[Albion] Top 4 finish

[Commander]

How do rate our chances of top 4 now. Presumably higher than before but do you still consider it a long shot?

It's still a massive long shot. I just don't think we've got the squad for it. Look at the benches the big 6 have. We are going to start picking up injuries with all the fixture congestion we have, and the players are going to be absolutely knackered by the last few games. I think we'll be limping over the line this season, hopefully still in 7th or above.

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

Spurs and Newcastle look eminently catchable. Not been impressed by either this season. Whereas we've been on FIRE

We have an outside chance of catching Spurs, provided we keep winning, but Newcastle? REALLY?

Unlike you l have been mega impressed at their exploits this season.

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

It's still a massive long shot. I just don't think we've got the squad for it. Look at the benches the big 6 have. We are going to start picking up injuries with all the fixture congestion we have, and the players are going to be absolutely knackered by the last few games. I think we'll be limping over the line this season, hopefully still in 7th or above.

I honestly think a Europa League place would be a magnificent achievement this season. I don't know why so many posters are hell bent on breaking into the top four.

As l said on another thread, the Champions League can wait for another season or three. Slow but steady progress is the order of the day.

 

[Springal]

I honestly think a Europa League place would be a magnificent achievement this season. I don't know why so many posters are hell bent on breaking into the top four.

As l said on another thread, the Champions League can wait for another season or three. Slow but steady progress is the order of the day.

Hope so, but teams like us rarely stay at that level for more than a season or 2

 

[Simster]

We have an outside chance of catching Spurs, provided we keep winning, but Newcastle? REALLY?

Unlike you l have been mega impressed at their exploits this season.

Agreed. I think we are more likely to overtake Spurs and Man Utd for 4th than Newcastle. Newcastle have had their wobble - I think they'll finish third.

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

Hope so, but teams like us rarely stay at that level for more than a season or 2

Yes l take your point, and maybe we will lose the likes of Caicedo and/or MacAllister this summer, but hey, we replaced Trossard with Mitoma, and Cucurella with Estupinan, both better players, and the team improved because of it. No reason why we can't do that again.

We have the likes of Sarmiento, Enciso, Bouonanotte, and Ayari waiting in the wings. I'm excited at what l've seen of all four, and who knows just how good they are going to be, given a run of games.

 

[Red Squirrel]

here is the run in for teams 3rd to 11th. Villa's run in looks tricky. I don't think we'll catch Newcastle or ManU

Newcastle 50 pts	Tottenham 50 pts
West Ham A	Brighton H
Brentford A	Bournemouth H
Aston Villa A	Newcastle A
Tottenham H	Man Utd H
Everton A	Liverpool A
Southampton H	Crystal Palace H
Arsenal H	Aston Villa A
Leeds A	Brentford H
Leicester H	Leeds A
Brighton H
Chelsea A
Man Utd 50 pts	Brighton 46 pts
Brentford H	Tottenham A
Everton H	Chelsea A
Forest A	Forest A
Tottenham A	Wolves H
Aston Villa H	Man Utd H
Brighton A	Everton H
West Ham A	Arsenal A
Wolves H	Man City H
Bournemouth A	Southampton H
Chelsea H	Newcastle A
Fulham H	Aston Villa A
Aston Villa 44 pts	Liverpool 43 pts
Forest H	Arsenal H
Newcastle H	Leeds A
Brentford A	Forest H
Fulham H	West Ham A
Man Utd A	Tottenham H
Wolves A	Fulham H
Tottenham H	Brentford H
Liverpool A	Leicester A
Brighton H	Aston Villa H
	Southampton A
Brentford 43 pts	Fulham 39 pts
Man Utd A	West Ham H
Newcastle H	Everton A
Wolves A	Leeds H
Aston Villa H	Aston Villa A
Chelsea A	Man City H
Forest H	Liverpool A
Liverpool A	Leicester H
West Ham H	Southampton A
Tottenham A	Crystal Palace H
Man City H	Man Utd A
Chelsea 39 pts
Wolves A
Brighton H
Brentford H
Arsenal A
Bournemouth A
Forest H
Man City A
Man Utd A
Newcastle H

 

[Napper]

Yes l take your point, and maybe we will lose the likes of Caicedo and/or MacAllister this summer, but hey, we replaced Trossard with Mitoma, and Cucurella with Estupinan, both better players, and the team improved because of it. No reason why we can't do that again.

We have the likes of Sarmiento, Enciso, Bouonanotte, and Ayari waiting in the wings. I'm excited at what l've seen of all four, and who knows just how good they are going to be, given a run of games.

i'd enjoy it fully now as I reckon its unlikely we will push on again , personal opinion.

