The Final 8

IronHerb

Never knowingly wrong. 😂

thornburyiron

They won’t win the EL either as they’re shipping goals like nobody’s business

OutcastLondoner

They were in it last season and they’re going to the qualifiers again this season so don’t think it’s a problem for us.

Fortuneseeker

Looks as if we have got to hope someone can stop Arsenal from winning the Europa League.

Lukerz

Fortuneseeker said:

Looks as if we have got to hope someone can stop Arsenal from winning the Europa League.

Not really. As long as Chelsea don't win the CL five teams can qualify for CL.

If Arsenal and Chelsea win, then it's Europa at best for anybody outside top 3.

OutcastLondoner

Let's hope Real can put them out. Their squad looks so normal when you look at it now (compared to before) but Zidane's got a way of winning this tournament. Somehow they're the most likeable team left in this thing - and I can only stand them because of Zidane.

Jorderz_Moyes_will_be_Moyes

Chelsea are the least likely to win the CL out of the four teams left. Arsenal are rubbish and will lose to somebody.

Fortuneseeker

Lukerz, I assume England will still get their three spots in the Europa League (2)/Europa Conference League (1) even if AFC & CFC win the two European competitions and finish outside the top Four?

alderz

I think (could be wrong) we’d lose an English Europa place if we had five teams in the champions league.

buffybegood

So, after tonight's game, I honestly think it's down to 2 from 3 (based on City and Man Utd finishing 1st and 2nd). I can see Leicester dropping out again; after last season they're going to be nervous, and they've got a tough final 3 fixtures. So, for me, it's 2 from us, Chelsea and Liverpool.

Liverpool have found some form, and I can see them dropping very few points from here on in; I think they'll finish 3rd, leaving us and Chelsea fighting for 4th. This obviously places huge importance on next week's game; if we beat Newcastle tomorrow and avoid defeat against Chelsea I might start to believe, but if we lose to Chelsea I fear it may be beyond us.

Hamstew

What if chelsea won champions League. Would be good?

alderz

I don’t see how anyone can discount Leicester, tbh. I know they blew it last year, but they are very much in the mix. I personally feel that we will end up in Europa. I’m thinking more and more each week that we could get into the Champions League, but I really don’t want to think that way because I reckon I’ll be disappointed. I still don’t think that we’ll finish above both of Chelsea and Liverpool.

What happens if a team in the top 4 win the Champions League? Does 5th place make it too?

buffybegood

Hamstew said:

What if chelsea won champions League. Would be good?

It won't help us AFAIK, if they finish in the top 4 England only get 4 places next season, if they finish outside the top 4 they'll get in, and it only affects us if Arsenal also win the Europa as then 4th won't get a Champions League spot (so we'd need to finish top 3).

Yeoldhammer

So the race for the top 4

Villa are out of it
Everton with their fixtures look out of it

If West Ham / Chelsea / Liverpool / Leicester win then i think Spurs could be out of it with an 8/9 point gap. So 2 of 4

Lukerz

Big win for Spurs. They have Sheff Utd at home next so that will be another 3 points. Means we’ll be below them if we don’t beat Chelsea going into Burnley away.

OldCastleSwift

I think this is where we start to fall away. We've been poor defensively for a while and I think Chelsea will capitalise. That, teamed with a Spurs win against Sheffield Utd, will put pressure on us to get a result against Burnley.

Fortuneseeker

Lukerz, Got to hope Tottenham come unstuck at Leeds and Leicester which is their last game. We never know Wolves & Villa just might stop them @ WHL. Really though it is down to us to not let them get a sniff of taking a European slot off us unless them winning the Carabao Cup means they don't need it via the league although a top 6 finish qualifies for the Europa League whilst the cup win would put them into the European Conference League with trips to Latvia & Azerbaijan.

Cuz1

We could always try the super league

buffybegood

buffybegood said:

Liverpool have found some form, and I can see them dropping very few points from here on in;

They've only dropped 4 points out of 6 in the 2 matches since I posted; if anyone wants tonight's lottery numbers (to rule a few out), just let me know 😁😁😁

alderz

Top Four Race

Chelsea still have to play Man City, Arsenal and Leicester, and have a cup final and a Champions League semi final to play during May. I'd be surprised if they don't drop points in a few games at least.

Leicester have to play Man Utd, Spurs and Chelsea, and have a cup final - not to mention our nemesis Newcastle.

Liverpool's run in is pretty good, except Man Utd away. Ours is pretty good, except Everton.

I have maintained this whole time that we wouldn't get top four, but it's definitely not over on paper.

Lukerz

Just seen that there is a Europa League Conference next season, likely to go to the side finishing 7th in the PL this season (providing both Leicester & Chelsea finish in the top four & Arsenal don’t win Europa League).

Yeoldhammer

major clutching at straws going on here. We need to win the last 5 games to get top 4 really its that simple.... Chelsea and Leicester are not going to lose 3 out of their last 4.

Lukerz

Yeah I’m talking about finishing top 7 and getting Europe.

claretandbluesky

I think if we can beat Everton on Sunday the worst we should finish will be 7th and that in itself may be enough to get us into Europe.

alderz

I've made my own little predictor thing for the rest of the season, and this is what I got:

3RD CHELSEA: Wins against Arsenal, Leicester & Villa, and a draw against City - 71 pts

4TH LEICESTER: Wins against Newcastle & Spurs, losses against Man Utd & Chelsea - 69 pts

5TH WEST HAM: Wins against West Brom & Southampton, draw against Brighton, loss against Everton - 65pts

6TH TOTTENHAM: Wins against Wolves & Villa, draw with Leeds, loss against Leicester - 63pts

7TH LIVERPOOL: Wins against West Brom & Burnley, draws against Man Utd, Southampton and Palace - 63pts

8TH EVERTON: Wins against West Ham and Sheffield United, draws against Villa and Wolves, loss against Man City - 60pts

There is a part of me that things we'll get more than 7pts from these four games, but I am also too nervous / scared to predict it, so i've been slightly harsh (realistic?) about our results.

buffybegood

I've done something kinda similar, although not really a predictor as such. I've left Everton out, as I don't think there's any way they'll make top 4, and then basically gone with everyone winning against any team outside the top 7, and drawing against any team in the top 7. All we have to do is win our 4 games and we finish 3rd 😊

3rd West Ham
4th Chelsea
5th Leicester
6th Liverpool
7th Spurs

I don't think this will happen, but Chelsea and Leicester both have 3 tough games out of 4, obviously one of which is against each other so at least one of them will drop points there. I do genuinely think if we win our 4 remaining games we'll finish in the top 4 though, it's just such a shame we let a poor Newcastle side beat us 2 weeks ago as that would have given us a bit of breathing space.

OldCastleSwift

I think you've done Liverpool out of four points there alderz. They'll beat Southampton and Palace IMO.

When I did a predictor a few weeks back I had as finishing 6th, and I still think that's where we'll end up.

alderz

OldCastleSwift said:

I think you've done Liverpool out of four points there alderz. They'll beat Southampton and Palace IMO.

When I did a predictor a few weeks back I had as finishing 6th, and I still think that's where we'll end up.

Liverpool have been really dodgy this season, and I can’t see them not messing something up. They often struggle against Palace (I think?) and Southampton are the sort of team who will annoy someone too

IronHerb

alderz

Yeah fair enough. I just checked other results between them and I was definitely wrong on that one