Run for Top 4 - The Way I See It

[Stanhibbert]

When I did the BBC predictor thing last night there were only two points between the 4 teams challenging for 4th. There are bound to be plenty of unexpected results but i do think it will be that close, perhaps we'll all still be in with a chance on the last day.

As long as it remains in our hands I fancy City to do it. With Spuds and Villa to play at home, we've got to beat them, and I think we will.

This ^^

I had it

Us 67
Red Dippers 66
Spuds 66
Villa 65
Everton 63

[gillie]

I firmly believe that no other 4th place challenger will be able to beat our final points target as we can afford to drop 9 points imo and still win the race.The others can only afford to drop 6 points otherwise they are fucked the pressure is more on them than us as we could absorb a defeat and still be reallistically confident of reaching 4th.

Spuds pl30 55pts
City pl29 53pts
Scouse pl31 51pts
Villa pl29 50pts
So if Spuds drop 9pts they can can only get 70pts
If City drop 9pts we can get 71pts
If Scouse drop 9pts they can only get 63pts
If Villa drop 9pts they can only get 68pts

[Beefymcfc]

With a view to thinking it was one of my posts that tickled the brain cells, I will go on record and say that I truly think that Red Scouse and Villa are out of the running. Villa because they are so far behind and 'Pool 'cos they haven't got the games to make it up on Spurs.

To be honest, I think it is Tottenham's to lose and that it is only us who can upset the Apple Cart. Tomorrows game is crucial to our chances, combined with the game against them at home.

Only time will tell, but trust me, I've been known to be wrong!

[gillie]

With a view to thinking it was one of my posts that tickled the brain cells, I will go on record and say that I truly think that Red Scouse and Villa are out of the running. Villa because they are so far behind and 'Pool 'cos they haven't got the games to make it up on Spurs.

To be honest, I think it is Tottenham's to lose and that it is only us who can upset the Apple Cart. Tomorrows game is crucial to our chances, combined with the game against them at home.

Only time will tell, but trust me, I've been known to be wrong!

Ok Beefy mate you think that Scouse and Villa are out of it but you think its Spuds to lose.Right i said we can afford to lose 3 games Spuds cant and they have RAGS,ARSE AND CHELSEA PLUS US to play and you dont think they will drop 9 pts?.It's ours mate and we start celebrating tomorrow imo when we go 1 point clear.

[Piccsnumberoneblue]

One other factor. Either Spuds or Villa could conceivably be out of the race, but in the cup final before our fixtures against them come round. What sort of effort and team would we be up against? Surely that could work in our favour.

[mcfc1632]

I think that we are hitting a run of form at just the right time - I think that red scouse are out of it - so convinced I was willing them to pick up at least a point against the scum - if we get at least a draw at home against Spurs I think it will be our 4th place - that is the 'typical CITY' fixture we have looming - thankfully we seem to have more about us than on that freezing cold night at WHL - a real lowlight of the season for me - especially having come back from Cyprus to watch Bolton, Spurs and Sutherland games

[Manx Blue]

I haven’t read the full thread so apologies If I’m going over old ground. However for me, I would be happy if we just qualified for Europe

The owners are quite rightly allowed to set their own targets, and as the level of investment rises, so does the level of expectation and anticipation amongst ourselves.

We haven’t qualified for Europe since the 1978 season. Yes we came close in 2004, and were given fair play positions on a couple of occasions.

But for me this season is already a success and an indication of things to come, and qualification for the Europa League should not be dismissed if we end up missing out on the Champions League

[john@staustell]

I haven’t read the full thread so apologies If I’m going over old ground. However for me, I would be happy if we just qualified for Europe

The owners are quite rightly allowed to set their own targets, and as the level of investment rises, so does the level of expectation and anticipation amongst ourselves.

We haven’t qualified for Europe since the 1978 season. Yes we came close in 2004, and were given fair play positions on a couple of occasions.

But for me this season is already a success and an indication of things to come, and qualification for the Europa League should not be dismissed if we end up missing out on the Champions League

What a patient man you are Manxy. I reckon though after a season of such high promise, WAFFA & no cups would be yet another City disappointment.

[Manx Blue]

I haven’t read the full thread so apologies If I’m going over old ground. However for me, I would be happy if we just qualified for Europe

The owners are quite rightly allowed to set their own targets, and as the level of investment rises, so does the level of expectation and anticipation amongst ourselves.

We haven’t qualified for Europe since the 1978 season. Yes we came close in 2004, and were given fair play positions on a couple of occasions.

But for me this season is already a success and an indication of things to come, and qualification for the Europa League should not be dismissed if we end up missing out on the Champions League

What a patient man you are Manxy. I reckon though after a season of such high promise, WAFFA & no cups would be yet another City disappointment.

After 1 trophy in my lifetime, I don't think another year or two's worth of patience would hurt me

[Manx Blue]

Anyone fancy disagreeing with me after watching that shit, come and reply.

