Wider conclusions from today

[Inquisitive Aquila]

1) Will many games be played on Saturday in the Premier League next season? There are now so many teams in Europe that Thursday/ Sunday fixtures will become more prevalent. As a grumpy old man I mourn the near death of the Saturday 3pm fixture schedule.
2) West Ham were relegated with 39 points, a total that usually guarantees safety.
I hope I’m not tempting fate but I think none of the promoted clubs will achieve this next season. Sunderland and Leeds prove that relegated clubs can brook the trend , but I think they are the anamoly.
3) As a grumpy old man, perhaps I’m not ‘in touch with my emotions’ , but is anybody else weary of all the emotional football goodbyes taking place around the country today?
It all strikes me a faintly preposterous and frankly quite shallow.

1. That has been the case for many years, indeed it may be time to help clubs in the Europa and Conference on Thursday by pushing their games back to Monday evening.
2. True enough but then Hodgson used to talk about 40 points and that is not many years ago.
3. There have been several goodbyes over the last few years, Ward last year for example. I do not see the harm in showing appreciation for what people have achieved.

 

[doombear]

1. That has been the case for many years, indeed it may be time to help clubs in the Europa and Conference on Thursday by pushing their games back to Monday evening.
2. True enough but then Hodgson used to talk about 40 points and that is not many years ago.
3. There have been several goodbyes over the last few years, Ward last year for example. I do not see the harm in showing appreciation for what people have achieved.

I think the poster was referring to the good-byes at clubs such as Liverpool and Citeh.

 

[PatrickA]

1. That has been the case for many years, indeed it may be time to help clubs in the Europa and Conference on Thursday by pushing their games back to Monday evening.
2. True enough but then Hodgson used to talk about 40 points and that is not many years ago.
3. There have been several goodbyes over the last few years, Ward last year for example. I do not see the harm in showing appreciation for what people have achieved.

On 1) the difference is that if we win on Wednesday that will mean 10 Premier League teams competing in Europe next season, surely a case of overkill with more than half of the Premier League involved.
On many Saturdays next season I doubt there will be more than one or two 3pm kick offs in the Premier League.
I acknowledge that this may not bother many, but I'm sorry to see the tradition of 3pm kick offs disappearing.
It also mucks around supporters and season ticket holders with frequent fixture changes and has the potential to mean supporters can't get to games.

Furthermore, how can competing in Europe be seen as 'elite' when more than half the Premier League are involved?
Where's the glory or sense of achievement in something that is so readily available?
Again, many may not care, but for me it devalues playing in Europe.
I suppose I was brought up in an era when countries had 2 routes into Europe - the European Cup for league winners and the Cup Winners Cup for cup winners.
Now that was special.

 

[JHB]

To finish 7th in their first season back in the PL is remarkable and unexpected by many.
I believe they signed 18 players in the 'Windows' after their promotion.
Perusing the league table they only scored 1 more goal than us and only conceded 3 goals fewer.
Sunderland won 3 more games than us and finished 9pts better off in the table.

Xhaka must be the signing of the season. Brought the sort of nouse, leadership and game management we completely lack in our squad.

 

[silvertop]

1) Will many games be played on Saturday in the Premier League next season? There are now so many teams in Europe that Thursday/ Sunday fixtures will become more prevalent. As a grumpy old man I mourn the near death of the Saturday 3pm fixture schedule.
2) West Ham were relegated with 39 points, a total that usually guarantees safety.
I hope I’m not tempting fate but I think none of the promoted clubs will achieve this next season. Sunderland and Leeds prove that relegated clubs can brook the trend , but I think they are the anamoly.
3) As a grumpy old man, perhaps I’m not ‘in touch with my emotions’ , but is anybody else weary of all the emotional football goodbyes taking place around the country today?
It all strikes me a faintly preposterous and frankly quite shallow.

2 could be offset by 1.

If we win this week, 4 smaller teams will be struggling with Thursday fixtures.

This will give at least one of the promoted teams a window of hope.

 

[silvertop]

To finish 7th in their first season back in the PL is remarkable and unexpected by many.
I believe they signed 18 players in the 'Windows' after their promotion.
Perusing the league table they only scored 1 more goal than us and only conceded 3 goals fewer.
Sunderland won 3 more games than us and finished 9pts better off in the table.

