Top four? No chance!

[Master Splinter]

Chelsea finishing outside the top four would be one of the biggest disasters in football management (the owners and coaching staff) ever.

Actually, they shouldn't ever finish outside the top three given the money they've spent.

[Japan Shaking All Over]

Who are you comparing us to? If it's the teams below us then yes, we have quality. If it's the teams above us then we're lacking in quality - no doubt about it.

Do you think our squad is good enough to overhaul Chelsea? I don't and come end of January it definitely won't be.

Yes, we are better than the teams below us. . .and even after removing my Arsenal tainted glasses, I see nothing to fear from Chelsea nor Tottenham come visits to the Emirates

Dont get me wrong we need to look to strengthen next month in order to bring us even closer. . .to those above us. . .and the fact we as close without spending the ridiculous amount some have speaks volumes for the hardwork put in by those at the club apart fron the money grabbing twats in the board room.

I am not disillusioned, we need to work hard to keep the momentum going but with what Ive seen so far, I believe more in the current crop than the bunch of bottlers that finished last season. . . .

[selassie]

I think if we were to finish fifth we'll probably do so with the record points total there has been, which I suppose you could consider unfortunate.

Or just a disastrous summer? It didn't even need to be like this...why we make such hard work of improving the squad is just beyond me. Sad thing is if we would have been proactive in the summer in addition to making the panic purchases we'd probably be duking it out with the Manchester clubs.

[Coney]

Or just a disastrous summer? It didn't even need to be like this...why we make such hard work of improving the squad is just beyond me. Sad thing is if we would have been proactive in the summer in addition to making the panic purchases we'd probably be duking it out with the Manchester clubs.

Getting Benny and Arteta at last minute after the Nasri and Cesc issues were sorted out late was not a problem. The thing I am sure we did wrongly was not getting the defenders in during July as that was not dependent on any other issues. It could have made a significant difference to our August results, perhaps giving us 6 or more points more than we have now with a fair wind. We would actually be considered to be in the title mix.

[Coney]

I am not disillusioned, we need to work hard to keep the momentum going but with what Ive seen so far, I believe more in the current crop than the bunch of bottlers that finished last season. . . .

Yes - we are definitely a mentally stronger team with the purchases over the summer giving some backbone to the squad. The change since they joined has been very clear.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Or just a disastrous summer? It didn't even need to be like this...why we make such hard work of improving the squad is just beyond me. Sad thing is if we would have been proactive in the summer in addition to making the panic purchases we'd probably be duking it out with the Manchester clubs.

Well no, I don't accept the summer as being a reason now. We're up there around that area we have been for years, it's probably what we do in the January transfer window (as tough as it is) that is the most important thing. Plus for such a 'disastrous' summer, we're doing about as well in the league as we did last season, in terms of points. And I don't think we'd have been up there with the Manchester clubs, they're on an insane level of consistency.

[Coney]

Chelsea finishing outside the top four would be one of the biggest disasters in football management (the owners and coaching staff) ever.

Actually, they shouldn't ever finish outside the top three given the money they've spent.

We can but hope. It would be good if they did end up outside the top 4. Their consistency - or lack of it - this year has been terrible. (he he)

[selassie]

Well no, I don't accept the summer as being a reason now. We're up there around that area we have been for years, it's probably what we do in the January transfer window (as tough as it is) that is the most important thing. Plus for such a 'disastrous' summer, we're doing about as well in the league as we did last season, in terms of points. And I don't think we'd have been up there with the Manchester clubs, they're on an insane level of consistency.

Fair play, that's your opinion and I respect it. January is important...but we've been saying for a number of years that the next transfer window is Arsene's most important. I personally think he could have done a lot more over the past few windows but that's just me.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Fair play, that's your opinion and I respect it. January is important...but we've been saying for a number of years that the next transfer window is Arsene's most important. I personally think he could have done a lot more over the past few windows but that's just me.

Yeah but the difference for this one, is that we supposedly had a disastrous one (and this time results were really, really terrible) and we're still basically where we were last season. And as it proved, what we did end up doing, last minute though it was, probably saved us from being much further down than we otherwise might have been.

Of course we could've done more in the summer and windows but, that has long now.

I wouldn't say it is just you at all! I am sure we have all felt like that and quite possibly might do again. Although I have said elsewhere I think we will buy in January, mainly because getting fourth is in real danger but the buys that have happened on those occasions haven't exactly turned out well. Diaby, Adebayor, Walcott and Arshavin were all bought under that context - I guess it's probably not too inspiring.

[Ollie the Optimist]

with the scum, how many big teams have they played? us, city, liverpool and chavs. all at home. they took 7 points from that. lets see how they do in feb before waxing lyical about them. they have to go to us, city, united, liverpool and play united at home all in about a two month period. they havnt done anything special yet.