Will we qualify for Europe this season?

[GwladysBlue]

The top 4 are getting further and further away. Nobody can touch Man City! They are practically in a league of their own. Gone are the days of 1994/95 when teams actually had a chance. The top teams aren't gonna wait for us to catch up.

Football goes in cycles.

 

[Khalekan]

The top 4 are getting further and further away. Nobody can touch Man City! They are practically in a league of their own. Gone are the days of 1994/95 when teams actually had a chance. The top teams aren't gonna wait for us to catch up.

I would say the Top 1 is getting further and further away.

There is no “top 4” anymore, outside of interchangeable league positions below the top spot.

United and Chelsea are not going to close on them in the foreseeable, never mind the rest of us.

The way things are going City will do to the EPL what PSG have done to Ligue 1.

 

[COYBL25]

I would say the Top 1 is getting further and further away.

There is no “top 4” anymore, outside of interchangeable league positions below the top spot.

United and Chelsea are not going to close on them in the foreseeable, never mind the rest of us.

The way things are going City will do to the EPL what PSG have done to Ligue 1.

This.

PSG and Citteh, can afford to buy any player in the world and pay them what they want.

It really is as simple as that.

 

[Borussin]

Yep, agree with these views. I don't understand the "It'll kill our season" argument. It's up to the manager to balance Europe against the League, so that should mean playing youngsters instead of players in their thirties who struggle to play Thursday / Sunday. If, as a result, we get knocked out, then so be it.

This.

PSG and Citteh, can afford to buy any player in the world and pay them what they want.

It really is as simple as that.

Exactly, this is a team who's spent close on 700 million euros in 3 years on transfers, they simply are in a league of their own, even Chelsea and Man Utd who also have both spent plenty too, can't get close to that. From an outsider looking in the premier league seems to now be a case of one team who are way and above others, then 2 teams in Chelsea and Man Utd who do have the financial clout to compete in europe every season and who should be getting CL every season, then 3 other teams who can't or won't compete financially with those 3 fighting their own battle in Arsenal, Liverpool and Spurs. But teams like Everton do have the ability to challenge that 3rd group, looking at transfermarket website, you boys already are competing in the transfer market with fees with teams like Spurs and Liverpool, in fact you outspet both clubs last couple of years, so why can you not push them in the league and compete in Europe.

And as Woolly Blue says above 'I don't understand the "It'll kill our season" argument.' Europa doesn't have to kill a team with the financial ability to build a deeper squad. There is no need for teams in the Premier League with all the financial tv resources to think like this. For instance this season Arsenal should be going all out to win it, no excuses. And being in europe every season does make a difference to a teams profile, which them helps teams attract players and attract better sponsorships etc. Yes CL is the aim of course, but the Europa league also helps and can act as springboard, the more seasons you qualify for Europe, the higher the profile becomes. It's what helped us a lot in Dortmund the last decade, we where in europa for a couple years from 2009 before making it into the CL, and onwards we went, building a foundation, attracting big shirt sponsors and other sponsorship deals and being able to spend more on wages etc.

 

[marcus]

We can finish 7th this year in my opinion....

Europe has still to be an option....

 

[Marius57]

We can still get Europe but despite the recent results, we aren’t playing well. So I don’t think we will. There’s only so long you can play poorly and grind out results. So unless we start performing better, then I don’t think it’s going to happen.

 

[marcus]

Hopefully we can indulge ourselves in the transfer market in January & get 2/3 players to inject some more impetus in our league campaign this year....

 

[Thetigerblue]

I really, really hope not.

Or actually I hope we either finish 1st-4th and get in the Champions League, or 5th and politely tell the Europa League that someone else can do it instead.

I agree. The Europa League is hard but boring

 

[COYBL25]

I agree. The Europa League is hard but boring

Rubbish, any European game under the lights at Goodison is always an occasion.

It's just this season that's been crap.

The home game against Fiorentina in 2008, when we won 2-0, but still went out, was one of the best games of footy that I've ever seen at Goodison.

 

[Ollie d]

Just win as many games as possible, finish as high up the table as we can and what happens, happens.

 

[Death]

This.

PSG and Citteh, can afford to buy any player in the world and pay them what they want.

It really is as simple as that.

It's a sick world.

 

[COYBL25]

It's a sick world.

It will end up, that everyone just puts ten men behind the ball when they play City, almost attack v defence for ninety mins.

I include the likes of Man U and Chelsea in that too.

 

[Death]

It will end up, that everyone just puts ten men behind the ball when they play City, almost attack v defence for ninety mins.

I include the likes of Man U and Chelsea in that too.

Capitalism is bound to implode someday. Let's hold out for hope.

 

[ExpatinBangkok]

I hope we get Europe. I'd actually choose CL qualification over winning the fa cup (heresy for many of you I know but I think cl is just more exciting and ' epic '). *runs from room quickly *

 

[CountyRoadKid]

Top Four might just be out of touch for us this season but if we keep Big Sam and get in half a dozen truly world class players over the summer we should be nailed on next season.

I'd actually prefer us to miss out on Europe altogether this year so we have a clear run at CL qualification next season