WHAT NOW FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE SEASON?

[BlueLlama]

Today wa sutterly dog***t, no doubt but the season is not over. All we can do is try and finish as high as possible. It is crucial in attracting new players and we will need loads of them

 

[billycopper]

We've got a game in hand on United and two on Spurs. If we win both of those we're back up to fifth. Finishing above those two is possible and would be a very good achievement.

 

[AndyZ]

top four is sorted. best we can hope for is 5th/6th. No trophy. No CL. Europa League is all we can achieve.

 

[Gibbo4]

My wishlist:

- Smash our Prem points record. Need 18 points from last 11 games to do so. Clear sign of progress.
- Qualify for Europe.
- Gibbo returns and stays fit (Ok so this one's more of a miracle request but it's possible.)

 

[Elong]

McGeady is our Jar-Jar in my reading

More like Jabba at the moment!

 

[deipnosophist]

we won't finish as low as 8th. newcastle are terrible without cabaye so they have no chance of catching us. soton won't either.

Think we'll finish above both those two teams, but can't see us getting a win at either of those away games.

 

[Brennan]

That Europa league does what? There's no money in it at all. Just pointless and a distraction as we haven't got a squad to play in the domestic English Competitions irrespective Europe. Would rather give it a wide berth TBH

You get in the Champions League for winning it, we've got about as much chance of getting in that way as by finishing in the top 4 next season.

I don't know why people seem to obsess over the Champions League, you don't get a trophy for qualifying for it. Getting in it would be good for the teams we'd end up playing, but the likelihood is we'd get dumped out at the end of the group stages. Martinez is good, he's not a god.

We're not going to become a force in football by qualifying for the Champions League the odd time, it would require sustained investment.

And btw, the same season we played the most Europa League matches in the last ten years was the same season we finished with our highest points total of that period. Don't buy that the Europa wrecks a season at all.

 

[Christiffa25]

We've lost 4 games in ten, taking 14 points.
They've lost 3 games in ten, taking 19 points.

But in that period we'v played Liverpool Chelsea and spurs away. Correct me if I'm wrong but spurs have had it easier.

This month gets very tough for spurs. Ours on the other hand has many points up for grabs if we knuckle down.

I think the key maybe bobby freshening it up a bit with the likes of McGeady and Delefoe given a chance to shine. Barkley who now looks fit again has an important couple of months too.

This season is only over if we let it be.

 

[Christiffa25]

You get in the Champions League for winning it, we've got about as much chance of getting in that way as by finishing in the top 4 next season.

I don't know why people seem to obsess over the Champions League, you don't get a trophy for qualifying for it. Getting in it would be good for the teams we'd end up playing, but the likelihood is we'd get dumped out at the end of the group stages. Martinez is good, he's not a god.

We're not going to become a force in football by qualifying for the Champions League the odd time, it would require sustained investment.

And btw, the same season we played the most Europa League matches in the last ten years was the same season we finished with our highest points total of that period. Don't buy that the Europa wrecks a season at all.

And this is an excellent post btw. Realistically Utd, City, Arsenal and Chelsea are the consistant CL teams. They have the cash to buy players, pay wages and attract some of the biggest players in world football. Ok they may have a bad season and drop out for a year but they will buy themselves back in.

Liverpool and spurs who have much more money than us MAY be able to break the monolopy, but still can't really see it for more than the odd season.

What do you do once you get there? Go out in the group stage due to No European experience?

Europa league is no cash cow granted, but we should and would benifit from being in it year in year out and would represent a easier chance IMO of CL qualification than the PL.

 

[rascal]

I'll be very happy if we finish higher than 7th. That represents progress. Finishing above those bells from whl would be nice. Would also shut those United fans up who say Martinez is a nothing manager.

 

[Brennan]

And this is an excellent post btw. Realistically Utd, City, Arsenal and Chelsea are the consistant CL teams. They have the cash to buy players, pay wages and attract some of the biggest players in world football. Ok they may have a bad season and drop out for a year but they will buy themselves back in.

Liverpool and spurs who have much more money than us MAY be able to break the monolopy, but still can't really see it for more than the odd season.

What do you do once you get there? Go out in the group stage due to No European experience?

Europa league is no cash cow granted, but we should and would benifit from being in it year in year out and would represent a easier chance IMO of CL qualification than the PL.

Yep, I think it's just about being realistic.

Everton fans being unhappy about only being in the Europa is like Swansea being disappointed they only won the league cup. We've not even been in Europe at all for three seasons.

People say the Europa isn't worth that much, fair enough saying that if you're a team with money to burn, we're not. You're looking at £10m+ from it if you have a good run when you take into account increased sponsorship potential and the TV revenues.

Then there's also the increased attractiveness to potential transfers. It's not the Champions League but teams in the Europa will be taking it far more seriously now that it's a direct pathway to the Champions League.

 

[degsy]

one game at a time??

 

[turner]

The europa provides a good opportunity to test our promising youth without it being in the pressure cooker of the prem.

 

[orly]

The europa provides a good opportunity to test our promising youth without it being in the pressure cooker of the prem.

Good call, more opportunities for Robles to have a run out.....

......

 

[Evertonized]

Looking at our and Manchester United's fixtures, I would hope we finish above them. We have three big games before the end of the season, but they are all at home.

Obviously Europa League should be our number one objective, Champions League is certainly out of reach.