Europa League 2019/20

[MancunianAngels]

People spouting nonsense about resting players again.

This bunch of mostly utter clowns are playing teams at their level.

Its probably our best chance of qualifying for the Champions League.

 

[Infra-red]

There's nothing quite like the glamour of the Europa League:

Premier League side Manchester United have arguably one of the more testing draws, including a nine-hour-plus flight to Kazakhstan to play Astana.

European football's governing body Uefa has ordered Serbian club Partizan Belgrade to play two matches behind closed doors after their qualifying game against Turkish club Yeni Malatyaspor was marred by supporters' "racist behaviour".

AZ Alkmaar, United's third Group L opponents, saw part of the roof at their ground collapse earlier in August.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/amp/football/49525739

 

[mitchmouse]

must go all out to win this.. there is no other route back to the CL with the squad we have at the moment... now, who the hell are Astana and how are we going to contrive to lose to them?

 

[Mr Pigeon]

Hang on...are you referring to me & you or Astana?

oh Steve, you know that our double act was famous for the song Rubber Ducky.

 

[Gator Nate]

Aon Training Complex to Astana Arena - 69 hours by car with no traffic. But be warned!

• This route has tolls.
• This route includes a car transport.
• This route crosses through multiple countries.
• Your destination is in a different time zone.

 

[Eendracht maakt macht]

You will play AZ in The Hague. Good awayday and also close to Amsterdam. Belgrado also beautiful place to visit and fanatic support. Why all the doom and gloom. There is enough already. Cheer up a little.

We are also shit at the moment but i just booked my flight to Lisboa for Sporting-PSV!

 

[Sean_RedDevil]

A reminder for everyone
Our game in Astana will start at 3.50 pm (For me even at 10.50 am )....that will be fun and a new experience

We should really win the group, rest Pogba/De Gea/Rashford/Martial/Maguire/Lindelöf for the most games and if we have 10 or 12 points before the match in Astana then we should let at home all players which will start 3 days later against Aston Villa.

 

[Sean_RedDevil]

Worth mentioning that we don't tend to do too well away against Dutch sides. Lost to PSV and Feyenoord in recent memory.

And we have lost 1-2 against Ajax at home in the Europa League 2011/2012 season (2-0 win in the first leg).

Don't Astana have a habit of scalping British sides, or it just Celtic?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FC_Astana#European_record

 

[Stadjer]

Interesting to see how Stengs will play against AWB or Shaw (if they play since Dalot/Young could be used in EL).

Very talented player but he had one major injury. Same goes for Boadu but he already bad two major injuries. Both started this season well though.

Stengs should have been selected for our national team instead of Quincy Promes imo.

 

[Marooned]

Gotta send team A to Astana, let them feel it. Maybe a healthy dose of ego hit could motivate them further for next season.

 

[Eendracht maakt macht]

Interesting to see how Stengs will play against AWB or Shaw (if they play since Dalot/Young could be used in EL).

Very talented player but he had one major injury. Same goes for Boadu but he already bad two major injuries. Both started this season well though.

Stengs should have been selected for our national team instead of Quincy Promes imo.

I agree and even ahead of Malen in my opinion. Both very talented though!

 

[clarkydaz]

Aon Training Complex to Astana Arena - 69 hours by car with no traffic. But be warned!

• This route has tolls.
• This route includes a car transport.
• This route crosses through multiple countries.
• Your destination is in a different time zone.

that's no problem, we travel at night to beat the traffic

 

[devilish]

Thursday night live here we come

 

[devilish]

People spouting nonsense about resting players again.

This bunch of mostly utter clowns are playing teams at their level.

Its probably our best chance of qualifying for the Champions League.

This

 

[noodlehair]

Astana Home - West Ham away
Az away- Newcastle Away
Partizan away- Norwich away
Partizan home- Brighton Home
Astana away- Villa home
Az home- Everton home

That's actually remarkably convenient. Almost as if they let Ole pick the PL fixtures.

 

[big rons sovereign]

And we have lost 1-2 against Ajax at home in the Europa League 2011/2012 season (2-0 win in the first leg).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FC_Astana#European_record

Must be someone with a similar sounding name. Could've sworn they beat West ham a few times.

@Sean_RedDevil that's em, cheers. No posts left....

 

[Batigoal]

Not sure If already mentioned but we will be playing AZ in The Hague on artificial grass

 

[Sean_RedDevil]

Must be someone with a similar sounding name. Could've sworn they beat West ham a few times.

Astra Giurgiu from Romania

 

[GenZRed]

Easy enough group. Even this lot won't blow that!

My prediction for the Europa League: We will end up with Wolves in RO16 and they will knock us out of this tournament.

 

[Nou_Camp99]

Since they qualified for the CL.

Yeah thanks for that, genius.

I was clearly pointing out they aren't CL quality sides.

 

[Nick7]

Yeah thanks for that, genius.

I was clearly pointing out they aren't CL quality sides.

Well they clearly are, genius.

