I think the side against City may be used again, with maybe one or two changes, a few times before the end of the season. indeed, if we were to get to the final and it was against City, Gracia may use those same tactics but with a slightly different line-up. There will be VAR so I'm hopeful that there will be no bad goal decisions although I can't vouch for Atwell at United, although he does owe us one!
No. Just the 5 dodgy penalties for "he touched him so he had the right to go down" common assaults on Sterling and Aguero.
Did it? They played two qualifying rounds, one was against a Scottish club so travel wasn't that great. 3 of their matches were played before the PL started, effectively making it a UEFA organised pre-season. Burnley's season was wrecked because Heaton was still injured and their manager's tactics come from some runes chiselled into Stonehenge.
TBF I think the biggest shock was that they got to finish 7th with such a poor side. Countless games won despite being played off the park and having far fewer goal attempts. They were always going to be back to where they belong this season.
Considering they didn't make it past the qualifying stage I'm not sure it can really be blamed. I think more teams have worked out how to play against them
Up to this season I felt exactly the same, however now we have got to the stage where we routinely beat all bar the top six, I feel we have our best chance yet to have a go in the Europa league without staring relegation in the face!
Chances are, this is as good as it’s going to get for us in the EPL. We’re not going to finish higher than 7th in subsequent seasons, and cup success is unpredictable, so we might as well go for it while we can. Unless we’re sucked into a relegation battle next year, I bet we’ve got nothing to play for this time next season. Might well be the best chance we get for a long time to enjoy the heady wonders of 7th place and a Cup Final.
I truly believe that if VAR had been available for that wonderful series of events resulting from Knockhart’s dive, it would have still given a penalty. Cannot wait for the numerous, there was contact so go with the ref decisions which will basically render the whole thing redundant. However it will be spot on when giving offside because he has the snout of the great LeTiss and it is 3cm beyond the last defender.
I really would like us to win the Cup, but just for the fact of winning it, not that it may qualify us for a diluted-relevance Europa "League" that'll end up with us playing games on Thursdays, more Prem games on Sundays etc..
[This bit isn't true either - the runner-up in the Cup Final gets £1.8mil, while every extra league position in the PL gets £2mil. Finishing 7th also opens up the possibility of earning a decent wedge more from the Europa League.[/QUOTE] You have to add in the share of the final attendance receipts and the broadcast income, which added to the runners up prize money is more than a finishing place. What is unknown is the impact on league form getting to the final would have.
Totally agree my friend for the reasons stated. The Europa League is a bit of a joke and is basically a booby prize for large clubs or banana skin for small ones. When we were in Europe before it meant something...not now so best avoided. Now winning an actual trophy with pedigree like the FA Cup would mean so much more. Here's dreaming.
Baffled by this.... People are saying that finishing 7th and getting Europa, if Wolves dont won the cup, will damage our chances next season.... to play for what exactly in the league?
I feel that when you have 7 Premier League teams playing in European competitions it dilutes the meaning of it all. I couldn’t tell you what stage either of the competitions are currently at(I assume there are still only two?), which competition is which or who is left in them (admittedly I don’t really care). It just feels like every night there is a ‘big’, ‘last chance’ European game for ‘some club or another’. It has become saturated and I’ve switched off completely. I’m sure that some people are making lots of money out of it all though. How can you have a third of the league in European competitions? The team that finished 7th? WTF is 7th position? It’s a well done for breaking even on goal difference award, that’s all. It should only be open to Prem champions, runners up and the FA cup winners. But then I’m also one of those that think Wembley should be reserved for the FA cup final only, not semi-finals, playoffs for minor divisions and FA tin-pot Vases etc. I agree with the poster who says lets win the FA cup for the sake of winning the cup, it’ll be the greatest day in our history. After that Gino should make a stand and boycott any Euro-comp thing. #Watxit.....
The good thing about so many fans not fancying Europa is that it means I'll be able to get a ticket to some tinpot ground in Eastern Europe that will only give us a 1000 tickets!
I think most would be the same unless Watford are in it... Premier league bored me before we were in it (still does somewhat). FA cup loses any interest until we have a chance of getting to the semi/final. Even then people arent going because its not a once in a lifetime thing, weve played spurs there already this season ffs. So while a trip to a no mark Austrian team in July night be little more than a pre season piss up. If we get to say a 1/4 final it would be one of the biggest occasions in the clubs history.
European competition has dropped off the radar because of the ridiculous decision to give BT Sport exclusive rights from now until infinity. Audiences in this country are tiny now compared to the late 90s/early 00s when it was all on ITV. England has 7 spots in CL / EL because our teams are pretty good at progressing and winning. People would rather watch English (or Spanish or Italian) sides than the champions of Lichtenstein or the winners of the Israeli cup. 6th and 7th place only get spots because the powers that be would rather reward clearly competent teams that have proven themselves to be best of the rest over 38 games in the top division than give it to the cup final losers.
Burnley didn't have the pulling power to attract big names. Dyche also hates rotation and technical players. Their season was always going to stutter. I reckon Gino has a little black book of players that are currently out of our reach, but would be convinced to sign for us if we qualify for Europe. If not, I'd probably still take a decent run in the Europa and relegation. It would beat the monotonous drudgery of the Premier League, and I'd have an excuse to go on a few extra holidays.
Solskjaer been given perm position. Guess thats all the talking point will be about for this match by the media then.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/47691296 Great, so the feel good bounce will be there in full force in time for our visit.
Or... Great, the honeymoon is already over, players can relax back into Mourinho levels of effort, they’ve started wobbling already, we’ll upset them with a win at Old Trafford to give the media another 6 million column inches and hours of debate as to whether the board were too hasty, he’s beginning to lose the plot, will they get to 4th or should they go all out for the Champions League, who’s injured ......etc etc And ... breathe....
We’ll see. I think the idea that confirming a tiny part of a player’s body is a couple of inches offside will be good for the game is a little off. The rule has been amended many times to try and improve the attacking side of the game. I just feel that, while factually correct, it will be the main thing which will actually annoy more than anything else. Had this conversation elsewhere on the forum but if you are using it to such a tight degree then I’d rather see the rule changed to, you are onside if any scoring part of your body is not beyond the last defender.
It did, bit it's something to aim for, and isn't that what sport is all about? After all, a 6-0 Cup Final defeat before a worldwide TV audience wouldn't be great for morale, but we still want the chance
