Europa League
- Thread starter whitelightwhiteheat
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guate
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- May 12, 2005
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Amazing to think time's gone by so quickly we now have the Community Shield game this weekend.
Thank God footie starts up properly in 2 weeks and even though we're in the Europa I definitely would like to see, new super striker or not, that we go on to win it, although not at the cost of dropping further down the Premier.
Hopefully 'Arry has learned from last season's experiences how to rotate our squad better.
Thank God footie starts up properly in 2 weeks and even though we're in the Europa I definitely would like to see, new super striker or not, that we go on to win it, although not at the cost of dropping further down the Premier.
Hopefully 'Arry has learned from last season's experiences how to rotate our squad better.
Dare!
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- Jan 20, 2011
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I'd watch out for PSG. They're looking quite the team.
whitelightwhiteheat
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- Jul 21, 2006
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- #24
Yeah, Paris St Germain are spending money like nobody's business. They've got to be favourites. Not sure why the bookies would place us as favourites, personally. Yeah, we had a quarter final run in the Champions League, but still...
brett.spurs
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- May 22, 2007
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Because we have the best team/squad.
- Oct 2, 2004
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- #26
Why would anyone place a bet on the Europa League at this stage when all the best teams who will be in it don't come in until after the group stage?
whitelightwhiteheat
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Do we really? I dunno much about half the teams in the competition, so it's possible.
double0
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- Aug 29, 2006
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I have a change of mind.
I was very dismissive of this competition but on reflection a trophy is what the object of football is about...We should take the competition seriously and try to win it taking into account EPL and finishing within CL spots.
Tottenham being crown Europa Cup Winner will do nicely for the mantle piece, i believe we have the squad to achieve it.
I was very dismissive of this competition but on reflection a trophy is what the object of football is about...We should take the competition seriously and try to win it taking into account EPL and finishing within CL spots.
Tottenham being crown Europa Cup Winner will do nicely for the mantle piece, i believe we have the squad to achieve it.
camaj
Posting too much
- Aug 10, 2004
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I wouldn't think we're the favourites, we've got great potential but we always seem to under perform. Under Jol I felt like we could beat anyone on our day, everyone seemed in harmony, now we look disjointed. Too many square pegs in round holes it seems.
Either way, the odds reflect the pattern of betting rather than the actual likelihood of winning. Take into account many customers of British bookmakers are biased towards British teams you shouldn't be surprised that British teams are favourites. Also remember that the teams that finish 3rd in their CL groups aren't included and will likely be fairly strong.
The format didn't change much when they rebranded it as the Europa League. Some short memories here! We've always gone into the first round, every team plays in the first round other than the title holder and the teams that get knocked out of the CL (because they're playing their qualifiers at the same time as us). Remember that the first round has seeded teams playing unseeded teams and the chances of an unseeded team winning are slim.
FWIW, the only changes post-rebranding are 5 officials (later adopted by the CL) and reducing the groups from 5 to 4 and each team playing twice, meaning 6 games rather than 4. Previously there was always one team in a group that didn't play when the others were playing
I've always said that the best strategy for the UEFA/EL is to treat it like Wenger treats the CC. Start out with your fringe players and when you come up against a decent side adjust your squad accordingly. Okay Wenger sticks with the kids but you see my point. This means your main players are rested and the fringe players have a chance to prove they should be in the first team. The same strategy should be employed with the domestic cups too, so potentially your B team will play 26 or so games, that's practically the same number as the A team. Rather than spread your best players too thin and knacker them out (as I'm sure Bale and VDV were) use them where they're most useful.
I'd love to win the EL but the focus should be top 4. Being in the CL consistently is far more important to the club than winning a trophy, as nice as that'd be. If we left the league to the A team they would be free to focus on that. At worst, playing a B team might mean we'd get knocked out of the cups but as long as we stay in contention in the league it doesn't really matter. Also I'd rather have players like Walker etc., playing with each other week in week out than the norwich team. It's far better for us for players to get used to playing with each other than a bunch of lads they probably will never play with again.
I was going to start a thread this week before the draw but this'll do
Why don't you check Wikipedia?
Better late than never :rofl:
Either way, the odds reflect the pattern of betting rather than the actual likelihood of winning. Take into account many customers of British bookmakers are biased towards British teams you shouldn't be surprised that British teams are favourites. Also remember that the teams that finish 3rd in their CL groups aren't included and will likely be fairly strong.
The format didn't change much when they rebranded it as the Europa League. Some short memories here! We've always gone into the first round, every team plays in the first round other than the title holder and the teams that get knocked out of the CL (because they're playing their qualifiers at the same time as us). Remember that the first round has seeded teams playing unseeded teams and the chances of an unseeded team winning are slim.
