The chase for 4th place (not top 4)

I see Conte is now being as overrated as Tuchel earlier in the season (and Lukaku as well).

If we play anywhere close to what we can, we'll get top 4, if we Rangnick fails to get us playing like a team it'll be either Spurs or Arsenal, neither of whom are anything special.
 
Bastian said:
I see Conte is now being as overrated as Tuchel earlier in the season (and Lukaku as well).

If we play anywhere close to what we can, we'll get top 4, if we Rangnick fails to get us playing like a team it'll be either Spurs or Arsenal, neither of whom are anything special.
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How is Conte being overrated. His quality is undeniable, his record speaks for itself.
 
Tottenham, Arsenal and West Ham simply lack the quality to pull away from United even if Our performances remain inconsistent and if United get it's act together then we should be clear favourite .
 
Ixion said:
How is Conte being overrated. His quality is undeniable, his record speaks for itself.
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He's a very good manager, but it's not a foregone conclusion that he'll get Spurs to qualify for the CL, as some make out. Similarly, Tuchel was supposed to be some untouchable genius at the start of the season, but now the gloss has worn off. These seasons aren't that easy to predict due to the fixture pile up and the disruptions anyway.
 
If we win our next 3 games and Chelsea lose to Liverpool, we are 2 points behind them, after being 14 pts behind just a couple of weeks ago, that’s how volatile this season is.

there’s nothing set in stone yet at this stage.
 
InfiniteBoredom said:
If we win our next 3 games and Chelsea lose to Liverpool, we are 2 points behind them, after being 14 pts behind just a couple of weeks ago, that’s how volatile this season is.

there’s nothing set in stone yet at this stage.
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If
 
InfiniteBoredom said:
If we win our next 3 games and Chelsea lose to Liverpool, we are 2 points behind them, after being 14 pts behind just a couple of weeks ago, that’s how volatile this season is.

there’s nothing set in stone yet at this stage.
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Our next 3 games include villa away and west ham at home. High chance we drop points in either or both those games
 
InfiniteBoredom said:
If we win our next 3 games and Chelsea lose to Liverpool, we are 2 points behind them, after being 14 pts behind just a couple of weeks ago, that’s how volatile this season is.

there’s nothing set in stone yet at this stage.
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In 2021 I'm pretty sure we've only won 3 or more consecutive games all comps in a row once. It's a big if these days and I think not really fair on Rangnick to expect him to suddenly go on a winning run.
 
Tottenham couldn't break down a 10-man Southampton, and then needed a 96th minute goal to beat a dross Watford. Calm down.
 
Ixion said:
In 2021 I'm pretty sure we've only won 3 or more consecutive games all comps in a row once. It's a big if these days and I think not really fair on Rangnick to expect him to suddenly go on a winning run.
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Yes, chances are we will drop points more likely than not, but the fact that something like that is possible just in the span of a few weeks make statements like we have no chance for top 4 or Spurs are dead cert nothing more than silly knee jerkism.

Any team managing to string a few results together is right in it, no one is really consistent right now except City, even Liverpool is in danger of dropping into this race if they struggle once Mane and Salah leave for AFCON.
 
Nero said:
Tottenham couldn't break down a 10-man Southampton, and then needed a 96th minute goal to beat a dross Watford. Calm down.
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It's the cafe's strange obsession with wanting to constantly make definitive proclamations with the minimum of evidence.

It would have been great if they'd dropped points today, but instead they scraped a spawny win. It's nothing to worry too much about.
Arsenal look better, as they have proper goals about the place and at times look like they might have sussed how to play.

(Then at other times we have a classic meltdown, like today :) )
 
Latest from sporting index:

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Nero said:
Tottenham couldn't break down a 10-man Southampton, and then needed a 96th minute goal to beat a dross Watford. Calm down.
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And on the Spurs forum they'll be saying "United just got outplayed by Norwich and Newcastle who will be in the championship next season. Calm down".

We have to accept we're in a top 4 race, and unless we plan on winning every single game then we need others to drop points. So of course we're going to be invested in other teams results, we're reliant on them to finish top 4.
 
It's just a feeling from the outside, but Conte seems far more respected by his players than Ragnick by his. Can see why. In some ways Ragnick is a temporary manager.

And that could be crucial when things don't go for you the way you want them, and you end up with couple of dodgy results.


Also, someone here called Conte overrated which is crazy. The man is a proven winner. If Levy backs him in this window and they sign at least one creative midfielder, which they seem to be lacking the most, I fancy them to finish the season strongly. Also, because Kane seems to have accepted that he is not leaving and is being coached by a world class manager.


Arsenal's younglings are going to commit mistakes, like they did against City. They are a club on the rise, a steady rise, but I see them missing out this season.


West Ham have been a bit inconsistent this season for me.
 
