2020/21 - The Run In and Top 4 chances - an Ongoing Analysis

[Fox in the North]

For me one of the big benefits if we were  to qualify for the Champaign’s League would be the drop in income for either Chelsea or Liverpool too. 

[deanolegend1989]

23 minutes ago, STUHILL said:

which players do you think will leave this summer if we finish 5th? 

 

I actually don't think we will lose anyone this summer and it will be next summer where we could see Tielemans and maybe one or two others push for a move. 

Youri and Wilf. Maybe Little Wes too. All could have huge admirers. Man Utd crying out for a Ndidi type player, a lot of their fans have cottened on.

Little Wes has got so many plaudits and it wouldn’t suprise me. He’s young and you’d like to think he needs a season or 2 more here but you never know. That cup final performance was something else.

Youri I’ve said for over a year that this guy is arguably our best ever player and absolutely world class and the notice in a big game that’s broadcasted to a huge audience on Saturday makes it even more obvious to those outside of us foxes fans. I can’t imagine no big teams will try a cheeky bid, especially knowing his contract situation and even more so if we drop out the top 4.

That is a huge worry to anyone surely. He has been talking about signing but still nothing, I worry he’s waiting to see if we get CL or not.

 

As I said, if we keep everyone together again, I’d look back and not really be bothered(should we miss CL). The main worry is losing Youri as he’s as crucial to this team and our style as Kante was to our counter attack style in 15/16.

We scout really well but Youri is irreplaceable, he’s that good. 8-10th at best I feel if we lose him and that knocks out trajectory back a long way, maybe for good.

I hope I’m being over dramatic but it really is that crucial.

Edited 18 May 2021 by deanolegend1989

[STUHILL]

9 minutes ago, deanolegend1989 said:

I hope I’m being over dramatic but it really is that crucial

That's not like you 

 

I think those players you mention will be highly sort after though, but we do not have to sell them. They all seem incredibly happy here too. I don't think this is a Mahrez situation pushing for a move, with any of our top players yet. I actually think Tielemans will sign a new contract over the summer. Long-term I am sure we will struggle to hold onto a few members of our squad if they continue on their current trajectory, but I just can't see it being this summer. 

[turlo]

13 minutes ago, deanolegend1989 said:

Youri and Wilf. Maybe Little Wes too. All could have huge admirers. Man Utd crying out for a Ndidi type player, a lot of their fans have cottened on.

Little Wes has got so many plaudits and it wouldn’t suprise me. He’s young and you’d like to think he needs a season or 2 more here but you never know. That cup final performance was something else.

Youri I’ve said for over a year that this guy is arguably our best ever player and absolutely world class and the notice in a big game that’s broadcasted to a huge audience on Saturday makes it even more obvious to those outside of us foxes fans. I can’t imagine no big teams will try a cheeky bid, especially knowing his contract situation and even more so if we drop out the top 4.

That is a huge worry to anyone surely. He has been talking about signing but still nothing, I worry he’s waiting to see if we get CL or not.

 

As I said, if we keep everyone together again, I’d look back and not really be bothered(should we miss CL). The main worry is losing Youri as he’s as crucial to this team and our style as Kante was to our counter attack style in 15/16.

We scout really well but Youri is irreplaceable, he’s that good. 8-10th at best I feel if we lose him and that knocks out trajectory back a long way, maybe for good.

I hope I’m being over dramatic but it really is that crucial.

Unless we really need to sell i can see them all staying this summer. Man Utd, Man City & Chelsea are likely to be focussed on the likes of Sancho, Declan Rice and now Kane, so having to fork another another 80 mill+ on Youri, Ndidi or Fofana is unlikely. Madrid and Barca are skint which leaves PSG or possibly Bayern. If a big bid does come in its possible we can fend them off for another season like we have in the past - the FA Cup will have least shown the players they can win trophies at Leicester. 

The biggest impact of missing out on UCL will be we have less to spend this summer, which could result in a transfer window like last summer where we can only bring in 2 players in the 20-25 mill range + a second choice loan to buy. It would be an opportunity missed to really improve the squad with 3-4 quality players. 

Personally I'd love us to have a crack at going for the title next season - just think how many more points we could've got this season without the injury crisis we went through + a bit more squad depth and a better right winger. 

[Dahnsouff]

28 minutes ago, deanolegend1989 said:

Youri and Wilf. Maybe Little Wes too. All could have huge admirers. Man Utd crying out for a Ndidi type player, a lot of their fans have cottened on.