FWIW, the only changes post-rebranding are 5 officials (later adopted by the CL) and reducing the groups from 5 to 4 and each team playing twice, meaning 6 games rather than 4. Previously there was always one team in a group that didn't play when the others were playing
I've always said that the best strategy for the UEFA/EL is to treat it like Wenger treats the CC. Start out with your fringe players and when you come up against a decent side adjust your squad accordingly. Okay Wenger sticks with the kids but you see my point. This means your main players are rested and the fringe players have a chance to prove they should be in the first team. The same strategy should be employed with the domestic cups too, so potentially your B team will play 26 or so games, that's practically the same number as the A team. Rather than spread your best players too thin and knacker them out (as I'm sure Bale and VDV were) use them where they're most useful.
I'd love to win the EL but the focus should be top 4. Being in the CL consistently is far more important to the club than winning a trophy, as nice as that'd be. If we left the league to the A team they would be free to focus on that. At worst, playing a B team might mean we'd get knocked out of the cups but as long as we stay in contention in the league it doesn't really matter. Also I'd rather have players like Walker etc., playing with each other week in week out than the norwich team. It's far better for us for players to get used to playing with each other than a bunch of lads they probably will never play with again.
I was going to start a thread this week before the draw but this'll do
Why don't you check Wikipedia?
Better late than never :rofl:
whitelightwhiteheat
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- Jul 21, 2006
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:rofl::rofl:
Ah well, it got us talking about the Europa League anyway, it's interesting to read people's view points on it.
ItsBoris
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- Jan 18, 2011
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Makes sense, however who knows what teams will drop down from the Champions league. Citeh are in Pot 3, Dortmund in Pot 4, AC in Pot 2.
Would be great if Citeh drew Dortmund, Milan and Barcelona in their CL group, we might not even see them in the Europa league. :grin:
alextheyid
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- Dec 13, 2007
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mattdefoe
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- Jul 16, 2009
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in theroy the teams that finish 3rd in the CL arent the better teams. Teams like FC Thun and the twentes of this world who win easier leagues drop out of the UCL.
Only when a spanish/italian/english club gets knocked out of europe early does it make it harder.
Jay The Yid
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- Aug 18, 2010
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Heres a thought....
Why dont we go and try to win the bloody thing?
I want to see some silverwear and if you look at the quality of the opposition surely we must be favourites?
But no doubt Harry in his wisdom will decide to forfeit the competition like he did last time. Bless their little cotton socks. These little darlings cant play twice a week.
Why dont we go and try to win the bloody thing?
I want to see some silverwear and if you look at the quality of the opposition surely we must be favourites?
But no doubt Harry in his wisdom will decide to forfeit the competition like he did last time. Bless their little cotton socks. These little darlings cant play twice a week.
Marty
Audere est farce
- Mar 10, 2005
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In fairness to Harry, when we were last in the UEFA Cup we were still struggling to get out of the relegation battle. I think you know which competition had to be the priority.
A B-team should easily get to the knockout stages, and if we're doing well in the league come February/March, and have few injuries, I'm sure we'll give it a go.
mike_l
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- Jul 29, 2005
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Didn't we pretty comfortably finish 7th though, and given the stage we were already at it would have been, what, an extra 4 games to the final?
Given that we are still loaning out our most promising younsters I imagine we will be fielding the likes of Niko, Bentley etc in these games assuming they are still here, if not then their equivalents. Should def be strong enough to pass through the group, bit harsh on those players to just drop them though when you get to the business end of things.
Marty
Audere est farce
- Mar 10, 2005
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We played Shakthar in mid-February, if I recall correctly we'd only just recently had a slight upturn in form and climbed a few points away from relegation. We had a very good last few months that season (although we finished 8th not 7th) but at the time we went out of Europe our focus was still very much on keeping teams below us.
Jay The Yid
Active Member
- Aug 18, 2010
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I was livid when he put out that side against Shakhtar.
Yes we were down the wrong end of the league but there was no way we were going down. Infact we ended up finishsing 8th! To forfeit a competition is just wrong IMO. The game should be all about winning trophies.
Yes we were down the wrong end of the league but there was no way we were going down. Infact we ended up finishsing 8th! To forfeit a competition is just wrong IMO. The game should be all about winning trophies.
Marty
Audere est farce
- Mar 10, 2005
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That we did, Shakthar on Thursday, United in the final on the Sunday. If we'd not blown that game on penalties nobody would've complained about the side against Shakthar.
