealed 3rd.

Ole can rotate for the final game of the season and target the FA Cup. Point is that if we do our job, it may not come down to the last game of the season.
 
I honestly think united could lose or draw two games (which is unlikely given our form) and still get top 4 as long as we still beat Leicester. I just don't see Leicester or Chelsea not dropping more points; i'd be shocked if they don't.

I wonder if Leicester fans will question Rodgers as it's been an epic fall.
 
sewey89 said:
While I agree with your point that the league is far more important than the FA Cup.. if we win tonight and Thursday, then that’s top 4 pretty much done and dusted. We can go into the semis with huge confidence, win that and then look at resting players before the final/Europa league
Click to expand...
Not just that, Chelsea could slip up tomorrow against Norwich and Leicester slip up against Blades before our game on Thursday meaning our only thoughts could be on the cups. Obviously we still gotta win our last 4 league games for posterity and stuff
 
Judas said:
The luxury we've had is we've not had a proper workout in a game for ages, probably Norwich in the cup. Villa game was a stroll, and that has to help the players legs.
Click to expand...
Villa game was not a stroll till we got that penalty.
 
Our aim has to be to get to the last game without needing a result, and this weekends results make that possible. If we win our next 3 and then Leicester and Chelsea drop any points (as seems likely) then we'll be over the line.

Oh and just for my two cents, if circumstances should dictate that losing to Leicester puts them through at Chelsea's expense, then we should be throwing that ball into our own net. I have no doubt Chelsea would do the same to us.
 
SalfordRed18 said:
That 2018 finish always felt hollow tbh.
Click to expand...
Both expected goals and simply watching the matches told us exactly how the second season was truly going and how the third season was likely going to go. That wasn’t a popular opinion on the Caf at the time though and people got a lot of flack for daring to suggest we had turned to shite, despite somehow getting those wins for second that was papering over the cracks.

Mourinho’s first season was still comfortably our best post-Ferguson. That’s until possibly this one could match it both in terms of performance and silverware.
 
Irwin99 said:
I honestly think united could lose or draw two games (which is unlikely given our form) and still get top 4 as long as we still beat Leicester. I just don't see Leicester or Chelsea not dropping more points; i'd be shocked if they don't.

I wonder if Leicester fans will question Rodgers as it's been an epic fall.
Click to expand...
Yep but if we win our next 3 easier ones we won’t need to go and get a result away to Leicester. Minimal stress I know isn’t the United way but this is the top 4 not the league title just get it done and move on.
 
Judas said:
So what 25 odd minutes? It's nothing compared to our rivals.
Click to expand...
My point is that you’re insinuating that we haven’t had any work in our last few games but we actually have. We were dominated by villa till the penalty. Even if we hadn’t been gifted the pen we would have still won comfortably. That’s how far we have progressed as a team.

There will probably be a spell in the game were Southampton will look threaten but it won’t matter because in the end we will probably be three up by then. Sheffield are a better team than Southampton but still got dominated. No reason why we should be worried about today especially since we are at home.
 
cyberman said:
If this were true, how the feck have we clawed 12 odd points on them this season?
Click to expand...

It happened in Mourinhos second season when we were attempting to pressure City at top spot through December.

I also remember the back end of last season, there were several frustrating opportunities when we could have broken top 4, yet at crunch time dropped points at the same time as our rivals.

It’s great that we’ve clawed those points back and it shows resolve, but now it’s time to get over that final hurdle of getting into the CL spots, and staying there.
 
Disaster for us. Fullbacks injured and Palace no doubt will raise their game with Zaha.
 
We do this every single time we're given a chance to get an advantage over our rivals. You have to question the mental toughness of these players sometimes.
 
I mean I just find it funny. Cant really be mad.
It was so predictable and we fck it up every single time. This time in the very last second of the game.
 
So disappointing. A good chance lost. But fatigue will do that to you.

Still a pretty good chance to be third when Chelsea plays Liverpool and LCFC Sheffield United.
 
Can't see us beating Leicester away.

3rd is Chelsea's now.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.