8th Place Safety Net - Actually Not Too Bad Really

[RuffRob]

http://www.evertonfc.com/news/archive/inte...aw-is-made.html

 

I have just read on the official web site that the 8th place English team enters the Intertoto cup in the third round with the winner of the two legged tie going in to the UEFA cup.

 

So only one team to play to get into the UEFA cup if you finish 8th.

 

Would much rather an automatic place in the UEFA cup, But not that bad a safety net if we slip out of the top 7. I thought Intertot cup was a bit of a slog to get a UEFA place. Must have changed the criteria. and I wouldn't have thought two games would upset the pre-season to much!

 

Thinking about it, a two legged competative game against European opposition may not be a bad pre-season warm up for the UEFA cup real. If we or any other Premiership team couldn't get past a Polish, Lituanean or Welsh team then we don't deserve to be in Europe anyhow.

 

I would basically say that 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th give you a UEFA place.

[Bill]

Problem solved, but i think we could lose against Man U and still be 5th at the w/end. Win against Portsmouth is all we need.

 

Relax peeps its been a good season, not a hint of relegation and a top half finish.

 

Cahills been an unfortunate loss for us in the run - in.

[GoldfishMemory]

1) winning a 2 leg tie is not a certainty

 

2) Why does 1 loss change opinion so much? We were talking of nicking 4th before the west ham game!

[xsaint]

Eventhough we lost to west ham, all other results went our way (Bolton lost ,let in 3 goals in 5 minutes) and spurs drew...not too bad...Draw againts Man Utd and Chelsea and a win againts ports will do us hell of goodness! We will be in Europe next year....i cannot imagine last three games shortchanging us from Europe! Good luck blues!

[RuffRob]

1) winning a 2 leg tie is not a certainty

 

2) Why does 1 loss change opinion so much? We were talking of nicking 4th before the west ham game!

 

 

1) It should be against such poor leagues - if the Prem is surposed to be the creme de la creme. As said if and English team can't get past that ilke of opposition then shouldn't be in Europe - (Note - English opposition as opposed to Everton!!)

 

2) Personnally, I think we can get a win against Man U as well as Portsmouth to be honest, but have never thought we could close down 4th.

 

Just thought I would highlight the fact that the Intertoto is a lot easier passage in to the UEFA than maybe a lot of us thought it may be.

 

I think we are more than capable of getting 5th, 6th or 7th. Thats why I have called it a safety net.

[sheedysheedysheedy]

A win against Pompey should be enough for 7th even if we lose the other two.

Can't see Reading getting 7 points from their last 3 games (Newcastle(h), Watford(h) and Blackburn(A))

[MikeO]

Can't see Reading getting 7 points from their last 3 games (Newcastle(h), Watford(h) and Blackburn(A))

 

I can, I'd swap run-ins with Reading like a shot. They've won their last two games so they're on a roll, but it's still in our own hands which is all we can ask for. Love to see Reading qualify though and I think they will...even if only for Intertoto. Pompey will be ninth and miss out I think...and hope.

[Joe]

I can, I'd swap run-ins with Reading like a shot. They've won their last two games so they're on a roll, but it's still in our own hands which is all we can ask for. Love to see Reading qualify though and I think they will...even if only for Intertoto. Pompey will be ninth and miss out I think...and hope.

I definitely agree although I don't think Reading will be ready for Europe next year unless they can bring in more players. I think Pompey will finish 9th as well because of their schedule. They already have to pass teams just to get into Europe and their schedule will make it that much harder.

[chuky_r_law]

i'd still like us to finish 5th more than anything else. i know the prize is the same but it just sounds better than 7th!!!

[KillaGTiR]

i want us to finish as high as we can! more money at the end of the day 2

[StevO]

i'd still like us to finish 5th more than anything else. i know the prize is the same but it just sounds better than 7th!!!

 

well there is about £1M more prize money for 5th than 7th.

 

a win against pompy should be enough for 6th imo, that'll do me

[Adam]

At the moment I think that the lowest we can finish is 9.

 

If we beat Pompy at the weekend then they can't over take us and the lowest we can finish is 8. Its Reading lose to the Skunks tonight and we beats portsmouth I think that the lowest we can finish is 7 as we have a better goal difference.

 

If we fail to beat Pompy then we could b up the shite creak without a paddle or boat.

[Bill]

Cant see Bolton, Spurs, Portsmouth, and Reading all getting maximum points, so its not as desperate as it looks.

