Has qualifying for the CL "really" made any difference...?

[StartingPrice]

I realise that Markie must be a mate of yours but try watching the whole vid before you comment it was actually about 2009/10 but started off looking at where we were!!

I have never met Markie beforeand have precious little idea who or where he is. Just liked the vid/song combo.

You are right, though, I didn't watch the whole vid...I was expecting 09/10 and seeing that Smoggies game at the start of 08/09 just had too many thoroughly horrible memories that I nefer want repeated. I might try it later

 

[dontcallme]

I think BC got it right in that it has made a difference regarding Bale and Modric signing a new contract. Of course we don't know what they would have dine if we hadn't qualified but part of me thinks Modric might have considered Man Utd if his first two seasons with us were disappointments.

As for signing players the real top players, clubs will be more attractive until we either have consistent success or a sugar daddy offering huge wages.

I don't think it matters too much though as to compete at the top again we can't do it by outspending our competitors. We need to get Lennon, Modric, Huddlestone and Bale playing at the top of their game from the beginning of the season. We need either King or Woodgate to get fit and playing at the top of their game or Dawson and Bassong to form a strong partnership asap. We either need Pav or a new striker to put in a good 38 game season for us and score consistent goals in thse close games which we need to win even if we didn't deserve to.

We can achieve all that much more easily if we concentrate on building a strong, together team rather than fancy names to come and save us. We're an attractive club to sign for, I just hope we use this intelligently and buy the right one or two players.

 

[ShelfSide18]

I think BC got it right in that it has made a difference regarding Bale and Modric signing a new contract. Of course we don't know what they would have dine if we hadn't qualified but part of me thinks Modric might have considered Man Utd if his first two seasons with us were disappointments.

As for signing players the real top players, clubs will be more attractive until we either have consistent success or a sugar daddy offering huge wages.

I don't think it matters too much though as to compete at the top again we can't do it by outspending our competitors. We need to get Lennon, Modric, Huddlestone and Bale playing at the top of their game from the beginning of the season. We need either King or Woodgate to get fit and playing at the top of their game or Dawson and Bassong to form a strong partnership asap. We either need Pav or a new striker to put in a good 38 game season for us and score consistent goals in thse close games which we need to win even if we didn't deserve to.

We can achieve all that much more easily if we concentrate on building a strong, together team rather than fancy names to come and save us. We're an attractive club to sign for, I just hope we use this intelligently and buy the right one or two players.

Great post.

It's all about the team spirit we've got going, we should be doing our utmost to maintain that. I can only see this group of players getting better, lets not stop that.

 

[spursman85]

Fully agree, we don't want some over paid fancy dans to come in and ruin the team spirit we have at the club. Last year's 4th place was a sign we are heading in the right direction and should be used to persuade players to come for the long term, nit just to play in the Champions League for a few years (Newcastle's failing a few year's ago)

 

[sunnydelight786]

Simon Kjaer has just signed for a club that did not even make the Europa League..... Think we have missed a trick here with him.

 

[Coyboy]

as have all the other teams in the CL.

 

[StartingPrice]

Simon Kjaer has just signed for a club that did not even make the Europa League..... Think we have missed a trick here with him.

As I have just said on the Kraar thread, before it was locked, I think it really depends on the state-of-play with Woody. He is being assessed by the fitness staff now. If the prognosis is good we proabably won't have need of a replacement. If it is uncertain or bad we might.

 

[brendanb50]

Great post.

It's all about the team spirit we've got going, we should be doing our utmost to maintain that. I can only see this group of players getting better, lets not stop that.

Agree with both yourself and dcm. Excellent points.

Just to draw a quick comparison, when the Mancs began their spell of dominance, it wasn't all about massive 'marquee' signings, they had young players they brought on who eventually became the mainstay of their side (Bale, Hudd, Lennon etc), alongside shrewd signings who grew with the team, (Palacious, Modric to name but two) they BUILT a very strong and dominant team with a top mentality.

