Saints vs Arsenal - 2000 April 4th

[Midfield_General]

2 hours ago, S-Clarke said:

I've seen Newcastle and Villa fans suggesting going weaker in the European comps (when they were in them) to concentrate on the league, so they could qualify for Europe next season. Make that make sense.

It's because to the people who run these clubs, who are simply parasitic capitalists out to make as much money as possible out of businesses that happen to be football clubs, that getting the money for being in the competition every year is far more important than silly secondary concerns like the sporting glory of actually winning it. Their decisions all make sense as soon as you view it through the same non-sporting lens that they do where it's simply about what balance of income and investment will make them personally the most money before they bail and go and do something else. They couldn't give a toss about trivialities like winning things. 

It's why modern professional football is fucked. The primary concern of most people involved with it now is just how much money they can generate from it, and that trumps everything.

While that's sad, you can sort of understand from a selfish point of view if you put yourself in the shoes of those businessmen or players or agents or whatever who have the opportunity to personally make themselves or their families millions. What's weird though is like you say when the fans start talking like that as well, even though they don't actually see any of that money. 

Edited 2 hours ago by Midfield_General

[St Louis]

I want us to go strong for this, as surely we do have a chance, albeit a slim one. We arent some League One/Two team who are just here for a fun day out and play teams like this once every 100 years. We were in the same division as them (and have been most seasons) until last summer. Only 10 months ago we drew 0-0 at home to Man City and lost narrowly (1-2 to an 89th min Odegaard goal) to Arsenal themselves.
We are probably the best team in the division below them on current form, and definitely have more momentum/confidence than when we last played them, and I dont think our team is much weaker than it was back in May to be honest (certainly not mentally).
I dont expect us to win, but surely we do have a (slim) chance and have to go for it big time. Unfortunately, I think Flynn Downes is eactly the sort of player we need in the middle of the park for a game like this (grit, determination, drive, aggression - we cant be soft and let them play their game), so its such a shame he's missing this one, which makes our chances slimmer.

Edited 1 hour ago by St Louis

[RedArmy]

2 hours ago, S-Clarke said:

 

It's not just us, I've seen Newcastle and Villa fans suggesting going weaker in the European comps (when they were in them) to concentrate on the league, so they could qualify for Europe next season. Make that make sense.

 

That’s exactly what we did in 2016 and there were dinlos on here defending it. 
 

 

[Football Special]

1 hour ago, St Louis said:

I want us to go strong for this, as surely we do have a chance, albeit a slim one. We arent some League One/Two team who are just here for a fun day out and play teams like this once every 100 years. We were in the same division as them (and have been most seasons) until last summer. Only 10 months ago we drew 0-0 at home to Man City and lost narrowly (1-2 to an 89th min Odegaard goal) to Arsenal themselves.
We are probably the best team in the division below them on current form, and definitely have more momentum/confidence than when we last played them, and I dont think our team is much weaker than it was back in May to be honest (certainly not mentally).
I dont expect us to win, but surely we do have a (slim) chance and have to go for it big time. Unfortunately, I think Flynn Downes is eactly the sort of player we need in the middle of the park for a game like this (grit, determination, drive, aggression - we cant be soft and let them play their game), so its such a shame he's missing this one, which makes our chances slimmer.

Funny looking back, id expect Welington and Stewart to feature again from that line up.