Re: Question about Europa...

[HatterDon]

The question is why would we want it this season anyway? There's enough games and cups to concentrate on without this waste of space.

Yeah I don't see it either, much rather play Coventry in a cup than Standard Liege or Roma.

Well, you know, there are TWO domestic cup competitions every season, the winner of which gets into the Europa League. If we win one of them, we won't have to worry too much about our place in the standings. Ask Birmingham, Stoke, or Pompey.

I NEVER want us in Europe again unless it's for winning something -- or finishing 4th or higher.

[Mr_Moon]

Well, you know, there are TWO domestic cup competitions every season, the winner of which gets into the Europa League. If we win one of them, we won't have to worry too much about our place in the standings. Ask Birmingham, Stoke, or Pompey.

I NEVER want us in Europe again unless it's for winning something -- or finishing 4th or higher.

I know I was being sarcastic but I really don't know whether you are too.

[HatterDon]

Well, you know, there are TWO domestic cup competitions every season, the winner of which gets into the Europa League. If we win one of them, we won't have to worry too much about our place in the standings. Ask Birmingham, Stoke, or Pompey.

I NEVER want us in Europe again unless it's for winning something -- or finishing 4th or higher.

I know I was being sarcastic but I really don't know whether you are too.

I'm 65, Mr. Moose, and this was several hours ago. I have no idea whether I was being sarcastic or not!

[Mr_Moon]

I'm 65, Mr. Moose, and this was several hours ago. I have no idea whether I was being sarcastic or not!

That's ok HatterRon

[HatterDon]

I'm 65, Mr. Moose, and this was several hours ago. I have no idea whether I was being sarcastic or not!

That's ok HatterRon

That's game, set, and match to Mr. Moose  092.gif

[Aldo]

So as I see it... these are the results we need to qualify...

Everton must draw or lose away to Wolves

Everton must lose to Newcastle (so Chelsea can't catch Newcastle and we can catch Everton

Chelsea must win the CL Final and because Newcastle won a game would keep them out of CL spot

Chelsea must beat or draw with Liverpool in the league so we can jump Liverpool

We must beat Sunderland and Tottenham...

If that happens... we finish 7th... Chelsea finish outside the top 4 and the places in Europe go...

CL (1st) Man City, (2nd) Manure, (Holders) Chelsea, (3rd) Arsenal 

Europa (4th) Newcastle (5th) Spurs (FA Cup) Vacated by Chelsea or Liverpool already qualified (League Cup) Liverpool (6th) Vacated by Chelsea (7th) Fulham via additional Europa slot given the association...

Sorry, but a bit confused now.

With 4 CL places and 3 EL spots, Liverpool are already in through the League Cup so that leaves places for only the top 6. As we can only make 7th there is no way we can qualify anyway! I think that's right...

[MikeR]

Check this link: http://www.premierleague.com/en-gb/fans/faqs/who-qualifies-to-play-in-europe/ specifically this paragraph:

"English winners of the UEFA Champions League who do not qualify through their domestic position go forward as Winners to the group stage, with the team finishing fourth dropping to the UEFA Europa League. In this case, the national association of the title-holder is entitled to one additional place in the UEFA Europa League."

If Chelsea wins the CL and finishes outside the top 4, then the last sentence kicks in and will allow the 7th-place team to be in Europa.

[Lighthouse]

The question is why would we want it this season anyway? There's enough games and cups to concentrate on without this waste of space.

Yeah I don't see it either, much rather play Coventry in a cup than Standard Liege or Roma.

Much rather play and win in the FA Cup with a strong team that are not too tired than play in Europe get knocked out in the group games and suffer in the Prem and cups because of it. Why should Roma and Standard Liege, both of whom would not have been good enough to get into the Champions League if they were in the Europa make me any more excited than playing Coventry with a chance for an immidiate result and not a two legged or league system that takes the whole year? Fulham are now big enough not to wet themselves just because we play a once big named club.

[Mr_Moon]

Much rather play and win in the FA Cup with a strong team that are not too tired than play in Europe get knocked out in the group games and suffer in the Prem and cups because of it. Why should Roma and Standard Liege, both of whom would not have been good enough to get into the Champions League if they were in the Europa make me any more excited than playing Coventry with a chance for an immidiate result and not a two legged or league system that takes the whole year? Fulham are now big enough not to wet themselves just because we play a once big named club.

We nearly won the Europa League and we reached the 1/4 finals of the FA Cup, being robbed by an offside goal by Spurs. We can definitely hold our own without affecting league positioning.

[MikeR]

The question is why would we want it this season anyway? There's enough games and cups to concentrate on without this waste of space.

Gives us a better opportunity to blood young talent; helps us attract / keep better talent. Fine with me if MJ plays the youth team in July - at least I could see them.

[mccscratch]

The question is why would we want it this season anyway? There's enough games and cups to concentrate on without this waste of space.

