Will we finish in the Top 4

[Gevans_97]

If we can pick up 6+ points in our next 3 games, we’ll be fine. as others have stated, hopefully after FA Cup and international break we’ll have most of the squad back. then it’s a big push until the end of the season and three massive games at the end. We’ll still be in it by then. Hopefully we’ll have most of the team ready for then. Plenty more twists and turns folks! Keep the faith. 

[Raw Dykes]

4 minutes ago, Pliskin said:

Thing is, is we can crawl through our next three games, a few players are due back in April. So, we could be okay. Barnes may even be back by the end of April. We just need everyone firing for the last three games as they’re evil. 

That's the hope I'm clinging to. I think 6 or 7 wins could be enough, so we can afford to mess up a few more times yet, with 12 games left. Doesn't look great right now, but I've not lost all hope.

 

I couldn't watch the game today, but it sounded like we were absolutely spent. I think if I was Brendan I might rest anyone half decent who needs it on Wednesday, in the hope that we're better prepared to beat Brighton on Saturday.

 

One big plus is that Wednesday's game is the last mid-week game for a long time. We should certainly cope better when it's just one game a week. Another bonus is the international break after Man Utd in the cup on the 21st. Can't come soon enough.

 

Injuries are slaying us this season, but all is not lost just yet.

[Corky]

2 hours ago, deanolegend1989 said:

 

What I’m absolutely raging about is what the living f*k is Brendan doing at 3-1 down today, not subbing and resting Vardy, Ndidi and Tielemens. Have we not got a game on Wednesday vs a physical Burnley team? Incredible deluded by BR!

 

He'd already made two substitutions with Thomas going off before he was sent off and Barnes getting injured.

 

Only one more to make after that.

[HighPeakFox]

46 minutes ago, Matt said:

It certainly was last season (I appreciate we're talking about the here and now though).

 

As you said yesterday we have explanations for what is happening now, although I still think there is a massive tinge of excuse given we've had injuries to key players all season and no-one really noted or talked about them yet now the wheels are coming off we'll decided to mention them - our recent teams have arguably been the closest we've had all season to what we'd have called our expected strongest team at the start of the season but we've looked a shadow of ourselves and performances are getting worse, there lies the question when does an explanation become an excuse.

 

Also surely last season mentality is in the whole squad, management, fans, the whole clubs mind, you then have to question the bottle.

 

Deja Vu, PTSD (Bit ott), whatever, this is alarmingly similar form, attitude and stale performances to the slide last season.

 

That argument can be made for sure, but sustained and continuous injuries was bound to upset rhythm, and so it has. I feel bloody awful for everyone, because we look so tired. I'm not about to start pointing the finger, because it's just so harsh, especially now. 

[ozvaldo]

I think we’ll fall just short, again. 
Far too many injuries and we’ve rushed people back. 
I know games are coming fast, but they are for everyone, and it feels like we need that head of physio in place. 
No recruitment in Jan. 
Vardy will never be dropped, but his only asset has gone. I don’t care what anyone says, he’s fallen off a cliff. He’s a legend, but unfortunately he’s just gone and his demise has happened rapidly. 

I think if we had lost today but had 2 or 3 key players still fit, we might have enough to stumble over the line. But it just feels too thin now. 
 

The only thing going for us is we’re out of Europe and the lack of games/travelling should help us a bit. 

[David Hankey]

We can all make excuses and point to where we think the blame lies but being 1-0 against a poor, by recent seasons 'Gooners' standard, at home and 3rd in the table then shipping 3 goals in 12 minutes is pretty poor. Of course injuries have played a part but every Club in the EPL have also had their fair share.

[LVFox]

With the injuries we have had all season, and especially now, it will be a herculean effort to get top 4. With a fully fit squad all season, top 4 is a great season. 

We need to remember the quality and size of the club's we are competing against for Champions League qualification.

At the start of every season, any European qualification should be considered a good season. 

