Title Race

[Darkon]

Hopefully we start that tonight.

I can't remember how long it's been since I was this excited about a match.

Saturday

Fulham is a very important game and a very good chance to step up our away form. We really need to win it and keep Spurs behind us, and hopefully push them a bit away when they draw against Newcastle tonight!

I hope we don't stand to far back against Fulham tonight and keep pusing on, as they are incredibly weak at the back, but have a few players able of producing a bit up front if they get the room.

Sorta hoping for Arsenal to draw tonight!

[cannotmakeit]

Martinez thinks we have peaked.

http://www.theguardian.com/football/...ns-league-race

[Norbs]

I'd rather call it a high achieving plateau

[Fosterbloke]

Martinez thinks we have peaked.

http://www.theguardian.com/football/...ns-league-race

****

[Shaggy]

Martinez thinks we have peaked.

http://www.theguardian.com/football/...ns-league-race

He also said he is happy to be in the title race.

[Norbs]

Well, there's only one thing to say to that. Come on Palace

Pulis has a pretty **** record against Martinez though

[Alex]

Today is ridiculous. Woke up and the first thing I thought of was Fulham away. It feels like a Cup final day or the morning of one of those massive CL nights under Rafa. Ridiculous really But the entire day is about this match.

Same, over the last 4 years I got into a funk of not really bothering with watching the games unless I was going or we were on TV. Now tonight I am desperate to watch.

Must win. I think id be happy with scraping a 1-0 at this point. But I worry we either smash teams to smithereens, or get a really **** point from a score draw.

At least its not losing eh

[dww]

If we don't beat Fulham, who may well be the worst team in the division, I'll develop serious worries about us getting 4th.

[Fosterbloke]

We simply have to get 3 points. Don't give a **** how although nice football is always appreciated!

[Chris]

If we don't beat Fulham, who may well be the worst team in the division, I'll develop serious worries about us getting 4th.

Could see us getting relegated if we fail to win tonight.

[BigChief]

He also said he is happy to be in the title race.

Here's something he said in the interview:

"I would not say that's a given. You've got clubs who are going to have incredible moments in the Champions League, not physically, but emotionally. Sometimes you get a massive blow, you lose a player or a game and all of a sudden your season crumbles for two or three weeks. That can have a massive effect."

Does losing Lukaku and then losing to Liverpool / Spurs ring a bell Marty?

I'm racking my brains thinking why Martinez in his wildest dreams would come out with such a statement. Then I saw this last bit from Lukaku:

In an interview with Het Laatste Nieuws on Tuesday, Lukaku said: "It is high time that I play in the Champions League. It is the next step I need in my development. Full stop. I must now show I'm ready for it. I still have two years on my contract and I know Chelsea follow my development. In the end it depends on what the manager thinks about me."

Roberto's losing him, so much for an option to buy if Mourinho doesn't want him.

[Alex]

There is no way that someone like Lukaku is going to sign for a non CL club. I think he will be at Chelsea next year.

Similar sort of player to Drogba in many ways. Big, Powerful, skillful and able to bully defenders. Gets plenty of assists too.

[RichC]

Tonight could be a good chance to give us a little cushion for 4th, Everton should win but are 5 points behind anyway and Spurs are certainly not a banker to pick up 3 points.

It's really strange speaking to the Arsenal fans in the office they all really think we're bang in with a shout for it this season; I just can't quite let myself believe we've got a chance

[dom9]

West Brom away?

[dww]

Tonight could be a good chance to give us a little cushion for 4th, Everton should win but are 5 points behind anyway and Spurs are certainly not a banker to pick up 3 points.

It's really strange speaking to the Arsenal fans in the office they all really think we're bang in with a shout for it this season; I just can't quite let myself believe we've got a chance

My feeling is that they want to see themselves as in with a chance and that they share with us similar issues with not having quite the quality/depth to be comparable with City and Chelsea. I think there is a good argument that both of those teams have considerably under performed in comparison to ourselves and Arsenal given the resources they have.

If both Chelsea and City remain stable for a few seasons then I don't expect anyone else to have much of a chance to win the league. Perhaps this season represents a last hope for an interesting title challenge for a while.