Is a top four finish achievable or a pipe dream?

[Brown Nose]

Just for the purposes of information...I've chucked a fiver on the Saints to nick 4th. Betfair (Sportsbook not exchange) gave me 325/1. They are flying & have to make up 9 points on Chelsea. I've a feeling Chelsea's kids will fall backwards a little bit as the season gets to the business end & I don't trust Lampard to find a solution. Of the teams in between only Wolves are consistent. It's a long shot certainly but not that ****ing long to my mind! Especially when you look at the Saints fixtures between here & the end of the season.

A fiver I won't miss against a chance of over £1600 come May? Has to be a punt.

If it comes off it'll pay for CL tickets.

Cue saints going on a massive losing run now obviously. But I'm happy with the risk/reward ratio.

Anyone care to join the fun?

You'll be pleased to hear that I think this is an absurd bet.

 

[give_us_a_wave]

You'll be pleased to hear that I think this is an absurd bet.

It's wonderfully absurd. But well worth the fun for the price of a pint. Plus the profit margin is so massive I can hedge out if they even look like making it & my bottle goes.

The Betfair price was stupidly large. Bet365 were next best at 75 points shorter!

 

[big_mac4824]

Just for the purposes of information...I've chucked a fiver on the Saints to nick 4th. Betfair (Sportsbook not exchange) gave me 325/1. They are flying & have to make up 9 points on Chelsea. I've a feeling Chelsea's kids will fall backwards a little bit as the season gets to the business end & I don't trust Lampard to find a solution. Of the teams in between only Wolves are consistent. It's a long shot certainly but not that ****ing long to my mind! Especially when you look at the Saints fixtures between here & the end of the season.

A fiver I won't miss against a chance of over £1600 come May? Has to be a punt.

If it comes off it'll pay for CL tickets.

Cue saints going on a massive losing run now obviously. But I'm happy with the risk/reward ratio.

Anyone care to join the fun?

That is not a bad shout if they keep there form

 

[give_us_a_wave]

That is not a bad shout if they keep there form

They might even lengthen a bit as they've got Liverpool coming up. I might stick another quid on if they lose that.

 

[pork pie fox]

Spurs have got another match to play, after their draw today.

 

[Jeff]

Spurs have got another match to play, after their draw today.

We've got another match to play, after our win today.

 

[pork pie fox]

We've got another match to play, after our win today.

By the time that comes around, we’ll be out of sight though

 

[big_mac4824]

Results this weekend went for us imo, just 5 more wins should secure us 3rd place.

 

[Joe_Fox]

Except Arsenal, I can see the rest of the big six currently behind us catching up. Wolves are a threat too. Another seven wins should do it.

 

[ThaiSweetChilli]

You'll be pleased to hear that I think this is an absurd bet.

Me

 

[Brown Nose]

The structure of the season is ridiculous. Games are well spaced out from August to the end of November and then from February to the end of the season. Almost always one game a week with international breaks too.

December and January are just a mad schedule. We just played 17 matches in 63 days (W8 D4 L5). We have undoubtedly struggled with this because our game is best when it is full on and you simply cannot be full on through that kind of run.

I'm hopeful that we will get back to our best now and cruise through to a top four finish. However, it is an absurd way of running a season and the Premier League really do need to do something about so much of the season being crammed into such a short period.

 

[tedfoxxx]

The structure of the season is ridiculous. Games are well spaced out from August to the end of November and then from February to the end of the season. Almost always one game a week with international breaks too.

December and January are just a mad schedule. We just played 17 matches in 63 days (W8 D4 L5). We have undoubtedly struggled with this because our game is best when it is full on and you simply cannot be full on through that kind of run.

I'm hopeful that we will get back to our best now and cruise through to a top four finish. However, it is an absurd way of running a season and the Premier League really do need to do something about so much of the season being crammed into such a short period.

But it sells and never gets any less popular, even if the games are crap and the big players are injured. People are at home more at that time of year and they’ll just keep watching no matter what.

I know that you know this, I just can’t see how the Premier League will ever change. Even this staggered winter break thing has got cup replays in it.

Personally I’d like to see the league cut to 18 teams. With two relegation spots and a promotion/relegation playoff with a championship team.The leaner the competition the better, like how the Euros used to be before they made it all bloated and convoluted.

 

[TommyK]

I would cut a cup competition entirely. Get rid of the Carling cup.

 

[Joe_Fox]

Who doesn't like the madness of the December/January period though? I like it. It's fun.

I guess the bigger teams with better depth in their squads do better during this time, but they have so many advantages over smaller clubs that this is probably not that relevant.

What would really help is either a salary cap, or an FFP that is actually enforced will a deterrent that means something.

For me the scheduling is fine as is. Leave it alone.

 

[big_mac4824]

But it sells and never gets any less popular, even if the games are crap and the big players are injured. People are at home more at that time of year and they’ll just keep watching no matter what.

I know that you know this, I just can’t see how the Premier League will ever change. Even this staggered winter break thing has got cup replays in it.

Personally I’d like to see the league cut to 18 teams. With two relegation spots and a promotion/relegation playoff with a championship team.The leaner the competition the better, like how the Euros used to be before they made it all bloated and convoluted.

As Brown nose suggested (apologies if I have misread it) there is no need to cut cup competitions the EPL just need to apply intelligence when producing fixtures. The issue with the xmas period is they are blatantly ignoring sports science in that it states that an athlete requires 72 hours to recover from a game.

I disagree with the reduction of the league it is that size because we have such a vibrant competitive league structure below the Prem and it's current format should remain,

 

[Jeff]

The reason so many games are crammed into the winter period is because there can't be league games in midweek when there are champions/europa league games.

 

[Lako42]

I'm looking forward to this break.

I'm actually quite bored of it at the minute.

I do however love the festive football.

 

[Blue Maniac]

I would cut a cup competition entirely. Get rid of the Carling cup.

And the Worthington Cup. And the Rumbelows Cup. And the Milk Cup. And the Coca-Cola Cup. And the Capital One Cup. And the Littlewoods Cup.

 

[homer]

Meh

It‘s been like this for ages - everyone knows it before the start of the season, and everyone has plenty of time to plan and prepare for it. It’s the same for all teams, so we are no worse off than anyone else

Yes, it’s absolutely ****ing insane and ludicrous, but the Premier League Club Chairman have plenty of opportunity to object and change things - but they instead vote for the money

 

[bocadillo]

Get rid of the Carling cup.

And the Worthington Cup. And the Rumbelows Cup. And the Milk Cup. And the Coca-Cola Cup. And the Capital One Cup. And the Littlewoods Cup.

So just leaving us with the Carabao Cup and the other one.