[M0901]

52 minutes ago, foxfanazer said:

Obviously you're being sarcastic but you have to admit it looks bleak with the injury crisis we have. Also last season might start to creep back into the minds of the players and teams might be less fearful of playing against us. It's not impossible by any means but today couldn't have gone much worse

Oh yes it certainly is bleak I agree. But, it’s not impossible to win our next two matches, then this is a thing of the past 

[Dr Marco]

No I reckon

hope we'll grab a spot for next Europa League though

but too many injuries and a poor bench 

[goody2028]

The next 2 matches are season defining. Not just for us but teams around us. Look at Chelsea they’ve got Liverpool and Everton after this united game whilst we play Burnley and Brighton. Win ours and we start looking good again, lose and god knows. 

[deanolegend1989]

The one positive I can think of is that we do have 1 game in 3 weeks between Sheffield Utd and Man City on April the 3rd.

 

By then, Fofana is back, Praet will be back, hopefully Madders could be back and Barnes we will see the extent. We also would have our spine rested and at full strength I still maintain we’re as good as anyone bar Man City in this league.

 

If we can somehow get through the next 3 games we will hopefully have enough to get our fitness back and fight the last 9 games.

 

The main issue is that Burnley Brighton Sheffield Utd are hugely important being that they are an ‘easier’ set of fixtures. So we can’t afford to drop much because the others will have a good run and we can’t rely on the last 3 fixtures when Chelsea and particularly  Liverpool have a very easy run in on paper.

This means we must pick up at least 6/7 points at the absolute least of the next few games. If we can though, we really should do it.

 

If we don’t make too 4 this year though, it’s a failure. Simple as that. We can go over how it’s been a good season blah blah blah, we would have twice got into a very strong position and thrown it away. It wouldn’t be a coincidence. We’ve shown we have a strong team but have we got bottle when things get tough? No excuses if we don’t make it, we’d of thrown it away....TWICE!!

[HighPeakFox]

2 minutes ago, deanolegend1989 said:

If we don’t make top 4 this year though, it’s a failure. Simple as that. We can go over how it’s been a good season blah blah blah, we would have twice got into a very strong position and thrown it away. It wouldn’t be a coincidence. We’ve shown we have a strong team but have we got bottle when things get tough? No excuses if we don’t make it, we’d of thrown it away....TWICE!!

Firstly, it actually would be a coincidence, and secondly, you're dead wrong, and I don't think I'll be alone in thinking so. It's a shame, the rest of what you said was good.

[Lambert09]

The injuries came at a bad time. It’s just a few too many. 
 

if we’d had a stronger squad available we would have seen some rotation which probably would have prevented us looking so jaded today. 
 

Under really has the chance to show us what he’s about as he’s going to get a decent set of games. I’m really hoping he thrives and and we see what he’s capable of. Personally I’m going to chick him in my fantasy team and hope for the best 

[UniFox21]

7 minutes ago, Dr Marco said:

No I reckon

hope we'll grab a spot for next Europa League though

but too many injuries and a poor bench 

Honestly, we need top 6 to continue our development. Hit Europe again and we can attract more quality players like Castagne, Fofana etc. 

[reynard]

4 minutes ago, deanolegend1989 said:

The one positive I can think of is that we do have 1 game in 3 weeks between Sheffield Utd and Man City on April the 3rd.

 

By then, Fofana is back, Praet will be back, hopefully Madders could be back and Barnes we will see the extent. We also would have our spine rested and at full strength I still maintain we’re as good as anyone bar Man City in this league.

 

If we can somehow get through the next 3 games we will hopefully have enough to get our fitness back and fight the last 9 games.

 

The main issue is that Burnley Brighton Sheffield Utd are hugely important being that they are an ‘easier’ set of fixtures. So we can’t afford to drop much because the others will have a good run and we can’t rely on the last 3 fixtures when Chelsea and particularly  Liverpool have a very easy run in on paper.

