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Race for the Top 4 - 2017/18

WiganSpur

Well-Known Member
Aug 31, 2012
15,974
32,682
Are we now saying players are going to leave if we don't get CL next season?
Not going to, but I think it's fair to say they might be more likely to be looking for a move if a big club comes in and offers to double their wages. I'm sure we won't sell players that don't want to leave, but what about those who could create a toxic atmosphere like Walker, Bale, Berbatov etc.

If it was the other way round and we hadn't qualified for the CL in the past two years and now we did then surely we'd all be saying the opposite, that our players would be more likely to stay.
 
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Not going to, but I think it's fair to say they might be more likely to be looking for a move if a big club comes in and offers to double their wages. I'm sure we won't sell players that don't want to leave, but what about those who could create a toxic atmosphere like Walker, Bale, Berbatov etc.

If it was the other way round and we hadn't qualified for the CL in the past two years and now we did then surely we'd all be saying the opposite, that our players would be more likely to stay.
Just seems like doom and gloom because 2+2=4

Nothing wrong with being objective but this tired narrative is always trotted out because it suits an agenda.

Could go the other way, new stadium brings new wealth and top players at the club get paid ... The glass isn't always half empty.
 

talkshowhost86

Mod-Moose
Staff
Oct 2, 2004
48,105
47,061
Are we now saying players are going to leave if we don't get CL next season?

They'd certainly be more likely to.

I don't think there would be a mass exodus all in one go, but for those who were wavering in the first place (Rose, Dier, Alderweireld), us not being in the Champions League certainly isn't going to help.

I'd hope that Poch would be able to persuade everyone to give us one more season, with the move to the new stadium perhaps being a lure (plus a fair bit more cash that Levy seems to be getting out for our existing players), but it certainly leaves us more vulnerable to players leaving.
 

Shadydan

Well-Known Member
Jul 7, 2012
38,247
104,143
They'd certainly be more likely to.

I don't think there would be a mass exodus all in one go, but for those who were wavering in the first place (Rose, Dier, Alderweireld), us not being in the Champions League certainly isn't going to help.

I'd hope that Poch would be able to persuade everyone to give us one more season, with the move to the new stadium perhaps being a lure (plus a fair bit more cash that Levy seems to be getting out for our existing players), but it certainly leaves us more vulnerable to players leaving.

There needs to be a market for the availablity of our players for them to leave, apart Alderweireld where every club would take in a heartbeat I'm not so sure about Dier or Rose anymore, Utd seemed to have closed the door on both with Shaw now playing well and Matic playing in the role that Mourinho had earmarked for Dier.
 

talkshowhost86

Mod-Moose
Staff
Oct 2, 2004
48,105
47,061
There needs to be a market for the availablity of our players for them to leave, apart Alderweireld where every club would take in a heartbeat I'm not so sure about Dier or Rose anymore, Utd seemed to have closed the door on both with Shaw now playing well and Matic playing in the role that Mourinho had earmarked for Dier.

True, and to be fair I'm less concerned about Dier and Rose anyway. Would prefer both to stay obviously, but think we could replace both.

It's more the likes of Kane, Alli, Eriksen, Alderweireld, Vertonghen and Lloris. There is certainly a market for those players amongst the Champions League clubs so it would put us in a trickier position.
 

shelfboy68

Well-Known Member
Jun 14, 2008
14,566
19,651
Basically for me, we need 7 points from our next 3 games at the least, but what concerns me is when a key player is injured we look second rate.
We have only two games against those above us away from home, but we really need to win the remaining games to have a chance. But ideally we need better options from the bench as yesterday showed. One or two additions would be good, but i cant see it.
Hopefully Toby is back soon, we have missed him him since November, and getting Rose back would be good for the coming up games.
We saw that yesterday with the erikson situation once it was announced he wasn't playing you wonder where the creativity would come from, and during the game we got the answer as it was slow turgid stuff.
I understand that we are not city or Utd with 3/4 players who could have filled in for him yesterday as financial constraints see to that, but to effectively have no one who could have filled in yesterday I think is quite embarrassing for a side chasing 4th spot and highlights the need for quality additions to be added sooner rather than later.
We still are in the race for a CL place but dropping points to teams like Southampton and West ham starts to make it harder as the other teams above us pick up points and suffer slightly less than us with their stronger squads.
 

onthetwo

Well-Known Member
May 19, 2006
4,583
3,407
anything less than 4 points in our next 2 matches and i think its as good as over for our CL aspirations for next year.
Time for the players that like to talk the talk to step up and get at least a draw Anfield.
 

shelfboy68

Well-Known Member
Jun 14, 2008
14,566
19,651
anything less than 4 points in our next 2 matches and i think its as good as over for our CL aspirations for next year.
Time for the players that like to talk the talk to step up and get at least a draw Anfield.
Agree but you do know what our record away at these sides is like it's not one to fill anyone with confidence.
 

