Will the return to Europa League action derail our push for 4th?

[Syn_13]

Not with you mate on your last point? If you had a Champions League tie on a Tuesday and then a PL game on a Saturday that would be four clear days rest...if you're talking about less days rest after the PL game it wouldn't matter unless you mean it would only be two days rest....which is the point I'm not really following?

What I'm saying is it wouldn't matter if you were getting one less days rest after the Saturday providing you're still getting a clear three days rest minimum.

Its just the two days rest which is the killer.....and that's all you ever get in the Europa League, where as the CL, in essence, is split between three and two thus rendering it less taxing in terms of a cumulative effect.

Even the sports science lot say the difference between two clear days and three is significant.

Yeah, reading it back sounds a bit funny. I've not been well and was fucked last night so it didn't come out well. I was trying to say that Arsenal may have been better playing Bayern on a Weds rather than Tues as they get an extra day to rest from the previous PL match and more time to prepare, as it's going to be one bloody hard game. I suppose when you're at that level though you need to be prepared for this shit.

As for rest days - yeah, the CL teams get a slight advantage in that they will get 3 day rests every now and again as opposed to 2 day rests all the time, like we get in Europa. So I do get your point about them having more accumulative time off.

I've just had a thought and realised that we could be getting games going into extra time. That'll be a right fucker.

 

[E17yid]

Just to make a point, I'll say this...if, and I emphasise if, we were finishing in the top four regularly we'd be paying players more in wages...the two go hand in hand. Who knows in the future, the next Bale might want to stay if we're closer to the top.

United isn't a good comparison. They're still one of the biggest Clubs in the world with a massive Commercial Arm. They've had shit loads of success so of course they're not going to fall off the map after one season of not finishing in the top four. Not ideal for them, of course, but that's a different scenario all together. Whether they'll recover next season under current management remains to be seen.

I agree. I was really using UTD to show how it will be hard for us to get CL football year in year out as those fuckers will always be there of there abouts and will improve even if they don't finish top 4

 

[ShelfSide18]

We have the best quality squad depth I can remember in my life time. There is absolutely no why competing in the Europa league should have any affect on our league form.

I really can't understand the mentality that we should abandon every other competition to concentrate on the league. After all, if we finish top 4 we will be in the CL next season. What are we supposed to do then? Not bother competing because it might affect our league form?

If we want to be one of the big boys we need to start acting like them. And that means trying to win every competition we enter.

Absolutely.

And add to that I would sacrifice limbs, sex and financial security to be in Turin this May to see us lift the Europa League.*




*Only days after securing CL football at Arsenal's expense

 

[SugarRay]

Slightly off topic, so apologies for that in advance, but from next year the Europa League winner will get a Champions League spot.

Does anyone know if this means we will be presented with the same situation as when we missed out due to the chavs flunking their champions league win? As in whoever finishes 4th misses out? ( assuming an English team wins the Europa )

 

[DogsOfWar]

It will certainly be a test for Sherwood and I think he'll fall somewhere between Harry and AVB with his selections.

Townsend, Chadli, Soldado, Sandro are all in need of game time. Naughton, Capoue and Daws can come in.
If Lamela and Vlad return from injury they are a no-brainer with Zeki Fryers and Friedel making up the numbers.

So we can field a starting eleven of acceptable quality in need of games but aren't currently regular starters.

 

[nightgoat]

Arsenal have 4 days to recover/prepare for our game where as we have 2. People within sports science have said the difference between 2 and 3 days recovery time is massive. Plus, it is only a psychological advantage if we beat Benfica and Arsenal lose to Bayern. We could just as easily lose to Benfica and a worse Arsenal side beat Bayern in the 2nd leg last year.

For what it is worth, at the start of the season I too wanted to go hard out for the europa but our situation has changed.

Maybe, but it's also been shown through football, rather than science that giving up on one competition to focus on the league doesn't necessarily lead to better league results. Personally I'd rather keep up the confidence through winning.

 

[Kendall]

Slightly off topic, so apologies for that in advance, but from next year the Europa League winner will get a Champions League spot.

Does anyone know if this means we will be presented with the same situation as when we missed out due to the chavs flunking their champions league win? As in whoever finishes 4th misses out? ( assuming an English team wins the Europa )

Yes. Winner of the Europa means 4th misses out.

If say, Liverpool win the CL next year but finish 6th and we win the Europa but finish 5th, the 4th AND 3rd placed teams miss out, I believe.

 

[JollyHappy]

It will be interesting next year to see what teams who are in our position do as next year winning the Europa gains entry to the CL. So it becomes a different equation!

I think Tim will rest key players for now

 

[parklane1]

And we could conceivably finish fourth and still lose Vertonghen and Lloris to bigger fish.

Of course finishing in a Champions League spot is highly lucrative but it's high time a club of our stature actually won something - isn't that what it's all about?!

Well it used to be, unfortuatly there are some fans who consider finishing among the runners up then actually winning things to be more importent.

