Europe Thread 25/26

[Benno]

Europe is absolutely on, if the manager and players want it enough.

Dont faff with the back four from yesterday, unless its for JB, utilise the returning players from the afcon properly, which means illy straight into the starting 11, and get a grip of the home form.

Cmon Davey and the boys - show us what is possible.

I agree 100% whilst also adding that I’d like to see the current squad played more so we can see what they are capable of before buying any more quick fixes. We have some time now without jeopardy to see these lads have minutes.

 

[OneTrueLegend]

8th could be Europe couldn't it? I think that's our best case scenario this year but it is a possibility.

I think there are a few "if's" for that to happen. Like if the Premier league teams currently in the Champions league all make it to the knock out phase and do better than the Italian and Spanish teams, then England will keep its 5th Champions league place. Then If the winners of the League Cup and FA cup are both already in the top 6, then the places for the winners of those competitions will pass to the 7th and 8th placed league teams.

I think we could finish anywhere between 6th and 12th. We are 3 points off 5th place and back to back wins could see us right up there. But like most of the teams from 4th to 12th we have been inconsistent this season. I just look aback on the start of the season and would have been happy this season to just be away from the bottom 6 and not going into the last few weeks of the season needing a result to stay up.

 

[NathDogg]

I agree 100% whilst also adding that I’d like to see the current squad played more so we can see what they are capable of before buying any more quick fixes. We have some time now without jeopardy to see these lads have minutes.

That’s my biggest issue with the manager, his handling and use of the signings and squad hasn’t been great
Imo.

I get that some have not been very good even given their limited minutes, but they seem to get slammed for a few mistakes or poor performances and dropped, and the usual suspects can play poorly but keep getting selected.

Can’t fault how he’s got our away form going though, some fantastic performances and results.

Wish we could get our home form sorted, but different requirements from the team and manager, I guess.

 

[hetion]

A stupid thing to do, but I'll do it anyway as somebody has to.

Against Leeds we will have Ndiaye and Gana back and fully fit, so assuming it'll be Ndiaye in for McNeil and same XI otherwise, possibly Gana for Roehl too.

The squad from yesterday will have had a full week of training; another week for Branthwaite to regain fitness, and hopefully Dewsbury-Hall is inching ever closer to returning.

We now have series of games where each one is winnable until mid-March. Now I do not expect full points, of course, but the challenge must be to dramatically improve our home form while maintaining solid away performances that seem to always put us there or thereabouts.

Next five fixtures: Leeds home, Brighton and Fulham away, then Bournemouth and United at home. Dunno about you, but with a squad is almost fully fit, I'd be expecting us to take at least 8 points there, and hopefully more (win 2 of the 3 home games, remain unbeaten away is doable). That would put us on 26 games played and still well in contention for a European place.

Come on David, be brave. Don't do stupid things like shifting O'Brien back to right back or resting Ndiaye for a game or two as he's been at the ACON.

A bit sad KDH won't be back next week, would have been very funny to have Ndiaye, Gana, KDH and Branthwaite all back for the same match

 

[barneygumble]

I think there are a few "if's" for that to happen. Like if the Premier league teams currently in the Champions league all make it to the knock out phase and do better than the Italian and Spanish teams, then England will keep its 5th Champions league place. Then If the winners of the League Cup and FA cup are both already in the top 6, then the places for the winners of those competitions will pass to the 7th and 8th placed league teams.

I think we could finish anywhere between 6th and 12th. We are 3 points off 5th place and back to back wins could see us right up there. But like most of the teams from 4th to 12th we have been inconsistent this season. I just look aback on the start of the season and would have been happy this season to just be away from the bottom 6 and not going into the last few weeks of the season needing a result to stay up.

Sorry, massive nerd so I keep up to date with this.

France, Spain are definitely losing a side. Spain, Germany, have a side who are in elimination area and England has 6 teams who'll all earn bonus points for progressing at this stage, with Villa & Forest earning their own.

With at least 9 teams gaining at least for another round, the coefficient will only grow, furthering England from the rest (and there's a gap already).

So id say barring a complete meltdown by Newcastle, Chelsea, forest in the final 2 group games, England will lock up a 5th CL place fairly soon.

 

[sbbefc]

Sorry, massive nerd so I keep up to date with this.

France, Spain are definitely losing a side. Spain, Germany, have a side who are in elimination area and England has 6 teams who'll all earn bonus points for progressing at this stage, with Villa & Forest earning their own.

With at least 9 teams gaining at least for another round, the coefficient will only grow, furthering England from the rest (and there's a gap already).

So id say barring a complete meltdown by Newcastle, Chelsea, forest in the final 2 group games, England will lock up a 5th CL place fairly soon.

So we're looking at top 5 in the Champions league.

6th in the Europa League.

Fa Cup winner in the Europa league (does this include the losing runner up if the other finalist has already qualified? I don't think it does). Otherwise if already qualified this goes to 7th.

Then the winner of the league cup gets the Conference League. Obviously this can change but it's highly likely it'll be an Arsenal City final. Newcastle seem the least likely to progress. So odds on this will go to 7th or 8th in the league.

So as it stands 7th is likely to be Europe but a good chance of 8th too.

Worst case scenario is down to fifth. The European teams would need to implode, non European team wins the fa Cup and Newcastle wins the League cup (and finishes outside of the European spots) .

 

[barneygumble]

So we're looking at top 5 in the Champions league.

6th in the Europa League.

Fa Cup winner in the Europa league (does this include the losing runner up if the other finalist has already qualified? I don't think it does). Otherwise if already qualified this goes to 7th.

