The race for fourth is looking increasingly like a race for fifth as Liverpool beat Newcastle on Sunday to go ahead of Spurs on goal difference.
Those who are looking to the battle for fifth place will see this month’s clash between the two sides as the pivotal point in this fight, but with Spurs’ game in hand and two home games coming up, it shouldn’t come down to that.
Aside from Tottenham, Liverpool are away to Fulham and Aston Villa while Tottenham also have Man City away and Blackpool and Birmingham at home. Liverpool’s games are ‘winnable’ but bookmakers still have Spurs as favourites and that’s just about right.
The key is going to be in winning our two homes games and if we do that then fifth place should be secure. However, many will argue that winning home games against sides in the bottom half should have been the key to this whole Spurs season.
Based on current form we would get 6 points (losing away to Man City and Liverpool) and Liverpool would get 6 too (beating us and one of Fulham or Villa – there current form certainly suggests they would win one of these). This would see Liverpool take 5th. Also Harry goes on about how bad Europa is – so he might not be pushing them (unless Levy gives him a little lecture). I guess the important bit is whether we can draw with Liverpool – and drawing is something we are very good at unfortunately
We have thrown fourth place away by losing stupid games against Blackpool,West Ham, and Wigan and losing winning positions by giving away late goals and only getting draws. We should easily have been fourth if not third. We need two decent strikers and a first class right back. I am also not too happy with our goalie. I would also like to see a world class centre half
The problem with your maths is that even if we win our game in hand, if Liverpool win all their remaining games they would beat us on goal difference ……
From my perspective a 5th place finish would be great work given the performances and loss of form since our victory in Milan.
Too many dropped points at home have meant a scrap for 5th when in reality we could be 9-12 pts better off right now and sitting comfortably in a CL position. Our team looks tired though so can’t see how the bookies are placing us as favourites when you consider the form Liverpool have shown since they bought in King Kenny and spent big on Suarez and Carroll. Like I say a 5th place finish would be fab and we need to get 2 away draws (City & Liverpool) and 2 home wins to guarantee this otherwise it’ll be intertoto for us this year and quite frankly I prefer we did not enter that tournament given our injury prone season.
you do realise that if you lose to man city, and then liverpool beat you at anfield, we then go 3 points clear and you wont have your game in hand anymore? Doesnt matter what you do in your other games, the man city and liverpool games are key to 5th.
we can then afford to lose 1 of our 2 games against villa and fulham because we have a much better goal difference than spurs. Spurs are going to have to beat either city or liverpool (or both maybe) away from home, which i cant see happening.
5th Place is Liverpool’s if they win their three remaining games because of superior goal-difference; Fulham away is the tough one though……. anyway who really wants 5th place and Thursday night’s playing Bongo AFC? Might just be worth both teams dropping to 6th, re-grouping and concentrating on a top four finish next season!
Totally agree! Europa league is just rubbish Thursday night football that requires almost an extra starting 11 what with all the other matches. The champions league has done nothing for us as far as attracting more quality players. Drop it all and focus on next season.
@Chris GM, i also cannot see why the bookies have spurs down as favourites, seeing as 5th place is now in liverpools hands. All we have to do is win our last 3 games to secure it (maybe even afford to lose one depending on tottenham results).
If it was liverpool v spurs at whl i could maybe understand them being favourites, but look at our form at anfield… i dont give spurs a chance at anfield, which makes the man city result irrelevent, we would get 5th on goal difference at the very least. The only game i can see being tough is fulham away, with fulham being in a good run of form atm, so i hope man city beat spurs just to make sure we have the 1 loss available if we need it 🙂
I have to disagree with your analyses. If anyone has watched Spurs play, it’s a real concern. Offensively on their day, they are a match to anyone but defensively on any day, they are shambolic. If we look are Liverpool’s form, they are simply peaking at the right time. Defensively, they are a rock with 4 clean sheets in 6 while Spurs have 2 in 6. Also Spurs are dealing with 2 teams fight for Euro qualification and 2 teams fighting for survival – and these are tricky games whether it’s at home or away. Liverpool are dealing with teams who are ‘safe’ and nothing to fight for and seen in the demolition of Newcastle at home. Spurs toughest game will be away to Liverpool and City and based on the form, it will be a mountain but they have done that before last season. Nevertheless the form is worrisome at the moment. If CL is out for sure but Europa may not be adequate to keep players like VDV, Bale, and the rest. It’s just crazy how an unassailable lead in Jan can be chopped to scrapping for Europa League. It’s going to be down the wire but the onus seems to be on Liverpools way. If they lose/draw at Cottage, then it will be adv Spurs.
I hate to hear Harry and others moaning about the Europa league, and some even saying it would be better not to be in it. Not playing in Europe would mean less revenue and require even more pruning of the squad. And forget new ‘world class’ players as well. It will be bad enough missing out on the Champions League but if Harry can’t see any merit in finishing 5th then perhaps he needs a few words in his shell like from Daniel Levy.
@Lar Larkin, doesnt matter whether its thursday night in the middle of turkey, or wednesday night at barcelona, i still get that extra night of european football to watch on the tele.
I would of thought any fan would be happy with the extra day of football to watch (not to mention the slight increase in revenues europa league offers). And anyway, its an extra competition for the youngsters to be played in and gain valuable experience. The main team can still concentrate on a premier league push next year regardless.
I actually agree with your sentiments in terms of the additional games to watch, the revenue and the fact that the name of LFC is synonymous with Europe. It would also be good if Kenny said, at least for the first league stage, that only the squad / reserve players such as Robinson, Flanagan, Coady, Ince etc. played i.e. gave them a chance to play and gain usefull experience. It’s just that I have a very positive feeling about a genuine title challenge next season and want nothing to interfere with that! Also I believe Kenny will take the FA / Carling Cups seriously. Anyway I am gate-crashing this Spurs Site apologies! YNWA JTT96
By the way, with the new Europa League setup, there will be no Intertoto competition. Anyone considered Man City dropping points? That will make the competition more interesting. Go Ballotelli! lol
@King Kong, If man city were to drop enough points to lose 4th, then youd have to say if liverpool are favourites for 5th, they would be favourites for 4th in that event.
I suppose the best result would be tottenham to beat city, liverpool to win there last 3 games, city to lose 2 and draw 1 out of everton, bolton and stoke. 2 of which i believe are at home for them. I cant see it, but that would be a fab end to the season lol, i believe that would end with liverpool and tottenham tied on 64 points (liverpool 4th on goal difference) and city in 6th on 63 points.
Wonder what odds the bookies would give on that lol.
If liverpool win their other 2 games then beat us we finish 6th their goal diference is massive
Correct me if I am wrong but liverpool AND tottenham will probably get europa league football IF man city beat stoke in the FA cup since man city won’t take the europa spot that comes with winning the FA cup since they will have the champions league.
So unless stoke take their recent good form to cause an upset at wembley, Spurs and Liverpool will get europa football. So getting 6th may not only get you the possibly unwanted europa league football but also put you in qualifiers (i think) and will not be great encouragement for getting champions league football next season.
Your wrong, if man city win the fa cup, then they get 4th spot, there europa league place is given to the other finalist of the fa cup (stoke) as they would be in the champions league. If stoke win the fa cup, then they get the europa league place. So either way, stoke and birmingham are in europe next year ,barring them not making the financial schedule in time, which is the only way 6th and 7th will get europa league this year (as liverpool did last year finishing 7th and portsmouth dropping out cuz they were skint)
Seen as Man City are playing the FA cup final (and probably will win), won’t that mean 6th place will get Europa? As City look like finishing top 4 anyway and wouldn’t require the europa league runners up place