I’m going to predict that Liverpool are going to collapse. Apart from two seasons under Klopp they’ve collapsed in January or February every year. I think with City’s lead and the loss of two of their best players it’s inevitable. I’m also predicting that Chelsea’s poor form will continue. It could be that the top 4 race contains Utd, Spurs, Arsenal (who are actually doing well), West Ham, Chelsea and Liverpool. This of course requires us to have a better half of the season than the first.
 
Steve 007 said:
I’m going to predict that Liverpool are going to collapse. Apart from two seasons under Klopp they’ve collapsed in January or February every year. I think with City’s lead and the loss of two of their best players it’s inevitable. I’m also predicting that Chelsea’s poor form will continue. It could be that the top 4 race contains Utd, Spurs, Arsenal (who are actually doing well), West Ham, Chelsea and Liverpool. This of course requires us to have a better half of the season than the first.
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So you’re basically saying Liverpool drops out of contention. Going way out on a limb there.
 
njred said:
So you’re basically saying Liverpool drops out of contention. Going way out on a limb there.
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12 points behind already but with two games in hand, feels like they must beat Chelsea today. Man City have the strongest squad, the best manager and the most league winning success. It’s not going out in a limb it’s history repeating itself.
 
Draw means the teams below these two have the chance to tighten up the top 4 race all the way down to 6th.
 
If we win our games in hand we could be within touching distance of Liverpool. Crazy
 
Chelsea are 12pts ahead of us. We have 3 games in hand - Brighton, Brentford and Wolves. We can close the gap to 2nd place to a mere 3pts.

Let's get serious and push for it.
 
Rangnick must get United into a fighting shape quickly. Running neck and neck to the end of the season isn't inconceivable.
 
Qualification for the champions league isnt an insurmountable challenge and we are in control of our own destiny. It’s really a question of whether rangnick can get us organized and disciplined enough to put together a sustained series of positive results despite a few players wanting out and running their contracts down. Managing that is not an easy feat. It feels like a 50/50 situation.
 
DutchCruijff said:
Chelsea are 12pts ahead of us. We have 3 games in hand - Brighton, Brentford and Wolves. We can close the gap to 2nd place to a mere 3pts.

Let's get serious and push for it.
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Don’t do it to yourself !
 
DutchCruijff said:
Chelsea are 12pts ahead of us. We have 3 games in hand - Brighton, Brentford and Wolves. We can close the gap to 2nd place to a mere 3pts.

Let's get serious and push for it.
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When are the postponed games rescheduled? As before that we have villa away then westham home. Can't see us getting 6/6 from those so we'll loose ground anyway.
 
I think there's a very good chance we don't even finish top 6.
 
Definitely not going to be united...I'd even put money on it. The worrying thing is we drop to the conference League FFS!
 
We need to start throwing the league and make sure we finish no higher than 8th.
 
We're not getting 4th, that much is clear, and frankly I hope we miss out on the Europa league places now.
 
I don't know how anyone that has watched us this season has the confidence to say we're favourites for top 4 over Conte's Spurs. :lol: :lol:
 
We are done. We will come close again i am sure but then feck up like we always do. We arent playing Champions league next year
 
the_cliff said:
I don't know how anyone that has watched us this season has the confidence to say we're favourites for top 4 over Conte's Spurs. :lol: :lol:
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Arsenal look better than Spurs. Spurs, West Ham and Wolves are also better than us.
 
That's Ole legacy: half a billion squad, full with half arsed players that probably won't even make the top 4. Our only chance is if we can find a good cm and a RB this winter, since it seems that Dalot has lost his position to the most untalented RB of PL.
 
Should have left Carrick at the wheel.

Wreck it Ralf has won less than the lego hair fraud Arteta and he is about 60 years older @Pogue Mahone
:angel:
 
Leftback99 said:
Arsenal look better than Spurs. Spurs, West Ham and Wolves are also better than us.
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I disagree. Spurs have been very good in the league. They should've beat Liverpool as well. Arsenal will flop as usual whenever they face any decent side.

Spurs are 2 points behind Arsenal with 2 games in hand.
 
Looking increasingly like we will not make it.

As many predicted when he was appointed, Conte's Spurs are the ones to beat.
 
If we do miss out (and its looking increasingly likely), I hope we don't squeeze into a Europa league spot. We need a fresh slate next season with a new manager, hopefully new signings and just focus on the league. Not slugging through games in Uzbekistan on Thursday nights.
 
the_cliff said:
I disagree. Spurs have been very good in the league. They should've beat Liverpool as well. Arsenal will flop as usual whenever they face any decent side.

Spurs are 2 points behind Arsenal with 2 games in hand.
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They drew against 10 man Southampton, just about beat Watford. And you say they should have beat Liverpool, but completely ignore our game against City.

Some people need to get over this narrative that we are in some form. This has been our level for the past 12 months. We literally dominated Spurs earlier in the season too. But, i'll give it to you, this game against Spurs next will be huge for the top 4 race.
 
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