Should we sacrifice the PL for Europa League?

[Igula]

Yep.

Also the people who are angrily disagreeing with me, aren't articulating what they actually want to see happen...
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, but lots of anger.

Drop Kane and or Son for the 2nd leg, easy choice.

 

[Tomo]

If it comes to a situation of tight games and needing to rest players then the EL obviously, we have more chance of winning that then getting top 4 as a route to the Champions League due to our current points/position.

 

[scott]

Should I put all my money into Bitcoin or diversify my portfolio?

Give it all to levy. He built a stadium all by myself don't you know. #bringbacklevybonus

 

[scott]

Yep.

Also the people who are angrily disagreeing with me, aren't articulating what they actually want to see happen...
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, but lots of anger.

Yeh that's because they don't want to answer about when to drop the likes of kane & son as it doesn't look good for their argument. They are basically saying don't rest players but don't over play them. Which is a contradiction. Unless you believe the likes of kane can play 3 games in a week without it negatively affecting his performance. Then you have a point. But I disagree with that point. Kane & son etc need a rest & to be fresher for the big games. Son has looked knackered for a while now.
Also, the more you play the more chance of picking up a injury.

 

[To Dare Is To Do.]

Yeh that's because they don't want to answer about when to drop the likes of kane & son as it doesn't look good for their argument. They are basically saying don't rest players but don't over play them. Which is a contradiction. Unless you believe the likes of kane can play 3 games in a week without it negatively affecting his performance. Then you have a point. But I disagree with that point. Kane & son etc need a rest & to be fresher for the big games. Son has looked knackered for a while now.
Also, the more you play the more chance of picking up a injury.

Spot on.

 

[To Dare Is To Do.]

Drop Kane and or Son for the 2nd leg, easy choice.

We have no chance of winning the Europa League if we do that.
If we started none of them, our attack simply isn't good enough.
And considering you don't want either player rested in PL games, if either of them did start, they would be fatigued for the 2nd leg- playing their 5th game in 14 days.

What is the point of qualifying for European competitions if we don't give ourselves a chance of winning?

 

[To Dare Is To Do.]

Drop Kane and or Son for the 2nd leg, easy choice.

At least Igula, to give him credit, is the first person on this thread who disagrees with me to actually give a specific alternative strategy.
Better than the vague clichés from many.

 

[scott]

Or Spurs get revenge !

The fox thought the cockerel forgot!

 

[scott]

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?

Also, we aren't competing well in the league but suddenly we can compete great in the league & in the europa!

 

[To Dare Is To Do.]

Also, we aren't competing well in the league but suddenly we can compete great in the league & in the europa!

In reality, to have a chance of winning Europa we have to not only prioritise Europa by rotating in PL to avoid fatigue and injuries, but we also have to hope for an upturn in form for key players.

Lo Celso has to come back fit, to his best of last season, and form a partnership with Ndombele in midfield that mean we actually dominate Europa League home legs. Bale needs to convert this recent spark into a consistent top level performances. And, hardest of all, we need CBs to stop making defensive errors.

It's a tough ask, but at least we have a shot at this European trophy. Let's go for it.

 

[scott]

At least Igula, to give him credit, is the first person on this thread who disagrees with me to actually give a specific alternative strategy.
Better than the vague clichés from many.

Yeah igula always commits to an answer fully & stands by it. Even if its not a popular opinion. Fair play igula

 

[scott]

In reality, to have a chance of winning Europa we have to not only prioritise Europa by rotating in PL to avoid fatigue and injuries, but we also have to hope for an upturn in form for key players.

Lo Celso has to come back fit, to his best of last season, and form a partnership with Ndombele in midfield that mean we actually dominate Europa League home legs. Bale needs to convert this recent spark into a consistent top level performances. And, hardest of all, we need CBs to stop making defensive errors.

It's a tough ask, but at least we have a shot at this European trophy. Let's go for it.

Yep. It's not like we are saying its highly likely or we can easily win Europa. Its very tough. & as you say, we will need a lot of players to play better. As well as some luck & kind draws. Where as we simply ain't getting top 4 I'm afraid. That's an even tougher ask.

 

[OffTheBench]

If I had to, yes I would rest the best players in the league ahead of Europa games against strong opponents. Hopefully it won't be necessary too often though.

The matches that To Dare Is To Do. put in red are candidates, but hopefully the likes of Kane can still manage two games a week over the crunch few weeks.

 

[Igula]

We have no chance of winning the Europa League if we do that.
If we started none of them, our attack simply isn't good enough.
And considering you don't want either player rested in PL games, if either of them did start, they would be fatigued for the 2nd leg- playing their 5th game in 14 days.

What is the point of qualifying for European competitions if we don't give ourselves a chance of winning?

I do not agree, and if that is the case that our team is so weak that we need 100% top line-up in every game then that is a problem with our squad make-up and the manager that can't adapt.

Plenty of teams are able to win while missing guys to injury. Plenty of teams are able to manage a season going deep in Europe and finishing high in the table. If we are so reliant on Kane and Son that we see games without them as automatic loses then major changes need to be done.

How come other teams and managers can adapt? Why are teams, including us in the past, able to manage to compete on multiple fronts?

Why bother going into the PL if we don't give ourselves a chance? I think you are severely overrating our chances of winning this with a full squad and underrating our chances of winning games without a few top guys.

This is why teams have back-ups like Vinicius playing big minutes for them so they are ready to play in a QF if needed. If Jose has set us up so poorly that we can't handle playing with anything other than our top 11, we are unlikely to win anything even with that top 11.

 

[Fattynomates]

At least Igula, to give him credit, is the first person on this thread who disagrees with me to actually give a specific alternative strategy.

I disagree!

 

[To Dare Is To Do.]

I disagree!

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

 

[Igula]

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.

 

[To Dare Is To Do.]

It is a joke about me.

You didn't miss anything.

I thought he meant he had also given a specific alternative approach like you did

 

[To Dare Is To Do.]

I do not agree, and if that is the case that our team is so weak that we need 100% top line-up in every game then that is a problem with our squad make-up and the manager that can't adapt.

Plenty of teams are able to win while missing guys to injury. Plenty of teams are able to manage a season going deep in Europe and finishing high in the table. If we are so reliant on Kane and Son that we see games without them as automatic loses then major changes need to be done.

Just because it's not ideal, doesn't mean it's not true.

We are reliant on Son and Kane for goals. And with Gio injured, Ndombele is our only truly creative midfielder.
I agree we need major changes, but apart from sending another email to poor Julia/ Levy, I don't see what more I can do on that front. Not that the situation will change this season anyway.

The thing is, we both agree that in some games this season we will need to see Kane and Son rested for Vinicius and Alli.
The difference between us is that you want stars rested in the 2nd leg of a K/O Europa League tie, while I want it in some of the easier games in the league.

 

[DTM]

What a stupid poll this is. Every time this European B league is taken seriously the premier league is already shot to bits; forget about ever winning the PL in a season that we’re in the europa, and the way things are going qualifying for this second best competition guarantees only one thing- that we’ll be back in the europa next season too.

Do I spy a vicious circle?