Do you think we'll finish in the top 4?

[Neil G]

Why is that such a terrible thing? We need European games to get our UEFA ranking back up and more importantly we need to learn how to cope with the extra games if we're serious about ever doing anything in the Champions League again.

 

I think too much is made of the Thursday/Sunday thing

Me too, especially the idea that we'll be under increased pressure if our rivals have already played and won. It works both ways, we can easily go into a Sunday game with added confidence if we know they've dropped points.

 

We play loads of games on Sundays anyway due to TV. In last season's run-in when we weren't in Europe at all, we still played 9 out of 13 weekend games between January and April on a Sunday. We won 7, drew one and lost one (Chelsea), so it clearly wasn't a big problem then.

[Juniper]

No, it's too much to ask and the mancs have too much momentum now.

 

Can't see them dropping enough points for us to catch up, even if we win all our remaining games.

 

I'd like to hope but I just don't want to be bitterly disappointed. Of course I'd love to be wrong come the end of the season. Hope it goes that way.

 

It's the script isn't it. Come close one season then fuck up the next and start back at square one whilst everyone is a step ahead and we play catch up again.

 

And the loop begins again....

 

Next season the mancs will have the champions league money to invest, will the owners invest a large amount of money again? This time without Champions League money. Will they fuck.

 

Can't see us lifting the FA Cup either, again I hope I'm wrong but there's too much romance in it being Gerrard swansong for that to go well. Fear it will end in more disappointment.

 

We're cursed/shite and I'm sick of having all the optimism beaten out of me.

 

Fuck it, grumble over.

[Bobby Hundreds]

No. I don't think we will even get close.

 

I'm genuinely finding it hard to give a fuck. There isn't really any players in our side that I could care less if they left at the end of the season as long as we got good cash for them. Then we can buy another player whose good for 5 games out of every 20. The shit we buy.

 

Y'know what it's not like their bad players, lallana is a good player and capable of lovely football but so what.. Lovely pirouette, nice passes back and forth.. Not really getting anywhere.. Nice run... Unlucky.. FOR FUCKSAKE. Can we look for effective players in the future, instead of these "im still trying to find my inner zone" clones.

 

United wanting it more, at anfield with a champions league place on the line.its all Bullshit.

[Dr Nowt]

2014 motto - We go again.

 

2015 motto - Here we go again.

[Jairzinho]

2014 motto - We go again.

 

2015 motto - Here we go again.

 

2016 motto - You still buying this shit, right?

[The Golden Eel]

No chance for me. Or possibly a very slim chance.

[Brigant Moloch]

2016 motto - You still buying this shit, right?

 

2014 motto - We go again.

 

2015 motto - Here we go again.

 

The Ev's would be like

 

2013 Winter - We Go the Game

 

2014 Summer - Go the Game

 

2014 Winter - Game

 

2015 - We Are Evertonians

[Pureblood]

I don't think we will qualify.  Sunday was a disaster.  

 

But I'm not that arsed.  If last season proved anything it showed me that we don't have to be in the Champions League to be successful.  Obviously I would prefer it if we were in it but I think the whole top 4 thing, if I become preoccupied with it, makes me as a fan lose sight of what football is about.   

[TheBitch]

Me too, especially the idea that we'll be under increased pressure if our rivals have already played and won. It works both ways, we can easily go into a Sunday game with added confidence if we know they've dropped points.

We play loads of games on Sundays anyway due to TV. In last season's run-in when we weren't in Europe at all, we still played 9 out of 13 weekend games between January and April on a Sunday. We won 7, drew one and lost one (Chelsea), so it clearly wasn't a big problem then.

Playing a difficult away game on a Thursday night in the back end of Russia or somewhere, getting home some shit time on a Friday morning when Chelsea have played at home on a Tuesday wouldn't be a disadvantage for us? I disagree.

[Iceman]

I think we will get top4. I think we'll nick it on the last day. The mancs gave it their all to beat us, and they're just not that good. They're going to go draw-tastic in their last few games. I also think we'll beat Arse at the Emirarse because let's face it, we're due a facking win at that shithole, so why not? 

 

We've been doing great, and I'm not going to let a shite loss to the mancers stop the buzz. If we win all 8 games, and our FA cup ones, we can get 4th and the FA Cup. Stick that in your pipe and vape it you slags. 

[Boss]

I think we lost it against the mancs. But we signed Sturridge and Coutinho in 8th place so if being out of the champions league forces the club to think long and hard about the right players to bring in then it might be a blessing.

 

Last summer showed that having Champions League football isn't a guarantee in signing better quality players, all of those signings have been shite barre Can who we could of bought in 8th place, so maybe we'll unearth a few diamonds in the rough out of necessity.

