Europa League

[That_Dude]

1 hour ago, siraaj_lcfc said:

Don't understand why you guys don't have the desire to challenge for Europe. The only reason Burnley messed up is that their Squad Depth is atrocious. We have the capability to challenge for Europe and we HAD the experienced players in order to do it.

Slimani, Silva, Iborra, Fuchs, Musa all have European Experience and are valuable players but CP decides that just because they don't fit his style he'll get rid of them. Vardy doesn't fit his style, is he going to get rid of him as well? Peeves me off. Call me delusional, but I wanna see European football at the KP once again. Our triumphs weren't flukes. We can do it again.

Right, because ours is so much better at the moment. Yesterday that so-called squad depth failed to beat a league 2 side.

 

And I thought you were a reasonable poster at some point. Misunderstanding cleared.

[jayfox26]

9 minutes ago, siraaj_lcfc said:

not his fault Puel didn't like him. I mean he didn't even sign him. Shakespeare did

Where's your source that Puel didnt like him? And why would Puel stick with players that dont suit his style? Why should Puel go completely against his own ideas and tactics just to keep a few players happy? 

[That_Dude]

2 hours ago, Stadt said:

I'd like us to first of all, qualify, but if we were to make it I'd want us take it seriously - I'd rather finish lower down the league than chuck away a European campaign only to try and finish 7th again.

We can only take it seriously if we have the squad depth. Anything else is wishful thinking.

[stripeyfox]

1 hour ago, FIF said:

If only it was that easy.

 

You make it sound like we had a good chance of winning the FA Cup.

 

To do that it would most likely mean beating at least 2 of the top 6 teams.

 

Still We've managed to win the FA Cup so many times in our long history I suppose you are right.

Well I was being facetious, but I'd say we did have a reasonable chance of going far in the competition. You never know how the draw will pan out.

 

I think when Newport saw our team sheet yesterday they would have been licking their lips. We handed our ass to them on a plate. But we might finish 7th and qualify for the Europa League....

 

I don't think we're that burnt out that we needed to start James. I don't know if Vardy was injured or not but surely you'd have him in a game like that against Newport?

 

It was a big gamble to pick that team, and we obviously hoped they'd be good enough to see off Newport, but the gamble failed

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Stadt]

19 minutes ago, That_Dude said:

We can only take it seriously if we have the squad depth. Anything else is wishful thinking.

I’d rather we rotated more in the league to make a proper go of a European campaign 

[That_Dude]

9 minutes ago, Stadt said:

I’d rather we rotated more in the league to make a proper go of a European campaign 

I get what you mean and I'd like to as well. But there's always this small matter of money generated by both competition and some fans who would still roast him alive if we finish near the bottom three but reached somehow the knock-out stage in the EL. It depends on what the board wants and and his position at that point. I'm sure we'll throw it away if we get qualified this season.

 

I think that we're one or most likely two transfer windows (not including this one) away from having a very good squad with the youngsters thriving, that could allow us to play on both fronts. Time will tell.

Edited 7 January 2019 by That_Dude

[Cincinnati Fox]

1 hour ago, Foxes1 said:

Or somewhere like Bala Town in Wales 

I’d take that

[Master Fox]

It would be fantastic, and an opportunity to play some of the bigger teams who drop out of the Champions League. Imagine if we actually won the competition, it would be incredible. We should always be aiming for European greatness. 

[fleckneymike]

2 hours ago, Whetstone_Fox said:

The Europa League is worth going for as it is a way into the Champions league if we do really well in it but also it is another European tour.

 

Yes i do agree our depth of squad right now is not enough to cope with the demand of the Europa League but Puel and behind the scenes will have the Summer transfer window to sort it out and sign a lot of people (Thats if we finish in a Europa League spot)

 

Everyone keeps saying that Burnley went down hill because of it but i disagree. Burnley did not make enough signings to cope with it and that is straight facts. Whereas we have the money and the backing for transfers so i think this is our opportunity

 

We’d need to finish 5th to guarantee qualify for the Europa league. 

 

The two two other spots go to cup winners. 

 

We arent in the cups cups any more. If both cups go to a top 5 side then we need to finish seventh. 

[volpeazzurro]

2 hours ago, Rigga said:

Why would you not want Europa League ?

 

You think Vichai and Top want us making up the numbers in the PL ?

