is reaching 4th/5th possible ?

[cc_star]

20 hours ago, foxfanazer said:

Much rather be realistic. They’re quite a bit ahead of us and are unlikely to drop enough points for us to catch them. We’d have to be faultless too

We'll never stay up

We'll never finish in top 4

We'll never win the league

We'll never get through the CL group stage

We'll never beat Seville over 2 legs

Atletico will thrash us

[foxfanazer]

Just now, cc_star said:

We'll never stay up

We'll never finish in top 4

We'll never win the league

We'll never get through the CL group stage

We'll never beat Seville over 2 legs

Atletico will thrash us

Might as well keep saying ‘we’ll never’ then

[HighPeakFox]

1 hour ago, foxfanazer said:

Might as well keep saying ‘we’ll never’ then

Point missed?

[foxfanazer]

5 minutes ago, HighPeakFox said:

Point missed?

No?

[HighPeakFox]

4 minutes ago, foxfanazer said:

No?

Ok then  I think @cc_star is largely in agreement with the optimists and hopers.

[st albans fox]

2 hours ago, cc_star said:

We'll never stay up

We'll never finish in top 4

We'll never win the league

We'll never get through the CL group stage

We'll never beat Seville over 2 legs

Atletico will thrash us

You could argue that making up 8 and 10 points on both spurs AND arsenal over 15 games would be more impressive than winning the bloody thing!  And that would still only get you to 5th!

 

we have to chase arsenal in order to make sure we stay ahead of averyone else so yes, keep the faith by all means but need to be realistic ! 

[David Hankey]

What is the likelihood of any of the 6 teams above us coming unstuck, highly unlikely I would have thought.

 

All we can do is continue in the same vein since the turn of year, keeping clean sheets and taking 3 points where we can.

 

Finishing 7th and getting to the FA Cup Final won't be so bad. 

[FoxFossil]

8th and win the cup final. Then sack the useless tosser. It is written.

[RODNEY FERNIO]

Just seen Spurs next three league games are United, Liverpool and Arsenal.

Sandwiched between these is the first leg of their Champions league tie against Juventus

 

..... interesting could lose the lot.

[Tringfox]

I think we are 2-3 players off getting in top 4-5 spot. We are crying out for a creative midfielder and stronger full backs!

[HighPeakFox]

18 minutes ago, Tringfox said:

I think we are 2-3 players off getting in top 4-5 spot. We are crying out for a creative midfielder and stronger full backs!

Please forgive the boorish sarcasm, but we are also crying out for a bigger stadium, limitless money, and a name change to 'London Leicester'.

 

I know what you mean, I just think that, realistically, we're doing just fine right now.

[Tringfox]

4 minutes ago, HighPeakFox said:

Please forgive the boorish sarcasm, but we are also crying out for a bigger stadium, limitless money, and a name change to 'London Leicester'.

 

I know what you mean, I just think that, realistically, we're doing just fine right now.

Do you mean we’re doing just fine right now to finish 4-5 place? Because that’s the question.

[HighPeakFox]

Just now, Tringfox said:

Do you mean we’re doing just fine right now to finish 4-5 place? Because that’s the question.

No, I'm saying that asking for the significant upgrades you deem necessary is unrealistic.

[Chico1958]

Let's just see of we can sustain the incredible position we got ourselves in now

 

Top of the rest, if we can push for top six it is a fvcking big ask, however I agree HighPeakFox "I just think that, realistically, we're doing just fine right now." 

Edited 21 January 2018 by Chico1958

[katieakita]

Said no yesterday but did mention Spurs up coming fixtures and being positive Arsenal and Spurs can choke we can win the league at 5,000-1 and Spurs can finish 3rd in a 2 horse race so lets stay positive.

[Tringfox]

Just now, HighPeakFox said:

No, I'm saying that asking for the significant upgrades you deem necessary is unrealistic.

Then without the signicant upgrades so is finishing 4 or 5th

[HighPeakFox]

3 minutes ago, Tringfox said:

Then without the significant upgrades so is finishing 4 or 5th

You are absolutely entitled to that point of view. Even if we magically found those players tomorrow, I think it would still be pretty unlikely. However, such players are like hen's teeth at the best of times. I said it's possible but unlikely and haven't changed my mind

[Raw Dykes]

I wouldn't hold my breath.

 

Possible? Yes. Likely? Absolutely not.

 

We'd have to be on top form for the rest of the season and one of the north London clubs would have to suffer an injury crisis, I think.

[CosbehFox]

The problem will be the lack of competitiveness the likes of Arsenal and Spurs face in their home fixtures.

[DatfoxesKid23]

2 hours ago, Tringfox said:

I think we are 2-3 players off getting in top 4-5 spot. We are crying out for a creative midfielder and stronger full backs!

ziyech did well last season and has 4 goals and 8 assists so far we should look at him

[Gforce19]

Ok , I need to get out more ,

just been looking at this and here are the numbers ,

if we match the form of Man City between now and the end of the season we would therefore take 90% of any remaining points available and therefore finish on 72 points .