That in my opinion, with our resources (compared to Chelski and Citeh) is what we should be aiming to emulate.

 

[StartingPrice]

Agree with both yourself and dcm. Excellent points.

Just to draw a quick comparison, when the Mancs began their spell of dominance, it wasn't all about massive 'marquee' signings, they had young players they brought on who eventually became the mainstay of their side (Bale, Hudd, Lennon etc), alongside shrewd signings who grew with the team, (Palacious, Modric to name but two) they BUILT a very strong and dominant team with a top mentality.

That in my opinion, with our resources (compared to Chelski and Citeh) is what we should be aiming to emulate.

:up: And how much this young and exciting squad is going to improve after another year together, with the same manager, and team spirit, and the success of last year, is the 'unknown' factor, which I believe so many are leaving out of their analysis of our potential for next season...before we even see who will sign.

I was around for that United team, and remember their breakthrough. It was the year, and about them, that Alan hansen said: "You don't win anything with kids"...and they won the Prem., for the first time for United inwhat was it, 27 years.

I honestly think our prospects are excellent for the coming season.

 

[WhiteHart4Ever]

Have to say didnt read all pages so this might have been debated already, but there's hardly any evidence for us being snubbed by anyone at the moment, is it? And a lack of clarity as to why.. Kjær has been mentioned, but for me uncertain how interested we were and from my perspective seems like he had a hard look at King, Dawson, Bassong, Woodgate, Kaboul and realised a few years in the Bundesliga might be a good idea before taking on that bunch.

If only one new signing and a few crucial contract extensions by early July is a bad sign there's a lot of snubbed CL clubs out there!

For what it's worth: I think the CL factor will play a role in us securing those couple of high class signings we are after, most notably a new striker.

 

[StartingPrice]

We definitely weren't snubbed by Kjaar...his agent said he was open to a move to several English clubs including Spurs. We just didn't make an offer.

 

[ShelfSide18]

I honestly think our prospects are excellent for the coming season.

Course they are, the year ends in 1, and the Champions League final is at Wembley...


He said what?

 

[StartingPrice]

Course they are, the year ends in 1, and the Champions League final is at Wembley...


He said what?

WOOOHOOO
:grin:​

 

[Coyboy]

:up: And how much this young and exciting squad is going to improve after another year together, with the same manager, and team spirit, and the success of last year, is the 'unknown' factor, which I believe so many are leaving out of their analysis of our potential for next season...before we even see who will sign.

I was around for that United team, and remember their breakthrough. It was the year, and about them, that Alan hansen said: "You don't win anything with kids"...and they won the Prem., for the first time for United inwhat was it, 27 years.

I honestly think our prospects are excellent for the coming season.

No, about two years.

That wasn't the first year they won the Prem. That was in 1992-3 when they still had Bruce, McClair, Robson etc. The year he said that was 1995-96 when the Nevilles, Scholes, Butt and Beckham came in.

 

[StartingPrice]

No, about two years.

That wasn't the first year they won the Prem. That was in 1992-3 when they still had Bruce, McClair, Robson etc. The year he said that was 1995-96 when the Nevilles, Scholes, Butt and Beckham came in.

No, you're right...obviously senility (or the burgeoning need to be 'right' on a web forum) have unblanaced me:grin:

What do you mean 'no, in about 2 years' about...'cos all I'm am going to say with any concrete claim is that we will push on again.

I think we could surprise people next year, and unless United and Chelsea imrpove on last year, when they came back to the pack a bit, the title could be really tight next season. But the odds are obviously againstus winning it...but...:wink:

 

[ShelfSide18]

There's a difference between being in the title race and actually winning it I think, and I would like to think this season we will be a lot closer to the top than we were last season.

 

[Coyboy]

No I mean United won their first title with 'kids' after a two year gap- when Blackburn won it in 1995.

