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The 2019/20 Race for Europe


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11 minutes ago, LFCMike said:

Where does everyone see Sheffield United finishing? 

Three defeats in their last five but they were against Liverpool and Man City (twice). Chelsea, Tottenham and Wolves have all still got to go to Bramall Lane in April.

Still get the feeling they'll just miss out on Europe but if you look at it logically they could easily finish 5th or 6th. The league is so weak below 3rd place that despite our calamity on Tuesday, I feel more confident about our chances of nicking a Europa League place because everyone else is so shite.

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Got to say after midweek I'm pretty certain of us now. We've got to properly chuck this away to not make it. We're not the finished article yet in my opinion but we're good enough to do this and that's a superb platform to build from.

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If Wolves get the wins they need I can see them genuinely sitting in 4th or close to it by the end of March? Then they play Chelsea at the end of the season so that could solidify it. Any team in that bucket which drops points just has to pray that the others also drop points in that gameweek. Chelsea have a huge chance to drop 6 points in the next three gameweeks and if the teams below them start to pick up steam it could get very very close.

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Sheff Utd need to be backed for Europe now. They're still in the running after the busiest period of the fixture list. Gotta be taken seriously for Europa League at the minimum. 

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1 hour ago, Stan said:

Sheff Utd need to be backed for Europe now. They're still in the running after the busiest period of the fixture list. Gotta be taken seriously for Europa League at the minimum. 

Wouldn't it be brilliant if they actually made Europe? What a story that would be. 

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7 minutes ago, LFCMadLad said:

Wouldn't it be brilliant if they actually made Europe? What a story that would be. 

100%. Deserved as well. No one can deny they'd be well worth their spot either. 

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With regards to Europe, 'Europa League' specifically, I think after 25 games the side has shown we have that discipline and the right mentality to see out wins or hard fought points against the big 6. The next 5 will really determine whether Europe is realistic, all sides (based on form) we shouldn't be fearing. It's so saturated up there.. either way, it will go down to the wire!

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The next five game weeks are going to be very interesting for the 4th spot all the way down to 7th. All those teams play each other and if anyone slips up then they could literally be out of running. Spurs are only 4 points off fourth now and have to play Chelsea two weeks from now. Sheffield have to play United, Spurs and Wolves but the games before then are where they can pick up points while the others in European spot contention are playing each other. Chelsea play United and Spurs in their next two games and if they draw or lose either of those games then you could see another shift in the race for Europe. 

Fun times ahead. 

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5 hours ago, Storts said:

If we don’t get 4th I want us to finish outside the European places - don’t want any of that Europa League nonsense. Let Sheff U enjoy some fun trips 

It's a decent tournament once you're out of the group stages tbh. When in the group stages, especially when what you're really after is CL football, it feels like a really shit tournament to be in. And Thursday fixtures are just annoying.

But it's a good tournament after that and a respected trophy moreso around the rest of Europe than it is in England. And I think more trophies for this Spurs squad would be a good thing overall for Spurs (the club itself and the fans) as well as for England (having Kane and the other Spurs England internationals getting used to winning stuff is good for their mentality in knockout competitions). And even if they don't win, once the group stages are over going on a good cup run against some more than decent European sides is usually a good thing for the players mentally as well.

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Sheffield United I think could cope with the Europa League because I feel like they get the absolute max from their players as it is - what I mean is I think they could bulk their squad out with even more players of a similar or better level and then be able to rotate effectively.

I think Wilder is genuinely one of the best coaches in Europe. How can he not be? He absolutely smashes it at every level he's at. Some of the stats about Sheffield United, for a team that was in League One just three years ago, haven't exactly thrown silly money at things either, are just phenomenal.

I must admit I can't escape the idea that this league isn't that strong anymore and if PSG were doing what Liverpool were doing, people would be ridiculing the league no end.

But that shouldn't take away much from Sheffield United who just seem to adapt to every level with ease. I'd love them to finish 4th. Breath of fresh air in every way.

---

As for us, I think we've been exposed a bit in recent weeks, and I do think our tendency to flop on the big occasion is likely to see us beaten at both Arsenal and Tottenham later in the season but I do think we've got enough of a gap, and enough winnable games to stay in the top four. I think this break has come at a very good time for us, I expect the likes of Ndidi and Vardy to be back at 100% for Wolves in a fortnight and from there on we go.

I do think it's easy to forget how well we've done at times. I think the others being shit has helped us but we've once again been the ones to take advantage and that's something to be proud of, and you've got to say, finishing in the Champions League twice in five seasons is a gamechanger for a club like us.

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As for the Europa League, having never actually witnessed it I'd be delighted to be in it but I do get that there are drawbacks too - it's not exactly a pull for players like the Champions League is and the games and miles do hit you somewhat.

Still though I think watching Leicester in somewhere like Serbia or Belarus would be pretty amazing. Would take me to some countries I'd never imagine I'd go to.