 

Puel bottled the push for 7th last season...It’s sure to happen again

Hardly think he 'bottled' it last year,  he'd managed to get us out of the relegation zone and we were competing with a poor team at times some of whom were doubtful in quality and effort. I may be wrong but 7th might mean the Europa League preliminaries and, at this stage we haven't even got a decent squad for the Premiership, without the added pressure of a pre season competition travelling round to some boil on the arse places.  Financially the Europa League is farcical and whilst there's more to it than finance,  it really isn't worth the potential of not having a good Premiership season and perhaps going for it properly the next season. Hopefully we can ship a few out and get a few in during the summer, plus we have Barnes and Benkovic to potentially come in. You can just see it now on here if Puel fielded a weakened squad in a European preliminary match, some are ranting about the team he picked against Newport yesterday and bearing in mind their status, it was hardly a week side. If you've only got a half decent first 11 without much back up, you can't expect them to play in the Premiership, Europe, League Cup and the FA Cup week in week out, it's just not sustainable and the whining on here would be unbearable. Personally I think we need to buy in the summer,  consolidate and make a proper push for Europe and a domestic cup  knowing that we'll buy again that summer. I know it sounds very long winded but I think that's how it will go with younger players gaining experience. I don't think it's worth going half cock at it with unsuitable players and giving the eternal critical pessimists even more ammunition when we fail. 

[yorkie1999]

This thread is pointless, we have to be 7th at the end of the season, not halfway through it!

[CosbehFox]

Surprised at the apathy for two reasons. 

 

Firstly following City in the CL wasn’t far off football supporter utopia. I’ll take a couple of more trips regardless of location and result. 

 

Our ranking thanks to the CL run really favours us unlike other recent English clubs if we made it. 

[StanSP]

10 minutes ago, yorkie1999 said:

This thread is pointless, we have to be 7th at the end of the season, not halfway through it!

Good to be there for now as opposed to playing catch-up, no?

[CosbehFox]

2 hours ago, Corky said:

We had posts on here saying the Champions League group wasn't exciting enough, God knows what would be made of this.

We’d lucky to get 22k for any EL games 

[volpeazzurro]

1 hour ago, stripeyfox said:

Well I was being facetious, but I'd say we did have a reasonable chance of going far in the competition. You never know how the draw will pan out.

 

I think when Newport saw our team sheet yesterday they would have been licking their lips. We handed our ass to them on a plate. But we might finish 7th and qualify for the Europa League....

 

I don't think we're that burnt out that we needed to start James. I don't know if Vardy was injured or not but surely you'd have him in a game like that against Newport?

 

It was a big gamble to pick that team, and we obviously hoped they'd be good enough to see off Newport, but the gamble failed

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wouldn't have picked Vardy in a million years and if you can't understand why you really have a problem. Even we know that he's being nursed for an injury problem. So if a hi tech medical team,  coaching staff and the manager don't think it's worth the risk, you with none of that knowledge available would still play him?

 

Again, without any such knowledge available to you yet again, your mystic Meg powers are also able to see that some of our other players were fit enough to play?

 

The club are clearly wasting there money on the professional fitness evaluation of players when, all they really need, is a fan in an armchair armed with beer, a bowl of cheesy wotsits whilst scratching his bollocks! 

[Rigga]

25 minutes ago, volpeazzurro said:

Hardly think he 'bottled' it last year,  he'd managed to get us out of the relegation zone and we were competing with a poor team at times some of whom were doubtful in quality and effort. I may be wrong but 7th might mean the Europa League preliminaries and, at this stage we haven't even got a decent squad for the Premiership, without the added pressure of a pre season competition travelling round to some boil on the arse places.  Financially the Europa League is farcical and whilst there's more to it than finance,  it really isn't worth the potential of not having a good Premiership season and perhaps going for it properly the next season. Hopefully we can ship a few out and get a few in during the summer, plus we have Barnes and Benkovic to potentially come in. You can just see it now on here if Puel fielded a weakened squad in a European preliminary match, some are ranting about the team he picked against Newport yesterday and bearing in mind their status, it was hardly a week side. If you've only got a half decent first 11 without much back up, you can't expect them to play in the Premiership, Europe, League Cup and the FA Cup week in week out, it's just not sustainable and the whining on here would be unbearable. Personally I think we need to buy in the summer,  consolidate and make a proper push for Europe and a domestic cup  knowing that we'll buy again that summer. I know it sounds very long winded but I think that's how it will go with younger players gaining experience. I don't think it's worth going half cock at it with unsuitable players and giving the eternal critical pessimists even more ammunition when we fail. 

Another that doesn’t want European football.. so, why do we bother at all..?

 

European football will be our only chance of keeping Maguire and Chilwell.

As well as maybe being able to attract one or two better players than we would normally be linked with.

[Rigga]

27 minutes ago, volpeazzurro said:

Hardly think he 'bottled' it last year,  he'd managed to get us out of the relegation zone and we were competing with a poor team at times some of whom were doubtful in quality and effort. I may be wrong but 7th might mean the Europa League preliminaries and, at this stage we haven't even got a decent squad for the Premiership, without the added pressure of a pre season competition travelling round to some boil on the arse places.  Financially the Europa League is farcical and whilst there's more to it than finance,  it really isn't worth the potential of not having a good Premiership season and perhaps going for it properly the next season. Hopefully we can ship a few out and get a few in during the summer, plus we have Barnes and Benkovic to potentially come in. You can just see it now on here if Puel fielded a weakened squad in a European preliminary match, some are ranting about the team he picked against Newport yesterday and bearing in mind their status, it was hardly a week side. If you've only got a half decent first 11 without much back up, you can't expect them to play in the Premiership, Europe, League Cup and the FA Cup week in week out, it's just not sustainable and the whining on here would be unbearable. Personally I think we need to buy in the summer,  consolidate and make a proper push for Europe and a domestic cup  knowing that we'll buy again that summer. I know it sounds very long winded but I think that's how it will go with younger players gaining experience. I don't think it's worth going half cock at it with unsuitable players and giving the eternal critical pessimists even more ammunition when we fail. 

