Pretty crazy that, considering they werein a title challenge at one point and we've been terrible this season
The chase for 4th place (not top 4)
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They's a break next week and they're giving their players a week off to get some rest.
That's am extremely tough game.
The injury/covid crisis in December was a killer.
Their midfielders are pretty solid. Tuchel’s Chelsea knows it really well ( include my club too).
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That goal might have killed off West Ham for good. I still think it will be Spurs and then United/Arsenal battling it out for 5th and 6th. Probably in that order if we can't get a striker/midfielder in quickly.
The rest of them, yes, Liverpool? Come now, win the game in hand and you have a big gap to 4th, whoever that might be.
It would take a big collapse for you to be involved in the battle for 4th.
Their midfielders is pretty solid. Tuchel’s Chelsea knows it really well ( include my club too).
Their wingbacks are relentless too. They struggle to score but they're extremely tough to play against. They're also one of Spurs' games in hand.
Last season was very important lessons to me.
Chelsea are in bad form but think they'll raise their form and finish 3rd comfortably in the end. But their game tomorrow is hugely important though.
We only have 2 points more than Spurs, and they have played 19 games, we've played 22. If we become consistent, we can beat them to it. If not, no chance and it's a easy 4th place for Tottenham. Arsenal are, of course, also there, but can they better Conte's Spurs, that's a question.
West Ham now definitely can't get top 4 I think. They have Europa League and Fa Cup to play, their form will drop earlier this season than last season, think they'll be out of the race in March.
It's between Tottenham, United and Arsenal at this moment it seems.
We only have 2 points more than Spurs, and they have played 19 games, we've played 22. If we become consistent, we can beat them to it. If not, no chance and it's a easy 4th place for Tottenham. Arsenal are, of course, also there, but can they better Conte's Spurs, that's a question.
West Ham now definitely can't get top 4 I think. They have Europa League and Fa Cup to play, their form will drop earlier this season than last season, think they'll be out of the race in March.
It's between Tottenham, United and Arsenal at this moment it seems.
Crazy that we even dropped 7 out of 9 points very recently as well to Wolves Villa and Newcastle. We should really be overtaking them.
Absolutely; we need to score at least two in that one to win it due to Welbeck as well, though they might at least set-out to attack rather than just defend which might help the game.
West Ham will drop away now.
Still got to go to Liverpool, Chelsea, Spurs and well Moyes poor record away to big 6 teams continues. They should concentrate on Europe like Villareal did.
I do think Chelsea have a target on their back now especially if they don't win tomorrow as gap will surely close with Arsenal at home to Burnley and a few games in hand.
Going to be some scrap, possibly two spots in play now.
Still got to go to Liverpool, Chelsea, Spurs and well Moyes poor record away to big 6 teams continues. They should concentrate on Europe like Villareal did.
I do think Chelsea have a target on their back now especially if they don't win tomorrow as gap will surely close with Arsenal at home to Burnley and a few games in hand.
Going to be some scrap, possibly two spots in play now.
Chelsea dropped loads of points aswell in that period.
Despite mediocre form Man. United's general fixture list was always going to keep you in the hunt. March and early April is the crunch time for your top 4 hopes.
Hoping for a draw with a few red cards in the Chelsea spurs game.
Spurs are our biggest threat for me. They're out of Europe so they'll be much more able to handle the three games in hand than most clubs. Before Conte I would have said no chance, but with him I'm worried they might just edge it over us.
Now that we are in the top 4 momentarily -
Do people want Chelsea to lose vs Spurs and us potentially being at the same points vs Chelsea in the top 4 if we win our games in hand or;
let Spurs lose and still have 2 games in hand where they can take over us in the top 4?
Do people want Chelsea to lose vs Spurs and us potentially being at the same points vs Chelsea in the top 4 if we win our games in hand or;
let Spurs lose and still have 2 games in hand where they can take over us in the top 4?
These games at hand never seem to work out do they? No one ever wins them all and points are always dropped against the so called minnows.
Spurs are the favourites to finish in the top four even over Chelsea. I wouldn't mind them winning this match as much as I normally would.
A draw might be the best outcome between Spurs and Chelsea
In fairness, Wolves and Villa are pretty decent sides right now. They can create problems for any team in the league on their day - Newcastle is another matter.
Draw is the best.
Totally forgot about that result haha.
If one team did win though - who would you prefer?
Lots of talk about Tottenham's games in hand. Will they win them though?
A good weekend for us this week.
Probably not but their fixture list looks easier on paper. March will be interesting for us.
How have we managed to only be 2 points ahead of this Tottenham having played 2 more?
Shocking stuff.
Shocking stuff.
Comfortable win for Chelsea. The idea of catching them can be put to bed now. The hardest game they have left is us.
I’ve just looked at the fixtures. They’re away to us, City and Liverpool. That’s not easy at all.
This result tightens everything up beautifully for us
Have you not seen them the last 2 months? They've fluffed up the "easier" games more so than the "hard" ones. We're only 9 points behind and we have 2 games in hand. Certainly not an impossible task.
Think this week's the results make it difficult for us now, last minute equalisers then winner for Spurs midweek, last minute winner for Utd last night meant we really needed to win our game today and we failed.
They've been the better team in nearly every game I've seen recently including Liverpool and Spurs (3 games). To look at it another way, if you count the two games in hand as City and Liverpool away, we'd still most likely be 9 points behind (10 due to GD).
Not surprised chelsea beat spurs, we really should be kicking on now. Even if they win their games it’ll be a 4 point gap I think? Thats pretty doable. We have the squad to easily get top 4, I just hope the players feel the same way and buy into RR.
The important thing to always remember about a top 4 race is that dropping stupid points is the very definition of a top 4 race. This is why we are all in this lame race and not in a title race.
That's why it makes little sense to get too defeated after dropped points and think the race is over. All of us chasing teams will do stupid things like drop points to Norwich/Burnley/Watford between now and the end of the season.
That's why it makes little sense to get too defeated after dropped points and think the race is over. All of us chasing teams will do stupid things like drop points to Norwich/Burnley/Watford between now and the end of the season.
After the win against West Ham, I was dreaming of even the third spot. The Chelsea win against Spurs made the possibility very remote and unlikely. The chasing pack for the fourth spot is still very close behind. Wolves at 8th, four points behind, aren't completely out of this race. Ralf must continue with controlling a match as he did against West Ham. With the tactics, United should be able to accumulate the points needed.
If you win your game in hand you are ahead of us. Only the league to focus on too.
I think it will ultimately be between us, spurs and Chelsea for 2 places. Think Arsenal won't quite have enough IMO.
Our fixtures for feb look quite favourable but then in March we play Liverpool and City away and spurs at home march is going to be a critical month you feel.
Our fixtures for feb look quite favourable but then in March we play Liverpool and City away and spurs at home march is going to be a critical month you feel.
Yeah, I suppose, think we needed a boost in the forward areas this window mind you and it's looking unlikely now, especially if Arteta is going to continue to blank Aubameyang.
In my view, the top 3 are pretty much set, with either Liverpool or Chelsea 2nd or 3rd.
Both are better than United.
So 4th place is between United, Tottenham and maybe the Gooners, with West Ham missing out.
So everything to play for. Ours to lose.
We are done in the league for three weeks. It will be interesting to see where the table is when we play our next league game against Palace on Feb 19. Then after that game we don't play another league game until March.