[Neil G]

Playing a difficult away game on a Thursday night in the back end of Russia or somewhere, getting home some shit time on a Friday morning when Chelsea have played at home on a Tuesday wouldn't be a disadvantage for us? I disagree.

I wasn't talking about additional fixtures, they will be a challenge but we should have a stronger squad next season with the ability to rotate more.

 

I was talking specifically about the psychological aspect of playing after our rivals for the title / top four have already played, which several people have flagged up as a drawback of being in the EL. I don't think it is, especially as the other big teams frequently play on a Sunday as well due to TV.

[LFC 6 Times]

Think there's very little hope at this stage, would start pairing Balotelli with Sturridge and just try start blowing teams away.

[JermainePennant]

No, it's too much to ask and the mancs have too much momentum now.

 

Can't see them dropping enough points for us to catch up, even if we win all our remaining games.

 

I'd like to hope but I just don't want to be bitterly disappointed. Of course I'd love to be wrong come the end of the season. Hope it goes that way.

 

It's the script isn't it. Come close one season then fuck up the next and start back at square one whilst everyone is a step ahead and we play catch up again.

 

And the loop begins again....

 

Next season the mancs will have the champions league money to invest, will the owners invest a large amount of money again? This time without Champions League money. Will they fuck.

 

Can't see us lifting the FA Cup either, again I hope I'm wrong but there's too much romance in it being Gerrard swansong for that to go well. Fear it will end in more disappointment.

 

We're cursed/shite and I'm sick of having all the optimism beaten out of me.

 

Fuck it, grumble over.

 

 I know the feeling mate after experiencing us having similar shit seasons after our last two title challenges but there is light at the end of the tunnel and I dont think the loop is beginning again as you said.

 

This time we have a young squad that is only going to get better instead of having overpayed shit older players that we have to pay to get rid of which has been the situation we found ourselves in the two previous times.

 

Ive always thought and said around october last season on here that if we can get to jan with the title still in touching distance we will challenge because of momentum and the support our fans give when they get a sniff, thats how it turned out.

 

Being out of the cl would help our chances of having a good first half of the season which is why Im not devastated like previous times, even if we only got Origi and Ings in I would expect us to get 4th comfortably as we will not be in the situation again where we have a striker crisis.

 

I expect a big name striker to come in alongisde them while I think we will also get 2-3 top players in other positions that will improve us (cm,dm,rb) so I am very optimistic about next season.

[RazorBack]

I've voted Yes. Do I believe? Yes and no, we should make sure we try and win our last few games and see where it takes us.. I believe Utd will drop points, Arse will be 3rd.

[Mojo]

I've voted Yes. Do I believe? Yes and no, we should make sure we try and win our last few games and see where it takes us.. I believe Utd will drop points, Arse will be 3rd.

Well said. Exactly why I voted Yes. The players have to believe and take advantage of 8 games to put it right rather than just two like last year. Still, no harm the scum imagining we've thrown in the towel already and that they are no longer in danger.

[magicrat]

I think we should focus on the the next couple of games . If we beat Arse then it will be a massive lift and give us real hope. Lose and we can forget top 4 .  Beating Blackburn should be our prime goal now.

[Juniper]

I know the feeling mate after experiencing us having similar shit seasons after our last two title challenges but there is light at the end of the tunnel and I dont think the loop is beginning again as you said.

 

This time we have a young squad that is only going to get better instead of having overpayed shit older players that we have to pay to get rid of which has been the situation we found ourselves in the two previous times.

 

Ive always thought and said around october last season on here that if we can get to jan with the title still in touching distance we will challenge because of momentum and the support our fans give when they get a sniff, thats how it turned out.

 

Being out of the cl would help our chances of having a good first half of the season which is why Im not devastated like previous times, even if we only got Origi and Ings in I would expect us to get 4th comfortably as we will not be in the situation again where we have a striker crisis.

 

I expect a big name striker to come in alongisde them while I think we will also get 2-3 top players in other positions that will improve us (cm,dm,rb) so I am very optimistic about next season.

Being out the CL will no doubt help but will travelling to the other end of Europe on a Thursday night help if we make Europa League.

 

If by being out of the top competitions we suddenly become challengers for the title again then we still have some way to go with being regular contenders for me.

 

Remember how the season started season before last- granted it was the first under new management.

 

We always seem to be a few positions short of a quality team. I'll be surprised if we finally get that DM we've all been crying out for for years.

 

Granted we finally have wingers though but it's not like we have bought established players for those positions, the ones we have are young and are still learning their trade (the point being about us buying for areas everyone can see we need strengthening)

 

Just Origi and Ings will not be good enough , in my view.. Both players are hardly established goalscorers. Yes hopefully they do well but having enough strikers doesn't mean we'll be firing them in.