Gives us a better opportunity to blood young talent; helps us attract / keep better talent. Fine with me if MJ plays the youth team in July - at least I could see them.

Totally agree... when we play a team from the Faroes we can play youth players or bench players... no need for the first teamers to come back yet.

And people say cup games... we get knocked after a round or two and then there are no cup games... would have been nice to have not conceded against Odense... instead we had hardly any games for the fringe players to make it in to after then...

[ElissonSnygg]

Im with mccscrats in this question. I think a qualification by table-position would be great.
1st. It's not that early compared to qualification by FairPlay.
2nd. Playing the bench-players against the first teams won't affect the better players at all because they can start the season like any other non-european-cup-team. I think we can manage that.

Though its a lot of results that has to go our way if this is about to happen. Dont think so, unfortunately.

[valdeingruo]

This season i would prefer for the scum not to win the champions, one we would never hear the end of it and two Newcastle deserve a campaign in the Champions league after a fantastic season they've had.

I am with Hatter on this, it would be amazing if we qualified by winning a cup. However its not that i dont enjoy the European adventure, its the fact that the boys have played close to 60 matches this season and need a bit of a rest.

If the younger players were to be given a run out during the early stages that would be great but that poses a problem in my opinion, if the youngsters go far in the early stages and we get bigger and better teams wouldnt that be unfair to them? "Thanks for getting us this far lads, but the big boys are going to take over now, go take your place on the bench"

[mccscratch]

For me there is no reason to think that we can't continue to do the same thing we did under Roy way back when. Roy allowed those players to get games that were not seeing regular action.

The only thing different is our secondary players are better than what we use to have.

Think about our second 11 now with a mix of youth players and backups. Some real quality there.

[mccscratch]

So as I see it... these are the results we need to qualify...

Everton must draw or lose away to Wolves

Everton must lose to Newcastle (so Chelsea can't catch Newcastle and we can catch Everton

Chelsea must win the CL Final and because Newcastle won a game would keep them out of CL spot

Chelsea must beat or draw with Liverpool in the league so we can jump Liverpool

We must beat Sunderland and Tottenham...

If that happens... we finish 7th... Chelsea finish outside the top 4 and the places in Europe go...

CL (1st) Man City, (2nd) Manure, (Holders) Chelsea, (3rd) Arsenal 

Europa (4th) Newcastle (5th) Spurs (FA Cup) Vacated by Chelsea or Liverpool already qualified (League Cup) Liverpool (6th) Vacated by Chelsea (7th) Fulham via additional Europa slot given the association...

still on track..... come on you whites!

[mccscratch]

I am a bit stunned that nobody is talking about this after the weekend results going in our favor... below is and updated "what Fulham need" in order to qualify for the Europa League...

Fulham must beat Spurs

Everton must lose or draw to Newcastle

then...

Liverpool must defeat or draw with Chelsea (to keep Chelsea out of top 4) or must lose or draw with Swansea and Chelsea must drop points vs Blackburn before the CL final...

Chelsea must win the CL final while not finishing in the top 4 in the league....

If that happens... we finish 7th... and by Chelsea accepting CL group stage spot for 2012-13 CL the English Premier League is awarded an addition place in the Europa League.

CL (1st) Man City, (2nd) Manure, (Holders) Chelsea, (3rd) Arsenal  

Europa (4th) Newcastle (5th) Spurs....{these 2 are interchangeable provided it is not Chelsea finishing 4th}..... (FA Cup) Vacated by Chelsea & runners-up Liverpool who have already qualified (League Cup) Liverpool (6th) Vacated by Chelsea (7th) Fulham via additional Europa slot given the association...

...also

the way I read it... we would not be playing in July as this would be a league qualification place and would not start until August when Stoke and Everton did last season...

[finnster01]

I wonder what the odds on SkyBet for that would come out to (as an aggregator) for a tenner? Anyone got any spare time on their hands to work it out?

[Mr_Moon]

Think I've got it at 66/1 Finnster.


Fulham win
Liverpool or Draw
Newcastle or Draw
Chelsea win (CL)

[finnster01]

Think I've got it at 66/1 Finnster.


Fulham win
Liverpool or Draw
Newcastle or Draw
Chelsea win (CL)

Cheers mate for running the numbers.

Hmmm...Not impossible in my book, and a tenner @ 66/1 may just be worth a punt

[MikeR]

Liverpool must defeat or draw with Chelsea (to keep Chelsea out of top 4) or must lose or draw with Swansea and Chelsea must drop points vs Blackburn before the CL final...
...
we would not be playing in July as this would be a league qualification place and would not start until August when Stoke and Everton did last season...

Basically correct, although if Newcastle beat Everton and Arsenal get a point off West Brom, then Chelsea can't finish higher than 5th even if they win both of their league games.

You're also right about our not starting before August, although that's a quirk of this year's schedule since the 3rd round first leg is August 2. We would enter in that round if we make it and Liverpool win both of their games.