Champions League Group Stage Secured

[blues-clues]

Our coefficient is still crap and will probably be even worse next year. There are a few clubs above us in the rankings who wont be in the CL, Liverpool etc but we will still be in pot 3. If Dortmund win the final they will be top seeds but otherwise they will be in the third pot as well. Potential for another Group of death? Bayern, PSG,......., Galatasaray

[Beefymcfc]

Our coefficient is still crap and will probably be even worse next year. There are a few clubs above us in the rankings who wont be in the CL, Liverpool etc but we will still be in pot 3. If Dortmund win the final they will be top seeds but otherwise they will be in the third pot as well. Potential for another Group of death? Bayern, PSG,......., Galatasaray

But that's what we have to do, that's how the competition is designed. The seedings are there to ensure those who have pedigree always stay at the top and young upstarts like us have to jump through hoops to try and compete.

You didn't think the CL was based on fairness did you?

[Goaters 103]

And now we are a pot 3 seed. Cant wait for our 2013/14 CL draw - Bayern, Barca, City, Brazil circa 1970

[Blue Since 76]

8 points clear with 2 to play. Not bad, eh.

Man City 36 31 75
Chelsea 35 34 68
Arsenal 36 31 67
Tottenham 35 18 65

I know that some believe we should be winning the league but when you look at it, those consistent polishers of CL trophy positions would die for our position now.

Not bad for a newbie ;-)

They would be creaming themselves but I see it as being first loser. No trophy for coming 2nd 3rd or 4th you get in CL which is great but I'm not gonna be dancing round my house like an arsenal shareholder over qualifying for the group stages. I wanna see a vast improvement in our European form this year.

On the plus side a few more trips away is gonna be nice

You are right there is no trophy for 2nd,3rd or 4th but the higher you finish the more prize money you get so with all this ffp bollox i want us to finish 2nd.

I remember only a season or 2 back when we were flying high with our equal 2nd with Chelsea. Last season there was no such equal though.

I remember a time not long ago when finishing 17th would have been considered a successful campaign.

Sat there last night, I did make the comment to the person next to me of 'do you remember when we played this badly all season'.

We've come a long way, but unless we want to be Arsenal, second has to be considered a failure, even if we win the FA Cup. That doesn't necessarily mean sacking players/Mancini/Marwood etc, but we do need the mentality that second in anything isn't good enough. As much as I may criticise Mancini, one thing I do think he has in abundance is a winning mentality and more so, a hatred of losing.

[MR IMAINEROAD]

"i've never been happier"

May 13th 2012?


:)

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

Hold on.
I thought only 1st and 2nd were guaranteed group stages and third had to participate last qualifying round?

Nope. 1, 2, 3 in group, 4 in play-offs.

I stand here as a man who has truly seen the light.

[Herb]

8 points clear with 2 to play. Not bad, eh.

Man City 36 31 75
Chelsea 35 34 68
Arsenal 36 31 67
Tottenham 35 18 65

I know that some believe we should be winning the league but when you look at it, those consistent polishers of CL trophy positions would die for our position now.

Not bad for a newbie ;-)

The emotions are fine but the math is deplorable - we're 7 points clear (not 8) and, while we have only 2 games to play, the team that we're 7 (yes still 7) points ahead of has a better goal difference than we have and a game in hand. Ergo; we're 7 points ahead and they have 9 points to play for so it's not in the bag just yet.

Re the emotions, I'm with you all the way - we've had a good season by any standard and we can put cream on the cake if we can find the spirit to beat lowly wigan. Much to celebrate and perhaps more on the way eh!

[BmoreBlue]

herb i think the OP is referring to securing a spot in the UCL group stage, not 2nd place.

i could be wrong though ;)

[gillie]

herb i think the OP is referring to securing a spot in the UCL group stage, not 2nd place.

i could be wrong though ;)

You are not wrong mate we currently have 75 pts Neither Arsenal or Spurs can better that so we have definitely qualified for the group stages as we can finish no lower than third place.

[Herb]

herb i think the OP is referring to securing a spot in the UCL group stage, not 2nd place.

i could be wrong though ;)

You are not wrong mate we currently have 75 pts Neither Arsenal or Spurs can better that so we have definitely qualified for the group stages as we can finish no lower than third place.

With you there Gillie - and much to celebrate. 3rd place is what we get if we shut up shop and go on holiday today (and if Chelski get 2 wins and we suffer 2 losses in our remaining games - ok unlikely) but that still doesn't make us 8 points ahead and it was the obvious error of reporting of 8 points rather than 6 that I was pointing to as well as pointing out that our nearest rival could mathematically pip us to 2nd on goal difference. Not that they will of course.

Note: The above was edited to rejig the maths following the chelski v spuds draw - nearly there eh!

[Beefymcfc]

8 points clear with 2 to play. Not bad, eh.

Man City 36 31 75
Chelsea 35 34 68
Arsenal 36 31 67
Tottenham 35 18 65

I know that some believe we should be winning the league but when you look at it, those consistent polishers of CL trophy positions would die for our position now.

Not bad for a newbie ;-)

The emotions are fine but the math is deplorable - we're 7 points clear (not 8) and, while we have only 2 games to play, the team that we're 7 (yes still 7) points ahead of has a better goal difference than we have and a game in hand. Ergo; we're 7 points ahead and they have 9 points to play for so it's not in the bag just yet.

Re the emotions, I'm with you all the way - we've had a good season by any standard and we can put cream on the cake if we can find the spirit to beat lowly wigan. Much to celebrate and perhaps more on the way eh!

