Good Morning,
The first prattle of the season and it’s for the Europa. We’ve watched this game, this competition travel towards us for some time now and I’ve decided we really need to embrace it. It being …in Europe.
We need to distinguish ourselves and try at least to abandon this fast food attitude to football. Looking across a variety of teams forums as I do, there is a needy child element within most fan bases, all looking for confirmation that Messi has signed and that they’ve been given a bye to the Champions League final.
Life doesn’t work like that. Aside from once in a lifetime deals when the Treasurer of The Crown Prince of Nigeria emails you personally asking you to assist in a mutually beneficial business transaction, good times rarely come easy.
“If we’re not in Europe, we’re nothing.”
Do you really think that Bill Nicholson was the type of chap to make pronouncements like this and then mumble afterwards, ‘Err, with some obvious caveats..’ ? No, nor do I.
Yes it’s less money, yes it’s more effort. But any money is good when you’re building for the future and we currently have the largest squad in Western Europe outside of the Cirque du Soleil and the similarities don’t end there…
So let’s embrace this competition and if we’re in it, try to win it. Eh?
The Jam Tarts seem to be looking forward to the game but less so to the probable result. The atmosphere ought to be intense enough, Tynecastle is an old fashioned ground and the fans are right up to the pitch.
And I am given to understand Mr Dave McKay may very well be on the premises …what more motivation can possibly I give you? Bring it on.
So. We have a lump of players who need to be shop windowed/given some game time. Let’s exploit the Europa and quit the groaning.
BIOYC!
Personally, I’d love us to win any competition we’re in. Try telling Porto last year that the final was irrelevant – They loved every minute of it.
Looking at the way some of the younger players are doing, I think they’d enjoy themselves and it would be great experience for them. It’s a shame that they’re talking about Krankie off to Sunderland as he’d tie the whole thing together nicely but fair play to him… He wants to get a regular game.
The good thing is that if Jimmy is off, then the chances of Modders leaving must have dropped radically… Or Parker is still coming? :ermm:
To me it’s a no-brainer – it’s a European Cup. Only one team that can win the CL every year, and let’s face it, it’s not ever going to be us barring some kind of amazing fluke. There’s more glory in winning this cup than there is being in the semi-final or final even of the CL, so of course we should try. I do think you should still rotate the squad somewhat, but if we get into and out of the group games, I would be livid if Harry is fucking around with weak line-ups in the knock out phase.
good point well made
Here here. Let’s bring that pot home, ffs.
OK lets go back to the last time we were in this competition under the messiah that is Arry Redknapp…..We get to the last 32 and draw Shakhtar Donetsk, he puts out a team designed to fail with excuses, and fail they did but at least he had excuses….Dean Parrett made his debut, John Bostock, Fraizer Campbell, Dos Santos and other fringe players all played in the first leg away which we lost 2-0 to a poor side. At WHL rather than going for it we rested the first team as we had a Carling Cup Final the following Sunday and so players such as Parrett and Bostock were used again along with another debutant in Obika with a bench consisting of Jansson, C Butcher, Smith, Mason and Townsend, we drew 1-1 and Shakhtar went on to lift the trophy.
I may be looking at this with a glass half full attitude but when I pay for my season ticket, I want to see my team give it’s all each and every game and under this manager this is simply not the case. If we do get past Hearts and I sincerely hope we do, are we going to repeat the 2009 campaign? Probably!
3rd rule of hindsight. Insist on rotating the squad until we lose then insist on always playing your best 11. It’s just behind the 2nd rule, on always playing 4-4-2 until we lose then say any idiot should have know that 4-5-1 was the way, until that fails then state that you’ve always believed in 4-3-3.
If Harry had played the full team against Shaktar and one of the key players had been injured and ruled out of the final, the haters would have said ‘bad management’, so, like I say… Damned if he does, damned if he doesn’t.
I was at the Shaktar game and the team that went out that night gave it everything and they were very close to pulling it off. They left the field to huge applause from the crowd who appreciated how hard they tried. Let’s not forget that those Shaktar ‘no-hopers’ who went on to win the cup, also went on to top their Champions League group the following year, displacing a certain Ar5ena1 in the process.
I know. I was at the game and remember it very well. In actual fact the team played pretty well, and were pushing Shakhtar all the way. The most depressing / infuriating thing? Harry hadn’t even selected a strong bench, meaning that his reponse was to bring on lesser players when we looked capable of getting the result.
Was mightily fucked off that night. The same way I was when he humiliated the club by selecting a second string for the Carling Cup against Arsenal last year. I paid up both times for those games – for people such as myself who can’t afford the season ticket, these cup games are often the best chance you have of getting a ticket and seeing a game. Harry’s selections in both were an insult to the fans and the club itself.
