Chelsea

[Doc_Piptorious]

Because it's a 4 year cycle, the CL winners of the last 4 years qualify (Chelsea 2021, Man City 2023 and Real Madrid 2022 & 2024), UEFA has 12 places in total, the remaining places go to the sides with the highest 4 year UEFA rankings, or at least they would do were places not limited to 2 per country*. As Chelsea and Man City had already qualified from England our place was passed on to the side with the next highest UEFA ranking who was eligible (Other sides to miss out for this reason include RB Leipzig, Barcelona, Napoli, Seville and AC Milan)

* I believe winning the CL over rules this and gives automatic qualification, so had we won the 2022 CL instead of Madrid we would have joined both Chelsea and Man City in the competition

No we would have been in ahead of Chelsea on the basis of having won it more recently as only two from the same country are allowed.

[Exiled_red]

No we would have been in ahead of Chelsea on the basis of having won it more recently as only two from the same country are allowed.

Brazil have 4 representatives as the Copa Libertadores have been won by 4 different Brazilian clubs in the last 4 years and all are at the tournament, so I assumed winning the major trophy (i.e. CL in our case) got automatic qualification and overruled the 2 country rule (which IMO would make sense). Maybe it's different for UEFA for some reason, I don't know I haven't seen all the qualification criteria. Kicking a previous CL winner out because a couple of other sides from the same country won it since them and replacing them with some team from elsewhere based on UEFA ranking doesn't seem logical, but this is FIFA we are talking about so who says logic comes into it?

[Doc_Piptorious]

Brazil have 4 representatives as the Copa Libertadores have been won by 4 different Brazilian clubs in the last 4 years and all are at the tournament, so I assumed winning the major trophy (i.e. CL in our case) got automatic qualification and overruled the 2 country rule (which IMO would make sense). Maybe it's different for UEFA for some reason, I don't know I haven't seen all the qualification criteria. Kicking a previous CL winner out because a couple of other sides from the same country won it since them and replacing them with some team from elsewhere based on UEFA ranking doesn't seem logical, but this is FIFA we are talking about so who says logic comes into it?

Was just something I saw on Sky Sports. They stated the CL teams would be limited to a max of two from the same country and in the event of a "tie break" (ie a number having won the CL within a time period) that the two most recent winners would go in and that doing that would allow for the invitation of other clubs, like Inter Miami, into the tournament.

Now it was of course Sky Sports so maybe I need to apply a layer of doubt with regards to their factual accuracy

[Exiled_red]

There are 12 teams from UEFA in it so it's not like it's a major issue, 4 CL winners and 8 for no particular reason doesn't seem like they are particularly restricted in who participates

But who the hell knows

[Doc_Piptorious]

I'm just glad we are not in it.

Going straight from a long season and into a pointless month long tournament would wipe our players out and have them needing breaks when pre season should be starting.

[Buzzo]

Them having a chance to go top (even for a few hours) and ****ting the bed is a great sign. The more they think this is all happening too early in ‘the cycle’ the better for us.

[Tatterdemalion]

FIFA should just discard the pretence and create a tournament for their favourite clubs.

[RedReet]

Them having a chance to go top (even for a few hours) and ****ting the bed is a great sign. The more they think this is all happening too early in ‘the cycle’ the better for us.

They have a couple of players in decent form and a few decent results, but that's about it. Nuts that so many fans are trying to make out they are better than us and Arsenal.

Looking at their results, they haven't really beaten any good sides, Villa perhaps being the one standout.

No wins against us, City, Arsenal and even United Ffs.

[Doc_Piptorious]

They have a couple of players in decent form and a few decent results, but that's about it. Nuts that so many fans are trying to make out they are better than us and Arsenal.

Looking at their results, they haven't really beaten any good sides, Villa perhaps being the one standout.

No wins against us, City, Arsenal and even United Ffs.

Can only go by the league table at this point, On that basis they are better than Arsenal so far this season.

[labourRed]

They have a couple of players in decent form and a few decent results, but that's about it. Nuts that so many fans are trying to make out they are better than us and Arsenal.

Looking at their results, they haven't really beaten any good sides, Villa perhaps being the one standout.

No wins against us, City, Arsenal and even United Ffs.

I don't think anyone is saying they are better but their situation in the league is favourable. They basically have a PL team and another for cups and Europe.

They also have favourable fixtures (the same teams as us obviously ) but they have May to wait for these fixtures:
Liverpool H
Newcastle A
M United H
Forest A

Hopefully Fulham on Boxing day is a bump in the road for them.

[Assassin]

This favorable fixtures is just nonsense. All teams play each other twice in PL, nothing more, nothing less

[frank the tank]

In reality they could sneak a league of all of the other teams had a **** year. We are the team to beat and look like champions elect but a couple of injuries to our top players and then who knows. Leicester won the league because the stars aligned for them and that year they went out of the cups early too if I remember correctly. So they had a good team, luck with injuries and played a game per week. Chelsea essentially have that with their squad so it could be done.

But I think if we keep ticking off the wins then nothing gonna stop us tbh

[baitman]

This favorable fixtures is just nonsense. All teams play each other twice in PL, nothing more, nothing less

The timing of the games, and other fixtures they have to fit in becomes a definite +/-

[labourRed]

The timing of the games, and other fixtures they have to fit in becomes a definite +/-

Of course its a factor. Im not going to cry about it though.

But in busy times, like Christmas its better to have easier fixtures and at the end of the season ideally you want to be playing mid table teams who are practically winding down the season. There are other contributing factors such as when you have your home/away games, who you have following a European away game, etc.

The biggest factor in Chelsea's favour is they don't need first team players in their European conference league.

[RedReet]

Of course its a factor. Im not going to cry about it though.

But in busy times, like Christmas its better to have easier fixtures and at the end of the season ideally you want to be playing mid table teams who are practically winding down the season. There are other contributing factors such as when you have your home/away games, who you have following a European away game, etc.

The biggest factor in Chelsea's favour is they don't need first team players in their European conference league.

That may well help them but the extra rest doesn't make up for the fact that this team has no experience challenging for the title, hasn't shown yet that they can go on a good enough sustained run of form, have a **** keeper and average defence. I also think their forward line comes up a bit short, with Palmer being the one genuine top class player. They are good at scoring in clusters and racking up big scorelines (usually with a few pens), but still lack the quality that previous winners have had in that department, whether it be individual brilliance, or world class balance.

So, it's not beyond the realms of possibility that Chelsea finish above us and/or Arsenal, but people clamouring to declare them favourites, I find puzzling. All historical data, current data, future projections suggest otherwise. (Not aimed specifically at you BTW, lots of fans on the Chelsea bandwagon).