Little Wes has got so many plaudits and it wouldn’t suprise me. He’s young and you’d like to think he needs a season or 2 more here but you never know. That cup final performance was something else.

Youri I’ve said for over a year that this guy is arguably our best ever player and absolutely world class and the notice in a big game that’s broadcasted to a huge audience on Saturday makes it even more obvious to those outside of us foxes fans. I can’t imagine no big teams will try a cheeky bid, especially knowing his contract situation and even more so if we drop out the top 4.

That is a huge worry to anyone surely. He has been talking about signing but still nothing, I worry he’s waiting to see if we get CL or not.

 

As I said, if we keep everyone together again, I’d look back and not really be bothered(should we miss CL). The main worry is losing Youri as he’s as crucial to this team and our style as Kante was to our counter attack style in 15/16.

We scout really well but Youri is irreplaceable, he’s that good. 8-10th at best I feel if we lose him and that knocks out trajectory back a long way, maybe for good.

I hope I’m being over dramatic but it really is that crucial.

Cheeky bids won`t cut it for Youri after Saturday (Yes, it will have that big an effect) it will take 70m+ easily. Anyway, lets hope we get CL, as I get the feeling he would like to stay.

[urban fox]

Everyone who is wetting their pants over us losing players if we don’t get CL need to calm down. Has there been any rumblings that anyone wants to leave? No. Did you all watch Youri slapping the badge when he scored, or everyone hugging Top.?

It is obvious that most love it here and will want to see where the journey takes them for at least the next year or two. Players will move on, that’s inevitable, some by choice, others because they are surplus to requirements. Do you think we would have let Chilwell go if we didn’t have Thomas waiting in the wings, or Maguire etc. 

If a player wants to go (Mahrez, Kante, DD) then we cant stop them providing our price is met and we are better off without them. We do not need discontent in the squad, that is the slippery slope to becoming Arsenal orSpurs.

[Corky]

1 hour ago, Fox in the North said:

For me one of the big benefits if we were  to qualify for the Champaign’s League would be the drop in income for either Chelsea or Liverpool too. 

I don't know, they will still have the prestige and the cash to go beyond us.

 

Still stand by my point that losing out to West Ham or Everton would've been a bigger blow given the players we tend to go for, I still think players would choose Chelsea or Liverpool even in the Europa League for a year.

[AKCJ]

8 hours ago, ARM1968 said:

Then clearly you have no concept of the magnitude of tonight’s game. This isn’t just a defining moment, it could really be our future defining moment - it is THAT serious. 
 

In light of that I am significantly more nervous. 

You're more nervous now than you were for the FA Cup Final? Is that an inside joke i'm missing?

[Guest bennytwohats]

51 minutes ago, urban fox said:

Everyone who is wetting their pants over us losing players if we don’t get CL need to calm down. Has there been any rumblings that anyone wants to leave? No. Did you all watch Youri slapping the badge when he scored, or everyone hugging Top.?

It is obvious that most love it here and will want to see where the journey takes them for at least the next year or two. Players will move on, that’s inevitable, some by choice, others because they are surplus to requirements. Do you think we would have let Chilwell go if we didn’t have Thomas waiting in the wings, or Maguire etc. 

If a player wants to go (Mahrez, Kante, DD) then we cant stop them providing our price is met and we are better off without them. We do not need discontent in the squad, that is the slippery slope to becoming Arsenal orSpurs.

I think this is it, we've had these 'watershed' moments before and hindsight has shown them to be non events.

 

I was worried we'd ****ed our big chance after the league win - we recruited poorly and after champions league the feeling was we'd never have the same appeal again - however we've gone on to recruit much better players and consistently improve.

We've lost and replaced a number of quality players - Kante, Mahrez, Drinkwater (sounds almost tongue in cheek given our respective trajectory's since, but he was an important player when we lost him), Maguire, Chilwell - yet we have gone from strength to strength.

If it's not this summer, at some point some of this squad (and likely Brendan) will move on, that's football, we've shown that as a club we have a good record for replacing people well - we can't hide from it forever. I hope it's not needed this summer, but if it is, life goes on.

 

Don't get me wrong, it's a huge game, and I'm desperate for us to win tonight. But if we don't, try to not miss the genuine bigger picture which is this whole thing is about having some success (e.g. FA cup wins), and more importantly enjoying the successes we do have. If we miss out on top 4 I'm determined not to let that ruin what's been an incredible season for us.

