One thing i dont get about our Prem teams. There is always a big play on the top six and playing for a place in Europe. it often appears it’s talked about by managers and pundits as a big thing and an achievement to qualify. then when teams start to play in those said European comps they put weakened teams out saving players for that big game in the prem at the weekend. Treating the competition they had aspired to play in all previous season as now secondary to fighting to get another place there next season.
I think the managers of the recent biggest 6 clubs (Man C, Man U, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal, Spurs), their job basically depends on them qualifying for the champions league. So they need to chase for that top 4 spot to stay in their job. Then the following season, they rotate their team in said competition, so that they can stay fresh for the league games, and ultimately finish in the top 4 again. Once more, keeping themselves in a job. There's been quite a big turnover of managers in recent years with the big 6 teams. Gone are the days of Ferguson and Wenger, and to a lesser extent, Benitez. But then again, those managers used to finish in the top 4 regularly, without any real danger of dropping out of it.
Not usually the case in the Champions League. Sometimes in the group stages English clubs underestimate lesser known sides and put out a weakened side, but teams tend to go full strength when they're in the knockout stages. Assume your post is on the back of Leicester's defeat last night. They rested a few players and got knocked out. They've not got a very big squad but have a very good chance of finishing in the top four. I'd have done the same if I was Brendan Rodgers.
Why would you want to try winning actual trophies at the risk of finishing 5th? It's appalling, the game is screwed.
