I'd hope we would not simply just play weakened teams as a matter of course, but we do have a squad even if it is shallow in terms of quality. We'd just have to pick the team with our priorities in mind and if the worst thing to happen was that players like Barkley, Stones etc got some experience then so be it.

But if we only finish 6th, can someone clarify if we'd still qualify if Chelski were to win this year's tournament?

We have zero chance of winning it, so the only point of the league is to qualify for Europe.

So to then only play our kids and fringe players defies sense. What is the point of our existence as a club if we don't try and win things?

European experience is vital, and it is still a draw for some players. The competition itself has too many games, but as the OP says, it keeps squad players happy, and is a great chance to try the youngsters in group games.

We need all the exposure we can get, and if we take the dark side's place in this competition, bring it on I say.

As things stand, that is Arsenal, Swansea, and Wigan. (This assumes that Man City will remain in the top four for the rest of the season; if they don't they will go in the Europa League.) If Chelsea win this year's Europa League it will not help us. If they finished outside the European placings (ie, 6th) they would qualify as well as the team in 5th.

PS: There is also a way into the Europa League via the European Fair Play League, EUFA give a Europa League berth to teams from the top three nations, based on bookings, sendings off, etc. England are currently 4th in the table. However, even if we were to rise up to 3rd there are several teams above Everton - Southampton, Fulham, Reading, Norwich and Lpool. Eligible teams have to play all of the qualifying rounds, which means that games start about three weeks after the season finishes.

I agree with Kevin Tully, we need to develop European experience, we can't use it as a big exercise in giving multiple fringe players games . The quality of teams now in Europa Cup is excellent and you can only put in one or two fringe players per game.

It's the only thing this weak Board has got right: retaining our place at the pig trough, especially with that shower in charge, as we'd find it extremely hard, in my opinion, to get back.

Until we get professionals in the boardroom and/or a change in playing style, survival is the primary objective – unambitious, uninspiring, but true.

Playing on a Sunday may also see us on TV a little more, that should be good news for the coffers.

Whilst I agree with your conclusions, you are not quite correct in the order you have given for Europa League qualification. The three places go to:-

a) FA Cup winners - straight into the group stage

b) 5th place in the League - into the final qualifying (play-off) round

c) League Cup winners - into the penultimate qualifying round

The difference to your analysis is that if the FA Cup winners qualify for the Europa League, the runners-up do NOT get the place. This is why, until the recent semi-final, we were hoping that Chelsea would win the Cup and finish 5th. Now we need City to finish 5th and nobody thinks that is going to happen.

Until it becomes mathematically impossible, I'm still hoping for 3rd!

I said "the FA Cup Winners or - if that team has already qualified for the Champions League or Europa League by Premier League placing - the FA Cup final losers".

You disagreed and said "If the FA Cup winners qualify for the Europa League, the runners-up do NOT get the place".

I don't see the difference!

Read what you said carefully!

You say that if the FA Cup Winners have qualified for the Europa League by Premier League placing, the FA Cup final losers get the place.

I said that they don't.

If you have a good team like Spurs, then it's no problem. If you're overrated and have a terrible manager like Pardew, then it can find you out.

Ultimately more opportunities to watch Everton at night, more money, and more exposure can never be a bad thing.

Past form, even including this January, shows they will not invest/take a measured gamble to help Moyes progress the team. I fear we'd go into the draining Europa marathon with our usual limited resources, jeopardising PL placing.

It's a real problem – put out a "junior" team and face early exit, thereby negating the advantageous points you raise, or try to win the bloody thing and take a chance on it not impacting too badly on PL performance.

As for raising the profile, didn't happen last time, players want £100k min and CL.

Mini bonus in doing the RS a bad turn.

I think what I said @ 025 is right as regards the Fair Play league.

I would definitely like to see UEFA drop this system whereby the clubs that get knocked out of the CL get a free ride down into the UEFA. They've had their chance at winning the CL and, like us, fuck it up, why let them have another chance of European success?

COYB

1) The format replicated that of that CL, more knockout less league style.
2) CL teams didn't automatically enter after being knocked out of their competition, this cheapens it in my opinion.
3) No fair play entry, see above.
4) More money available, particularly for reaching the latter stages.
5) A CL spot for the winner.

Can I run UEFA now?

