2023/24 - The Race For..................

[easley91]

Cant agree with the squad building part of that comment.

CL gives you a lot more money and some players care about playing in it enough that it does effect their choice of transfer.

And Ange has already said he doesn't want players who will come just because we're in the CL. He wants players who want to be here regardless of what we're in. So actually I think being in EL will tell us a lot about who wants to be a part of this journey and who doesn't.

 

[fishhhandaricecake]

I understand what you’re saying and definitely agree Champions league is always better for numerous reasons.
But for squad management and squad building the Europa league would be more beneficial at this stage given we’d be able to rotate more and give youngsters game time and confidence.
If we take it seriously a season in the Europa league could be very beneficial.

Totally agree mate, CL requires a near full strength side pretty much every match whereas with EL in theory if we improve some of our back-up players then Ange should be able to give gametime to a lot of the squad whilst not sacrificing results too much, as you say could be a good next step in our squad building.

 

[CookieYiddo]

I have convinced myself we finish 5th so if we manage 4th I’ll be absolutely buzzing. All the matters to me right now is Sunday. Get the win and see where it takes us going into the last few games

 

[RosieFTL]

Can't see anything but 5th now - which I think considering the squad we have and the money we've spent will be a disappointing result.

The problem with the Europa League is we never seem to play well in it. It always seems to be a grind where we eke out some ok results but never put in a performance. Add that to the pretty dismal performance we put in to the domestic cups this year and the prospect of EL doesn't excite me at all.

At least the players seem to raise their game for the Champions League. We've got much closer to winning the CL than the EL over the last decade or so. I think the idea some people have that we're better in the EL because we're not ready for the CL is probably just a coping mechanism for the poor performance we've had over the later part of the season.

Based on our performances this season I think we are 10-15 points better off than we deserve...and indeed on performances alone deserve to be in mid table which is where I thought we would end up at the start of the season.

So although I am dreading a potential dreadful end to the season we will still finish 5th and thus I'll be very happy with EL. Sure we won't turn up in it but I'll enjoy the away trips nonetheless.

 

[Styopa]

Based on our performances this season I think we are 10-15 points better off than we deserve...and indeed on performances alone deserve to be in mid table which is where I thought we would end up at the start of the season.

How often do you watch other teams play? Which clubs below us are regularly smashing it? West Ham? Man U?

 

[sidford]

After our incredible start to season where we got 26 points from first 10 games we have 34 points from next 22 games so averages out at 1.5 points per game. Considering how tough 4 of our last 6 fixtures our (we have won twice at the bridge since PL started) it's difficult to see us even maintaining that average but if we did we would get 9 points. Villa already 6 ahead of us so we basically will need them to get maximum 3 points from last 4 games but given they have a better goal difference more like 2 points.
While obviously fourth is mathematically possible can't see it happening unfortunately

 

[Rout-Ledge]

Based on our performances this season I think we are 10-15 points better off than we deserve...and indeed on performances alone deserve to be in mid table which is where I thought we would end up at the start of the season.

We are exactly where we deserve to be based on our performances across the whole season, no better no worse.

 

[hughy]

Based on our performances this season I think we are 10-15 points better off than we deserve...and indeed on performances alone deserve to be in mid table which is where I thought we would end up at the start of the season.

So although I am dreading a potential dreadful end to the season we will still finish 5th and thus I'll be very happy with EL. Sure we won't turn up in it but I'll enjoy the away trips nonetheless.

Is this your way of saying "I told you so" when in reality you got it completely wrong?

 

[dannythomas]

I would be more than satisfied with 5th. Shows progress for sure.

I‘m more concerned about Newcastle catching uș . They have a comfortable looking run in. If Newcastle pass uș and United win the cup final ( unlikely but by no means Impossible ) we would end up in the Conference League.

If we are going to play Emerson and Davies and stick rigidly to using them as if they were Porro and Udogie that is a recipe for very few points in our last 6 games. Forget about top 4 if that happens.Hopefully Porro is ok.

 

[Westmorlandspur]

After our incredible start to season where we got 26 points from first 10 games we have 34 points from next 22 games so averages out at 1.5 points per game. Considering how tough 4 of our last 6 fixtures our (we have won twice at the bridge since PL started) it's difficult to see us even maintaining that average but if we did we would get 9 points. Villa already 6 ahead of us so we basically will need them to get maximum 3 points from last 4 games but given they have a better goal difference more like 2 points.
While obviously fourth is mathematically possible can't see it happening unfortunately

We did have a great start which we were never going to keep going. You can’t just take a part of the season away. Why not take away Villa winning 12 home games in a row. Arsenal win 10 games in a row.
Weve had a couple of bad results but does not mean we won’t win a few of the others left. Have to hope Chelsea can do us a favour at Villa with Cole Palmer back. If Villa win it that will be 9 behind with 3 games in hand.
If we can keep in touch with Villa they have Pool at home and away to Palace for last 2 games.
Living in hope I think. Our biggest achievement could be stopping Arsenal winning the league .

