Qualifying for Europe

[London Blue]

Soooooo.....

When the "Big 6" from the Premier League get kicked out of Europe for joining the breakaway "Super League" we get Champions League football next season.

I don't know why we were all so worried about finishing in the top 7 lol.

[barryj]

On 18/04/2021 at 20:22, London Blue said:

Soooooo.....

When the "Big 6" from the Premier League get kicked out of Europe for joining the breakaway "Super League" we get Champions League football next season.

I don't know why we were all so worried about finishing in the top 7 lol.

Not even a certainty  

It would be so Everton!

[Bailey]

4 hours ago, barryj said:

Not even a certainty  

It would be so Everton!

I was going to say something about this!

Its the sides at the bottom we have problems against, we need the "big 6"!

[Btay]

Well, we've managed to stick a toe in the door and keep Europe a possibility. Big game this with West Ham & Chelsea. We're going to need some results to go our way.

[Romey 1878]

Fuck it, I'm happily buzzed and we're going to go unbeaten now and smash the top 4.

[Zoo 2.0]

 

[Aidan]

Next two games are huge for us.

Villa at home and West ham away. If we win both of those fixtures we then go into a game against an awful Sheffield United team we will be in a strong position going into the last few games. 

With a team returning to full strength after injuries I've no doubt we will start to create more chances. Will it be the absence of the ever present Doucoure in midfield that will mean we just miss out on a spot? 

[StevO]

25 minutes ago, Aidan said:

Next two games are huge for us.

Villa at home and West ham away. If we win both of those fixtures we then go into a game against an awful Sheffield United team we will be in a strong position going into the last few games. 

With a team returning to full strength after injuries I've no doubt we will start to create more chances. Will it be the absence of the ever present Doucoure in midfield that will mean we just miss out on a spot? 

I would feel a lot more confident with Doucoure in there. Hope for the best without him. 

[duncanmckenzieismagic]

 

[dunlopp9987]

45 minutes ago, duncanmckenzieismagic said:

 

I mean, great that we could have a shot at European football, but like...am I really going to get jazzed about playing the 3rd best team from Moldova or the Kosovo league runner-up? I understand we can't be picky about which European competitions we make it into, but...this just seems like it would be a hindrance to us rather than a positive

[markjazzbassist]

1 hour ago, dunlopp9987 said:

I mean, great that we could have a shot at European football, but like...am I really going to get jazzed about playing the 3rd best team from Moldova or the Kosovo league runner-up? I understand we can't be picky about which European competitions we make it into, but...this just seems like it would be a hindrance to us rather than a positive

I’ll take it.  Honesty it could be a legit shot At winning a cup.

[dunlopp9987]

3 hours ago, markjazzbassist said:

I’ll take it.  Honesty it could be a legit shot At winning a cup.

I totally get that. But even if we do offload most of the dead weight in our side this summer (which I don't think will happen), and even if we bring in replacements and upgrades...I'm still going to worry about our depth. And with a competition like this, which doesn't have the prestige of the top two European competitions, I'm not sure I want to see us potentially suffer in the league due to midweek games. If it was Europa or CL, I would obviously be all for it.

But to be playing our guys midweek on a cold night against the 6th best team in the Russian league...I just don't know if that's worth finishing 10th in the EPL? It's complicated, as I obviously want us to be playing in European competitions, but not at the detriment to our league finish.

[Btay]

2 hours ago, dunlopp9987 said:

I totally get that. But even if we do offload most of the dead weight in our side this summer (which I don't think will happen), and even if we bring in replacements and upgrades...I'm still going to worry about our depth. And with a competition like this, which doesn't have the prestige of the top two European competitions, I'm not sure I want to see us potentially suffer in the league due to midweek games. If it was Europa or CL, I would obviously be all for it.

But to be playing our guys midweek on a cold night against the 6th best team in the Russian league...I just don't know if that's worth finishing 10th in the EPL? It's complicated, as I obviously want us to be playing in European competitions, but not at the detriment to our league finish.

If we can’t compete in this European cup and the premier league then we aren’t remotely ready for champions league or Europa. Playing mid week in Europe is a vital step in progression. 

[StevO]

We just need to finish in the top six and then not worry about this third rate competition. They should have just reinstated the cup winners cup. 

[Hafnia]

I'll take anything Europe wise. The reason being that it is justification for extra players.

We need extra players anyway but with Europe I think it will open the cheque book more. 

[Matt]

It is funny seeing people knock this but defend trying to win the league Cup. They're the same for me; a chance at lifting a trophy and qualifying for a European competition. 

[Romey 1878]

5 hours ago, dunlopp9987 said:

I totally get that. But even if we do offload most of the dead weight in our side this summer (which I don't think will happen), and even if we bring in replacements and upgrades...I'm still going to worry about our depth.

A lot of the dead weight is gone no matter what with a few of them being out of contract, so I'm not really sure why you see that as such a big issue.

22 minutes ago, Matt said:

It is funny seeing people knock this but defend trying to win the league Cup. They're the same for me; a chance at lifting a trophy and qualifying for a European competition. 

And, it's a chance at adding another first in our history.