 

[StartingPrice]

No I mean United won their first title with 'kids' after a two year gap- when Blackburn won it in 1995.

:up:

Like I said, and like ShelfSide is saying, we could actually get into the mix a bit in the upcoming season (a lot of factors say we will improve, and our competitors may fall back). Especially if we can take advantage of a relatively easy first run of fixtures to get off to a flyer again.

You will all see...I'm not ma..ma...mad...we is gonna win the league:grin:

 

[Locotoro]

:up:

Like I said, and like ShelfSide is saying, we could actually get into the mix a bit in the upcoming season (a lot of factors say we will improve, and our competitors may fall back). Especially if we can take advantage of a relatively easy first run of fixtures to get off to a flyer again.

I hope you are right. But you have to remember that Arsenal will be there with something to prove. Man City will have a strong second half of the season once their players start to bed. Liverpool will have a smart manager and they will be hoping to bring in some good players for the money they get for Gerrard and Torres (If they leave).

More than any player, we still lack the mental steel of the Man Utds of this world and whilst we may give it an early push, I'm sure the pressure will be too great for most of our players when it comes to crunch time.

But still, if we're able to progress and finish closer to the top then that will be a greater achievement than last season.

 

[StartingPrice]

1) I hope you are right. But 2) you have to remember that Arsenal will be there with something to prove. 3) Man City will have a strong second half of the season once their players start to bed. 4) Liverpool will have a smart manager and they will be hoping to bring in some good players for the money they get for Gerrard and Torres (If they leave).

5) More than any player, we still lack the mental steel of the Man Utds of this world and whilst we may give it an early push, I'm sure the pressure will be too great for most of our players when it comes to crunch time.

6) But still, if we're able to progress and finish closer to the top then that will be a greater achievement than last season.

1) :wink:

2) I have been saying this for the last 3 years. Yet each year they still look fragile against Behemoth's like Stoke. As I said on another thread, Obscene whose qualities I have always been quick (if grudging) in acknowledging, has lost his mystique in the transfer market. He was fortunate in inheriting the team he did, and achieved a lot with it (and credit to him for that), but other than the 'Invincibles' he has been very hit-and-miss. As things stand, they haven't won anything for years, they are struggling to keep hold of their talismanic best player, and I can't help thinking he is gambling a bit in the market. Chamakh is far from useless, but this league is very far from the French, in which he has hardly been prolific. Their next best chance is Van Persie, and as we all know, he is injury prone and heavily missed during his abscences;

3) I agree with this exactly. But if we get away from them in the first half, by the time their players begin to gel their owners could lose patience with Mancini (supposition, I know). Just not expecting them to be the title chasers some are expecting just yet;

4) I agree about Hodgeson (as I have said so many times, I think he was very harshly judged at Blackburn). But I think they will struggle to keep hold of their best players, and they should be happy with a season of consolidation;

5) But, the squad is improving and we showed just this quality to bounce back from the semi disappointment to beat the Goons, Chavs and Citeh, and clinch 4th place;

6) Which is as much as any of us could realistically ask for, anything else would clearly be a bonus.

Fundamentally, and I have explained this before, my position is the same as it was at the start of last season. Despite having been a bit of a gambloholic (hence the Username:wink, I had never, ever put any money on our league position. I do allow myself the occasional flutter, and I felt that there were 8 teams capable of taking points off of one another (and teams below capable of upping their game and causing shocks, too). So, I worked to get quoted odds specifically on us finishing in top 4 - not each way on title, not best of the rest, 'cos, as I said, if we finished 4th and Citeh third I'd have got nothing. And i just felt like it could be so tight around that 4th spot that we could just nick it. I feel it is exactly the same now, but that Chelsea and United haven't progressed, whereas our team is improving, and no one knows just how much better they will be for another year together, the continuity of the same manager, and the incremental improvement in team spirit and the confidence engendered by last year's success. I also expect 'Arry to get us the couple of players we need, and to get the right players.