2018 - 2020 I realised just how irrelevant the ‘race for the top 4’ is when your team is actually challenging for the title. All those teams scrapping it out for the minor places. Never dreamed we would be back down to this level already after the last two seasons and the way we started this one.
Having said that we were so bad a few weeks ago I thought we’d struggle to finish in the top half of the table. At least now we’ve found some sort of form. Three successive wins and just a glimmer of hope for CL next season. I don’t think we’ll make it but we’ve given ourselves a chance. If we do manage it now it’s going to seem like a hell of an achievement after everything we’ve been through.
After this past weekend, it’s kind of difficult to see past West Ham. They have a piss easy run in with their only moderately tough game left being Chelsea. I’m starting to think our best chance is not based on making up 3 points in 7 games on West Ham, but in making up 4 points on Leicester who finish the season with Utd Chelsea and Spurs.
Thing with West Ham is they are unknown, will teams adapt a different way to playing against them now they’ve joined the big boys in the race at the top?
Chelsea are also an odd one, they’ve draw some very odd games under Tuchel at the end of the day it’s how we perform.
You say West Ham’s run in is easy but it’s about as easy as ours would be and no ones taking ours for granted, there is something gettable against a team that lets leads slide like they have done. Only takes one team to park the bus and their 7 have a few of them.
Not saying they won’t do it but plenty teams have to play each other.
West Brom fighting for their lives and moving from having no chance to a glimmer of hope. Might make them put up a good fight against Leicester next game.
I would say if we win 6 of our last 7 we probably sneak into the top 4. On form though that’s a tough ask. There are a few head-to-head battles for clubs vying for top 4 that could magically pave a path for us or could shut the door. I would have said third position was out of reach but Leicester’s last few matchdays could be nasty for them. Chelsea on their fixture list with a couple of cup comps will have a difficult time of it. West Ham have a very favourable draw but I can’t shake the thought that they are West Ham and they will drop the ball in surprising fashion.
The biggest question is not what our table neighbours will do over the coming month but whether we can present the big balls and finish the season strongly. Undecided still. Its still nice to be in this position considering a month ago it looked well over.
Yeah we need to be nearly perfect, I think 6 wins would be enough and every season with Klopp I would expect we could do that with those fixtures but it’s a tough ask this season.
End of each weekend let’s see where we are…freak results are out there and not just for us, let’s hope ours are finished.
