27 Jul 2020 07:19:07
The europa league is a interesting one for us now do we rest players and just play friendlies towards the end of august to get next season ready or go for it?

Personally I believe there is a saying winning is a habit and the more you do it the better you get at it so I would actually go and try and win the competition you can not underestimate the importance of having a trophy for Ole in his first full season and what that does for the confidence and belief of the players moving forward.

Although this may not be the most important reason but being in matches like the super cup as a result of winning a europa league just makes the club more visible to players and can only help us get the sort of players we want.

1.) 27 Jul 2020
27 Jul 2020 08:25:06
It's a genuine trophy, I would rate it above above FA Cup and league Cup.

But given how we have been Europa league participants and have usually gone till the very end, it might be too much for the squad.

They will have rest before this begins, but is it worth starting the next season slowly or risking a martial/ rashford long term injury?

I would make the XI who started yesterday, to go on a permanent holiday till pre-season.

We would be left with 12-13 of the remaining first teamers and coupled with garner, Mengi and all, we should try to win the Europa league.
Gives much needed game time to the fringe players and a final way to save their career here.

Imagine:

Romero
Fosu McTominay Bailly Dalot
Garner Fred
Pereira James Mata
Ighalo

supported by Lingard, Chong, Levitt, Mengi and others.

2.) 27 Jul 2020
27 Jul 2020 08:45:55
Why shouldn't we have a proper go at the Europa league, we are match fit, most of our first 11 can have a proper break for the game against LASK
If Ole could get a Europa leage win it would be great for his confidence as well as everyone else's, it may even get everyone on here off his back
Either arteta or lampard are going to win silverware in their first season, it will be great for them and their clubs.

3.) 27 Jul 2020
27 Jul 2020 09:12:08
I think we need to take it game by game and it might depend on what happens with the league potentially delaying our start to next season.

It was suggested that all teams would have a minimum 30 day break between their last game and the start of the new season. So if that is the case and we make the final on the 21st of August then our season wouldn't start until the 20th/ 21st of September which is a Sunday/ Monday respectively.

However, there is also talk of a pre-season tour of India. Which quite frankly would be ridiculous considering everything. Also if I was the FA I wouldn't be happy giving a club extra time off and delaying fixtures for that club to then go off halfway around the world on a money spinning tour.

We can rest most players if not all for the first game against LASK. We can then see who we get in the next round. Potentially rest half the first 11, and maybe rest the other half of we make the semi. Then full strength in the final if we make it.

4.) 27 Jul 2020
27 Jul 2020 09:26:33
Rate it higher than the FA Cup? I don't know how old you are, Rohan, but for those of us, 'of a certain vintage', the FA Cup is pretty special.

5.) 27 Jul 2020
27 Jul 2020 09:44:22
Stevie, I personally wouldn't rate the Europa League higher than the FA cup. However, outside of the UK Europe's second tier competition is rated higher than all national club cups, and in some countries higher than the league title.

All things being equal if you asked any non-British football player would they rather sign for the FA cup champions or the Europa League champions, 99% would opt for the latter.

6.) 27 Jul 2020
27 Jul 2020 10:31:28
The Europa League is a mickey mouse cup compared to the F A Cup which has real history behind it. More importantly the FA Cup allows teams from lower leagues to dare to dream about playing at places like Old Trafford and even beating the giants of the Premier league. I have supported Utd since childhood but seeing non league teams like Hereford Utd, Leatherhead, Woking and others turn over the big boys has given me as much if not more pleasure than us coming 3rd this season. Football should be about dreams.

I don't believe any player starts out his career dreaming of winning the Europa League. The Champions League yes.

That said winning trophies is a good habit to acquire and the confidence it breeds in a team is helpful to their development. For that reason we should do our best to win every competition we enter.

7.) 27 Jul 2020
27 Jul 2020 19:37:11
I think the Europa is better than the FA Cup now.
Guarantees UCL
Super Cup Final

Might not be so prestigious and maybe shows how the FA Cup has fell but the Europa edges it just for me.