ToffeeWeb - Season 2007-08

The Mail Bag

One Uefa Cup spot

Whilst we all had a good laugh at Liverpool on Saturday, their demise has brought nearer the real possibility that there may only be one Uefa Cup place available via the league this year. If Spurs win the Carling Cup (very possible) and if Man Utd draw Chelsea in the semis of the FA Cup(possible), then we will have to finish 5th to quality for Europe.

Like everyone else I still hope and believe we can go into the Champions League but the line between success and failure is going to be very very fine. The Man City, Liverpool and Villa games are going to be enormous and we are going to need a minimum of 5 points and possibly 7 to make sure we travel abroad next year.

With the other three clubs having a lot more money than us European qualification next year is vital to keep things moving along and it is going to be a tense couple of months...
John Doolan, Godalming Posted 18/02/2008 at 18:24:29

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Comments

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Dan McKie
1 Posted 18/02/2008 at 21:37:43

Dont worry John cos the Uefa Cup champs get in anyway! COYB!!

jayharris
2 Posted 18/02/2008 at 21:40:13

Lets aim for the moon(CL) and we might at least hit some stars.(UEFA Cup or 5th/6th.)
I am also now starting to worry about Citeeh.

Alan Ryder
3 Posted 18/02/2008 at 21:33:50

Yes. Isn’t it great! Every remaining match means something, which is how it should be. We have somehow achieved decent results recently without playing particularly well. We must get all our players fit, our best options on the field and playing at their best for the final run in? We still have to earn the right.
Does that sound positive? Good....coz I’m bricking meself!

Mike Whittaker
4 Posted 18/02/2008 at 21:39:28

I read somewhere that Spurs have already qualified for next years competition by reaching the League Cup final, as Chelsea are Champions League bound. Is this true? It would be a farce if you can qualify this way by being runners up of your countries third grade cup competition whilst sixth place in the league gets nothing.

Dan Parker
5 Posted 18/02/2008 at 21:51:40

My understanding is that it goes to the 6th place in the league rather than Spurs should they be on the losing end.

Ben Patchesa
6 Posted 18/02/2008 at 21:48:09

As I think was said before on here, the runners up in the Carling Cup won’t get a place if the winners gain Euro qualification through other means - only the FA Cup beaten finalists would. But let’s focus on our own game...

Ray Robinson
7 Posted 18/02/2008 at 21:57:46

Don’t see the relevance of the comment if Utd draw Chelsea in the semi of the FA Cup. If they do and the winner goes onto win the FA Cup but also finishes in the top 4, then that’s an additional league placing that qualifies for the UEFA.

Steve Green
8 Posted 18/02/2008 at 22:02:35

"Don?t see the relevance of the comment if Utd draw Chelsea in the semi of the FA Cup. If they do and the winner goes onto win the FA Cup but also finishes in the top 4, then that?s an additional league placing that qualifies for the UEFA. "

Ray, if Chelsea or United get, say, Boro in the FA Cup final, then Boro would get the UEFA Cup spot.
For all those interested, it breaks down like this:

1. Top four get Champions League -- first three straight to group stage, fourth place must play two qualifying rounds (merci, M. Platini).
2. Fifth place guaranteed UEFA Cup spot.
3. If Carling Cup WINNER already in Europe, then sixth gets UEFA Cup spot. (Go, Chelsea!)
4. If BOTH FA Cup finalists are already in Europe, then seventh gets UEFA Cup spot. (Pompey?s the only other top-half EPL team left in the FA Cup, but they?re away to United, so the only scenario that would work this season would be a Man U-Chelsea final.)

Ralph Basnett
9 Posted 18/02/2008 at 22:08:45

Why are we talking about 4th place when Chelski still have Man U Arse and EFC at GP?

Crap football and still grinding results, with a full squad 3rd is really not that far away!!!

COYB no play off lets do it properly!!

Keith Glazzard
10 Posted 18/02/2008 at 21:56:21

Every match a scrap, every point precious.

