Battle Of 4th, 5th, 6th Position

[RevidgeBlue]

It's frightening really. Looking at the fixtures you would expect us to win four out of the six home fixtures with anything from Liverpool or Chelski as a bonus.

Whilst only Spurs out of the five away games doesn't immediately look to fall into the "eminently winnable" category.

so 24 points it is then.

Or knowing Rovers, 9 points from Spuds, Pool and Chelski. and hardly anything from the rest.

At this stage I predict 20 more points (63) will be the Champions League mark.

[joey_big_nose]

From the way our season has gone, we must be looking for the last Uefa Place at the least.

Im dreaming of that final Champs league place and a nice extra £15million that it would bring into the club to boost our team.

387053[/snapback]

Unfortunately, even if we finish fourth we wouldn't be able to spend the cash. The qualifying round is harzardous (as both Newcastle and Everton have found out in recent seasons) so nothing of that could really be invested until Janauary if we get through.

The higher placing compared to what was budgeted for would be money that could be made available.

[RevidgeBlue]

Looking at the games individually, if Bellamy stays fit, I would predict:

Spurs away draw

Villa home win

Boro home win

Sunderland away win

Wigan home win

Portsmouth away draw

Liverpool home draw

Birmingham away draw

Chelsea home defeat

Charlton away draw

City home win

Total 20 points and 63 finishing total. That's spooky. I didn't make my last two posts up to coincide, I really didn't.

The worrying thing is you look at Arsenal's last eleven fixtures and normally you would expect them to win nine of them. Although that obviously doesn't work for them this season otherwise they wouldn't be where they are in the table.

[Rovers Air Force]

End of season slump as injuries and fitness finally tell!

Spurs away defeat 2-0

Villa home win 1-0

Boro home draw 0-0

Sunderland away win 0-2

Wigan home win 2-1

Portsmouth away draw 1-1

Liverpool home defeat 0-1

Birmingham away draw 2-2

Chelsea home defeat 0-3

Charlton away defeat 2-0

City home draw 0-0

+ 13 points 56 points GD -1

7/8th place

Then again I'd have been over the moon with that at the start of the season!

Edited February 28, 2006 by Rovers Air Force

[Ozz]

If we finish the season the same as last year from here, we will end on 57 points, enough to finish 7th last year. I really think that would be a fantastic turnaround.

[Blueboy Downunder]

for me it is about potential, and having enough to getr top four never mind top 6. the way we have played this season i have an air of confidence about us pushing for top 4...come on lads!

[Eddie]

It's frightening really. Looking at the fixtures you would expect us to win four out of the six home fixtures with anything from Liverpool or Chelski as a bonus.

Whilst only Spurs  out of the five away games doesn't immediately look to fall into the "eminently winnable" category.

so 24 points it is then.

Or knowing Rovers, 9 points from Spuds, Pool and Chelski. and hardly anything from the rest. 

At this stage I predict 20 more points (63) will be the Champions League mark.

387219[/snapback]

Totally agree with that. Also interesting looking at dillo dillos spreadsheets and table, last year 4th place had 48 points at this stage and only ended up with 61, maybe we aren't really taking into consideration the impact end of season nerves will have on all of the teams involved in the Champions League and UEFA cup chase. The most any team managed in that final run-in was 18 points, and that was Bolton.

[ihtd]

I think we should give it at least the next two matches before anybody gets over excited over the prospect of Champions League football. If we win the next two games, i might believe the hype but if we lose or draw any of the next two games we can probably say bye bye to the Champions League.

Just say we did get into fourth place and finish there, we would have only made the qualifying round and not automatic qualification and there are always some tough sides in those matches e.g. Villareal, possibly Real Madrid and AC Milan this season, the way La Liga and Serie A are going this season. We wouldn't make the group stages.

Anyway that was totally off topic and is irrelevant,lol.

Lets just see what happens on Sunday before any of us get too optomistic about 4th place.

We could get brought back down to earth with a bang like we did at WBA after beating Manure at Ewood Park.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

I hate to say it - but I feel that fatigue and a smallish squad will start to catch up with us before the end of the season.

The one joker in the pack will undoubtably be Bellamy - having missed large parts of the season - if he can stay fit he should be fairly fresh for the remainder of the season. Having his pace up front does mean that, as fatigue starts to kick in, we will at least have an outlet and threat up front that could make all the difference.

