[Albion] We now have a BETTER chance of playing in Europe next year

[Insel affe]

Conference doesn't excite me

we very nearly ended up in the conference so the old folks tell us, I would bite your feckin hand off to be in the conference league next season right now, what is not to like, lessons learnt and a deeper squad we could stroll that

UTA

 

[Monkey Man]

Another one here who would be DELIGHTED to be in the Conference next season.

When we were in the fourth division and singing about following the Albion over land and sea, we didn't think these days would come. Our overseas awaydays were friendlies in Ireland.

 

[portlock seagull]

Utterly deluded. Post ignores we’ll continue to fall further behind because of poor defending compounded with injuries / squad strength.

 

[deletebeepbeepbeep]

Yeah anyone who wouldn't be delighted at Conference League needs to give their head a wobble.

 

[Acker79]

We beat liverpool twice last season. You have to got back two years for the last time Liverpool beat us. Why is us beating them again so unlikely? Same for global giants Man Utd (in normal time). We tore Tottenham apart in late December. Since getting to the premier league we have 6 wins v Arsenal to their 4. Including a complete demolishing late last season. West Ham have only beaten us once in that same period.

Why should we look at the knockout stages of the europa league with any fear or sense of pointlessness, when two of the teams are ones we have a decent recent record against? We don't have to win both legs, we just need to win overall, and the final is a one off game.

 

[MJsGhost]

Utterly deluded. Post ignores we’ll continue to fall further behind because of poor defending compounded with injuries / squad strength.

I think you're missing the point of the thread (I'm sure @Commander will correct me if I've misconstrued)

In its simplest terms: not having further games (beyond the dead rubber on Thursday) in Europe or the FA Cup makes it more likely that we'll do better in the league compared to trying to juggle commitments on 3 fronts (all other things being equal).

Is anyone going to argue that having more fixture congestion would make success in the league more likely?

Poor defending compounded with injuries/squad strength may well be what does for our season on all fronts in the end, but you can't argue that having more games would help.

 

[portlock seagull]

I think you're missing the point of the thread (I'm sure @Commander will correct me if I've misconstrued)

In its simplest terms: not having further games (beyond the dead rubber on Thursday) in Europe or the FA Cup makes it more likely that we'll do better in the league compared to trying to juggle commitments on 3 fronts (all other things being equal).

Is anyone going to argue that having more fixture congestion would make success in the league more likely?

Poor defending compounded with injuries/squad strength may well be what does for our season on all fronts in the end, but you can't argue that having more games would help.

I’m not arguing that, and didn’t miss point. The facts are regardless that we can’t really defend and have far too many injuries and walking wounded so will fall further back. It’s a mid table finish for me, and nothing wrong with that all things considered.

 

[portlock seagull]

We beat liverpool twice last season. You have to got back two years for the last time Liverpool beat us. Why is us beating them again so unlikely? Same for global giants Man Utd (in normal time). We tore Tottenham apart in late December. Since getting to the premier league we have 6 wins v Arsenal to their 4. Including a complete demolishing late last season. West Ham have only beaten us once in that same period.

Why should we look at the knockout stages of the europa league with any fear or sense of pointlessness, when two of the teams are ones we have a decent recent record against? We don't have to win both legs, we just need to win overall, and the final is a one off game.

It’s unlikely because our squad strength and ability to hurt teams is far lower than several months ago because of injuries and walking wounded. Why so many people are struggling with that I’m puzzled. If Pedro, Mitoma, Solly…yep, we’d be more likely to give teams problems but they’re not available so more likely we’ll struggle. That and we can’t defend.

 

[MJsGhost]

I’m not arguing that, and didn’t miss point. The facts are regardless that we can’t really defend and have far too many injuries and walking wounded so will fall further back. It’s a mid table finish for me, and nothing wrong with that all things considered.

Not having more FA Cup and European games will allow a bit of breathing space for injuries to recover (or not occur) and also give time for coaching sessions to start to sort out the defensive issues.
That is not to say it will miraculously solve everything, but the point of the thread (that you do seem to keep missing) is that all other things being equal, not having more Euro and FA Cup games gives us more hope of doing better in the league (compared to having more fixture congestion to deal with).
It really isn't hard to understand.

 

[nicko31]

it does for me. we would have a very decent shot of winning that. can’t possibly believe the prospect of having a european trophy wouldn’t be exciting if it came to pass

I'd rather win for FA Cup and save the air miles

 

[portlock seagull]

Not having more FA Cup and European games will allow a bit of breathing space for injuries to recover (or not occur) and also give time for coaching sessions to start to sort out the defensive issues.
That is not to say it will miraculously solve everything, but the point of the thread (that you do seem to keep missing) is that all other things being equal, not having more Euro and FA Cup games gives us more hope of doing better in the league (compared to having more fixture congestion to deal with).
It really isn't hard to understand.

