Should we sacrifice the PL for Europa League?

[sammyspurs]

You're assuming we can win if we just "focus" on it. That's a tall tall order, especially with our current form.

No it’s more than focus, it really depends on continuing to build on the success of the “b team” and have them keep going out there and playing their attacking football.

Let the “a team” bore the opposition to death in the league I say.
Less guarantees there, I genuinely am stunned people think they’ll make 4th spot

 

[To Dare Is To Do.]

Again we don't know who the draw is yet, that is a major factor.

If we get the winner of Dynamo Zagreb-Krasnodar do you really think we need to sit guys against Palace? Why not wait to see who we draw and what happens in the games between then.

You still have not given a single reason why that decision should be made now and not a fews days before Palace.

I addressed the draw scenario earlier. I think its unlikely that we will get easy draws for both R16 and QF, so I think at some point we will have to make some sacrifices in resting players in PL games. If it's not Palace, it will be Newcastle.
I started this thread and poll to see if others agreed with the principle itself that if and when there is a decision to be made, ppl would be happy with resting players in some PL matches and starting best team in EL. So far 33-27 in favour.

Also the premature point is a bit silly. We will also have a much better idea of our squad strengths, and thus suitable transfer targets, in June rather than now. But do you go on summer transfer thread and remind each person who suggested a position we need to fill that it's premature and we should wait till June?

 

[Igula]

I addressed the draw scenario earlier. I think its unlikely that we will get easy draws for both R16 and QF, so I think at some point we will have to make some sacrifices in resting players in PL games. If it's not Palace, it will be Newcastle.
I started this thread and poll to see if others agreed with the principle itself that if and when there is a decision to be made, ppl would be happy with resting players in some PL matches and starting best team in EL. So far 33-27 in favour.

Also the premature point is a bit silly. We will also have a much better idea of our squad strengths, and thus suitable transfer targets, in June rather than now. But do you go on summer transfer thread and remind each person who suggested a position we need to fill that it's premature and we should wait till June?

I have to say I don't get how the transfer thing is comparable at all. We know our needs now so it makes sense to talk about them.

We don't know our opponent, we don't know our health, we don't know our form, all of these things should impact our decision on line-ups before games.

 

[DTM]

But we don't have to finish 12th to focus on the Europa. The idea that you can only do well in one or the other is nonsense. We can have success in the Europa and still be competitive in the PL.

I refer the honourable gentleman to:

my Liverpool question!

 

[Igula]

I refer the honourable gentleman to:

my Liverpool question!

Do you think that is relevant at all?

 

[DTM]

Do you think that is relevant at all?

I’m not a dreamer like you are a dreamer. I know that battles fought on more than one front are pretty much guaranteed defeats. Yes, it is absolutely relevant!

 

[Igula]

I’m not a dreamer like you are a dreamer. I know that battles fought on more than one front is pretty much guaranteed defeat. Yes, it is absolutely relevant!

Except that clubs do it all the time so it appears you are a dreamer that ignores reality.

 

[DTM]

Except that clubs do it all the time so it appears you are a dreamer that ignores reality.

Like Liverpool is 70’s you mean? When most opposition was in truth mediocre it isn’t like that today, and hasn’t been for at least 25 years. We will win fuck all until we focus on the top four with the title in mind - and the only distraction should be the FA cup. Never mind that slap head profit chasing levy- it’s time for back to basics!

 

[To Dare Is To Do.]

We don't know our opponent, we don't know our health, we don't know our form, all of these things should impact our decision on line-ups before games.

I've already agreed that these factors will all be relevant when choosing line-ups. You're not addressing my response.

At some point, we will have a tough opponent in Europa League. Will be either R16, QF, or both.
And at that point , given crowded fixtures, we will have to prioritise one of the competitions by resting key players, to avoid risk of fatigue/ injury.

It's a legitimate question to ask if the priority should be PL or Europa. So far, by votes most think Europa.

 

[Igula]

I've already agreed that these factors will all be relevant when choosing line-ups. You're not addressing my response.

At some point, we will have a tough opponent in Europa League. Will be either R16, QF, or both.
And at that point , given crowded fixtures, we will have to prioritise one of the competitions by resting key players, to avoid risk of fatigue/ injury.

It's a legitimate question to ask if the priority should be PL or Europa. So far, by votes most think Europa.

I am addressing your response just not in the way you want because I m not willing to buy into your assumptions.

I also don't think that an online poll is the way to make decisions but if it makes you feel better that is great.

 

[Fattynomates]

Sorry, I must have missed it. Quote the previous post and I'll respond to it.

It is a joke about me.

You didn't miss anything.

You said it’s alright to disagree as long as you give a reason why, so I thought I would just say I disagree , is it funny how I explained it?

