Optimistic Nut Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 It didn't go in man! If Shearer hadn't smacked his pk against the crossbar against Partizan we'd have been in the Champions League. He missed and we weren't in it... You're totally missing my point man. N'Zogbia missing that shot doesn't rule us out of fighting for Europe, in the same way that had he scored, we'd be European candidates! Either way, if he scores or misses, whether we 're 3 points off 7th spot after 14 games or 5 points off 7th spot after 14 games, we can still get into Europe. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yorkie Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 OK, i guess you're right in a way, with the league being as tight as it is. I'll cover my arse and say, if the league was more conventional this year, that argument would hold no water at all. ..... but then i suppose you wouldn't have made it. D'oh. :-[ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Optimistic Nut Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 OK, i guess you're right in a way, with the league being as tight as it is. I'll cover my arse and say, if the league was more conventional this year, that argument would hold no water at all. ..... but then i suppose you wouldn't have made it. D'oh. :-[ I'll put it another way then. If someone had told you in August that after 14 games we'd be 5 points off a European place, would you have considered us to be in with a chance of Europe? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robster Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 We do seem to be struggling to get to the upper part of this group as apposed to always being at the bottom. going to have to do something soon because I felt that the gaps in the teams were just starting to appear for the first time at the weekend. I think WBA are starting to get cut adrift from the rest. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yorkie Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 I've already conceded you twat, stop rubbing it in. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Optimistic Nut Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 I've already conceded you t***, stop rubbing it in. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Optimistic Nut Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 We do seem to be struggling to get to the upper part of this group as apposed to always being at the bottom. going to have to do something soon because I felt that the gaps in the teams were just starting to appear for the first time at the weekend. I think WBA are starting to get cut adrift from the rest. That's mainly due to us having a sh*t period when Hughton was in charge though and that cut us adrift a bit. Spurs are pretty much in the exact same boat as us, yet I'd say that us two will be more likely to push for Europe than the likes of Fulham & Bolton. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
midds Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 Just getting to that stage in the season where squads will be tested. Injuries, tiredness and suspensions all start to kick in and the likes of Stoke, WBA and Hull will start having to play lads that aren't up to it. We're lucky in as much as we've got a bigger squad and have got good (in comparison) players to come in for us. Long, long way to go yet. 72 points still to play for. We've also had Man U, Arsenal and Chelsea away don't forget. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robster Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 We do seem to be struggling to get to the upper part of this group as apposed to always being at the bottom. going to have to do something soon because I felt that the gaps in the teams were just starting to appear for the first time at the weekend. I think WBA are starting to get cut adrift from the rest. That's mainly due to us having a sh*t period when Hughton was in charge though and that cut us adrift a bit. Spurs are pretty much in the exact same boat as us, yet I'd say that us two will be more likely to push for Europe than the likes of Fulham & Bolton. Yeah. Definitely trying to play catch up for those few Hughton weeks. I think Sunderland are in a bit of trouble actually. Bolton fuck me right off. Every week I hope for them to collapse but they have won 3 out of their last 4 or something equally annoying. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yorkie Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 If Ashley, Wise and the rest of the cronies cleared off tomorrow - with a decent new manager coming in on Wednesday, with a brand new staff set-up by the weekend - i'd bet on us finishing around the European spots. That's just not going to happen though, and whilst the club remains in turmoil with a woeful manager in charge, we'll continue to stutter. And almost as importantly, the teams around us are probably gonna carry on beating each other. There's still no definite candidates to pull/sink away; maybe the Brummies. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brummie Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 If Ashley, Wise and the rest of the cronies cleared off tomorrow - with a decent new manager coming in on Wednesday, with a brand new staff set-up by the weekend - i'd bet on us finishing around the European spots. I wouldn't. It takes a lot more than that. Namely, time. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 "Everton being 7th in the best league in the world is an insult to football." Discuss. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liam Liam Liam O Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 If Ashley, Wise and the rest of the cronies cleared off tomorrow - with a decent new manager coming in on Wednesday, with a brand new staff set-up by the weekend - i'd bet on us finishing around the European spots. I wouldn't. It takes a lot more than that. Namely, time. We don't give anyone that. Have you learned nothing in your time here? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 I'll be stunned if we finish top half. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Optimistic Nut Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 I'll be stunned if we finish top half. I still don't get this. I'm not saying we're definitely going to challenge by any stretch, but it wouldn't be the biggest surprise would it? Barring City, Everton & Spurs, I'd say every other side from 6th place down would take our squad. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
