Not coming in the Top 4 - it's ok!!

[bellsouth]

Any more defeats and top 4 is going to be hard. What would be interesting though is if we get through Kiev, but have dropped out of the top 4 by the time the Q-Fs come around, it could help us get through that tie no matter who we play. What I mean is, we'd channel everything into the CL and who knows, maybe go all the way, win it and qualify that way for next year.
What would be fascinating and bizarre is if we had to play Bayern in the final, but had already finished outside the top 4, imagine the dilemma for Pep!!!

 

[MasterOfKnees]

CL is a must, if we want to progress and cement ourselves as one of the biggest clubs in Europe we need to be in CL every year, missing out should never be an option, it'd be nothing short of a disaster if we miss out and especially if the rags get the spot instead.

 

[bugsyblue]

It would be nearly as disastrous as voting to leave Europe.

 

[george22]

Missing the CL would be disappointing
but I don't think the sky would fall
Plenty to offer a new player
Pep
Europa
Bags of money
Manchester weather
We will survive

 

[Gray]

CL is a must, if we want to progress and cement ourselves as one of the biggest clubs in Europe we need to be in CL every year, missing out should never be an option, it'd be nothing short of a disaster if we miss out and especially if the rags get the spot instead.

I personally detest the competition and all it stands for but you are 100% correct that in this day and age it is essential.

Somebody else can sit in my seat though, because I for one will not be there.

 

[gio's side step]

My god - the self deception of some blues knows no bounds. What an absolute whopper of a thread. Amazing

 

[Exeter Blue I am here]

Complete,unmitigated disaster( especially if its Salford FC who displace us and that's now a possibility!)
The owners game plan for the club is CL football and eventually CL winners-that will have a seismic impact on the club at all levels-financial,reputation,status etc-the idea is that we will be a world "brand"-look at what they are doing in the USA & China-and the only realistic way of achieving this is to be serious CL contenders every year- .My reading is that no matter how many domestic trophies the club wins they will not make that leap into the very big league without a CL trophy.Look at the scousers-they are still trading on it now.PG is not coming to win the premiership(although he will!)but to kick on with the CL and to spend the first season dicking about in the Europa league is not what he or the owners or he are expecting.I would be surprised if Pellers is not being told this in a very clear manner by the owners.!!!
Irrespective of this,come on,it would be a disgrace if we didn't finish at least in the top 4 with then squad we've got.Personally I think we'll do it but Wednesdays performance has sown a few doubts in my mind.

Absolutely this, although I am far less optimistic about our chances of qualifying. Certainly if we are to hang on to 4th then the fitness of the following personnel will be absolutely essential: Ya Ya, Kompers, Fernandinho, Aguero and Fernando (yes, Fernando). Without them we have zero physicality with which to grind out the necessary, and we will certainly have to beat the rags at ours

 

[tedmak]

In and of itself, missing out for one year would not tbe the end of the world.
The problem is - who would we be losing out to?
Leicester will be in it next year, but will be a one-and-done.
If United get back into the CL, got to think they will stay there.
If Spurs get in, they have a new stadium coming along and a good manager, they will stay in.
Arsenal seem to live in the Champions league (don't do anything whilst in it mind).
So that would be 3 places sewn up.
Chelsea will be desperate to get back in.
My concern about not qualifying is the difficulty in getting back in (look at Liverpool).

Now - I do think we will qualify, anyway, reckon we will finish 2nd, but to downplay missing out seems complacent to me.

 

[ZZmaestro]

I don't think that is true at all.
Di-Maria for one reason or another flopped at United but he went there without Champions League football and I would class him (especially at that time) as one of the best players around after the likes of Messi, Neymar etc.
Peps name alone, I think will be enough for us to sign the players we REALISTICALLY want regardless of where we finish.

That doesn't take away however what a huge disappointment not getting champions league football will be.

Do you honestly believe that Pogba or Neymar would consent to miss out on champion's league football for a whole season while their are still in the lime light ?
I don't think so, but let's not be that pessimist.
I am a hundred percent sure we will finish at least third.
Come May, we will get back Delph, KDB and maybe Nasri too in the squad.
Mid April ~ fall of May will be the money time for us, wait and see.

 

[stablemcfc]

There's an awful lot of hysteria going on at the moment regards the Top 4 finish and I wondered if there's anyone else out there who is just not too worried if we don't finish there?

Suppose we didn't finish in the top 4? Pep would inherit the same squad regardless of the league finish and would still be expected to either win the league next season or come very close, otherwise he would be judged as having a mare. So, at worst, we are out of the CL for one season.

Surely we can cope with this?

Also, if Pep has a clause that means he doesn't come, then he's a total whopper but I just don't think that will happen.

Pep coming is a risk in itself, yes he seems to be a very good manager & will likely bring success - but nothing is guaranteed, especially in the PL.

However, the one thing I've always said that was worth bringing Pep in for alone, was the fact that he has very significant pulling power - we've all seen players like Pogba & Neymar coming out saying they'd want to play for Pep. By bringing Pep in I'm far more confident we can achieve our transfer targets & sign big name players such as Pogba in the window.

But, if we throw away our top 4 finish & end up in the Europa League then we undo the one thing that seemed nailed on by bringing Pep (pulling power in the transfer market). If we get top 4 we're an extremely attractive prospect for a player; great manager, great team & great pay in the best competitions available. If we don't we're a slightly less attractive proposition & that could be enough to deter someone like Gundogan from choosing us over his likely many other options.