 

[Nikesh]

Look at the history in this competition not just this season but every time we’ve been in it. Also what did Liverpool go and achieve the season they successfully said bollocks to the Europa competition. The competition is a hindrance!

What did Liverpool achieve? Well they are still in the champions league and their league form has nothing to do with that really since the KO stages only just started. Our history when not in this tournament isn't better. Again you forget that with poch we were in the champions league every season and still finished in the top 4. For us, this season we cannot and should not bin this off. Our league form won't change for it at all.

 

[To Dare Is To Do.]

I also don't think that an online poll is the way to make decisions but if it makes you feel better that is great.

 

[MemphisWill]

I still find it mind blowing that the same people who consider the EL, a competition that provides £30M or so in revenue to the winners and a spot in the CL the following season, a hindrance get up in arms about the Cartoon Cup which provides about £1M in revenue and a place in the fucking Europa Conference.

If you find the EL a hindrance, then the only thing we can do at this point is win the fucking thing - otherwise our best case scenario for next year is clawing our way into 6th to...get back into the EL...else we're going to be hindered by the fucking Europa Conference.

Of course we need to prioritize the EL. Its the most direct route back into the CL and will provide some financial relief that means we can maybe buy a fucking centreback this summer.

 

[Trotter]

No it’s more than focus, it really depends on continuing to build on the success of the “b team” and have them keep going out there and playing their attacking football.

Let the “a team” bore the opposition to death in the league I say.
Less guarantees there, I genuinely am stunned people think they’ll make 4th spot

I don't think we will make 4th spot, but that is how the whole thread has been constructed/manipulated/understood
Go for 4th place or Europa League win.

I just think that we should not give up on qualifying for Europe through League (so that is all the way down to potentially 7th spot) which we still have much better chance of obtaining to at least guarantee us something for next season, than just going balls deep, shit or bust, no European football at all next season, unless we convert a 10% chance which is what winning the Europa is currently. We've got over third of our games to play still FFS.

By international break, things will be lot clearer, and then at that stage might be worth evaluating a little, especially if we would have dropped further behind final European qualifying place. But currently it really is a ridiculous notion to rest half our team as early as next weekend, and even the OP has had to back-track quite a few times on his original notion, and thought his own thread was probably premature.

 

[The Outsider]

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

Some aren’t though.

The you're not a true football 'fan' because being a football fan obviously defies sensible logic.

Being a fan is precisely about being an 'idiot', being an idiot in the irrational support of your chosen bunch of millionaires, kicking a blown up animal skin, around a rectangle patch of grass ..... paying a small fortune and getting passionately involved to see which set of sticks the orb goes between ..... just what's not idiotic about that?

If you're trying to claim being a football fan is some form of scholarly, logical, intelligent pursuit - then the only deluded idiot here my friend is you.

 

[Spursidol]

As Billy Nick said :

''It’s magnificent to be in Europe, and this club – a club like Tottenham Hotspur – if we’re not in Europe…. we’re nothing. We’re nothing.”

And although EL money is less than CL's its certainly worth having, so our aim should be to ensure we get EL or better, and as aiming to win EL and give up PL risks EL we should pursue both competitions, but taking each match at a time.

If Bale and Dele are back, and Lo Celso back from injury, our ability to rotate players particularly in the forward areas may well have changed enough to score enough goals to overcome our defensive issues (not forgetting hat in PL after ManCity's 15 goals conceded Spurs 27 conceded is similar to 2n d highest conceded Chelsea, Leicester and Woolwich so its often overstated as an issue) and win more matches.

So we focus on winning the next matches and rotating the team so we can also win the following matches.

 

[bonaspur23]

The you're not a true football 'fan' because being a football fan obviously defies sensible logic.

Being a fan is precisely about being an 'idiot', being an idiot in the irrational support of your chosen bunch of millionaires, kicking a blown up animal skin, around a rectangle patch of grass ..... paying a small fortune and getting passionately involved to see which set of sticks the orb goes between ..... just what's not idiotic about that?

If you're trying to claim being a football fan is some form of scholarly, logical, intelligent pursuit - then the only deluded idiot here my friend is you.

Those paragraphs you wrote are what us sensible folk call an opinion.

 

[bonaspur23]

So having an opinion is now OK as long as it agrees with yours - how very ironic.

Says diehard trumper. It’s not an opinion that he and his supporters are shitbags.

 

[The Outsider]

Says diehard trumper. It’s not an opinion that he and his supporters are shitbags.

Diehard Trumper? Can we all just make up shit about people and post it as well?

Let's think BonaSpur - sad basement dwelling troll who gets a hard-on (Bona) when digging sharp metal spikes into animal flesh (Spur) ... at least me definition of you is based on some evidence.

FYI - Trump is a narcissistic moron ... a view you would know I held if you'd just read my posts.