Europe

[yamiedo]

We were 19th at one point weren't we

It was after the derby 8 games into the season:link

Oh aye true! Just meant when Hodgson left we were at 12th. Now 5th. Dalglish has come to knock Fergie off his ****ing perch!

[Arn]

Only three goals difference between us and Man City now. This can be surpassed if we win our next two games 1-0 and 2-0 and City lose to Spurs 1-0 and draw with Stoke and Bolton.

We'll both finish on 64 points with our goal difference being one better.

Edit: Problem with finishing on the same goal difference as City is they have more in the column 'goals scored' than us. Which is why we need to win one of our games by 2 or more goals.

It would be madness if Stoke even tried to win the game against City. If they lose that one and City get a CL place then they have secured EL football even if they lose the FA cup final. Win it and City could end up in fifth place, then Stoke would have to win the final to get a EL place.

[Molby]

It's maddening to think back to some of the points we lost under the Smint....

It's impossible not to think what might have been...

[Reece]

It's maddening to think back to some of the points we lost under the Smint....

It's impossible not to think what might have been...

Thing is, and this is in no way a dig at Kenny (nor is it a defence of Roy!), but if you look at where we have actually dropped points under the King.... well how frustrating is that! Beaten by Blackpool, West Ham and West Brom. Even just 4 points from that lot and I'd see we'd be favourites for fourth place.

[TheStig]

It would be madness if Stoke even tried to win the game against City. If they lose that one and City get a CL place then they have secured EL football even if they lose the FA cup final. Win it and City could end up in fifth place, then Stoke would have to win the final to get a EL place.

Surely City being 5th means the other EL place still goes to Stoke whatever?

[banditos]

It would be madness if Stoke even tried to win the game against City. If they lose that one and City get a CL place then they have secured EL football even if they lose the FA cup final. Win it and City could end up in fifth place, then Stoke would have to win the final to get a EL place.

Lets hope Stoke win the FA cup then.

[Nick77]

Surely City being 5th means the other EL place still goes to Stoke whatever?

100% Correct

[BigChief]

It would be madness if Stoke even tried to win the game against City. If they lose that one and City get a CL place then they have secured EL football even if they lose the FA cup final. Win it and City could end up in fifth place, then Stoke would have to win the final to get a EL place.

This, and not Spurs form or our goal difference, is what worries me. The only saving grace is that Stoke play City in the final BEFORE the league game, thus could theoretically be in Europe before they meet again. However, would they still care about league positions once on a high of winning the Cup?

But weirder things have happened and if there is one club that could totally implode it has to be City.

[Molby]

Thing is, and this is in no way a dig at Kenny (nor is it a defence of Roy!), but if you look at where we have actually dropped points under the King.... well how frustrating is that! Beaten by Blackpool, West Ham and West Brom. Even just 4 points from that lot and I'd see we'd be favourites for fourth place.

Yeah - TBF, in all honesty, those are the defeats that stand out.

4 from that and say, six from Smint's time. We'd have been challenging..

[Arn]

Surely City being 5th means the other EL place still goes to Stoke whatever?

If City comes fifth and lose the final then it will be the fifth placed team, in this case City, and the FA Cup winner, Stoke, that get the EL places.

If City comes fifth and win the final then the sixth placed team in the league will get a EL place.

If City comes fourth and lose the final then the fifth placed team in the league and Stoke will get the EL places.

If City comes fourth and win the final then Stoke and the fifth placed team will get the EL places.

[Molby]

If City comes fifth and lose the final then it will be the fifth placed team, in this case City, and the FA Cup winner, Stoke, that get the EL places.

If City comes fifth and win the final then the sixth placed team in the league will get a EL place.

If City comes fourth and lose the final then the fifth placed team in the league and Stoke will get the EL places.

If City comes fourth and win the final then Stoke and the fifth placed team will get the EL places.

If you're Granny had balls, she'd be your Granda.

(only kidding) - Good analysis there Arn..

[yamiedo]

I'll go with Kenny on this one and tally the points up at the end. Winning our last two games would be fantastic for me. Even a draw and a win. Europe a bonus but given how good the lads have done then I wouldn't be disappointed to miss out.

[Shaggy]

Spurs will be ****ting themselves right now

Amusingly my Spurs mate texted tonight to remark on our great football, before predictably going on to say "thank **** we won't be in the Europa League though, thank **** for that"

[Arn]

If you're Granny had balls, she'd be your Granda.

(only kidding) - Good analysis there Arn..

It really is stupid rules. Stoke will probably play with a B team and rest a lot of players. I can understand why. European football secured if they lose the game.

[Rudo]

Why the **** is our match with Spurs not on Tele?