Bar the Arsenal win late on, we were abysmal from March onwards!

[fleckneymike]

27 minutes ago, yorkie1999 said:

This thread is pointless, we have to be 7th at the end of the season, not halfway through it!

5th. We need to be 5th.

 

If we finish 7th then we need to hope that both cups go to top five sides for the qualification to drop down two places.

[volpeazzurro]

1 hour ago, Rigga said:

Another that doesn’t want European football.. so, why do we bother at all..?

 

European football will be our only chance of keeping Maguire and Chilwell.

As well as maybe being able to attract one or two better players than we would normally be linked with.

I really don't think either would stay on the grounds that they could play a game in Kazakhstan or similar. If Maguire is going to go he'll go but I doubt we'll lose any more this summer. Actually I do want European football, but actually want a squad that's capable of sustaining both that and our domestic commitments, do you honestly believe we have that? A poor year next year and yes, you may well get an exodus of promising young players from the club, that's my point, it's not worth the risk just yet.

Edited 7 January 2019 by volpeazzurro

[yorkie1999]

5 minutes ago, fleckneymike said:

5th. We need to be 5th.

 

If we finish 7th then we need to hope that both cups go to top five sides for the qualification to drop down two places.

Yes but spurs will win one and Man City the other

[volpeazzurro]

1 hour ago, Rigga said:

Bar the Arsenal win late on, we were abysmal from March onwards!

Don't disagree with you there but what was the reason?  Just the manager? What a mismatch of players to choose from he had, would you have a chance of success in Europe with that lot. Think Klopp and Guadiola, what did they do in there first few months at their new clubs, did they not evaluate their stock, we knew ours was crap! It's taken since 2015 for Klopp to get this far, before buying even the young kids got a game for Liverpool, some turned out well didn't they before he delved into the market place. Building a sustainable squad takes time and patience and being aware of your current limitations despite pressure to do otherwise. 

Edited 7 January 2019 by volpeazzurro

[Mark 'expert' Lawrenson]

Saw us play Athletico Madrid back in the O’Neill days, it was fantastic back then and should be again, only the competition seems to be a lot more of a grind nowadays.

[stripeyfox]

51 minutes ago, volpeazzurro said:

Wouldn't have picked Vardy in a million years and if you can't understand why you really have a problem. Even we know that he's being nursed for an injury problem. So if a hi tech medical team,  coaching staff and the manager don't think it's worth the risk, you with none of that knowledge available would still play him?

 

Again, without any such knowledge available to you yet again, your mystic Meg powers are also able to see that some of our other players were fit enough to play?

 

The club are clearly wasting there money on the professional fitness evaluation of players when, all they really need, is a fan in an armchair armed with beer, a bowl of cheesy wotsits whilst scratching his bollocks! 

Alright pal, calm down

 

Regarding Vardy, I did preface my comment with a remark about not knowing his level of fitness, but to be honest, given that our backup is Nacho and Okazaki who look as if they could play a month of Sundays and not score a goal, I'd take a 50% fit Vardy any day,

 

We're not going to go down, and we're not going to finish higher than 7th (if we're lucky) so why we just abandon the cups I don't know - so we can possibly qualify for another cup for us to play our reserves in?

 

 

[volpeazzurro]

3 minutes ago, stripeyfox said:

Alright pal, calm down

 

Regarding Vardy, I did preface my comment with a remark about not knowing his level of fitness, but to be honest, given that our backup is Nacho and Okazaki who look as if they could play a month of Sundays and not score a goal, I'd take a 50% fit Vardy any day,

 

We're not going to go down, and we're not going to finish higher than 7th (if we're lucky) so why we just abandon the cups I don't know - so we can possibly qualify for another cup for us to play our reserves in?

 

 

Forgetting the Vardy issue, I just don't think the team he put out was that bad really and should have won. In fact we had plenty of chances to put it to bed ... bugger, that brings us back to Vardy again ? . I think for me it put the final nail in Nachos coffin. A manager would think that a 25m striker should have a reasonable chance of scoring against a team of their status however well they played but yet again his positioning was poor.

[LCFC FOX]

I really really really want another European tour and hope we do finish 7th which is achieveable even with Claude in charge. We’d just need to sign quite a lot of players in the summer and hope we get past the qualifying rounds to make it worth it.

 

however though it’s not actually in our hands unless one of the top 6 wins the fa cup. With only five remaining.