Europa League - Blessing in disguise?

[StriderHiryu]

45 minutes ago, Strokes said:

I genuinely think we could win the champions league.

Obviously it would be miraculous but why not? Manchester City and Chelsea play in the final and we have beat both these teams at least once this season.

Mainly because of squad depth. I know what you mean, on paper we could beat any team in the world, especially in a best of one. But it's rare for a non-top team to win it, the last real surprise was Porto, maybe Ajax's run to the semi-finals and Spurs getting to the final itself were unexpected, but neither could win it. So whilst it wouldn't be *impossible* to win it, looking at how long it took Chelsea and Man City to win it (if they do!), it's not something to pin your hopes on. Wenger's Arsenal team that was invincible and played some of the best football seen on these shores could not do it!

 

As supporters I think it's important to understand we are in a marathon not a sprint. Every year we improve both on and off the field. Some years we will regress slightly, most of the time we will go forwards. We've now qualified for Europe two years on the spin AND won a cup. Can we make that 3 years in a row? 5? Can we regularly get into the Champions League after that? etc.

 

The "model" of the club is clearly working. Develop promising talented players, sell them for big bucks, reinvest it into the team, rinse and repeat. Is that a sustainable model? Ajax, Dortmund, to a lesser extent Sporting and Lille prove it can be. Stay the course and get behind the team, the Foxes are on the rise!

 

 

Edited 20 May 2021 by StriderHiryu

[Strokes]

2 minutes ago, StriderHiryu said:

Mainly because of squad depth. I know what you mean, on paper we could beat any team in the world, especially in a best of one. But it's rare for a non-top team to win it, the last real surprise was Porto, maybe Ajax's run to the semi-finals and Spurs getting to the final itself were unexpected, but neither could win it. So whilst it wouldn't be (impossible* to win it, looking at how long it took Chelsea and Man City to win it (if they do!), it's not something to pin your hopes on. Wenger's Arsenal team that was invincible and played some of the best football seen on these shores could not do it!

 

As supporters I think it's important to understand we are in a marathon not a sprint. Every year we improve both on and off the field. Some years we will regress slightly, most of the time we will go forwards. We've now qualified for Europe two years on the spin AND won a cup. Can we make that 3 years in a row? 5? Can we regularly get into the Champions League after that? etc.

 

The "model" of the club is clearly working. Develop promising talented players, sell them for big bucks, reinvest it into the team, rinse and repeat. Is that a sustainable model? Ajax, Dortmund, to a lesser extent Sporting and Lille prove it can be. Stay the course and get behind the team, the Foxes are on the rise!

I don’t disagree with any of that, but 10 years ago the FA cup and Premier League were impossible feats for this club in my mind. So I just no longer see anything as insurmountable, however improbable.

[Izzy]

52 minutes ago, Strokes said:

I genuinely think we could win the champions league.

Potential signature material right there 

[StriderHiryu]

Just now, Strokes said:

I don’t disagree with any of that, but 10 years ago the FA cup and Premier League were impossible feats for this club in my mind. So I just no longer see anything as insurmountable, however improbable.

Brilliant! That is exactly the spirit we need. As Don Claudio once said "we must continue to dream!"

 

We just need to be rational too. You can tell how much missing out on the Champions League has hurt our fans based on the replies and activity on the forum. But 10 years ago if you told me we would be disappointed to have only finished 5th and won the FA Cup, I would have told you to check me into the loony bin! Of course we can be critical, but don't forget how well we have done!

 

Look at how much winning the FA Cup meant to Top. He's going to go for glory with everything he's got. How far he can take us I don't know, but he and Vichai have taken us further than any of us thought imaginable already. 

 

 

[Strokes]

1 minute ago, StriderHiryu said:

Brilliant! That is exactly the spirit we need. As Don Claudio once said "we must continue to dream!"

 

We just need to be rational too. You can tell how much missing out on the Champions League has hurt our fans based on the replies and activity on the forum. But 10 years ago if you told me we would be disappointed to have only finished 5th and won the FA Cup, I would have told you to check me into the loony bin! Of course we can be critical, but don't forget how well we have done!

