Firstly, congratulations to Leicester City for being the most honest team to win the Premier League.
They proved that money is not the solution and that by getting a good manager in, and working hard as a team, you are good as anyone on the day. They have been brilliant and there are 13 other clubs who are celebrating given themselves high hopes for next season. If Leicester City can do it… any team can do it. Fact!
Since my last “law of averages” article there has been some league defining results where Man City have dropped points and only have two games to go! They cannot afford to not get any less than four points from their remaining fixtures. They have to win at Arsenal to all but confirm their place in next season’s Champions League, as well as getting a point at the Liberty Stadium.
Man city’s points per game average hasn’t changed over the past few games, staying at 1.78, but both ours and Man United’s average points tally have increased. United have gone from 1.66 to 1.71 and West Ham have gone from 1.63 to 1.69. These figures indicate that the top four challenge is getting tighter with every passing week…
- Manchester City will get 3.56 (3) points in two games
- Manchester United will get 5.13 (5) points in three games
- West Ham will get 5.07 (5) points in three games
Which would mean…
4th – Manchester City – 67pts
5th – Manchester United – 65pts
6th – West Ham – 64pts
United can capitalise the most if Manchester City fail. With a game in hand over their neighbours, they have three games to win that are all doable on paper – with Norwich and Bournemouth being their best chances of getting six points either side of a tough trip to the Boleyn Ground.
Now West Ham. We looked like we were on a downward spiral after that FA Cup defeat, have now surged and kept up the pace with the two Manchester clubs. We have the advantage by having two of our biggest games of the season being the last ever games at the Boleyn Ground.
If we beat Swansea, Man United beat Norwich and Man City lose to Arsenal, the final game at the Boleyn Ground will be top four decider – how fitting!
I feel West Ham have the biggest advantage by playing two home games in four days and Man United playing two away games in four days. With Man City focusing on an away leg in Madrid to get to the Champions League final and United getting ready for an FA Cup final – which is do or die for Louis van Gaal desperately needing silverware to keep his job – we are in a very good position to capitalise on our competitors’ success in other competitions.
I’m not one who tends to pray on other teams losing for West Ham’s gain as I believe we finish where we deserve to, bUT on this occasion I’m hoping Man City drop three points out of six to give West Ham a better chance of finishing in the top four. West Ham have to get nine points from nine.
Is it doable? Yes!
Would nine points guarantee Champions League? No!
We just have to focus on winning our games and hope that other results do us a favour. All we can do is play for ourselves and that’s all we ever ask of our club.
Let’s back our boys in the last three games and achieve the highest possible finish we can physically get. We’ve broke records this year, let’s keep going!
Come on you Irons!