We just need to beat portsmouth and it will be Euro next season.

[MikeO]

We just need to beat portsmouth and it will be Euro next season.

 

Perfectly true, still in our own hands. We'd have taken this position at Christmas no question.

[RuffRob]

The way this weekends results have gone, it has got so tight between 5th and 9th. In fact given our current 6th place that may be a little optomistic considering Spurs and Reading has a game in hand on us.

 

If Reading and Spur win there game in hand then there would be 5 teams on between 56-54 points, all battling for 3 UEFA places and 1 intertoto cup.

 

Considering we have Chelsea on the very last game, basically Portsmouth is now more than likley make or break just to secure a Intertoto cup, and hope other results go our way for a UEFA spot.

 

But on the other hand a win against Portsmouth only may just be enough to secure 5th.

 

Think it will finish

 

5th Spurs

6th Bolton

7th Everton (on goal diff)

8th Reading

9th Portsmouth.

 

If we lose against Portsmouth, it will be Everton in 9th.

[zequist]

Can't completely overlook Blackburn either. They're on 47 points with a game in hand right now, and since their last two games are against Tottenham and Reading, they still have an outside shot at sneaking into the 7th/8th mix too. It isn't likely, because they'd probably have to win out (which would put them at 56 points) to have a chance, but it isn't impossible either.

[Adam]

Could do with a couple of draws with Blackburn and Spurs and Reading.

 

Would help out nicely.

 

Think that Reading are playing well and pompy beat the red shite at the weekend. Everytime I think they will lose and give us some breating space (Man U and redshite) they seem to win

[J*A*C*K*E*L*Z]

i wouldnt mind as id see the intertoto as a gloryfied pre-season warm up session.

 

but..

do the player think the same???

[Romey 1878]

Reading have beaten Newastle 1-0. Fuck this is twitchy arse time.

[aaron]

newcastle were utter shite, martins tonight couldnt hit a cows backside with a banjo, he was useless. tbh it was good to see owen play a full game.

[Bill]

Reading have beaten Newastle 1-0. Fuck this is twitchy arse time.

 

And they play Watford next week at Home.

 

As long as we beat Portsmouth next week, that'll take them out of the race.

[irishtoffee]

if we beat pompey next week 8th place at least is as low as we can finish, just then have to hope some of the other teams slip up, but i think we will be going to chelsea on the final day looking to pick up something to try avoid the intertoto.

[Adam]

I agree with you IT and people are saying that the title will be over so Chelski won't have anything to play for which maybe sometimes is worse.

 

I think that Bolton have got West ham at the weekend and Spurs got Charlton so you never know with that but I expect the teams around us t maybe get max points up to the end of the season.

 

Its in our own hands but think we need something special against Pompy and Chelsi to get there

[aaron]

why do we always do it the hard way?

there isnt a easy way with everton is there

Edited May 1, 2007 by Everton Lad

[Bill]

If we had'nt beaten Arsenal with the last minute Goal, we would have been out of it by now, so lets just enjoy it.

 

When the season started, most of us would have been happy with a top ten finish, and here we are.

[aaron]

very true licker, but as the seasons progressed we have set are aim on europe and that is what we should be aiming for. i think many evertonions would be pissed off if we didnt finish in a europian spot now after a decent season.

[Adam]

Had we not conceeded the last minute goal against Manchester Shitty then we would have been nearly safe. Its the way it goes.

 

Not saying not enjoying it and better than worrying about a relegation fight or a mid table finish but 2 games ago it was in our hands and while its still in our hands its looking a little bit more dodgy.

 

This weekend I think will go a long way to deciding who finishes where.

 

I think that Bolton have got Westham and Spurs got Charlton so they both fighting for there lifes if they can get something out of them it helps but think we need Reading and def Pompy to drop some points over the reast of the season

[aaron]

spurs will win, if berbertov is playing on form then i can see a high scoring match for spurs.

the bolton game is a tough one, wets ham are good and bolton have a new manager so who knows.

then us, if we win we should finish for europe but pompy are good these days.

[thinman]

the Bolton game is a tough one, wets ham are good and Bolton have a new manager so who knows.

 

Yah - thats gonna be a scrapper. W Ham looked hungry at the weekend. Tevez...

Lets hope that Bolton are out of sorts. Reading worry me though -- in form and a couple of relatively

easy matches...