Dark Munster

We're doomed.

It looks like we'll have to cheer Man Utd for the FA cup.

The powers that be probably thought the chances of them making the CL semi finals at about 5000/1.

Either way, it's good news for us that they are playing a CL semi-final either side of our match. They hopefully will have one eye on the second leg when they come down to SMS, unless of course Barcelona are 5-0 up after the first leg.

Presumably we only have 10 batsmen with Topley out?

I think it's been settled that 8th cannot qualify.

They only state that the EL spots go down from 3 to 2 if an EL winning team has already qualified for EL (and not CL) via their domestic league. This means that if Liverpool win the EL and don't finish in an EL qualifying position, then the PL still keeps 3 EL spots. That makes sense, otherwise a team would be robbed of Europe completely, and probably would kick up a fuss. Yes, a 4th placed team could lose a CL spot under certain circumstances, but they would still get an EL birth.

"It should also be stated," he added, "that an association with, for example, four places in the UEFA Champions League can increase their participation to five places should a club from their association win the UEFA Europa League in the previous season. "If that club has already qualified for the UEFA Champions League via their domestic league, then the association remains with four places in the UEFA Champions League. If that club has already qualified for the UEFA Europa League via their domestic league, it results in five clubs participating in the UEFA Champions League, and two – not three – participating in the UEFA Europa League." http://www.uefa.org/about-uefa/executive-committee/news/newsid=2226990.html

Someone gave a link some time ago (I can't be arsed to find it) for the rule that in this instance the PL gets one extra CL spot (Liverpool), but loses a EL spot to another country. So 8th cannot qualify for EL.

Except the Skates of course, but that's moot.

They've taken us to the cleaners a number of times in the past (e.g. Fourpast, Bale, Paul Mitchell), admittedly that's sometimes Saint's fault too for being mugged. Throw in MP and Alderweireld, and so the last club I want to win the league is Tottenham ****ing Hotspur.

This. Again there seems to be confusion about being crap and being overrated.

Incredible fortune with injuries (9 of their starting 11 have played in all but 2 games so far, apparently), all 11 players having the season of their lives, the big clubs well below par, 10 penalties for and only 2 against, a shitload of 1 goal wins. My money is on someone there having a pact with the devil.

He's a "legend" apparently!

I'll see your Anders Svensson and raise you a Frannie Benali.

If Utd lose today we'll only be 3 points behind them. They have a game in hand, so not easy to catch them, but not impossible. On the other hand, a win for Spurs keeps them in the hunt to catch Leicester. Maybe a draw is the best result.

Correct. And if that happens it would be most amusing if Spurs were to finish 4th. Unfortunately the odds of all of that happening are about 5000-1.

He put in some quality crosses into the box too.

I think there is a misunderstanding of the term overrated. It means an ordinary player who is/was widely rated by many. Gaston and that head-butting shit, for example, weren't overrated, simply because most of us never rated either of them. Likewise Mr. Lee. My nomination for the most overrated is mistress Oakley.

He appears to be very much a cup manager. If they win the FA cup this year it should stay his execution for a while.

Yes, but that game in hand is against us.

He appears not to be a Leicester-level fit player.

What's Leicester's secret with injuries (or lack thereof)? Is it really just pure luck?

Over on one of the Leicester forums they dispute that, saying that the "sports science" (or something like that) that Pearson introduced is the reason they have so few injuries. They are either talking bollocks, or if not, it's something we should try to emulate.

Nice thread bump. Although Batman may disagree.