Europa League

The only plus, is we'd be favorites for winning it and it's a cup we wouldn't have chance to win normally as I think it's fair to say we'd be unlikely not to progress from the CL group stages from this point.
 
It's win/win for us. If we get in the Champions League, we get to sign good players and might have a chance of winning it. If we don't we get to focus more on domestic trophies and we're entered into a more interesting competition (for traveling fans like myself).

The biggest problem we'll face, if we don't qualify for the CL is that United/Arsenal/Liverpool (if they win the EL) will be a far more attractive destination for world class players than us. This season we needed a massive clear out - but it's only worth doing that if you can bring the best of the best in - without the champions league I don't think we can.
 
Pep has enough problems turning the club around. And he has to be told to focus on trying to win the PL. Doing that and winning the CL in one season (which he has not done in Germany) is far harder here.

Europa is basically a free pass as you can either go for it with a much better chance of success or you get less criticism if you play kids. Especially as being the club that saved the PLs fourth place for the season after next by our performances in the CL this year nobody can point a finger without being hypocritical.

There are many pluses to being in the Europa (not least no qualifier at the start of the PL season).

Just for this season it is easier to accept because it could benefit a new manager unfamiliar with the PL, a tired squad who need fresh challenges or shipping out, and Pep needs time he would not get with both the PL and CL to fight for so soon after taking over.

This would not be true in any other year but circumstances actually make it an almost beneficial outcome of this mess. Because Pep will be determined to win something to compensate without a tilt at the CL for the first time.

So - having said that - United will now lose and we will stumble to a draw on Sunday.
 
The only way we can finish 4th is if utd lose tonight and we get a draw at least against Swansea. A draw of the rags tonight then we will need a win at Swansea to be certain of taking the 4th place spot.
 
I've been harping on it for weeks... Europa is important for the EPL coefficient.
Do you want to be in an EPL where only 3 teams go to UCL? with the $$$ and the quality of managers coming in? I don't.
Maybe this is only my opinion because I'm a yank, and don't understand the importance of the FA Cup... but here's how i see it, if we do go Europa...
Priority 1: EPL
Priority 2: Europa
Priority 3: FA Cup
Priority 4: Credit Card Cup
This is because of the Coefficient, and because winning the FA or Credit Card Cups ONLY get you into the Europa anyway... which we are all saying doesn't matter.
 
TBooksbluearmy said:
The only way we can finish 4th is if utd lose tonight and we get a draw at least against Swansea. A draw of the rags tonight then we will need a win at Swansea to be certain of taking the 4th place spot.
Click to expand...

The rags could also.
Draw & Lose= we are in without getting a point at Swans
Lose & Lose= we are in without getting a point at Swans.

Rags are rubbish, and to think Bournemouth with not give it 110% in the final EPL game, at old trafford is silly.
 
I just hope we can tie Pep down to five years instead of the reported three year contract. Sheik Mansour's ambition is to rule he game through the Champions League yet Pep's reign may well start with City not even being in the competition. By missing out on his first season here, team rebuilding may not be as strong as we might otherwise hope for. Assuming City then qualify for the CL for Pep's second season, there would probably be further squad manipulation with quality signings at that time. That would also bring it's own problems in getting the squad fully integrated and playing Pep's complete way and a shortage of time might prevent us from getting beyond he semi's again, just leaving his third season to achieve Sheikh Mansour's aim. That could be great for us...unless we have to endure further managerial suspense regarding his successor which has ruined this season.
 
would be nice to have for 5 years but Barca and Munich didn't exactly have to bring in duds to replace him.
-Barca has done amazing, and I'd imagine Ancelotti will do very well at Munich.

as long as we have a plan in place, that doesn't involve bringing in someone who was "above average" to replace Pep someday, it'll be fine.
-the work done in the academy will start feeding us players in the next few years, which will finally make us the "super club" we've wanted to be and have been building since '08
 
One of the broadsheets described it as "the ultimate nightmare" for us if the scum qualify for the CL ahead of us. It's hardly the same as losing the title to your closest rivals in the last 3 minutes of the season is it?

I'll be gutted if they finish above us but a sense of perspective is definitely required.
 
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