I hate Maths

[Ad@m]

Look how it finished!   MON played a second string in Moscow.  A lot of supporters money got spent and we were invited to a dinner.  My way of thinking about it is if you qualify for a cup then go for it. 

That was just a managerial decision that completely backfired given our league form from that point to end of the season.

My point was we'd be o.k mixing the team up in the group stages. Leicester did that and they qualified comfortably for knock outs as did Spurs.

Wasn't his logic that he wanted to rest the first team for the "must win" Stoke game the following weekend?

[wittonwarrior]

Can't believe O'Neill's behaviour that night. Didnt he say something along the lines of "Shut the fcuk up complaining about your expensive trip to Moscow and eat your peas and faggots"?
[/quote

Along with a lot more that went to Moscow didnt go to VP for the "dinner"

[algy]

A place in the Europa League will surely only help a club like us that is trying to establish a place at the top end of the table.  If we want to attract good players the promise of European football is not only a bonus, but a necessity if we want squad depth of 25 players who are good enough to slot straight into the first team if required. 

At the moment we have a decent first team squad depth of 16-17 players (although with some obvious gaps and a significant drop in quality in some positions), but we will struggle to attract the calibre of players we would like to fill the squad (or retain current first teamers who get replaced) because we can't promise any significant game time.  If we are in Europe, however, suddenly fringe players can still expect to get 15-20 games a season in cups, plus then be available to cover injuries in the league and stake a claim on a first team place.

I suppose the best example from the current squad would be someone like Tom Heaton - he is too good to be a reserve, but isn't getting in ahead of Martinez so his choice has to be to move.  We then have to find someone to replace him who is unlikely to be at the same level, and so we are landed in the situation that if Martinez gets injured then there is a big drop in the quality of the reserve (not to have a dig at Jed Steer who also deserves first team football somewhere).  With Europa qualification, however, Heaton would potentially get a significant amount of game time and we have high quality backup if required.

I've been turned from being a Europe-denier by this. Makes a lot of sense - we've an excellent first team now, but need the depth. The only way we'll get players of sufficient quality in as squad players is if we can realistically offer them 20ish games a season and a decent shot at the first team .... and that means playing in Europe, even if it is "only" the UEFA Cup.

[Brazilian Villain]

7pts from the next 3, 10/11 from the next 5 would leave us nicely in the CL/Europa hunt.

[john e]

in my very dodgy opinion we arn't finishing above -
Man city
Liverpool
Man utd

so that leaves one space for champs league, which i think even with their no show against Leeds will be Leicester

i think its a shoot out between Villa, Arsenal, Spurs, Chelsea, Everton, Southampton, for the remaining 2/3 spots depending

iv'e not put West Ham in there as i don't think they are that good, yes they are having a good season but i don't see them lasting quality wise
i have put Southampton in there because they are good and the only team to better us in performances (not results) over two games this season and they capable of finishing strongly

however in this season of 'anything can happen' i honestly think we can compete for at least a Europa spot (which i would take right now) and be soon off to sunny old Turkey, Russia or the Czech Republic in no time

[Footy-Vill]

7pts from the next 3, 10/11 from the next 5 would leave us nicely in the CL/Europa hunt.

And key fixtures over all being
West ham at home -wednesday.
Chelsea at home - last match of the season . No Ross Barkley.
Leicester at home later this month
Man Utd at Home.  May.
Man City at Home- April just after the champions League quarter finals. 2nd leg and FA Cup Semis that weekend so maybe  arranged

We have 2 games in hand on Chelsea, West Ham and Leicester who currently occupy 4th (and 2 games in hand on 3rd and 2nd place teams Liverpool and Man Utd)

It's very much in our own hands what we want to achieve this season.
We have 9 matches now where we only play 2 teams ahead of Villa in the league . Both this month. West Ham and Leicester.
Arsenal are maybe of consideration of the other 7 matches before Liverpool away.
And we have to play Everton and Spurs 4 times.
It looks very very promising indeed. As it's up to Villa and the good performances and results can be rewarded

[Smithy]

If we have realistic hopes of European qualification (and I still think it might be just a bit too much to ask from a team that avoided relegation on the last day), then EVERY game counts.

