Should we sacrifice the PL for Europa League?

[OldBoy68]

As the norm seems to have become, don't look at the eyes, look at the hands.

We will not win the EL because there are better teams with better managers than us

We will not win the #DrinkOfTheMoment cup because MC are better placed to win everything and are better at everything. Everything..

Someone point me to the conspiracy forum please.

 

[The Outsider]

Negativity is a result of dross mate.

Hi you keep up your happy clappy status if it works for you.

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?

 

[To Dare Is To Do.]

If those are the only options, and to be clear they are not, then option 2 is by far the best option.

Option 2 would mean we have virtually no chance of Europa League. In a knock out competition we need our best team every game.

What’s the other option btw? Someone else suggested simply rotating based on fitness concerns, but that would lead to disaster:

Nope, we can't just rotate on fitness concerns.

For example, look at the 2 sets of crowded fixtures we have:
1/ Palace, EL R16, Woolwich, EL R16
2/ Newcastle, EL QF, Man U, EL QF

If we just play our strongest available team at each opportunity, and only rotate them on fitness concerns/fatigue, then the stars will naturally get tired for the 2nd leg of a K/O tie.

We have to prioritise and rest players in advance. In terms of not dropping them all at once, that's fair enough; perhaps drop Son for one, and Kane for another, and take them off early.

 

[To Dare Is To Do.]

If those are the only options, and to be clear they are not, then option 2 is by far the best option.

I honestly don’t understand this idea that we should drop Kane / Son / Ndombele for knockout games.
Europa is our best chance of CL, and a chance of winning a trophy.
What is the point of qualifying for European tournaments if we don’t win them?

 

[harry7]

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

 

[bonaspur23]

If we’ve actually been trying in PL the last few months, I can’t imagine what sacrificing would look like.

 

[Igula]

Option 2 would mean we have virtually no chance of Europa League. In a knock out competition we need our best team every game.

What’s the other option btw? Someone else suggested simply rotating based on fitness concerns, but that would lead to disaster:

The other option is to see who you draw in the next round, see what happens in the first leg, see what is happening in the PL and see what happens with your players health.

The idea we have to decide now or that in certain situations Kane or Son couldn’t play 3 games in a row is silly.

We don’t need our best team against Krasnodar or Zagreb, Dynamo Kiev or Brugge, Rangers or Antwerp plus a number of other potential opponents.

 

[Igula]

I honestly don’t understand this idea that we should drop Kane / Son / Ndombele for knockout games.
Europa is our best chance of CL, and a chance of winning a trophy.
What is the point of qualifying for European tournaments if we don’t win them?

I would say it’s pretty debatable that it’s the best chance especially before we see the draw.

There is plenty of benefit to playing in European tournaments even if we don’t win. We almost certainly won’t win the CL next year but I would love to be in it.

There are a number of better teams in the EL over us we should put out strong teams but no need to tank the PL to do it. Plenty of teams with less depth than us have been able to compete in both.

 

[To Dare Is To Do.]

The other option is to see who you draw in the next round, see what happens in the first leg, see what is happening in the PL and see what happens with your players health.

If you genuinely want to have a chance of winning the Europa, this approach is complete lunacy.

Let me re-post 2 sets of schedules, where we have 5 matches in the space of 14 days:

1/ Palace, EL R16, Woolwich, EL R16
2/ Newcastle, EL QF, Man U, EL QF

It's very unlikely we get lucky with the draw in both R16 and QF. Will eventually face a tough opponent. With that in mind, let's analyse your approach:

-'See what happens in first leg'... a tie against a tough opponent is unlikely to be won after just 1 leg.
-'See what is happening in the PL'.... we definitely need a full strength team for NLD. And frankly we should put out a strong team against United too. Both sandwiched in between EL legs.
-'See what happens with our players health'... well what do you think will happen to Kane or Son when they're being asked to play their 5th match in 14 days? They'll obviously be fatigued and at a greater risk of injury. (RW, 3rd CM, CBs, RB will be naturally rotated anyway)

If we do advance in the Europa League, we have no choice but to rest players for the easier PL games IN ADVANCE.

 

[To Dare Is To Do.]

There is plenty of benefit to playing in European tournaments even if we don’t win.

I want us to win the trophy.

 

[Igula]

If you genuinely want to have a chance of winning the Europa, this approach is complete lunacy.

