The last couple of years have seen opportunities, both with two of the top 4 looking vulnerable to being pipped to a Champions League spot, only for us to fall short on the last day on both occasions. This year it looks like there's a double-whammy of problems: The top 4 look imperious and we look distinctly average, so far scraping six points - probably four more than we've deserved - and with several key players looking more like they're in need of walking sticks than being professional athletes. Essentially, breaching the top 4 looks like an impossibility this season, even before the observation that all of Spurs, West Ham and Everton look better than us right now in the league.
Even so, we still have a good squad on paper. And the Europa League brings with it a fantastic prize: Not only a significant trophy to be won but a backdoor route to Champions League qualification next season. And it is obtainable - the really big clubs don't tend to have an interest in it, even if they drop down to it from the Champions League. While the Premier League will always be important, I've wondered for a while whether the Europa League is the competition to prioritise.
If so, it makes sense that tomorrow's match is potentially the biggest in the first half of the season. Napoli, our group's top seeds, at home. Win and we take control of the group. Fail to win and we have an uphill struggle, primarily to qualify from the group and definitely to win it and avoid a playoff match against a CL dropout.
I hope we put out our absolute strongest lineup for it, even if that means rotating a few for Brighton at the weekend.
Biggest game of the season?
posted on 16/9/21
i think our transfer dealing have been poor having said that not getting cl leaves you with targets that are hoping someone with cl will come in for them ,then everyone is waiting for 1st and 2 nd targets.
and the pandemic along with injuries and playing twice a week levelled it out with the big teams last season,
now with a week between games and squads of 26 top players leaves us at a slight disadvantage
think we are looking at 5th 6th unless one of the big teams through a wobble
we also need to get a half descent defensive line as well,
you could see when evens came on the team picked up a bit
its all about confidence in the defence and at the moment that's not there ,
posted on 16/9/21
I’d like to see Soumare, Daka, and possibly Dewsbury -Hall, Lookman and Bertrand in the team tonight. Hopefully a strong back line as well.
A win by two or more goals, don’t want much, do I? 😉⚽️⚽️😆
posted on 16/9/21
For me:
Schmeichel
Ricardo, Evans, Soyuncu, Bertrand
Ndidi, Tielemans
Perez, Iheanacho, Barnes
Vardy
Then some changes in personnel (6 or 7 changes) for Brighton.
posted on 16/9/21
comment by Appletonsthename (U10074)
posted 15 minutes ago
I’d like to see Soumare, Daka, and possibly Dewsbury -Hall, Lookman and Bertrand in the team tonight. Hopefully a strong back line as well.
A win by two or more goals, don’t want much, do I? 😉⚽️⚽️😆
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Against napoli 😳🤔
posted on 16/9/21
comment by The_Dungeon_Master (U4830)
posted 12 minutes ago
For me:
Schmeichel
Ricardo, Evans, Soyuncu, Bertrand
Ndidi, Tielemans
Perez, Iheanacho, Barnes
Vardy
Then some changes in personnel (6 or 7 changes) for Brighton.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Castagne at RB and push Ricardo forwards instead of Perez, get some Pace down the flanks.
posted on 16/9/21
comment by True Blue (U9486)
posted 22 minutes ago
comment by The_Dungeon_Master (U4830)
posted 12 minutes ago
For me:
Schmeichel
Ricardo, Evans, Soyuncu, Bertrand
Ndidi, Tielemans
Perez, Iheanacho, Barnes
Vardy
Then some changes in personnel (6 or 7 changes) for Brighton.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Castagne at RB and push Ricardo forwards instead of Perez, get some Pace down the flanks.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Excellent call
posted on 16/9/21
I'm just being realistic with Perez here. He's banned from the league for a while so he's surely going to play in this.
posted on 16/9/21
5 mins at the end 🤞
posted on 16/9/21
comment by dublin fox optimistically pessimistic, (now a Cambridge fox)(still can not spell fox) (U1131)
posted 2 hours, 31 minutes ago
comment by Appletonsthename (U10074)
posted 15 minutes ago
I’d like to see Soumare, Daka, and possibly Dewsbury -Hall, Lookman and Bertrand in the team tonight. Hopefully a strong back line as well.
A win by two or more goals, don’t want much, do I? 😉⚽️⚽️😆
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Against napoli 😳🤔
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Well maybe I've had one beer to many this afternoon Dubs.
posted on 16/9/21
Dunge called it