 

[bubble07]

After our incredible start to season where we got 26 points from first 10 games we have 34 points from next 22 games so averages out at 1.5 points per game. Considering how tough 4 of our last 6 fixtures our (we have won twice at the bridge since PL started) it's difficult to see us even maintaining that average but if we did we would get 9 points. Villa already 6 ahead of us so we basically will need them to get maximum 3 points from last 4 games but given they have a better goal difference more like 2 points.
While obviously fourth is mathematically possible can't see it happening unfortunately

34 points from 22 is just so bang average. If we done that throughout season we would be looking at 10th

Has to be a slight worry as 22 games is a large sample size. We just have to hope the first 10 games wasn't just a purple patch

 

[Ginola+Tonic]

34 points from 22 is just so bang average. If we done that throughout season we would be looking at 10th

Has to be a slight worry as 22 games is a large sample size. We just have to hope the first 10 games wasn't just a purple patch

You have to factor in our defensive injury crisis and players going away to mid season international tournaments too.
We’d have more points if we didn’t have an awful defensive injury crisis.

 

[WiganSpur]

The biggest problem we've had in the lesser comps is that there hasn't been enough strong competition for places imo. We've either gone full strength and the players all know they'll be in next match anyway, or we've put out a second string that know it won't push them further into the managers thinking. We need better options with hungry players and some youth added in to create competition. I think Ange will definitely look to give layers opportunities in the Prem if they impress in the Europa for example.

IIRC the last time we were in the Conference League and EL it was under Conte and Jose respectively where our squad depth was somewhat of an illusion and we were relying on too many toxic attitudes or players not up to standard. Our second string is getting better nowadays and should continue to improve going into next season. We've also now got better youth players who are keen to make an impact with a manager more likely to use them. If we get 3-4 decent players in this summer there can be no excuses not to get into the advanced stages.

I think my main worry would be tactical naivety in the knockout stages tbh. That and a lack of experience in the squad. We need to make sure if we're losing players like Hojbjerg then we need to get at least some top level experience in the door.

 

[bubble07]

You have to factor in our defensive injury crisis and players going away to mid season international tournaments too.
We’d have more points if we didn’t have an awful defensive injury crisis.

To flip that we could say we have to factor in that for the first 10 games we had no injuries which is almost just as realistic as the injury crisis/suspensions from GW10

 

[Sp3akerboxxx]

34 points from 22 is just so bang average. If we done that throughout season we would be looking at 10th

Has to be a slight worry as 22 games is a large sample size. We just have to hope the first 10 games wasn't just a purple patch

That does include a stretch of about 8 games where we had 13 players out injured and various suspensions.

That should be an anomaly.

 

[rossdapep]

The EL actually helped Poch to springboard that team.

He learnt a lot and ot gave rise to the likes of Kane.

It's when some of those players became PL starters we struggled to manage the EL.

For example, Poch essentially threw the EL tie with Dortmund by playing all of Carroll, Mason and Onomah and resting others.

But I think we can use it to our advantage and give the likes of Moore a chance.

Also if we plan on signing players like Nusa, it's a good way to bed them in

 

[NickHSpurs]

Would have taken 5th at the beginning of the season and I think that’s where we’ll deservedly finish. The squad isn’t ready for CL if we’re being honest and think we could have a good run at Europa whilst giving some of our future stars a look during the early games.

 

[dontcallme]

I honestly don’t care if the squad is ready for the CL.

The extra money helps us build a better squad and watching us in the elite competition is always great.

 

[ero1x]

Not if we’re getting tonked 2-7 at home to Bayern

 

[14/04/91]

Can't see anything but 5th now - which I think considering the squad we have and the money we've spent will be a disappointing result.

The problem with the Europa League is we never seem to play well in it. It always seems to be a grind where we eke out some ok results but never put in a performance. Add that to the pretty dismal performance we put in to the domestic cups this year and the prospect of EL doesn't excite me at all.

At least the players seem to raise their game for the Champions League. We've got much closer to winning the CL than the EL over the last decade or so. I think the idea some people have that we're better in the EL because we're not ready for the CL is probably just a coping mechanism for the poor performance we've had over the later part of the season.

We've spent decent money but not mega (and we sold big too). Another post mentioned we were 2nd/3rd biggest but that's because this was finally the windows that FFP caught up with everyone.

Genuine question - did you think 5th would be disappointing before the season started?
I had us around 6th-8th given Ange's first season, new style, new players, missing Kane and the surrounding competition of the likes of Liverpool, Villa, Newcastle, United, Brighton (oops) and Chelsea (double oops).

I'm not massively fussed about CL and I don't think Ange is in the short-term. He's about building a better team long term.