andoru Posted 16 February, 2015 Share Posted 16 February, 2015 It seems ridiculous to be leaning towards a 'no', but after so long in the top four it would feel like an anti-climax. I also think it would be harder to keep hold of some of our better players as well, although I expect Morgan to go even if we win the league. At the end of the day, our main goal for the season as fans should be to feel smug towards Liverpool and Spurs, so any finish above them would be good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unbelievable Jeff Posted 16 February, 2015 Share Posted 16 February, 2015 I'm not sure I want Europa League. Can't make any Sunday games, too many games for not much money (we couldn't expand the squad enough to deal with it) and would put our league position under threat. We'd end up around the quarters and then finish 10th or 14th at best imo. Prefer to be best of the rest in the Prem, with a chance of upsetting the odds every season. Just for me personally anyway, however good it would be to have some European away games. Also still think we have a good chance at top 4. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CB Fry Posted 16 February, 2015 Share Posted 16 February, 2015 I'm not sure I want Europa League. Can't make any Sunday games, too many games for not much money (we couldn't expand the squad enough to deal with it) and would put our league position under threat. We'd end up around the quarters and then finish 10th or 14th at best imo. Prefer to be best of the rest in the Prem, with a chance of upsetting the odds every season. Just for me personally anyway, however good it would be to have some European away games. Also still think we have a good chance at top 4. I'd rather be in the EL and finish 12th than not be in it and finish 8th (the highest point that guarantees non EL football). Let's have a bash at it. At the end of the day we are probably only a couple of seasons away from a 12/13/14th place finish anyway (let's not pretend this season is the locked in template for the next two/five/ten, it won't be). Thursday/Sunday is sh ite I give you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unbelievable Jeff Posted 16 February, 2015 Share Posted 16 February, 2015 (edited) I'd rather be in the EL and finish 12th than not be in it and finish 8th (the highest point that guarantees non EL football). Let's have a bash at it. At the end of the day we are probably only a couple of seasons away from a 12/13/14th place finish anyway (let's not pretend this season is the locked in template for the next two/five/ten, it won't be). Thursday/Sunday is sh ite I give you. Perhaps. I just wouldn't give up on this season's chance for Europa. Good chance that 5th and 6th will both be available for Europa anyway... Edited 16 February, 2015 by Unbelievable Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Window Cleaner Posted 16 February, 2015 Share Posted 16 February, 2015 Nope, go for broke there's no difference between 5th and 7th anyway apart from a few quid. In either case you don't make the CL and you get the consolation prize. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toomer Posted 16 February, 2015 Share Posted 16 February, 2015 Sundays game and Spurs at home are going to have a major say in where we finish, I would take 5th but I would hope for top 4. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hypochondriac Posted 16 February, 2015 Share Posted 16 February, 2015 Many people on here would prefer 4th place to a cup win (and I've never met anyone who thinks that in real life) so it is hard to predict what people are going to say on here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kwsaint Posted 16 February, 2015 Share Posted 16 February, 2015 I actually think that we will finish 5th or 6th anyway. Which would be a fantastic achievement, given that we have only three top 6 finishes in our history (6th in 1981, 2nd in 1984 and 5th in 1985). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint_Ash Posted 16 February, 2015 Share Posted 16 February, 2015 I think I would take 5th if offered now. The Europa League will be a solid foundation to start our European adventures from, ok it might damage our league next year but I can't see us being relegated. Obviously prefer top 4 but if we're 3rd and keep Spurs and Liverpool below us it would be an amazing season. Win the Europa next season and get in to the Champs League that way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unbelievable Jeff Posted 16 February, 2015 Share Posted 16 February, 2015 Many people on here would prefer 4th place to a cup win (and I've never met anyone who thinks that in real life) so it is hard to predict what people are going to say on here. I think it's the difference between a potential flash in the pan (a la Pompey), or legacy. The potential a top 4 place could bring, along with the ability to hold onto players, to compete on a yearly basis in the FA Cup etc is worth it I believe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DT Posted 16 February, 2015 Share Posted 16 February, 2015 I think getting a Europa spot could be pretty debilitating for a club of our size, unless we bolstered the squad significantly to cope with the extra injuries/games/travelling etc. Certainly think it pales in significance in terms of attracting/retaining players when compared to CL qualification - which could be massive game changer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CB Fry Posted 16 February, 2015 Share Posted 16 February, 2015 I think it's the difference between a potential flash in the pan (a la Pompey), or legacy. The potential a top 4 place could bring, along with the ability to hold onto players, to compete on a yearly basis in the FA Cup etc is worth it I believe. You're expecting a heck of a lot from one CL campaign. It didn't set Leeds and Newcastle up for life. One season in the CL could be just as much of a flash in the pan as a cup win. