Only a few days ago Mauricio told us that the Europa league was the devil's work and not for us, but it now has remarkably turned into the holy grail for Southampton. Keep up at the back. To be fair, he said that his dislike of the Europa was his view not that of the club. I suppose he feels the team need a carrot and something to work towards...the season mustn't just peter out. Whether that is his view or he has been brought into line is not clear. I still think a long run in the Cup will be detrimental to us, but getting into it will be an achievement. So perhaps MP intends to get us in, then rapidly drop out.
It would only be etrimental if you allow it t be. Use it as a development tool. Let the first team concentrate on winning PL games and the fringe players get a run out in Europa. If we go out early so be it.
Achieving Europa = good. Playing in Europa = bad. If Mauricio isn't a fan of this tournament, he should play a team that is a mixture of fringe players, youngsters and first teamers. In other words, treat it like the League and FA Cups, but will he have the nerve to do that? What would Katharina think? Would the first team players be desperate to play in Europe? I suspect that he will put out a strong side for morale purposes...wouldn't look good to go out in the early stages, even if he might want that. A separate issue is the need to revamp the Europa again. Far too big and cumbersome...need knock out stages, rather than group games. Bring the final forwards (like the League Cup), so that it takes up less of the season.
We've discussed the negative side for a long while; injuries, squad size, etc, etc but if we did qualify (don't think we will this year) then there are lots of positives. If it had been this year, then Jack Cork would have been playing before December. Ramirez and Osvaldo could have played more games and maybe found more form/goals.ore of the kids could have had valuable game time.
Please no! Can you imagine the endless wailing and gnashing of teeth there'd be on here if we ever put out a fringe side and lost? It doesn't bear thinking about. Vin
Going out relatively early on in a competition we have no prospect of winning would be an entirely different scenario.
I like your thinking. Would surely require an unlikely level of investment though, if we are to take that competition seriously without it damaging our league campaign too much.
If it had been this year, we could have had a regular Europa line up of something like Gazza Chambers/Clyne Yoshida Hooveld Targett Read Cork JWP Guly Isgrove Gallagher Would have een a good oppourtunity for a lot of those players to still be playing regular football.
He did say he was already thinking about next season at Saints, but this is probably just clutching at straws. Be nice, though.
Depends on how many you think we'd need and how many are close to coming through. If say we had a few freebies or low cost (Steven Davis) types on the horizon, then it may be ok?
I do like you Lff. You make me laugh. Next time I come to Plaitford (which I did last October with work) I'll drop you a message and buy you a coffee.
