Would missing out on the top four be the worst thing in the world?

[The only place to be 11,313]

Yes it is, and how can anyone think otherwise? Look at our manager issue. Do you honestly think we can appoint someone like Jose again without finishing top 4?

Doesn't he love this club? Love means never having to say I'm Sorry.....But We're Not In The Champions League This Season.

Doesn't it?

Do you think any manager, that we could have long-term, would step in at that time? No. They would remain where they are, or take another job, and wait for us to qualify for CL.

Chelsea is a big club. We pay lots of money.

Not only is it that, but we as a club simply dont play in the same league as clubs like Liverpool. We are better. It would be absolutley embarassing to not finish in the top 4.

I agree. It would be bad, but getting up from a knockdown is what winners do.

[yuvala 2,167]

We need it mostly so we can sign a good manager and good players ..

Also it really matters to the new players - Hazard, Oscar and the rest of the players.

top 4 is a must

[Melanicus 5,208]

Yes.

[Rmpr 8,977]

Yes. [2]

[Ollie 4,400]

If we do fail to make top 4, and tbh it is getting increasingly likely, then we must focus purely on the league next season. Play the kids in the FA Cup, League Cup and Europa League. Forget them cups for a season entirely. Focus purely and solely on a title challenge and make 10000% sure that we make the top 4 next season. We may be ok for one season but we can't make a habit of it.

[remains of the day 564]

Ollie pretty much took the words out of my mouth. I can understand the argument that losing out champions league football isn't the be all and end all, and to a certain extent I agree that it shouldn't but if we think that doing so will force some kind of organizational culture change in the club.....then we're kidding ourselves. My fear with not qualifying for CL is not so much the risk of not being able to keep our top players or bring in new ones, my fear is that the board, Abramovich & co will become even more desperate to ensure that we don't fail to qualify again. That desperation alone worries me. To me, a desperate Chelsea hierarchy translates to more panic decision making and more managerial turnovers.

Yes ideally we would use our 'hiatus' from the champions league to reform our practices, integrate our youth, allow the manager time to embed his philosophy and come back the next season a better and stronger force.....but we all know that's not gonna happen.

[The only place to be 11,313]

Yes.

Yes. [2]

Amazing level of discourse.

If we do fail to make top 4, and tbh it is getting increasingly likely, then we must focus purely on the league next season. Play the kids in the FA Cup, League Cup and Europa League. Forget them cups for a season entirely. Focus purely and solely on a title challenge and make 10000% sure that we make the top 4 next season. We may be ok for one season but we can't make a habit of it.

Whatever happens this season, I think we're going to be making a title push next season. Look at the players we have on loan, look at the players we have in the squad and we're only a couple of players away from being contenders. We need the right manager but for a while now we've been doing the right thing as a club.

What we need is that impetus or push to put it into practice. But because we've been in the CL people have been satisfied.

Ollie pretty much took the words out of my mouth. I can understand the argument that losing out champions league football isn't the be all and end all, and to a certain extent I agree that it shouldn't but if we think that doing so will force some kind of organizational culture change in the club.....then we're kidding ourselves. My fear with not qualifying for CL is not so much the risk of not being able to keep our top players or bring in new ones, my fear is that the boad, Abramowich & co will become even more desperate to ensure that we don't fail to qualify again. That desperation alone worries me. To me, a desperate Chelsea hiearchy translates to more panic decision making and more managerial turnovers.

Yes ideally we would use our 'hiatus' from the champions league to reform our practices, integrate our youth, allow the manager time to embed his philosophy and come back the next season a better and stronger force.....but we all know that's not gonna happen.

So what changes this summer? You actually make some good points, but I actually think missing out on the CL gives us all some breathing room. It becomes a true period of reassessment when we can look at everything we've done and examine what we can do better going forward.

If we qualify then everyone breathes a sigh of relief and gears up to do the same again. We look at players like Fellaini rather than taking the time to ask whether players like Chalobah could be integrated. We sign Falcao rather than take a risk on Lukaku.

The most frustrating thing about our NextGen success was seeing Arsenal fans who know their stuff admit they we have real quality in our academy but that we'll never see them in the first team.....and they've got a point.

[Melanicus 5,208]

@The only place to be, What should we discuss? It's the worst thing that can happen to our club on so many levels.

[The only place to be 11,313]

@The only place to be, What should we discuss? It's the worst thing that can happen to our club on so many levels.

It's not in my opinion. I think it could be the start of something great where we do things properly and build a sustainable future for the club.

If we don't qualify for the CL, we can still make a push for the league next season and that is the most important thing isn't it? To be the best team in your country? That to me is the measure of success next season, not just being able to go to CL matches.

People keep moaning (incorrectly) that we could become like Arsenal - that to me is the attitude that caused Arsenal's troubles.

[Rmpr 8,977]

It's not in my opinion. I think it could be the start of something great where we do things properly and build a sustainable future for the club.

If we don't qualify for the CL, we can still make a push for the league next season and that is the most important thing isn't it? To be the best team in your country? That to me is the measure of success next season, not just being able to go to CL matches.

People keep moaning (incorrectly) that we could become like Arsenal - that to me is the attitude that caused Arsenal's troubles.

Your points are totally stupid because all you argue that would happen with we miss it can happen with UCL football...

So you prefer us to just lose a hell lot of money, media coverage, players, managers, etc; basically because you want us to. Smart!

[The only place to be 11,313]

Your points are totally stupid because all you argue that would happen with we miss it can happen with UCL football...

There's no need to be rude. Focus less on the insulting and more on making cogent points.

[Rmpr 8,977]

There's no need to be rude. Focus less on the insulting and more on making cogent points.

I didnt insult you nor was I being rude, touchy. Are you going to create another PM so you dont even answer it afterwards?

Your points are stupid and that is the truth, I even explained why, there is no need to do a big discussion out of it.