This is peak for me and I'm loving it

Next season , would take top half in a heartbeat if offered now

* edit - just seen our run in , its not particulaly nice. Need to navigate the next 2 games and see where at for me

 

[Jimmy Grimble]

here is the run in for teams 3rd to 11th. Villa's run in looks tricky. I don't think we'll catch Newcastle or ManU

Newcastle 50 pts	Tottenham 50 pts
West Ham A	Brighton H
Brentford A	Bournemouth H
Aston Villa A	Newcastle A
Tottenham H	Man Utd H
Everton A	Liverpool A
Southampton H	Crystal Palace H
Arsenal H	Aston Villa A
Leeds A	Brentford H
Leicester H	Leeds A
Brighton H
Chelsea A
Man Utd 50 pts	Brighton 46 pts
Brentford H	Tottenham A
Everton H	Chelsea A
Forest A	Forest A
Tottenham A	Wolves H
Aston Villa H	Man Utd H
Brighton A	Everton H
West Ham A	Arsenal A
Wolves H	Man City H
Bournemouth A	Southampton H
Chelsea H	Newcastle A
Fulham H	Aston Villa A
Aston Villa 44 pts	Liverpool 43 pts
Forest H	Arsenal H
Newcastle H	Leeds A
Brentford A	Forest H
Fulham H	West Ham A
Man Utd A	Tottenham H
Wolves A	Fulham H
Tottenham H	Brentford H
Liverpool A	Leicester A
Brighton H	Aston Villa H
	Southampton A
Brentford 43 pts	Fulham 39 pts
Man Utd A	West Ham H
Newcastle H	Everton A
Wolves A	Leeds H
Aston Villa H	Aston Villa A
Chelsea A	Man City H
Forest H	Liverpool A
Liverpool A	Leicester H
West Ham H	Southampton A
Tottenham A	Crystal Palace H
Man City H	Man Utd A
Chelsea 39 pts
Wolves A
Brighton H
Brentford H
Arsenal A
Bournemouth A
Forest H
Man City A
Man Utd A
Newcastle H

I can’t be the only one thinking we’ve got the hardest run-in there?

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

I can’t be the only one thinking we’ve got the hardest run-in there?

We have. Catching the likes of Manure and Newcastle? Sorry but that's pie in the sky to me.

 

[Mellor 3 Ward 4]

I just don't think we've got the squad for it. Look at the benches the big 6 have.

My thoughts exactly.

 

[jcdenton08]

6th is very achievable. Astonishing to be typing that!! But I think 4th is beyond us personally - we have a puncher’s chance but it’d be a massive upset.

 

[GT49er]

Whilst it would be thrilling to nip in and grab a top four place, I'm not sure I'm that keen to do it. We have never played in Europe before, and realistically the CL I think would be too big a leap for our first foray into international competitions. Much better to have a real tilt at the Europa League - or even the Conference - win a few matches and go as deep as possible into the competition.
I daresay RDZ might npt agree - and it may make a difference as to who goes and who stays at the end of the season. But even if we keep everybody, we're not going to win the CL. We could have a good run in either of the other two though.

 

[Hugo Rune]

I can’t be the only one thinking we’ve got the hardest run-in there?

Well if you include the whole division, I notice that Forest seem to be playing most of the top 10

 

[Doonhamer7]

It's still a massive long shot. I just don't think we've got the squad for it. Look at the benches the big 6 have. We are going to start picking up injuries with all the fixture congestion we have, and the players are going to be absolutely knackered by the last few games. I think we'll be limping over the line this season, hopefully still in 7th or above.

But remember when Leicester won the league they effectively used the same XI for the final run in - so as long as core stay fit. Man Utd also have Europa League - which they easily could win so will not be putting out weak teams.

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

Whilst it would be thrilling to nip in and grab a top four place, I'm not sure I'm that keen to do it. We have never played in Europe before, and realistically the CL I think would be too big a leap for our first foray into international competitions. Much better to have a real tilt at the Europa League - or even the Conference - win a few matches and go as deep as possible into the competition.

In fact we would have an excellent chance of winning the Vauxhall Conderence.

 

[Dibdab]

It's 100% doable, especially now Utd are stuttering a bit. It will still be hard as hell, and we will need a lot of luck, but we have a team that can match all but the top 2 on their day.

 

[Lawros Lip]

Agree seems unlikely we catch Newcastle and Mn U but Man U still have FA Cup and Europa Cup involvement so that could have an impact upon their run in. Plus we play them at home.

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

But remember when Leicester won the league they effectively used the same XI for the final run in - so as long as core stay fit. Man Utd also have Europa League - which they easily could win so will not be putting out weak teams.

Leicester winning the Premier League was akin to a miracle. The chances of that happening again in the forseeable future are infinitesimal.

 

[Audax]

I honestly think a Europa League place would be a magnificent achievement this season. I don't know why so many posters are hell bent on breaking into the top four.

We should absolutely target third. That's the "stretch goal". Have that as our target, and then be satisfied if we land 5th or 6th. I have no doubt the squad and staff at the club will be taking it all a game at a time, but they'll be looking at the current table and the run in and aiming as high as possible.

Man U and Newcastle drop points tonight, we're right in the mix.