Jonas

Well, we got a reminder if any were needed internally that regeneration is needed and got the juicy CL funds and prestige to help with it. We get a few injuries and it becomes apparent how light the squad is, not being allowed to strengthen whilst others did. I think we've done very well to finish 5th in the circumstances. Was a game tailor made for Everton. Onus on the opponent so they can play with it, no pressure, draw will do. Well done one and all.

Bournemouth, was a late red though iirc

Forest and Chelsea to be the last game to finish and the result effecting everybody would be barbaric

Yep.

Considering Jo and Trippier are two of the three or four players I'd most want starting big games and are out, that's quite an assuaging line up

Thinking about it, its the opposite with me and Its really since we became distinctly superior under Keegan that the games took on an unlikable unnecessary little to gain all risk vibe. Unless it was inexperience prior to that when we were more evenly matched it didn't feel that way, for me. My first away game there was the last one prior to Keegan, we were underdogs probably for the last time and drawing felt like a moral victory. Its the opposite now. Got to imagine folks different timelines as fans effects their views on this.

People can feel that way themselves bu as a generalisation it obviously isn't true, though I confess I don't get the sentiment at all, especially considering the last few years which like Keegan and latter Sir Bobby are the best experiences we've had whilst they've not been a factor whether in the same league or not. We've got a bigger game tomorrow than any derby I can think of, one of a few this season alone that have been. When we've got nothing else (Ashley) or its competitive (2years around the Millennium) it is.

Cant see anything but twists. Be nice if the didn't involve us.

Delap - Everton, isn't that out there for me. He's borderline big-eight and just outside (West Ham, Everton, Forest). at this point.

That's been my outlook entirely, didn't know the great man had that outlook, maybe where I got it from. Actually agreed with Gullit's comments on it before that infamous game too. That they were derbies but not big games. Not for us, or shouldn't have been after what we experienced in the years prior. They had/have nothing else so it is for them, but that wasn't the case for us. Though ironically Ruud helped make it so for a couple years.

A terrible series with just one good episode at the climax and even then only because there was nothing else on the other side. Hope its more like the third installment of a film series.

Been the shits since Ferguson left after those glory years, but enough on Man United, well done Aberdeen.

Always fear for the teams that finish 3rd. Especially by a country mile like Sheffield United did. Always hated the playoffs and maintain if it was introduced for the league title, Europe or reintroduced for relegation though it'd create synthetic excitement like the promotion ones, it would be dismissed as ridiculous.

Like Luton then.

This season is the first time we've not dropped points to relegated sides in at least 40years We've taken 6points from them three times in 50years (and vice-versa) Absolutely shoe-in for 6points though cos that's totally how football works.

So Sheffield United the better team on the day (not watching/following other than here) and finished 20points ahead in the league. Obvious how this turns out then.

Makes about as much sense to qualify for the CL from winning the Europa as from winning the FA Cup really. Cant really fathom trying to justify it in any way other than it had to be added as a clause because of how much they've devalued that competition and how meaningless it would be without it to clubs from the major leagues. Worked perfectly well without the clause before they ruined it with the CL expansion.

Seems wrong for all kinds of reasons now but it seemed fair enough for Sevilla etc. to qualify for the CL this way and would have done with Bilbao this season. Equally it would have felt wrong back in the day for Italian clubs to win the UEFA and get CL. As now with the English clubs they're already advantaged to point where they should be winning that cup let alone getting the benefits of CL on top of that. I guess its fine when its the underdogs. What sticks in the throat more is that its not just two English clubs (Forest or someone would feel different) but two big English clubs, both in the cartel and that they've been so bad in general this season - partly deliberately to focus on this.

Got a feeling they'll score early, we'll eventually equalise and who knows what after that. Cant be doing with the Pickford stuff, seems boring now, but he'll probably work his ticket and time waste so its inevitable

Would only embelish your original stance if we did.

Never could get into heel versus heel matches

Glad someone else said it. The one thing Cole wasn't for us was a good finisher - ratio wise to chances. Wasn't a surprise if he missed a one on one but you'd expect Shearer, Ba, WIlson, Beardsley, Isak to score. Was even worse for Man United in his first few years there and became a bit of a joke and a tradition that he'd shank a good chance a game before coming good after there was a lot of talk of them selling him in 97.

Just going to have to beat Everton. Easier said than done in a one off game. They're negative spoilers on a good day. Thing I dread the most is this of all seasons ending in disappointment when it really shouldn't.

Already lost more games than we did either time we were relegated from the PL and have now lost as many as we did when finishing rock bottom in 88/89 and probably more by the time they've played Brighton.

In Italy clubs with something riding on it used to incentivise clubs in the Man United and Spurs roles with a deal on a player, a loan, part-ownership or something. Always maintained that's less 'cheating' than clubs nursing their way through games that they took seriously against others prior