I have checked on the prize money and, while nothing like the CL, it certainly has improved. There are graduated payments for qualifying for various stages, winning games, group winner etc. The overall winner gets €5M (used to be €1M before I think). So, not to be sneezed at.

In terms of the squad, I think that we need more rotation. I'm not talking about fielding weak teams but there are certainly players who deserve more match time (Oviedo is the one who stands out for me) and the EL would be a good chance to do that.

If we qualify, we're gonna need to get some more numbers in.

... If they give RS a Uefa place based on fair play after all the diving, cheating, racism, moaning, sacking and hanging out their own signing to dry then I'm off. I won't be renewing my Sky and ESPN subscription and that will be me finished with football until it straightens itself out.

I think I've got it now.

Lost all remaining credibility when 3rd place group losers in the CL were shunted off into this competition. So what is its value? Equal to a QF place in the CL?

And its no stepping stone to anything. Boro, Fulham, got to the final... we played three seasons in a row and its status quo.

In my opinion the number of games in the Europa expanded to nullify the hindrance of the number of CL games the top teams need to play and keep their position safe in the league.

I don't know anyone who wasn't happy with the old three tournament set up... except of course the money men.

Ciaran, the only problem with the FA Cup winners getting a CL slot is that, over recent seasons, we would have had Portsmouth entering it and possibly some of the losing finalists like Cardiff, Stoke City, the Shite etc, if the winners were also automatic CL qualifiers. I mean, if the Shite can slither in after finishing out of the qualifying places who knows how far UEFA would go to allow them in again.

I'd like the Champions League to be just that. A competition for Champions, run as a knock out comp, with the Europa League elevated to the 2-4 placed teams in other leagues with more money allocated to it.

:)

Ray (152) - I would only give the UCL spot (maybe the 4th spot) to the winner of the FA Cup - not the runner up even if the winner already qualified. In that case I think that clubs would take it far more seriously and not sure Portsmouth etc would have won it if that was the case back then. I am saying this IF the FA actually want this competition to retain its importance. As it is, I feel it is becoming the next Lge Cup.

It is
Winners of the FA Cup
Winners of the League Cup
5th Placed Team

Now if the Winners of the FA Cup are in the top 5, it is runners up of the FA Cup - except when the runners up are ALSO in the top 5, in which case the team in 6th also go into the UEFA League

If the Winners of the League Cup are in the top 5, then the highest placed league side not in Europe take that place.

So this year - as we stand
League Cup = Swansea
FA Cup will be Wigan because even if they lose, City are in top 5
League place = 5th place team

Last Season
League Cup = Liverpool
FA Cup Chelsea (finished 6th); League place = Newcastle.
Chelsea then won Champions League and replaced Spurs in Champions League so they had to go into Europa League
2010-11 Season
League Cup = Birmingham
FA Cup = City beat Stoke but in Champions League so Stoke took the place
5th Place = Spurs

What if Chelsea finish 5th and win the Europa?

Also I don't know many fans who like the Thursday/Sunday cycle of games, again neither the Uefa or Cup Winners were played on Thursdays. Also the prize money is pathetic compared to Champions League revenue. So he has downgraded his own competition to a point where fans seem uninterested in turning up in any great numbers to watch these games.

His idea of third placed teams in the Champions League are allowed to enter is another disaster, as the fans of these clubs see no merit in this competition having been eliminated from the Champions League. He might have made it more interesting if the winners of the Europa Cup were entered directly into the group stages of the following years Champions League.

The answer is, UEFA will decide when it happens depending on who they fancy being nice to at the time.

How can the FA possibly justify a 5:15pm KO time for the Cup Final, it spoils the whole thing for those supporters lucky enough to see their team in a Cup Final and whether they win or lose a long journey home for both set of supporters - for this year at any rate. The FA says it is a legitimate KO time because it has become usual for football matches to kick off early in the evening on Saturday's.

Arsenal 4th 68
Everton 5th 64
Spurs 6th 63
RS 7th 60

I can see us maybe going 2 better if we win at Anfield I can not see Spurs getting more than 63 unless they really get back in the groove Wigan and Stoke away plus Chelsea And City.....

Further I heard of my mates friends dog that a team has to be registered to enter the Wuropean competitions and Wigan have not registered.

Ian