[Bailey]

 

I am really on the fence with this conference competition and people have made some really good points on both sides of the argument.

At the moment, there doesn't seem to be a lot of detail about what this competition includes especially when it comes to the number of games and the likely teams we will face. Would it be a competition that has enough prestige to attract players and will the manager take it seriously or will we be sending the squad players rather than the first team? Will the competition be a distraction? If we have to travel around Europe will it put more pressure on our domestic campaign pushing us further down the league and potentially missing out on finishing in the better European places the following season?

If you think about the injuries and form we have shown this season, playing another dozen matches isn't going to make that any better. Then you have to look at the players we want to bring in and get rid of. We have a big squad with a lot of average players on big wages. Are we just going to have to get more average players to fill the squad and pay more than they are worth?

I am desperate for us to win a trophy but I am not sure how much of a priority this competition will take for both management and the players.

 

[markjazzbassist]

4 minutes ago, Bailey said:

 

I am really on the fence with this conference competition and people have made some really good points on both sides of the argument.

At the moment, there doesn't seem to be a lot of detail about what this competition includes especially when it comes to the number of games and the likely teams we will face. Would it be a competition that has enough prestige to attract players and will the manager take it seriously or will we be sending the squad players rather than the first team? Will the competition be a distraction? If we have to travel around Europe will it put more pressure on our domestic campaign pushing us further down the league and potentially missing out on finishing in the better European places the following season?

If you think about the injuries and form we have shown this season, playing another dozen matches isn't going to make that any better. Then you have to look at the players we want to bring in and get rid of. We have a big squad with a lot of average players on big wages. Are we just going to have to get more average players to fill the squad and pay more than they are worth?

I am desperate for us to win a trophy but I am not sure how much of a priority this competition will take for both management and the players.

 

The Wikipedia page explains everything Very cut and dry on the details.  It’s a mirror of the Europa league.  Group stage, top 2 advance, 3rd place plays a playoff against 3rd place Europa league group team (who “dropped” below”).  Standard knockout format from there.  Europa league is reducing from 48 to 32 teams so this in essence is the other 16 teams plus more.

[dunlopp9987]

40 minutes ago, Bailey said:

 

I am really on the fence with this conference competition and people have made some really good points on both sides of the argument.

At the moment, there doesn't seem to be a lot of detail about what this competition includes especially when it comes to the number of games and the likely teams we will face. Would it be a competition that has enough prestige to attract players and will the manager take it seriously or will we be sending the squad players rather than the first team? Will the competition be a distraction? If we have to travel around Europe will it put more pressure on our domestic campaign pushing us further down the league and potentially missing out on finishing in the better European places the following season?

If you think about the injuries and form we have shown this season, playing another dozen matches isn't going to make that any better. Then you have to look at the players we want to bring in and get rid of. We have a big squad with a lot of average players on big wages. Are we just going to have to get more average players to fill the squad and pay more than they are worth?

I am desperate for us to win a trophy but I am not sure how much of a priority this competition will take for both management and the players.

 

You basically said everything I was trying to but articulated it in a much better way.

[Ghoat]

IMO, it's still a selling point to our potential recruits/targets, along with the manager the new stadium and the players we added last summer. They all point to "club moving up with a path and a plan".

 

CL? No, but we're making clear progress, join it.

[duncanmckenzieismagic]

https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/evertons-hopes-qualifying-europe-explained-20474923

[MikeO]

21 minutes ago, duncanmckenzieismagic said:

https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/evertons-hopes-qualifying-europe-explained-20474923

That answers the one outcome I wasn't clear on, the possiblility of England only having one Europa place if all the balls fall in such a way that we have five CL spots.

[Aidan]

We need to aim to play at the highest level we can achieve. The EL can be a hinderence with the amount of games there are, but it could be a ticket to a CL spot if we fail to reach it through the league position. 

[Matt]

"I want to see us win things, it's been so long!"

"What about this trophy where you've got a good chance of doing well?"

"Nah, can't be arsed with that. Takes away from our mediocrity in the other competitions"

Or if I'm being more catchy;

"What do we want?"

"Trophies!"

"What about this one?"

"Noooooo!"

[Bailey]

7 hours ago, dunlopp9987 said:

You basically said everything I was trying to but articulated it in a much better way.

That is not like me at all!

[Bailey]

8 hours ago, markjazzbassist said:

The Wikipedia page explains everything Very cut and dry on the details.  It’s a mirror of the Europa league.  Group stage, top 2 advance, 3rd place plays a playoff against 3rd place Europa league group team (who “dropped” below”).  Standard knockout format from there.  Europa league is reducing from 48 to 32 teams so this in essence is the other 16 teams plus more.

I tend not to trust Wiki!

How many games will we need to play to get to the group stage? 

[MikeO]

2 minutes ago, Bailey said:

I tend not to trust Wiki!

How many games will we need to play to get to the group stage? 

Twenty-seven. Ish.

[Hoof_It_Nev]

[markjazzbassist]

5 minutes ago, Bailey said:

I tend not to trust Wiki!

How many games will we need to play to get to the group stage? 

We’d enter at the final qualifying round, so 2 matches then were in group stage.