The European Dividend

davek · Thursday at 2:16 PM

Eggs said:
….maybe more impact where significant travelling is concerned, especially against tougher opponents. I do have a theory that it’s difficult to win your domestic title and the CL, suggests to me that the best team don’t always triumph in Europe.

Which is why the CL is a misnomer.

Neiler · Thursday at 2:18 PM

davek said:
We have a great opportunity for top 8 and maybe even a euro spot.

There's no getting away from that, and we should be welcoming this gift of congested and exhausting schedules for our opponents

There is a hierarchy to that mate, the RS, City, Arsenal wont blink with their squad sizes but be more difficult for the likes of Spurs, Palace, Villa and Newcastle for sure.

The other thing we should look to is our new signings will progress and contribute more as the year goes on in my opinion as they adjust.

I'm going to be disappointed if we dont get Europe this season - that's my aim and i think its possible, ill be disappointed elsewise.

What as i see as potentially undoing it is being light or poorly balanced in central midfield and the criminal situation at full back - teams have now targeted our full backs to get results and got joy at doing it, its going to be like that all season.

MikeH72 · Thursday at 2:21 PM

Would be sound if all the teams in Europe didn’t have squads double the size of ours like.

MikeH72 · Thursday at 2:22 PM

Oh and we might possibly want to factor in our best defender being out for the season.

Seathestars · Thursday at 2:22 PM

I thought there were stats to show that playing in Europe has a positive effect in your season rather than a negative effect.
I think a lot of people including me thought Euro football is detrimental but apparently not.

Unless I dreamed that, I may be wrong.

Joey66 · Thursday at 2:24 PM

davek said:
We got 48 points in a season we were sentenced to relegation by the PL. To not expect 55 points in a season like this when we have good players and 10 of our opponents in the PL are bogged down with two games per week is entirely reasonable.

The were 3 very poor promoted teams - not the case this year, our squad played Wolves in a changed team = their only victory & we are out of the cup .....we have a poor squad add to that Branthwaites injury nay be out for an age - mud table will be an achievement fir us imo !

Saint Domingo · Thursday at 2:26 PM

davek said:
We got 48 points in a season we were sentenced to relegation by the PL. To not expect 55 points in a season like this when we have good players and 10 of our opponents in the PL are bogged down with two games per week is entirely reasonable.

There’s just no way the Freidkins put 100 mill into the team and accept standing still. It has to be an uplift on 48 points, and a decent one. I think mid 50s is the par, Kinnear basically said it was top ten and hopefully a cup run this season. He referenced Newcastle and Palace, teams that turned themselves around quickly to shoot back up the table.

The world has changed from Kenwright and Moshiri as soon as the takeover went though. The context of absurd chaos that was there has now gone. No more points deductions, sell to profit transfer policy, or buy now pay later players. This lot sacked a Roma legend after a handful of games, if targets aren’t me they won’t be sentimental.

They will want good progression this season and they will want to kick on again the next season.

davek · Thursday at 2:27 PM

Neiler said:
There is a hierarchy to that mate, the RS, City, Arsenal wont blink with their squad sizes but be more difficult for the likes of Spurs, Palace, Villa and Newcastle for sure.

The other thing we should look to is our new signings will progress and contribute more as the year goes on in my opinion as they adjust.

I'm going to be disappointed if we dont get Europe this season - that's my aim and i think its possible, ill be disappointed elsewise.

What as i see as potentially undoing it is being light or poorly balanced in central midfield and the criminal situation at full back - teams have now targeted our full backs to get results and got joy at doing it, its going to be like that all season.

That derby against Liverpool showed how vulnerable even a well stocked elite squad can flag in the last 20 minutes or so. Liverpool held out because we didn't go for it and the ref protected them and we had hardly any time added on.

Top 10 should be seen by us as a minimum this season. Europe is a good chance though if we can - as you say - get all new signings up and running.

Saint Domingo · Thursday at 2:27 PM

MikeH72 said:
Would be sound if all the teams in Europe didn’t have squads double the size of ours like.

MikeH72 said:
Oh and we might possibly want to factor in our best defender being out for the season.

NO EXCUSES SEAN

MikeH72 · Thursday at 2:28 PM

Saint Domingo said:
NO EXCUSES SEAN

Thankfully for him he had our best defender available for basically his entire time at the club

davek · Thursday at 2:28 PM

Joey66 said:
The were 3 very poor promoted teams - not the case this year, our squad played Wolves in a changed team = their only victory & we are out of the cup .....we have a poor squad add to that Branthwaites injury nay be out for an age - mud table will be an achievement fir us imo !

48 points is 48 points.

To believe we cant get 55 this season is just nonsense IMO.

Neiler · Thursday at 2:29 PM

davek said:
That derby against Liverpool showed how vulnerable even a well stocked elite squad can flag in the last 20 minutes or so. Liverpool held out because we didn't go for it and the ref protected them and we had hardly any time added on.

Top 10 should be seen by us as a minimum this season. Europe is a good chance though if we can - as you say - get all new signings up and running.

Id be grudging at a top 10 finish as a minimum aim if im honest, id be disappointed with that, for what we have invested and the manager we have.

davek · Thursday at 2:31 PM

Saint Domingo said:
There’s just no way the Freidkins put 100 mill into the team and accept standing still. It has to be an uplift on 48 points, and a decent one. I think mid 50s is the par, Kinnear basically said it was top ten and hopefully a cup run this season. He referenced Newcastle and Palace, teams that turned themselves around quickly to shoot back up the table.

The world has changed from Kenwright and Moshiri as soon as the takeover went though. The context of absurd chaos that was there has now gone. No more points deductions, sell to profit transfer policy, or buy now pay later players. This lot sacked a Roma legend after a handful of games, if targets aren’t me they won’t be sentimental.

They will want good progression this season and they will want to kick on again the next season.

They'll also notice the issue raised in this thread too. It is a massive opening that's presented itself.

With a striker getting regular goals I'd say we'd be a very good bet for a EL spot. However, I still see top 10 as easily achievable.

Saint Domingo · Thursday at 2:32 PM

MikeH72 said:
Thankfully for him he had our best defender available for basically his entire time at the club

But had Ellis Simms upfront in a relegation run in, and started a season with Roman Dixon getting minutes and you hollering every game ‘no excuses Sean’ ‘don’t let us down Sean’. You even tried to argue at one point that off field events don’t impact what happens on the field.

100 million plus later and all of a sudden you’re all for a lower mid table finish, stability, and have developed an acute awareness of the impact of external factors on how a team can perform. What a damascene conversion it’s been Michael, welcome to the light,