Not in the same way every game counts when you're fighting relegation, because you know in a relegation fight a bad result doesn't automatically mean your 'rivals' get away from you - they're likely to be getting bad results too.  But when you're chasing Europe, bad results mean you almost certainly lose at least a little more ground, and we're going to have bad results because we're still a relatively 'new' team - a young side without huge amounts of premier league experience.  We're a very GOOD side right now, and we'll only get better - even the same players next year are young enough to be better next year  - but I'm not sure we have enough in the tank to put the sort of run together needed to get into Europe.  God I hope I'm wrong...

[Sexual Ealing]

We can definitely do it (Europa, not CL in my view), but it's important not to see it as a failure if we don't quite make it.

[cdbearsfan]

I think Europe is possible. The next two games will give us a big clue as to whether the pipe dream of the Champions League might actually be feasible.

[Smithy]

We can definitely do it (Europa, not CL in my view), but it's important not to see it as a failure if we don't quite make it.

For me, we're a year ahead of schedule.  In August, I'd have happily taken comfortable mid-table obscurity, and a few wins against some of the bigger teams.  Followed by a run at the European places in 2021/22.  The fact that we're even in the European conversation in February is a reflection of how quickly we've improved in a very short space of time. 

I'd be very disappointed if we now drifted and finished 10-12 - but I certainly wouldn't see it as a 'failure' (genuine failure is still too fresh in the memory for that to be the case). I guess finishing mid-table would be 'on plan', especially if we build on it in the summer and go again next year with more realistic European ambitions.

[Sexual Ealing]

We can definitely do it (Europa, not CL in my view), but it's important not to see it as a failure if we don't quite make it.

For me, we're a year ahead of schedule.  In August, I'd have happily taken comfortable mid-table obscurity, and a few wins against some of the bigger teams.  Followed by a run at the European places in 2021/22.  The fact that we're even in the European conversation in February is a reflection of how quickly we've improved in a very short space of time. 

I'd be very disappointed if we now drifted and finished 10-12 - but I certainly wouldn't see it as a 'failure' (genuine failure is still too fresh in the memory for that to be the case). I guess finishing mid-table would be 'on plan', especially if we build on it in the summer and go again next year with more realistic European ambitions.

I completely agree. I would be disappointed now with a bottom half finish.

[Mellin]

Would be the first time in ten years we've finished in the top half of the Prem.

Ten. Years. Long overdue. Would like it to happen. Anything else is a bonus and we push forward from there.

[Risso]

A bottom half finish would be by no means a failure but it would be a big disappointment. It would porbably indicate a serious injury to a kep player like Ollie or Jack, because at the moment we can beat anybody on our day, we just have to get better at cutting out silly mistakes and not fucking up againts "lesser" teams.

[Mister E]

Hitting last season's total (hopefully, after tonight's game) would represent an amazing success; knowing we can progress without the pressure to survive; being more expansive in the knowledge of our first-tier security; honing our skills in and experience of top-flight football; attracting new admirers before the next transfer window.

I hope this is how the coaches and players will see it, too: as a chance to invest in next season's success.

[Drummond]

in my very dodgy opinion we arn't finishing above -
Man city
Liverpool
Man utd

so that leaves one space for champs league, which i think even with their no show against Leeds will be Leicester

i think its a shoot out between Villa, Arsenal, Spurs, Chelsea, Everton, Southampton, for the remaining 2/3 spots depending

iv'e not put West Ham in there as i don't think they are that good, yes they are having a good season but i don't see them lasting quality wise
i have put Southampton in there because they are good and the only team to better us in performances (not results) over two games this season and they capable of finishing strongly

however in this season of 'anything can happen' i honestly think we can compete for at least a Europa spot (which i would take right now) and be soon off to sunny old Turkey, Russia or the Czech Republic in no time

After last night you can take Southampton out of the equation. Arsenal have too much ground to make up. West Ham haven't got enough.

Everton, Chelsea and Spuds along with Leicester are the teams vying to finish ahead of us