The Race for 7th

[Aus Fox]

All I know is trying to predict the results of teams like us, Watford, Everton and Wolves can only leave you with egg on your face.

All of us are capable of beating any of the top 6, but we are also capable of losing to any of the bottom 6!

[Gerard]

1 hour ago, Happy Fox said:

So we are down to the final furlong in the race for 7th and potential European football next season, how many points do you think we will accrue and the other teams in contention?

 

 

Leicester City (Points Total so far: 47)

 

West Ham (a) - win

Arsenal (h) - draw

Manchester City (a) - lose

Chelsea (h) - win

 

Points predictor - 7 points

 

Wolves (Points Total so far: 47)

 

Brighton (h) - win

Arsenal (h) -  lose

Watford (a) -  draw

Fulham (h) - draw

Liverpool (a) - lose

 

Points predictor - 5 points

 

Everton (Points Total so far: 46)

 

Manchester United (h) - lose

Palace (a) - draw

Burnley (h) - win

Tottenham (a) - lose

 

Points predictor - 4 points

 

Watford (Points Total so far: 46)

 

Arsenal (h) - lose

Huddersfield (a) - win

Southampton (h) - draw

Wolves (h) - draw

Chelsea (a) - lose

West Ham (h) - draw

 

Points predictor - 6 points

 

Maybe slightly biased our end and quite conceivably it could be a points tie come the end of the season where goal difference will come in our favour whether we finish 7th or not.

 

 

 

Biassed a touch? 

 

Three of our four games left are against the top six and we average 1.75 pts per game.

 

The other three teams all have relegation form and average 1pt per game each.

 

Our chances of 7th more or less died with the Newcastle result, we have a remote chance of 7th and I've all but given up on it. 

 

[BeardyFox]

Think we should to consolidate a top ten finish this season, let BR assess the squad and get a full pre season behind us and have a go next year, the team is nowhere near good enough to handle the fixture pile-up. Can’t even beat teams like Newcastle at home with a full weeks rest let alone two days after a trip to arse-endistan on a Thursday.  

[lgfualol]

8 minutes ago, Aus Fox said:

A miracle to finish in the position we currently occupy with 4 games remaining?

I think you need to check the definition of miracle.

Ok we would be lucky. Wolves and Watford have a game in hand and wont be wearing flip flops unlike us.

[AKCJ]

Leicester City (Points Total so far: 47)

West Ham (a) - draw

Arsenal (h) - draw

Manchester City (a) - lose

Chelsea (h) - win

Finish on 52 points

 

Wolves (Points Total so far: 47)

Brighton (h) - win

Arsenal (h) -  draw

Watford (a) -  loss

Fulham (h) - win

Liverpool (a) - lose

Finish on 54 points

 

Everton (Points Total so far: 46)

Manchester United (h) - draw

Palace (a) - draw

Burnley (h) - win

Tottenham (a) - lose

Finish on 51 points

 

Watford (Points Total so far: 46)

Arsenal (h) - draw

Huddersfield (a) - win

Southampton (h) - draw

Wolves (h) - win

Chelsea (a) - lose

West Ham (h) - draw

Finish on 55 points

 

 

[Aus Fox]

Other factors to take into account when predicting these games:

 

Spurs, Man City, Man Utd, Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal are all still involved in  European competition, which they may prioritise. They have to travel and will have an eye on those bigger games.

 

Amy of those teams could have their final league positions decided before the team plays them, thus players are on the beach, rested or given an opportunity.

 

Watford players will all not want to risk injuries suspension ahead of their big day out, this can lead to less intensity in their games and other teams who need to win taking advantage.

 

Teams that are not mathematically safe will be playing their hearts out to get over the line.

 

So many factors, take it one game at a time. At present maximum points for each team looks like this:

 

Leicester 59

Wolves 62

Everton 58

Watford 64

 

Wolves and Watford have to play each other and each team has to play at least two of the top six.

 

Its wide open!!

[Aus Fox]

2 minutes ago, lgfualol said:

Ok we would be lucky. Wolves and Watford have a game in hand and wont be wearing flip flops unlike us.

They also have to play each other! What makes you think we are wearing flip flops but Wolves and Watford aren’t?

We lost to Newcastle, Wolves lost to Southampton.

Newcastle are above Southampton.

[Gazza M]

36 minutes ago, sylofox said:

How is this going to work? 

 

Watford can't win the Cup until the prem seasons finished. 

 

So we finish 7th and think we have a European tour to have Watford take it away. They won't put us out of our misery but could make us worse. 

If that was to happen it would be deserved by them and you hold your hands up. We have lost 15 games in the league so far this season. By no means are we capable or deserve to be going to Europe in my opinion. 

I want Brendan to have a full preseason with a probable new look squad and hit the ground running in August. 

In my opinion we will finish 9th anyway after our tough fixtures to come. 

[StanSP]

Wolves will get 7th I think.

 

Leicester/Everton finish joint on points.

 

Got a feeling a lot of Watford players will have the FA Cup final on their minds and perhaps want to avoid getting injured. Not to say they won't get any more points but that's going to be the biggest game in their recent history so they won't want to miss it. 

[weller54]

Think the OP should read.. 

The race to avoid 7th. 

[Danny Clender]

7th place or experiment with formations and players?

