[Albion] Would you take 7th place, if offered now?

[Icy Gull]

I would be ASTONISHED if anybody would not.

You'd have to be delusional, or spectacularly complacent about our current place in the order of things, to NOT take seventh. It would be a fantastic achievement.

Be astonished

 

[Joey Jo Jo Jr. Shabadoo]

With the Premier League likely to get five Champions League spots, I'm assuming both 6th and 7th would ensure Europa League qualification (someone will quickly correct me on this, I'm sure).

The Opta SUPERCOMPUTER currently predicts us finishing 7th - one place worse than last year, obviously - but given we're battling in Europe this season, that doesn't feel like it would be a bad outcome, particularly if it gave us another shot at the Europa League.

Supercomputer predicts 2023/24 Premier League table after Arsenal 1-0 Man City

How Arsenal and Manchester City's Premier League title challenges have been affected by the Gunners' 1-0 according to Opta's supercomputer

www.90min.com

Would you take it?

Assuming that the PL gets the 5th Champions League spot then 7th only gets Europa League qualification if the FA Cup is won by a side finishing in the top 6, so highly likely but not guaranteed.

 

[Simster]

I would be ASTONISHED if anybody would not.

You'd have to be delusional, or spectacularly complacent about our current place in the order of things, to NOT take seventh. It would be a fantastic achievement.

I'm another astonished one I'm afraid.

My optimism is based on the following: we've just played a string of games involving Chelsea, Villa, Man U, Newcastle, Marseille and Liverpool (with an expected win against Bournemouth in amongst them) and have come out quite favourably, still in the Europa mix and just 4 points off top spot in the league. That run of games has incorporated the manager's policy of heavy squad rotation which has cost us points, but has also meant we have a competitive squad that is up-to-speed, involved and fit - thus setting us up better for the season ahead. It's looking like that trade off was the right call given our points haul from those games.

If you look at the league fixtures after the Man City game, it is hard not to be excited to think where we might be by the time the festive period comes round. We could well be within sight of the league leaders.


tldr;
The squad - needed for the whole season - is stronger than you think, because RDZ has kept them all involved and we've *still* picked up points over what was the toughest run of fixtures we'll see this season.

 

[Vin]

I think we will sneak in 4th

 

[HangletonGull]

No wouldt take 7th but take 6th again happily

 

[Midget]

Depends what Europa League finish you're offering with it... if we're already in the CL next year because we won it - well ok then

Seriously I wouldn't be happy settling for it now, I want us to play with 100% ambition for everything until it becomes mathematically impossible. At this moment I do think we can do better than 7th.

I also think these current teething problems with rotation are because we're building something really special, a fluid "first-25" as I see it, that'll come good soon and see us through tougher spells.

(But if you asked at the end of the season, I wouldn't have a meltdown over 7th - as long as it didn't mean RDZ moving on. I do still remember being at the arse-end of league 2 after all!)

There wasn't a poll option for all that guff above. So I guess I'm a... no, no?

 

[The Grockle]

I'd take 10th and getting out of the group stage TBH.

I imagine we will have to contend with quite a few injuries and fatigue in the coming months.

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

Football is about dreaming. It's about the hope of what might be. It's about the pursuit of glory.

I think we can win the league

Note the use of the word can rather than will. It would need a phenomenal run of form, luck and momentum. But crazy **** happens in football.

Not a chance i'm taking 7th. How would I explain that decision to the 8 year old me, who fell truly, madly, deeply in love with football and this club? I'm dreaming of glory.

