Do We Want To Lose Against Arsenal?

So with Everton beating Arsenal today to go one point behind them with a game in hand, does this make losing our league game against Arsenal a wise idea to increase our chance of playing in Europe next year?

Of course assuming we get to the FA Cup Final.

 

No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No.


And no.

 

Never - are you mad???

 

Rather take the league points than play in the Europa.

 

Wouldn't we get a Europa spot even if Arsenal finish 5th?

They'll get a spot because of their league position so the spot reserved for the cup winners would go to the other finalist.

 

No because the Cup offers a higher starting spot in the Europa.

 

Does that mean the extra spot will go to whoever finishes one place below the Europa spots in the league then?

 

I think so.

 

You are assuming Arsenal will beat Wigan - no forgone conclusion - and we do not want to lose the Arse under any circumstances.

 

I mentioned this on the Super Sunday thread.

Too many people think Wigan will be walkovers. They won't be. If Arsenal play like they did today, they will lose, guaranteed.

 

Really? You'd rather finish 12th instead of 13th at the expense of our first ever European campaign?

 

If Arsenal finish 5th and we finish runners up in the FA Cup we will not go into the Europa League

UEFA Europa League

There are three places in the UEFA Europa League available: the FA Cup winners will enter at the Group Stage; the fifth place team in the Barclays Premier League will enter at the Play-Off stage; and the Football League Cup winners will enter at the Q3 stage.

In the event the FA Cup winners are qualified for the UEFA Champions League the FA Cup runners-up will qualify, but in the place reserved for the lowest ranking Barclays Premier League representative. The place with direct access to the Group Stage will be given to the club that finishes in the highest position in the Barclays Premier League of the clubs qualifying for the UEFA Europa League.

English winners of the UEFA Europa League will enter at the Group Stage, gaining an extra domestic place only if they fail to qualify through other means for the UEFA Champions League or UEFA Europa League. If the holders of the UEFA Europa League have already qualified for Europe, no extra domestic place will be gained.

Should the FA Cup winners, runners-up (if applicable) and the Football League Cup winners already have qualified for Europe, their place goes to the next best placed clubs in the Premier League.

 

But that suggests the idea that we would already have qualified...

The rules are stupidly written.

 

I think it is controversial but I would rather maximise the opportunity of playing in Europe.

Of course come this time next Sunday it could be an entirely different question.

 

We don't want to lose to anybody, let alone Arsenal.

 

Winning the FA cup is by far a bigger deal than simply qualifying for the Europa league. Throwing our first ever FA cup final, ****ing ridiculous, seriously, **** off

 

I'd rather just win the cup (if we get there) and not play in Europe.

You've seen how jaded Swansea have looked this season. It'll happen to us if we qualify.

We don't have the team

 

I personally am not bothered about Europe at all atm. I'll bother about it if we get there.

 

I seriously am not arsed about Europa League.

Yes it would be nice, but look at the whole lot of good it's done to Swansea.

I want us to win every game we can, so lose to Arsenal? Not a chance.

 

Apologies, I meant the league game - I will edit my original post.