The Fight for Europa

[AjaxDeSuperYids]

I still blame that pr1ck ogs for picking a second string in the semi.

 

[AdamB]

We have won so much, I think we should play the kids.

We have enough squad players to get through the first two qualifying rounds without starting our first choice 11.

If you hypothetically say that for our first couple league games we play:

Lloris, New RB, Dier, Toby, Davies, Hojbjerg, GLC, Dele, Son, Moura, Kane

then the likes of: Nomdele, Lamela, Bergwijn, Winks, Sanchez, Sessegnon, Sissoko, Tanganga could be the basis our of EL team for the the first couple rounds and would be plenty good enough.

 

[tw12yid]

I wonder if we will have to play catch up in the league. As I’d imagine at least 1 if not more of those midweeks will have premier league fixtures.

 

[K.D.D.D.D.Soc]

Yes. Would rather be in it than not! We haven’t won anything for 12 years the more competitions the better chance of winning something. Although it’s seen in this country as a nuisance. It’s still a European competition and I’d love to see us win one!

Think about the positives of the extra games at the start. Kane normally is slow to start a season. Games against lesser opposition might get him going quicker!

I always believe the more games you play the less chance you have of winning something as fatigue, injury, suspensions and loss of form bite into your squad along with your life being constantly being disrupted by vairing journeys.

 

[tw12yid]

I wonder if we will have to play catch up in the league. As I’d imagine at least 1 if not more of those midweeks will have premier league fixtures.

Just had a look and up to the 10th December there will be at least a European game(if we qualify) or international fixture. Assume we won’t be playing in the league cup. If none of the European teams are playing in it they need to remove the Europa qualifying from it.

 

[K.D.D.D.D.Soc]

We have enough squad players to get through the first two qualifying rounds without starting our first choice 11.

If you hypothetically say that for our first couple league games we play:

Lloris, New RB, Dier, Toby, Davies, Hojbjerg, GLC, Dele, Son, Moura, Kane

then the likes of: Nomdele, Lamela, Bergwijn, Winks, Sanchez, Sessegnon, Sissoko, Tanganga could be the basis our of EL team for the the first couple rounds and would be plenty good enough.

Ndembele and Lamela have terrible injury records, Sessegnon and Tanganga have little experience at that level and our goalkeeping backup isn't as strong as we would wish. With a couple of injuries to our first eleven a weakened team would struggle against most as there is little creativity or goalscoring options.

 

[StephenH]

At least our fans cant be accused of being overconfident.

 

[AdamB]

Ndembele and Lamela have terrible injury records, Sessegnon and Tanganga have little experience at that level and our goalkeeping backup isn't as strong as we would wish. With a couple of injuries to our first eleven a weakened team would struggle against most as there is little creativity or goalscoring options.

Have a scroll down to the unseeded teams for the second qualifying round in the link below and look at the names. If we're concerned that a weakened team might lose to Progrès Niederkorn from Luxembourg then we have no hope of achieving anything.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020–21_UEFA_Europa_League#Second_qualifying_round

On the points you raise, its a great chance for Sessegnon and Tanganga to get some experience, Ndombele, Bergwijn and Lamela would bring enough creativity and we're likely to bring in a back-up CF. Agree re keeping options being limited but Gazzaniga enough for this. Agree that those two have had injuries, but we can't just not play them because of that! If they're not playing on the Sunday, there's no reason they cant play on the Thurs

 

[harr1984]

Sess scored away to Bayern Munich in The Champions League for gods sake. But yes, playing against FC Carrier Bags is really going to prove too much for him.....