 

[parklane1]

We have the best quality squad depth I can remember in my life time. There is absolutely no reason why competing in the Europa league should have any affect on our league form.

I really can't understand the mentality that we should abandon every other competition to concentrate on the league. After all, if we finish top 4 we will be in the CL next season. What are we supposed to do then? Not bother competing because it might affect our league form?

If we want to be one of the big boys we need to start acting like them. And that means trying to win every competition we enter.

Amen to that.

 

[parklane1]

Watch how long they stay if we don't make it. If we don't want to be trapped in this cycle of constantly losing our best players we get in the CL simple as that.

Watch how long they stay if we don't make it. If we don't want to be trapped in this cycle of constantly losing our best players we get in the CL simple as that.

You first said this

(Because the top players in the world want to play in the CL.)

Now you are moving the goal posts, it did not stop players like Lloris and Jan joining us which is my point.

 

[Mullers]

Loved it but for us 4th is everything... Come August nobody gives a shit who's won the FA Cup, League Cup or Europa League... Berbs and Keane promptly spat there dummies out and left after the above happened. I'm not saying it's a good thing but to signings, sponsors, moving the club forward 4th IS everything.

No it's not everything.
I didn't see anything happen last time we qualified, we signed VDV, we signed Sandro but those are two players that I think we could have got without CL football. Berbapuss is a **** that can be seen by the way he acted to get his transfer, he wold have left top four or not, I don't believe top 4 would have been enough to keep Keane either.

Even if you get fourth place, you still have to go through a qualifying round, lose that and you're out, as Everton found out to their cost last time they qualified.

AVB wanted it all, trophies and CL, he tried to put a strong team out for every competition. This attitude must continue if we want the club culture to change from that of also rans to winners. The top teams want to win everything.

 

[ero1x]

If Tim can pull off EL victories whilst maintaining our current PL form he'll be a deity in my household... Seriously though we have a large enough squad with some good players in genuine need of playing time. I hated this tournament last season as I thought we'd never win it and it would just seriously drain our resources, this year though we're much better equipped so I'm actually looking forward to seeing how we handle it.

 

[HotspurFC1950]

Yes us having EL and Liverpool not is a significant disadvantage and we start virtually 4 points behind them given the goal diff.

 

[Misfit]

Time for our big squad to pull their weight. I'd actually hope some players closer to the edges of the squad have been told they're playing for their futures here. Need them to step up now or what is the point in having them? Might as well just have a strong 18 and yoof players otherwise.

Fuck off to Sunderland or Lecce or whoever for 1/3 the wages if you can't hack it.

 

[Lilbaz]

Is there any reason why el and cl can't be played on alternate weeks? Your home and away legs are 2 weeks apart so have cl then next week el then cl then el. Shouldn't effect the league unless a cl team was scheduled to play an el team midweek. Sure this could be looked at.

Would like them both merged with maybe knock out rounds before the group stage to trim the numbers.

 

[Mr Pink]

Well it used to be, unfortuatly there are some fans who consider finishing among the runners up then actually winning things to be more importent.

People are entitled to their opinion, stop having a go at other fans.

And I don't think anybody on here wouldn't love to see Spurs win this competition. Their is just a split of opinion in terms of how we balance the approach to both obligations.

In fact, I think most people want the Club to take the competition seriously, but does that mean I would risk Adebayor next Thursaday? No it absolutely doesn't. But if it all makes you feel more of a 'fan'...carry on.

 

[parklane1]

People are entitled to their opinion, stop having a go at other fans.

And I don't think anybody on here wouldn't love to see Spurs win this competition. Their is just a split of opinion in terms of how we balance the approach to both obligations.

In fact, I think most people want the Club to take the competition seriously, but does that mean I would risk Adebayor next Thursaday? No it absolutely doesn't. But if it all makes you feel more of a 'fan'...carry on.

I am giving my opinion ( just like you) if you do not like it then all i can say is tough.

It always makes me laugh to see Spurs fans taking the piss out of the Arse for winning nothing but making the top four, it seems there are some who want us to do the same. I have also seen Spurs fans decry the EL as not worth bothering with so your second point is wrong as well.

 

[Mr Pink]

I am giving my opinion ( just like you) if you do not like it then all i can say is tough.

It always makes me laugh to see Spurs fans taking the piss out of the Arse for winning nothing but making the top four, it seems there are some who want us to do the same. I have also seen Spurs fans decry the EL as not worth bothering with so your second point is wrong as well.

Eh? I havn't judged anybody else's right to have an opinion or preference. You're the one talking about other fans and how unfortunate it is etc.

I don't agree with plenty on here but I respect their right to have an opinion all things Spurs.

 

[parklane1]

Eh? I havn't judged anybody else's right to have an opinion or preference. You're the one talking about other fans and how unfortunate it is etc.

I don't agree with plenty on here but I respect their right to have an opinion all things Spurs.

Of course everyone has a opinion and are entitled it, however because my opinion is different then yours you tell me to stop havibg a go at other fans. Talk about irony.