I do. They have an easy run-in and Everton don't. Arsenal are flat track bullies and may well win all their games. Everton have to play City and Utd I think.
The most humiliating thing that could happen to Arsenal, this season, is not being beaten to 4th by Everton, but by being beaten to 5th by us. That would be truly spectacular! If Whinger could survive that, then we'd have to accept that there is nothing that will ever get him the sack. By the way, there is the usual meltdown, over on the Gooners' board. It's hilarious, as usual.
I can see Everton beating United, and possibly getting a draw against £ity. But even if Everton lose against £ity, there is absolutely no guarantee that Arsenal will win all their remaining games. Hull are never easy, and Norwich & WBA will be fighting for their PL survival. Granted, neither WHU nor the Toon have anything left to play for, so I'd expect Arsenal to piss those games.
a few weeks back most of us ruled Everton out of the top four race, in fact virtually everyone did so this season has many twists and turns to come, especially as the most common comment from pundits for teams aiming for a certain finish, is but it would be hilarious if we won all our remaining games!
As I said the other day, Spurs just need to go into "blinker" mode. Don't worry about table position, or who has what. Try to take as many points as possible and when the dust settles after the PL/CL season end, see where we finished. I would expect Timmy to be thinking thus if he seriously believes he will still be in charge come next August.
Unfortunately, the stage is set for Arsenal to get the last CL spot on the last day of the season for the third year running. They've been clockwork about losing to the top teams and beating the weak ones, so while they might drop points in their remaining games, I doubt they'll drop more than two. Everton has a tough run-in. We have one that's considerably tougher than Arsenal's, considering it includes Stoke and West Ham away. Stoke has been beating everyone at home. We've dropped two straight against West Ham. We also haven't been as good about beating teams well below us as Arsenal has. The problem with the Europa is the law of averages. When so many teams take part, the chances of any one of them winning it are very small, except, perhaps, for the best team. I'd almost rather be out of Europa, and see how that goes (though my first choice would be to win all our remaining games, of course.)
best chance we have of reeling in, is the goons,who are doing their usual April collapse,but even that is a big ask,i would love to see Everton take 4th place though, and the goons to finish 5,and get dumped out of the cup by Wigan!
If Arsenal finish 5th and win the cup, that gets 7th place into Europa? The FA Cup place won't then go to Hull/Wigan/Sheff Utd
If Arsenal win the cup the Europa place goes to the losing finalist, it has to, as the FA has to stipulate pre-season that one place is allocated via the FA Cup. Theoretically, say the semi's was Chelsea, City, Liverpool & Sheff United, Sheff United could get into the Europa as a semi finalist, the FA cannot change the allocation of that slot after submission
It doesn't. The place will only go to the runner up if Arsenal qualify for the CL. As the Cup final Europa place is higher rated than the League spot, so Arsenal would in essence take the FA cup Europa place and there'd be an extra place for the PL.
I can, 2 losses and a draw Premier League Arsenal V West Ham Tue 15 Apr 19:45 Draw or Loss Premier League Hull V Arsenal Sat 19 Apr 17:30 Draw or Loss Premier League Arsenal V Newcastle Mon 28 Apr 20:00 WIN Arsenal V West Brom Sun 4 May 13:30 WIN Norwich V Arsenal Win or Draw. Possible
Crossed wires mate, I thought you meant that if Arsenal won the cup & qualified for Europa that an extra place was allocated based on league placing, rather than on Arsenal qualifying via cup, using that place, if that makes sense.
Actually, that's a win-win for us. It effectively means that Arsenal will be giving us the insurance of being able to finish 7th and still get into Europe! Whinger gets the sack, all their best players put in transfer requests, we get to rebuild in the new season with a new manager, and we still get Europe despite having an absolute nightmare of a season! Thank you, AFC's out-of-touch octogenarian board!