Fifth spot.

They should rename it the Trampions League

Boring, stupid competition.

Even though winners get CL qualification, it's still ****.

Arsenal will win it this season and we won't hear the end of it.

 

How many times utf bern in this comp?

Cos they got knocked out.

 

Fkn hell. Comm's talking Swahili again.

 

From memory, once, it was a shambles.

Got spanked off Bilbao

 

Funny tel understood me.

Syop trying to be a smartatse.

Look at the ****ong time. Imm ****ed

 

I was in Intelligence though mate, decryption is a speciality of mine

 

Well it's not my fault he chooses to look like Peter.

 

The only good thing that has emerged from it is Boro and Fulham have reached the final.

 

And look where they are now, its a killer for smaller clubs with no strength in depth.

 

I'd agree with any slagging off of the format but still any club should jump at the chance to play in Europe whatever the circumstances. Otherwise what's the point?

 

What?

 

Neither Fulham nor Boro were relegated in the season they were in the Europa were they? So not sure that statement makes any sense.

 

Nah you're ok Peter, I'm a tolerant man.

 

I agree. Double edge sword as would be a killer for clubs like us if we snuck in Hull stylie.

 

Hull were.

 

Depends IMO mate. When you know you're in the Europa League you have 2 choices. Splash the cash and get a squad to cope, or not take the competition very seriously and save your first team squad for the premier league.

Hull could easily have got relegated anyway as they were ****e.

FOr me there's a good argument that the Europa League doesn't affect you as badly as some make out, it's just a very easy excuse for manager's to make after getting beat. Obviously this has a knock on effect and players have an excuse lined up before they've even kicked off, leading to poor results. It's interesting how the Europa rarely affects foreign teams who's managers hardly ever complain about it.

For example, we lost 6-1 to Man City a few weeks back.

If that had happened the Sunday after a Europa game on the Thursday, everyone would have been discussing the hangover from our midweek game. It's just an easy cop out for me.

 

Europa is no picnic. In 2013 Spurs played Tromso in the Arctic Circle on a Thursday and then came back and scored a last minute equalizer against Man. U the following Sunday. This week they are off to Azerbaijan to play Qarabag with Chelsea waiting for them (via Tel-Aviv) on Sunday.

 

Fifth place offers a club the opportunity to enter the Europa, but nobody's forced to send in the entrance forms. When the League Cup was first introduced in the early-1960s, two famous clubs - Sunderland and Liverpool - didn't fancy the extra games and just didn't bother with it the first year. Clubs might moan about the extra games in Europa but don't let them kid you - they chose to enter it. I don't know what Europa pays. But they keep going back for more, given the chance.

 

Safc and lfc didnt fancy the extra games and didnt enter. Enter what mate, the league cup?

 

Yes.