The Race for 4th

[SPURSLIFE]

When you think that Newcastle only spent the same us us on transfers and only one big named signing (Isak 70 mil) and A villa spent a lot less and look where both are and look at us. It just makes it a lot more difficult to understand how we have failed so miserably to get into the top 4 and look like getting 6th at best.

 

[leray]

So Emery's Villa have conceded 3 goals in 10 games with a back four of Young-Konsa-Mings-Moreno, whereas Howe's Newcastle have conceded 25 in 30 games with a back four of Trippier-Schar-Botman-Burn and I should believe that our defenders are such a duds that they are the only reason we keep leaking goals?

None of those defenders playing for Villa or Newcastle are really elite apart from Trippier, maybe. Mings and Konsa were a laughing stock under Gerrard and Young has been a winger for much of his career.

In the very long term you can only go so far with players of this quality, but in the short to medium term you can do very well with some proper coaching and good defending habits. It's obvious they're playing well because of the work on the training ground.

 

[Styopa]

So Emery's Villa have conceded 3 goals in 10 games with a back four of Young-Konsa-Mings-Moreno, whereas Howe's Newcastle have conceded 25 in 30 games with a back four of Trippier-Schar-Botman-Burn and I should believe that our defenders are such a duds that they are the only reason we keep leaking goals?

None of those defenders playing for Villa or Newcastle are really elite apart from Trippier, maybe. Mings and Konsa were a laughing stock under Gerrard and Young has been a winger for much of his career.

In the very long term you can only go so far with players of this quality, but in the short to medium term you can do very well with some proper coaching and good defending habits. It's obvious they're playing well because of the work on the training ground.

Yeah. I mean, it's summed up by the fact that many people here thought Trippier wasn't good enough for us too. If he were here now, he would probably be getting the same kind of stick as Dier.

 

[philll]

Well I read today supposedly 8th will get Europe if West Ham win the Conference League

So we'll be safely out of Europe in 8th then.

 

[spurs9]

Well I read today supposedly 8th will get Europe if West Ham win the Conference League

Why would and extra league position get Conference League if West Ham win the Conference League? It doesn't make sense.

 

[bubble07]

I really don’t understand the fans saying we’ll be better off out of Europe altogether, we factually wouldn’t.
A squad needs games, the team needs European exposure, we’d have more money and be more attractive to better players for our rebuild to.

We must qualify for Europe.

I agree but we not the conference. Winning that is just shit. However winning Europa league is a great achievement

 

[wadewill]

Well I read today supposedly 8th will get Europe if West Ham win the Conference League

No, we could have 8 teams as WH would get in the Europa next season as they will fall outside the european places England wouldnt lose one.. 1-4 CL, 5 & 6 Europa, 7th is conference

 

[Timberwolf]

I really don’t understand the fans saying we’ll be better off out of Europe altogether, we factually wouldn’t.
A squad needs games, the team needs European exposure, we’d have more money and be more attractive to better players for our rebuild to.

We must qualify for Europe.

I've felt similarly in the past but I'm really not so sure anymore tbh.

What tends to actually happen is we end up playing a mish-mash of first teamers and fringe players in Europe. As a result we look disjointed and rubbish and also do worse in the league cos the team's tired from travelling and less prepared for the domestic games as they've not had as much time on the training pitch.

We're rich enough now that Europa/Conference qualification won't sway players to join either - look at the quality of players signing for Villa, Newcastle and Arsenal when they were out of Europe. CL will make a difference to some players, but beyond that it's just about the money I think.

The financial benefit would be nice, especially from Europa, but it's not a must and I think having a manger that, y'know, actually rotates the squad in general (unlike a certain Italian), will help keep the squad happy more than a handful of European matches will.

 

[wadewill]

I've felt similarly in the past but I'm really not so sure anymore tbh.

What tends to actually happen is we end up playing a mish-mash of first teamers and fringe players in Europe. As a result we look disjointed and rubbish and also do worse in the league cos the team's tired from travelling and less prepared for the domestic games as they've not had as much time on the training pitch.