Would they have done this if they had all those Thursday games?

 

[JessieJ]

My conclusion from Sunday was that our "bit-part" players are not in the same class as those from Arsenal, but is that a surprise? That, and what i assume to be a financial fact, those players that we spent considerable amounts of money on will need to step up next year because i can't see how we have funds to acquire anybody that would actually make a difference. What I am more concerned about in the run-up to Wednesday is that we have completely gone off the bpil and I can't work out if that is because we have been prioritising the final as a means to obtain what we rightfully qualified for last season, or are the players truely worn-out both mentally & physically, or was the opposition simply too strong since the W.Ham match. Probably a combination but it's our worst finish for a good while. he says without researching the claim. Compared to the form of our opponents on Wednesday it is certainly something that brings furrows to my brow.

 

[Willo]

My conclusion from Sunday was that our "bit-part" players are not in the same class as those from Arsenal, but is that a surprise? That, and what i assume to be a financial fact, those players that we spent considerable amounts of money on will need to step up next year because i can't see how we have funds to acquire anybody that would actually make a difference. What I am more concerned about in the run-up to Wednesday is that we have completely gone off the bpil and I can't work out if that is because we have been prioritising the final as a means to obtain what we rightfully qualified for last season, or are the players truely worn-out both mentally & physically, or was the opposition simply too strong since the W.Ham match. Probably a combination but it's our worst finish for a good while. he says without researching the claim. Compared to the form of our opponents on Wednesday it is certainly something that brings furrows to my brow.

The last season we finished so low,15th, was back in 2015-16.
Perhaps the 16 European games have been a contributory factor.

 

[JessieJ]

The last season we finished so low,15th, was back in 2015-16.
Perhaps the 16 European games have been a contributory factor.

ergo, what I mentioned Willo, maybe mentally/physically exhausted. Let's hope they have one more game at full tilt in them

 

[eaglesdare]

Like others have said. If we make it into Europe then next season we have to hit the ground running. Get through the group stage early. And have a bigger squad for it.

Thankfully I don't see the promoted teams doing a sunderland / Leeds. Coventry may make a fight of it but ultimately fade.

 

[doombear]

On 1) the difference is that if we win on Wednesday that will mean 10 Premier League teams competing in Europe next season, surely a case of overkill with more than half of the Premier League involved.
On many Saturdays next season I doubt there will be more than one or two 3pm kick offs in the Premier League.
I acknowledge that this may not bother many, but I'm sorry to see the tradition of 3pm kick offs disappearing.
It also mucks around supporters and season ticket holders with frequent fixture changes and has the potential to mean supporters can't get to games.

Furthermore, how can competing in Europe be seen as 'elite' when more than half the Premier League are involved?
Where's the glory or sense of achievement in something that is so readily available?
Again, many may not care, but for me it devalues playing in Europe.
I suppose I was brought up in an era when countries had 2 routes into Europe - the European Cup for league winners and the Cup Winners Cup for cup winners.
Now that was special.

Pedant alert - no it won't, only 9 teams
5 in Champions League
3 in Europa and
a Sussex outfit in the Conference.

 

[Booted Eagle]

I think we should remember the wider context. This is a team that has lost Olise one summer, followed by Eze, and then Guehi. Palace just do not have players of that quality, ever, and we had three. We were always going to end up with a lesser squad, whoever we bought in as replacements.

This summer signalled something that was always going to happen, and always will when we put together a talented squad: it's inevitable break up. Key individuals concluded they had gone as far as they could with us, and wanted to take the opportunity for a shot at the big time that they had earned. Nothing could be done to prevent that. It was never a question of us building on our success, it was always going to be the end of a chapter.

When you add those two elements together you've got a transition season with a lesser squad. 15th and never in relegation trouble is very good in those circumstances. Especially given all the extra games in Europe. That has been a weird experience in my opinion. An endless grind of dull games, generally against opposition of an awful standard, far lower than for league games. I wouldn't want to do it again particularly, and feel that winning the conference league would be a notably lesser achievement than winning the FA cup, given the relative standards.

