And for Brighton to qualify for the Champions League! I can see the top 5 ending up with just the traditional teams + Newcastle.

It's difficult to predict with Forest, however I wouldn't be overly confident of our downfall coming.

 

In the first half of the season we were as high as second due to being relentless against the bottom half of the division (9 wins, 1 draw) whilst we struggled against the top half (2W, 3D, 4L), all that's happened so far is that pattern has continued (1W 1D 3L / 2W), but the unfortunate randomness of fixture scheduling has 7 of 8 games against top half teams including 4 in a row against the only 4 to beat us in the first half - Fulham, Newcastle, Arsenal, Man City - but it's feasible we could lose to all those teams again and still be in the Champions League positions after. To be in that position having played the rest of the top 6 twice already can only be one of incredible strength.

Edited February 24Feb 24 by RabbitFurCoat

Arsenal couldn’t beat Forest so the gap gets even bigger

Never want to say never, but it does kind of feel done now. Not sure I can see Arsenal even getting to 80 points at this rate - having affectively a 3 game buffer is huge at this stage. We have a nice little block of fixtures too.

It’s done and dusted. Liverpool have been a class above the rest. Though when Trent, Salah and VVD leave I think Liverpool will become very beatable

21 minutes ago, Liam sota said:

It’s done and dusted. Liverpool have been a class above the rest. Though when Trent, Salah and VVD leave I think Liverpool will become very beatable

I get the impression Salah and Van Dijk will stay. Slot seems way more chilled. Trent is definitely off though. We'll definitely have some holes to fill in the team though, but I'd expect us to spend a fair amount in the summer.

On 24/02/2025 at 09:06, Dobbo said:

And for Brighton to qualify for the Champions League! I can see the top 5 ending up with just the traditional teams + Newcastle.

I'll concede I was a little harsh/pessimistic regarding Forest (particularly after seeing how strong they were tonight) but I do have a good feeling about Brighton. seems like they're really hitting their stride of late.

slightly amended predictions ()

1. Liverpool

2. Arsenal

3. Man City

4. Newcastle

5. Brighton

6. Nottingham Forest

7. Aston Villa

8. Chelsea

9. Bournemouth

10. Tottenham/Fulham

Edited February 27Feb 27 by hinterland

Liverpool won the league by 18 points in 19/20. At this rate it'll be an even bigger gap come the end of this season.

I'm hoping my team (Palace) can finish top 10, if it weren't for the disastrous start we'd be right up there. What a chance for Europe for so many this year! We have to go all out for the FA cup.

1 hour ago, Dobbo said:

Liverpool won the league by 18 points in 19/20. At this rate it'll be an even bigger gap come the end of this season.

Think that will be difficult, if we go deep in the Champions League I can really see us struggling a bit. But, an amazing position to be in. I think what is exciting is we are not a perfect team by any stretch of the imagination, so lots of room for growth too under Slot. I suspect longer term we might move to the 4-2-4 formation he's tried out a few times in the big games recently.

1 hour ago, ChartGeek said:

I'm hoping my team (Palace) can finish top 10, if it weren't for the disastrous start we'd be right up there. What a chance for Europe for so many this year! We have to go all out for the FA cup.

Yeah not sure why Palace started so bad. Clearly one of the better teams with some great talent.

I'm not happy with Radio Times today. They say that the Cup is the most likely route to a European place for all four teams playing today. Man U are the only one of the four with little to no chance of qualifying by league position and even they are still in the Europa League.

We should get a verdict on the Man City charges any day in the next 10 days. Though with bode sides expected to appeal whatever way it goes I guess it’ll linger on past the season finishing

Anyone expecting anything other than a fine and a temporary transfer ban at worst should probably not get their hopes up.

4 minutes ago, Dobbo said:

Anyone expecting anything other than a fine and a temporary transfer ban at worst should probably not get their hopes up.

A lot of people have that view but by the way the law is set up if you are found guilty a points deduction is the recommendation.

So either they get away with it or get a points reduction. That’s how I read the law.

So my prediction is

5-10 million fine

18 month transfer ban

25 points deduction

Three titles stripped and given to the second place teams. Man Utd, arsenal and Liverpool

Well if it is only between those 2 options then they'll get away with it. 100% No way are the PL gonna rewrite history like that, that sort of thing just doesn't happen (OK I know the Calciopoli scandal but that was resolved very timely not many years later).

I think after January's activity there's a transfer ban definitely incoming. A points deduction wouldn't surprise however I think it would be significant but not enough to endanger their PL status. No way they'd re-allocate titles.

Edited March 3Mar 3 by RabbitFurCoat

Just thinking there outside of the traditional teams who have never been relegated from the Premier League - Liverpool, Man United, Arsenal, Everton, Spurs which team have been in the division consecutively longest - Palace?

4 minutes ago, Steve201 said:

Just thinking there outside of the traditional teams who have never been relegated from the Premier League - Liverpool, Man United, Arsenal, Everton, Spurs which team have been in the division consecutively longest - Palace?

Chelsea

Big win for Forest today. They’d have to really fall off not to get champions league now.