[Albion] Our route to Europe: Chelsea or Newcastle?

[Brovion]

Without focusing on us - Europe remains a lofty dream - but one we should be setting our ultimate sights on, it does illustrate that the big six becoming a big seven is going to make that European ambition very difficult for everyone else.

Indeed. Realistically if all are seven mega-rich clubs are in good order then 8th is the best we could do. We're pretty much relying on the fact that there's usually one of them going through a transitional period: Chelsea at the moment, Liverpool and maybe Spurs next? And even allowing for that we've still got to have a really good season to be able to profit from it as a Big Club in transition is still usually too good to fall too far down the table.

And of course there's always the prospect of someone like Leeds, Villa or West Ham getting new mega-rich owners to push us further down the pecking order.

 

[CaptainDaveUK]

Let’s not forget if we win our next home game, then we’re above Liverpool. As daft as it might sound we could end up above Spurs, Chelsea and / or Liverpool. Let’s see where are with ten games to go and hope we don’t get any injuries. UTA.

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

I'm not as despondent about Newcastle making a top 7 and denying the rest of us a chance in Europe as some on here.

Most of the big boys don't like playiing in the Europa league so none of them will have the faintest interest in playing in the conference league. It'll only take one of them to have a poorish season, something that can be caused by injuries, poor managerial appointment, fixture congestion etc for someone else to take there spot in Europe.

Would Chelsea for example really prefer to finish 7th and face thursday sunday games every week just to play in a competition that even if they win only gets them into the Europa league. Or would they prefer to finish 8th or 9th and have a clear run at the league the following season?

I reckon the prospect of the Europa Conference and midweek games in Latvia, Romania, Finland etc is a lot more appealing to clubs like us than to the big boys and they'd happily let us have them if they could.

 

[Wozza]

Are Newcastle going to carry on? Hardly been inspiring post World Cup.

Weekend result wasn't great at all - but first team to stop Arsenal scoring, last night.

 

[East Staffs Gull]

I believe that Newcastle making it a big seven group also has some benefits for smaller EPL clubs, as it will become tougher for some of the current big six to make it into the CL. Two or three seasons of missing out on the CL could potentially lead to their decline. It could also mean that they become less attractive investments.

 

[Swansman]

I'm not as despondent about Newcastle making a top 7 and denying the rest of us a chance in Europe as some on here.

Most of the big boys don't like playiing in the Europa league so none of them will have the faintest interest in playing in the conference league. It'll only take one of them to have a poorish season, something that can be caused by injuries, poor managerial appointment, fixture congestion etc for someone else to take there spot in Europe.

Would Chelsea for example really prefer to finish 7th and face thursday sunday games every week just to play in a competition that even if they win only gets them into the Europa league. Or would they prefer to finish 8th or 9th and have a clear run at the league the following season?

I reckon the prospect of the Europa Conference and midweek games in Latvia, Romania, Finland etc is a lot more appealing to clubs like us than to the big boys and they'd happily let us have them if they could.

I don't see a world where any of the top teams would try to lose PL games to avoid playing in Conference League. If players or, worse, the club was caught doing that they'd be banned for years and the club would most likely be banned from European football for years as well.

 

[A1X]

Weekend result wasn't great at all - but first team to stop Arsenal scoring, last night.

Very true, however Everton restricted Man City to just one over the weekend, whereas last night...

 

[Driver8]

Could do with Palace winning tonight to keep Spurs within reach.

 

[Napper]

Could do with Palace winning tonight to keep Spurs within reach.

never

bore draw for me

 

[Bold Seagull]

I'm not as despondent about Newcastle making a top 7 and denying the rest of us a chance in Europe as some on here.

Most of the big boys don't like playiing in the Europa league so none of them will have the faintest interest in playing in the conference league. It'll only take one of them to have a poorish season, something that can be caused by injuries, poor managerial appointment, fixture congestion etc for someone else to take there spot in Europe.

Would Chelsea for example really prefer to finish 7th and face thursday sunday games every week just to play in a competition that even if they win only gets them into the Europa league. Or would they prefer to finish 8th or 9th and have a clear run at the league the following season?

I reckon the prospect of the Europa Conference and midweek games in Latvia, Romania, Finland etc is a lot more appealing to clubs like us than to the big boys and they'd happily let us have them if they could.

