A couple of seasons ago we would have been the team that occasionally took points off better sides than us. We would have been rightly praised for a good team spirit and a committed combative performance. We would get a win against an Everton, Villa or Spurs but I'd always feel that the opposition were technically superior and have a much more comfortable feel about their game. So then, I now feel that we are one of these sides with our higher class of player and we must accept that at times we will be playing the better football but will still lose to some 'inferior' teams. Of course there are no bad teams in the Prem but there are teams that are much better than others. Stoke played to their strengths and you can't blame them, it works for them. WBA and WHU try to play attractive footy but it isn't working very well for them. What I'm getting at is, although we occasionally get a result against Arsenal we don't have a better squad and I'd swap our squad for Arsenals but at the same time although Stoke beat us there's no way I'd swap squads with them. In fact I wouldn't swap squads with any side below us. Saturday was a setback but we're doing well and improving. We still have a few tough games to come this month and next before it gets a bit easier and to be honest I reckon European footy would do us no favours this season. Next season I think we'll be better placed to include a European campaign at the end of it.
I sort of agree with your sentiments regarding Europe but if we did qualify one thing it would do is attract better players in the transfer window.
Fair point Welder about attracting better players if we did get into Europe. A lot would then depend on how many top new players come because we are almost down to the bones now with injuries to several first teamers. If we got say 6 players of the likes of Sess and Muntari as well as keeping all the loan players then I would feel ok with a tilt at Europe but if we only get 1 or 2 in plus keep Muhammed Ali and Mensah for example then we could be regarding Europe like the carling cup or similar, playing second string players to keep the first choices fit for the prem (a bit like Fulham) Of course it may be a self fulfilling case where we get 6 in because we qualified!