Spuds who are currently in 5th , if they maintained their current form and continued until the end of the season taking 60% of available points they would finish on 70 points thus we would finish above them , 

conclusion, they may well take approx 70 points , 

We will not take 90% of remaining points not even in any lunatics wildest dream thus the answer is no we will not finish in the 4th or 5th place .

 

[Jattdogg]

No. 200

[nnfox]

13 hours ago, Tringfox said:

I think we are 2-3 players off getting in top 4-5 spot. We are crying out for a creative midfielder and stronger full backs!

 

12 hours ago, HighPeakFox said:

Please forgive the boorish sarcasm, but we are also crying out for a bigger stadium, limitless money, and a name change to 'London Leicester'.

 

I know what you mean, I just think that, realistically, we're doing just fine right now.

You are both right in a way.  This season, 7th is as good as it is going to get, but actually we aren't far off being genuine top 6 challengers next season*.

 

Consider this - if we had beaten Palace at home and Watford away and picked up 3 points at Huddersfield instead of settling for 1, then we would be level on points with Arsenal. 

 

We need to have a little more concentration against the teams below us but I believe we have the strength and talent to beat any of the teams below us home or away. Obviously it is unlikely that we (or anyone) would win all of those 26 fixtures, but it isn't inconceivable that our form against those teams could be comparable with the top 6.

 

Our big problem is the games against the top 6 sides. This season we have 5 points from 9 games against them.  If we had a little bit more quality, belief and perhaps a little luck, we could start really testing them.  A better return against those teams would see us right in the mix.

 

* subject to Mahrez and Vardy staying and maintaining form.

[shen]

38 minutes ago, nnfox said:

 

You are both right in a way.  This season, 7th is as good as it is going to get, but actually we aren't far off being genuine top 6 challengers next season*.

 

Consider this - if we had beaten Palace at home and Watford away and picked up 3 points at Huddersfield instead of settling for 1, then we would be level on points with Arsenal. 

 

We need to have a little more concentration against the teams below us but I believe we have the strength and talent to beat any of the teams below us home or away. Obviously it is unlikely that we (or anyone) would win all of those 26 fixtures, but it isn't inconceivable that our form against those teams could be comparable with the top 6.

 

Our big problem is the games against the top 6 sides. This season we have 5 points from 9 games against them.  If we had a little bit more quality, belief and perhaps a little luck, we could start really testing them.  A better return against those teams would see us right in the mix.

 

* subject to Mahrez and Vardy staying and maintaining form.

Ifs and buts.

Every team in the league can speculate in the same way. 

What if we hadn't equalised against Man Utd? What if we hadn't edged Newcastle, Burnley or Swansea?

 

We were nowhere near beating Palace and we didn't outplay Bournemouth, WBA, Huddersfield or West Ham in those draws.

 

You could just as well say that we will not get closer to the top 6 than we are now. 

 

And you raise the issue/proof yourself very well: We are losing more than we are winning against the top 6. Which should ultimately be proof that we're not that close to breaking into it.

[nnfox]

43 minutes ago, shen said:

Ifs and buts.

Every team in the league can speculate in the same way. 

What if we hadn't equalised against Man Utd? What if we hadn't edged Newcastle, Burnley or Swansea?

 

We were nowhere near beating Palace and we didn't outplay Bournemouth, WBA, Huddersfield or West Ham in those draws.

 

You could just as well say that we will not get closer to the top 6 than we are now. 

 

And you raise the issue/proof yourself very well: We are losing more than we are winning against the top 6. Which should ultimately be proof that we're not that close to breaking into it.

My point is that there are two leagues within the premier league, the top six and then everyone else. When I look at the table I believe whole heartedly that if we turn up, all the teams below us will have to play amazingly well to beat us. There is no team in the league from 8th down that I think we have very little chance against. I firmly believe that we are rightfully at the top of that "other" league and our stats are good against those other teams which is no fluke. Other fans can think what they like about their teams but us and Burnley are 6 points clear of the chasing pack and that is not down to ifs, buts and maybes. It is fact.

 

The next step for us is to start challenging the top 6 and with a little bit more quality and consistency, I see no reason why we can't. Sean Dyche talks a lot about fine margins in the premier league and he is right. If (i know it's an "if") we scored one extra goal in all 9 of our games against top 6 opposition this season then our record wouldn't be 1/2/6 for 5 points, it'd be 3/3/3 for 12 points.  Fine margins indeed, try applying that to Stoke!

 

To put it another way, if Everton, West Ham and Watford added a little bit more quality and consistency to their game, I still think they would be some way short of the top 6, but could challenge us for the 7th place trophy.