Unai Emery

[Hookeysmith]

I still worry about the high line, it doesn't seem that difficult to plan to counter it.  I think Emi will be facing plenty of one on ones this season.

I predict at least one sending off for Emi this year when he gets that last gasp rush out of goal wrong

[Smirker]

Five teams qualifying for the European Cup is just utter nonsense.

But it's about time we benefited from UEFA and their stupid competition designed to include the same cartel of clubs every year.

[Hookeysmith]

I bet if Chelsea or Spurs don't qualify this year (again) it will be the top 6 next year 

[PeterWithesShin]

It's going to get to the stage where there's so many European spots for the PL that it's harder to not qualify for Europe than it is to qualify for it

[Lastfootstamper]

I didn't think it was top 5. I'm sure when I looked it was top 4 plus an extra place for our league being just oh so super duper, which would be awarded on bestest club coefficient. Which if it had been the season just gone would've been Chelsea.

[Dogtanian]

Well, a quick look at the last ten, five, and three years of Premier League tables shows a pretty consistent story.

On average, you need;

2.2 pts per game to win the title,
1.8 pts per game to finish in the top 4,
1.7 pts per game to finish in the top 5.

Last season we finished with 1.96 pts per game under Emery across just under 66% of a season. In his interview this week he said the Premier League was the most important competition, although it's also important to win trophies.

I think we have a good chance of fighting for a champions league place this season.

[Percy McCarthy]

I didn't think it was top 5. I'm sure when I looked it was top 4 plus an extra place for our league being just oh so super duper, which would be awarded on bestest club coefficient. Which if it had been the season just gone would've been Chelsea.

It was but it’s been changed.

[pauliewalnuts]

It feels even more insane when you think of it in words, a quarter of the premier league will play in the Champions League next season.

[Toronto Villa]

It’s all being done to offset the Super League breakaway and placate those sides who were a part of it. Just funny that Chelsea and Spurs have fallen out of those top places. And it’s also UEFA’s way of locking up English club support vs Juventus, Real Madrid and Barcelona who are still keen to do it and likely working behind the scenes to reignite this.

[pauliewalnuts]

Juventus dropped out of it a couple of weeks ago, I think.

It is definitely about a concession though.

Anyway, there already is a European Super League, the Premier League.

[Drummond]

It feels even more insane when you think of it in words, a quarter of the premier league will play in the Champions League next season.

.

Yep, 25% in the Chumps League, 5% in Europa (10% if FA Cup winners are in top 30% of Premier League), (5% Conference if League Cup Winners are in top 35% of Premier League or win FA Cup) and 15% get relegated. Something to play for for every team.

[algy]

It feels even more insane when you think of it in words, a quarter of the premier league will play in the Champions League next season.

Over half the clubs will either be playing in Europe or the Championship next season. And of the clubs who are in Europe, at least 62.5% will be in the Champions League.

[eamonn]

It feels even more insane when you think of it in words, a quarter of the premier league will play in the Champions League next season.

.

Yep, 25% in the Chumps League, 5% in Europa (10% if FA Cup winners are in top 30% of Premier League), (5% Conference if League Cup Winners are in top 35% of Premier League or win FA Cup) and 15% get relegated. Something to play for for every team.

Yeah but what if you're Crystal Palace?!

[Drummond]

It feels even more insane when you think of it in words, a quarter of the premier league will play in the Champions League next season.

.

Yep, 25% in the Chumps League, 5% in Europa (10% if FA Cup winners are in top 30% of Premier League), (5% Conference if League Cup Winners are in top 35% of Premier League or win FA Cup) and 15% get relegated. Something to play for for every team.

Yeah but what if you're Crystal Palace?!

Haha, I actually put 'Except if you're Palace' in the original post and removed it because they're about to lose Zaha and Olise.

[Percy McCarthy]

Interesting to hear commentator going on about the stages the PL has gone through recently. Something like ‘from the top four, to the big six, now the big eight.’