midds Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 With O-Nut on this one. We're a couple of wins from being comfortable and on the shoulders of the top 6. We've got a team full of internationals and we've already had some difficult games out of the way. We're not playing anywhere near potential and we've had an awful run of losing 5 off the belt. Not saying we're brilliant but bar 5 or 6 clubs, we're as good as anything in the league and better than quite a few. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatwax Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 Yeah on paper we are.. we've got some good players but we're no way near being a good team. Our midfield has no understanding and absolutely no depth. One injury throws us out of balance. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 Yeah on paper we are.. we've got some good players but we're no way near being a good team. Our midfield has no understanding and absolutely no depth. One injury throws us out of balance. Precisely. We've seen already how inconsistent we are, drawing at Chelsea and Man Utd, losing at home to Hull and looking wank against Wigan. I see no reason why our season won't continue like this, stumbling from one shit performance to the next, picking up a couple of points here and there. The fact the squad will see no improvement in January compounds this. We could finish in the top half, but we just won't. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
midds Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 Yeah on paper we are.. we've got some good players but we're no way near being a good team. Our midfield has no understanding and absolutely no depth. One injury throws us out of balance. Our midfield is quite poor I'd admit. Losing Gutierrez for 6 weeks and Barton to injury and suspension hasn't helped though. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Optimistic Nut Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 Yeah on paper we are.. we've got some good players but we're no way near being a good team. Our midfield has no understanding and absolutely no depth. One injury throws us out of balance. Precisely. We've seen already how inconsistent we are, drawing at Chelsea and Man Utd, losing at home to Hull and looking w*** against Wigan. I see no reason why our season won't continue like this, stumbling from one s*** performance to the next, picking up a couple of points here and there. The fact the squad will see no improvement in January compounds this. We could finish in the top half, but we just won't. But that's the thing though, Dave. Every single club from Everton down has been like that so far. Only difference is, we p*ssed away 3 or 4 games when we didn't have a recognised manager, but we've made that ground up now. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Optimistic Nut Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 Yeah on paper we are.. we've got some good players but we're no way near being a good team. Our midfield has no understanding and absolutely no depth. One injury throws us out of balance. Our midfield is quite poor I'd admit. Losing Gutierrez for 6 weeks and Barton to injury and suspension hasn't helped though. Guthrie & Butt isn't great, but it's still no better or worse than Cattermole & Brown at Wigan, Bowyer & Parker at West Ham, McCann & Nolan at Bolton, Whitehead & Reid at Sunderland, Andrews & Mokoena at Blackburn, etc. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 I just see this 'well if we win this game then we're only...' thing going on all season. I have ten times the confidence in other teams to pick up than in us, especially in the current state of limbo. Like I say, I see us finishing 12th-15th, and I'll be very impressed if we finish top half. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alberto2005 Posted November 25, 2008 Share Posted November 25, 2008 I just see this 'well if we win this game then we're only...' thing going on all season. I have ten times the confidence in other teams to pick up than in us, especially in the current state of limbo. Like I say, I see us finishing 12th-15th, and I'll be very impressed if we finish top half. I'd take 12-15th spot aswell. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Posted November 25, 2008 Share Posted November 25, 2008 One of the worst Premier Leagues in terms of quality so far? Or is it proof of the quality of the league as a whole, that it's so close? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
midds Posted November 25, 2008 Share Posted November 25, 2008 Yeah on paper we are.. we've got some good players but we're no way near being a good team. Our midfield has no understanding and absolutely no depth. One injury throws us out of balance. Our midfield is quite poor I'd admit. Losing Gutierrez for 6 weeks and Barton to injury and suspension hasn't helped though. Guthrie & Butt isn't great, but it's still no better or worse than Cattermole & Brown at Wigan, Bowyer & Parker at West Ham, McCann & Nolan at Bolton, Whitehead & Reid at Sunderland, Andrews & Mokoena at Blackburn, etc. That's the point I was making. If we're going to play 4 in midfield then we're already halfway there with Gutierrez and Barton already on the books. Perm any 2 from Guthrie, Butt, Geremi, Duff and N'Zogbia and I'd say we're better than the clubs/players you've mentioned imo. The players are there, it's the disruption of the field that's clearly holding us back. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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