Top 4 race / race abandoned (or maybe not) / Leicester & Chelsea in the process of bottling it

Dancfc said:
I don't think that's as big a factor as made out. Ziyech, Pulisic, Werner and Havertz were convinced to come here when CL football was still far from secure (3 of which from teams all but assured of CL football) while Jorginho, Kovacic, Luiz and Kante all came here from CL clubs when we didn't have it, a top class manager like Conte came here with no CL football, flavour of the month at the time Sarri gave up CL to come here.

If we look across to our competitive rivals Arsenal managed to nab Auba and Pepe without CL (as much as he's been a disappointment he was one of the hottest properties in that market), United got Pogba, Di Maria and Ibra, Liverpool got Suarez, City got Silva and Tevez, Bayern got Ribery, Juve got Pirlo etc.

I mean if Leicester and/or WHU with all due respect to them make it over us would they beat us to signing's? It would take a very short sighted player to make a decision based on what could end up being six games.

The players that do tend to make CL footy a deal breaker are the one's who tend to end up in Spain. The likes of an Mbappe/Haaland is a closed market for us even if we win the CL.

I think a combination of our club reputation (all the active young/prime players grew up seeing nothing but Chelsea success) plus the good package we offer will convince many a player to overlook the odd season out of it.
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I think we're in an unusual position where we're big and rich enough a club to be a serious contender for all but a very few players, and therefore the promise of CL football becomes very important. We've been one of the big European clubs in recent memory, and that has real value for the players who grew up during that period. But they won't necessarily sign on without the CL guarantee.

Maybe I'm wrong, and maybe its not as crucial as I think, but we'll see I guess. I really want us to get Haaland and I don't think he's out of reach at all given Madrids situation.
 
If west Ham fail to win, hasnt been the worst weekend after all
 
Kentonio said:
Maybe I'm wrong, and maybe its not as crucial as I think, but we'll see I guess. I really want us to get Haaland and I don't think he's out of reach at all given Madrids situation.
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Do you see Roman sanctioning a 150mm spend on one player in this environment?

It has never been his MO.
 
ZolaWasMagic said:
If west Ham fail to win, hasnt been the worst weekend after all
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I think the Liverpool match was the most important one.

All the models now have them ahead of Chelsea as far as final league place is concerned. Obviously this is all within statistical margin of error.
 
SinNombre said:
I think the Liverpool match was the most important one.

All the models now have them ahead of Chelsea as far as final league place is concerned. Obviously this is all within statistical margin of error.
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This is based on an assumption that our home form suddenly picks up. We haven’t scored a goal in open play at Anfield since December.
 
Klopper76 said:
This is based on an assumption that our home form suddenly picks up. We haven’t scored a goal in open play at Anfield since December.
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Jota will be the difference. He's come back at the perfect time. Even if Klopp remarkably insists on not starting him, he'll get the job done.
 
Judas said:
Jota will be the difference. He's come back at the perfect time. Even if Klopp remarkably insists on not starting him, he'll get the job done.
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Yeah that’s my hope as well. I think we would’ve got more from the likes of Fulham, Brighton & Burnley with Jota available. Firmino doesn’t even know what the goal looks like.

Villa next at home...what could go wrong?
 
SinNombre said:
Do you see Roman sanctioning a 150mm spend on one player in this environment?

It has never been his MO.
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As more information comes out it seems Havertz was Roman’s pick. If he really wants him, he will spend... and overspend. I think the $600K in weekly wages is the real deal killer.
 
Kentonio said:
I think we're in an unusual position where we're big and rich enough a club to be a serious contender for all but a very few players, and therefore the promise of CL football becomes very important. We've been one of the big European clubs in recent memory, and that has real value for the players who grew up during that period. But they won't necessarily sign on without the CL guarantee.

Maybe I'm wrong, and maybe its not as crucial as I think, but we'll see I guess. I really want us to get Haaland and I don't think he's out of reach at all given Madrids situation.
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Haalands not signing for Chelsea regardless of whether they're in the UCL or not
 
I'm fairly convinced Liverpool will get in now, take a long hard look at yourselves all those clubs that have let them back in you've ruined it for all of us
 
Liverpool are the only ones who have the knowledge, even ifs a bit buried, to go on a consistent run. They might not even have to win at home to do it either! Just win those away games.
 
Liverpool will have a decent run. Fancy them to win at least five of the last eight.
 
if West Ham had normal owners and basically weren't West Ham I'd love them to do it tbh but I can't be rooting for them really.

Liverpool the big winners this weekend anyway.
 