We're rich enough now that Europa/Conference qualification won't sway players to join either - look at the quality of players signing for Villa, Newcastle and Arsenal when they were out of Europe. CL will make a difference to some players, but beyond that it's just about the money I think.

The financial benefit would be nice, especially from Europa, but it's not a must and I think having a manger that, y'know, actually rotates the squad in general (unlike a certain Italian), will help keep the squad happy more than a handful of European matches will.

Agree with this, we need to lose the ego with those competitions first. The reason WH are doing so well is because as a club they are happy to be there and take every game seriously.

We as a club think we are too good and that is why we always fail miserably.

This whole club needs a complete reset and a year out of Europe would be a good start, it would also hopefully let us concentrate more on the domestic cups... which we also embarrassingly think we are too good for

 

[RuskyM]

Yeah. I mean, it's summed up by the fact that many people here thought Trippier wasn't good enough for us too. If he were here now, he would probably be getting the same kind of stick as Dier.

We know he would, because he did.

 

[RuskyM]

So Emery's Villa have conceded 3 goals in 10 games with a back four of Young-Konsa-Mings-Moreno, whereas Howe's Newcastle have conceded 25 in 30 games with a back four of Trippier-Schar-Botman-Burn and I should believe that our defenders are such a duds that they are the only reason we keep leaking goals?

None of those defenders playing for Villa or Newcastle are really elite apart from Trippier, maybe. Mings and Konsa were a laughing stock under Gerrard and Young has been a winger for much of his career.

In the very long term you can only go so far with players of this quality, but in the short to medium term you can do very well with some proper coaching and good defending habits. It's obvious they're playing well because of the work on the training ground.

I have every sympathy for Conte's problems but for all the flack Levy's getting, I'll die on the hill that this season's failure is Conte's. Villa leapfrogging us, when they had 9 points from 11 games six months ago, is a testament to how good Emery is and how much not sacking Conte earlier ruined us. So, so tired of managers telling me they can't do any more whilst collecting a massive salary.

 

[Timberwolf]

So Emery's Villa have conceded 3 goals in 10 games with a back four of Young-Konsa-Mings-Moreno, whereas Howe's Newcastle have conceded 25 in 30 games with a back four of Trippier-Schar-Botman-Burn and I should believe that our defenders are such a duds that they are the only reason we keep leaking goals?

None of those defenders playing for Villa or Newcastle are really elite apart from Trippier, maybe. Mings and Konsa were a laughing stock under Gerrard and Young has been a winger for much of his career.

In the very long term you can only go so far with players of this quality, but in the short to medium term you can do very well with some proper coaching and good defending habits. It's obvious they're playing well because of the work on the training ground.

Yeah, whenever I see a post saying "our squad is shit - need to sell the whole lot" I can't help but think Villa fans were saying the exact same thing when they were sat on the brink of the relegation zone under Gerrard.

Managers are the single more important and influential aspect at any football club. Hell, we've seen League 2 players rise to PL level under the right manager in the right system.

We need to clear out some of the dodgy players and dead-wood, but we've seen how Conte made even Dier and Sanchez look decent last season when the team was motivated, organised and at the peak of its powers.

 

[bat-chain]

I have every sympathy for Conte's problems but for all the flack Levy's getting, I'll die on the hill that this season's failure is Conte's. Villa leapfrogging us, when they had 9 points from 11 games six months ago, is a testament to how good Emery is and how much not sacking Conte earlier ruined us. So, so tired of managers telling me they can't do any more whilst collecting a massive salary.

Can't winner this enough, Conte is a confidence trickster, took me in as well.

Ran away before he was exposed.

 

[degoose]

I have every sympathy for Conte's problems but for all the flack Levy's getting, I'll die on the hill that this season's failure is Conte's. Villa leapfrogging us, when they had 9 points from 11 games six months ago, is a testament to how good Emery is and how much not sacking Conte earlier ruined us. So, so tired of managers telling me they can't do any more whilst collecting a massive salary.