Then the winner of the league cup gets the Conference League. Obviously this can change but it's highly likely it'll be an Arsenal City final. Newcastle seem the least likely to progress. So odds on this will go to 7th or 8th in the league.

So as it stands 7th is likely to be Europe but a good chance of 8th too.

Worst case scenario is down to fifth. The European teams would need to implode, non European team wins the fa Cup and Newcastle wins the League cup (and finishes outside of the European spots) .

Yeah - so as it stands, Poland top of coefficient (that will change), and England is just second, but a fair way ahead of other "big" leagues.

6th will get Europa, 7th will get Conference (assuming that none of the remaining 4 teams in league cup finish outside of top 7).

If any side qualifying for CL/Europa win FA Cup, then itll go to 8th. The runner up no longer gets a berth for being runner up.

So were 3 points off a CL spot, but just a point of European spots.

Given all 9 seem likely to progress, I think its a formality that England will get the 5th spot (which it should do every season). So our best outcome is hoping Arsenal, City, Chelsea, Villa win the FA Cup.

All for it, as itd mean no Monday night football.

 

[Dario Terracotta]

Conference league for all its faults would be an ideal opportunity for us to at least in some way get this 31 year monkey off our back I feel.

 

[hetion]

Willing to be convinced otherwise - could Conference League be a bit disastrous? I find it hard to believe it'd attract a higher calibre of player in the summer, and the demands of playing twice a week could be too much too soon for a relatively thin squad.

Not very top bloo NSNO of me but I sort of think it could be a year too early

 

[barneygumble]

Willing to be convinced otherwise - could Conference League be a bit disastrous? I find it hard to believe it'd attract a higher calibre of player in the summer, and the demands of playing twice a week could be too much too soon for a relatively thin squad.

Not very top bloo NSNO of me but I sort of think it could be a year too early

Probably the best bet of a trophy. I would say the Europa would be fare more burdensome.

I would argue regardless of what happens this summer, we will be trying to strengthen.

Looking at Palace this season, theyve faced

Dynamo Kyiv
AEK Larnaca
Shelbourne
KuPS
AZ
Strasbourg

Strangely stronger than youd expect, but you could easily give

Aznou, Patterson, Keane/Tarkowski, Armstrong a go.

Play a stronger side at home and send a weaker squad away. Not strong enough for Europa, CL.... But conference league is a legitimate chance of ending our duck.

 

[Sam0697]

We are absolutely capable of qualifying for Europe this season, and our best 11 would be competitive. I think there are some real question marks about whether our squad is anywhere near ready for European football though. Even with a few quality additions in the summer I think we would see a big drop off with all the extra games. We barely managed to get through the Christmas period in one piece as it was this season.

 

[zook]

Willing to be convinced otherwise - could Conference League be a bit disastrous? I find it hard to believe it'd attract a higher calibre of player in the summer, and the demands of playing twice a week could be too much too soon for a relatively thin squad.

Not very top bloo NSNO of me but I sort of think it could be a year too early

I’d argue against this. Particularly if we were able to qualify for the Conference League. The quality needed to win that is nowhere near what you need for any other cup we could compete for, and if you finish in the top 8 you’d go from around mid December to mid March without actually playing another game.

We should absolutely be able to address our needs if necessary in one transfer window imo.

6 players in the first team squad aged 23 or under in Alcaraz, Iroebugnam, Dibling, Armstrong, Röhl and Aznou that need game time for us to develop them and it gives more opportunity for lads doing well at U23/U18 level to get some first team exposure.

Needs to be seen as a massive opportunity rather than a potential burden.

 

[OneTrueLegend]

Willing to be convinced otherwise - could Conference League be a bit disastrous? I find it hard to believe it'd attract a higher calibre of player in the summer, and the demands of playing twice a week could be too much too soon for a relatively thin squad.

Not very top bloo NSNO of me but I sort of think it could be a year too early

I think qualifying for the conference league would be great. You've got to look at the standard of the conference league, at the top end in the league phase there are probably 16 teams that have decent support and a decent level of funding from the top 10 leagues in europe. Then there are 20 teams that are really there for participation and if they win a game against a bigger team its like and FA cup upset.

You play 6 games in the group, if you win 4 you go into the last 16, if you win 2 or 3 you have to go into a play off for the last 16. win less than 2 and you are probably out.

In the past the manager used the european games to give loads of the youth players a chance, before they play in the league. I think even with youth players we would need 4 first team ready players adding to the squad for next season, if we are in europe or not.

I agree that being in the Conference league wont attract players in the same way as Champions League, because the prestige and money are not the same. But some may think thats a chance to win a cup and a chance to play in more games.

 

[hetion]

I’d argue against this. Particularly if we were able to qualify for the Conference League. The quality needed to win that is nowhere near what you need for any other cup we could compete for, and if you finish in the top 8 you’d go from around mid December to mid March without actually playing another game.

We should absolutely be able to address our needs if necessary in one transfer window imo.

6 players in the first team squad aged 23 or under in Alcaraz, Iroebugnam, Dibling, Armstrong, Röhl and Aznou that need game time for us to develop them and it gives more opportunity for lads doing well at U23/U18 level to get some first team exposure.

Needs to be seen as a massive opportunity rather than a potential burden.

I agree in theory but out of all the English teams to be in it, Villa are the only non-insanely rich club to avoid having a terrible league season at the same time (West Ham finished 14th, Palace this season...)

Concerns me!

 

[jinkyali]

Entering the competition Moyes knows how to win.

Bring it on.