Topic: It's just a battle for the order of the first 4 spots now between 5 teams...

[TSC]

Everything is flowing through Hazard at the moment for Chelsea.  If he were to pick up a knock & miss some games then it may get more interesting at the top.

[Big Red Richie]

Top 2.  Shhhhhhh. Whisper it quietly. 

[jaffod]

Might be irrelevant but we play Chelsea right in the middle of the CL semi-final legs.

[Mamadou]

its just us and Spurs now

[Number 7]

United don't have a home game again for the rest of this month. This really was a massive game for them, that they absolutely needed to win. 3 away games in a row now, because their home game against City has been postponed (due to the league cup final).

They have a gigantic hill to climb.

[EmotionalCitrus]

Who cares who gets 4th? we are gonna be top 3.

[Garlicbread]

If we beat Fulham and United lose to Arsenal I'm prepared to say United won't be able to catch up.

[rickardinho1]

Might be irrelevant but we play Chelsea right in the middle of the CL semi-final legs.

I think theres a similar situation with the United and City and the round of 16/QF if iirc. Spurs also have a potential Europa league game near our fixture with them. Good scheduling advantage to have in my opinion

[Gnurglan]

Yeah thats true, in fact it happened to Spurs when they finished 4th and Chelsea took their spot after finishing below them but winning the CL in 2012.

Three things speak against United winning it this season compared to ours in 2005:
- In 2005 I don't think the field was as strong as it is now. We beat Leverkusen, Juventus, Chelsea, and Milan to win, and I think United would be hard-pressed to win if they came up against any one or two of the top 8-10 teams in europe at the moment, all of whom are better than them.
- We had one of the best master tacticians in European competitions, as he proved by taking us to the final again in 2007 and winning the Europa league with chelsea last year. Needless to say, Moyes is not a master tactician...
- We had Xabi Alonso and Gerrard as a pair in the midfield.... United have Cleverly and Carrick...

Just one thing - the competition back in 2005 was the same. Not easier, not tougher. You are always playing against the best sides in Europe.

As for our remaining games, we've won 15 from 25. If we are to challenge for the title, we need to be incredible from now on. 25 wins should make us challenge, so 10 wins from the remaining 13 is the task. Not likely, but possible.

For a top four spot, typically 20 wins are needed. That's another 5, from those 13. That we should be able to do.

[Number 7]

Spurs have a difficult March, just like us, but then have an easier run-in. The game against us will be huge because if we get to that game having still preserved our 3 point lead over them we can essentially finish them off. Remember, because of the massive goal difference they realistically need 4 points to overtake us, not 3.

I think if we can put a bit more daylight between them and us this mid-week, they'd be under immense pressure in every game there on. I was actually hoping today's game with Everton would be a draw, as I see Everton falling away now anyway.

[killer-heels]

Spurs have a difficult March, just like us, but then have an easier run-in. The game against us will be huge because if we get to that game having still preserved our 3 point lead over them we can essentially finish them off. Remember, because of the massive goal difference they realistically need 4 points to overtake us, not 3.

I think if we can put a bit more daylight between them and us this mid-week, they'd be under immense pressure in every game there on. I was actually hoping today's game with Everton would be a draw, as I see Everton falling away now anyway.

We will only have 1 match a week in March whilst the rest will have Champions League and Europa League fixtures to contend with. The only change will be if we hopefully get through against Arsenal.

[Solomon Grundy]

Who cares who gets 4th? we are gonna be top 3.

This.

[Pricey]

Every time we look at the big picture we seem to slip up. Fulham should hopefully be tired and their usually shite selves on Wednesday. Let's go at them like a train from minute 1 and have the game done by half time, hopefully a few goals up. After that we can only hope Newcastle get something off Spurs and Arsenal beat United.

United are out of the race for 4th, the gap is 9 points. They'd need to suddenly go into title winning form and hope every team above them drops into relegation form. It's not going to happen.