 

As mentioned in the thread, the Newcastle game was part of our realistic chance of 7th.

It didn't happen and I see Watford and Wolves closing out their seasons with enough wins to get seventh.

They've even got enough games to NOT finish 7th, should they want to i.e manipulate finishing 8th, but that never happens does it?

 

I'd rather see us see out the season positively trying out with formations and players and really doing the groundwork for new signings. 

Go for top 6 next season. 

[CosbehFox]

25 minutes ago, lgfualol said:

Ok we would be lucky. Wolves and Watford have a game in hand and wont be wearing flip flops unlike us.

Hard to say what tact Watford take from here with the Cup Final. 

[ARM1968]

European football might help in the transfer market, but most teams, players and fans seem to view the second tier of European football as a bit of a chore, rather than a glamorous opportunity. 

 

I would rather Rogers uses the time to gauge players and whatever else he needs from them and then build in the summer and go for it with more resources and a clearer idea in his head next season. 

 

Just don’t see 7th as an actual bonus this season. If Wolves or Watford take it I would say it effectively takes out one of our direct competitors next season. 

 

Anyway, we’ll end up where we end up. Can only realistically see us getting 3-6 points from our remaining fixtures. 

[sdb]

Pretty sure we'll finish 9th looking at that. Not too bad. Guess 7th-10th is where we belong and with a young squad we've done ok. 

[The Horse's Mouth]

Our only hope is others dropping points, wolves are dreadful against the bottom 6 so that will play in our favour, Either way I think we're out the race 

[Manwell Pablo]

2 hours ago, UniFox21 said:

But as we've seen anyone in this league can beat anyone. Wolves have lost or drawn with the lower teams in the division. Yes it's not an expected sticky game, but to rule out a potential draw or loss is wrong. 

 

Who’s ruling it out, it’s just highly highly improbable. especially when you couple it with us getting four points against Chelsea and Arsenal.

[ARM1968]

9 minutes ago, Manwell Pablo said:

 

Who’s ruling it out, it’s just highly highly improbable. especially when you couple it with us getting four points against Chelsea and Arsenal.

Knowing us we’ll get 0 or 6. My money is on 0

[The Quick Brown Fox]

People not wanting European football this season because it will affect our chances of it next year confuse me! 

 

Personally I want to go all out for 7th, even if we only put out our fringe players in Europe it gives them competitive games to show what they can do. Better than just using then in the cup games that are too few and far between. 

 

Be typical if we get 7th and Watford win the cup.

[StanSP]

2 minutes ago, browniefox said:

People not wanting European football this season because it will affect our chances of it next year confuse me! 

 

Agreed.

If we want to be the best we want to be, and have ambition, I don't see any real logic why you'd want to not qualify for Europe. Players would relish it even if it did mean starting in July. 

 

If we don't qualify this season, we'd just have the same argument in 12 months time of trying to be the best of the rest next season, attempting to break the top 6 glass ceiling, then saying it's gonna affect our chances the following season if we try to qualify via 7th again.

[Foxaholic ME]

Whilst I for one moment wouldnt suggest sides were trying it is food for thought that the 3 sides in the running   all went down to shock defeats  Leicester and Everton  going down to Newcastle and Fulham  and Wolverhampton to Southampton  all with little comment and judging by the King Power not really bothered .

[Harry - LCFC]

Not impossible but it's unlikely now. We're going to need our rivals to drop points in games they shouldn't.

[ARM1968]

Don’t see anything wrong in ducking something you’re not greatly prepared for. 

Edited 14 April 2019 by ARM1968

[ThaiFox]

We certainly threw away a great opportunity against a very average Newcastle team, especially with yesterday's results. I'd be very surprised if we made it with our remaining fixtures.

 

I look at it two ways.

 

If we achieve 7th and do make it I'll be thrilled. I always want us to play in Europe and it helps attract better players, keep our better players and maybe help in Tielemans decision to remain here.

 

If we don't finish 7th, it'll give Rodgers more time to assess the squad, address the problems, and start next season strongly, without thinking of Europa League games.

 

 

 

 

Edited 14 April 2019 by ThaiFox

[Analysethis]

3 hours ago, Izzy said:

The reality is that it’s highly unlikely we’ll finish top 4 again in my lifetime so the only chance we’ll have of playing CL football again is by winning the Europa League.

 

You've gotta be in it to win it and although it might effect our PL season, I think we could actually do well in the Europa League and possibly even win it.

 

Thats my logic anyway.. 

LOL Im not talking Champions League or even winning the Europa as if we do qualify whether its this season or next qualifying for the KO`s would be a major achievement, Im just saying I would like BR to have a proper pre-season and not a disrupted one by having to come back earl to get the players match fit quicker for the qualifiers. If you look at Burnley, they played Europa games before there opening Prem game and they were a settled club with a settled manager. I think we have such a massive summer ahead with squad rebuilding as I can see over 10 changes (in and out) not including loans. The best time to practice formations is in pre-season as well so I would like a proper pre-season and then lets see how we go next season.

[FoxinNotts]

Yep. Needed to win on Friday night, to stand any chance of finishing 7th. Thing is, the one positive of European football, is that we’d have to have a squad full of quality. Now that we won’t be finishing 7th, we’ll again have a quality first eleven, but not a great deal on the bench, as plan b.