[Archived] Back Door To Europe

[Bobby G]

Just been going through the rules and ramifications and it basically stands that if England finish top of the UEFA Fair Play League then there is another place up for grabs for highest non-European qualifier, which right now is Man City. But one spot above them is Everton...

Now wont it be so that if Villa overhaul Everton, and we finish ahead of Man City then we qualify for the Intertoto Cup again?

That seems the most likely option and chance we have from what I see...

[allanncd]

Everton have entered for the Inter Toto so they are not non-European. Therefore have to finish above Man City to get this fair play spot - if it's awarded to a Prem club.

[Bobby G]

Are you saying if Everton qualify through the Fairplay League, then they will enter the Intertoto Cup rather than the UEFA Cup? That doesnt make sense.

Of course, all this is IF England finish top of the Fairplay Table from UEFA.

[philipl]

As I see it our only hope is finishing above either Villa or Everton - which in reality means I am shouting for Everton right now as we are unlikely to get ahead of Villa on GD although we have got the ideal opponents for smacking 8 past next week (or 18 even).

If England recovers top spot in the fair play league, that UEFA place goes to the highest placed club in the English Fair Play table not already qualified for Europe.

Those fine upstanding fair playing gentlemen of Arsenal, Man U, Chelsea and Spurs have grabbed all the top spots in the fair play table thanks to outrageously blind blinkered biased bribed (select your adjective) refereeing so Man City are the next highest in the Fair Play Table and would get that UEFA slot.

This only helps us if the Premiership behave like angels in the last two weeks and City sneak ahead of us because they would no longer be competitors for the Intertoto.

[AggyBlue]

although we have got the ideal opponents for smacking 8 past next week.

Oh dear, talk about tempting fate

[Hasta]

If Villa win 1 more game we are screwed. They're 1 down to Everton at the moment though.

[brfcshabba]

I can see West Ham putting in a performance on the last day as they will not want to finish bottom half, that could possibly be a draw. It all depends on what Villa do against Wigan.

[Bobby G]

A Wigan team that is safe...

[brfcshabba]

A Wigan team that is safe...

Not mathematically safe.

[brfcshabba]

I can see West Ham putting in a performance on the last day as they will not want to finish bottom half, that could possibly be a draw. It all depends on what Villa do against Wigan.

We now need Villa to lose and draw. That is very unlikely. Two draws was a slight possibility.

[Hughesy]

But realistically safe. Bruce seemed pretty confident yesterday. Like he said 2 of the teams below have to win both their final games.

[Bobby G]

Lets win our last two, and sit back and see what happens.

If we break the 60 point barrier, considering everything and the fact that we were really inconsistent this year, and we only spent a meager few million quid, it can only be looked at as a successful season.

[T4E]

Lets win our last two, and sit back and see what happens.

If we break the 60 point barrier, considering everything and the fact that we were really inconsistent this year, and we only spent a meager few million quid, it can only be looked at as a successful season.

It will be completely unnacceptable if we do not win our last 2 games. It will be, however, typicaly Rovers. We all considered the season over before today - it probably still is - but a great away win has got some of us thinking again. Cue Rovers failing to capitalize at home to Derby next weekend. You all know it's coming.

[Billy Castell]

I'm being positive. A hat trick for the Royal Shakespeare Company in a 6-0 drubbing of Derby. Then a crazy 8-3 win at Birmingham.

[den]

It will be completely unnacceptable if we do not win our last 2 games.

Why?

[T4E]

........because they're both against teams we're far better than.

The usual reason.

[RevidgeBlue]

Strangely enough, I don't think "big club" are that bad a side.

We'll get turned over if we go there in holiday mode on the last day, that's for certain.

[den]

........because they're both against teams we're far better than.

The usual reason.

One team playing at home, last day of the season, probably needing points desperately to stay up. One team with nothing to play for. I know where my money would be.

[T4E]

They're not terrible, but we're much better.

Holiday mode is exactly what I'm expecting, which after winning today and giving ourselves a slight chance, would be pretty damn poor in my opinion.

[Hughesy]

Unacceptable? Poor?

Dont talk rubbish! We spend £4m, others spend much more. The league is much tougher, yet we have already exceeded our points tally for last season. Suppose thats unacceptable too eh?

[herbergeehh]

He only said now winning the last two games would be unacceptable, nothing more.

Can someone please explain to me (again) how the Inter-Toto / UEFA Cup - qualification works this season? Do we have to end above both Villa and Man City, or would the one be enough?

[philipl]

Both

[The Harwood Yankee]

It's ironic that this season we've surpassed our league position from last season, both in points & (99% likely) final position, but will probably be left with nothing to show for it in terms of trophies or European qualification. Remember we qualified for the Intertoto from 10th place last year. We could finish 7th this time and still not qualify. There's nobody likely to finish above us who we can feel aggrieved about. Last season I felt that we ought to have been finishing higher than both Bolton and Reading.

If Hughes strengthens with a couple of really strong signings in the summer, and we keep hold of our best players, and the likes of Benni, MGP & Reid start performing to their full potential, and Vogel develops into a great Hughes signing... then we will be back in Europe next year. Lots of If's, but not impossible!

[SAS]

potentially we cold get 61 points and not get in europe

And id put a bit of money on that being the highest ever total without getting into europe

obviously not including the days when we only got 2 spots or something

[herbergeehh]

Aston Villa only need two points to realistically end above us, and they're playing Wigan and a West Ham team with nothing to play for. I guess we'll just have to take all six points and hope for Villa to slip up.. (hurts a bit more remembering 1-1 against Fulham and losing to the likes of West Ham and Wigan now..)