Baldy.... I like you, youre trying to be reasonable and I appreciate that..
but... most fans around really dont have a clue about being objective in any assessment on quality of football teams, they tend to go with the hype and how many 'famous' (and therefore expensive) players a team has to call on - hence the overblown clamour to put Citeh now in the Top4.... they may do it they may not, but I think they have less chance than Spurs do and will again finish 5th... 5th is outside of Top4..
we have kept up with Citeh this season too with having a stuttering strikeforce and huge number of injuries (far more than theyve had).... Citeh are playing roughly to their potential... we are playing BELOW ours.... therefore we have more likelihood of pulling ahead once Bale, Kaboul and 1-2 others return..
Chelsea will probably finish 3rd due to experienced and potent strikeforce and huge experience... even stuttering along til the inevitable summer purchase of a top-class striker, Spurs will finish ahead of Citeh (who may well have weakened with replacing Adebayor with an overhyped Dzeko)..
Citeh are in their top-gear but still haven't pulled away from us... we are in 3rd gear so far and still near level with them (with a game in hand).... FACT.