I'm all in favour of the Europa League and taking it seriously but I am a bit worried about the effect it could have on our league results if we draw a big team. I think it'd be wrong to do anything more than a bit of rotation for it though, it's a good trophy to win and we're by no means "above it" as we qualify for it pretty much every year. Plus, what happens if we do get into the CL next year? If we can't handle 2 games a week now we won't be able to handle it then.
I think the problem was how can a club like us have backup for Modric, King, VDV, Bale, Adebayor (in that form) plus Sandro wasn't at his current level back then, it was a superb first XI yet a club like us just can't have backup for certain players. But with this current squad we don't have world class players like VDV & Modric & King, we have potentially world class players or various players not far of each other so its a better squad just be interesting to see what happens when we find that next Bale, that world class talent and if we can become a special team.
I hope not! The time to do that was against the mickey mouse sides in the group stage. Now we're in the knockout rounds I want to see us go for it. I'd love to see us win a european trophy again, I'd take the EL over either the FA or COC cups any day. Anyway, this is the only competition we're left in apart from the league now, if we even can't handle that then what's the point qualifying for CL?
Personally I think our 'best XI' (not a term I like because I think it should depend on the opposition and some other things - for example if we had to win our last match by 3-0 to qualify for the CL my XI would be rather different from the one I'd select if he had to avoid losing by 3-0) is nowhere near as good as Harry's last side currently. But we have a well balanced young squad and it has the potential to be as good as anything anyone has had. Just needs some continuity in selection policy and tactics.
I'd love to win it. For me a trophy is a trophy and 4th place will never compare. I was just saying what approach I think Tim will take. Midfield-wise I think we could afford to rotate all 4/5 in the Europa against Dnipro and then depending if we got past them (which I think we can) and who our next opponents would be I'd make a decision then to see if rotation was possible or not. I'd only rotate if I felt comfortable that the players coming in are good enough to match or better the opposition. We had some OK talent in reserve, of course nothing near the level of the first teamers but then realistically there aren't many clubs who can bring in back ups that are of a superb standard. I think the club's hoping that Lamela and Eriksen can become the new world class players in the future.
Completely agree, I think we can afford to rotate the midfielders for Dnipro though, Dnipro are good but they aren't great. The likes of Sig, Holtby, Chadli, Townsend, Lamela etc are more than equipped to cause them damage I feel.
Depends on who utd sign. If they get Mata and if Rooney and RVP hit form then they will take 4th. Tbh I think we will finish 6th this season.
I'd make Spurs favourites. Whatever problems caused the inept displays towards the end of AVB's tenure appear to have disappeared and the performances of Adebayor illustrate how the team has been galvanised under Sherwood. Getting consistent results - especially away from home- even when performamces haven't always been great is Spurs' biggest plus point this season. Liverpool owe their position to Suarez demolishing the lesser teams at Anfield. Their away form is average and their defence is weak. I see having the top sides to play at Anfield as a disadvantage. Everton are strong when in form but they have been insipid in half their games - hence lots of low scoring draws. I can't see them getting enough points for 4th. Utd are missing Rooney and RvP because they bail out a poor defence which makes at least two catastrophic errors per game. This makes it impossible to beat top sides against whom scoring 3 or 4 goals is unlikely. Utd's only dropped points in the last 7 PL games came v Spurs & Chelsea. Fortunately neither has to be played again but trips to Arsenal, Everton, Soton, Newcastle & Stoke don't bode well, not to mention City & Liverpool at home.
Regardless of your tough fixtures throughout Feb and march, I think Arsenal are dead certs for a top 3 finish, sadly. You're playing good football and appear to be very good defensively this season, with Kosielny and Mertesacker having and absolute blinder so far, IMO. I think City and Chelsea will be too strong for you in terms of winning the title. - We all know how city can destroy anyone, and Chelsea will continue to just grind out results under Mourinho. However, I can't see you finishing any lower than 3rd. 4th is anyones, but it is concerning me how Everton seems to be very hard to beat. 2 defeats in the league all season. 2!!!! That is very impressive and if they can continue that sort of form, well, they deserve to get 4th really. Here's hoping Arsenal lose every game between now and the end of the season, Everton are plagued by injuries, Liverpool fade away, and Sherwood continues his current form!
What do you make of the stories that RVP claims to be injured even though the physios/Doctors say he isn't. It may be untrue but seems to suggest there are more than just injury problems with him?
More unfounded doomsday stories about Utd. The media are having a field day because Utd stories sell - and there aren't any good news ones at the moment. RvP is a top player; he hasn't got there by being unprofessional or lazy or by sulking or whatever the supposed problem is. He's had to battle injuries throughout his career and he's shown the ability to fight back and perform at the top level (leading scorer in the PL in the last two seasons when fit). He will want to play and push for a CL place and to progress in the CL this year. Fortunes change quickly in football; he knows that if the Utd team can challenge again if players are fit and signings are made in January or in the summer. Even if it doesn't prove to be the case, he will believe it now. I don't think he's a quitter.
At the beginning of the season there were the whole "Moyes is a dinosaur" type comments about his training and how he wasn't looking after RVP correctly. They seem to have been mostly forgotten, but RVP has been back to his injury-prone ways this season after a couple of pretty much injury-free years so maybe the stories had some truth. Now it seems the club are saying he's fit/near fit and RVP/his team are saying he needs a few more weeks. Its all a bit suspicious. Expect a big club to come in for him in the summer.
I still think the goons will be in the mix for 3rd&4th place,with City winning it and Chelsea a distant 2nd,and i think the rest of us will close in on the goons,
Last year I started predicting we'd lose a CL spot on the last day of the season or later about the time the season began. The theory was that if I predict something often enough and confidently enough, it won't happen. It was a theory, anyway. There is a chance that one of the top three will lose form (though I can't say any of them look like doing so, at all), or that Newcastle may sneak up, but I agree with the OP in general. Last weekend was a good one for us, no doubt, but there are plenty of ups and downs to go. A Spurs season has something like 4-6 runs of alternating good and bad form, so we probably have around 2-3 to go. As to the other teams: Liverpool easily have the most goal threat, but their defending remains a question mark, especially with Lucas out for two months. Will they do better when teams other than Aston Villa attack them? How they respond to a disappointing game may be their biggest test of the season. Everton are good enough, but I'm not at all sure they think they are. I'll make them fourth favorites of the four. Man U look almost out of it right now, yet may have as good a chance as any of the other three teams, especially if they can get a big player in the transfer window.
I'm surprised Utd haven't made any moves already. The longer you leave it in Jan the higher the price gets and the harder it is to negotiate. They need a new midfield (with Carrick aside). Their wingers aren't producing enough, Cleverly is pony and Fellaini just hasn't lived up to the expected hype. Kagawa seems to be Utd's Mata, don't understand why he's benched so much, think he's a class act. If I were Moyes, I'd be looking at Vidal, Lallana AND Mata. You're looking at about £100m worth of talent but I think they need it if they're to get top 4 this year and title challenge the next. In the summer they'd need to work on their defence, Evra, Rio and Vidic are nowhere near the players they were, Evans is just above average, Jones & Smalling haven't reached potential and Rafael is too hot headed when the tough gets going. Fergie definitely retired at the perfect time!
If we do finish fourth - and anyone considering putting this in their sig, remember I said if - the main thing we should hope for is Man Utd's swift exit from the Champions League. Once was bad enough...
The rule is being changed, but I am not sure if it comes in next year along with the EL winners getting a CL berth.