So when is Mitoma is back? Solly is back? When’s Pesro back? Oh, yep, these players are all coming back very soon so totally agree with you. Sorry. It’s me. I’m a bit thick so shouting and making it bold has made me realise my stupidity thank you.

 

[macbeth]

I'd rather win for FA Cup and save the air miles

much better chance of winning the conference league. one of those cups requires you to beat city. the other doesn’t

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Another one here who would be DELIGHTED to be in the Conference next season.

When we were in the fourth division and singing about following the Albion over land and sea, we didn't think these days would come. Our overseas awaydays were friendlies in Ireland.

I loved going to Le Havre, and the preseason friendlies in Portugal and Spain. I would love us to qualify for the Conference league. The FA cup will be won by a top 6 club, likely Man City, Liverpool have already won the League Cup, so the top 6 have already bagged two places imo.

Thanks, Commander, for the positivity. Pedro will be back after the International Break and Barco can play games now, so lets look forward.

 

[Eeyore]

Another one here who would be DELIGHTED to be in the Conference next season.

When we were in the fourth division and singing about following the Albion over land and sea, we didn't think these days would come. Our overseas awaydays were friendlies in Ireland.

I agree, a nice trip to Worthing on a sunny day.

 

[Reddleman]

I find the people who criticise our fans for being entitled as irritating and totally miss the point of being disappointed by a poor result. But…for some of our fans to say they aren’t that bothered by the conference league is absolutely staggering.

I would bite your hand off right now for a season in the Conference League. I think it would be absolutely brilliant given what’s happened so far this season.

 

[MJsGhost]

So when is Mitoma is back? Solly is back? When’s Pesro back? Oh, yep, these players are all coming back very soon so totally agree with you. Sorry. It’s me. I’m a bit thick so shouting and making it bold has made me realise my stupidity thank you.

I'm not shouting, just making it clear which specific part of your post I'm referring to.

Mitoma, Solly, Pedro etc., they are out for however long regardless of us being in or out of Europe, so that's irrelevant to the point being made, however big a factor it is in our chance of doing well in the run-in.

We are (effectively) out of Europe. We are definitely out of the FA Cup.

With just 11 league fixtures to focus on, there is now more time between games for proper coaching sessions (to begin to sort out the defence, to train with specific patterns of play in mind for the next opponent) and more time for recovery (fewer new injuries and more time for the players coming back to fully recover). Ergo, we have a better chance of finishing higher in the league and therefore a better chance of qualifying for Europe.

It's just a relative statement - having fewer games to play means we have a better chance of turning our form around, compared to trying to do that as well as compete on 3 fronts. Nobody is saying we will definitely do it.

 

[Sarisbury Seagull]

I get where you're coming from, but we need to come out of this current slump and FAST. Forest isn't a MUST win, but there are a lot of tough games after that, that we could lose even if we are playing a lot better than recently (and I say this as someone who recognises we are often better against the better sides).

A 3-0 (alright 3-1) on Sunday would be a chance to start fresh and focus on finishing the league campaign as well as possible. Get Barco right involved, he looks qualla.

Agree. If we don’t beat Forest on Sunday, looking at the fixtures I’m genuinely concerned that we might not win another game this season with the possible exception of Burnley away. At the moment my expectation is a 14th place finish.

I know in the grand scheme of things we’re in a great place as a club but we are in the midst of a mini crisis. We are really bad at the moment and incredibly easy to play against.

Need to try and come out of this slump ASAP as you say as not only could this season finish really disappointingly but it could easily feed through to next season.

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

Can't understand people saying they aren't fussed about the Conference league. Have we really become that entitled after one season in Europe?
We would be favourites to win that competition. Ask a West Ham fan about how bothered they were about it...

I imagine any WH fan trying to hold that up as a significant trophy would be widely mocked by any fellow London fans (Spurs and Chelsea fans in particular)

 

[GJN1]

So when is Mitoma is back?

Never. I think he's played his last game for us.

 

[studio150]

RDZ has spent a lot of time saying we are not used to playing three games a week. However we are used to playing 1 game a week. Plus RDZ can spend all week on the training ground preparing for our next match. Also all the fringe players get to be immersed into the RDZ style quicker.

I'm expecting an improvement in results. Plus if others aren't fussed by the conference, maybe but only just the flights are more reasonably priced.