The people who matter have worked this one out for themselves and keep clean sheets when possible and score goals when they can. And they do it with the best style we’ve seen for many years. I have no doubt that our club is totally focused on the best we can do in Europe and the PL, not just for this season, but mainly for next. As they have to do if we want to join the "bigs". We want that, but as they always say, be careful what you wish for.

Stuart Duncan
11 Posted 18/02/2008 at 22:23:39

And if we are really lucky we finish 4th, Villa 5th, and Liverpool don’t make Europe. Intertoto anyone?

George Sedlak
12 Posted 18/02/2008 at 23:01:57

"My understanding is that it goes to the 6th place in the league rather than Spurs should they be on the losing end."

That is a correct assumption. Wigan got to the Carling Cup Final and were battered by man Utd 4-0 but, despite United getting into the CL, Wigan didn't qualify for Europe the following season because the spot goes to the team placed 6th in the league instead.

Cliff Zampost
13 Posted 18/02/2008 at 23:01:36

Read this article on our chances with opposing sides for the race for 4th spot. http://soccerlens.com/race-to-4th-feb-18-08/5911/

Martin Cutler
14 Posted 19/02/2008 at 03:08:54

So, if I read all the above postings correctly and as a result I’m totally confused then Barnsley have as much chance of being in Europe next season as Liverpool have? Which would only be right as Barnsley did so well against THE RS on Saturday!!
Either way..........as things stand right now we need to be aiming for a minimum of 4th spot..........although I don’t see how we can overtake Chelsea at this point but this all begs the question: if, sorry, when we win the UEFA Cup and come 4th (or higher) we do qualify for the Champions League don’t we?

Joe Coswell
15 Posted 19/02/2008 at 03:43:26

Tbh its still more likely there will be 3 Uefa Cup league spots than 1. Chelsea are definitely favourites to beat Spurs. Theres a 66.666% chance that Man/Chelsea avoid one another in a semi.

Theres probably about...

15% chance of just 5th being Uefa.
50% chance of 5th and 6th being Uefa,
35% chance 5/6/7th being Uefa.

Gavin Grayson
16 Posted 19/02/2008 at 07:17:38

Dan Mickie wrote "Dont worry John cos the Uefa Cup champs get in anyway! COYB!!".

Can anyone clarify?? Then why the big ho-ha to get the RS back to the CL when we finished fourth???

Dave Whitwell
17 Posted 19/02/2008 at 08:07:52

Guys,

I believe that this season the English FA have 4 spots for the Uefa Cup, 2 of those are through league place i.e. 5th & 6th, 1 for the carling cup winer only, 1 for the FA Cup winner or losing finalist if winner already qualified. It is also possible that a 5th spot be given if either Everton, Spurs or Bolton were to win the UEFA cup.

Dan Mckie
18 Posted 19/02/2008 at 08:51:27

To Gavin Goh - The Champions league never had a spot for the previous winner because it was down to how well you did in the league (until of course the teams uefa wanted in the comp started doing crap i.e red shite & real madrid) but the uefa cup winners get a spot in next seasons uefa cup!

John Dawson
19 Posted 19/02/2008 at 09:24:36

If anyone is interested, English Premier League are currently leading Europe?s fair play table for top divisions. If we stay top then the league is awarded a bonus UEFA Cup spot. Still, a few red cards for Gerrard & Rooney wouldn't go a miss before the end of the season.

NSNO

Tris Allerton
20 Posted 19/02/2008 at 10:04:47

I think my understanding is this: If Liverpool finish 4th they get the champions league spot. If everton finish 4th - Liverpool get the champions league spot. If Liverpool finish below the UEFA cup spots they get a champions league spot as consolation.

Paul Hennessey
21 Posted 19/02/2008 at 10:38:30

We have to be realistic ? the chances are less than 50% that we would finish 4th of win the Uefa Cup, in compaison to the FA Cup we are about to kick off what would be the 4th round 2-0 up, with the ?5th round? against a very good side in Fiorentina

Let?s hope United and Chelsea get kept apart in the semis of the FA Cup as the extra Uefa Cup place from the FA Cup should at least guarantee us a form of European football next season and allow for continuous building of the club and the ability to attract that top winger and holding midfielder we need.