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unbelievable Jeff Posted 16 February, 2015 Share Posted 16 February, 2015 You're expecting a heck of a lot from one CL campaign. It didn't set Leeds and Newcastle up for life. One season in the CL could be just as much of a flash in the pan as a cup win. Perhaps. Perhaps not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shurlock Posted 16 February, 2015 Share Posted 16 February, 2015 You're expecting a heck of a lot from one CL campaign. It didn't set Leeds and Newcastle up for life. One season in the CL could be just as much of a flash in the pan as a cup win. That was near on 15 years ago and arguably the rewards for CL football -financial and reputational- have increased significantly since that time. Leeds is a poor analogy as it repeatedly bet the house on making the CL, a back-to-front approach which is nothing like we've done. Would one CL campaign make us perennial top four challengers? Of course, not. But it is arguable that it could help establish our place in the top seven, possibly displacing the likes of Everton for a few years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitey Grandad Posted 16 February, 2015 Share Posted 16 February, 2015 That was near on 15 years ago and arguably the rewards for CL football -financial and reputational- have increased significantly since that time. Leeds is a poor analogy as it repeatedly bet the house on making the CL, a back-to-front approach which is nothing like we've done. Would one CL campaign make us perennial top four challengers? Of course, not. But it is arguable that it could help establish our place in the top seven, possibly displacing the likes of Everton for a few years. ...and help us to attract quality players with ambition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benjii Posted 16 February, 2015 Share Posted 16 February, 2015 No. Of course not. How defeatist. Two thirds of the season has passed and we are fourth, with home matches reamaining against two of the four teams we are vying with for top four. If we win both of those there is a good chance that we will finish above them both. That leaves one of Man U and Arsenal to beat (who incidentally, still have to play each other). Whilst fifth would represent an excellent season, it simply isn't sport to "settle" for something less than we currently have. If we were fifth and one point of fourth we wouldn't ask if we would "settle for fifth" we would ask, "can we get fourth?". So why the hell would you settle for less? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperMikey Posted 16 February, 2015 Share Posted 16 February, 2015 I think the mentality of those in charge at the club is a positive one, and that we'll always strive to be better. We'll definitely be aiming for 3rd or 4th and I think we have a great chance if we can find a bit of form again, but I would take 5th or 6th if our season fizzles out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tajjuk Posted 16 February, 2015 Share Posted 16 February, 2015 nope. best chance for champions league we will ever have I think Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smirking_Saint Posted 16 February, 2015 Share Posted 16 February, 2015 I think it's the difference between a potential flash in the pan (a la Pompey), or legacy. The potential a top 4 place could bring, along with the ability to hold onto players, to compete on a yearly basis in the FA Cup etc is worth it I believe. Do you know what I agree, a cup win would be excellent, but eventually counts for very little other than some warm memories and more in the trophy room. Its not a massive confidence, fund or status builder in the long term. And it seems absolutely mental to say I would prefer anything over than 5th or a cup win, but thats where we are this season. Im not so convinced that, as Cb says, this season is a blueprint to future years. We will potentially be able to extend this upwards momentum for another 2 years maximum 'without' a top four finish IMO, and a lot of that will be comprised on keeping the vultures away. So yes, I told myself not to dare to dream until after the difficult christmas period, but we are still in amongst the running, so why not ? With our end run of fixtures its achievable, and will more than likely open a few corridoors if we do manage to make it. So yeah, i think its worth the risk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smirking_Saint Posted 16 February, 2015 Share Posted 16 February, 2015 That was near on 15 years ago and arguably the rewards for CL football -financial and reputational- have increased significantly since that time. Leeds is a poor analogy as it repeatedly bet the house on making the CL, a back-to-front approach which is nothing like we've done. Would one CL campaign make us perennial top four challengers? Of course, not. But it is arguable that it could help establish our place in the top seven, possibly displacing the likes of Everton for a few years. This Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Who? Posted 16 February, 2015 Share Posted 16 February, 2015 We are running out of legs I think. The 7th spot it will be, which is progression. I just think the season is going to be a few games to long for us. God I hope I am wrong! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CB Fry Posted 16 February, 2015 Share Posted 16 February, 2015 That was near on 15 years ago and arguably the rewards for CL football -financial and reputational- have increased significantly since that time. Leeds is a poor analogy as it repeatedly bet the house on making the CL, a back-to-front approach which is nothing like we've done. Would one CL campaign make us perennial top four challengers? Of course, not. But it is arguable that it could help establish our place in the top seven, possibly displacing the likes of Everton for a few years. Yeah, perfectly possible. Perfectly possible we start next season the CL and finish it in 8th, too. On those other clubs, it was difficult to come up with more recent examples which is kind of the point, too. Everton hit the sweet spot of a manager who was a perfect fit and hung around for a nigh on a decade - Koeman is unlikely to stay at SFC as long as Moyes. What won't happen this summer is the club lobbing around 3/4 year CL standard contracts. I think people may need to manage their expectations if we do qualify - we'll be a club in the Champions League, but not a "Champions League Club". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saintroyt Posted 16 February, 2015 Share Posted 16 February, 2015 After the summer transfers and appeared we where relaxation fodder so woul take anything currently now we will still be in the prem Europe is a bonus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saintroyt Posted 16 February, 2015 Share Posted 16 February, 2015 sorry should read relegation iPod seems to subsistutes words Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonnyboy Posted 16 February, 2015 Author Share Posted 16 February, 2015 No. Of course not. How defeatist. Two thirds of the season has passed and we are fourth, with home matches reamaining against two of the four teams we are vying with for top four. If we win both of those there is a good chance that we will finish above them both. That leaves one of Man U and Arsenal to beat (who incidentally, still have to play each other). Whilst fifth would represent an excellent season, it simply isn't sport to "settle" for something less than we currently have. If we were fifth and one point of fourth we wouldn't ask if we would "settle for fifth" we would ask, "can we get fourth?". So why the hell would you settle for less? Be interesting to see how ballsy everyone is after next weekends round of matches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddie Posted 17 February, 2015 Share Posted 17 February, 2015 As we're likely to finish 6/7th, I would happily take 5th. If Koeman stays for the next few years, I wouldn't actually be that upset with lower than that this season, knowing that he could actually build something longer term at SMS and really cement saints in top 6 for a while. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CB Fry Posted 17 February, 2015 Share Posted 17 February, 2015 As we're likely to finish 6/7th, I would happily take 5th. If Koeman stays for the next few years, I wouldn't actually be that upset with lower than that this season, knowing that he could actually build something longer term at SMS and really cement saints in top 6 for a while. Interesting you see us cementing a place in the top six over the long term but aren't convinced we can do it in this season we are in right now. Personally I see it the other way round. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonnyboy Posted 4 May, 2015 Author Share Posted 4 May, 2015 Think I'd take 6th now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the saint in winchester Posted 4 May, 2015 Share Posted 4 May, 2015 I'd take 7th. We are in serious danger of losing even that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CB Fry Posted 4 May, 2015 Share Posted 4 May, 2015 I'd take 7th. We are in serious danger of losing even that. No we're not. Swansea would very likely need to win their last three in a row, and they have a run in that suggests they won't be doing that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GarrettIvo Posted 5 May, 2015 Share Posted 5 May, 2015 I figured we'd comfortably finish in or near the top half at the start of the season. Something like 8th to 12th I guess. So even to finish 7th will be incredibly pleasing. If we can sneak a place or two higher I'll be stoked. Yes it's a little frustrating given where we were in January, but you could say the season has evened itself out somewhat. Mind you I don't think we've had as much good luck as we've had bad, even though we probably should have shipped a couple more penalties before the weekend. Meh. And I'll never understand the argument against Europa League. Sure it's a test of squad depth and stamina, but what else is a club our size (ie SMALL) supposed to do if it wants to grow? If we do finish 7th I will be cheering for Arsenal in the Cup final as loudly as any one of their fans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hackedoff Posted 5 May, 2015 Share Posted 5 May, 2015 Yes , because it is probably three places higher than where we will finish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cobraBLACK Posted 5 May, 2015 Share Posted 5 May, 2015 I thought 'no' when this thread started and I think the same now; being up there for so long we just had to go for it. I'd rather we tried and failed (and learnt something - take note, Wenger) than not tried at all (i.e., accepted 'best of the rest'). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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