If Citys ban is upheld, then a win tomorrow will put us back in the race for a Champions League place.
We face an in-form team, with Ancelotti's Everton winning 3 and drawing 2 of their last 5 league games. However, we have yet to lose in 2020.
We haven't recorded back to back league wins since the opening 2 games of the season, but that started with a win over Newcastle, so good omens.
Spurs currently hold 5th, 6 points above us. However, Sheffield United and Manchester United could extend that gap to 5th by a point or 2.
Everton are among the teams chasing that 5th place, 2 points above us.
Should be a tough game, but there continue to be good signs from the team. The 4-0 scoreline may have flattered us a little last week, with the last 2 goals putting the icing on the cake, but the second half performance was encouraging.
The majority of games between now and the end of the season will be must wins if we want CL through the league. A win tomorrow would be a massive confidence booster, before we have to sit a week out and watch our rivals fight for points.
Battle for 5th.
posted on 22/2/20
How low a standard of quality for CL football that there's a race to get 5th between teams like Spurs and Arsenal.
posted on 22/2/20
Unbelievable that a scrappy 5th place gets a CL spot when in the Netherlands the CHAMPION has to play a qualifying round. And 2nd place is EL.
posted on 22/2/20
comment by Holland's big brother Europe (U1250)
posted 7 seconds ago
Unbelievable that a scrappy 5th place gets a CL spot when in the Netherlands the CHAMPION has to play a qualifying round. And 2nd place is EL.
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Yeah but the Netherlands has a far inferior league
posted on 22/2/20
comment by Geoff Tipps (U1449)
posted 15 minutes ago
comment by Holland's big brother Europe (U1250)
posted 7 seconds ago
Unbelievable that a scrappy 5th place gets a CL spot when in the Netherlands the CHAMPION has to play a qualifying round. And 2nd place is EL.
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Yeah but the Netherlands has a far inferior league
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Maybe because other leagues are priviliged with 4 CL places and the Dutch league is falling behind the rest. In the 70s we ruled in Europe with total football. Feyenoord, Ajax and PSV were raking in the European trophies.
posted on 22/2/20
*falling behind because of $$$$$
posted on 22/2/20
Good breeding ground for the big leagues though
posted on 23/2/20
Even Man Utd scored 4 goals in a half against the second best side in the dutch league AZ Alkmaar this season and we struggle to score at home lol.
posted on 23/2/20
AZ Alkmaar conceded 17 goals from 22 league games which is the best in the dutch league but conceded 4 goals in space of 11 minutes against Man Utd.
posted on 23/2/20
comment by Geoff Tipps (U1449)
posted 18 hours, 55 minutes ago
comment by Holland's big brother Europe (U1250)
posted 7 seconds ago
Unbelievable that a scrappy 5th place gets a CL spot when in the Netherlands the CHAMPION has to play a qualifying round. And 2nd place is EL.
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Yeah but the Netherlands has a far inferior league
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Made/Kept that way by BS qualifying framework which has seen France, Spain, England, Italy and Gremany's domestic league's, get billions of pounds more CL money in investment. Near 25 years of 3 and 4 teams in those leagues all getting 100s of millions vs ONE from Holland's. It's a sh!t tonne is cash the Dutch ain't seen a penny of. Given the status and ability of the Dutch national team, Holland were well and truly fecked over by the others, when these qualifying rules were written.
Bad move really. Ajax a financial heavyweight and a couple more Dutch teams among the elite (so more Dutch player transfers to/from other leagues), can only be a good thing for football. What I'd give for a Bergkamp or an Overmars now.
posted on 23/2/20
It'll be "Close but no cigar," again this season DJ. So be set for the joy of reaching the qualifying spot after a little form. Also anticipation of being back in the CL next season. Closely followed by it being crapped away in the last few games. Rinse and repeat mate, don't even bother getting even a little bit excited about it.
Season is a write off in those terms and CL for us will be via winning EL, if it happens. As fans just hope to god that Arteta can use the time left this season to be up to speed completely, to purge/equip us in the summer and have us back among the fray again proper, come next season.