When do we go Europa or bust?

Nickelodeon

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People talk about wanting to get an easy draw and worrying about getting Champions League teams who have dropped down but we are better against the big teams so maybe that would be a good thing. We drew against the champions of Europe, beat Chelsea twice, Leicester and the best Europa teams aren't as good as them.
It's the smaller games (CP, New, WHU, BOU) that do us in the end.

We don't necessarily have to prioritize Europa right now as we're already qualified. Either way, if our aim is to compete (not just reach) in the UCL next year, we should consider Europa as its proxy and focus on doing our best in it. If anything, we should deprioritize the domestic cups right now because they just eat away the rest period which our thin squad needs without providing a big enough incentive in the end.
 

Kemizee

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I think we can win it if we avoid injuries and maybe add 1-2 players in January. The teams in the europa league do not look that strong right now. The teams from Spain and Italy are not as strong as they used to be I think.
But this is ideally the case but in reality, it is different. The Manchester United of today led by OGS does not have a 'strength guage'. You just don't know which would turn up. We have won against Chelsea, drew against Liverpool and then lost spme unimaginable games. What I hope for is to take it game after game and try to win but there is no 'strength' scale for us.
 

TRUERED89

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Anyone can win it, but I don't give us a good chance of winning 5 knockout ties (even over two legs)

You have clubs like Sevilla in it who have a better pedigree in the Europa League and are doing better in the league.

When we won it, we were a Mou team - i.e. hard to beat
Celta Vigo should of knocked Mou out missing an open goal in the last minute, and Sevilla already did but in the CL so even worse! He wasn’t that hard to beat! Brighton did it twice in a row :lol:
 

Alabaster Codify7

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Doesn't matter, we aren't winning it.

The first solid team we face will knock us out over two legs, no issue.
 

AaronRedDevil

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I dont think United can win it this year. They got a easy run to the final before. Don't think we'll get lucky again.
 

Sky1981

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A team like Utd should be looking to win every cup competition they are in regardless of reward....especially this Utd team. Need to start breeding that winning mentality amongst the players again. How many of the current squad has actually won anything?
Pogba
De gea
Young
Jones
Lingard
Lindelof
Martial
Rashford
Shaw

Edit. Most of our squad bar awb,maguire and james are europa winners at least
 

meamth

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Pogba
De gea
Young
Jones
Lingard
Lindelof
Martial
Rashford
Shaw

Edit. Most of our squad bar awb,maguire and james are europa winners at least
We've won trophies even during our worst period...and yet still fans forgotten those.
 

zenith

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Europa is our best chance to get into the CL and I'm sure ole will have that at the back of his mind, come January.

That's when we'll know who's our major challenger for the trophy as well.
 

RamblingRebel

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We've won trophies even during our worst period...and yet still fans forgotten those.
It's not about just winning 1 or 2 trophies in 5 years or however long it is. It's Man Utd they should be aiming and striving to win that many every year....or at least challenge. When did the club and it's fans start to accept such low standards? Complacency just seems rife everywhere with anything associated with Utd these days. Good job Ole is at the wheel, he knows what the club needs!
 

Denis' cuff

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Celta Vigo should of knocked Mou out missing an open goal in the last minute, and Sevilla already did but in the CL so even worse! He wasn’t that hard to beat! Brighton did it twice in a row :lol:

Do you just count the times when we got a bit “lucky”? Do you count the times when we didn’t? Or you just do it under jose’s watch? Glad you enjoyed those Brighton results more than winning the trophy.

Should’ve, could’ve.... works both ways. But you aren’t really making any point other than to downplay Jose’s work.

True red. :)
 

Bilbo

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Well, we are favourites at present and its not like the competition will be flooded with top sides from the CL. Those teams will have already failed at the higher level so there shouldn't be anyone to be hugely concerned about.

To comment on the OPs question - I don't think we can start to seriously consider prioritising this competition until the quarter final stage. The two knockout games before then should be winnable so I expect us to get there, but you never know with the draws in this competition. People talk about our easy(ish) run when we won it, but there were some strong sides in contention at the last 16 stage - they all just fell by the wayside and the draw opened up nicely. I expect Arsenal will go deep again.

By the QF stage we will have a much better idea about whether we can realistically catch the top four. If we are still 6 points or more behind I think it would then be wise to start resting players for the Europa games.
 

TRUERED89

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Do you just count the times when we got a bit “lucky”? Do you count the times when we didn’t? Or you just do it under jose’s watch? Glad you enjoyed those Brighton results more than winning the trophy.

Should’ve, could’ve.... works both ways. But you aren’t really making any point other than to downplay Jose’s work.

True red. :)
Point is, if that negative tw@t won it, its not impossible to do it again this season.
 

bosnian_red

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We're favourites for the Europa league and in one off games are the best side IMO. The best defence out of those that are there, while our attack will fare much better in the Europa league compared to the league where we'll be more inconsistent.

Obviously, it's a cup competition and the best doesn't always win, a lot of things can happen between now and May. It all depends on the draws we get though. If the draws are kind to us, we can manage the games normally with small bits of rotation, but if we get a big game then I would 100% rest players in the league.
 

andy dufresne

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I loved it when we won the Europa League because for me,winning is all that matters and trophies and cups are far more important than anything else.Look I am not a financial man so I understand that for the club and especially under this ownership, making money is the be all and end all and the most important thing but for the fans and supporters, it is and always will be about winning.I am sick and tired of all this lets finish in the top 4,lets aim for the top 6 and see where it gets us rubbish.Lets try our utmost to win the Europa League again and the Carabao Cup and FA Cup and if we win one or two of them,I would be absolutely delighted even if we finished 10th in the League !
 