SinNombre said:
I think the Liverpool match was the most important one.

All the models now have them ahead of Chelsea as far as final league place is concerned. Obviously this is all within statistical margin of error.
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i think we'll be fine tbh
 
ZolaWasMagic said:
of course he isnt. hes going to spain, but if he came to england, you'd be foolish to think we'd not have a chance
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I must be foolish then as I don't think Chelsea have got even half a chance
 
This is done. I’m delighted how early this is attended. The only problem I have in the long run is that I don’t ever see us closing the gap on City in the long run. But overall it’s nice to be guaranteed CL football after 30 games
 
Really need to spend the next 8 games playing VDB, Pogba and Bruno together just to see what theyre capable of as a unit.
 
Top 4 should now be secured. It will take an absolute monumental collapse if we somehow fecked this up.
 
432JuanMata said:
This is done. I’m delighted how early this is attended. The only problem I have in the long run is that I don’t ever see us closing the gap on City in the long run. But overall it’s nice to be guaranteed CL football after 30 games
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It isn't.

If Rashford is out long term that is Cavani, James and Greenwood as a front three for the run-in. That can easily lead to a handful of shit results.
 
432JuanMata said:
Even as a United fan I think they would have a better chance than us, hopefully not but even the bookies think Chelsea have a better chance.
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He'd choose us, City and Liverpool before he'd even consider Chelsea
 
432JuanMata said:
This is done. I’m delighted how early this is attended. The only problem I have in the long run is that I don’t ever see us closing the gap on City in the long run. But overall it’s nice to be guaranteed CL football after 30 games
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I think there is plenty of improement in us from this season if the club can do some work in the summer fixing obvious issues
 
Shane88 said:
It isn't.

If Rashford is out long term that is Cavani, James and Greenwood as a front three for the run-in. That can easily lead to a handful of shit results.
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11 points with 8 games. It’s done 100% the teams fighting for top 4 keep dropping points we will get away with only 2-3 wins and we will win more than that
 
Shane88 said:
It isn't.

If Rashford is out long term that is Cavani, James and Greenwood as a front three for the run-in. That can easily lead to a handful of shit results.
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We’ve lost one league game in about five months. Act your age.
 
cyberman said:
Hardly lose all 8 now. Honestly think we could lose 6 and qualify with the way others are playing.
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It was a bit tongue in cheek really, I just don't think as a unit in the PL that would work, especially from what VDB has shown so far. He doesn't look anywhere close to being defensively strong enough.

Shane88 said:
It isn't.

If Rashford is out long term that is Cavani, James and Greenwood as a front three for the run-in. That can easily lead to a handful of shit results.
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Yes. A handful. But the rest of the pack will have shit results too. Honestly, I'm a negative bugger often, I don't get why people are so tense still. If we fail to make top 4 from here, a lot of big changes will happen in the summer, and rightfully so, it would be an unforgivable and ridiculous slump and feck up.
 
Kag said:
We’ve lost one league game in about five months. Act your age.
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The negative mindset here must be 8 years of hope and then being let down by us when people are saying there is a chance of us dropping out.
 
Good achievement for this season - it looks a done deal for us now. Hopefully we can carry on from here. Liverpool will certainly be back stronger next season, and it seems like Chelsea will be as well with Tuchel.
 
Tonight showed nothing can be taken for granted, but that's a very healthy lead with 8 games left.

Need to get something v Tottenham. Get that one seen off.
 
We should be fine but I hope we don't rotate heavily or take the foot off the gas. Let's try to finish the season a comfortable 2nd and not let City at least play it out to win the league.
 
The models have us at 97%.

Kag said:
We’ve lost one league game in about five months. Act your age.
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exactly this.

Where is this pessimism coming from?

We may not be league winners but are clearly very hard to beat.
 
Sandikan said:
Tonight showed nothing can be taken for granted, but that's a very healthy lead with 8 games left.

Need to get something v Tottenham. Get that one seen off.
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Its 11 points but its more in reality since theres quite a few games left with teams around us playing each other. We can take it for granted at this stage. I think its near impossible for us to drop out now unless we lose 5 or 6 games. Id love someone smarter than I to work it out.
 
SinNombre said:
The models have us at 97%.



exactly this.

Where is this pessimism coming from?

We may not be league winners but are clearly very hard to beat.
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Yeah this is us at moment and why we are so far ahead of 5th but so far behind city, we are hard to beat and have periods in games were we play some great football yet for periods we are poor it’s too good for the likes of the rest but not for city would will play great for nearly the full 90 mins
 
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