Why all the Europa League Hate?

[EmperorKabir]

I feel the general consensus here is that we want to either qualify for the CL in top or 2nd spot in the group or come 4th.

But to be honest:

Cons of coming 3rd:
-That irritating round of 32 which adds an extra 2 matches in the tournament.
-Thursday nights messing up the league schedule. This is actually quite a major impact in all fairness.

Pros of coming 3rd:
-We seriously could win the Europa League, look at the state of the English sides that won/got far in the last few years. We are better than that.
-It's a trophy and a big one at that. I'm not one to buy into the media nonsense that Spurs have to win a trophy or we collapse as club, but hey, we still actually want trophies right? Gets the media off our back slightly anyway.
-This one is a kicker for me: Could winning the Europa League be an easier avenue back into the CL next season rather than trying to finish in the top 4? I can't see us finishing above Citeh or the scousers. I think Chelsea and Bumenal are going to pose a serious challenge and it looks pretty up in the air. Man U I think we should finish ahead of though. Could playing against a bunch of FC Neverheardofyou for a few rounds then playing against sides as strong as Everton/Leicester for the quarters and semis followed by a final against somebody fairly tough but probably still beatable on our day be easier than securing 4th or higher?

Overall, I obviously want to just come 1st or 2nd in the group, but I guess I personally lean towards coming 3rd than 4th if we don't get one of the top 2.

What factors for you really swing you one way or the other?

 

[Monkey boy]

I’m all for dropping into the Europa as I seriously believe we can win it

 

[Shadydan]

I'm not against participating in the Europa League but it hinders your domestic season so much so that it puts qualifying in the top four at risk.

Firstly you need to be lucky in the draw to get far in the competition which isn't always the case and secondly you need a big squad that can compete in it and the league, we don't have that - Our players are already tired as it is and I can only imagine the EL to be yet another drain on our season, a season which promised so much.

And of course everyone speaks about the glamour of lifting the trophy but for us to win the competition isn't as straight forward as it sounds, we've proved before where we've been heavily favourites and we've made a pigs ear of it. The reality is that you need to slug it out all over Europe for 10 matches before you get to the final which there's no guarantees of winning anyway and as I mentioned before it's at a risk of hindering our domestic season.

EL may have the easiest teams on paper but it's the hardest competition to navigate your way through. Give me the CL everyday of the week of the EL, succeed aiming high and all that.

 

[gaffers]

This is the 'being losers is cool' thread?

 

[dontcallme]

I think finishing top four is easier for us.

 

[daryl hannah]

I'd rather Europa than nothing at all - means we're still on the telebox twice a week come February.

 

[hellava_tough]

Crucially, I don't think Poch would take the Europa seriously

Hes hasn't in the past, along with the League and FA Cups

 

[faze_coys]

Poch has never taken Europa seriously, he isnt going to start now.

 

[Shadydan]

He took it seriously in the last match we got knocked out in against Gent

 

[hellava_tough]

He took it seriously in the last match we got knocked out in against Gent

I think that may prove my point

 

[thfc1973]

We'll be in Europa in a few hours when we get knocked out of CL tonight. Then Poch will continue to play decent +poor players for no apparent reason and we'll suffer in that comp too, only to be knocked out in the QF if we are lucky.. How people cant see this is shocking. Poch is a broken record in europe. Its obvious. Lets all focus on the new stadium now and hope for a top 4 finish (which I doubt very much we will get) but its what we do as fans. We live in hope... Its just the hope that kills us. Lets just get used to it now and prepare for the rollercoaster that is ahead. I have given up expecting any more this season with the shitshow of a summer TW we had.

I've now moved onwards and upwards of just enjoying the new stadium. Cos afaic this season is wasted. It was wasted the moment the season started and we got no-one in.

Cheers Levy!

 

[SpunkyBackpack]

Because its the prize for being Europe's best 'not that good' team and given out as a prize for being shit in the Champions League but not as shit as the other more shit team than you in your group.

And it's on Thursdays, it really screws up my curry and a pint night at Spoons.

 

[SpunkyBackpack]

We'll be in Europa in a few hours when we get knocked out of CL tonight. Then Poch will continue to play decent +poor players for no apparent reason and we'll suffer in that comp too, only to be knocked out in the QF if we are lucky.. How people cant see this is shocking. Poch is a broken record in europe. Its obvious. Lets all focus on the new stadium now and hope for a top 4 finish (which I doubt very much we will get) but its what we do as fans. We live in hope... Its just the hope that kills us. Lets just get used to it now and prepare for the rollercoaster that is ahead. I have given up expecting any more this season with the shitshow of a summer TW we had.

I've now moved onwards and upwards of just enjoying the new stadium. Cos afaic this season is wasted. It was wasted the moment the season started and we got no-one in.

Cheers Levy!

Well by the looks of it then you're going to live forever chirpy chops.

 

[coys200]

Never understood the difference between playing Weds/sat and Thurs/sun . The other plus is it might give someone like Skipp a chance to play. The only difference to progress in CL and EL is the round of 32. Will be much better when they bring in this new competition and reduce Europa back to 32 teams. Will essentially be back to being UEFA cup.

 

[Shadydan]

I think that may prove my point

Not really no

 

[dontcallme]

Never understood the difference between playing Weds/sat and Thurs/sun . The other plus is it might give someone like Skipp a chance to play. The only difference to progress in CL and EL is the round of 32. Will be much better when they bring in this new competition and reduce Europa back to 32 teams. Will essentially be back to being UEFA cup.

I think part of the argument was on average the travel is further for EL than CL.

 

[ralvy]

lol, those fucks that wanted us to get such a tough group got their wish granted, and now we get to fight for a place in the Europa.

All joking aside, the truth is that we weren't mentally ready for the CL this season. We only have one point so far because all of our stupid mistakes, so I don't see any reasons to believe we could go all the way on the Europa this season.

 

[glacierSpurs]

CL or nothing.

Europa game format is dumb.

 

[Deleted member 27855]

This is Spurs. I fully expect us to win the next two CL matches comfortably and go a goal up against Barca in Camp Nou before giving up 2 goals in the final 5 minutes to drop into the Europa League. I'm not willing to think about it until then.

 

[richard_gleeson]

Time to try and win something. Europa League is good opportunity