[ARM1968]

19 minutes ago, AKCJ said:

You're more nervous now than you were for the FA Cup Final? Is that an inside joke i'm missing?

Probably. If I can come up with something valid and vaguely amusing, beyond me shifting myself, I’ll let you know. 🤣

[reynard]

Sorry but anyone who doesn't see the vital importance of a top 4 finish is missing the financial impact the pandemic has had on the club's finances. It will affect what we can offer in new contracts as well as which players we can attract and potentially buy.

 

The FA Cup is truly glorious for us fans and indeed for the players but for the board and the medium term future the financial gain from the Champion's league is immense to a club like us and proportionately far more significant to us than to sides like United with their huge off field earnings which make ours look like a days taking at a car boot sale in comparison.

[Finnaldo]

Don’t have any nerves to shred and I can’t really be disappointed after Saturday. They’re winners either way, that’s etched on a trophy, although I think we’ll do them 3-1

[fuchsntf]

59 minutes ago, reynard said:

Sorry but anyone who doesn't see the vital importance of a top 4 finish is missing the financial impact the pandemic has had on the club's finances. It will affect what we can offer in new contracts as well as which players we can attract and potentially buy.

 

The FA Cup is truly glorious for us fans and indeed for the players but for the board and the medium term future the financial gain from the Champion's league is immense to a club like us and proportionately far more significant to us than to sides like United with their huge off field earnings which make ours look like a days taking at a car boot sale in comparison.

But I aint doing the kicking...So I cant change it.....Football is my pastime,enjoying & time-out....Not my stress..!!!

I Dont cry when we got relegated...But I Damn well did for for the title & now the cup....

 

Not reaching our aspirations on different levels of achievements & success....

.Sorry I am too chilled to Argue the cuss, on some peoples Agendas 

to find negatives on a successful competing in a competitive season, has been my clubs First target...

Our Pure strength is the fact we have achieved Europe ,I want us all to want more, But First Ambitionen have been reached,

and consistent 2 seasons of opening the door in Europe...

I have my own Financial problems in Keeping house & Family , Let the higher payed worry about the Club I support & encourage...

So far they have done well..!!

There is always Next season....with the same players or with "incoming",

Football is like/a Part of life....Its Wheels turns & churns over...No panic..where are my fcuking slippers..

Edited 18 May 2021 by fuchsntf

[An Away Move]

Nothing to fear tonight. We've beat them twice already this season and we're above them in the league. No time for an inferiority complex.

[fox_up_north]

Some of the stuff in here makes it sound like missing out on top 4 means we become another Portsmouth, Leeds or Bury.

 

If we don't get champs league, we're still 5th. In the most popular league in the world. Above Spurs, Everton and Arsenal.

 

Even if we got liquidated and had to start again in the ninth tier, I'd support us. I really hate the idea of us just becoming a money club with no soul.

[st albans fox]

Exactly the same as last season

 

5th after GW37 

[KrefelderFox666]

Gutted to miss out again. 5th and an FA Cup win is a massive season for us but we will still be left with a sour taste and a sense of what could have been.

 

Woeful tonight but there were many other points in the season where we didn't do enough.

[KrefelderFox666]

1 minute ago, st albans fox said:

Exactly the same as last season

 

5th after GW37 

At least last season it was still in our hands though. This season we can win our last game and likely still miss out.

[STUHILL]

IF we beat Spurs and I know after tonight, that is a big IF -

then Liverpool need to WIN both their games and Chelsea need to WIN theirs. 

Stranger things have happened. Just 1 draw in any 3 of those matches, puts us in the Top 4 again. 

[Harry96]

Terry will make sure Chelsea go through anyway so that games a write off. Don’t trust us to beat spurs either 

[foxes_rule1978]

2-1 nachooo get in... 

[FrankieADZ]

being a negative nelly but its done now imo, too many points dropped at home but top 5 and the fa cup, id a took that at the start of the season tbh

[Kopfkino]

Wrong thread

Edited 18 May 2021 by Kopfkino

[KrefelderFox666]

If it was still in our hands vs Spurs I would have said we will do it. Over now.

 

Too many performances where we start playing after 70 mins. Today, West Ham. Good points tally but not enough.

[tom27111]

1 minute ago, KrefelderFox666 said:

If it was still in our hands vs Spurs I would have said we will do it. Over now.

 

Too many performances where we start playing after 70 mins. Today, West Ham. Good points tally but not enough.

 

Out of our hands, unless we beat Spurs 10-0

Edited 18 May 2021 by tom27111