Should we sacrifice the PL for Europa League?

[Fattynomates]

Regarding the original question, should we sacrifice the PL for the EL.

My answer would be, do we even have a choice at this point?

Its slim odds on us going on a 10 game winning run which is probably what we would need to squeak back into the top 4.

Win our next 3 and i bet we aren't to far away from the top 4!

Plenty of opportunities for everyone to drop points in the next 3, we have Burnley, Fulham and Palace so no excuses not to pick up 9 points for us! Its highly unlikely we will get top 4, but the next 3 games could see our chances improve considerably!


Chelsea - Man U , Liverpool, Everton
Man U - Chelsea, Palace, City
Leicester - Gooners, Burnely, Brighton
Liverpool - Sheffield, Chelsea, Fulham
Everton - Southampton, West Brom, Chelsea
West Ham - Man City, Leeds then no game till united on 14

 

[Trotter]

Regarding the original question, should we sacrifice the PL for the EL.

My answer would be, do we even have a choice at this point?

Its slim odds on us going on a 10 game winning run which is probably what we would need to squeak back into the top 4.

But the whole issue is not necessarily finishing Top 4.
It is about Top 6 or even 7, it is about at least securing a spot in Europe for next season if we fail in cups.

That is a minimum, which is why eggs should not be put in one basket when we will be big outsiders in Carabao and I wouldn't fancy us to beat half of the teams left in Europa draw based on how we have been playing for last couple of months.

 

[Trotter]

Win our next 3 and i bet we aren't to far away from the top 4!

Plenty of opportunities for everyone to drop points in the next 3, we have Burnley, Fulham and Palace so no excuses not to pick up 9 points for us! Its highly unlikely we will get top 4, but the next 3 games could see our chances improve considerably!


Chelsea - Man U , Liverpool, Everton
Man U - Chelsea, Palace, City
Leicester - Gooners, Burnely, Brighton
Liverpool - Sheffield, Chelsea, Fulham
Everton - Southampton, West Brom, Chelsea
West Ham - Man City, Leeds then no game till united on 14

No excuses not to pick up 9, but in the reverse fixtures we picked up 3 draws (and 2 of them, Burnley and Palace, had better XG than us in the games). They are all above us in the recent form table. We will have to improve massively, and that will mean manager eating humble pie and changing our approach, and especially our attacking philosophy.

 

[Coys1955]

But the whole issue is not necessarily finishing Top 4.
It is about Top 6 or even 7, it is about at least securing a spot in Europe for next season if we fail in cups.

That is a minimum, which is why eggs should not be put in one basket when we will be big outsiders in Carabao and I wouldn't fancy us to beat half of the teams left in Europa draw based on how we have been playing for last couple of months.

Quite, top 6 ( although 7th will probably suffice) is the target now, especially now the ‘reward’ for winning the Carabao (apart from the cup itself of course) is a place in what is basically a revamped Intertoto Cup.

Do we really want to give up on the league and risk that?

 

[The Mercurial No.10]

Stupid thread, can do both.

 

[To Dare Is To Do.]

Stupid thread, can do both.

Go on then, answer this:

Do they want Kane or Son to play 5 games in the space of 14 days on 2 separate occasions?
Do they want us to drop Kane/ Son in the 1st or 2nd leg of a Europa League K/O tie? (imo only acceptable if we've got a massive 1st leg lead... unlikely)
Do they want us to drop stars for the games sandwiched in between the Europa legs, due on fatigue? That's NLD and Man U.

I'm suggesting rest key players for the start of these packed schedules in games against Palace and Newcastle.
Not seen a coherent alternative so far

 

[The Mercurial No.10]

We have a big enough squad, stop squawking.

 

[To Dare Is To Do.]

We have a big enough squad, stop squawking.

Answer my question.

 

[The Mercurial No.10]

Answer my question.

WE HAVE A BIG ENOUGH SQUAD FOR THE COMPETITIONS WE ARE STILL IN.

 

[To Dare Is To Do.]

WE HAVE A BIG ENOUGH SQUAD FOR THE COMPETITIONS WE ARE STILL IN.

Sorry I couldn't read that, could you perhaps make the font bigger?

Saying 'big enough squad' is too simplistic.
There's some positions where there's not much of a difference between our first choice and back up, they're practically interchangeable. 3rd midfielder, CBs, come to mind.

But the difference between Kane Son Ndombele and their back ups are stark. So would you rest any of these 3, and if so, when?

 

[The Mercurial No.10]

You don't have a clue mate. Good luck with your pointless thread.

 

[To Dare Is To Do.]

You don't have a clue mate. Good luck with your pointless thread.

Insult of insulting me, just answer the question.
Why bother posting on the thread if it's just rude without engaging with the substance?

 

[BernardMatthews]

Win our next 3 and i bet we aren't to far away from the top 4!

Plenty of opportunities for everyone to drop points in the next 3, we have Burnley, Fulham and Palace so no excuses not to pick up 9 points for us! Its highly unlikely we will get top 4, but the next 3 games could see our chances improve considerably!

Yeah we have to get 9 points from next 3.

5 games after =Woolwich, villa, Newcastle, united and Everton. After those 5 we will know if a/ in contention for top 4 and b/ if we are in the semi finals of the Europa league.

QF Dates are before the United and Everton games if we get through the next round. That’s where decisions around squad need to be made.

 

[To Dare Is To Do.]

QF Dates are before the United and Everton games if we get through the next round. That’s where decisions around squad need to be made.

Look at fixture list in the OP. Surely Palace and Newcastle are optimal games to give someone like Vinicius a shot?

 

[bonaspur23]

Isn't being a "fan" is all about being happy clappy with like-minded biased idiots?

What possible joy to you get by being a fan who just cunts-off his own team all the time? where is the pleasure in that? certainly there is no pleasure reading your negativity, have to ask do you get pleasure from writing it?

Your post is dead on if you’re an idiot.

Some aren’t though.

 

[scott]

I can understand people saying we can do both, but surely nobody believes we should prioritize the PL at this point?

Europa league should 100% be the main priority. Champions league entry AND a trophy at long last.

No brainer.

Yeah I'm suprised how many think we are good enough to do both. I love their faith in this manager & team. But we have found the likes of palace, west ham, fulham, Newcastle etc too strong to beat. We are where we deserve to be in the league based on performances.

 

[scott]

Because our players would then be rusty and not match fit for that tie?
If you look at OP, I have suggested resting players in the PL tie a few days before the EFL final.

Many posters think you meant sacrificing league games even when they aren't near a Europa match. They haven't read properly what you wrote.

 

[Nabil Bentaleb]

Jose always ahead of the curve

 

[scott]

have you watched any of our matches over the last 3 months ?

You gotta love people who think we are better than united.

 

[Lenny Hatchet]

Ridiculous thread .
Prime deluded bollocks