Where will we finish this season?

[RichC]

I feel this squad of players is good enough for a top 4 finish so no I'd not be willing to take 5th and the FA cup.

[BobTheCharmer]

No, getting the CL this year is massive with the new tv deal kicking in. I'd much rather take the chance with 2 entry routes still open to us.

With the obscene money on offer from the premier league, is the champions league actually so necessary as previously? Or is the cl money off the scale also?

[Robbie-9-Fowler]

With the obscene money on offer from the premier league, is the champions league actually so necessary as previously? Or is the cl money off the scale also?

I believe BT paid close to £1billion for the right to the CL.

The current ITV deal was just shy of £400m, if it hurt us and other missing out in the past its likely to hurt more now its more than twice as lucrative.

[RichC]

Also top players out there want to play in the CL they'll get the money they want inmost cases anyway so if you can't offer them this as well it's going to be hard to attract them (not impossible) to the club.

[BobTheCharmer]

Also top players out there want to play in the CL they'll get the money they want inmost cases anyway so if you can't offer them this as well it's going to be hard to attract them (not impossible) to the club.

I'm not so sure. OK, the teams finishing ahead of us in our league would have a financial advantage. Obviously Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern and psg would also. But with the money premier league clubs will now have, I think an agent would be telling their client to come to us rather than say a juventus, a Milan, sevilla etc. They may want cl, but the big money is here. I think the times are a changin.

[G]

With the obscene money on offer from the premier league, is the champions league actually so necessary as previously? Or is the cl money off the scale also?

Yes because 4 teams from the premier league will be getting the obscene money from that TV deal on top of the CL money which is also increased. We have to make sure we are one of those 4.

The likes of Chelsea, City and United can financially afford to miss out on CL ( not that the former two will) but we can't. We need every penny we can get to help us against those wealthier than us and stay ahead of the chasing pack.

[BobTheCharmer]

Yes because 4 teams from the premier league will be getting the obscene money from that TV deal on top of the CL money which is also increased. We have to make sure we are one of those 4.

The likes of Chelsea, City and United can financially afford to miss out on CL ( not that the former two will) but we can't. We need every penny we can get to help us against those wealthier than us and stay ahead of the chasing pack.

Yes OK. But its the right signings we need. Not ones for the sake of it. If we miss out and our budget is £30m not £50, just lump it on one big player.

Regardless of cl, utd and city will spend more than us. Utd will outspend everyone. The advantage we have is a great manager, the squad is already very good, the young players should improve even more.

[RichC]

What if that one big player has offers from CL teams ?

[BobTheCharmer]

What if that one big player has offers from CL teams ?

Depends on the team. We should be able to pay more wages than everyone outside the top few teams ie Madrid, barca, etc. Let's be honest if we qualified every year, we couldnt go head to head with some teams. We qualified this year yet suarez opted to jump ship. We should be all about assembling a team capable of winning the league. Europe is a distraction unless you have desires to go on and win it. Otherwise we become arsenal. God ****ing help us.

[ChesterDave]

We will finish 3rd

[RedReet]

Considering the players we now have. Considering how a major overhaul is not required. Considering how getting in the champions league didn't help our signings. Does it matter if we get 5th rather than 4th? I hate 4th place, celebrating something that normally isn't good enough for a podium pisses me off. **** 4th, I want second.

I keep telling myself that I'm not that fussed on qualifying for CL as long as we keep playing the way we do, finish the season well and look like we could go into next year and challenge for the title like we did last year.

In theory I still stand by that and won't be that devastated if we don't qualify (realistically we aren't going to win it next year and this years was a bit of a damp squib), but unfortunately finishing 5th means Thursday night football, so we won't have the advantage of not playing midweek and are actually handicapped by playing on Thursdays.

[Buzzo]

I think we are going to get top 4. I think Utd and Soton will fall away. With Utd, because they are just not all that good, and Southampton's nerve will surely (hopefully) crumble. We will need to continue to put together a run as we did last season to ensure it is us that get in the top 4. I'm pretty sure Arsenal will sort themselves out too - so I think we will see Chelsea, City, Arsenal and us in the 4.

I feel sorry for Southampton supporters, they will do well to hold on to Koeman come the end of season.

[Doc_Piptorious]

If offered now would people consider 5th and the FA Cup a success?

5th and winning the EL would trump that for me.

[Pablo]

Winning the FA Cup/Europa League, finishing 4th or above and, crucially, depriving United of a top 4 spot would be nirvana for me given current circumstances.

In fact I'd take 4th with United 5th ahead of a cup win to be honest. Does that make me a bitter? I don't care really, I think them being out of the Champions League 2 years running would be hugely damaging to them financially and might lead to the wheels coming off. They took a huge financial gamble with all that spending and I'd dearly love to see it backfire. The fact us and Arsenal have been so put and have let them straight back in is an absolute sickener.

[RichC]

If we managed that the FA & Europa Cup + finishing in the top 4 at the cost of the Mancs missing out that would be awesome !!