The season overall

[PeterWithesShin]

We should probably wait until we've actually done our transfer business before deciding those coming in are inferior.

[itbrvilla]

On the face of it 6th position is good but our failure to turn up in the really big games (to name a recent few, today, Palace and Man City away) suggests we are some way off realistically breaking into that top group.
The Champions League sapped a lot of our energy and let's face it the Semi final performance against a good Palace side that has pace was bizarrely tactically lethargic and second gear. Memories of Olympiakos (another good side who beat us easily) come to the fore.
The FA Youth Cup win was great plus the other Youth trophies but this will be a huge summer to try and strengthen the squad and Uno needs a lot of time to reflect on where we  fell short and indeed where we did well.
We are trying to employ game management but our away from home we are saying very close to the wind most of the time.

Failure to turn up against some utter gross earlier in the season.

[rob_bridge]

The fact we will see an exodus of players with lesser ones coming in is a strange one to comprehend, after qualifying for a major European competition.

You would think it should be a massive achievement  and one to build on, but somehow this really feels like a disappointment.

Which exodus are we talking about? And which lesser ones who can't possibly be as good as them are replacing them? Not heard who we have signed - didn't think we could for a couple of weeks. 

If we sell everyone rumours that have said we are we' be getting rid of about 38 players.

We have people in the key footballing positions at the club who know what they are doing. That hasn't often been the case for all of my supporting life.

Oh, I completely agree, and I am sure that the club knows exactly what they are doing and who they will be bringing in.
But I suspect we’ll now be shopping at Sainsbury’s rather than Waitrose.

The pizza flour at Waitrose is better, the rest is just more expensive.

Now Aldi fresh stuff is the dog's bollocks, Lidl also good has more selection than Aldi, better wine for sure but beer isn't as good as Aldi.

M&S is defo better overall but we just need to buy the good quality cheaper stuff.

Sainsburys - branded stuff is good when on offer.

[Toronto Villa]

The fact we will see an exodus of players with lesser ones coming in is a strange one to comprehend, after qualifying for a major European competition.

You would think it should be a massive achievement  and one to build on, but somehow this really feels like a disappointment.

Which exodus are we talking about? And which lesser ones who can't possibly be as good as them are replacing them? Not heard who we have signed - didn't think we could for a couple of weeks. 

If we sell everyone rumours that have said we are we' be getting rid of about 38 players.

We have people in the key footballing positions at the club who know what they are doing. That hasn't often been the case for all of my supporting life.

Oh, I completely agree, and I am sure that the club knows exactly what they are doing and who they will be bringing in.
But I suspect we’ll now be shopping at Sainsbury’s rather than Waitrose.

It might just mean buying a few more of the likes of Garnacho vs Rashford at 50% of the wages and player with massive potential than the finished article. Not entirely a bad thing.

[paul_e]

Yeah but outcomes are ultimately what it’s about - we didn’t win anything (which we haven’t done for nearly 30 years so that’s standard) but we also qualified for a lower tier European competition. It’s a decent effort, but it can’t be anymore than that.

We've qualified for the higher tier European competition once in over 40 years, finishing top6 isn't a 'decent effort' and dismissing it as such is exactly what I mean about coming across as a bit entitled. It could've been an amazing season with a couple of different results but it's still a very good season for us.

Maybe in a few years that won't be the case but just go back and look at the threads from last summer about what would be a good season for us and compare to what actually happened, rather than looking at it through the lens of disappointment over todays result.

[ChicagoLion]

It’s a disappointment, a set back.
We were a CL team now we are not.

[aj2k77]

It also has huge ramifications on our finances which means unless we are really, really savvy in the summer there is a good chance the squad isn't as good as this years. This could be the high mark and we've ended up empty handed, again. Failing to draw against a team in 16th. That's why it's so disappointing.

[PaulWinch again]

Yeah but outcomes are ultimately what it’s about - we didn’t win anything (which we haven’t done for nearly 30 years so that’s standard) but we also qualified for a lower tier European competition. It’s a decent effort, but it can’t be anymore than that.

We've qualified for the higher tier European competition once in over 40 years, finishing top6 isn't a 'decent effort' and dismissing it as such is exactly what I mean about coming across as a bit entitled. It could've been an amazing season with a couple of different results but it's still a very good season for us.

Maybe in a few years that won't be the case but just go back and look at the threads from last summer about what would be a good season for us and compare to what actually happened, rather than looking at it through the lens of disappointment over todays result.

Well yeah, but that season was this season and the reality is we needed a point against a team who has been roundly beaten by most teams lately to qualify again and we didn’t do it. It’s decent, but it’s not more than that because we didn’t nail those really critical moments.

Not saying it’s bad, but I don’t think it’s entitled to call it decent.

[rob_bridge]

We should probably wait until we've actually done our transfer business before deciding those coming in are inferior.

Indeed PWS.

Especially with our coaching team.

[andyh]

It’s the prestige of the CL too.
In reality, no one gives a feck about the EL, and even less about the conference.
The only people who take any notice of those competitions, are the teams in it.

[PaulWinch again]

It’s the prestige of the CL too.
In reality, no one gives a feck about the EL, and even less about the conference.
The only people who take any notice of those competitions, are the teams in it.

That might be the case in England, it’s not in Europe.

[Steve67]

I think we had a good start and a good end to the season, in fact, pretty much the best side going for the lest three months of the season.  But, that middle part fucked us.  We lost too many key players to injury, conceded too many goals per game and lost the positive goal difference, which in actual fact, stopped us from getting CL spot in the end.  I wouldn't care too much if Emery rips it up and starts again, there are only a few of them that I'd be sad about if they left.  6th is fine for the squad we have.  If we want more, we have to alter tactics a bit, be a bit more direct, this will mean that we have to change a few of the players, which is fine.  One ask for Unai Emery I'd make, stop asking central midfielders to play as wide players, sign proper left or right sided players to do that job please. 

[cdbearsfan]

It’s the prestige of the CL too.
In reality, no one gives a feck about the EL, and even less about the conference.
The only people who take any notice of those competitions, are the teams in it.

Well, not just the teams in it.

Two shit teams and one who could barely be arsed to try and get out of their own half.

[andyh]

It’s the prestige of the CL too.
In reality, no one gives a feck about the EL, and even less about the conference.
The only people who take any notice of those competitions, are the teams in it.

Well, not just the teams in it.

Two shit teams and one who could barely be arsed to try and get out of their own half.

Fucking hell.
I didn’t realise I lived so deeply inside your head.
I’m honoured

[Ian.]

He has a point though Andy.