europa cup serious question

absolutely. just a ridiculous slog at the moment. if you were suspicious you'd think the regular CL clubs in the top countries had devised the format to make it as difficult possible for the 5-7 clubs to crack the CL spots knackering their squad with all this thursday/sunday cobblers.

bring back the texaco cup

Good competition in last couple of years imo

Was plenty of good games last season

Also best tv coverage of 3 midweek euro nights imo

ESPN, ITV4 showing back to back games and channel 5 also covering a game

steptoe

the group games are garbage,players  not bothered imo,didn't villa and spurs put out weakened sides when they were in the QF's a couple of years back?

leave it alone,   it gives liverpool the chance to win something

and it gives us something to bet on thursday !

The problem with the Europa League is 95% of the teams are 2nd rate.

tbh i felt rather heavy hearted watching liverpool last night in this comp,must be getting soft in me old age.

liverpool win something

Liverpool's decline is shocking. At times last night they couldn't even pass the ball to each other.

And no one was angry about it.

sj, we put out the reserves against donetsk cos we were in serious danger of getting relegated and had a cup final sandwiched in between as well.

last 32 not QF

i'm a norwich fan , and i would love to be the europa league,  away european games are the law,  and some fans never get to experience them

nowt wrong with it imo.. same as the carling cup domestically.. ppl ridicule em but at some point they want to win them..  dunno why any of the main trophies get ridiculed..

*Please note the post below is not borne of bitterness just a genuine opinion.*

From my "new" vantage point of outsider looking in I'm really struggling to keep any interest in the Champions League. It seems such a tired format now, same teams and the same match-ups year on year, with Platini's changes introducing the likes of Zilina merely adding cannon fodder to the comp and ultimately less challenge. I presume by maybe the 6th game or the semis I may feel enough interest to maybe go down the pub to watch it as opposed to sitting at home flicking between the live match, SSN and HIGNFY on Dave. But, while the UEFA Cup is a tinpot comp playing 2nd rate teams, it's actually a bit of a change not to be facing the same teams every year.

ours4keeps     01 Oct 10 09:11 
*Please note the post below is not borne of bitterness just a genuine opinion.*

From my "new" vantage point of outsider looking in I'm really struggling to keep any interest in the Champions League. It seems such a tired format now, same teams and the same match-ups year on year, with Platini's changes introducing the likes of Zilina merely adding cannon fodder to the comp and ultimately less challenge. I presume by maybe the 6th game or the semis I may feel enough interest to maybe go down the pub to watch it as opposed to sitting at home flicking between the live match, SSN and HIGNFY on Dave. But, while the UEFA Cup is a tinpot comp playing 2nd rate teams, it's actually a bit of a change not to be facing the same teams every year.


correct about it being tired, id take the title over the CL every year..

but you will love it again im sure when you are back in..

and seriously the way you lot are playing..

the semis?

lol

come on ours4keeps shirley you are not trying to put a spin on it that you prefer to be in the europa cup than the CL


Btw i am not knocking european comps,just wish they would be straight knock outs instead of these mundane group stages

I was saying the semis of the CL moz


SJ - I'm not saying that at all, just that from a perspective of being a neutral watching the games, having no vested interest at all, I find it very boring.
Probably the same as a Chelsea fan or Utd fan in watching the UEFA Cup.

I think we need a proper European Super League, the Top 20 clubs in Europe.

Was any ground full for any of last night's Europa Cup ties?

if liverpool cant have it no one else should scouse thinking

what O4K is saying is the reason no normal or old school football fan would EVER want to see a proper european super league with the same boring teams every year..

the champs league group stages are bad enough

its the recession

nobby, that's exactly what we don't need. I think there needs to be less European games and make it a bit more special. Playing Inter, Barca, Ajax twice a year would quickly become boring.

I remember last year and Liverpool fans hoping to just meet Real Madrid some time in the comp as they were the only one of the big teams we hadn't faced under Rafa; Inter, Barca, AC Milan, Juve - been there, done that.




