So the race is on!! The 2 remaining Champions League places look like going to 2 of Spurs, Arsenal, or Chelsea. With only 4 points separating them at this stage of the season, it's close!! The run-in's for the respective teams are as follows: TOTTENHAM . . . . ARSENAL . . . . CHELSEA Stoke (H) . . . . . . Everton (A) . . . Man City (A) Chelsea (A) . . . . Aston Villa (H) . Tottenham (H) Swansea (H) . . . . QPR (A) . . . . . Aston Villa (A) Sunderland (A) . . Man City (H) . Wigan (H) Norwich (H) . . . . . Wolves (A) . . . Fulham (A) Bolton (A) . . . . . . Wigan (H) . . . . Newcastle (H) QPR (A) . . . . . . . . Chelsea (H) . . Arsenal (A) Blackburn (H) . . . . Stoke (A) . . . . QPR (H) Aston Villa (A) . . . . Norwich (H) . . Liverpool (A) Fulham (H) . . . . . . West Brom (A) . Blackburn (H) I've highlighted what I'd expect to be the most difficult games - not that the rest will be easy. Wasn't sure if to highlight Arsenal against West Brom or Stoke away as well. From the looks of it, Chelsea have the hardest run-in by a way, and Spurs likely the easiest. From that I'd conclude it's likely that the positions will remain how they are, though it should be tight between Arsenal and Spurs for 3rd...I hope!!
We have the momentum at the moment and we are playing the best football of the season at such a crucial time. Spurs is currently going through a tough patch and Chelsea is starting to grind out results again. I still think that we will get 3rd and unless Spurs totally implodes, they should get 4th at least. Chelsea for me are still playing quite poorly and are just about being kept together.... For me its about the confidence and Arsenal are brimming with it!
I'm hoping that Spurs' continued crumbling confidence and form will carry on into their next games - anything other than a win at home against stoke and the skids are on for them. I can see them slipping out of the top 4 unless they arrest the decline. Chelsea are always good for grinding out results, but their run in does look tough and I'd expect them to lose at least 2-3 of those games. We need to keep our confidence flowing and if we do, I think we can get 3rd.
Very true, that Spurs home game against Stoke could cause irreversible damage. What makes me think that 3rd is more of a certainty is other players apart from RVP are standing up and being counted. Walcott and Rosicky are the two standout players at the moment. Even Ramsey coming off the bench the other day looked quite dangerous!
I expect Chelsea to lose tomorrow (hope Im wrong) and at your place,Arsenal have done well against City at home in recent years but havent got the right result and hopefully that will change,Spurs have the easier run in (on paper anyway) so I think they will finish 4th at least.
Us away to Everton and Stoke will be extremely tough games. 3rd if definitely Spurs' to lose and not just because they're a point ahead in case some smart-arse tries to point that out!
Arsenal: Everton 3 points Villa 3 points QPR 3 points Man city 3 points Wolves 3 points Wigan 3 points Chelsea 3 points Stoke 0 points Norwich 3 points West Brom 1 point Total: 25 points Chelsea: Man City 1 point Tottenham 3 points Aston Villa 3 points Wigan 3 points Fulham 1 point Newcastle 1 point Arsenal 0 points QPR 3 points Liverpool 1 point Blackburn 1 point Total: 17 points Tottenham: Stoke 1 point Chelsea 0 points Swansea 1 point Sunderland 0 points Norwich 3 points Bolton 3 points QPR 3 points Blackburn 3 points Villa 0 points Fulham 1 point Total: 15 points POINTS TOTALS AT END OF SEASON Arsenal : 77 Tottenham : 68 Chelsea: 66 Yay! :diva: Now hopefully, City only get 10 points from their next 10 games...
Everton, Man City, Stoke, Chelsea and WBA will be our most difficult games. The rest we should (on paper) get 3 points but nothing is ever guaranteed. Still if we take the theoretical approach we can say realistically: Out of our four most difficult games: Everton 3 pts Man City 1 pts Stoke 1 pts Chelsea 1 pts WBA 3 pts = 8 out of a possible 15 which is not bad. That will leave us will 5 games to hopefully get maximum points from including the likes of Norwich, Wolves, Wigan, Villa and QPR. That leaves us with 23 points which gives us a total of 75 points. Hopefully this will be enough to nick third. I've made a list of what I think Chelsea can realistically expect from their remaining fixtures as well as I still consider them a major threat. Man City - 0 pts Tottenham - 1 pts Aston Villa - 3 pts Wigan - 3 pts Fulham - 1 pts Newcastle 3 pts Arsenal - 1 pts QPR 3 points Liverpool 1 pts Blackburn 3 pts a total of 19 pts giving them an overall total of 68 pts and 4th I believe. I have to be honest and say that I think Spurs are starting to fall away. We'll know more after the next round of fixtures though. It could all change; it's all hypothetical.
If you look closely - Spurs run-in is not much easier than Arsenal. The only difference is ManCity game we have. On the other hand we are playing them and Chelsea at home, and Spurs play chavs away. All the rest is pretty much even. Nevertheless I expect Spurs to finish 3rd and the close 4th will be most probably decided in the Arsenal-Chelsea game.
I think 20 points from 30 will be enough for us. That would put us on 72 points. I think I am right in saying that no club in PL history has missed the top 4 with 72 points. So something like W6 D2 L2.
I'm still hoping Man City tank the rest of the season and they win nothing, with us above them in the league. Just to see the look on Nasri's face.
Its a long shot but not impossible - I think City will tank in the last 10 games. Effectively ending their title bid at the Emirates would be sweet though, even if they finish above us.
The real question is, with Wilshere coming back, Wenger looking like he wants to play Oxo in the middle, Arteta having a year left, Rosicky playing better than he has in years, and a possible new signing in the middle peraps letting Song move up, Diaby coming back is Nasri worth 10M? I'm sure there will be a few that say they are all crap, but I can't think see how they would think Nasri is that much better.