@LLL: “selections […] were an insult”
First of all, Arsenal’s selection in that game was every bit as ‘second-string’ as ours was. So were ManU and Chelsea in the 3rd round of the Carling Cup, as they always are. Singling out ‘Arry for criticism on that game’s selection is unfair and unwarranted. He is following what has become the expected norm for ‘big’ teams early in that competition. If you want to be angry, be angry at that culture, not our manager.
Based on your arguments, I’m guessing you disagree with that large contingent of fans who want to see the younger players being given a chance? Or do you think we should field our best team in CC & EL, and blood the youngsters away at Old Trafford & Etihad in the league in stead?
Arsenal’s starting line up was much closer to their first 11.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/league_cup/9009940.stm
I don’t care about the norm for ‘big’ teams, this was a derby, at home no less, and he didn’t take it as seriously as Wenger. No excuse for that imo.
Although in hindsight I’m happy enough given what happened to them against Brum – Fair Deal!
Fair point, our players were perhaps ‘greener’ than theirs that time. That does have something to do with the fact that Arsene has played them in the CC every year, so that they have gained first team experience, which many on our team lacked. In terms of age and experience, the two sides were fairly evenly matched. I also seem to remember that Arsenal had an extremely long gout list at the time, and basically selected the only fit 18 players they had, so their selection had little to do with them taking it more or less seriously than us.
People also forget that we almost pulled it off that night, forcing overtime after having been behind initially. Had we won (and we had a chance or two before the collapse), you would be singing a different tune.
I agree, in a perfect world every team would field their best team every game. But there are 60 or so games in a season, and they players can’t take that, so you have to prioritise. From a financial as well as sporting perspective, CC and EL lose out.
Sure, we could try to be ‘better’ than the teams who field weakened sides in ‘lesser’ competitions. But we would only be putting ourselves at a disadvantage against teams that already hold the financial higher ground. It would be like trying to win a poker tournament while refusing to bluff because it is ‘dishonest’. You’re an idealist, which is great, but no good if you’re leading a football club.
Wholeheartedly agree, though, that it was all totally worth it to see them bottle it against the relegation-fodder Brummies.
Would love to see the likes of Kane and the new boy Collywobble get a run out. Rose will be a cert I would think, as would Townsend (If he’s not loaned out again???). If Modders stays we’ll have ‘one over’ in the middle so T’Hudd will probably get some time and even Marmite might be able to use his experience.
Walker will make the step up I think to full squad this year so Charlie would be available… So there’s a good blend of young talent & experience. We’ll have a good experienced keeper whichever way you look at it… Centre Back might be an issue though.
team for me given what the OS has said about injuries
Friedel/Gomes (dont care either way)
walker, Bassookers, Dawson, A&E
Krankie, VDV, Livers, Baler
Pav & Defoe
We need to get a good result there and get our 1st teamers 70/90 mins under their belt.
If we had played Everton last week the team for me would be
Friedel/Gomes (dont care either way)
Charlie, Bassookers, Kaboul, A&E
Krankie, VDV, Livers, Townsend
Pav & Defoe
(lost at the end of last blog so RT @me)
Hilarious – Fabregas declares that he’ll always be a gunner and will watch every one of their games. 15 minutes after their kick off last night he tweets ‘Last training before el clasico tomorrow. Now relax and sleep early. Good night everybody!’ Legend!
I’m glad I wasn’t the only one that clocked that! What a dog……………………
Hilarious :daumen:
haha! that is beautiful. I like this ‘first buy back option’ they have on him. Thats also rather hilarious. Hang on, doesn’t he have a £200M release clause? And you think he left for Barca to return before he’s past 30? The fools.
The EL is a farce.
Why am I not shocked to hear this :-|
Don’t know. It’s your question. Any competition that can be won by a team that dropped into it by being failures in an entirely different competition can hardly be considered prestigious, Bill Nick’s quotes or not.
I’d like to win it, but it’s just not worth jeopardising a successful league campaign. Where do you suggest we prioritise? Trying to win everything will result in nothing.
Play the kids.
it is but we are in it so lets go win it*
I,m a poet but didnt know it
*using the full squad especially the Kanes of this world
@Spursgator post
August 17th, 2011 at 10:06 am
Sorry for not directly responding but HH’s site is a bit poo
Just wanna say; what a refreshing viewpoint from a realistic fan
Welcome welcome
COYS
Its interesting that those that want Harry out never have a replacement in mind…
I have stated many times on previous topics who I would like to replace him with….and so have others…It’s interesting that those who comment that those that want him out never have a replacement in mind, don’t bother reading previous threads…. ^^
who then?
ok, guilty as charged of not reading previous posts. However, much like Chelsea sack every manager that doesn’t win the league, is it right for us to sack every manager that doesn’t get us into the top four?
I said it earlier on in the same post as I was slagging him off – Moyes