Hmmm, let's see...one season of CL football or beating City in a once in a lifetime all-Manchester final. I think I'd prefer the memories of the latter and putting an end to their potential treble.
FA Cup or Top 4 this season?
- Thread starter Pogue Mahone
- Start date
We’re not going to win the CL. We are currently a Europa League side. I’d take the trophy even if it didn’t mean beating City.
People are honestly choosing to lose against our local City rivals, in their best ever season, and have them complete a Treble against us, as an open top bud Carrie’s that trophy with two others, through the streets… for 4th place? It’s mental.
Bollocks to the CL. It’s the best prize in football. It’s also a boring competition. But we don’t have a squad to challenge for it, nor the mentality, so there’s no reason to be in it.
Currently voted top 4 but it wasn’t that straight forward to me. It’s always great to be in the UCL (money aside, it’s where the best teams play) but next season would probably still be a transitional season so our chances aren’t very high of winning the damn thing (Milan sides aside this season, as one will be in the final - something not many expected). So another trophy this year and for arguments sake, we don’t go all out to compete in the Europa - the lack of games could actually be beneficial to our thin squad (thin but hopefully reinforced with another 3-4 key signings) and we could focus on the league and mounting some sort of challenge at least.
But EtH seems hellbent on competing in every competition, so I’m not sure
. In that case an early exit from the UCL might do us more good than a deep run in the Europa.
This is without even contemplating denying city the treble….hmmm, back to the vote to change it I go!
But EtH seems hellbent on competing in every competition, so I’m not sure
. In that case an early exit from the UCL might do us more good than a deep run in the Europa.This is without even contemplating denying city the treble….hmmm, back to the vote to change it I go!
Imagine if Championship teams had this attitude. "We won't challenge for the Premier League so there's no reason to get promoted".
Fa cup for the memories. I think the new owners will spend big regardless of CL money coming in and we have signed big players in the past without the CL allure.
The modern business of football is that top 4 is critical for attraction of top players, and ultimately towards the pinnacle of winning Champions League or PL.
I think the FA Cup used to hold more significance. But missing out on Top 4 could set us back a few years, esp given our blurry financial situation. We have also already won a cup. We should aim to return to the top ourselves rather than worrying about City's treble and dent to out ego.
Ideally, the minimum is we do both.
I think the FA Cup used to hold more significance. But missing out on Top 4 could set us back a few years, esp given our blurry financial situation. We have also already won a cup. We should aim to return to the top ourselves rather than worrying about City's treble and dent to out ego.
Ideally, the minimum is we do both.
I know a lot of fans often feel that way.
Beating City in the FA Cup potentially ruining their treble is too sweet to pass up.
It would be a bummer to not make top 4 though. Historic collapse if so.
It would be a bummer to not make top 4 though. Historic collapse if so.
Players sign for money, and by all accounts it's often the primary factor in attracting them. Bringing in more competition money/TV revenue money increases FFP margins which allows more money to be spent on players. Missing out on CL also affects sponsorship deals, leading to less revenue, again affecting FFP margins and again affecting money to spend on players. After spending years maxing out the credit card with a number of bad deals the club is going to be hampered by the new FFP rules.
I'd say CL is important to maximising transfer possibilities, especially with the new FFP rules coming in. Of course if you disagree that having more money available to spend on signings affects signings that is your prerogative.
I'm sorry I didn't answer your questions but they seem kind of irrelevant because they're missing context, like the increased debt the club has built during the last ten years, new FFP regs that didn't apply then, the combination of those two and how they affect what we can do now.
Top 4 has got to be the more important for the long term. Will help us get better players and a better team for next season. I’m assuming everyone who’s picking the FA cup is thinking about city winning the treble. Which obviously it would be excellent if we’d be the ones to stop them, but if Madrid some how manage to knock city out of the CL, how many people will change there priority and have top 4 as the most important?
And we won’t have the squad to challenge for the premier league next season so let’s get our selves relegated shall we? We’ll get a better team by playing in the CL, we’ll sign better players which will increase the teams mentality and the squads quality to compete for bigger prizes.
In the last 10 years we've never improved after qualifying for the CL. It's been the same predictable cycle we go through.
Except now I’d say we have a better manager with a better idea of how to play football and he’s gonna target players that fit his style. Where as previous managers just bought players for the fun of it and didn’t know how to use them.
If we win the FA cup, our mediocre season will have matched last year's quadruple chasers'.
Fa Cup.
Regardless of the league, beating peak City in a final like that might do more benefit to Ten Hag and his team long-term than getting thrashed 4-0 and stumbling over the line to top 4 would.
Does anyone remember the 2020/21 season for our 2nd place finish? We really kicked on from then, eh? No, most people probably remember losing to Villarreal in the Europa League final. Think people underestimate how it would feel if City trounce us in the final. FA Cup is important.
Does anyone remember the 2020/21 season for our 2nd place finish? We really kicked on from then, eh? No, most people probably remember losing to Villarreal in the Europa League final. Think people underestimate how it would feel if City trounce us in the final. FA Cup is important.
