[Albion] Can we catch Spurs ?

[dazzer6666]

7th is realistic I think . Spurs have a deeper squad than us .

Not even sure it is, and with Conte seemingly buggering off at the end of the season can see them drifting significantly. Potter has to try to manage a horde of expensive signings and Liverpool seem to have written this season off so 5th should definitely a ‘stretch target’.

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

Over the last 8 seasons 4th place has garnered between 76 points and 66. 76 twice were outliers with the other 6 between 71 and 66.

So hit the lower target 66 would require 4 more points from the second half of the season than were gained in the first. Are we better under RDZ than Potter? I think so, I also think our goal difference is a big plus.

I was thinking about it in these terms as well.

Given the quality of teams chasing us, I reckon we'd need to get to 70 points. 70 points would give us a very high likelihood of a CL spot.

To do that we'd need 39 points for the second half of the season, which is what Man U got from their first 19 games. It's tough. Very tough. But we can do it if we keep this standard up. We'd need luck with injuries and of course no more major sales.

Incredible that we're even in the mix for this.

 

[Justice]

He’s 18, played just a few first team matches, and is still learning. Surely yesterday’s timing was perfect. Let’s protect him for the long term/big fee and keep the pressure off.

Sad Albion fans have become obsessed with big fees £80m and we will sell so fecking what. Most fans of clubs would be pissed if they had just off loaded their top goal scorer in January all I’m reading is oh £27m is a good price.

 

[Jim in the West]

Not even sure it is, and with Conte seemingly buggering off at the end of the season can see them drifting significantly. Potter has to try to manage a horde of expensive signings and Liverpool seem to have written this season off so 5th should definitely a ‘stretch target’.

I think both Chelsea and Liverpool will do better in the second half of the season. Much as I hate to say it, I think Mudryk and Joao Felix are great signings, and must surely start to knock the goals in. As for Liverpool, they’ll soon have Nunez back fully fit, plus Jota and Diaz by the end of Feb. I think either of them are more likely to take 5th place than Spurs (or us). Fulham also seem annoyingly decent (much better than Brentford whenever I’ve seen them).
One thing’s for sure, it’ll be a fascinating second half to the season.

 

[durrington gull]

What’s likely to be Europa Conference league place? 7th?

 

[Shooting Star]

Chelsea will finish 7/8 points ahead of us sadly. Think we have a chance of 7th

This. Screw Spurs, I'm focused on 7th!

Sadly, like Man United last season, the top teams can have bad seasons and still win often enough to finish in the European places. Teams like us have to play out of our skins and have virtually zero blips to qualify.

 

[deletebeepbeepbeep]

I think we will need to catch Spurs to have a chance of qualifying for Europe.

 

[Bozza]

Fivethirtyeight have us finishing ahead of Spurs, but behind Liverpool - https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/soccer-predictions/premier-league/

 

[dazzer6666]

Fivethirtyeight have us finishing ahead of Spurs, but behind Liverpool - https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/soccer-predictions/premier-league/

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Think most of us would bank that now (except RdeZ, who would be disappointed and angry)

 

[trueblue]

I think that if we win at Spurs and Newcastle, we can finish top 4. It’s a HUGE if… but much stranger things have happened. It depends if we can continue to improve under RDZ, and that probably depends on what happens over the rest of this month.

 

[saafend_seagull]

Need 3-4 signings to finish fourth.

7th will be a struggle with our small squad, villa are flying up the table, it’s us against them, Fulham, brentford and spurs for 7th. Can see spurs finishing below all of them if Kane gets injured.

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

Yes, but plenty that can catch us also, Villa have crept up to only 3 points behind us with a very good manager now in charge there.

It should be a fun second half of the season, here's hoping anyway!

Very much this.

We can realistically finish anywhere between 5th and 11th. Fifth would be incredible but the ultimate aim should be Europe in some form. Ideally having qualified through the cup and league

 

[oldboyroy]

I'll settle for a better points tally than last season and a better place finish. 4th is possible but highly unlikely with united and Newcastle playing well continuously but 5th/6th is very much within our capabilities.

 

[1swedegull]

7th is an improvement and lets us dip our toe into the world of Europe , what would concern me and i believe its happened to a few teams ( Burnley,Blackburn,Middlesborough.Wigan? ) , that a European campaign screwed up the league one , unless TB is willing to hold on to players and buy a few then I suspect there could be trouble ahead if we achieve it.

 

[pasty]

7th is an improvement and lets us dip our toe into the world of Europe , what would concern me and i believe its happened to a few teams ( Burnley,Blackburn,Middlesborough.Wigan? ) , that a European campaign screwed up the league one , unless TB is willing to hold on to players and buy a few then I suspect there could be trouble ahead if we achieve it.

Worries me too. And the Thursday/Sunday schedule meaning even fewer Saturday games than we get now.

That said, it would be completely and utterly amazing to see Brighton competing in a European competition, so bring it on I say, bring it on!

 

[Guinness Boy]

Starting to look like three distinct, and very tight mini leagues. Arsenal and City the only title chasers, anyone from Forest down could be relegated and anyone from Villa to Newcastle fighting for Europe.

Then there’s Palace. File them under bang average.

RDZ thinks we can still improve and won’t settle for second best. We’ve a squad that’s full of very good players. But it’ll be hard work and anything from 4th to 11th is probably on at the moment

 

[dsr-burnley]

7th is an improvement and lets us dip our toe into the world of Europe , what would concern me and i believe its happened to a few teams ( Burnley,Blackburn,Middlesborough.Wigan? ) , that a European campaign screwed up the league one , unless TB is willing to hold on to players and buy a few then I suspect there could be trouble ahead if we achieve it.

I think Burnley's issue was that the top players (especially Ben Mee) weren't picked for the European games, and Dyche treated it like the League Cup as matches to be played rather than matches to be won. Several sources suggest that's when the Burnley spirit/attitude/togetherness started to unravel just a little.

If you get into Europe, you have to go for it or the players will start to wonder what they're playing for.

 

[Bold Seagull]

7th is an improvement and lets us dip our toe into the world of Europe , what would concern me and i believe its happened to a few teams ( Burnley,Blackburn,Middlesborough.Wigan? ) , that a European campaign screwed up the league one , unless TB is willing to hold on to players and buy a few then I suspect there could be trouble ahead if we achieve it.

I can't look at all of those, but in MBoro's case, they won the League Cup, qualified for Europe and in that next season got their highest ever finish in 7th while in Europe and qualified for Europe again. Okay, they finished 14th the following season, but reached the UEFA cup final and FA Cup semi finals that year. They weren't relegated until 3 seasons after their European exploits.

West Ham also finished 6th 2021, but the following season Europe didn't impact their league form finishing 7th while also reaching the Europa League semi final. I think the Europa League has been one shining light in West Ham's season so far, again not sure you'll find many West Ham fans blaming Europe for league form.

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

I don't fear European competition. We'll need a bit more depth, but I think we'll get 2 or 3 more players, who are natural fits for our club under those circumstances.

I'm not looking at too many points we've won this season, where we've been lucky to get them. I can name a few matches where we've been unlucky not to claim more. Maybe this is normal for a football fan, I see it that most of what we've got this season, in my mind has been in spite of dubious officiating etc than because of it. We really have not been bested very often. I also think, we're playing better now than we were at the start of the season. This makes me think, the 39ish points we still need are gettable. Loads would have to go right though

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

Why is Fulham v Spurs at 8.15 ? Is that usual for an evening game and have I just not noticed.