 

Look at how much winning the FA Cup meant to Top. He's going to go for glory with everything he's got. How far he can take us I don't know, but he and Vichai have taken us further than any of us thought imaginable already. 

 

 

Oh definitely,

Hopefully you can see from my previous posts, I’ll be far from butthurt and reactionary if we miss out on Sunday (I’ve still not given up hope). I’ll also treasure any European exploits we have in the future, even the European conference competition if we ever end up in it.

It’s been a remarkable season whatever happens and I’ve enjoyed almost all of it.

[Strokes]

9 minutes ago, Izzy said:

Potential signature material right there 

I’ll add it when it happens, this time next year .

[ARM1968]

5 minutes ago, StriderHiryu said:

Brilliant! That is exactly the spirit we need. As Don Claudio once said "we must continue to dream!"

 

We just need to be rational too. You can tell how much missing out on the Champions League has hurt our fans based on the replies and activity on the forum. But 10 years ago if you told me we would be disappointed to have only finished 5th and won the FA Cup, I would have told you to check me into the loony bin! Of course we can be critical, but don't forget how well we have done!

 

Look at how much winning the FA Cup meant to Top. He's going to go for glory with everything he's got. How far he can take us I don't know, but he and Vichai have taken us further than any of us thought imaginable already. 

 

 

People get frustrated when their dreams fail. 
 

EL is ok and gives us something to go at, but we need to give it a proper go. 
 

CL would be much better and I think many here are just locked into damage limitation. All leagues, however, are the same - you finish where you deserve to. 

[Happy Fox]

The next challenge for us is to finish in the Top 4 and win a trophy if we can do that. We are definitely going places. 

 

We have definitely cemented ourselves as a Top 5 club now, we are far better than the likes of Arsenal and Spurs and not too mention Everton , Wolves etc.

 

The next challenge for us is to usurp the likes of Liverpool / both Manchester Clubs and Chelsea.

 

If we can keep our promising players and sign a couple more I have no doubt we can compete on all fronts we have just been slightly unfortunate injury wise this campaign. A first team 11 with everyone fit, qualifies for the champions league no question about it.

 

Europa League If we go all the way in it great, but for us the league is the priority and finishing top 4 is our next target

 

 

[fuchsntf]

13 hours ago, Kendal Fox said:

Yes, but with the history of a club like Arsenal, who you have to believe will be able to not just offer him a better financial package, but more money to make exciting signings, is he going to ruminate over the Deja Vu scenario with us, knowing we just don't have the strength in depth to compete with the bigger clubs and certain players just not being up to it mentally, and the possibility of being the next Arsenal manager to deliver them glory again after Wenger? 

What ever you have, you have a Bad Case of it...

 

or are you a sh*t stirrer out of habit...

Edited 20 May 2021 by fuchsntf

[Babylon]

41 minutes ago, Strokes said:

I don’t disagree with any of that, but 10 years ago the FA cup and Premier League were impossible feats for this club in my mind. So I just no longer see anything as insurmountable, however improbable.

No problem with people dreaming big, ask Top from his ultimate goal would be and he might say winning it. So long as people understand the clubs current goals will be trying to upset the "big six", by finishing in the top 6 places and challenging for cups. Key words being try and challenge, doesn't mean finishing 7th and going out in a semi is a failure. You get the feeling people would have a melt down if that happened next season 

 

A club with our budget has to operate at peak performance across the club on and off the field to do what we're currently doing, a couple of slip ups and it's harder for teams on smaller budgets to recover. 

 

They'll be some setbacks, you just keep trying to do things the right way and hope it pays off. We're trying to do what nobody has done in recent history, establish ourselves as a big club without a big club budget, keep aiming for steady progress and growth on and off the pitch. 

 

Edited 20 May 2021 by Babylon

[fuchsntf]

35 minutes ago, StriderHiryu said:

Brilliant! That is exactly the spirit we need. As Don Claudio once said "we must continue to dream!"

