Who else would we prefer to join us in the top 4?

[Jenko]

If we do finish the season in the top 4, it will be amongst the 2 Manchester clubs and one other. I'm just wondering who we would choose to occupy that spot...

On the one hand, we know that long-term Chelsea will not go away as they are backed by Russian billions, so not being in the top 4 wouldn't really hurt them THAT much as they have the money to ensure they get back next season. On the other hand if they weren't in the top 4 it might benefit us as they couldn't make such a strong claim to sign Modric.

Liverpool and Arsenal might become worse teams overnight without the champions league revenue to carry them into next season. Liverpools owners will not keep investing in the team forever and Arsenal never really spend money anyway. Either one of them making the champions league could turn into a much stronger force before next season begins.

If I had to choose I think i'd begrudingly pick chelsea :evil:

 

[tototoner]

Man City 2nd
Man Utd 3rd
Liverpool 4th

 

[The Apprentice]

Liverpool, obviously.

 

[DiscoD1882]

I would love to see L'Arse miss out. They rely heavily on the Champs league cash, As i suspect do Liverpool to a certain extent. It would hamstring the goons considerably missing out on Champs league. So for me I would prefer Liverpool or Chelsea. ideally Newcastle.

 

[Donki]

I would love to see L'Arse miss out. They rely heavily on the Champs league cash, As i suspect do Liverpool to a certain extent. It would hamstring the goons considerably missing out on Champs league. So for me I would prefer Liverpool or Chelsea. ideally Newcastle.

I concur, I think if Arse miss out RVP will want out, that along with the depleted funds from no CL will seal their decline. I HATE liverpool and with the money they spent it would make them a laughing stock, and Kenny would do what he does best and walk away leaving them looking for another manager. The lack of CL football wont affect Chealsa so bad their players are on top money and I cant see them wanting to jump ship. If anything Roman will just plough more money into them....... or sell! lol Hmmmm tough one, perfect world Newscastle, il say Chealsa.

 

[AngerManagement]

Obviously my first choice is Arsenal missing out

Its tough between Liverpool and Chelsea, It would shake things up more if Chelsea missed out but they could take it in their stride money wise and it would probably just prompt some bigger spending (unless the whole fair play things put a stop to that)

So my answer is..... I want Newcastle to make a late charge and steal 4th from the lot of them

Edit: great, the Donki gets in there a min before me with a near carbon copy of my post and makes me look a fool :bang::grin:

 

[mattyspurs]

Obviously my first choice is Arsenal missing out

Its tough between Liverpool and Chelsea, It would shake things up more if Chelsea missed out but they could take it in their stride money wise and it would probably just prompt some bigger spending (unless the whole fair play things put a stop to that)

So my answer is..... I want Newcastle to make a late charge and steal 4th from the lot of them

This, all day long :grin:

 

[parklane-no1]

I was thinking the exact same thing myslef and as you say I believe our chances of holding onto Modric have got to be only enhanced with Chelsea not in it - he wouldn't be able to hide the fact it was all about money if he left!
Equally I'd love Le Arse to miss out so reallistically it would be Liverpool.

 

[sloth]

Chelsea. For purely tactical reasons. If Chelsea fail to make the CL it will have little impact on them as they're bankrolled by Abramovich who will simply stick a bit more money in.

Arsenal and Liverpool however will be harmed by not making CL.

Arsenal would lose Van Persie and struggle to get in replacements without CL and also be stuck with a bunch of average players on high wages.

Liverpool would not have qualified for CL for a third successive season, they've over-spent on players and Fenway Sports Group are not a billion dollar benefactor but investors. So far they have bailed out Liverpool from years of mis-managment, clearing tens of millions of debt in what amounts to a form of financial doping every bit as pernicious as Chelsea's and City's, so they'll be a very, very long way from breaking even on their investment and also several players away from being a serious, season in, season out top four team.

I read somewhere that top four was the minimum expectation from their owners for this season, are the really going to keep ploughing money they haven't got in pursuing a quick route back?

So Chelsea it is.

A word of warning though, top four this season increases the likelihood that our players will be poached, we need to already be building the team which comes after the current one. Thankfully it looks as if we are.

 

[quety101]

US,City,Man U and newcastle

 

[BringBack_leGin]

Beaten to is but yes, I want us to get top 3, the other two spots can be the Manchester clubs, and Newcastle in 4th would be superb!

 

[ryantegan]

Swansea

 

[camaj]

We just did this thread, is there any point doing it again?

It's easier for me to tell you who I don't want in the top 4:
Arsenal - Because it's Arsenal. Also without the CL it might really really screw them
Chelsea - Because they've spent their way to success. They don't need the money but they seem to have run out, Torres aside.
ManC - Same as Chelsea
Newcastle and QPR - The same as Chelsea only on a much smaller scale
Liverpool - Because their fans are total bellends

Doesn't leave much to chose from so I'd go with Everton because they're a traditional club that deserve some success and they haven't done anything wrong. Fulham for much the same reasons and they have BMJ. Wolves because they're like a second team, a distant second but still second. They were a big club that don't get the recognition they deserved

 

[BringBack_leGin]

Newcastle have spent their way to success? You mean by losing Carroll for £35m and bringing in Demba Ba on a free? Looking at their current squad I can't see one huge money signing in fact.

 

[jushin3]

Chelsea. Liverpool fans are the worst to me.

 

[spurdownunder]

Wigan

 

[Jenko]

We just did this thread, is there any point doing it again?

Sorry, I didn't catch that one....

 

[Black]

Newcastle, even stoke have a chance

 

[blobster]

Wigan

 

[spurious1]

Newcastle, even stoke have a chance

I can just image Stoke plying their brand of dire football around Europe's most illustrious ground...Barca vs. Stoke...poor Barca's array of miniature midfielders taken tactically out of the game by Stoke's soaring long throw-ins....

Seriously, I would not want Newcastle in it, even if it's nice to think of Arse, Chelsea, and Pool out of it. Ashley is dying to sell them off, and with their big stadium, large (although knuckledragging) fanbase, and CL football, they would be a perfect target for another moneybags Chelsea/ManC type buyer...

So, as most say, the best bet is Chelsea, for the reason that they are the ones least desperate to be in, compared to Pool and Arse.