Get us out of the europa league!!!!!

[diego_maradona]

So our poor form is due to last game before an international break and the Europa league. Whilst it has an impact for sure, it's far too easy to blame the EL for our poor displays. It's a much bigger problem for me with our level of football just not being up to scratch all season.

We were starting to play some better football with the wonky, had a better balmier to the team, and granted the 4-3-3 worked great at Saudi Sportswashing Machine, but this chopping and changing once again seems to throw the players off some what.

 

[SpurMeUp]

It's an interesting one. As both statements are correct:

#1 We should be able to play 2 games a week and do well. We aspire to that in the CL after all.

#2 Our result post EL are dreadful. The EL clearly effects our PL form and costs us league points.


So what is the answer? Obviously greater strength in squad depth. Better management preparation. Greater squad rotation ie playing the kids. Maybe we could start a poll with those and some other options.

I hope we win on Thursday. And that is the kicker, so does the manager, who will play a strong team. Which will affect the performance the following Sunday. But we have to deal with it. Deal with it in a better manner than we have done over the past few years. DL needs to investigate this and implement an action plan to help the club deal with European games if we are to take another step forward. Because clearly we can't handle it fully at the moment.

 

[Jurgen the German]

In the 2009/10 season, we finished with 70 points and qualified for the Champions League ahead of Emirates Marketing Project and Liverpool.

Whilst we did have Luka Modric in that season, he spent a big chunk of it out injured, whilst Gareth Bale was still the reserve left-back for most of it and didn't start to feature until the second half of the season.

The likes of Jermaine Jenas, Wilson Palacios, Peter Crouch and Robbie Keane in his ultimate "pointy shouty bloke" phase, were first XI players for much of the season. Even the back-up consisted of David Bentley, Roman Pavyluchenko and Alan Hutton.

Even looking at the likes of Jermain Defoe, Heurelho Gomes, Niko Kranjcar and Tom Huddlestone, some of our better first team players that season, were they really any better than what we have now?


...but, we massively overachieved and finished in the top 4, ahead of two teams that nobody saw us finishing ahead of, with a points total in the 70's for the first time in the Premier League era that nobody saw us reaching. How? I would say that it was massively down to the factor that makes that season unique amongst our last 8 seasons - no European games to deal with.

Just for further comparison - the last time before the 09/10 season that we didn't play in Europe was the 05/06 season. That season we were using players like Grzegorz Rasiak, Anthony Gardner, Calum Davenport, Andy Reid, Stephen Kelly, Johnnie Jackson, Michael Brown, Lee Barnard and Wayne Routledge in our Premier League campaign. Yet we still only missed out on a Champions League spot on the final day of the season because of a dodgy lasagne. Why? Because we went out of both cups in the first round and could concentrate on the league. Not sure how much more evidence that some of you need.

What he said.

EDIT: 2011/12 - Knocked out of the EL early, finished 4th.

 

[Rorschach]

I want us to qualify but use it as a test bed for our fringe players and kids. There is no substitute for competitive games. Maybe a few regular 1st teamers for fitness reasons. If we get through the group stages playing those types of players, then yes that is the time to take it more seriously. If we don't qualify from the group then so what.

 

[Neymar]

I want us to qualify but use it as a test bed for our fringe players and kids. There is no substitute for competitive games. Maybe a few regular 1st teamers for fitness reasons. If we get through the group stages playing those types of players, then yes that is the time to take it more seriously. If we don't qualify from the group then so what.

Absolutely agree. even with this strategy, we are one of the big favourites for this competition. and it helps us keep a big squad as we can give games to everyone.

we should absolutely try to qualify for the europa league.

 

[Jurgen the German]

It's one thing to play a full strength side in the competitive games, it's another to play your strongest side when you've qualified with 2 games to spare like we did this season, if you did that in the CL it would be stupid, use the opportunity to rest players.