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So given that 7th could get Europa League (if Man City's ban is upheld), the race for Europe widens. Newcastle in 13th are only 4 points off 7th. Southampton just a couple of points further back in 14th. Is this the 'widest' race for Europe there's ever been? Usually it goes down to 9th or 10th having a realistic shot at it. Several more teams involved now.

image.png

 

I fully believe we will miss out on Champions League. Missing out on Europe altogether, whilst less likely, will be an absolute travesty after the first part of the season we had.

Worth noting the final day fixtures are:
Leicester vs Man Utd
Chelsea vs Wolves
Southampton vs Sheff Utd
Crystal Palace vs Spurs

I think the last 2 fixtures are less decisive as by the final round, Palace and Southampton may have dropped off or not picked up enough points to be in contention. 

I think Chelsea, Man Utd & Wolves are nailed on CL places. Leicester and Arsenal will get EL.  

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It was after the Norwich game where I genuinely started to think we were going to blow it and sadly I'd make us the outsiders at this point - 3rd to 6th are neck and neck but we've got both the hardest run in and the poorest form. I think from this point if we come 5th we've done better than you would expect if you don't take the whole season into account. I've not checked the odds but I'd be surprised if they have us to come above 6th.

And it really is an absolutely monumental capitulation. It's a complete embarrassment to be the ones who are going to fall out when we had such a big gap. Manchester City were behind us in January for fuck sake.

It's very, very difficult to see us in the Champions League at this point. It would require a huge shift in performances and results.

There will no doubt be comments about how the Europa League is a good achievement for us - I agree up to a point, that 6th would have been taken in pre-season, however nobody in the right mind would've taken it in January as it required a real capitulation. It's the morale and the psyche I worry about - does anybody see us doing well in it, or well in the league next season? I worry we're on a real slump now and I'm not convinced Rodgers knows how to fix it. I think he deserves the chance to but I've got this vision already that he's probably sacked around December time and if that does happen, I really, really worry for us. Something is fundamentally wrong at this club if that happens and yet incredibly I half expect it.

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9 hours ago, Stan said:

So given that 7th could get Europa League (if Man City's ban is upheld), the race for Europe widens. Newcastle in 13th are only 4 points off 7th. Southampton just a couple of points further back in 14th. Is this the 'widest' race for Europe there's ever been? Usually it goes down to 9th or 10th having a realistic shot at it. Several more teams involved now.

image.png

 

I fully believe we will miss out on Champions League. Missing out on Europe altogether, whilst less likely, will be an absolute travesty after the first part of the season we had.

Worth noting the final day fixtures are:
Leicester vs Man Utd
Chelsea vs Wolves
Southampton vs Sheff Utd
Crystal Palace vs Spurs

I think the last 2 fixtures are less decisive as by the final round, Palace and Southampton may have dropped off or not picked up enough points to be in contention. 

I think Chelsea, Man Utd & Wolves are nailed on CL places. Leicester and Arsenal will get EL.  

Hopefully Ings gets a light injury for that clash. B|

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Update

Can't see Everton or teams below - Southampton, Newcastle, Palace - getting European football now. It did look like it at one stage but too little, too late perhaps.

image.png

Chelsea nailed on 3rd. Glad we have the 4 point buffer over Man Utd but it all points to those final day fixtures as previously mentioned.

Sheff Utd taking points off Wolves massively helped us too. Realistically it's 2 more wins for us and we should get CL if Man City's ban is upheld, even if just for a year. 

Chelsea (vs Sheff Utd) and Wolves (vs Everton) both play before we do on Sunday evening against Bournemouth. Could also be quite decisive.

Then also the big North London Derby between Tottenham and Arsenal on Sunday afternoon too...

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I don't know why our fans thought the race for Europe was on for us and that the loss to Spurs marked the bursting of some sort of bubble. We have a mid-table squad and when did you ever see an Everton team make a late charge for Europe? Never. The only time we get into Europe is by getting far enough ahead of the chasing pack so that when we do a massive Everton and shit ourselves at the first sign of expectation, the inevitable slide doesn't take us out of the top 7.

Us getting into Europe ahead of Sheffield United or Wolves this season would have been a crime against football. We should be happy with top ten if we can get it. Don't forget that we were 18th when Marco Silva was sacked. Up until the weekend's fixtures, we were 4th in the form table for games since Silva left. An absolute miracle by Ferguson/Ancelotti.

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31 minutes ago, Cicero said:

That's that then.

Final day will 100% decide it. 

It's between yourselves and Man Utd for sure. In fact I think you'll both win on final day so probably won't be that exciting. 

9 minutes ago, CaaC (John) said:

Man City's 2-year ban has been lifted so no 5th spot lifeline available any more.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/53387306

Cheers John, wasn't aware xD 

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