So no more curry nights at Weatherspoons, Thursday nights are the new home of European football, but I am tired of all the arrogance about United being far too good to be in this competition.
Let's look at the facts, United had 6 games to qualify from this group, and as a team we were not good enough. Simple. Therefore we do not deserve to be in the champions league. For Evra to say it is embarrassing... well Patrice, maybe if you pulled yer finger out, at some point this year, it may have helped. Don't you think?!
We have to take our medicine, but from this much good can come. In the corridors of power at O.T. there will be much pain and anger and embarrassment, rightly so. They have let us down, but the Europa needs to be a chance to give the younger players a taste of European football and this can only go to benefit the club. We can seek out the gems, and expose the chaff, of which I fear there is a bit too much.
Pogba, Morrison, et al now need the chance, Macheda, Diouf, Evans, et al need to show what they can do or get sold in the summer.
This leads me on to the fact that there is a lot of doom about the 20 million loss United can expect from not getting to their 4th final in 5 years, frankly a quite unrealistic and amazing expectation in any case.
Now, I think, given the performances in the group stage it is fair to imagine that United would not have got much further than the last 16 this year, so the Europa gives us a chance of earning extra revenue, in a year where we are coming up short.
Secondly, if there is a lapse in revenue from this failure, then the increasingly flabby squad will need some pruning, to raise the funds for a central midfielder or two, we will need to operate with a smaller squad in order to keep the intensity of quality. In economic downturns, staff need to be trimmed.
This also links to a third point - keeping a settled side, now yes, our injuries have been horrific but other times tinkering has cost us, tinkering for tinkering's sake. Time to play players in their correct positions, not more playing centre halves all over the pitch at right back and centre mid, strikers in midfield, wingers in midfield.
We want specialists in their own positions the Alan Smith project didn't work none of this is either.
The luck we have bathed in on so many European nights deserted us on Wednesday but so did so much of the quality. The Europa League, however, should be looked on as the start of a revolution, not as the end of an era.
A case for - it's for the best.
posted on 9/12/11
... so are UTD planning on fielding a weakend side for the EL???????
have teams not been in trouble before for not playing thier first team? It devalues the competition.
surely they cannot be allowed to field a reserve team?
posted on 9/12/11
comment by Bluethruandthru (U11684)
posted 2 minutes ago
... so are UTD planning on fielding a weakend side for the EL???????
have teams not been in trouble before for not playing thier first team? It devalues the competition.
surely they cannot be allowed to field a reserve team?
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well spurs have been doing it so why cant we
posted on 9/12/11
then Spurs should have thier bottoms slapped!
i was just curious as it has happened before with the F.A cup and League cup.
the only stumbling block with blooding your kids in the EL is that from what i have heard from some Utd fans, the reserves are not up to it.
what happens if you play kids and get knocked out in the first round they play in?
posted on 9/12/11
well then we can concentrate on the PL
posted on 9/12/11
also you are in it to compete, playing blatantly not good enough players so you can focus on EPL is.... well not really fair on the rest of the EPL or anyone in the EL.
as i say that devalues the cup and there are other teams that don't have your squad size in the EPL and will be trying to win the EL, thus hampering thier EPL campaighn. Stoke/ Spurs for example. it is just a bit of an arrogant way of approaching the EL.
It is like saying "Utd are better than playing the likes of Stoke"
IMO you should be playing a strong enough team to win it, not make sure you drop out so you can focus on the EPL.
posted on 9/12/11
Taking into account injurys and fixture congestion I am sure Fergie will give the Europa league the credit and respect it deserves...
posted on 9/12/11
Very good article.
At the end of the day, you can't win everything all of the time, and nor would you want to. Let's use the Europa League to give some European experience to some of the younger/fringe players and see how far we get.
posted on 9/12/11
(U11635)
good i hope that is the case.
as much as people take the mick out of it, winning the EL would be another Euro trophy to have in your club and it is a fine cup to win IMO.
posted on 9/12/11
I agree with this, the arrogance shown by our fans is shocking, we're in the Europa becasue we weren't good enough for the CL,deal with it. Some fans have actually said they won't be watching the games, and that SAF should field a youth team to go out of the competition early and as always this bs excuse of, "it will disrupt the league campaign" comes out which is just a cop out in my opinion, rather than playing wednesday, saturday it'll be thursday sunday, we often play on sundays anyway so where's the disruption?
Although i'd rather be in the CL, i'm looking forward to the Europa, a potental clash with City will be a great night, Ajax, Porto, PSV and Valencia are in the competition so there will be some good games to watch, i for one will be buying tickets for this competition to support the team.
posted on 9/12/11
bruceandpally (U8201)
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Damn right! i'd watch Chelsea even if they were in Non league!
A true United fan right there!
well said my friend