Suddenly

[Guest prophet]

in a matter of two months, we went from

 

level points with Manure..........now we are behind by 5 pts playing 1 game more

 

the rest of the pack are within 6 pts

 

What in the world has happened/

 

IMO that our style of play with Ouch! at the barn door has been suusssed out......Rafa has not been able to

change his style to adapt......

 

i am worried that even the players seemed to lack that swagger that was possessed in the beginning of the season...

lack of confidence is coming in fast.....look at Xabi........a shadow of himslef......even SG may be tirring........the only players still

digging in are Carra,Sami and Didi....the rest is begnning to show the strain of confidence

 

JMO

[Ombudsam]

We could make it with our eyes closed

[Andy Mac]

Arsenal didn't look any great shakes today. In my opinion they were there for the taking in the 2nd half. We'll finish above them ( no danger) and Spurs have an horrendous run in.

[stressederic]

3rd is as low as we'll finish, and I'm not convinced we won't make 2nd.

[Guest prophet]

i think 2nd is becoming fast a wish.....lookin at our forms....between Manure and us.........they are pickin up pace while we are losing.....

[Spike]

Panic in the streets of london, panic in the streets of Birmingham,

hang the parry, hang the parry, hang the parry, and sack rafa, and sack rafa,

[Guz]

in a matter of two months, we went from

 

level points with Manure..........now we are behind by 5 pts playing 1 game more

 

the rest of the pack are within 6 pts

 

What in the world has happened/

 

IMO that our style of play with Ouch! at the barn door has been suusssed out......Rafa has not been able to

change his style to adapt......

 

i am worried that even the players seemed to lack that swagger that was possessed in the beginning of the season...

lack of confidence is coming in fast.....look at Xabi........a shadow of himslef......even SG may be tirring........the only players still

digging in are Carra,Sami and Didi....the rest is begnning to show the strain of confidence

 

JMO

 

So basically you're saying we've hit a bad run of form like 19 out of 20 teams in the league do at some point in the season (most on more than one occasion)

[Nebraska Red]

God help you guys over there. the papers tomorrow will be like hounds going for the kill.

 

Luckily, I can just sit, sulk and shout at the kids for no apparent reason. Nobody will be giving me stick in work.

 

we will get 3rd place, but it will not be pretty.

 

i just feel hollow right now. watching us play is like a Chinese torture at times. Death by a thousand cuts (or missed chances, in our case).

 

So basically you're saying we've hit a bad run of form like 19 out of 20 teams in the league do at some point in the season (most on more than one occasion)

 

for good teams, a bad run of form is 3, 4 or maybe 5 games.

 

ours has been going since January 1st. 71 days, 10 weeks, about 16 games.

 

we've hit a wall, not a bad run of form.

[Guest prophet]

God help you guys over there. the papers tomorrow will be like hounds going for the kill.

 

Luckily, I can just sit, sulk and shout at the kids for no apparent reason. Nobody will be giving me stick in work.

 

we will get 3rd place, but it will not be pretty.

 

i just feel hollow right now. watching us play is like a Chinese torture at times. Death by a thousand cuts (or missed chances, in our case).

for good teams, a bad run of form is 3, 4 or maybe 5 games.

 

ours has been going since January 1st. 71 days, 10 weeks, about 16 games.

 

we've hit a wall, not a bad run of form.

 

you have hit it on the head!

 

i went from

 

"expected to win " to " a torture just to watch"

 

As you rightly said that this has beeen rather prolonged torture and seems RAfa has run out of ideas to sought this out?

 

Its already March we are still struggling since Jan....i say...whats happening???

[Guz]

God help you guys over there. the papers tomorrow will be like hounds going for the kill.

 

Luckily, I can just sit, sulk and shout at the kids for no apparent reason. Nobody will be giving me stick in work.

 

we will get 3rd place, but it will not be pretty.

 

i just feel hollow right now. watching us play is like a Chinese torture at times. Death by a thousand cuts (or missed chances, in our case).

for good teams, a bad run of form is 3, 4 or maybe 5 games.

 

ours has been going since January 1st. 71 days, 10 weeks, about 16 games.

 

we've hit a wall, not a bad run of form.

 

I think you're right with your last comment. But to be pedantic, in January we played 6 games and lost just once. We were still on course for 2nd, next round of the fa and european cups aswell. Then we lost to Chartlon & Chelsea but went onto beat United, Arsenal and Wigan and still we were challenging for 2nd, FA Cup and european cup. I'd say we hit our wall a while after the turn of the new year although I'd say there's been a decline in our play since Everton away.

[Jiggy Hates Jazz]

And IF we finish 4th and Arsenal win the Champs League, then we're playing UEFA cup next season. Funny that - I thought there were different rules last season? And the season before that!