 

[Perkino]

No - 5 of our matches have been against teams who finished in the top half last season and 5 have been against sides currently in the top 5. Some very difficult games already and we have achieved 2 points per game. 2 points behind Man City which we nearly got yesterday vs LiVARpool. We shouldn't be throwing in the towel yet, A champions league spot is RDZ's aim so until that is out of reach then we set our eyes on that prize

We have 2 points per game so 76 points for the season, Champions league qualifying points or We are 6 points over the tracker which if you extrapolate over the entire season is a total of 60.8 points. That would put us in competition for a top 6 finish. I cannot opt out and settle for 7th in our current position

 

[Mellotron]

Assuming that the PL gets the 5th Champions League spot then 7th only gets Europa League qualification if the FA Cup is won by a side finishing in the top 6, so highly likely but not guaranteed.

I did some research on this a while back, and I think it was only once in the last 10 seasons a team finishing outside the Top 6 won it. Something like that.

 

[Mellotron]

Bugger - I panicked and voted YES but all the NO responses in this thread have convinced me otherwise.

Under De Zerbi I think we WILL finish at least 7th, so no I don't think I'd settle for it now.

 

[dazzer6666]

DeZ is building us up to a very strong second half of the season I reckon……to be in 6th without actually playing that well overall and rotating the squad like crazy, giving new/younger players minutes to get up to speed is frankly amazing, but he’s not going to be satisfied with that. I’d be happy with 7th though - said from the start of the season top 10 with a trophy would be fantastic, but consolidation in the top half and being all set for next season with no major departures would be great.

 

[Icy Gull]

DeZ is building us up to a very strong second half of the season I reckon……to be in 6th without actually playing that well overall and rotating the squad like crazy, giving new/younger players minutes to get up to speed is frankly amazing, but he’s not going to be satisfied with that. I’d be happy with 7th though - said from the start of the season top 10 with a trophy would be fantastic, but consolidation in the top half and being all set for next season with no major departures would be great.

Exactly, Howe made one change from the European game and was mentioning tiredness as an excuse for yesterday’s result. RDZ has said the same thing as he makes in excess of 5 changes every frigging game. We will have an interchangeable large squad whilst others will come unstuck when they get injuries and suspensions as they do not have back up players with decent game time.

It is foolish to take RDZ’s risk taking and confidence in the 25 man squad lightly…imo

 

[Dr. No]

Would you take it?

No.

 

[schmunk]

Mindful of the traditional correlation between wage spend and league placing, repeated top-half finishes on our bottom-half budget is overperforming so, yes, 7th and another season in European competitions would be marvellous.

 

[sparkie]

I wouldn't. Too early to do that deal just yet.

 

[Bombardier]

Challenge yourself to be a better person and my outlook is shared with RDZ. Look to improve and for me that means look to improve on 6th. Finishing 5th would be a game changer for us in so far as recruitment (keeping and recruiting better) as well as a healthier income that champions league would bring. But if you want 7th then fine. Each to their own views.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

I want to be a top 6 club. It thrilled me to see our game against Liverpool classified as a top 6 clash. I suppose I still have a bit of imposters syndrome but loving it all the same.

 

[Midget]

Exactly, Howe made one change from the European game and was mentioning tiredness as an excuse for yesterday’s result. RDZ has said the same thing as he makes in excess of 5 changes every frigging game. We will have an interchangeable large squad whilst others will come unstuck when they get injuries and suspensions as they do not have back up players with decent game time.

It is foolish to take RDZ’s risk taking and confidence in the 25 man squad lightly…imo

I think the difference is we're doing it to prevent the problems we had towards the end of last season like at Newcastle, where individuals were missed, those playing were tired, and people couldn't adapt to playing out of shape/position. We're not forced to do it now, we're prepping. It'll come good.

 

[GrossTurn]

I would be ASTONISHED if anybody would not.

You'd have to be delusional, or spectacularly complacent about our current place in the order of things, to NOT take seventh. It would be a fantastic achievement.

I would maybe reluctantly take 7th right now based on the fact it means qualifying for Europe in successive seasons despite the undeniable strain the schedule of our maiden campaign will take on our squad.

It has absolutely nothing to do with recognising “our current place in the order of things though” - why should it? We would never have finished 6th last season if that was the mentality of those at the club.