The fact we're only 3 points ahead of Tottenham is the staggering thing for me. They were garbage under AVB, they sacked him, got Sherwood who's an absolute novice yet they're right in the mix. They have to come to Anfield still and travel to Chelsea so i expect us to hold them off. They're also shite, it'll be fucking tragic if they finish ahead of us.

This is in our hands now. Beat the relegation fodder away and we're 4th or higher.

Fulham away
Swansea home
Sunderland home
Cardiff away
West Ham away
Norwich away
Palace away
Newcastle at home

Those 8 games are all very very winnable. That would leave us with 74 points notwithstanding games away to Southampton and United. We also have Chelsea, Man City and Spurs at home. Our fixtures are fantastic and we really need to target those away games as our chance. Every loss on the road puts more pressure on the home games against the bigger teams. We need to really get ourselves up for those games like we do for Arsenal/Everton at home. We're perfectly placed though and 3rd really should be a realistic aim now.

[elpistolero7]

I'll be very comfortable if the gap goes to 5 or 6 points in the next 2 weeks. No way we'll let that go. As things stand, 3 points is just 3 points, one freak result and Tottenham are equal on points.

As long as we keep up the 2 ppg average, we'll get CL football, regardless of what the teams around us do. The home form we have going this season makes me very optimistic that we can go the distance and clinch 4th, maybe even 3rd if Arsenal go into freefall as they so often do this time of year.

[killer-heels]

Arsenal have 3 home games out of their next 4 league matches so I would expect them to get back on track. It's from mid March where it could all go tits up for them.

Saying that, we and Bayern could knock them out of the cups and they can focus on the league during that rough period.

[turkish kopite]

off the topic / if we join CL next season will we be a pot 2 team or pot 3 team?

[WanderingRed]

Pretty sure we'd be pot 3, but it all depends on who else qualifies. Looking at 2012/13 rankings we were 40th.

[turkish kopite]

Pretty sure we'd be pot 3, but it all depends on who else qualifies. Looking at 2012/13 rankings we were 40th.

this link says we are 30th now

http://www.uefa.com/teamsandplayers/teams/club=7889/profile/index.html

[woof]

Despite suffering a mini crisis not too long ago, Spurs are just 3 points off us. We need to beat the likes of Fulham and build on this glorious home win against Arsenal.

I fancy us to beat City at home but not Chelsea. Mou is too savvy to allow his team to play it so open. He'd use this hardworking midfielders to clamp down Coutinho and Gerrard. BR has to be prepared for this

[WanderingRed]

Couldn't see us on that one! Must be going blind. If we do get to the CL Group Stage I think we'll end up in pot 3.

This seasons pot 3 out of curiosity was:

FC Zenit   
Manchester City FC   
AFC Ajax   
Borussia Dortmund   
FC Basel 1893   
Olympiacos FC   
Galatasaray AŞ   
Bayer 04 Leverkusen   

[LiamG]

We have to beat Fulham on Wednesday

[turkish kopite]

Couldn't see us on that one! Must be going blind. If we do get to the CL Group Stage I think we'll end up in pot 3.

This seasons pot 3 out of curiosity was:

FC Zenit   
Manchester City FC   
AFC Ajax   
Borussia Dortmund   
FC Basel 1893   
Olympiacos FC   
Galatasaray AŞ   
Bayer 04 Leverkusen

in that case we are only better than gala now. so its still risky to get a position in pot 3?

[tellusajoke]

couldn't give a flying fuck as long as we're there. We;ve gotta get there first though.

[Dakota]

I refuse to even look at CL pot posts unless it's about Blatter tokin on stage during the draw. Let's just not even go there (yet).

Might be irrelevant but we play Chelsea right in the middle of the CL semi-final legs.

...and it will hopefully matter fuck all. I cannot live through 2012 again, it was too traumatic. No, a nice Why Can't They Both Lose fixed for the drama RM-Chelsea QF in which theChavs get twatted but RM lose half of their key players to injuries is how it has to happen.

[RK7]

We have to beat Fulham on Wednesday

Yep, we are playing great football and scoring plenty of goals but the points for a win, loss and draw are still the same, Spurs keep grinding out results so we must match them.