Shadydan

Well-Known Member
Jul 7, 2012
38,247
104,143
True, and to be fair I'm less concerned about Dier and Rose anyway. Would prefer both to stay obviously, but think we could replace both.

It's more the likes of Kane, Alli, Eriksen, Alderweireld, Vertonghen and Lloris. There is certainly a market for those players amongst the Champions League clubs so it would put us in a trickier position.

Out of those guys the only ones I'm worried about leaving is Toby tbh, Lloris says he is tied to the manager, can't see Vertonghen leaving to go anywhere, Eriksen is happy and I think the only club he'd go to is Barcelona, Kane won't leave just yet and it's too early for Alli to go. I see a legitimate market for Kane and Toby as of now.
 

talkshowhost86

Mod-Moose
Staff
Oct 2, 2004
48,105
47,061
Out of those guys the only ones I'm worried about leaving is Toby tbh, Lloris says he is tied to the manager, can't see Vertonghen leaving to go anywhere, Eriksen is happy and I think the only club he'd go to is Barcelona, Kane won't leave just yet and it's too early for Alli to go. I see a legitimate market for Kane and Toby as of now.

I think we could all debate who might be in the market for who.

But ultimately, not being in the Champions League certainly doesn't help us keep those players, even if it doesn't mean they'll all suddenly leave.
 

tototoner

Staying Alert
Mar 21, 2004
29,387
34,059
next 3 games

Man Utd home
Liverpool away
Arsenal home

things could look very good or very tough after them, need at least 7 points
 

Kiedis

Well-Known Member
Aug 4, 2013
2,926
8,490
next 3 games

Man Utd home
Liverpool away
Arsenal home

things could look very good or very tough after them, need at least 7 points

After Arsenal it's Palace away after a CL away game, which is always pretty tough. A really good opportunity for the players to show what they're made of.
 

Dzejkob

Well-Known Member
Aug 13, 2012
785
3,215
next 3 games

Man Utd home
Liverpool away
Arsenal home

things could look very good or very tough after them, need at least 7 points

Even if we get 9 points we can still be on fifth place. It's not games with TOP6 that puts us out of CL but draws with WHU, Soton, Swansea etc.

But, the good news is that all of our players should be available again soon. I would love to finaly see our best team again with Toby, Rose, Eriksen, Wanyama in few games in a row. Because this season is proving everything we were woried about: fantastic first team, bang averege bench.

If all the missing players are back soon and there are no new injuries, we still have a chance to get TOP4.
 

Shadydan

Well-Known Member
Jul 7, 2012
38,247
104,143
Even if we get 9 points we can still be on fifth place. It's not games with TOP6 that puts us out of CL but draws with WHU, Soton, Swansea etc.

But, the good news is that all of our players should be available again soon. I would love to finaly see our best team again with Toby, Rose, Eriksen, Wanyama in few games in a row. Because this season is proving everything we were woried about: fantastic first team, bang averege bench.

If all the missing players are back soon and there are no new injuries, we still have a chance to get TOP4.

We need to start making in roads with our rivals, beating them is a good start because our record against them this season (1 win and 4 losses) is pretty shit and those results will probably decide who finishes where this season.
 

St José Dominguez

Well-Known Member
Jul 15, 2014
3,592
11,648
Rightly or wrongly we always sell players when they kick up a fuss. I'd say that's more likely to happen if we're playing EL football.

We will simply have to break the wage structure if we're going to keep our players. I think that's the only way we can maybe convince them to stay for the time being.

Their opinion is meaningless. The market has become absurd, thus our current players values are huge. So huge they vastly outweigh what their performances are currently showing and miles above what anyone would pay for them even if they wanted them. Apart from Kane (who's unsellable) and Toby (who hopefully will sign new contract) no other player will either attract interest because of performances or attract a bid even half what we value them at. So unless Levy is going to sell players on the cheap, which he won't, fortunately the way the market has gone will actually save us for now.
 

WexfordTownSpur

preposition me arse
Aug 2, 2007
2,615
653
They'd certainly be more likely to.

I don't think there would be a mass exodus all in one go, but for those who were wavering in the first place (Rose, Dier, Alderweireld), us not being in the Champions League certainly isn't going to help.

I'd hope that Poch would be able to persuade everyone to give us one more season, with the move to the new stadium perhaps being a lure (plus a fair bit more cash that Levy seems to be getting out for our existing players), but it certainly leaves us more vulnerable to players leaving.
I don’t think it’s just about being in the champions league I think it’s about the club doing better, being in the champions league, winning a cup, challenging for the title. Look things could change but the way things are going, we are going backwards and not forwards, and if people are going to leave, I think that they could state that their ambitions are not being met ( like Walker said and I think Rose has hinted at).
So bottom line is I agree no CL could be a factor but only one of many, and we haven’t even talked about wages, and our wage structure, a lot of people think this will change in the new stadium, I’m not so sure, are we not getting same gate revenue now with wembley and CL football. . So a lot of things need to change before the summer if we are going to keep the team we have and invest in the future.
 
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