This means we must pick up at least 6/7 points at the absolute least of the next few games. If we can though, we really should do it.

 

If we don’t make too 4 this year though, it’s a failure. Simple as that. We can go over how it’s been a good season blah blah blah, we would have twice got into a very strong position and thrown it away. It wouldn’t be a coincidence. We’ve shown we have a strong team but have we got bottle when things get tough? No excuses if we don’t make it, we’d of thrown it away....TWICE!!

I get all the arguments about the last three games of the season but simply everyone plays everyone twice. There are no easy games in this league. Remember Sheffield United beat Man utd. It isn't really about playing the so-called top sides in a row but more to do when you play them in the context of their season. I'd say we were lucky to play Man City when we did and Arsenal were lucky to play us today. If they had played us two weeks ago I believe we would have won. There's going to be a lot of twists and turns yet and teams will win matches they aren't favourites to and so on.

[l444ry]

Would like Brendan to batten down the hatch by reverting to three at the back and kick, bollock and bite points out. Sod trying to play open, passing football with this patched up and ever changing squad. 

[deanolegend1989]

18 minutes ago, HighPeakFox said:

Firstly, it actually would be a coincidence, and secondly, you're dead wrong, and I don't think I'll be alone in thinking so. It's a shame, the rest of what you said was good.

It wouldn’t be a coincidence. If we got 5th and 5th by being more inconsistent the entire season, I’d understand the ‘he’s doing well with the squad’ but the way we threw it away last year, if we do it again then it’s not a coincidence. We clearly are not ‘punching’ and at our best we are good enough, but he doesn’t adapt in situations.

 

Your entitled to your opinion that top half or 7th is a great season etc etc but I’m entitled to mine too and if we finish outside the top 4, out in last 32 to a poor Slavia team and out in the QF of the Fa cup, like last season it’ll be a failure.

We bottled it last year and we bottled it this year. We also bottled it in the SF vs a awful Villa side.

Hes also got history of even bigger chokes in the EL last 32 5 out of 5 times and Liverpool’s title.

We can dress it up how we like but finishing outside the top 4 AGAIN will again look back on another season of underachieving to our potential.

Edited 28 February 2021 by deanolegend1989

[Dan LCFC]

I think today has turned it against us. Europa League again is my guess.

[Leicester_Loyal]

What's more important IMO is generating revenue in order to allow us to compete with the big 6 year on year. We're massively punching above our weight at the minute and although CL football would give us a huge cash injection, we can't rely on it every year. The only issue, as we all know, is that it's probably gonna take another 10 years and a stadium expansion for us to even generate half of what Arsenal make a season.

[jim5000]

We have a tough last three games - Man Utd, Chelsea, Tottenham.

 

Unless we are safely ensconced in the top four before these three matches, I would be worried

[purpleronnie]

No from me, not based on the last couple of games, I just don't think we have the strength in depth to see the season out.  6th/7th i think.

[turlo]

Need a minimum of 7 points from the next 3 league games before the international break. Creativity and missing the goal contributions from Barnes and Madders is the big concern. 

[Mythyaar]

We're still a touch of odds on with the bookies after today's results to make the top 4.

 

I wouldn't be in too much of a rush to back them at less than even money. A couple more key injuries would scupper us for sure.

 

Flip side is that if we were to suffer no more serious injuries, and Maddison and Tielemens played together in 75% or more of our remaining matches, we could probably get over the line. And what an achievement that would be!

[Mark 'expert' Lawrenson]

I hope not strengthening in the window doesn’t come back to haunt us as it did last season.

 

[STEVIE B]

People saying we need so many points from the next so many games is daft. 

It's a bonkers season. We have beaten many 'top' sides & lost to very average/poor sides. The season has 1/3 to go. It will not be decided over our next 3 games. 

Edited 28 February 2021 by STEVIE B