Let me re-post 2 sets of schedules, where we have 5 matches in the space of 14 days:

1/ Palace, EL R16, Woolwich, EL R16
2/ Newcastle, EL QF, Man U, EL QF

It's very unlikely we get lucky with the draw in both R16 and QF. Will eventually face a tough opponent. With that in mind, let's analyse your approach:

-'See what happens in first leg'... a tie against a tough opponent is unlikely to be won after just 1 leg.
-'See what is happening in the PL'.... we definitely need a full strength team for NLD. And frankly we should put out a strong team against United too. Both sandwiched in between EL legs.
-'See what happens with our players health'... well what do you think will happen to Kane or Son when they're being asked to play their 5th match in 14 days? They'll obviously be fatigued and at a greater risk of injury. (RW, 3rd CM, CBs, RB will be naturally rotated anyway)

If we do advance in the Europa League, we have no choice but to rest players for the easier PL games IN ADVANCE.

Very unlikely?

Why not wait to see? We have had insane luck with draws so far.

I know the schedule you reposting it over and over doesn’t change anything.

I’m not too interested in finishing 11th and getting to the SF of the Europa so don’t see much point in throwing away the PL for a QF/SF in Europa League.

If we are ditching Jose maybe my opinion would change but I doubt that happens so no interest in throwing PL games for the EL.

 

[Igula]

I want us to win the trophy.

Great I want a trillion dollars, wanting something rarely is enough to get it.

 

[To Dare Is To Do.]

Very unlikely?

Why not wait to see? We have had insane luck with draws so far.

I think for R16 it is 5050 if we get a tough daw or not. But from QF onwards, the matches will be very competitive.

I know the schedule you reposting it over and over doesn’t change anything.

The fact we have NLD and United game sandwiched between EL legs changes everything.

Obviously resting Kane/ Son for NLD or a K/O game is not ideal, nor is making someone play 5 games in 14 days.
So if we want to give ourselves a shot at winning a trophy, and avoid injuries, resting some stars vs Newcastle and Palace is pragmatic.

 

[sammyspurs]

Or alternative view is we need to continue to play teams about 4 to 5 levels below us.
That is most likely reason so far they have looked comfortable in the competition and been able to play with freedom.

Next round open draw, and unless we get extremely lucky again with draw will be big step up, whatever happens will be step up from tonight, as we played the lowest ranked team in tournament.
At least half of the potential opponents we can draw would probably expect to beat us based on recent form.

“Top 4Squad “sits 9th in the PL because EL teams are shit

 

[Pzabbythethird]

This is like asking:

Should I prioritise my dating efforts on:

Jessica Biel

Or Jessica Alba.

I might have a better shot with the latter because she's less famous now. So I should put my best men up to the task.

What is the point.

 

[sammyspurs]

This is like asking:

Should I prioritise my dating efforts on:

Jessica Biel

Or Jessica Alba.

I might have a better shot with the latter because she's less famous now. So I should put my best men up to the task.

What is the point.

You’re right, if you have zero hope, there is no point, so maybe you could take up knitting or something

 

[Zomb]

Nope, we can't just rotate on fitness concerns.

For example, look at the 2 sets of crowded fixtures we have:
1/ Palace, EL R16, Woolwich, EL R16
2/ Newcastle, EL QF, Man U, EL QF

If we just play our strongest available team at each opportunity, and only rotate them on fitness concerns/fatigue, then the stars will naturally get tired for the 2nd leg of a K/O tie.

We have to prioritise and rest players in advance. In terms of not dropping them all at once, that's fair enough; perhaps drop Son for one, and Kane for another, and take them off early.

This ‘get tired’ thing is rubbish.

If you are playing well, teams winning and you are injury free then games can’t come quick enough.

However, if a player has a niggly injury and isn’t training and getting patched up for games then yeah, missing a few games is the right course of action.

Tired LOL. Even funnier when a centre back gets put into this bracket

 

[sammyspurs]

This ‘get tired’ thing is rubbish.

If you are playing well, teams winning and you are injury free then games can’t come quick enough.

However, if a player has a niggly injury and isn’t training and getting patched up for games then yeah, missing a few games is the right course of action.

Tired LOL. Even funnier when a centre back gets put into this bracket

Agree, billions of normal people get up everyday and juggle looking after their kids and putting in 8 or 10 hour shifts all week.

I don’t get massages and spas all week long after a couple hours of work then have to put in a WHOLE 1.5hrs a couple times.

Fuck em, they can earn their obscene wages, they’re supposed to be athletes not princes

 

[Maureen]

I’m still puzzled by this thread. Did we have the same when we were in the CL and going for title/top4? To me this only happens under a manager like jose. We have to for both other wise what is the point of every who proclaimed we are still in 3 cups and in the top 4 a few weeks back. Like I said previously the teams above use are still in 3 competitions whereas we don’t have to worry about the FA cup unfortunately. God knows what we would be doing them playing the 3rd team? I’m sure the players will cope especially in the attack as we have enough players plus gio will be back. People on here are making this into a doomsday scenario and as it we can’t compete in 2 competitions.

 

[T.K. Massive]

They are basically paid to stay fit.