The main issues with playing in the Europa League is the fact that a lot of the teams that play in that competition do not have the depth, so far as squads are concerned, of those in the Champions League. So players end up not only playing more games but teams also suffer more injuries even if they are only niggles in nature. The further they go in the comp, the more it impacts on a team's success in the PL. I read a study a few years ago that suggested that, on average for teams that do progress, this makes a difference of between 10 and 14 points.
The main issues with playing in the Europa League is the fact that a lot of the teams that play in that competition do not have the depth, so far as squads are concerned, of those in the Champions League. So players end up not only playing more games but teams also suffer more injuries even if they are only niggles in nature. The further they go in the comp, the more it impacts on a team's success in the PL. I read a study a few years ago that suggested that, on average for teams that do progress, this makes a difference of between 10 and 14 points.
The thing is though, while modern football is all about money, as a fan what would you prefer, finishing 6th and trophyless or 16th with a trophy?
One other thing that has happened, on rare occasions, to the lesser clubs that have made Europe in consecutive years is that they can lose their better players to the bigger clubs in the summer between those two season as a result of that extra exposure. This happened to Southampton in 2016 - they lost Mane, Wanyama and Pelle and having succeeded in attaining 63 points the previous season, they only managed 46 points in the following one.
So as things stand Leeds need to win at home to Spurs and Everton lose, or they need a 3 goal win and Everton to draw.
And as it stands, Spurs need to LOSE to miss out on shitty Thursday night European Conference football. If we win I'll be absolutely fuming.
I can understand Thursday / Sunday football must be a drag but I reckon there’s a good few thousand West Ham fans looking forward to a few days on the piss in Prague on the back of it.
Bit different though. West ham have had a very limited experience of European football so for them it's a new and exciting thing. Spurs have been playing the top sides and have recently been to a CL final so you can see why they wouldn't want to be playing in a third rate competition.
I get your point. Its a fair one. But after 13 years of having Thurs/Sun night football interspersed with CL football, I'd rather be totally out of it and put all our efforts into putting out a half-decently drilled team for PL games on Saturdays and going all out to win one of the domestic cups.
With Thurs night football, you literally play Thursday night, sleep/recover Friday (pending where you've had to travel to) then it'll be a light training session Saturday with possible travelling involved before the game on Sunday. Its takes it toll and it can ruin your PL season. Just look at West Ham this season. Playing most of their games on Sunday's have reflected in a poor domestic season. You can never prepare properly for that Sunday game, especially if its an away game after playing away Thursday night. Granted they've done well to make the final but there's a significant step down in quality and they've been able to cope by playing a weakened side at times. Having said that, they managed great last year but it was all fresh and new to them then.
These are all valid points but........if you were in the Europa league you wouldn't have to field your strongest side in order to progress. West ham won 6 out of 6 in the group stage. Djurgarden won a group. Hearts and Shamrock rovers made the group stage. It's really not a good standard.
Looking at the entire competition this year i think there's only a handful of sides that would've potentially troubled Spurs. Lazio, Villareal and Fiorentina.
I do get why you'd want to not be in it though. Especially in a year when Arsenal will play Champions league.
The main issues with playing in the Europa League is the fact that a lot of the teams that play in that competition do not have the depth, so far as squads are concerned, of those in the Champions League. So players end up not only playing more games but teams also suffer more injuries even if they are only niggles in nature. The further they go in the comp, the more it impacts on a team's success in the PL. I read a study a few years ago that suggested that, on average for teams that do progress, this makes a difference of between 10 and 14 points.
The thing is though, while modern football is all about money, as a fan what would you prefer, finishing 6th and trophyless or 16th with a trophy?
I wasn't advocating not playing in Europe and potentially winning a trophy but merely passing on my understanding of the effect of playing in Europe on some clubs. I would absolutely love us to be in the Europa League but, let's face it, that isn't happening any time soon and probably not, in reality, during my lifetime. Of course, we might not want to do an Ipswich - finish 5th one season and then relegated in the same season as playing in Europe!
The main issues with playing in the Europa League is the fact that a lot of the teams that play in that competition do not have the depth, so far as squads are concerned, of those in the Champions League. So players end up not only playing more games but teams also suffer more injuries even if they are only niggles in nature. The further they go in the comp, the more it impacts on a team's success in the PL. I read a study a few years ago that suggested that, on average for teams that do progress, this makes a difference of between 10 and 14 points.
The thing is though, while modern football is all about money, as a fan what would you prefer, finishing 6th and trophyless or 16th with a trophy?
I wasn't advocating not playing in Europe and potentially winning a trophy but merely passing on my understanding of the effect of playing in Europe on some clubs. I would absolutely love us to be in the Europa League but, let's face it, that isn't happening any time soon and probably not, in reality, during my lifetime. Of course, we might not want to do an Ipswich - finish 5th one season and then relegated in the same season as playing in Europe!