I agree and is why i get a bit pissed off with people blaming the Board/Levy and not Conte, he was being paid millions to manage the team and improve tactics and play, he did not do that this season. Levy was not on the pitch or training ground, he employed who is meant to be an Elite coach and many wanted but Conte failed, threw everbody under the bus other than himself and now it's not his fault. Sounds a bit weird to me.

 

[Stamford]

I agree and is why i get a bit pissed off with people blaming the Board/Levy and not Conte, he was being paid millions to manage the team and improve tactics and play, he did not do that this season. Levy was not on the pitch or training ground, he employed who is meant to be an Elite coach and many wanted but Conte failed, threw everbody under the bus other than himself and now it's not his fault. Sounds a bit weird to me.

We are blaming both. They've both done a shit job but conte has now gone so it's pointless to keep hammering the point about him. Levy and ENIC are still here, so now what?

 

[Westmorlandspur]

Can't winner this enough, Conte is a confidence trickster, took me in as well.

Ran away before he was exposed.

Emery has just about killed Gerard’s career. One purchase of a 30 yr old full back for about 13m .Playing a 38 yr old, Ashley young at full back. The team are flying. However by next season they will need some better defenders. Other coaches will work them out, just as they have done with us.
Unai is this seasons Antonio Conte.

 

[hughy]

Emery has just about killed Gerard’s career. One purchase of a 30 yr old full back for about 13m .Playing a 38 yr old, Ashley young at full back. The team are flying. However by next season they will need some better defenders. Other coaches will work them out, just as they have done with us.
Unai is this seasons Antonio Conte.

Also worth pointing out that since they've been safe from relegation (pretty much since they beat us on NYD), they've been playing with no pressure or expectations on them, allowing the players to express themselves. They'll have a lot more expectation on their shoulders next season, especially if they finish in the European places.

 

[Athenspur]

I don't care who he used to manage, we could do a lot worse than hiring Unai Emery.

 

[mil1lion]

I posted the rules for qualifications but in case it was missed this is the break down

Where these qualifications changes a) If the FA Cup winners finish in the top five of the Premier League, their UEL group stage place will go to the next-highest ranked team not qualified for UEFA competitions in the Premier League. b) If the EFL Cup winners finish in the top five of the Premier League (or top six if (a) happens), their UECL playoff place will go to the next-highest ranked team not qualified for UEFA competitions in the Premier League.

How does winning UCL/UEL affect qualification? Should a Premier League club win the UEFA Champions League they will automatically qualify for the group stage of next season's competition regardless of their league finishing position. Should a Premier League club win the UEFA Europa League they will automatically qualify for the group stage of next season's UEFA Champions League regardless of their league finishing position. If a club win the UEFA Champions League or UEFA Europa League and finish in the top four, their qualification for the UCL through their league position is not transferred to another team. A maximum of five Premier League teams are eligible for UEFA Champions League qualification. In the event that a Premier League club win the UEFA Champions League and another win the UEFA Europa League and neither of these clubs finish in the top four of the Premier League, the club lying fourth in the table will drop into the UEFA Europa League group stage. If a Premier League club win the UEFA Champions League and another win the UEFA Europa League and neither have qualified for UEFA competitions through their league positions or by winning the FA Cup or EFL Cup, they will qualify for the UEFA Champions League and the club finishing fourth in the table will drop into the UEFA Europa League group stage. This UEFA Europa League group stage place will be in addition to the one for the club finishing fifth and to the places in the UEFA Europa League and UEFA Europa Conference League for the FA Cup and EFL Cup winners (or for the highest-ranked clubs not qualified for UEFA competitions in the Premier League if the FA Cup and EFL Cup winners have already qualified for UEFA competitions through their league position). The winner of UEFA Europa Conference League is guaranteed a place in UEFA Europa League group stages. If a Premier League club win the UEFA Europa Conference League and do not qualify for the UEFA Europa League via the Premier League or the FA Cup, then they enter the UEFA Europa League group stages as an additional club.

 

[THE SPURSBOY]

Brighton above us soon. At least city winning