The fight for Champions League qualification is about to reach its most crazed part of the season.
Using a simple 4 points for the highest and 1 point for the lowest, I have graded the 4 teams over a number of categories to decide who is most likely to make next seasons Champions League.
Coach:
As it stands I have to award Tottenham 4 points here but that will change should Harry Redknapp leave as expected. Arsenal and Arsene Wenger get 3 points in this category. Not much to choose between Chelsea and Liverpool but I awarded Chelsea 2 points and Liverpool 1.
Finances:
Chelsea scored the obvious 4 points here. Liverpool got 3, Arsenal 2 and Tottenham 1.
Board/Owner:
Tottenham gained 4 points here and Liverpool get 3 purely for their handling of the Luis Suarez/Kenny Dalglish scenario. Arsenal got 2 points and Chelsea gained 1.
Goalkeepers:
Reina and Liverpool gain 4 points just ahead of Friedel and Tottenham with 3. Cech and Chelsea on experience gain 2 ahead of Arsenal who get 1 here.
Defence:
Strangely the defence category marked the same as the goalkeeping with Liverpool scoring 4, Tottenham 3, Chelsea 2 and Arsenal 1.
Midfield:
With Bale, Lennon, Modric, Parker and van der Vaart, Tottenham easily get 4 points here. Then I give a fully fit Arsenal of Walcott, Ramsey, Wilshire and Oxlade-Chamberlain 3 points. Chelsea get 2 points here just ahead of Liverpool who get 1.
Forwards:
Arsenal and Robin van Persie score 4 here. Tottenham just get 3 points, whilst another tight category saw Chelsea’s potential net 2 points ahead of Liverpool who gain 1.
Fans:
Despite recent problems, Liverpool gain 4 here, Tottenham scored 3, Arsenal 2 although there’s not much between them and Chelsea 1.
Youth:
Pretty self explanatory with Arsenal getting 4 points, Tottenham 3, Liverpool 2 and Chelsea 1.
Squads:
Due to wealth and numbers, Chelsea get 4 points here. Tottenham get 3 points with Arsenal getting 2 just ahead of Liverpool who got 1.
The results of this “scientific experiment” are, Tottenham unsurprisingly out score their rivals with a massive 31 points. Joint second on 24 points were Arsenal and Liverpool. It will be close between these two teams until the end of the season. Chelsea finished with 21 points and if the findings reflect the future then they will miss out on next years Champions League.
What are your thoughts on this matter? Comment below.
Written by Wesley Hillier @armchairstato.blogspot.com
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Interesting piece, but I can’t help but feel your point system is somewhat flawed. For example, awarding points for the youth and then fans – what impact do these have upon the team reaching 4th? Very little. Also, all well and good awarding points, but you’ve not considered current league position (Liverpool in 7th, 4 points behind) or form, or fixtures which obviously play a big part. Finally, bizarrely you’ve not included Newcastle? They are 3 points above Liverpool. I think a better scale of assessing who will reach the Champions League places would be something considering the here and now, as things stand. HA