At the same time, we've got a final to look forward to and the prospect of Europa League football next year. That alone could be hugely significant, not because we'll win that trophy or make huge amounts of money, but because the next chapter could start with genuinely big games against glamour opponents. It could start with a mix of excitement and trepidation, rather than just the latter.

Finally, whatever happens on Wednesday, decisions taken this year will likely come home to roost. We've got away with Johnson being awful and Nketiah, Larsen, Pino, and Guessand contributing a fraction of their predecessors and current teammates like Sarr, but that's largely because of defensive strength. We conceded 51 goals this season, same as last year, but our goals scored was down 20%. Mateta will surely leave, and I can't see us selling any of these players to fund a rebuild, so they simply must do far better. Fair play to palace who, unlike wolves or whoever, spent the transfer profits they made on replacements but, at the same time, Spurs and West Ham are good examples of getting stuck with expensive underperformers. Hopefully that won't be the legacy of this season for us.

Think we were lucky that Eze, Olise and Guehi did not leave at the same time. Hopefully only JPM will be the only one going out of the trio with Sarr and Wharton. Whatever the merits of the Cup Weds is a big game with our season/future defined by it. The new manager position may well hinge on it as no announcement has been made unlike Bournemouth. Praying for a win as well, as having the Weed in Europe and not us will be hard to take. COYP !!

 

[Booted Eagle]

My conclusion from Sunday was that our "bit-part" players are not in the same class as those from Arsenal, but is that a surprise? That, and what i assume to be a financial fact, those players that we spent considerable amounts of money on will need to step up next year because i can't see how we have funds to acquire anybody that would actually make a difference. What I am more concerned about in the run-up to Wednesday is that we have completely gone off the bpil and I can't work out if that is because we have been prioritising the final as a means to obtain what we rightfully qualified for last season, or are the players truely worn-out both mentally & physically, or was the opposition simply too strong since the W.Ham match. Probably a combination but it's our worst finish for a good while. he says without researching the claim. Compared to the form of our opponents on Wednesday it is certainly something that brings furrows to my brow.

Think we might need to play really well on Weds to win. Although Real Vallecano only scraped into the Conference last season, whilst not exactly lighting up the league this season they have beaten Athletico and drawn with Real and Barcelona supposedly. Seem to have a fair few draws recently as well and no defeats over a fair few games. Seems a hard nut to crack. Can easily see ET on Weds.

 

[Eagleman13]

Think we were lucky that Eze, Olise and Guehi did not leave at the same time. Hopefully only JPM will be the only one going out of the trio with Sarr and Wharton. Whatever the merits of the Cup Weds is a big game with our season/future defined by it. The new manager position may well hinge on it as no announcement has been made unlike Bournemouth. Praying for a win as well, as having the Weed in Europe and not us will be hard to take. COYP !!

Massive talk about Lacroix leaving at end of season, despite having 3 years(?) left on his contract, he's the one to worry about(imo).

Saying that, we have no idea who the new manager will be & no idea what formation he likes to play, or, will adopt.

 

[doombear]

Massive talk about Lacroix leaving at end of season, despite having 3 years(?) left on his contract, he's the one to worry about(imo).

Saying that, we have no idea who the new manager will be & no idea what formation he likes to play, or, will adopt.

Lacroix is under contract till June 2029 so, yes 3 years left. As to your second sentence, we live in interesting times. IMO, if we win on Wednesday, we'll soon learn who our new manager is; if we lose, it's could be somewhat longer.

 

[mtp1958]

Massive talk about Lacroix leaving at end of season, despite having 3 years(?) left on his contract, he's the one to worry about(imo).

Saying that, we have no idea who the new manager will be & no idea what formation he likes to play, or, will adopt.

Click bait all our players are leaving according to these websites

 

[OneStevePerrin]

Yes, big game Wednesday and a win will probably give us a top choice manager and our better players will stay with us. A defeat as disappointing as it will be may give us a season like Bournemouth, Brentford and Brighton have just had? Bournemouth and Brighton with small squads together with the other teams now in Europe might have problems like we have had, especially those playing on a Thursday followed by a weekend game. There’s good if we win Wednesday and not so good if we lose but we might just win more home games next season which many of us missed out on this season? Still want us to win on Wednesday though 🙂