[Ronin]

Well at least Dickov could have a welcome return. Played part of the reserves, so could be in the squad for Sat, but definitely should be back for the remainder of games.

[dillo_dillo]

[bellamy11]

That's actually a very interesting graph, dillo dillo. The biggest jump made by a club in either direction was 3 places. It may very well be that last season was a bit odd, but usually there's always a huge leap from one club on the way up and one on the way down in the last 10 games of the season.

[den]

An American Arsenal fans' guess at the remaining fixtures.

[dillo_dillo]

compare last season's to 02/03's

[dillo_dillo]

Why Tottenham Hotspur will finish fourth, and Arsenal eighth

posted tables

tables, deta...

[S15]

I think Bolton will clinch 4th,with Arsenal in 5th, Spurs 6th and Rovers 7th.

However, if we avaoid defeat at Spurs and win our four winnable home games then we will get into europe no problem.

Fingers crossed.

[philipl]

American Arsenal fans doing what we are doing here. One of them has even read our thread.

Apart from saying Rovers have over-reached themselves, their comments definitely see us the dark horse but they have Bolton as favourites to finish 4th.

[AussieinUk]

American Arsenal fans doing what we are doing here. One of them has even read our thread.

Apart from saying Rovers have over-reached themselves, their comments definitely see us the dark horse but they have Bolton as favourites to finish 4th.

387456[/snapback]

Philip, posted by den already a few posts up

Edited February 28, 2006 by AussieinUk

[FourLaneBlue]

Looking at the games individually, if Bellamy stays fit, I would predict:

Spurs away draw

Villa home win

Boro home win

Sunderland away win

Wigan home win

Portsmouth away draw

Liverpool home draw

Birmingham away draw

Chelsea home defeat

Charlton away draw

City home win

Total 20 points and 63 finishing total. That's spooky. I didn't make my last two posts up to coincide, I really didn't.

The worrying thing is you look at Arsenal's last eleven fixtures and normally you would expect them to win nine of them. Although that obviously doesn't work for them this season otherwise they wouldn't be where they are in the table.

387221[/snapback]

You're a cup half-full kind of guy at the moment and usually I am too but only one loss in eleven? If football could be predicted that easily it wouldn't be so interesting or infuriating. After recent losses to West Brom and the ten-men of Everton I don't think we have the consistency to reach fourth spot.

7th place would be an excellent achievement and that is what I'll guess at, with whoever plays in the cup final deciding whether we get a Uefa Cup place or not. Hopefully I'm wrong and you are right on this though ...

...and there is also the Intertoto after all...better than nothing!

Edited March 1, 2006 by FourLaneBlue

[tcj_jones]

My latest predictions have Arsenal a comfortable 4th, Spurs in 5th, Bolton 1pt behind in 6th, us a little way behind in 7th, and West Ham just behind us in 8th. I can't predict exact points, but that is my impression looking at the fixtures.

I also see it coming down to the wire with West Brom and Birmingham and the match between the two will be vital. If West Brom do not win, then I have Birmingham down as survivors.

I also think that Wigan are very much in the race for Europe.

Looking at our fixtures, I see Middlesbrough, Wigan, Portsmouth, Charlton and Man City as very difficult games and possible defeats or draws.

1 defeat in 11 is pretty unrealistic IMO.

So that's...

4th Arsenal

5th Spurs

6th Bolton

7th Blackburn

8th West Ham / Wigan

Edited March 1, 2006 by tcj_jones

[Hughesy]

Sunday - is a game we cannot lose. If we do then we are out of the race for 4th i think.

I will also be gutted if we finish below West Ham, Bolton & Wigan as i feel we are a much better team than all 3.

[Alan75]

At home against City.

Having followed Rovers for so long, I know they wont make it easy. Easter fixtures should indicate our final standing.

[asianRover]

4th!!

that would be a dream come true but to be more realistic....

6th. cant see us finishing past chelsea, liverpool, man utd, spurs, and bolton.

[SAS]

7th for me

we are more than capable of 5th or 6th though

[Ozz]

Enjoy this week while it lasts, I feel it could be the high point of our season. Final position 8th.

Sorry, but I 'm a pint half empty man.