Champions League Qualification vs FA Cup Winners ???

[Eastrek]

I haven't posted on here for a few years now, but I was just wondering everyone's opinion on this question (sorry if this has been already mentioned somewhere else)

Would you rather qualify for next seasons Champions League, but finish this season tropheyless?

OR

Would you rather win this years FA Cup, but fail to qualify for the Champions League?

 

[Muharraqawi]

Personally I would choose Champions League qualification without even thinking about it, qualifying for the Champions League will make us a better option for big players if we were to buy any of them and would help us a lot financially.

 

[True Gooner]

CL.

Having said that, one should not under estimate what a trophy could do to this team of embittered losers.

 

[ibby]

FA Cup easy.

 

[TomasCR]

Qualify for Champions League, think everyone should know why.

 

[Klaus Daimler]

Ridiculous question. CL. I'd rather we both, though.

 

[truth_hurts]

After being starved of trophies I would take the FA cup as long as we beat united/chelsea in the final and showed our ability to match the best, it wouldalso need to come with a good CL run. Don't think we will make any major signings in the summer so realistically we wouldn't stand much of a chance in the CL next season anyway, whilst in the UEFA cup we can give our youngsters that 'experience' that Arsène loves so much and rest players for the big league games. This wuld mean next season we can regroup and go all out on launching a title bid, cement ourself as a top 2 team and not even bein a situation where this question needs to be asked. Really don't want to be going into the 09/10 season 4 seasons and 5 years without a trophy going into Arsenes final year of his current contract.

F.A. cup is a small consolation and the question should have really Champions lague trophy or top 4 finish for my own self esteem!!!!!

 

[Raider]

Both would be the best outcome.

But with the Champions League Qualification you dont only attrack bigger names. You keep the players here already happy, as this must be the lowest point in Arsenes whole Arsenal career, and the players morale is already lower then anything imaginable.

There are a few players who just couldn't stand playing anything but Champions league football. Not winning a trophy for the past 4 season is bad enough... try taking CL football out of the equations, and i'm sure a few of them will be comtemplating finding a nice little villa in Spain or Italy next year.

 

[Arnie]

No CL = exodus...of the good players

 

[ibby]

Last year's so called best player in the world had to deal with no Champions League Football this year albeit playing for a much more successful club. Players like Flamini and Ribery were willing to sacrifice Champions League football for one season.

Missing out on the Champions League for one season really isn't that big a deal, Juve, Bayern, AC Milan and Barcelona have all done it. And do you really think the likes of Fabregas etc would leave the club because things are getting a little rough? Shows what kind of loyalty we have at the club then wouldn't it.

 

[AnthonyG]

F.A. Cup and no C.L. spot. Let's see who really wants to be here and who doesn't. And we'll add prestige to the U.E.F.A. Cup, while the C.L. will be poorer for it.

 

[TomasCR]

The point with loyalty is a good one, however then you can just hope a lot of them are loyal enough, otherwise we´ll be even in much bigger **** we´re now.

No matter what happens though, some of them will leave for sure. Either they´ll complain about not having won anything in the last four years or not playing in the CL next season, there is no way out there. Unless we won the CL of course.

 

[HollandGooner]

Definitly CL, we have a chance keep some players.

 

[USArsenal]

Sentimental Pick - FA Cup

For good of our future pick - CL Qualification

obviously the FA Cup has a "certain" amount of prestige, but only in England.. we need the CL qualification more to be able to 1) collect more money to be able to get better players, 2) be able to actually CONVINCE players of high quality to come here.. an FA Cup win won't do either of those and 3) actually play against the top clubs in Europe (which we should be doing)..

we dont have the prestige of an AC Milan or Bayern Munich who could keep and even get high quality marquee players even though they didnt get to the CL this past season... we have trouble keeping our players as it is.. no CL would further damage our ability to do so... (the whole ambition argument)

 

[Clrnc]

FA Cup. Finally winning a trophy will appease some of the players ambition, and we might win the first ever Europa League too the subsequent season

 

[taylor314gh]

This is an interesting question. Obviously both would be the best option, but the CL is looking a little less likely after this weekend. The big question for me is, realistically, who would leave next year if we don't make the CL? I know alot of the big name players would consider it, but if AW stays and buys a good DM in the summer, most of our quality players are young enough to sit through 1 year of no CL. The real question is would they?

 

[Unforgiven]

I would choose champions league qualification. I feel the FA cup is not big enough to be worth not qualifying for the CL. We have always qualified for the CL, it is what the team is accustomed to every year. For me beating a good team in the CL is like winning the FA cup (well Milan anyway).

Wenger could wipe all the miserable faces off the fans at the end of the season if we do win the FA cup (and if we do not qualify).

 

[qs]

FA Cup. These players need to taste success. They need medals. They need to know how it feels to give the Arsenal fans a trophy.

In terms of keeping players I think one season out of the CL means less than not winning anything.

 

[USArsenal]

maybe so, but FINANCIALLY being able to keep players, it may have more of an impact..

 

[qs]

I just want to win things. Financially we'll be fine.