Top 4 or Silverware ?

[coys200]

You can’t consider this a normal season. We’ve had everything stacked against us. If we get top 4 this season it will be a minor miracle. Go forward there’s no reason we can’t achieve both. The only reason would be lack of investment and that’s a whole new thread.

 

[tototoner]

For me at the moment Champions league is the main priority. The stadium problems couples with the of a naming partner( how closely is the relationship between the stadium naming rights and the delays in the new stadium) has meant that we couldn't invest in the squad. That meant hoping that barring injuries we could compete on various fronts. But the injuries problems we have faced has forced his hand, he had to look after the number one priority for the club going forward for next season, and qualify for next seasons Champions League.
In all aspects that Poch has had to deal with its quite absurd that there is talk of banners being unveiled and a walk out being planned. Its not the environment we want to foster regardless of monies Levy has not given him.
Its been a frustrating season thus far, but i think it so important to get behind the team, in this moment of doubt.

where have you read this ?

I guess they'd be anti-ENIC

 

[Gb160]

its quite absurd that there is talk of banters being unveiled and a walk out being planned

Where the fuck did you hear about this?
If true its possibly the most pathetic thing I've ever heard...some of our fans need a serious slap.

 

[luptic]

where have you read this ?

I guess they'd be anti-ENIC

Twitter etc, i seen no talk of it, but plenty of ones commenting talking it down as being a bad thing. So there surely had to ones looking to go down that road?

 

[hellava_tough]

Adding to my post above, the media (whether they be BBC, the tabloids, Sky, BT, etc) are terrified that fans will realise how ridiculously one-sided football is nowadays, that they'll lose interest and stop watching/reading the content provided by these outlets.

That in turn, will have a massive effect on advertising revenue.

It's not an entirely unrealistic scenario. You've got countries and mafia dons funding clubs, as well as large investment vehicles (Man Utd and Liverpool) financially doping the market to the extent that even traditionally well supported teams such as Arsenal and Spurs can't really compete anymore. The casual non-match-attending fan, might well switch off.

Instead of highlighting the financial distortions within football, other narratives are created by the media in an effort to keep the fans (read customers) interested in the various competitions their teams enter.

To conclude, it's completlely unacceptable to the media that Poch would basically say "Sorry guys, FA and League Cups are a distant second; we need CL football next season because we need the money". And that's why he's getting hammered for it and the debate has little nuance.

 

[JimmyG2]

Consistently playing well
and making the top four
every season
is the route to prestige
at home and abroad.
Winning a cup
is a one-off
part-luck delight for all
but a dead end that leads
essentiallyto Nowheresville.
CL is where it's at these days.
and cups will come incidentally
if we consistently play well enough
to get top four.
Don't let the media agenda rule.

 

['O Zio]

So with Pochettino coming out saying Top 4 and CL qualification is more important that silverware, we know financially it's better for the club, but personally nothing beats a Cup win for me.

What say you.

I think the key thing is WHICH silverware? Winning the CL at the expense of top 4 would undoubtedly be the better season, but winning e.g. the League Cup but finishing 5th/6th would be a nice day out in the short run but ultimately would be a poor season, or rather, it would be a case of us not meeting our pre-season goals. Ultimately the sport is about winning but finishing top 4 will bring us closer to winning the trophies that matter so I wouldn't be in a hurry to sacrifice that for a relatively insignificant league cup victory.

 

[Archibald&Crooks]

I voted the same way as I did in the previous 26 threads about this

 

[King of Otters]

For me Win CL>>>League Title>>>Top 4>>>Fa Cup>>>Europa League>>>League Cup.

Not happy with us sacking the Cup off on Sunday though.

 

[hellava_tough]

Where the fuck did you hear about this?
If true its possibly the most pathetic thing I've ever heard...some of our fans need a serious slap.

Don't believe it buddy

I reckon it's media BS or opposition fans trolling

I think sites like SC give real barometer of how the fans are feeling; we don't need to listen to the media nonsense and narrative

 

[worcestersauce]

Silverware without a doubt the difference here though is that Top Four is a simple catch all for something else. Top four is a euphemism for continuing progress and the success of our project which in turn leads to silverware, not that media pundits and one dimensional ex players know or care about that, their narrative is trophy now or failure tomorrow and I'm not buying in to it.

 

[Lighty64]

The trick that's been pulled is that people have been convinced you can't have both.

You can have both when you can get a a very good 18 players which includes 3 or 4 class, and the other 7 good enough or up and coming.

To do that without a preseason and an injury ravaged squad makes the task doubly difficult.

To many people are judging our transfer activity on the last 6-7 seasons while money has steadily been used for stadium and training, instead of seeing what happens once in. And to pay the wages needed so is CL. Winning the FA cup won’t cover Kane’s wages

 

[worcestersauce]

Listening to Solskjar this morning saying it is all about trophies for Man Utd and all I could think was he's getting in his excuses for not making top four this season.

 

[Mr Pink]

Consistent qualification for CL, means we grow more and give ourselves more chance of winning silverware on a REGULAR basis.

Arsenal were regulars and won the FA Cup a few times.

We've jumped past them, and if we continue to develop under Pochettino we will win things, it's inevitable.

 

[aliyid]

there Is no either / or and anybody getting sucked into the media narrative trying to make it a big thing is either very naive or plain stupid.

We have a good cup record over the Poch era so far and I find it incredible he’s ever accused of throwing away the cups for the sake of the league.

 

[Crash]

Why can't we have both. We're short changing ourselves. I was there at Wembley when Robbie and Ledley lifted the cup. It was all the more sweeter because I was in with the Chelsea fans (spurs top underneath my jumper ?). I was buzzing for days. As a fan I want to be there watching my team in the final. I understand the economics of CL football but bloody hell nothing beats being there when your team wins. Money's everything I suppose ?

 

[buckley]

as a 75 year old I can tell you you would not believe the differences in everything from the sixties to present day times.
The FA cup was as if not more important than the league and only champions went into the european cup .
Then you had the cup winners cup added to be won since removed from the football calendar later you had the inter cities fairs cup later to be EUAFA league later to europa cup later to be europa league and the European cup became the champions cup.
in England in the 70s you had the league cup added to the list of things to play for which goes to show that the more things you have to play for the winning of these trophies is watered down .
My main point is things are always moving on not always for the better and if you don't change with the times you will be left behind.
AS a boy it was No1 the FA cup and second the league No3 Europe
as in middle age it was for me No1 the league No2 Europe No3 cups
As a fully paid up member of the old farts club it is for me No1Champions league No2 league No3 europa cup No4 domestic cups.
As I say move with the times or stagnate or die.

 

[MR_BEN]

Top 4 all day long.

Sad to say but the FA Cup is meaningless now. Would be nice to win but not at the sacrifice of top 4 and CL football.

Champions League football is the be all and end off of everything. The chance to play the best of the best. To prove yourself on the big stage.

It’s second try to only the World Cup as far as I am concerned.

 

[Lighty64]

I voted the same way as I did in the previous 26 threads about this

your just a glory hunter that hates Levy though, so you don't count

 

[danielneeds]

This is the most banal and reductive of arguments. Be better than this SC.