O4K signing off.

the champs league group stages are bad enough

They are bad because crap teams are seeded into the groups. The top teams know this is a formality.

A proper European Super League would be entirely different.

a proper european super league is the worst thing that could happen to football..

just make it a knock out, seeded if you wish, allt he way through,...

european super league would be boring as fk.

Yeah you are right. Much better to watch your team play Villa than Barcelona.

the cure for both comps is make it a ko comp

as it goes i would rather go away to villa park  and the atmosphere there than barcelona again.. most of the big european grounds are shyte aways anyway once you have been.. the atmosphere is pish until the knock out games..

aways in the prem league for me everyday or weekend..

I was saying the same thing while watching the Liverpool match last night, the actual line up of teams in the Europa these days is very strong, the top 15 teams are teams that normally appears in the Champions League. Platinis new rules does however hand a easier route to the "lesser" nations teams to get into the CL proper by pairing the weaker nations champions against other weaker nations champions in the qualifiers, and now pairs some big teams together instead meaning some miss out on the Champions league and then have to drop into the Europa.

However, the Europa group stage is one of the worst decisions UEFA have ever made. The Champions League (only just) warrants a group stage but even this is in danger of becoming like the Europa League through the new leagues, allowing the weaker teams champions to play off against each other for a CL place means you are getting weaker groups now in the Champions League due to the debutant teams being of quite low quality who would normally be knocked out in the qualifiers when in previous years paired against  EPL/Serie A/ Bundeslga/La Liga team in qualifiers, I mean come on, who wants to watcht to pay Chelsea beat Zilina or Lyon Hapoel Tel Aviv 6-0 in the upcoming home legs !

The Europa even though it has a stronger line up in the first 15 teams, the rest of the teams are poor. Watching top teams field half a team of reserves against some average team from a poor league is never in a million years worthy of a group stage game, Im pretty sure the fans of the "poor" teams can't be botherd with it just as much as the fans of "stronger" teams can't be botherd with it.

The atmospheres seem awful in the games too, no matter who is playing. Europa League will always be second fiddle to the Champions League but UEFA are killing it. They rename it something CUP and actually make it a knockout games so the game actually has at least a little importance. Remove the seeding system too, for this only, NOT CL. That would make it more interesting from day one, with a mix of big teams playing each other and just normal David V Goliath ties also.

It's painful, I wish Hodgson would field a full team of reserves or youth players, I don't care if they get beat 10-0 to be honest and we go out at the group stage, saying that they would not do much worse than the first team these days !

i certainly wouldn't want a european superleague

That because Chelsea find it hard enough to win Even the Premiership. In Europe you is pish.

you may have a point mate,you certainly know you stuff.

As Rafa would say, it's a FACT.

Ukmalllia Joined: 18 Mar 02
Replies: 8030 01 Oct 10 09:47 
I was saying the same thing while watching the Liverpool match last night, the actual line up of teams in the Europa these days is very strong,

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lol

point is nobby i like many others like to go to games and have a laugh(unlike you sitting at home with a remote in yer hand)Now although CL is great i prefer my away days oop norf/sarf.

You have a fair point there. No way would I spend all day travelling around the country when I can watch 3 games on the box.

But modern football is driven by TV not match day revenue.

sj. Watched our ressies game against you the other night. Some decent young kids in your team. Thought Borini looked a really good player.

morning CCM

yep bit gutted for the lad,been at the club a while and i would have him in front of Sturridge(but i think CA knows more than me)

Tbh we have some decent kids but will they get their chance? Thought Shelevy(sp?) looked ok for your mob

Yes he is definitely one of our brightest hopes. Likewise we have a few who I really think could make it, but not sure when they will get their chance. The problem is, we have got a few flair players in and word is none of them are very happy about the messages coming from Roy. Tight, negative football will not really be what they are striving for.

Shelvey looks to have all the attributes to succeed, did well when he came on against Northampton too, even though he was played out of position! I would love to see our kids get more of a chance. Its harder for your lot as there is such quality in front of them, thats not really the case with us