 

Plus, I guess it all depends again on who leaves in the summer. Regardless of his playing ability I/longevity I still think we'll start the season missing Gerrard's presence with the squad in the dressing room/at Melwood and that will show., especially having a young team missing experience.

 

Maybe I just need to be more positive but I can't see a chance in our luck/behaviour any time soon.

 

[Jairzinho]

We will have one fixture away to somewhere in Eastern Europe. At the absolute most probably two more if we reach the final.

 

It's only in England where the Europa League is treated as an excuse for failing in the league. Why hasn't Wolfsburg's season fallen apart? Or Sevilla's?

 

We've got an enormous squad, we should be able to cope.

[Juniper]

Yeah we should but look at our recent run in both competitions in Europe. Out with a whimper.

 

Granted we were missing Sturridge for most (and again our best player leaving after finishing 2nd) but it's the lack of fight that pisses me off the most. You can attribute that to many factors but the end results the same.

 

Out with our tails tucked firmly between our legs.

 

I'll still be supporting the team next season but by god am I finding it hard to love the sport these days and this season isn't helping.

 

Hopefully though we'll end this season with some silverwear and that will help set us up. Next season but also attract some well chosen top/proven players, rather than buy risks who need time to settle in.

 

Then we take another stab at it and finally become consistent.

[Original202]

We will have one fixture away to somewhere in Eastern Europe. At the absolute most probably two more if we reach the final.

 

It's only in England where the Europa League is treated as an excuse for failing in the league. Why hasn't Wolfsburg's season fallen apart? Or Sevilla's?

 

We've got an enormous squad, we should be able to cope.

 

It's hard to believe we won 3 trophies and still finished 3rd in 2001 the way the Europa League is viewed these days. Football hasn't changed that much in 15 years has it?

 

*Granted that sort of season is not the norm, but still, tiredness wasn't an issue

[Jairzinho]

Yeah we should but look at our recent run in both competitions in Europe. Out with a whimper.

 

Granted we were missing Sturridge for most (and again our best player leaving after finishing 2nd) but it's the lack of fight that pisses me off the most. You can attribute that to many factors but the end results the same.

 

Out with our tails tucked firmly between our legs.

 

I'll still be supporting the team next season but by god am I finding it hard to love the sport these days and this season isn't helping.

 

Hopefully though we'll end this season with some silverwear and that will help set us up. Next season but also attract some well chosen top/proven players, rather than buy risks who need time to settle in.

 

Then we take another stab at it and finally become consistent.

 

I think the manager and squad are just dreadfully naive in Europe. We need more European football, not less.

 

I'm desperate for us to win the FA Cup. We have to get into the habit of winning.

 

And agreed, next summer we should be binning 10,12, maybe even as many as 15, players (we've loads out on loan with no future here), and signing 3 or 4 top quality players that improve the first team.

[Juniper]

I agree. Just hope we have learned from our mistakes this season in Europe. I really do.

 

Two seasons in Europe under the current management so it has to get better, doesn't it?

 

Hopefully next season is better and we're still not talking about things after feeling we're close to being consistent, which has seemed to be the norm the last few years.

 

Just a couple months away from a decade since Istanbul, I hope this summer we can celebrate a return to Champions League and a FA Cup in the bag to really kick us forward and unite the fans after a tough kick in the balls that was the 2014-2015 season, before our recent unbeaten run.

 

Here's to hope!

 

*raises glass*

 

[Pureblood]

It's hard to believe we won 3 trophies and still finished 3rd in 2001 the way the Europa League is viewed these days. Football hasn't changed that much in 15 years has it?

 

*Granted that sort of season is not the norm, but still, tiredness wasn't an issue

Man City and Chelsea have two of the top spots sewn up every season. The rest of us fight it out.

 

A lot of the top players are at a handful of clubs so there is this concentration of talent at the mega rich European clubs whilst the rest find it difficult to hang on to their players who are poached by said rich clubs, who loan half of them out to teams not considered rivals.

 

The game is a lot quicker, blah blah blah.

 

There has been enough change and we're not in the mix any more when the big cups are handed out, last season's freak challenge being the exception that proves the rule.

[The Chef]

I voted yes. Here's why. With 24 point for the talking with the 8 games left, both us and the filth will drop points. However I do believe they will come out worse off then us and we will just manage 4th. It's the teams struggling at the bottom and fighting to stay in the prem so as to get some of that Huge TV Money that will be made available come next season, that will cause more problems than those sitting comfortable in top half.

That defeat will be the kick in the nads we needed to get back on track. There were signs against Swansea and if they had a decent goal scorer they would have beaten us. I reckon we will beat the Gooners and Villa get a draw at Castle Greyskull.

There are a lot more twists to come........... so believe.