 

We just need to be rational too. You can tell how much missing out on the Champions League has hurt our fans based on the replies and activity on the forum. But 10 years ago if you told me we would be disappointed to have only finished 5th and won the FA Cup, I would have told you to check me into the loony bin! Of course we can be critical, but don't forget how well we have done!

 

Look at how much winning the FA Cup meant to Top. He's going to go for glory with everything he's got. How far he can take us I don't know, but he and Vichai have taken us further than any of us thought imaginable already. 

 

 

I hate your posts ,I always find myself agreeing...(well usually)..

[Hoopla10]

15 minutes ago, ARM1968 said:

EL is ok and gives us something to go at, but we need to give it a proper go. 

I see it like the FA cup. I don't think the team or BR would go into any cup game with anything but the mentality to win it. Next season (hopefully) will be better scheduled because of starting at a normal date. That should alleviate some of the injuries and tiredness we picked up this season. But I think when we say "give it a proper go" we have to understand context and our own expectations. In Feb', between the 13th and 21st we beat Liverpool, fly out to Prague, draw then fly back and beat Villa. Then over the next 7 days we lose to Prague and then Arsenal (a game we played 3 days after Prague). 5 games in 2 weeks. We had injuries and players out during that time. I think we gave it a proper go. It requires a touch of luck imo when fighting on multiple fronts with a team that hasn't the depth of quality (no slight on our team) that "bigger" clubs have. Otherwise one front or even both will become overwhelmed. After that Arsenal game we don't lose again throughout all of March. BR and the team balanced it well and hopefully without such a condensed season they'll have better luck to go further in whatever cups we end up in. 

[Kendal Fox]

2 hours ago, fuchsntf said:

What ever you have, you have a Bad Case of it...

 

or are you a sh*t stirrer out of habit...

That's a little unfriendly.

Just fearing the worst and you can't deny Arsenal have been watching BR. I hope he stays, and he might do. But if a club with the 3rd biggest trophy haul in English football history and with the financial muscle to easily negate us makes him an offer this Summer, would you be confident he stays?

 

Had we clinched CL football (which would no doubt have led to Tielemans renewing) as well as the Cup win, I'd be far less anxious.

[OntarioFox]

12 minutes ago, Kendal Fox said:

That's a little unfriendly.

Just fearing the worst and you can't deny Arsenal have been watching BR. I hope he stays, and he might do. But if a club with the 3rd biggest trophy haul in English football history and with the financial muscle to easily negate us makes him an offer this Summer, would you be confident he stays?

 

Had we clinched CL football (which would no doubt have led to Tielemans renewing) as well as the Cup win, I'd be far less anxious.

That's the thing - are they really in that much of a better financial position than us?

Taking Pepe out of the equation (who has proven to be a waste of money), they've done very little to suggest they're willing to throw enough cash at attracting marquee signings from rivals nowadays, especially on the touchline. Emery and now Arteta were budget appointments where severance payments didn't factor.

It would take a Man City or a Man Utd to come knocking for a club to pony up the cash to part us from Rodgers at this point unless he walked or was sacked, I think.

Edited 20 May 2021 by OntarioFox

[Blue ROI]

Last year was a bigger setback as we were so far ahead.

 

This season has been a lot closer so not as bad. Especially with the FA Cup final victory. If that hadn't happened it would have been more much worse for us but we now have silverware.

 

We might do alright in Europa League next season. We'll sell at least 1 player but should we not suffer an injury crisis we will be good to go whatever the outcome.

[jim5000]

Given we are going to likely miss out on the CL by goal difference, or at worst 3 points, I don’t think the EL is a blessing in disguise, especially as we were in it this year. We’re past the point of being a club that is just excited for a year in Europe, this will be our third European campaign in 5 seasons and we should be looking to establish ourselves in the champions league.

 

 

[jim5000]

4 hours ago, Lako42 said:

5 hours ago, Wasyls Pec Deck said:

If we do get Europa we need to keep Tielemans at all costs. The signs are good as he’s about to sign a new contract I believe?

