Yesterday I wanted us to finish bottom to avoid Europa, but now I think about it, it's a **** situation, whichever way you look at it. If we don't beat Bayern, which we most likely will not, then the prospect of the Europa becomes more and more realistic. However, what it means is that we end up playing extra games and get less financial reward for it (compared to the CL at least). It's a long road to the final and given that we have struggled against average sides in Europe before, I wouldn't fancy our chances. If we finish bottom, our co-efficient gets even worse and we end up losing the 4th place CL spot to another European league. We may be able to focus more on the league for this season, but in the long-term, it could damage us. There's too many variables at play. I still cannot believe we have been beaten by a side who hadn't previously won in the CL for 16 years and a side who had lost on their last 12 visits to England.
I think it's karma that the John Stones saga appears to have had a negative effect on Chelsea and the converse for us. It doesn't usually pan out like that, but it defo has this time, as he unsettled his existing backline and didn't get his man.
So you've now managed to turn my thread into a discussion about Chelsea, just a suggestion like but there's a Chelsea board.
It's a European Cup mate why avoid it? Isn't winning trophies what it's all about for us fans? Smacks of snobbery all this Europy Cup is a rubbish competiton, as a football fan I want my team to win things.
Of course, but I also want us to try and compete for the league - and I still believe we have a better chance of competing for the title, than winning the Europa League. It's got nothing to do with snobbery.
Fair enough mate, if you can get a run going in the league it's there for you but you have to get rid of these random games where you get done out of the blue. None of us want Man Utd to win it so pull your finger out.
To be honest, for too long now we've only been focused on being in the CL/getting the 4th spot to reap the financial rewards, instead of actually trying to win the competition and it's been a vicious circle. This is our chickens coming home to roost because we've been so caught up in getting 4th spot for the CL gravy train, we haven't been focused on what it actually means to win the competition. I'm hoping that our inevitable exit from the CL will bring in a shift of mentality for next season.
We NEED to give Bayern ALL of this pussy back to back. Can't afford to be playing Thursday night football. We can't handle the stress that comes with that. We need write this years CL campaign off. We are **** #endof
Ok think I got it. Rough translation being. We need to lose both games to Bayern so that we finish bottom of the group and avoid the Europa league because we will not fair well in the league if we play on a Thursday night. The "we are ****" part I got.
I actually think we'll probably beat Bayern in one of the ties, probably away from home. Not because I'm deluded but because this is what Arsenal do - they give us hope and pluck results out of nowhere but the minute there's actual pressure and expectation they crumble. We'll probably get some decent results against Bayern and then draw at home to Zagreb...
Yeah it is the Arsenal way. We need to try something different and save ourselves the headache of going through the same thing. Just give the squad players the CL games and keep the first team fresh for the league and cups.
Bayern have won all 8 of their games so far this season - scoring 29 goals in the process and conceding just 2............. Good luck with that one
Seriously? An Everton fan on the WUM? Your club aren't exactly achieving wonders at the moment either. In fact, you haven't for a long, long time.
