Saint_Tony

So after taking zero points from City, Utd and Arsenal, we can still make 3rd or 4th? And top 6 is a certainty?

Devastated, what can you say? We can look at the stats and try to take positives, but ultimately we've lost again. We need to get a bit of perspective, there will be no top 6 or 4 finish. We need to focus on the league cup now and take a mid table finish. But that was our chance, and I'm gutted its gone. One of the most painful defeats in recent years.

That's the bottom line, feels like our chances have come and gone. Absolutely gutted, think that's our top 6 hopes destroyed. We've deserved more out of these games, but it's a game of fine margins

Just read back over the thread. I get called negative, but some of the posts before we scored are embarassing. Weve played well from kick off with the exception of Fonte's shocker. Have to give the players credit as I thought their heads might drop. Absolutely huge 45 mins coming up

Fair play to RoKo, it might backfire but he's really going for it. We're going to need a massive performance from Wanyama

Chelsea Man City Man Utd Arsenal Liverpool West Ham Saints Swansea Everton Spurs Newcastle Stoke Villa Sunderland Hull Leicester QPR West Brom Palace Burnley

No youre right, safety is the aim. Les and Ralph have agreed on 40 points as a target

Exactly, we are not in a relegation battle. Assuming the target now is probably top 6, there are certainly no 'bonus' games. We need to be picking up points in a high percentage of games, that includes those against Man Utd, Arsenal and Man City. It's easy to say we're punching above our weight right now, but I'm sure the club's aims and objectives have changed since the summer.

I believe so. We always knew these three games would be our toughest test, I just think a negative result will knock the team's confidence and belief of whether we can mix it with the best. It will put massive pressure on the players to get a result against an improving Burnley side. A win would really put us back on track and send out a message to the other teams. What are your thoughts?

This really is our last opportunity to prove we can get results off of bigger sided. As mentioned above, the result will decide the rest of our season. I think we might scrape a draw, 1-1

West Ham are now competing for a top 6 spot. It's worrying as this season theyve played some good stuff whilst also using 'hoofball' to great effect. Also have better striker options than we do

Aguero off injured after a few minutes, massive blow for City

Yep, now we're a big team all the big sides are taking us far more seriously. We are the mighty Southampton, if only we were a bottom half side they wouldn't take us as seriously and we'd be beating the like of Man City and Arsenal. So frustrating.

There really aren't many strikers who score week in week out in this league. 15 goals would be a decent return, and he's course to get it. The expectation of strikers is too much these days

Obviously someone will finish there, but it's difficult to make a case for any team to finish third. It really is up for grabs this year. It's all well and good saying the results have gone for us, but it's up to us to take advantage of the situation. It really is an odd season, you'd think 70 points will be enough for fourth place. To stay on course for that would mean winning 3 of the next 4 as it's going to take some effort after christmas to match the first half of our campaign.

Man City win, surely? They are back in contention for the title. They are not our rivals.I have said all along that if we are to improve our league position this season, Everton are one of the teams we have to finish above.

We should have got at Arsenal more, they were there for the taking. Stoke showing how its done. Let's hope Spurs and Liverpool drop points today as well

He's been more isolated for the last few games. I don't think the early chance against Arsenal was as easy as some think.It'll come good for him soon, starting on Monday

Wow, thought that would be a nailed on 2-0 United prediction

Absolute class. Can't believe so many doubted him after the mistake at Villa. He's a massive upgrade on Boruc.

Chill. It's not healthy to be getting so worked up this early. I was simply referring to a thread on whether we could finish top 4. From what I recall a lot of replies showed there was a belief we could. Posters like myself were bring labelled negative for suggesting that we weren't going to keep winning every week.Personally, in terms of our progression and chances of finishing there I felt the Man City game was our biggest in years, sadly it proved that we can't mix it with the elite yet. Our points total will level out by the turn of the year.I'd expect a similar finish to last season now, especially as these injuries have come at the wrong time.

There was a lot of talk on here about us making the top 4 recently, people were starting to believe. I'm a realist, I can accept we aren't yet anywhere near that level. All I mean regarding losing a few is that perhaps a lot of our fans would have stayed a bit more grounded.

Gutted to lose tonight, but after a nice run of early fixtures with a relatively injury squad, has our luck run out now? If Toby, Cork and Morgan are out for any period of time, we will become seriously exposed. Really worried looking at the next 7/8 games. Can't help thinking it might have been better to lose some games earlier on. Our phenomenal start has perhaps raised expectations to an unrealistic level.

Devastated, can't remember the last time we lost to a late goal like that. I can accept defeat, but we looked comfortable, there were no periods of dominance from Arsenal, even with 10 we looked good for a draw.Get the feeling we might have used all our luck up this season. The next few games could see us return to normality.

Holding our own. Arsenal are nothing to fear. We need to show a bit more going forward. Forster looking solid, can't believe how many are doubting him on the back of one mistake.