Re: Rival thread

by McAgger Sat 9 Feb 2013 - 21:11

Agreed Ifthi. City are pansies ffs. I hate seeing Yanited win another league title but I hope they batter Everton tomorrow so we can catch up.

At this point I think we should just worry about getting Europe next season. Hopefully two big teams end up in the FA Cup final so the 6th spot open s up in the league for EL. Our other choice is winning the EL, which is not going to be a stroll in the park by any means.

by DeletedUser#1 Sat 9 Feb 2013 - 21:43

I can't believe Arsenal won today.

You just know if Sunderland were playing us, they would have scored one of those chances :facepalm:

by mr-r34 Sun 10 Feb 2013 - 6:22

Harry Redknapp wrote:I can't believe Arsenal won today.

You just know if Sunderland were playing us, they would have scored one of those chances

My thoughts exactly couldn't even watch the last 10 minutes because i know if that was us we would of lost.

by donttreadonred Sun 10 Feb 2013 - 17:37

Art Morte wrote:Thanks... this is where the trend towards official names starts!!

If teams like Chelsea and Arsenal had proven to be in top shape this season, then yeah, it would've been easier to accept that the top-4 is too crowded for us this season still... But since they've all struggled and even Everton are challenging for those CL spots, I don't agree that we should look at this season's top-4 battle as something that was always going to be beyond our grasp.

Hold on now...

I never said it was beyond our grasp. I said, "4th was always goign to be a big ask this season." (typo included for accuracy :facepalm:

)

By this, I meant that 4th place was going to be very difficult considering our woeful form at the end of last season, the change in manager, the change in style, the turnover that occurred within the squad and staff, etc. To mount a strong challenge for a CL spot we would have needed to take a few more results in the early stages of the season. Blame it on luck, performances, transfer dealings, officiating, what have you. The result is that we haven't taken enough points to really be in the race for fourth. My point is that it was always going to be difficult to get everything right soon enough to mount a consistent challenge.

I don't mean to sound defeatist. I don't truly believe everything is already decided. There's still a lot of football to play. However, we've dropped enough points to make fourth place highly unlikely. At this point, we need other squads to slip up in a manner resembling our dip in the second half of last season.

by donttreadonred Sat 9 Mar 2013 - 14:33

Here are the final 10 matches for the four clubs realistically vying for European football.
("Should Win" matches are highlighted in green. Points tallies at the bottom exclude any points gained from non-"Should Win" matches.)

Rival thread - Page 8 600d6c37-5acb-4d79-bc80-fc3f4888ad3f

Rival thread - Page 8 600d6c37-5acb-4d79-bc80-fc3f4888ad3f

The table is shaping up to lend itself to a very interesting final 10 matches. LFC, EFC, AFC and CFC are all vying for European football, and as many as three of the four could get it when all is said and done. It looks all but certain that United have wrapped up the title, and City and Spurs look likely to fight it out for the right to be called “runners-up”. That doesn’t mean there’s nothing left to play for. Dependent on the result of the FA cup, a Champions League place and two Europa League places are still very much in contention.

Arsenal look to have the best combination of fixtures and current points tally to push for the fourth spot. With only two fixtures left against clubs currently in the top seven, their schedule is the easiest of their rivals on paper. Should the Gunners take all the points they “should”, it’s likely they will take the 4th spot with a final tally of 72 pts.

However, with away trips to the Liberty (Swansea), the Hawthorns (West Brom) and St. James Park (Newcastle) remaining on their schedule, there is still the possibility of further slips for Arsenal. Swansea, while perhaps not as dangerous as earlier in the season, are capable of beating most sides should they put forth a full-strength squad. West Brom, who have been on a torrid run of form, would appear to be an automatic three points. However, they have all the tools to endure Arsenals attacks and make them pay on the counter. Newcastle’s league position hides their true quality. Since the January window, Newcastle have looked far more dangerous and will be eager to climb the table to escape becoming embroiled in any last minute relegation scraps.