 

[SteveJ]

oh Steve, you know that our double act was famous for the song Rubber Ducky.

I didn't get any royalties for that epic, love...I mean, mate.

 

[Fully Fledged]

Don't Astana have a habit of scalping British sides, or it just Celtic?

It's 1100 feet above sea level that can make a difference if you are not used to playing at that altitude. It will also be cold, Nur-Sultan is the second coldest capital in the world after Ulaanbaatar Mongolia, -30°C is not unusual from December to March and the cities river is frozen over from mid November to early April.

 

[Stadjer]

Former Premier League centre back Ron Vlaar also plays for AZ. Started his career there and now plans to end it there.

 

[Nou_Camp99]

Well they clearly are, genius.

No they're not. They are crap but qualify because their leagues are even crapper. Doesn't make them good enough by quality alone. There are teams who finish 6,7 and 8th in the bigger leagues who are better than the Croatian champions ffs.

We've had the likes at Old Trafford plenty of times so I know.

Also Atalanta? Feck me. When was the last time they were in any European tournament? They are CL debutants too.

City got a breeze.

 

[Fully Fledged]

Wonder why Astana didn’t change their name to Nur Sultan

I don't know the Astana to that question.

 

[ThinkTank@Cafe]

United plays Astana on Nov 28th. I am definitely going there and will root against a Kazakhstani side for the first time in my life... Finally a chance to see United in Kazakhstan, but not really happy about that. Mixed feelings

Pretty big chance the temperature will be -20C or even lower. Plus shitty synthetic pitch, plus 8 hour flight...Just send the kids, Ole. We might drop the points but should be able afford it. Astana at home is pretty tough fixture mainly because of non footballing reasons. Quality wise is on par with smaller East European countries champions.

 

[Charlie Foley]

Yeah thanks for that, genius.

I was clearly pointing out they aren't CL quality sides.

Except they are

 

[Charlie Foley]

No they're not. They are crap but qualify because their leagues are even crapper. Doesn't make them good enough by quality alone. There are teams who finish 6,7 and 8th in the bigger leagues who are better than the Croatian champions ffs.

We've had the likes at Old Trafford plenty of times so I know.

Also Atalanta? Feck me. When was the last time they were in any European tournament? They are CL debutants too.

City got a breeze.

Atalanta were great to watch last season and got into the CL on merit. Evidently you didn’t watch them. Wind your neck in mate.

 

[Fully Fledged]

Is the impact of the travel really that bad or is it a bit overstated? It's not like the players are flying easyjet - they'll be well accommodated throughout.

Only the Astana is long haul but that's mega long haul.

 

[hobbers]

Take this more seriously than the league.

Our chances of qualifying for CL next season are easily 3x greater through Europa than top four.

Either way, not the competition to be giving the outcasts game time.

 

[ThinkTank@Cafe]

It's 1100 feet above sea level that can make a difference if you are not used to playing at that altitude. It will also be cold, Nur-Sultan is the second coldest capital in the world after Ulaanbaatar Mongolia, -30°C is not unusual from December to March and the cities river is frozen over from mid November to early April.

1100 feet is just 370 meters. May be you confusing with Almaty where I live. Almaty altitude is around 1 km.

 

[Fully Fledged]

1100 feet is just 370 meters. May be you confusing with Almaty where I live. Almaty altitude is around 1 km.

Okay but it could be cold.

 

[Sean_RedDevil]

The Astana Arena has a retractable roof.

 

[Mr Pigeon]

I didn't get any royalties for that epic, love...I mean, mate.

 

[Nick7]

No they're not. They are crap but qualify because their leagues are even crapper. Doesn't make them good enough by quality alone. There are teams who finish 6,7 and 8th in the bigger leagues who are better than the Croatian champions ffs.

We've had the likes at Old Trafford plenty of times so I know.

Also Atalanta? Feck me. When was the last time they were in any European tournament? They are CL debutants too.

City got a breeze.

So you've no idea what you're talking about and just basing your opinions on the names. Good job, genius.

 

[RedNed77]

Actually, they're three very nice and very different cities for anybody to visit. Also, major hipster points for anybody who does all three.

 

[The United Irishman]

None of the teams in that draw will win this competition which makes this cup so shit. It will be one of the CL drop outs, who all will be on a different level than any of the draw teams, including us, which devalues the competition even more.

 

[Zunzara]

Nice - cheers for the tip. Checked out Pavlovic, 194cm, looks decent with both feet, left-sided centre back. Could be tasty.

It is too late, Lazio signed Pavlovic before 5 days ago. Great prospect, maybe new Vidic.

 

[OleGunnar20]

None of the teams in that draw will win this competition which makes this cup so shit. It will be one of the CL drop outs, who all will be on a different level than any of the draw teams, including us, which devalues the competition even more.

I agree that CL dropouts shouldn't draft into the EL, makes no sense to me.

I am a fan of the obscure teams & locations though, adds a bit of spice to it. We should really be taking this seriously as like many have said, it's as good a bet as fourth for CL football.