Fulham midweek away from home will be a test but we need to take all 3 points.

[thejbs]

its just us and Spurs now

Nonsense.  It's us, spurs and Arsenal...

[Qcase1977]

couldn't give a flying fuck as long as we're there. We;ve gotta get there first though.

Agree. Don't be talking about that shit until we are there.

[ANFIELDGATES]

first things first...fulham are going to build a wall around the goal on wed nite,we will need all the guile and craft we have with the fulham side dropping very deep thus negating our pace at the back,we,re going to need alot of patience and a 1-0 win will do me.

[ANFIELDGATES]

first things first...fulham are going to build a wall around the goal on wed nite,we will need all the guile and craft we have with the fulham side dropping very deep thus negating our pace at the back,we,re going to need alot of patience and a 1-0 win will do me.

ooops,i meant our pace on the break

[Redric1970]

Wednesday is a cup final, every game is a cup final, we have a habit of fluffing what seem to be the easier games, we have to start again at 100 miles an hour, I was reading one of the spurs forums, I wanted to join just to argue with them the crap they were writing, according to them we are just an overrated lucky team, god I hate spurs fans.

[turkish kopite]

Agree. Don't be talking about that shit until we are there.

yes you're right guys. I just felt excited for a while

[ANFIELDGATES]

Wednesday is a cup final, every game is a cup final, we have a habit of fluffing what seem to be the easier games, we have to start again at 100 miles an hour, I was reading one of the spurs forums, I wanted to join just to argue with them the crap they were writing, according to them we are just an overrated lucky team, god I hate spurs fans.

i dont think the 100 mile an hour start will make any difference,fulham will park the proverbial bus so it will be up to us to be patient  and drag them back and forth across the back and wait for an opening.however if we get an early goal we could demolish them...

[cullinp]

Agree - the age old problem of beating the 'lesser teams' is what seems to lay in front of us and Champions League qualification. We failed at Hull and West Brom - we must must appreciate how big Wednesday night is for the three points and making a statement to the competition.

I'll be there - odd atmosphere last time I went to this one (Jay Spearing sent off), sat next to lots of day trippers who made it hard to get it going. Hoping that we're in early getting it going during the warm-up....

[Redric1970]

i dont think the 100 mile an hour start will make any difference,fulham will park the proverbial bus so it will be up to us to be patient  and drag them back and forth across the back and wait for an opening.however if we get an early goal we could demolish them...

I hope so buddy, be nice to open a gap, they have a tough game away to the Geordies, hopefully they get stuffed.

[S]

Take it game by game. Right now we're in a better position than I ever thought possible before the season started but it can all change in the space of a few weeks. The gap between the level of football being played by ourselves and Spurs is huge, but the points total is still very close. It will go right down to the wire and for me any one out of us, Spurs, Everton and Man United can get fourth. Some will laugh at the inclusion of that last team in the list, and yes, on days like today it seems fitting to do so. There's no place for complacency though, not against teams like Fulham and not towards the teams around us in the table.

[lobsterboy]

They can't beat Fulham mate, even if they beat Olympiakos which is far from certain, how are they going to beat 3 top European sides on the bounce.

They're not. Simple as that.

Likely your right but many were saying that about us in 2005

[RoshanA]

Howard Fucking Webb again.

He awards that blatant penalty for us against Chelsea, and it would have been 3 points difference, maybe even less with Chelsea not having the momentum their win over us created. We'd be in the advantage as we have the superior goal difference and have to play them at home.

HOWARD FUCKING WEBB ... history repeating itself, after what he did during that Benitez season when we finished 2nd. Those penalties at Tottenham, etc

[Samie]

Likely your right but many were saying that about us in 2005

we had Rafa Benitez the guy who had won two La Liga's that weren't with Barca or Real Madrid not some no mark who's won nothing but is a winner.

[helmboy_nige]

Likely your right but many were saying that about us in 2005

Big difference. We had Rafa Benitez. They have David Moyes.

[cowtownred]

We play all our games remaining like we did against Arsenal?

We win the League.