David Mills
22 Posted 19/02/2008 at 10:56:31

So if I?m not mistaken, we could qualify for next years Uefa cup in several ways:
- Finish 5th (or6th or 7th, depending on circumstances)
- Win the Uefa Cup this year
- Finish top of the fair play league (as we currently are I think) and the Premier league be the cleanest in europe

Imagine if we were in the final of the carling cup as well!
Anyway, all academic, as it?s champions league next season...

COYB!

Andy Callan
23 Posted 19/02/2008 at 11:24:02

You lot are in dreamland; 3rd, 4th, 5th? Don?t make me laugh.

We will finish 7th and win nowt.

Don?t expect anythin? from Everton as we have been let down all too many times in the past.

Don?t get me wrong, I love our club and want us to be the force we were when i was growing up in the 80?s ? but we are not and never will be the same again.

I just can?t help being a sceptic due to years of bullshit and letdowns. Say what ya like, but I am entitled to feel the way I feel...

Paul Hennessey
24 Posted 19/02/2008 at 11:42:37

I can understand why you?d feel that way, but in spite of the years of let downs, there is a very realistic chance of us coming 5th or 6th as the likes of City and Villa do not have the ability (I hate to say it but maybe unlike liverpool) to consistently win games.... let's just hope Liverpool lose tonight as thats the one thing that wouldnt suprise me, us coming 4th and them winning the thing!!!!

Andy Callan
25 Posted 19/02/2008 at 11:52:18

Agreed.

I don’t watch that shower but I hope they get stuffed t’nite.

That twat Carragher will have something to whinge about then won’t he - the git.

EJ Smythe
26 Posted 19/02/2008 at 14:03:47

I say we finish 4, Liverpool finish 7th, we win the Uefa, and beat AC Milan for the Super Cup (or whatever name that cup is called). Anyone know what’s the odds for this?

Mark Murphy
27 Posted 19/02/2008 at 15:07:23

I understood that the Carling Cup no longer counted for a Uefa Cup spot.
My workmate is a Spurs fan and he also understood this to be the case.

Trudy Boston
28 Posted 19/02/2008 at 17:16:59

I fully enjoyed the enemy's demise at Anfield on Saturday and look forward to more glee tonight, but as for qualification standings we are regularly finishing in European berths year in year out. The RS are no longer the force of old, and once the Russian at Chelsea gets bored and moves on they will slowly go in reverse to where they were say ten years ago. A good efficient side but nowhere near the power of today.

Of course the formats change every year but I like to keep things on a simple level. I am looking forward to the game on Thursday, into the last 16 with what looks like a tie with Florence, and after if we can best them, into the quarter finals and anything is possible. I'm not going to say we can win it, but Middlesborough got to the final in 2006 with a lesser team than ours.

The FA Cup defeat still hurts especially with the teams left in represented our best chance of FA Cup glory since we were victorious, but I will be more than happy with another 4th place finish and at least a quarter final place in the Uefa Cup.

Rob Jones
29 Posted 19/02/2008 at 17:56:55

My opinion... We finish 4th; RS finish 7th, Uefa decide to swap CL Qualifiers to 7th 3rd 2nd and 1st... lol ? just kidding ? but it?s worrying that I actually find that worryingly believable!

Gareth Prytherch
30 Posted 20/02/2008 at 10:12:31

I have just heard on TalkSport that if we win the Uefa Cup and Finish 4th over the dark side, we will only gain entry to the Uefa Cup next season.

If this is true are we better to win the Uefa Cup or Finish 4th? Also, should we not be able to choose which competitions to enter?

Dave Trudgeon
31 Posted 20/02/2008 at 11:49:39

Is anyone else worried that Liverpool are really hard to beat in Europe and awful in the league. I get that horrible feeling that we could be in for a carbon copy of 2005 only this time its in the rules that the league placing makes no difference and Liverpool would get the Champions League place no matter where they finished! I HOPE I'm wrong That would be a travesty!