Paul_Scholes18

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I loved it when we won the Europa League because for me,winning is all that matters and trophies and cups are far more important than anything else.Look I am not a financial man so I understand that for the club and especially under this ownership, making money is the be all and end all and the most important thing but for the fans and supporters, it is and always will be about winning.I am sick and tired of all this lets finish in the top 4,lets aim for the top 6 and see where it gets us rubbish.Lets try our utmost to win the Europa League again and the Carabao Cup and FA Cup and if we win one or two of them,I would be absolutely delighted even if we finished 10th in the League !
Totally agree. We should go for it all and rest players in the league if needed.
 

Mike Smalling

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The timing of this thread is quite weird, given the amount of football to be played before the EL playoffs begin.

When the time comes we will have to factor in our league position, upcoming opponents, who we draw in the EL, fitness of the squad and the overall level of our performances. At this point it is simply impossible to argue one way or the other.
 

Random Task

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Doesn't matter, we aren't winning it.

The first solid team we face will knock us out over two legs, no issue.
Who's left in the competition that is of a higher standard than Leicester, Liverpool, Chelsea, or Arsenal?

If we can hold our own against them - actually beating Leicester and Chelsea (twice) - why couldn't we go on an win it?
 

TRUERED89

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Who's left in the competition that is of a higher standard than Leicester, Liverpool, Chelsea, or Arsenal?

If we can hold our own against them - actually beating Leicester and Chelsea (twice) - why couldn't we go on an win it?
Logic - not something you often see here
 

SteveJ

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The Times said:
Manchester United will target the Europa League in earnest this season with the ambition of qualifying for Fifa's new Club World Cup.
?
 

Brightonian

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This obsession with returning to CL at all costs has had at least a small part in our rash signings and lack of plan.
Agreed. Let's work on getting good enough for the CL again, rather than trying to hack our way into it with short-sighted signings and managerial changes season after season.
 

eire-red

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We can't afford to prioritise any cup competition over the league. Prioritise the Europa League over the FA cup and Carabao cup for sure, but cup football is so unpredictable, a penalty shoot out, bad luck or a red card and you could be out. What would we be left with then?

I've never been a fan of 'picking' competitions to do well in. The best way forward for us is to focus on the next game, and keep trying to win. Rest your key players when you can, and if the fixture list is really bad, focus on the Prem and EL. The league is the only way we'll truly gauge our progress, we won the Europa League under Mourinho playing terrible football and it did nothing for us growing as a team or club.
 

ifightdragons

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It's the smaller games (CP, New, WHU, BOU) that do us in the end.

We don't necessarily have to prioritize Europa right now as we're already qualified. Either way, if our aim is to compete (not just reach) in the UCL next year, we should consider Europa as its proxy and focus on doing our best in it. If anything, we should deprioritize the domestic cups right now because they just eat away the rest period which our thin squad needs without providing a big enough incentive in the end.
How are we already qualified? Not trying to be rude, I just don't understand what you mean. Surely we're not guaranteed to qualify for Europa League next season.
 

Nickelodeon

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How are we already qualified? Not trying to be rude, I just don't understand what you mean. Surely we're not guaranteed to qualify for Europa League next season.
By qualified, I meant that we're through to this season's knockout rounds for Europa. I'm assuming the point of this thread is to debate when he should fully focus on Europa as a means to reaching the Champions League since top 4 might not be achievable this season.

Of course we're not guaranteed to qualify for Europa next season as well. But don't think that was the point of the discussion at all.
 

Bestietom

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We will have to give it our all in the League also, as you never know what could happen. Injuries and form to teams ahead of us and us adding 2/3 players in January, could result in us climbing up the table.
We must also give it our all and try and win Europa League as a way into Champions League. Bringing in a few players could help us greatly.
 

Nikelesh Reddy

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We clawed our way back into top 4 last season from an impossible position only to lose it again after we lost our early OGS momentum. So it can be done again this season. However if we do it, I fear we would lose it again like last time as keeping up that form till May is unlikely.

That leaves Europa League as our best route back into the CL. Right now I don't think we have the quality to win the thing sadly. Midfield and forward options just too light. However if we made a couple of good signings in January who weren't seen as huge gambles then who knows. We are currently second favs to win the thing behind Arsenal. Probably some English bias in those odds but there you go.

Will the club take a gamble knowing the rewards of winning it might bring or will they be patient and take the hit of another season out of the CL.
As of today,the Europa League is our best chance of qualifying for the CL next season.The quality in the EL has deteriorated quite a bit,and if we take the competition seriously and if we get a bit of luck,I can see us winning it this season.I think by the time the EL resumes at the knock out stage,we may be out of the top 4 race anyway,so we might not have to even make a choice...
 

Judge Red

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The top four looks locked in to me. Everyone’s there on merit. City are 4th and nobody is closing the gap on them.

It should be the best ever race for 5th, though.
 

manc4red

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It is already go time for europa league for us. Win EL. Play some kids in the small cups. Balance team for PL (finish 5-7th) and hope for the best