Do You Think We Can Qualify For The Europa?

[White Noise]

Good to see Clint saying we are have the Europa in mind as an objective this season but do you think we could achieve that? Where are we likely to have to finish to qualify?

http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2010/November/DempseyGoals.aspx?


Man On Fire




Clint Dempsey will be looking to add to his tally of five goals so far this season when Aston Villa come to the Cottage on Saturday afternoon.

Dempsey's double last weekend fired Fulham back up the Barclays Premier League table and the US striker is certainly leading the line with aplomb in the absence of Bobby Zamora.

"Bobby has definitely been missed as he was on top form so everyone has been trying to chip in as much as we can," Dempsey told fulhamfc.com.

"Any time you can score it helps your confidence and that was the case for me last weekend. We were down towards the bottom before the game and didn't feel we deserved to be there so now we can look up the table again."

Dempsey is Fulham's current longest serving player and having experienced all the highs and lows over the past few years, Clint only has eyes for the top half of the table nowadays.

"You have to be cautious; you don't want to find yourselves catching a bad run of form and find your team slipping away. The first two seasons I had here we were in a relegation battle that went right down to the wire.

"This time our goal is definitely to finish top-half and push on from there and hopefully find ourselves in a position where we can fight for a Europa League spot.

"The new manager has changed things. We play more of an attacking style and do it a bit different defensively. When everyone is fit it is very competitive for starting spots and I think the manager is doing a great job.

"We also have more experience of being at a high level after finishing 12th last season and reaching the Europa League final. We have the same nucleus of players, pretty much, and a few more that have experience now.

"You have to have a lot of depth in your squad when you're in Europe but this season we can put everything we have into the league."

[finnster01]

That would have to be a top 7 or so spot, or via the "Fair Play On You Handbags" league in which case table position doesn't matter.

In any event, given the lack of referee love and the fact I believe we will finish 12th, Europe will just be a wet dream unfortunately

[Jimpav]

I think that this season could be a good opportunity for us to make Europe.

Liverpool and Everton had dodgy starts, plus Spurs and Man City are stuttering.

We have not set the league on fire yet but we have not had a proven striker on the pitch for half of the games we have played.

If BZ comes back into the fold in February then it will give us a shot in the arm when other clubs will be struggling with fatigue and injuries.

Who knows we may even make second place in the FA cup under Sparkys guidance.

[AlFayedsChequebook]

That would have to be a top 7 or so spot, or via the "Fair Play On You Handbags" league in which case table position doesn't matter.

In any event, given the lack of referee love and the fact I believe we will finish 12th, Europe will just be a wet dream unfortunately

Bang on. 12th is around where we will finish.

[VicHalomsLovechild]

So can I assume WN, you've given up on qualifying for the Champions League then!

[Vinnieffc]

Do we qualify for the EL WHEN we win the FA Cup this season ?

[HatterDon]

The only way we're getting into Europe any time soon is through the FA Cup or League Cup -- this season, it's the FA. Thing is, I can't see a freshly-healed Bobby Z playing twice a week right off the bat, and he'd need to do this for us to do well in the league and get to Wembley. So, not this year, but I do believe we'll win one of the cups under Mark, and get back into OUR competition.

[Burt]

No.

[Jimpav]

Do we qualify for the EL WHEN we win the FA Cup this season ?

If we were to win the FA cup we would qualify for EL.

If we come second to a team that has already qualified for EL or CL then we would also qualify.

If two teams meet in the FA cup final and both have qualified for Europe then the European spot goes to 6th or 7th league placing.

[fulhamwannabe]

very hard,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,but not impossible

[GoldCoastWhite]

very hard,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,but not impossible

Is your comma key stuck or is this some peculiar code that noone else on this board understands ?

[fulhamwannabe]

here we go,another one jumps on the bandwagon,,,,,you can tell there are a few pm's going around !
ehhhhh,no it's not stuck,it's a crypted message,,,,but only a few can UNcrypt it(ask robert langdon he'll help ya) :017:

[ImperialWhite]

The only way we're getting into Europe any time soon is through the FA Cup or League Cup -- this season, it's the FA. Thing is, I can't see a freshly-healed Bobby Z playing twice a week right off the bat, and he'd need to do this for us to do well in the league and get to Wembley. So, not this year, but I do believe we'll win one of the cups under Mark, and get back into OUR competition.

I know that I said that we had a great chance of winning the League Cup  this season (HA HA HA etc, etc.) but I do think we have chance with the FA Cup this season. For the same reasons. All of the sides who are genuine class above us, and thus on paper unbeatable, have big distractions this season:

1) Chel.sea - Of all the sides, the one I'd least like to face (except perhaps in a glorious final), but they are fallible (as Wolves and Newcastle showed) and whether they will admit it or not, desperate for the Champions League.
2) Man U - Very fallible indeed, would rather do well in the league/CL.
3) Arsenal - Again, fallible, although since Les Arse are desperate for a trophy, I'd have Arsenal that I'd avoid, after Chelsea.
4) Spurs - obvious distraction of the CL.
5) Citeh - if they don't get into the top 4, Mancini will be sacked, can't see them worry about the FA Cup too much (although the depth of their squad is impressive).

Everyone else, on a good day, should be beatable. (Of course, it'd only take a good Championship side in an away draw to present us with banana skin, so...)