Chelsea’s chances are boosted by their tally up to this point. They currently sit in the fourth spot with a tally of 52 pts, but they are likely to need it as they don’t have the friendliest of run-ins. Chelsea still have to face Tottenham and Everton at home, as well as Liverpool and United away. Tottenham and Liverpool are both on god runs of form, Everton will be dangerous and motivated to achieve European football and keep their manager, and United are… well, they’re United.

Chelsea will be worried, though. They have not been in the most reassuring form, and Benitez’s tenure at the club continues to spark unrest in the stands if not on the pitch and at the training ground. Considering the animosity between fans and management, there’s no doubt that 4th place and Champions League football would be a welcome result from this tumultuous season.

Everton are in trouble. On paper, they appear to have the most difficult run-in of any of the four teams listed above. Having to face Man City (H), Tottenham (A), Arsenal (A), Liverpool (A), and Chelsea (A) is a daunting enough prospect. Having to do so with a woefully out of form Nikica Jelavic is even more difficult. His goal-scoring helped Everton to a seventh-place finish last season. With Jelavic unable to find the net in league play, Everton will need to rely on Pienaar, Mirallas and Felaini even more than before. It will take some strong performances against the “big boys” of the Premier League for Everton to secure European football next season.

That brings us to LFC... There are seven very winnable fixtures against Southampton (A), Aston Villa (A), West Ham (H), Reading (A), Newcastle (A), Fulham (A), and QPR (H). Should we continue our dominance of bottom half teams, there are 21 very achievable points. It's dangerous to assume that we will pick up three points against any of Tottenham, Chelsea, or Everton, simply because of our record this season. However, if we can manage to take points off of all three, it can only help us. The best thing we can do is win the matches we "should". If we can manage that, we will equal our tally of 63 points from Rafa's final season. More importantly, we will have put ourselves in a very good position to overtake Everton and finish 6th.

by Art Morte Sat 9 Mar 2013 - 18:42

Looks like a late-season predictions boom has hit our section. I find it too difficult to predict outcomes from so many games with any sort of accuracy, but should be interesting to take a look at Treddy's post and the table predictions thread after the season's done.

by donttreadonred Sat 9 Mar 2013 - 20:10

Didn't really mean it as a prediction, per se. It's really only meant as a preview for the run-in to the season.

It will be very interesting to come back and look at who did their job by winning hte games they "should" and who tripped at the final hurdle.

by McAgger Sun 10 Mar 2013 - 1:02

Okay so FA Cup results worked to perfection for us this weekend.

Wigan are in the semis
City are in the semis

tomorrow either United or Chelsea will be in the semis and it doesn't matter who makes it out of Blackburn and Millwall.

Our hope is that the draw puts City against either Wigan or Millwall/Blackburn. And United/Chelsea get the remaining team. So that there is a definite chance of City v United/Chelsea final.

That way 6th spot in the league open for us to hopefully make EL at the least.

by Helmer Mon 11 Mar 2013 - 13:04

Yeah messiah, i hope it all goes smooth for our dear top rivals to win the FA cup Razz

, i hope city or united win it.

Also, next week's fixtures are very very crucial for us, though may not be decisive in terms of final league positon.
Everton vs man city, man city have stil not given up on title race so that's a very good thing for us.
Swansea vs arsenal, swansea at home against tired arsenal from champ league can at least manage a draw, i hope so.
we will play against southampton, so we get three points and on goal difference go to 5th spot ahead of arsenal, what a sudden confindence boost the lads will have !!! drunken

by Nishankly Mon 11 Mar 2013 - 19:08

Na, The draw is Chelsea/United vs City.
So we dont get the spot i guess. Millwall,Blackburn or Wigan get it.

by Helmer Mon 11 Mar 2013 - 20:11

yeah but still one of them can win it and i think they will win it, whichever team goes to final among city or united or chelsea, i am sure they will give their best because mancini needs some trophy, benitez too and SAF will surely look for it as they are out of champ league n EPL is almost already secured, so i guess 6th spot is safe for us.

by stevieg8 Mon 11 Mar 2013 - 20:32

If one of them wins it, runner up gets the Europe spot.

by Helmer Mon 11 Mar 2013 - 21:19

oh sorry, wtf it's pretty complicated in england, carling cup, FA cup- winner/ looser, this cup, that cup Rival thread - Page 8 2238782717

by McAgger Mon 11 Mar 2013 - 22:02

No there is a chance still.

