How much of a factor is European football?

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Bruce Wayne

Bruce Wayne

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To league form I mean. I think it's fair to say that Chelsea and Man City have the resources to cope either way, but this season we've seen both Liverpool and ourselves struggle to reach the heights achieved last season. Man Utd on the other hand seem set fair to return to the top four this season.

How big a factor is European football in the fortunes of the three clubs mentioned? I know Martinez said at the start of the season that he wanted a squad to compete on all fronts, and he's certainly been rotating the squad a lot.

What do you guys think?
 

Only a factor when you get beaten. Champions league teams play on Wed and then Sat with no issue, other Euro leagues dont seem to gripe about having to play Thur/Sun either.

Managers always looking for an excuse rather than looking at their own preparation etc. Players and fans are so superstitious about football that they believe it must be true when the manager comes out with this (see RAWK for reference data).
 

I think no proper close season,injuries to key players & a world cup hangover are bigger factors than European football.
In fact I see it as a welcome distraction from all of the above.
 
Bruce Wayne said:
To league form I mean. I think it's fair to say that Chelsea and Man City have the resources to cope either way, but this season we've seen both Liverpool and ourselves struggle to reach the heights achieved last season. Man Utd on the other hand seem set fair to return to the top four this season.

How big a factor is European football in the fortunes of the three clubs mentioned? I know Martinez said at the start of the season that he wanted a squad to compete on all fronts, and he's certainly been rotating the squad a lot.

What do you guys think?
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It's a massive difference.

At the very least, consider the injuries we've sustained to key players when playing Europa League games. Coleman missed a few, McCarthy... we'd have no doubt be more competitive with those players fit and playing the league game they otherwise missed.
 
Eggs said:
...Chelsea play a similar side for every game and they seem to be doing ok.
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They've had 20 players make over 5 appearances this season, which is ever so slightly less than us (21). I was just thinking:

- fatigue from an extra game
- fatigue from traveling to away games
- reduction in time to prepare for each league game
- reduction in time to recover from each game
- more rotation, so possibly less cohesion between players

They're the main things I can think of. Of course there are positives to take from playing in Europe too, especially if we're winning games, and I'd suggest any negative impact is only likely to be marginal, but the difference between winning and losing these days is often very small, so any marginal drains can add up.
 
Its lazy to just put bad form down to the Europa league. Bad managers are given this as an easy excuse.

You didnt see our league form drop under Moyes because of Europe.

For me its just down to injures and bad form of some players.
 

Bruce Wayne said:
They've had 20 players make over 5 appearances this season, which is ever so slightly less than us (21). I was just thinking:

- fatigue from an extra game
- fatigue from traveling to away games
- reduction in time to prepare for each league game
- reduction in time to recover from each game
- more rotation, so possibly less cohesion between players

They're the main things I can think of. Of course there are positives to take from playing in Europe too, especially if we're winning games, and I'd suggest any negative impact is only likely to be marginal, but the difference between winning and losing these days is often very small, so any marginal drains can add up.
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....it's a strange one. I know there wasn't group games but we won a European Competition and the League in '85 not to mention reaching an FA Cup Final. I don't think rotation was mentioned in those days. I'm not certain it has an impact to be honest, especially when you are winning football matches.
 
Pabbers said:
Really ?? 7th is decent really.
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Wasn't as good as last season to be honest, this is one of the reasons for the gloom right now, we want that again. We waited so long for a real good season and its rather depressing we have stepped back this year, something we are jist going to have to ride out.
 
Poor preparation for the season meant we've been playing catch up all along, add in the huge injury problems (possibly related to the pre season) and confidence suffered early doors and we've been playing within ourselves trying to get some rhythm going. Now we've put to bed the EL for a few months and players are slowly coming back I think we'll start to hit our stride again, if we can be in an amongst the top 6 by the end of Christmas within touching distance of the top 4 when it starts up again it could help us keep momentum going for a good finish to the season.
 

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