Newcastle's Champions League chances

Many have said it all season - your form won't last, you'll drop off the pace, mid-table at best for you guys"

Well your form has lasted, you haven't dropped off the pace, and mid-table is a long way away.

A lot of credit has to go to Newcastle this season. The performances of the players, the players that have been signed, Pardew re-establishing himself as a top-class manager. With 5 games to go, level on points with Spurs in 4th, in much better form than Spurs are, and indeed in better form than Chelsea immediately beneath you, those aspects alone could very well make you favourites to finish in the top four. The only thing to count against you being goal-difference. But then if things carry on as they are for Newcastle, Chelsea, and Spurs, goal-difference won't matter a jot.

So how do you rate your chances? As a City fan, there's one game I'm hoping you fail miserably in, although by the time that game comes around the title could already have been decided so the result from a City perspective should that be the case won't really matter. In that respect at least I would imagine it would be in your best interests for United to wrap up the title as soon as possible. But then the only danger to that is City may perform better when the pressure is of us. We certainly haven't performed under pressure, put it that way.

Anyway, this post isn't about City - it's about Newcastle. So In that respect I'd like your thoughts on your chances of getting 4th. Personally, I like the fact that the top four of old has been broken up, and would like it even further if another established top four team failed to cement a top four place. 3-4 seasons ago (and for quite a few seasons before that) it was United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool. One (Liverpool) has already fallen. It would be fascinating to see two more go the same way this season. A top four of United, City, Newcastle, and Spurs? Who would have said that a few years ago?

 

If we keep up our current form then i think we have a good chance of qualifying for the Champions league, Whatever happens now though i'm delighted with how this season has gone.

 

If we had just kept Saylor we'd already have the 4th place spot bagged IMO.

 

Just looking at your remaining fixtures - no real easy games - the easiest arguably being your next fixture against Stoke at home. Wigan away - well they have hit form, but then again you are where you are in the table and they are where they are for a reason. They certainly aren't capable of turning in the kind of performance that they had against United week in week out. Then Chelsea away, that game could be absolutely huge. Hand on heart, considering the stability at Newcastle and the lack of it at Chelsea, I wouldn't be surprised to see you get a result there.

Then you have City at home. Heart says a City win (obviously). Head however says a Newcastle win.

And then Everton away. Tricky to say the least.

But then you've won your last 5 games. The point being no one would want to face Newcastle at this moment in time.

 

Realistically we have absolutely no chance if you ask me, however if Tottenham and Chelsea both become Sunderland for the next 5 games we will of course finish 4th.

 

A top four team needs to be beating the likes of Stoke and Wigan. First up I am looking at those two games before I worry about the final three game crunch time. If we win those two we should have laid ourselves a great foundation but there is still a whole world if work to do to give ourselves a chance if clinching 4th. If we fail to win both of our next two v Stoke and Wigan we've as good as blown it as far as I'm concerned

 

Yeah, I'm just looking at the Stoke and Wigan games too. If we win those then I'll start thinking about it seriously - mostly likely only to have my hopes smashed the very next week. But honestly the race between us and Tottenham is so tight (I think Chelsea's schedule and injuries are going to put them out of contention) that realistically we are talking about winning every game left which is a massive ask, and hoping Tottenham drops points as well.

 

I think we have a real chance, although you never really know how teams are going to perform at the end of the season. Will their minds be already on the beach?

 

NUFCBRONX - Top post.

I am hoping by the City game that Spurs and Chelsea have struggled and we have conjured up enough points to go into it pressure free and make the tough trip to Goodison the decisive game. From Stoke onwards it's a mental game and Newcastle have the advantage in that respect so I am hopeful.

 

http://www.premierleague.com/en-gb/matchday/form-guide.html

 

I think atm we're underdogs for it, Spurs are ahead of us as it stands, and Chelsea have the 'experience' of getting in the top 4 (same reason why Manure beat Citeh to the title). If we win our next 2, and Chelski and Spuds drop some poins, we'll have a great chance.

 

Out of the last 5 games I personally think the Wigan and Everton games are the going to be the hardest.
I watched the Wolves V Stoke game and Stoke looked awful and didn't look so good in the other bank holiday weekend game look like they are already on theeir holidays, where as on the other hand Wigan have been playing some good football and have deserved a lot more out of their last couple of games. Their fighting for their lives and putting in the effort.
Chelski the last couple of seasons we have done alright down their and their fixture lists just looks to be that bit to much for me, they haven't been playing well and got some lucky ref decisions to help them along.
Citeh I'm unsure of this one, they haven't been to clever until they got the 4-0 result midweek. Before then they looked very beatable and by the time they come to SJP they may have nothing to play for.
Everton they have hit form at the minute and are doing really well, hopefully by the time we visit they may be nursing an FA cup hang over or have nothing more to play for.

At the minute we have the form and no expectation, where the other teams have. So really fancy our chances, as it stand we can possibly get CL,Europa or no European football at all. I'm just enjoying the ride

 

Not to sure about Champions League but i think we are in Europa League now

Depending on if we can beat Stoke and Wigan, which will both be tough games, we can definitely make a big push for CL but its a big if.

 

Well the way QPR are playing I can see them holding Spurs to a draw or maybe even beating them so that should give us a bit of an edge

 

We will do it I hope

 

Wigan's position in that table worries me greatly

 

Think we will get Europa personally, though it will be very close between us, Chelsea and Tottenham for 4th.

 

Everton will beat Liverpool, Newcastle will finish 6th and not qualify for Europe.

I reckon Newcastle may end up with the highest ever points total in the Premiership for a team that doesn't get into Europe (anyone know what that stat is to beat?)

 

infact, I'm going to put money on that.

 

Since the Premier League went to 20 teams in 1995, the highest points to fail to qualify is 61, good chance if Everton win that will be comfortably broken by whoever misses out.