The 4th Place Race - Contender Watch

[Craig_H]

Every week, something seems to happen to City, Villa or Spurs, that i want to make a comment on, and it seems stupid to have a new thread every other week, so i'm starting this one.

Anything to do with anyone competing with us for 4th place, can go in this thread.

So, point one...Spurs & Villa into the next round of the cup = more games - good news for us, methinks. Especially with Villa, who's paperthin squad will be stretched a little more.

As for City, they have the squad depth to deal with more games, but their mental strength, character and unity is questionable IMO, so maybe going out at Stoke might do some damage to them mentally, and this might last a couple of weeks before they get over it. They look vulnerable and far from convincing.

Furthermore, Adebayor sent off - straight red. Is that a 3 match ban?

If so, he'll miss Chelsea away, Spurs at home and Sunderland away.

If it's just one game, he misses Chelsea away. Will Tevez definitely be back for that one? If not, all they have left is Bellamy and Santa Cruz.

[Craig_H]

Also typical that in their league game at Stoke, Shawcross scores a header to put Stoke 2-1 up late on, but it's ruled out.

Tonight, Shawcross scores a header to put Stoke 2-1 up late on, and it counts.

[-V-]

Im very confident that we will make that 4th spot. It won't be pretty but we'll get there. Doesn't mean i'll be at all satisfied but we just have to make do now.

[magicalbarnes]

Manchester City striker Emmanuel Adebayor has been handed a four-match ban after being sent off during the FA Cup defeat at Stoke.

The Togo forward was dismissed after hitting Potters defender Ryan Shawcross with a flailing arm at the Britannia Stadium, and has chosen not to appeal against the decision.

Although it was the 25-year-old's first red card of the season he was handed an extra one-game ban on top of the usual three-match suspension because it is the second occasion on which he has been found guilty of violent conduct.

Adebayor was given a three-game ban earlier in the season for a challenge on former Arsenal team-mate Robin van Persie in City's 4-2 Premier League victory over the Gunners in September.

City are also without midfielder Patrick Vieira, who is currently serving his own three-match ban for violent conduct following his kick on Glenn Whelan in last week's Premier League meeting with Stoke.

[Craig_H]

Great news

So he'll miss:

Saturday, 27 February 2010
Barclays Premier League
Chelsea v Man City, 12:45

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sunday, 14 March 2010
Barclays Premier League
Sunderland v Man City, 16:00

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Saturday, 20 March 2010
Barclays Premier League
Fulham v Man City, 15:00

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Monday, 29 March 2010
Barclays Premier League
Man City v Wigan, 20:00


City's away form has been woeful. If we win our next 3 games (Blackburn home, Wigan away, Pompey home) we'll be laughing.

[JohnDoe]

I'm pretty confident we'll finish 4th. The only threat is City and their manager is crap.

[Chris]

Manchester City striker Emmanuel Adebayor has been handed a four-match ban after being sent off during the FA Cup defeat at Stoke.

Damn, thats a bit of a ****ter. They play far better without that lazy mercenary.

[Chazza]

Apparently Spurs training ground has been shut due to an outbreak of a virus!

[Craig_H]

Apparently Spurs training ground has been shut due to an outbreak of a virus!

LFC isnt the only circus in the PL.

[Exiled_red]

City's away form has been woeful. If we win our next 3 games (Blackburn home, Wigan away, Pompey home) we'll be laughing.

So has ours!!

[Chazza]

A vomiting virus has swept through the Tottenham Hotspur squad, affecting two first team players and forcing the part closure of the club's training ground this morning.

The outbreak, which is thought to have begun on Tuesday, spread quickly through the club's administrative staff and academy players and has left Wilson Palacios and Vedran Ćorluka fighting to recover in time for Sunday's match with Everton.

Harry Redknapp confirmed the news at his press conference today, which had to be moved to White Hart Lane due to the outbreak. "We've closed the training ground," the Spurs manager said. "Everything is off limits. We're just going to train there and that's it. You couldn't even get a cup of tea over there. Everything has been shut down. The doctor has come over and had a look and decided we have to get out of there."

In 2006, the Tottenham squad was struck down by a similar bug before the final game of the season against Arsenal. It was blamed on a lasagne eaten by the squad at their pre-match London hotel.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/spo...SS&attr=796995

Be a result if those 2 dont play against the bitters, Palacios has been good for them and Corluka is the only right back they have

[Craig_H]

So has ours!!

They've lost 4 out of their last 5 away games. Ours hasnt been anywhere near that bad.

[Craig_H]

A vomiting virus has swept through the Tottenham Hotspur squad, affecting two first team players and forcing the part closure of the club's training ground this morning.

The outbreak, which is thought to have begun on Tuesday, spread quickly through the club's administrative staff and academy players and has left Wilson Palacios and Vedran Ćorluka fighting to recover in time for Sunday's match with Everton.

Harry Redknapp confirmed the news at his press conference today, which had to be moved to White Hart Lane due to the outbreak. "We've closed the training ground," the Spurs manager said. "Everything is off limits. We're just going to train there and that's it. You couldn't even get a cup of tea over there. Everything has been shut down. The doctor has come over and had a look and decided we have to get out of there."

In 2006, the Tottenham squad was struck down by a similar bug before the final game of the season against Arsenal. It was blamed on a lasagne eaten by the squad at their pre-match London hotel.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/spo...SS&attr=796995

Be a result if those 2 dont play against the bitters, Palacios has been good for them and Corluka is the only right back they have

It's all off limits, but they're still training there

[Exiled_red]

They've lost 4 out of their last 5 away games. Ours hasnt been anywhere near that bad.

We haven't won any of our last 5 domestic away games and have only 1 win in our last 8 (Villa), considering those games have included, Wolves, Stoke, Reading and Portsmouth, I'd say that was poor, regardless of comparisons with City's form.

[Craig_H]

We haven't won any of our last 5 domestic away games and have only 1 win in our last 8 (Villa), considering those games have included, Wolves, Stoke, Reading and Portsmouth, I'd say that was poor, regardless of comparisons with City's form.

City's last away win in the league, before Wolves away on 28th December, was back in August.

Our last away win in the league, before Villa away on 29th December, was on 29th November.

We have 2 wins in our last 8 away league games. Not sure why the FA Cup counts, in a debate about the chase for 4th in the league.