We are not a top four team...don't be suprised if Spurs Villa and Everton finish above us

[gillie]

Anyone fancy disagreeing with me after watching that shit, come and reply.

We are not a top four team...don't be suprised if Spurs Villa and Everton finish above us

Shaun i am as pissed off as anyone on here but this is one battle we have lost, the war is not over by a long way.I still think we can do it as i think we came up a real good team tonight who if they would have had a half decent start to the season the top 4 fight would not be happening.Have faith mate we will be there come the end of the season.

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

Anyone fancy disagreeing with me after watching that shit, come and reply.

We are not a top four team...don't be suprised if Spurs Villa and Everton finish above us

I agree but I still reckon Villa will steal it. Where we will finish? Fuck knows.

[Mr Miyagi]

Win all our games and we finish 4th, regardless of what the other teams do.

If you had told me at the start of the season that our fate would be in our own hands with 8 games to go I would have taken it. And I'm sure Mancini would have taken it too.

[svengali]

Win all our games and we finish 4th, regardless of what the other teams do.

If you had told me at the start of the season that our fate would be in our own hands with 8 games to go I would have taken it. And I'm sure Mancini would have taken it too.

Thats a nice attitude but we wont be winning all 8. 4 of them are against the rags, Arse, Spuds and Villa. I cant see us picking up 12 points. 8 at a push.

[Manx Blue]

17 Clean sheets in 60 Shay Given games is the reason we will not be in the top four. We are running just to stand still in some games.

[Manx Blue]

Anyone fancy disagreeing with me after watching that shit, come and reply.

We are not a top four team...don't be suprised if Spurs Villa and Everton finish above us

Shaun i am as pissed off as anyone on here but this is one battle we have lost, the war is not over by a long way.I still think we can do it as i think we came up a real good team tonight who if they would have had a half decent start to the season the top 4 fight would not be happening.Have faith mate we will be there come the end of the season.

I wrote my original post before the game Gillie. I think we, the support should be happy with European Qualification. I would rather have had a good season and maybe not have reached the heights we wanted rather than be where we were two seasons ago...Top 4 at Christmas, and sank quicker than a turd through a U bend by May

[gillie]

Win all our games and we finish 4th, regardless of what the other teams do.

If you had told me at the start of the season that our fate would be in our own hands with 8 games to go I would have taken it. And I'm sure Mancini would have taken it too.

Imo we only need to win 6 and we will have 4th as that will give us 71pts and i have already stated that this figure would be enough.

[Manx Blue]

Win all our games and we finish 4th, regardless of what the other teams do.

If you had told me at the start of the season that our fate would be in our own hands with 8 games to go I would have taken it. And I'm sure Mancini would have taken it too.

Imo we only need to win 6 and we will have 4th as that will give us 71pts and i have already stated that this figure would be enough.

Gillie...with respect, and I do respect what you have to say, We have almost as many draws (11) as wins (14), but you reckon we'll get almost half of our current win total in the final 8 games. The way we're playing I just don't see it, and I know I support Mancini, but I just don't see the skip and swagger the team has had at other stages of the season.

We have to beat Villa and Spurs which is a Given, Wigan, Rags, Brum are all going to be tough at home. Arsenal Burnley and Hammers are going to be equally tough.

I'll take Wigan, Brum, Burnley and Hammers immediately if you are to offer them to me, but the rest?...I just can't see it

[Blue Since 76]

I hope you're still all this confident when everton rip us a new one on wednesday and then we only get a point against wigan on monday!

All teams will still lose games they should win and win games you'd expect them to lose - that's why they're chasing 4th rather than the title.

If we win the next 2, I might feel more confident, but we'll still slip up. I'll be happy if we go into the last game with it still in our own hands. Nervous, but happy.

Everton won't rip us a new one. Besides, we've already beaten Arsenal and Chelsea at Home this season and held Liverpool to a draw. If Everton win then it'll be a close contest. Will we remain unbeaten at Home all season? I doubt it.

I wasn't seriously expecting us to lose 4-0, but i didn't think we'd beat them. I also think we could easily slip up against wigan, as they'll want it more than us although tonight's defeat may force us to play a high tempo on monday. By tuesday, i can see us looking out of the race and then going on a winning run to bring us back into it. As i said originally, all the challenging teams will drop points - that's why they're only chasing 4th. Villa proved that tonight and i can't see spurs being brilliant till the end.

Lots of ups and downs to come yet

[MaineRoadMemories]

Villa and their manager are the biggest bunch of bottlers the premiership has. They'll continue to mess up and end the season poorly. We are looking so inconsitent that we could win all are remaining games or lose them, you just don't know which City will turn up.
Liverpool are trying to crawl over the finish line and with Torres scoring freely again will run the overall winner close.
Who will be, unfortunately, Spurs who have shown the most ambition of all the teams in contention for fourth. They'll do us 2-0 again at our place to seal the deal just to rub salt into the wounds :-(

TBH, getting into the Champions League in our current state would probably result in a qualifying round exit anyway.