If Millwall/Blackburn get to the final then fail to get promoted, the team leading the Fair Play Table will also get into the EL in the Premier League. Currently we are second behind Arsenal.

by Art Morte Mon 11 Mar 2013 - 22:26

Messiah "Aggerswagger" wrote:No there is a chance still.

If Millwall/Blackburn get to the final then fail to get promoted, the team leading the Fair Play Table will also get into the EL in the Premier League. Currently we are second behind Arsenal.

Doesn't that Fair Play thing depend on all European leagues or do I remember wrong? Like, if England isn't high enough on that Fair Play table, no one from England will get a fair play EL spot.

by McAgger Mon 11 Mar 2013 - 22:30

I'm not sure, but I have a feeling you are right.

by Nishankly Fri 15 Mar 2013 - 21:16

by Helmer Fri 15 Mar 2013 - 23:24

ohhhh that's interesting Rival thread - Page 8 2238782717

We should cheer for our rivals, specially for chelsea and tottenham both having europa league fixtures during the weeks, i hope that makes their run even more difficult Twisted Evil

by McAgger Fri 15 Mar 2013 - 23:28

Agreed the farther they go in EL the harder their schedules get. I also hope Chelsea trash United in Fa Cup and have to face City to add another important fixture in their calendar.

by Helmer Fri 15 Mar 2013 - 23:38

I hope too that chelsea manages to win their FA cup match because their fixture list is so packed due to replay of FA cup match against united and europa league.

The only thing is among top rivals, except spurs everyone has one extra fixture in hand compared to us.

by Art Morte Tue 16 Apr 2013 - 8:19

Arsenal v Everton tonight is a big game for both of them, but also for us. Should Everton lose, they'd be on 55 pts (in 6th) while we are on 50 pts (7th) and we will still play them at Anfield.

Tottenham in 5th place are on 58 pts with a game in hand and are probably out of sight. If England are in top-3 of UEFA's Fair Play ranking then the highest Fair Play ranking club in England who have not already qualified for Europe will get an EL berth. We are 2nd behind Arsenal with Tottenham and Man United behind us, so that's looking pretty good. In the latest update to UEFA's FP ranking I was able to find England were 4th (at the end of 2012).

I don't think we'll be able to pip Tottenham for 5th (the last EL spot since Swansea and Wigan qualified through the cups), so it's those two Fair Play ranking which will determine whether we'll be in Europe next season - but obviously still wanting to finish above Everton.

by Red Alert Tue 16 Apr 2013 - 10:46

Everton's chances of finishing over Spurs is far more likely than us finishing above Everton, mate.

by Art Morte Tue 16 Apr 2013 - 17:21

ynwa wrote:Everton's chances of finishing over Spurs is far more likely than us finishing above Everton, mate.

What makes you think that? Everton have got just two home games left and they haven't been anything special on the road. I think it's highly unlikely that they'll surpass Tottenham and if we beat them at Anfield we should have a chance of finishing above them.

by Nishankly Tue 16 Apr 2013 - 20:40

meh 7th>8th.
Good enough for this season. :/

by McAgger Tue 16 Apr 2013 - 21:34

Thing that bugs me most is that we're still behind Everton Mad

hopefully Arsenal beat them today so that we can have a chance finishing above them

by iftikhar Tue 16 Apr 2013 - 21:54

Messiah "Aggerswagger" wrote:Thing that bugs me most is that we're still behind Everton hopefully Arsenal beat them today so that we can have a chance finishing above them

Well not me. Even though they are our cross-town rivals. Probably it's because they haven't left us chasing their coat-tails (over the years). Or may be because they haven't took a ride on suger-daddy. Or parhaps there isn't any bad-blood between us.

Yes, I would love to finish above them, but if they can finish above us, quodos to them.

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