http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/26142437 Tottenham manager Tim Sherwood says his team are relying on fourth-placed Liverpool to drop points in the battle for Champions League qualification. Fifth-placed Spurs are three points behind the Reds with 13 games of the Premier League season remaining. The two sides meet in a potentially-decisive game at Anfield on 30 March. "There's always someone who could drop a couple of points but our big rivals Liverpool are flying. We need them to trip up," said Sherwood, 45. And he believes his team could possibly afford to lose as many as five games and still finish in the top four to reach next season's Champions League. "Maths isn't my strong point, but I would say you can afford to lose another four or five games out of what we have got left," added the ex-England international. When asked if nine wins from their remaining matches would be enough, Sherwood replied: "It could well be." On Sunday, Tottenham earned a narrow home win against Everton - another team with ambitions of Champions League qualification - to move above their opponents into fifth. They are six points clear of seventh-placed Manchester United, who were later held to a 2-2 home draw against bottom side Fulham. Sherwood says any side down to ninth place, including Newcastle, who Spurs visit in the Premier League on Wednesday, are still capable of claiming a top-four place. "Newcastle have to consider themselves in it, possibly Southampton, Manchester United for sure," he said. "Everyone is waiting for Man United to come up on the rails. I can't see that not happening - they will put a run together and be right up there. "Our target is fourth place and it always has been. If we can get higher than that then great but it is the target we are looking for." Sherwood, who skippered Blackburn to the Premier League title in 1994-95, admits there is "always a risk" that his key players may want to leave White Hart Lane if they are not playing Champions League football next term. France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, who has been one of Spurs' star performers, would be keen on a move to north London rivals Arsenal, claimed Gunners striker Olivier Giroud. But Sherwood said: "Tottenham is a massive club and will always attract big name players. The club sells itself."
well he's right, even if we beat pool we need them to drop some other points thanks to our awesome goal difference. The maths kinda works. If we win 9 and lose 5 then we'll end up on 74points, which usually is enough for top 4, but not always. The problem is that if we lose 5 its highly unlikely we'll win the other 9. I wouldn't want to lose more than 2 tbh. Well, i wouldn't want to lose any but that is unlikely.
Sherwood needs to be sacked. Our PL destiny is the final day of season PL 4th place Cup clash with the Goons. Stop talking about small clubs as our rivals, Timmy.
Is this an attempt at a wind up ......... With the form Liverpool are in and their goal difference, they still can't pull away but Sherwood knows we're a team in transition. For a manager in his first ever job and work in progress, we're not doing too bad to keep up with teams that are at a different stage in their development.
We need a team that's currently above us to drop points if we're to finish above them? Did that need to be stated? Can't see them slipping up against Fulham like Man Utd did though, unfortunately. It'd be nice of Holtby could continue to do us favours against teams around us in the table, though. He's an Evertonian, too.
Liverpool have been in top gear for most of this season, Spurs have been in 3rd gear for most of it and we find ourselves effectively only 4 points behind them with 13 games left. You would think that we would find our stride and improve as the season goes on, and our rivals would have a period when they stutter, it would be strange for Liverpool to go the whole season without a period of dodgy form (which they are yet to have), although no European games is a massive advantage for them.
It's all pointless rhetoric from Sherwoodie. Also, that so-called article carried the same quote from The Daily Fail, about Lloris wanting to join Arsenal, with absolutely no analysis as to (a) whether or not Levy would let that happen - he won't, of course, (b) the impact it will have on us Spurs fans and the 5hit-storm it would cause - again, making it a no-brainer refusal for Levy, or (c) the fact that the Gunners are unlikely to be able to afford our asking price, bearing in mind the £42 million they've blown and wasted on Ozil. I also hate the fact that the author of that so-called article has dropped in the news about Lloris to try to imply that the story has been given any kind of legitimacy by the club, when it so very clearly has not. It's another wum attempt, and a very poor one at that.
Still find that pointless. Man City are apparently the best team in the world at the moment, yet we are only 4 points behind them. All the stick avb got and he was your 2nd best manager, ever! As for Sherwood, are you guys happy with him, or just accepted the fact you will eventually get someone else in the summer? His idea Tottenham could lose 5 games is a bit ridiculous though, that would require us losing 6 and then goal difference, so possibly 7 games.
Avb second best manager ever? Behave yourself. It's only Avb fan boys and WUMs who pay attention to the win ratio especially for someone who was on the decline and didn't even get us champions league football.
Tim 'I should only be sacked if I lose 6 games' Sherwood. You have to admire his front. Jose would have proud of that one.
Hey, jackoff, 'Pool may well be only 4 points behind £ity as things currently stand, but you'd have to be a complete muppet to think that they'll screw up more times than 'Pool over the rest of the season. I can still see 'Pool finishing outside the top 4.
Same old **** reporting, it's not what Sherwood said and even if it was it's stating the bleeding obvious. We need Liverpool to drop points but more importantly we need to win games.
No, not in so many words, YV, but it's not unreasonable to suggest that that was exactly what he was implying. Ultimately, though, I doubt it will save him.
It depends how you read into his statement. He makes himself out to be a little thick, a bit Redknappesque, but he's not.