Should we prioritise other competitions above the Premier League now?

And by that I don't mean just let ourselves get drawn in to a relegation dog fight, and totally forget about the league.

I'm just saying since it's unlikely now that we're gonna finish as high as we'd like, perhaps when Europe and the FA cup come around, we should play near full strength squads and really make a go of these competitions.

If we finish poorly in the league, at least we can perhaps seek glory elsewhere. A cup final IMO would make up for a low mid table finish.

We may lose a few of our best players in the summer, but I have faith that we'll hopefully develop good squad depth and get back to being a quality side that can push for the top 7/8 in 2013/14.

Agreed?

 

It really depends on the window. If we get 2 or 3 in of first team quality, we can probably cope. If not I want to have a go at the league and FA Cup. I'd write Europe off personally if we don't do any business. It just becomes a bit of a noose round your neck if you don't have the squad to cope.

 

Maybe we'll have turned a corner by the time the EL started up again and we can attack on both fronts and do well

 

I agree we can do well still mate, but I doubt Europa League next season is a possibility, unless we get to the FA cup final.

 

If we get to FA Cup final we'd better win it this time. Don't think I could hack another defeat after '98 and '99!

 

Well if we do get to the final at least we get Europe.

 

Have to say, the excuses for not fielding a good team in the Cups are really tiresome.

If we're going well in the league, we have to protect that by playing a reserve team in cups.
If we're doing badly in the league, we have to boost our league chances by playing a reserve team in cups.
If we are in mid-table, we have the potential to gain league places so must play reserves in the cups.

It's stupid and annoying knowing we'll never actually compete for a cup, barring an accident where we somehow acquire the best squad on earth for peanuts... The winner of the cups these days are the ones with the best reserve side

Our reserves are ok, but not going to beat the resources of the top 10 club's reserves, and they're going to struggle with championship clubs who actually field their first 11...

Good thread Tash, wish we'd give it a go sometime

 

I agree in terms of the FA Cup. They are Saturday games and have zero bearing on our prep time. Europe is slightly different of course.

 

Pardew is not in a position to **** about and this season proves he cant handle that!!! he needs to change something ie try something different like Ben Arfa and Ba up tops anything but do something because hes just continueing with nthe same arrogant bollocks. I hate the man and I can see why outsiders do to because he taks utter ****e.

A man that stand there every week saaying we are playing great is a man that has no idea what is going on around him - he's on his way one way or the other because he isn't trying to fix us. In short I think we will lose everty game until New year and then he'll still be saying the same ****e he did at West Ham like " you know we WAS good today and i fowt we were gunna win the game and I honestly know we will turn things around"

remember I said this

 

I'm afraid most of your utterings are not particularly memorable. You need a holiday. Or a blow job. Get yourself over to the mackem board. They've got some proper cocksuckers over there

 

You sit there all day being reasonable and now the real you surfaces -
Produce your address Northumbrian

 

What? I think I'm still being reasonable, indeed I'm being helpful. I simply suggest you need some destressing as you are melting down on here today. I find blow jobs very destressing and offered you somewhere to get one.

As for your threats I hope you are not serious

Settle yourself down fella or I'll send Nile round to cap your ass

 

I might too, if you weren't such a selfish lover

 

Was that a "tell me where you live so we can fight" request by Katmandu? Hilarious, you guys better be fast though before teacher finds out and tells mum. Kat, if you predict we will lose every game (which you pretty much do) then you will be right from time to time, i may as well predict its going to rain every evening and then come on and say "TOLD YOU SO" every day it does. Its pointless and tedious and I'd say the same to someone predicting we were going to win every game.

Regarding the thread I think we have to focus on the league until we're at least comfortable mid-table, which i doubt is going to happen any time soon. Tedious I know but another relegation isn't something I think we could financially cope with, we need to keep the ship steady - our accounts are one of the few things we are doing well (generally) at the moment.

 

No

 

We need to go all out in the Europa League, that is how to raise the profile of your club across Europe.

 

We are already in a relegation dog fight. We shouldn't prioritise any competition, but look to do well in all three, hopefully be possible in January after/ if we sign a few players.