ToffeeWeb - Season 2007-08

The Mail Bag

60 Points, top six once again!

9 wins from our last 18 games will secure successive top six finishes for the Blues — 60 points (two more than the final tally last year) will do the trick and should see us safely into the UEFA Cup for another year (if not qualifying as Carling Cup Winners or UEFA Cup Winners of course this season).

Winnable games? Middlesbrough A, Man City H, Wigan A, Reading H, Portsmouth H, Sunderland A, West Ham H, Derby H, Newcastle H — and if we fail on any of the aforementioned then I am sure we will pick up the odd point here and there from one or two of the other games not mentioned, even with the ACN absentees.

Alternatively, we are two wins and a draw away (or even a defeat and two wins dependent on goal difference over the semi two legs) from European qualification once again via the Carling Cup. Not to mention we are pretty much nailed on to get into the last 16 of the Uefa Cup this time around at the very least.

All in all we are in great shape for the coming year and a couple of decent signings away from having the most exciting, consistent side we have had since the mid 80s (arguably we are there already without any new additions).

Well done to the Blues this year and particularly well done to David Moyes whom I have criticised many many times but has now proven to me he is the right man to take us forward and any alternative is not even worth contemplating with our limited purse strings.
Steve Callaghan, Liverpool Posted 30/12/2007 at 19:37:39

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Lyndon

Not sure I agree that we are "pretty nailed on" to make the last 16 of the Uefa Cup, nor do I take the potential remaining games in the Carling Cup so lightly — it's likely we'd have to beat both Chelsea and Arsenal to win it — but, yes, with a couple of key additions we are in great shape and should be able to qualify for the Uefa Cup by one of the routes you mention.

Ray Robinson
1 Posted 30/12/2007 at 23:13:44

I think we’ll make top 6 but we may need more than 60 points to achieve it!

Colin Smith
2 Posted 31/12/2007 at 00:43:55

From where we are now, I would suggest top six is the very minimum we should expect. We have just played Man U & Arsenal & not been outplayed by either. Were it not for horrible individual defensive errors we would have come away with points from both. Chelsea will be very tough, but they are conceding goals currently & surely we can exploit their weaknesses at the back.

Keep the faith!

Martin Cutler
3 Posted 31/12/2007 at 04:34:28

I agree with the nine games you predict we’ll win but if I’m not mistaken it looks like you didn’t include Birmingham and Fulham away.....wouldn’t we expect to win both these games?
If so, that give us 66 points, not 60. Not worth discussing points at this point but 66 is better than 60!

Jeremy Beaddle
4 Posted 31/12/2007 at 07:32:38

If only eh?

Its not possible to predict the outcomes of the remaining matches, regardless of form or the previous 20 games.

We?ve always had a bad patch at xmas. How long will that bad patch last? Who knows. With losing a few key players in January, and the heavy hearts following a little bad spell of 3 games, we could easily fail to pick up many points next month, and where will that leave the 9 wins then?

What will be, will be. Personally, its clear to see form the table that finishing top 6 is going to be difficult this season - both Villa and Man City are playing very well, and Portsmouth have an awesome record.

Despite our own terrific run, we failed to break into the top 5 - because the top teams generally win too....

For me, Uefa Cup qualification via any route would be a good season and good progress - whether that's via finishing 6th, 7th, or a Carling Cup Final appearance, it matters not.

Brendan McLaughlin
5 Posted 31/12/2007 at 12:05:19

I tend to agree with Jeremy Beaddle. Despite our excellent form we are still 3 points behind the team in fifth & only 3 points ahead (if West Ham win/draw their match in hand) of the team in tenth.

But we are now entering the second half of the season with everything to play for. Let?s hope it is "onward & upward".

Gareth Jackson
6 Posted 31/12/2007 at 16:23:22

This I year I feel more than 60 points will be required for a top 6 place. You only got look at our recent run to see that we never really climbed into the top 4.

This year everybody seems to be beating everybody, bar the top 2 maybe. Villa, Portsmouth, Man City have all had good runs too this season. Whilst we were winning at least two of those teams were too, which never really allowed us to open up a gap between a few of the teams behind us.

So I wouldn?t be suprised if we had to break the 70pt barrier to achive a top 6 finish.

3 games ago I was hopeful of breaking into the top 4 again but the best we can hope for is 5th or 6th.