[IgPig]

we'll not finish 4th

 

2006 Fulham Barclays Premiership H 20:00

19 Mar, 2006 Newcastle United Barclays Premiership A 13:30

21 Mar, 2006 Birmingham City FA Cup Quarter Final A 19:45

25 Mar, 2006 Everton Barclays Premiership H 12:45

01 Apr, 2006 West Brom Barclays Premiership A 17:15

09 Apr, 2006 Bolton Wanderers Barclays Premiership H 14:00

15 Apr, 2006 Blackburn Rovers Barclays Premiership A 17:15

22 Apr, 2006 West Ham United Barclays Premiership A 15:00

29 Apr, 2006 Aston Villa Barclays Premiership H 15:00

07 May, 2006 Portsmouth Barclays Premiership A

 

 

plenty of points left there

[fred milne]

Arsenal didn't look any great shakes today.

I'm not sure that's true - I thought they played well.

 

However, their home form hasn't been that poor this season, its been on their travels where its all gone pear-shaped.

[Guest TanMan]

Can't believe Bolton aren't being mentioned. If they win their 2 in hand they're on 51pts, and their next two fixtures are against Sunderland & Boro. Far bigger threat than either Spurs or Arsenal

[AE]

We WILL finish in the top 4.

And next season we WILL finish top 2.

 

FFS, we have lost a couple of games and yes we have not scored enough goals this year, but you would think we supported Sunderland given the posts on here since last night

[stonty]

The team that showed up to play Arsenal yesterday will be lucky to finish 4th, the way the opposition moved unheeded from their 18yd line to our box was frightening, as if we only had 8 players on the pitch, the sight of an absent midfield & our defence in full retreat is not good.

 

Like most I thought we?d mugged a point until the backpass, but to be honest we can?t complain at the result.

 

If they shake this off and get an early advantage against Fulham (and that?s a big if) then I?m sure that that?ll get a bit of confidence back & be the basis for a solid run-in to the end of the season and 3rd place is ours, the trouble is lately that you can physically see any confidence drain from the team when for all the industry the goals don?t come.

 

It?s starting to make my nerves bad!!!!

[beejay]

No need to panic yet because most of those below us are also busily shooting themselves in the foot but if we don't beat Fulham on Wednesday, on paper our easiest game left, we could be in trouble.

 

The confidence is draining out of us at a rate of knots at the moment and it gets to the stage where every game looks tough.

[Billy Dane]

Don't think we can afford to be too complacent - there was plenty of complacency in evidence amongst the team and on here prior to the Benfica game.

[JohnBonham]

Arsenal has got the easiest run in and they are playing well. If Henry stays healthy we have to fight hard to keep them behind us. Wenger seems confident that they will overtake us and grab third place....

[fred milne]

Arsenal has got the easiest run in and they are playing well. If Henry stays healthy we have to fight hard to keep them behind us. Wenger seems confident that they will overtake us and grab third place....

They are playing well at home but on the road they are worse than us.

 

As for having the easiest run-in, don't they still have to play at Old Trafford and Stamford Bridge?

[Barnes' left foot]

They are playing well at home but on the road they are worse than us.

 

As for having the easiest run-in, don't they still have to play at Old Trafford and Stamford Bridge?

 

Arsenal still have to go to the Mancs, but they've played Chelsea twice (and lost both games).

[IgPig]

Arsenal v Charlton, 15:00

Portsmouth v Arsenal, 17:15

Arsenal v Aston Villa, 15:00

Man Utd v Arsenal, 16:00

Arsenal v West Brom, 15:00

Man City v Arsenal, 15:00

Arsenal v Tottenham, 15:00

Sunderland v Arsenal, 15:00

Arsenal v Wigan, 15:00

 

Their run in is slightly tougher than ours I would say, and they need to win 3 more games than us.

[Bootle Buck]

we'll not finish 4th

 

2006 Fulham Barclays Premiership H 20:00

19 Mar, 2006 Newcastle United Barclays Premiership A 13:30

21 Mar, 2006 Birmingham City FA Cup Quarter Final A 19:45

25 Mar, 2006 Everton Barclays Premiership H 12:45

01 Apr, 2006 West Brom Barclays Premiership A 17:15

09 Apr, 2006 Bolton Wanderers Barclays Premiership H 14:00

15 Apr, 2006 Blackburn Rovers Barclays Premiership A 17:15

22 Apr, 2006 West Ham United Barclays Premiership A 15:00

29 Apr, 2006 Aston Villa Barclays Premiership H 15:00

07 May, 2006 Portsmouth Barclays Premiership A

plenty of points left there

 

 

There are some tough games in there. Blackburn are on a great run especially at home. Everton are also playing well home and away. Bolton are never easy and WHU at home are very tough to beat. West Brom and Pompey away could be very difficult with both teams fighting for their lives.

[Nebraska Red]

we're doomed, doomed I tells ya!!!

 

looks like I have to revise my Champions League pick to "anyone but Arsenal"

 

Arsenal's run in looks pretty easy if they ever get over their away day blues. I don't see them dropping more than 7 or 8 points.

 

Our run in looks iffy to say the least bearing in mind how we are playing right now. I reckon we will get 17 points from the remaining games.

 

The 8 point lead we have should be enough to keep us in 3rd spot.

[RedMarauder]

We'll see how we have coped with the Arsenal and Benfica results and lack of goals when we play Fulham - 2nd best home record vs worst away record.

Pick up the 3 pts and move away from 4th or enter the corridor of uncertainty