We have success mate, being out of the champions league is what makes teams irrelevant
This is a real Hobson's choice, assuming we need to win the FA Cup to stop the plastic treble. Either we hand the scousers CL qualification which is terrible for us both in the short and long term as they may be able to secure transfer targets we're looking at, or we let the berties get a treble.
Perfect response
Oh yeah, undoubtedly we've overwhelmingly been awful in the transfer market in the last ten years, and the few times we haven't been might have lined up with not having CL football the following season. In general though, the principle is that CL football will mean we enter into negotiations on a better footing.
By the way, if 4th was guaranteed and the question was 3rd/2nd v FA Cup then it's easily the FA Cup. Sadly our standards have dropped considerably and finishing outside the top 4 is on the cards half the time.
The memories will be fine, but the club's future is more important than a one off match.
You could make a case for it being long-term preferring CL qualification, while preferring the FA Cup being short-term or a very long-term position. Thought it was nicely put on Talk of the Devils, one about guarding the future and the other about guarding the past.
Anyhow, aside from player acquisition and qualification money, there's the absolute necessity of not treating Europa - if that's where we end up - as anything other than times you rest the key players.
Anyhow, aside from player acquisition and qualification money, there's the absolute necessity of not treating Europa - if that's where we end up - as anything other than times you rest the key players.
Surprised to see top four winning.
Obviously from the club's POV it's the bigger priority. But given the FA Cup final is against local rivals on course for a treble, I would have thought that would win out.
Obviously from the club's POV it's the bigger priority. But given the FA Cup final is against local rivals on course for a treble, I would have thought that would win out.
While I see the significance, it still feels kind of small time to worry about other clubs at the expense of our own future. Kinda thing spurs would do.
Sure but it also involves us winning an actual trophy, something Spurs definitely don't do.
Spot on.
We'll be able to attract top players without CL football like we've done before with Pogba and Casemiro. With our imminent takeover happening there should be some excitement around the club and players will want to join with or without CL football. Sure, it won't be as easy to attract the best talent but it's definitely not all doom and gloom if we miss out. Unlike the last decade we have a manager that actually knows what he's doing.
I initially picked top 4, but I was wrong.
Beating City in a cup final would be worth another season of Europa.
Beating City in a cup final would be worth another season of Europa.
It's not about attracting players. The club will never improve as long as we are finishing distant from other top clubs in the league every season. For United, the target should be to always be around the other competitors at the top of the league, not to finish 5th and 6th every season while winning knock out domestic cups. The league is the most important metric and ultimately the main target for the club in the future. I don't just want to defeat City in an Fa Cup. I want to win the league from them in the near future.
Top 4 any day of the week, unless it's to stop City winning the treble. Else, it's just another second rate cup that won't move the club forward
Of course both are important, but we've actually been in the CL about 5 times in the last 10 years and it has made no difference at all.
I'd say only Sancho and Cristiano were signings made because of CL, one about to flop and the other ok but a massive cnut.
And I still think our best moments in these last 10 years have been the FA Cup and EL wins as even both 2nd places were very shit.
If we win the FA Cup in 10 years we will still remember about that final we beat city despite having that haaland cnut.
We are gonna do both
Believe
Believe
Finishing 5th rather than 4th in ETH's first season shouldn't hold us back a great deal. Not enough to warrant choosing to lose a historic, once in a lifetime FA Cup final to our rivals in favour of top four. You only need to look at Arsenal's trajectory from last season to realise finishing way off the champions and missing out on CL football doesn't automatically mean we're doomed.
Somebody’s triggered the hot take klaxon! Relegation is completely comparable. Bravo.
We don’t need CL football to sign CL players.
You’re living in a bygone era. The Champions League is only valuable at the pointy end. A CL quarter final will often see you face just as many top European sides as a Europa League quarter final. Even if you disagree, nobody gives a shit about CL quarter finals. You’re either challenging or you’re not. We wouldn’t. Not for another 2-3 years either.
Choosing to lose against City in a cup final to win the ‘Top 4 prize’ is pretty much an indicator of a lost supporter.
Plastics voting en masse
Amazing logic, you should link up with Luckhurst
The irony. I could give two fcuks about journos
Obviously both but if we have to take only one, Top 4 for me, especially since we already a trophy in the bag.
CL qualification and one or more trophies won is a good season in my books.
CL qualification and one or more trophies won is a good season in my books.
Nobody’s choosing one or the other though. I think we all as fans want both to happen obviously. We’re just saying which one would probably be more beneficial for our development as a team. Your saying we don’t have a squad to challenge for the CL… surely that’s what the transfer window is for to improve our current squad and depending wether we get top 4 or not will depend on which targets we go for… if we’re competing with teams for the same player and there in the CL and we’re not who do you think there gonna choose? We don’t have a squad to compete for the premier league neither but we still compete in it. Anything can happen in tournaments. I’d love nothing more for us to beat city in the fa cup final but I think that’s a bigger ask then finishing in the top 4. I want to see CL nights back at Old Trafford next sseason. Players like Casemiro and Varane deserve that, that’s why they came here, to be competing against the best teams.