As long as none of them are mathmatically adrift from the top 4, that is where they will all be pushing regardless of their interest in the Europa. Absolutely agree they won't fancy playing in it, however Man Utd qualified for the CL by winning the Europa one year, and with 7 going for 4 spots, it's going to be a viable CL route for some of them as well as pushing for top 4 until it's mathmatically out of reach.

 

[tronnogull]

never

bore draw for me

With red cards and bad ( but not life or career threatening ) injuries....

 

[Pavilionaire]

Were it not for the WC I think that Newcastle might have slipped in the second half of the season. They have a small squad of quality players and another squad of has-beens kicking their heels (Darlow, Lascelles, Lewis, Manquillo, Krafth, Shelvey, Ritchie, Fraser) but they got a nice rest just at the right time. If they stay fee of bad injuries and maybe pick up a couple of players in the window they should finish Top 7. They're on a roll and the only game they've lost all season in any competition was that late Liverpool winner in the 8th minute of stoppage time at Anfield.

For one season only it could be that we have a serious chance of finishing above Chelsea. With Potter's erratic tactics and tinkering of the line-ups, plus them being linked to every A lister, the players must be very unsure of their place in the team or even their roll at the club. They haven't got any leaders; in previous years when a manager was drifting the likes of Terry, Lampard, Ashley Cole, Drogba, Cech would guide the team through difficult times.

If Reece James, Kante and Chilwell regain fitness and play until the end of the season then I fancy they'll be back in the top 6 but if not it could be interesting.

 

[Insel affe]

Winning either cup qualifies for Europe. Seems the more likely route however unlikely that is. Just because we have never done so before doesn't mean we never will, imo.
As above!!!

Considering at the point of writing, we are still in the big two cups, we should possibly write off the FA Cup, but I think we stand a very good chance this year in the Sussex Senior Cup.

Come on you Dolphins.

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

I don't see a world where any of the top teams would try to lose PL games to avoid playing in Conference League. If players or, worse, the club was caught doing that they'd be banned for years and the club would most likely be banned from European football for years as well.

Oh, I wasn't suggesting that teams would deliberately lose. What I meant was the level of motivation would be different between teams like Brighton/Fulham/Brentford etc going for 7th place and the Europa league and teams like Liverpool or Chelsea.

While Liverpool/Chelsea would still try to win they wouldn't be as motivated as Brighton for which finishing 7th would be a historic achievement. Liverpool really wouldn't give too much of a shit if they finished 7th or 8th, either position would be considered a failure and being in the Europa conference league or not wouldn't make a bit of difference to them.

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

As long as none of them are mathmatically adrift from the top 4, that is where they will all be pushing regardless of their interest in the Europa. Absolutely agree they won't fancy playing in it, however Man Utd qualified for the CL by winning the Europa one year, and with 7 going for 4 spots, it's going to be a viable CL route for some of them as well as pushing for top 4 until it's mathmatically out of reach.

Yeah, for sure. But they're not all going to be at the top of their game every season. Some of them will be in transition - rebuilding their tem, new manager etc- others just having a poor season or terrible luck with injuries. They're the ones that can be picked off.

 

[worthingseagull123]

Without focusing on us - Europe remains a lofty dream - but one we should be setting our ultimate sights on, it does illustrate that the big six becoming a big seven is going to make that European ambition very difficult for everyone else.

The trouble is there are half a dozen teams that set their sights on Europe.

 

[Greg Bobkin]

Maybe we should pin our hopes on the old Super League™ kicking back into life again. Never mind the destruction of the Premier League as we know it, there would be PLENTY of rooms in European competitions for #TeamsLikeBrighton

 

[dazzer6666]

So if we’re even remotely thinking about a European spot, where’s it coming from?

Assuming (and it’s a big assume) Fulham and Brentford fall away, and any other current bottom half-side don’t pull away to challenge us, we need someone else to go above to finish in the top 7.

Such a shame Newcastle are having such a good season really. What’s the chances they fall away? Only lost 1 game all season.

For me it’s got to be Chelsea in their transition season. It’s weird to think we could finish above them, but if we fancy Bulgaria on a Thursday night we need them to keep dropping points…and we need to keep winning. It’s the only path I can see really!

Edit: Plus it would be absolutely incredible to finish above our Graham.

Spurs could easily fall away, but finishing above Chelsea as well would be soooo sweet.

 

[The Fits]

Newcastle will definitely finish top 6.

 

[Peacehaven Wild Kids]

Bring back the Intertoto cup, or failing that the Anglo Italian cup. They let any ol bozo play in that