Champions League Contention

[Forge10]

Just being in the champions league would do more for our profile than winning the conference.

Maybe but imagine the damage done if we have our assess served to us on a plate in the first round? I think we’ve done amazing to still be in 4th place by March. However the standards of performance have dropped off since Christmas. In that time we’ve lost to Newcastle, Utd and Spurs, all teams we beat last season comprehensively. We’ve had terrible luck with injuries but squad depth should alleviate that somewhat. When Ollie is misfiring who can we bring in? When Kamara has been injured we struggle to cover for him. Champions league is way too soon for this squad currently.

[rob_bridge]

Just being in the champions league would do more for our profile than winning the conference.

Maybe but imagine the damage done if we have our assess served to us on a plate in the first round? I think we’ve done amazing to still be in 4th place by March. However the standards of performance have dropped off since Christmas. In that time we’ve lost to Newcastle, Utd and Spurs, all teams we beat last season comprehensively. We’ve had terrible luck with injuries but squad depth should alleviate that somewhat. When Ollie is misfiring who can we bring in? When Kamara has been injured we struggle to cover for him. Champions league is way too soon for this squad currently.

Considering Newcastle and ManU couldn't get out of a hardish and a modest group respectively, both have donn the double over us does suggest we'd be well short

[Dave P]

They will be told not to bust a gut on Thursday.

Well I expect McGinn to bust a gut considering he’s got 3 weeks off!

[ez]

We need to offer our best players champions league football soon or someone else will.

[Risso]

I think Emi will be the first looking for a move this summer if we balls it up.

[ez]

Yep. A player of his quality should be playing champions league football. It's wrong that he isn't.

[Somniloquism]

Just being in the champions league would do more for our profile than winning the conference.

Maybe but imagine the damage done if we have our assess served to us on a plate in the first round? I think we’ve done amazing to still be in 4th place by March. However the standards of performance have dropped off since Christmas. In that time we’ve lost to Newcastle, Utd and Spurs, all teams we beat last season comprehensively. We’ve had terrible luck with injuries but squad depth should alleviate that somewhat. When Ollie is misfiring who can we bring in? When Kamara has been injured we struggle to cover for him. Champions league is way too soon for this squad currently.

Considering Newcastle and ManU couldn't get out of a hardish and a modest group respectively, both have donn the double over us does suggest we'd be well short

I do hate when people look at things like this. The year before we beat both but they were in the Chumps places, so does that mean anything? No because it is a different time when different things were happening within the teams.

But even if we got in there, and came in the bottom 8, Newcastle got £30mil for 6 matches, we would be playing 8 matches with different money spreads so it could be worth £40-50mil. And I would be surprised if we didn't at least get into the playoff matches with the new format.

[Demitri_C]

I personally feel our perfoemances against the better sides in the second half of the season have been as bad as gerrards.

Shit against utd chelsea newcastle and now spurs. Unai really needs to sort this out. If we miss out on CL i think some players will be itching for a transfer.  I think luiz and emi might be two of those players

[Axl Rose]

I personally feel our perfoemances against the better sides in the second half of the season have been as bad as gerrards.

Shit against utd chelsea newcastle and now spurs. Unai really needs to sort this out. If we miss out on CL i think some players will be itching for a transfer.  I think luiz and emi might be two of those players

Fortunately, I think those pair both love us. Wishful thinking, but it might be enough to make them stay. Plus Emery himself must be fantastic to work under.

[Rigadon]

I think whatever happens this season, we will line up differently next season.  Just a feeling that they'll be quite a bit of player turnover.  Whatever - they come, they go.

[ChicagoLion]

Just being in the champions league would do more for our profile than winning the conference.

Maybe but imagine the damage done if we have our assess served to us on a plate in the first round? I think we’ve done amazing to still be in 4th place by March. However the standards of performance have dropped off since Christmas. In that time we’ve lost to Newcastle, Utd and Spurs, all teams we beat last season comprehensively. We’ve had terrible luck with injuries but squad depth should alleviate that somewhat. When Ollie is misfiring who can we bring in? When Kamara has been injured we struggle to cover for him. Champions league is way too soon for this squad currently.

Considering Newcastle and ManU couldn't get out of a hardish and a modest group respectively, both have donn the double over us does suggest we'd be well short

I do hate when people look at things like this. The year before we beat both but they were in the Chumps places, so does that mean anything? No because it is a different time when different things were happening within the teams.

But even if we got in there, and came in the bottom 8, Newcastle got £30mil for 6 matches, we would be playing 8 matches with different money spreads so it could be worth £40-50mil. And I would be surprised if we didn't at least get into the playoff matches with the new format.

Agree, getting there would have been huge and would help us move to the next stage.
But I don’t think we need to worry about that now.

[Somniloquism]

Are you stating not to worry because somehow losing this one match as put us below Manure in finishing at the end of the season? Or not to worry as just lets look forward and just play match by match and enjoy the wins and shrug at the downturns. Because I agree with you on the latter.

[ChicagoLion]

Are you stating not to worry because somehow losing this one match as put us below Manure in finishing at the end of the season? Or not to worry as just lets look forward and just play match by match and enjoy the wins and shrug at the downturns. Because I agree with you on the latter.

I don't know if 5th will be enough and I am assuming it wont.
Manutd have a very tough run in which might save us.

[Demitri_C]

I personally feel our perfoemances against the better sides in the second half of the season have been as bad as gerrards.

Shit against utd chelsea newcastle and now spurs. Unai really needs to sort this out. If we miss out on CL i think some players will be itching for a transfer.  I think luiz and emi might be two of those players

Fortunately, I think those pair both love us. Wishful thinking, but it might be enough to make them stay. Plus Emery himself must be fantastic to work under.

Hope your right mate! After grealish i just feel no loyalty anymore.

To be honest if we dont get CL this year i wouldnt blame them if they wanted to play for a CL club esp luiz as he has been nothing short of loyal to this club and given his all

[Risso]

Well we might have to sell one of them, so if one or both of Emi or Luiz do want to leave I can't see us trying too hard to change their minds, it'll just be case of getting the biggest fee for them.