 

 

Clear to me he's waiting to see if we get CL.

 

A player like him not playing at the highest level is a waste

He’ll probably wait till the European Championships are complete. If he has a good tournament he could have his pick of clubs in Europe.

[JamesfromlondonLCFC]

The issue is next season the top 4 battle is gonna be even harder. Chelsea and United building something. Liverpool will be back to full strength and City are miles ahead already. So we are gonna have to strengthen heavily.

[snoopy87]

4 hours ago, boots60 said:

All in the link,

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021–22_UEFA_Europa_League

The finals in Seville at the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán you say? Count me in, go balls deep into it and get me out there!

[Captain...]

The plan is clear, we needed this season to tick off the FA Cup, gain European experience, next season we can concentrate fully on the EL, we win the EL and qualify for the CL as a seeded team, thus getting a much easier group than finishing 4th with a piddly European coefficient. We can avoid the big boys, we're a year wiser, with an extra season of recruitment. We win the Champions league, giving us a shot at the World club cup. Win that just before the nuclear apocalypse and be permanent European and World club champions as society crumbles.

[Kendal Fox]

9 minutes ago, OntarioFox said:

That's the thing - are they really in that much of a better financial position than us?

Taking Pepe out of the equation (who has proven to be a waste of money), they've done very little to suggest they're willing to throw enough cash at attracting marquee signings from rivals nowadays, especially on the touchline. Emery and now Arteta were budget appointments where severance payments didn't factor.

It would take a Man City or a Man Utd to come knocking for a club to pony up the cash to part us from Rodgers at this point unless he walked or was sacked, I think.

Well, perhaps some of their fan are a little over-zealous, but I still think they might have the edge on us at least.

But when you put it like that, I feel a little more confident!

[Captain...]

3 minutes ago, JamesfromlondonLCFC said:

The issue is next season the top 4 battle is gonna be even harder. Chelsea and United building something. Liverpool will be back to full strength and City are miles ahead already. So we are gonna have to strengthen heavily.

Didn't we say that last season when we missed out? 

[fuchsntf]

36 minutes ago, Kendal Fox said:

That's a little unfriendly.

Just fearing the worst and you can't deny Arsenal have been watching BR. I hope he stays, and he might do. But if a club with the 3rd biggest trophy haul in English football history and with the financial muscle to easily negate us makes him an offer this Summer, would you be confident he stays?

 

Had we clinched CL football (which would no doubt have led to Tielemans renewing) as well as the Cup win, I'd be far less anxious.

Suggesting our Club are so ready to Release Tielemans & Rodgers is nothing Short of heracy, & somewhat defeatist, before seasons end...

Are you Working under-cover for Sky..?? 

 

[Guest Bert Fill]

4 hours ago, Strokes said:

It’s been a remarkable season whatever happens and I’ve enjoyed almost all of it.

An absolutely perfect summary!

[Lambert09]

If Youri signs a new deal then I agree actually.  The highly competitive group games will genuinely put a strain on us in the league. At least with the EL its a bit half paced in the group stages, which allows you to compete at the same level in the league. 

 

imo we will finish higher in the league next year with EL than with CL even with the extra signings.. unless we do lose some key players because of it.  So its not the end of the world, but im still going to be annoyed as we all would like to compete at the highest level. 

 

Got some interesting texts from an arsenal fan yesterday just reminding me that winning the fa cup will always be better than getting thumped by bayern in the last 16 and that we won the important game .. brings context to it really, always going to look back fondly on this year.

 

Squeezing into the champions league where the field is not really level wont mean much for us other than financially. With relaxing of financial rules its not even that important if the club is stable. If we look back to when we won the league, the type of signings we were attracting really werent any better than the following year. The superstars still prefer a big club, if anything it gets harder as players and clubs expect to recieve CL money from us and unless you sustain that staus it can weigh a club down and disrupt the current squad..

 

 

Just looking back at how hard it was to shift slim and musa is a good example of this