You plum, I'm not talking about second, I'm talking about the group stages, ie. 3rd. We are 8 points clear of Arsenal who are sat in the play-off position and who can only gain a maximum 6 points. Ergo, we are guaranteed GROUP STAGES without the need to qualify through the play-offs.

On that note though, after last nights result we are now 6 clear of Chelsea with 2 to play. A point in our last 2 cements our finish as PL runners up. Not what everybody wanted but still not to be sniffed at.

herb i think the OP is referring to securing a spot in the UCL group stage, not 2nd place.

i could be wrong though ;)

The thread title sort of gives it away ;-)

[BmoreBlue]

i'm glad beefy understood my irony.

herb either your math or your reading comprehension are diabolical. on par with dzeko's first touch. really poor.

[ruralblue]

No reason why we cannot get max points from our last two games. Finish season on 81 points and hopefully the Fa Cup, isnt as dire as some have made out. Sure a couple of performances were nothing short of shite but hopefully some lessons learnt.

Fingers crossed for a couple of real good signings early on in transfer window to make us stronger for a better champs league run next year.

[bobby brows]

No reason why we cannot get max points from our last two games. Finish season on 81 points and hopefully the Fa Cup, isnt as dire as some have made out. Sure a couple of performances were nothing short of shite but hopefully some lessons learnt.

Fingers crossed for a couple of real good signings early on in transfer window to make us stronger for a better champs league run next year.

I'll readily hold my hands up to that second sentence. I couldn't believe it was actually only 10 points. If we'd not capitulated against Spurs and put away a chance against Swansea we'd still be in it. As it stands they can only get 91 points so the rapist has cost them £24m and only potentially added 2 points to their tally

[Herb]

i'm glad beefy understood my irony.

herb either your math or your reading comprehension are diabolical. on par with dzeko's first touch. really poor.

Hats off to your response - honestly laughed til I nearly shat - beautifully timed and spot on with the wit but please respect that I wasn't having a pop at the logic of our securing our european place, I was pointing out that the math was wrong. And it was.

PS. My comprehension isn't perfect but it's not diabolical, you just didn't understand the purpose of my response was all - perhaps because your math's diabolical? No, only joking, just trying to make the point that I had the choice of taking umbrage at your response but I chose to read your humour and appreciate it for what it was.

[Alioune DVToure]

Hats off to your response - honestly laughed til I nearly shat - beautifully timed and spot on with the wit but please respect that I wasn't having a pop at the logic of our securing our european place, I was pointing out that the math was wrong. And it was.

PS. My comprehension isn't perfect but it's not diabolical, you just didn't understand the purpose of my response was all - perhaps because your math's diabolical? No, only joking, just trying to make the point that I had the choice of taking umbrage at your response but I chose to read your humour and appreciate it for what it was.

'Math'. You're North American. That surprises me.

As you were.

[CTID Hants]

I for one willl be keeping an eye on the Villa-Chelsea game at 12:45 Saturday lunch, villa scrapping still if they can even get a point we will have 2nd bagged before the cup final. Never wanted villa result as much as this.

Saturday, could potentially be a very good day for us, to top off a fantastic week :-)

[BmoreBlue]

i'm glad beefy understood my irony.

herb either your math or your reading comprehension are diabolical. on par with dzeko's first touch. really poor.

Hats off to your response - honestly laughed til I nearly shat - beautifully timed and spot on with the wit but please respect that I wasn't having a pop at the logic of our securing our european place, I was pointing out that the math was wrong. And it was.

PS. My comprehension isn't perfect but it's not diabolical, you just didn't understand the purpose of my response was all - perhaps because your math's diabolical? No, only joking, just trying to make the point that I had the choice of taking umbrage at your response but I chose to read your humour and appreciate it for what it was.

well i'm glad you didn't take offense as it was made completely tongue in cheek, but the math (maths?) was actually correct. beefy was referring to the difference between us and arse, the 4th placed team, being that as long as we stay above arse and spurs we'll still be in the group stages. your math (maths?) referred to the difference between us and chelsea, who even if we fell below we'd still be in the group stages.

dzeko's first touch indeed :)

[Dameerto]

I for one willl be keeping an eye on the Villa-Chelsea game at 12:45 Saturday lunch, villa scrapping still if they can even get a point we will have 2nd bagged before the cup final. Never wanted villa result as much as this.

Saturday, could potentially be a very good day for us, to top off a fantastic week :-)

Villa are one of the clubs that voted 'no' to the Prem FFP as well, so another reason to want them to win.

[Beefymcfc]

i'm glad beefy understood my irony.

herb either your math or your reading comprehension are diabolical. on par with dzeko's first touch. really poor.

Hats off to your response - honestly laughed til I nearly shat - beautifully timed and spot on with the wit but please respect that I wasn't having a pop at the logic of our securing our european place, I was pointing out that the math was wrong. And it was.

PS. My comprehension isn't perfect but it's not diabolical, you just didn't understand the purpose of my response was all - perhaps because your math's diabolical? No, only joking, just trying to make the point that I had the choice of taking umbrage at your response but I chose to read your humour and appreciate it for what it was.

Herb, not sounding daft here but how is my maths wrong? CL Gp stage automatically go to the top 3 teams. Arsenal are 4th, 8 points behind us with 2 to play. That means that they cannot catch us and we have secured CL Gp stage qualification.

Chelsea are a completely different entity and at the time could have still caught us (very unlikely now), however, Chelsea weren't who I was referring to.

Just for clarification mate.