The CL Permutations Thread

[Rorschach]

That's more like it....First seeds in a group. With a bit more squad depth, maybe it'll be a competition Harry will really go for next year. A potential back-up squad of;

------------Cudicini------------

Smith--Dawson--Caulker--Naughton

Hoilett[-o< -Livermore-Huddlestone-Townsend

------------Defoe---Remy[-o< -------------

could conceivably carry us through the group stages with relative ease, and possibly even both the first and second knock-out rounds. No need to have the first team involved until the quarter-final.

If we get dumped into the EL I hope we don't take the same approach as last time. I believe having a PL 1st eleven and a cup 1st eleven is a flawed approach. Harry should take a leaf out of Alex's book and use the entire first team squad for all competitions. Squad members need to be shown that they are an integral part of the team and not relegated to cup competitions no matter what they do. Harry just needs to improve in this aspect of his management in my opinion. Obviously having a better squad helps with this.

 

[Spursalot]

If we get dumped into the EL I hope we don't take the same approach as last time. I believe having a PL 1st eleven and a cup 1st eleven is a flawed approach. Harry should take a leaf out of Alex's book and use the entire first team squad for all competitions. Squad members need to be shown that they are an integral part of the team and not relegated to cup competitions no matter what they do. Harry just needs to improve in this aspect of his management in my opinion. Obviously having a better squad helps with this.

I would agree, however this is going to require a significant step forward in thinking for Harry...

 

[DubaiSpur]

If we get dumped into the EL I hope we don't take the same approach as last time. I believe having a PL 1st eleven and a cup 1st eleven is a flawed approach. Harry should take a leaf out of Alex's book and use the entire first team squad for all competitions. Squad members need to be shown that they are an integral part of the team and not relegated to cup competitions no matter what they do. Harry just needs to improve in this aspect of his management in my opinion. Obviously having a better squad helps with this.

Sir Alex hasn't had to deal with the EL (in its full, painful format) for a long time. We'll play six games in the groups, plus two in the first knockout round, plus two in the second, before we even get to the quarter-final. I agree with the concept of making the whole squad feel important, but it's very difficult to pull off at a club like ours (With little by way of focused training regimes across the squads to call upon) and with a manager like ours (who, for all his merits, simply doesn't rotate very well). If we want to compete in four competitions next season, two squads (league-cup) is the only way to go about it, despite the fact that it undeniably hurts our squad in terms of inclusion, morale and fitness.

Harry isn't likely to change this late into his career, and I'm not banking on him doing so. I don't particularly blame him for not doing so, either. He's got his techniques, they've served him (relatively) well, why would he risk changing them now?

 

[Rorschach]

I would agree, however this is going to require a significant step forward in thinking for Harry...

Indeed. I think people forget sometimes that although Harry is an old dog he's never really been in charge of a team the size of Spurs. You are never too old to learn (except Mick - Ill pay for that). How to manage at this end of the table must be infinitely different than the other end. I remember some quotes from the first few days when he took over about how there were staff walking around the training ground and he had no idea what their job was.

It's not going to happen but I wouldn't mind seeing a Martinez or Rodgers as the Spurs number 2 with a view to taking over in a few years, and Harry moving up stairs or to England.

 

[BrainOfLevy]

Out of curiosity, have Everton qualified for Europe?

Liverpool have the Carling Cup spot, so it's 5th that gets Europa. So Saudi Sportswashing Machine. But then both FA Cup finalists were already qualified for Europe, so it would go down to 6th. But Chelsea won't need it, so then it goes down to 7th?

Or, Chelsea take the FA Cup winners spot and it doesn't move down to 7th, but only if they don't win the CL? So if Chelsea win the CL, does that mean Everton have qualified for Europe...but not if Chelsea don't win it?

 

[jaysea67]

Out of curiosity, have Everton qualified for Europe?

Liverpool have the Carling Cup spot, so it's 5th that gets Europa. So Saudi Sportswashing Machine. But then both FA Cup finalists were already qualified for Europe, so it would go down to 6th. But Chelsea won't need it, so then it goes down to 7th?

Or, Chelsea take the FA Cup winners spot and it doesn't move down to 7th, but only if they don't win the CL? So if Chelsea win the CL, does that mean Everton have qualified for Europe...but not if Chelsea don't win it?

No, Everton can't qualify.

EL qualification is: FA Cup Winners - Chelsea, 5th place - Saudi Sportswashing Machine, League Cup Winners - Liverpool.
If Chelsea win CL final, they go to CL and we go to EL but there are no extra English places.