The Limp Struggle to Sneak into the top 4 2021/22

Worst case scenario we are in a tournament we could actually win if we take seriously for a change. Best case scenario we are in the glamour of the Champions League again. Either way the noises are that Conte is going to be backed this summer, and I think next season is going to be a good one. The obsession some have with getting fourth is a bit OTT, if we aren’t there this season we will be in the CL places next season it’s all good…..

 

Keeping Conte is the trophy I desire.

 

My main fear has been that Kane would be more likely to leave if we didn't qualify for the Champions League. And that Conte would then follow suit. But now that City are getting Haaland, I don't see Kane going anywhere. So I agree 5th isn't the end of the world.

Plus the Europa League is a better competition these days, as a) the biggest dross have now been shifted to the Conference League, and b) group winners skip the first knockout stage. So it's not quite the dull slog it used to be (before we inevitably got knocked out as soon as the quality picked up )

 

The most annoying thing about Arsenal getting 4th (other than having to listen to their fans gloat and celebrate St Totteringhams day) is that they will be able to attract better players which in theory would make it harder to catch them. If they fall to 5th, players might look at them and think they’ve spent a brickload of money (more than any other club in the summer) and had no European distractions and still couldn’t nail down 4th place. There’s also the outside chance they could win the bloody thing. Highly unlikely, but the PL is undoubtedly the best league in the world and I think any English team has a semi reasonable chance of going far in the CL, Chelsea are having a bad season and they were still unlucky to lose to Real Madrid. Doesn’t even bear thinking about if Arsenal won it, I’d have to leave the planet.

But you’re right about being in the europa in itself isn’t the end of the world. I’d be absolutely buzzing if we won it, but more likely go into it half heartedly and we lose in the last 16 and it hurts our league form.

 

This is why we must assemble an excellent squad in the summer. Bentancur is a good addition but we need 4 or 5 Bentancur level players. Same for the wing backs. We need to sign multiple excellent wing backs who play that role as their primary position, know it inside out and are bloody good at it. Same at centre back. We need to have 4 or 5 romero level centre backs. A really top quality young or old striker as back up to Kane.

If we do this we can end 3rd next season and win the EL or 3rd and CL qf or even sf.

 

Yeah...the mighty Rangers and E.Frankfurt making the final

 

We don't know if we've got lucky with Deki and Bentancur or whether our scouting has stepped up a level. Realistically we will probably only be able to add 3 players whom are starting 11 ready in the summer. Plus some other juggling to balance the squad. Then we have to hope any new guys perform like the 2 from Juve.

I think Conte only trusts 13/14 currently so add 3 and that's enough to aim high in the league but maybe not on all fronts.

 

Still in a final though. Lets not belittle a competition when we haven’t won a thing in 14 years.

 

It’s an easy to reach coping mechanism - It’s like those lads who get turned away from a nightclub giving it the whole “didn’t even want to go in there anyway it looks brick” vibe

 

Let's hope Kane is Conte-struck too.

 

Or a Woman you have just dumped then claiming you have a tiny penis right?

 

Possibly, my only experience on that has been women dumping me because it’s just way too big..

 

it was in reply to the EL 'being a better competition these days'.....my reply is a fair comment that it isnt.

Of course feel free to conflate the conversation in any direction you choose.

 

This. If the PL is an arms race, Arsenal getting 4th just gives them a huge lead over us in terms of having access to top tier players to solidify their advantage over us, while we have to scrabble around for those content to play EL football.

And they spent 120m net this summer, without any European football. If they get into the CL and repeat that level of investment, plus CL revenues, plus having a *lot* of slack on the wage bill to take up (all their highest earners are gone and have been replaced by youngsters on low wages), we could see them spend an absolute brick-ton this summer and lock us out for the foreseeable future.

This is the worry. This is why finishing above them and keeping them out of the CL is vital.

It wouldn't matter as much if we had an owner like Kroenke who would invest in the club whether or not we're in the CL...but, well, you know. We can't match them, nor most of the other PL teams, in terms of having owners who care about their clubs being competitive.

So we have to deny other teams advantages over us. And Arsenal finishing 4th is a huge one for them.

 

Unless one of those teams only plays about 42 games in a season which makes their lives much easier

 

You think it's unlikely they keep their spending up, but Arsenal fans thought it unlikely that Kroenke would start spending in the first place. He has - broke ten years of habit to plough 120m into his club, and they're back in the top four. Who's to say they won't keep going that way given the change in behaviour?

Aye, but all the other members of the top six (plus Newcastle) will spend heavily when they're out of the top four, so as to get back into it.

As it stands right now, we're likely to miss out, with United. United will spend heavily this summer to try to get back into it, absolutely guaranteed.

Then there's us. And the thing is, we can only get away with not matching the rest for so long before it catches up to us. In fact, I'd argue that just one season of utter inaction in 2018-2019 sowed the seeds for the following three years of tumbling, irreversible decline - you simply cannot stand still and expect to stay in the top four when everyone around you will aggressively invest every season.

The only thing that keeps that top four fluid is the constant investment that happens at every other club, regardless of CL or not. And we are perpetually hamstrung by having the owners we do because of it.

Which is why it isn't just enough to look at ourselves - if we want to succeed in the PL, it becomes important to prevent other clubs from succeeding. Again, if we had ambitious owners, it wouldn't matter as much - sadly we don't, so it does.

 

I think its a but pointless judging who will be challenging based on spend, remember Everton?
Utd spend big almost every season.
Spending wisely and a consistent direction are more important than just a total amount imho.