The only time I've seen Charlton in Europe, was playing Millwall at the New Den in the Ango-Italian Cup
So as things stand Leeds need to win at home to Spurs and Everton lose, or they need a 3 goal win and Everton to draw.
And as it stands, Spurs need to LOSE to miss out on shitty Thursday night European Conference football. If we win I'll be absolutely fuming.
I can understand Thursday / Sunday football must be a drag but I reckon there’s a good few thousand West Ham fans looking forward to a few days on the piss in Prague on the back of it.
Bit different though. West ham have had a very limited experience of European football so for them it's a new and exciting thing. Spurs have been playing the top sides and have recently been to a CL final so you can see why they wouldn't want to be playing in a third rate competition.
I get your point. Its a fair one. But after 13 years of having Thurs/Sun night football interspersed with CL football, I'd rather be totally out of it and put all our efforts into putting out a half-decently drilled team for PL games on Saturdays and going all out to win one of the domestic cups.
With Thurs night football, you literally play Thursday night, sleep/recover Friday (pending where you've had to travel to) then it'll be a light training session Saturday with possible travelling involved before the game on Sunday. Its takes it toll and it can ruin your PL season. Just look at West Ham this season. Playing most of their games on Sunday's have reflected in a poor domestic season. You can never prepare properly for that Sunday game, especially if its an away game after playing away Thursday night. Granted they've done well to make the final but there's a significant step down in quality and they've been able to cope by playing a weakened side at times. Having said that, they managed great last year but it was all fresh and new to them then.
These are all valid points but........if you were in the Europa league you wouldn't have to field your strongest side in order to progress. West ham won 6 out of 6 in the group stage. Djurgarden won a group. Hearts and Shamrock rovers made the group stage. It's really not a good standard.
Looking at the entire competition this year i think there's only a handful of sides that would've potentially troubled Spurs. Lazio, Villareal and Fiorentina.
I do get why you'd want to not be in it though. Especially in a year when Arsenal will play Champions league.
I dont know what it is with Spurs but even under Poch, whenever we looked to rotate or rest players, we would more often than not slip up. Perhaps its mentality. Other clubs seems to have done it successfully but not us.
Good luck to Arsenal, they've on a different planet to use at the moment. We've got to think of the bigger picture and focus on getting back to basics. A season playing once a week, twice occasionally with the domestic cups could do us the world of good (not from a financial point of view mind you!)
And as for clubs that could potentially trouble Spurs... the way we're playing at the moment, Charlton's U14s girls team would probably play us off the park (with no offence to the U14 girls!)
Hopefully we'll see some major changes in the coming months. 1 GK, 2 CBs and a creative midfielder is the absolute bare minimum we need, not even taking into account if Kane goes. If the likes of Hugo Lloris, Pierre-Emile Højbjerg, Eric Dier or Ben Davies are anywhere near the starting XI next season then we deserve to be relegated. None of them are anywhere near good enough.
You never know, we may even get a new manager soon lol.
Huge game for Leicester tonight .. be very tough to get anything at St James' Park, as Newcastle will be after the points almost as much as will Leicester
Huge game for Leicester tonight .. be very tough to get anything at St James' Park, as Newcastle will be after the points almost as much as will Leicester
Maddison on the bench so maybe they don't won't to stay up. Before the season Leicester would have been well down the list of teams to drop but I can't see them surviving
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Looking at the entire competition this year i think there's only a handful of sides that would've potentially troubled Spurs. Lazio, Villareal and Fiorentina.
I do get why you'd want to not be in it though. Especially in a year when Arsenal will play Champions league.
Perhaps its mentality. Other clubs seems to have done it successfully but not us.
Good luck to Arsenal, they've on a different planet to use at the moment. We've got to think of the bigger picture and focus on getting back to basics. A season playing once a week, twice occasionally with the domestic cups could do us the world of good (not from a financial point of view mind you!)
And as for clubs that could potentially trouble Spurs... the way we're playing at the moment, Charlton's U14s girls team would probably play us off the park (with no offence to the U14 girls!)
Hopefully we'll see some major changes in the coming months. 1 GK, 2 CBs and a creative midfielder is the absolute bare minimum we need, not even taking into account if Kane goes.
If the likes of Hugo Lloris, Pierre-Emile Højbjerg, Eric Dier or Ben Davies are anywhere near the starting XI next season then we deserve to be relegated. None of them are anywhere near good enough.
You never know, we may even get a new manager soon lol.
Am seriously tempted to lump something on Leicester here.
"Keep it tight, park the bus for the first hour, then if you're still in the game try and nick a goal in the last 20 minutes."
Newcastle secure Champions League next season...
Leicester up one place to 18th but still two points away from safety
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18th Leicester 31pts -18
19th Leeds 31pts -27
Everton v Bournemouth
Leicester v West Ham
Leeds v Tottenham
Leeds look doomed
I'll be totally honest, I'm praying for the Qatari's to buy Spurs as ifs the only way we'll ever be able to compete. I've got no morals, sorry.