The Race for 4th Place Trophy

English Football
#81

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#82

I don’t think we can beat them on goal difference anymore

#83

Well lads, and lasses.

This is it, after all these years, we’ve finally gone and fucked it.

Some have got what they foolishly wished for, and now there will be dire economic consequences, unpredictable ramifications, a loss of talent and much talk of needing strength and stability from a firmly entrenched traditionalist regime as well as decreased spending from the club with increased prices for the everyday person with little or nothing to show for it and not much to look forward to.

This feels oddly familiar.

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#84

It’s a real shame for all to who have already renewed season tickets that at least 4 of the games it covers will be group stages/ro32 in the Europa.

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#85

Don’t throw in the towel yet a lot can still happen. We could smash Everton and Sunderland by 10 goals between them and overtake City. Or more possibly lolpool fucking up at anfield.

#86

It’s a big ask for Boro to do anything at Anfield. Having said that, they got a draw at our place, the King Power and another big ground…(one of the Manchester clubs?)

We just need to do our bit. Beat Sunderland in the week and take an early lead v Everton (big ask). Liverpool, historically, don’t like pressure

#87

One thing I agree with the Weng on in recent times is the weakened hold that the CL has financially on clubs as rich as ours, so I don’t think that’s the main dilemma, so much as the continued decline of the ‘image’ of Arsenal as a top club that can attract and keep top players etc.

United have survived a couple of seasons (?) starved of the CL oxygen supply and they’ve still signed Pogba/Zlatan/Mkhitaryan in the interim. Okay they have more clout than we do in the football food chain but we aren’t far behind.

We’ll be okay in the Europa for a season or two, it’s more about can we convince top players about our ambitions to get back in over the next 5 years and the success we’re building for post-Wenger

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#88

Missing out on CL football for a year is not a major issue. It has happened to most major clubs. But it beckons a response to come back stronger and regain what has been lost. With Wenger, that response won’t come and the problems will only be further aggravated. The man can’t fix what he cannot see, and our glaring problems are too much under his nose for him to see.

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#89

Neither do we. Wont miss another 10 goal aggregate hiding by Bayern or 8 goals by Barca thanks. Lets just put all our hopes into a cup win and Wenger exit double.

#90

Yeah missing CL is about 1/10 of the impact of AW staying anyway… I’d welcome seeing our younger players run out on Thursday and not watch us capitulate year after year against the like of Bayern/Barca, etc. We don’t even have a puncher’s chance against those teams in 2 legs anyway, so might as well fight some different opponents. I’d rather we fought for it and got a proper squad to compete than just give it up, but I realize it is hard to fight on all fronts.

#91

It’s our own fault with respect to Liverpool getting there. I’m still astonished at how these shitbags have beaten us twice this season.

Typical chicken-livered approach Wenger takes against Klopp. Expect another fanfare when Wenger finally beats him in 6 years time in a nothing game.

#92

It doesn’t make sense not to put all the eggs in the Europa League basket. We haven’t won an European trophy since 1994. Wenger has never won an European trophy. Winning the Europa League gives direct entry in the next season’s Champions League. This team won’t be turned into a Premier League contender in one summer; we’re going to need more time for that. It’s not unlikely Liverpool and United are going to be stronger next season. Chances of making the Champions League might be higher in the Europa League than in the Premiership. We’re probably the best team in the Europa League or are going to be the team with the most resources/with the ability to put the best team in that competition on the pitch.

We need Wenger too deliver though. Something that is extremely difficult for him nowadays.

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#93

I suggest you get down the bookies if you think we can still do it.

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#94

It’s only 9/2, you’re not going to make millions on that bet!

#95

It’s a bet I won’t be making, but I’m not the one saying we can still do it.
If someone really does believe “it’s far from over,” I would say to them put some money on it.
It would be one of the biggest upsets in football and I would love to see it, especially as we would be above Man U and Liverpool, but realistically we blew it when we lost to spurs.

#96

So if people believe something will happen then they should bet on it? Every event they have an opinion on they should put their money on? Nah, you’re alright.

If the odds were better I might but 9/2 is not worth it. And us ghetting top 4 would be one of the biggest upsets in football? Really?!

#97

I agree that 9/2 are rubbish odds considering how unlikely it is.
As for one of the biggest upsets, I should have said in our history, not in football generally.

It wouldn’t be as big as the League win against Liverpool but it would be up there with most of our previous upsets.
I can’t remember a comeback like this happening to us very often, if it happens.

#98

At least the UEFA could do me a favor and have Arsenal play in Austria for once.

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#99

I don’t think we’ll get anywhere near winning the Europa League, we’ve been vulnerable in Europe for some time, and not just against the top teams. Schalke, Olympiacos, Zagreb have all had results off us.

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#100

I’d be up for Austria Vienna for sure

I think it will be a carbon copy of United this season. As soon as it’s apparent we’ve dropped out of the league / top 4 contention then we’ll start prioritising the Europa, say from the last 16 stage, presuming we sail through the group and last 32