Are we now favourites in your opinion to win the Europa ?

[LawCharltonBest]

Think about it this way..

In the EL, Roma are the big threat. The team some fans will hope to avoid and hope slip up against an underdog.

But if Roma and us were both in the next CL draw, we'd be looking at them as a team we wouldn't mind getting and confident we'd progress against

We should be favourites. We only won't win it if we play really badly against someone, I don't think any team will outclass us

 

[12OunceEpilogue]

Bookies agree

You'd have to back us against any of those teams over one or two legs. That being said there'll be difficult games ahead in this competition and we could easily crash out if we underperform.

 

[Paul the Wolf]

We've been one of the favourites, if not the favourite, since the start of the competition. Cup competitions, anything can happen but to lose against any of the remaining teams over 2 legs would be a major disappointment even with our congested fixture list.

 

[Trizy]

I'd fancy us to beat any of those teams over two legs. As for the final, you never know. Teams are known to raise their game massively for finals and that's why smaller clubs have won trophies in the past.

 

[SwansonsTache]

Strange stuff happens, who would have thought that the 8th placed team in Belgium would knock out Spurs.

We'd come out the winner over an average of 10 games against any of those left in the competition, but over two legs anything can happen.

 

[OnlyTwoDaSilvas]

Why are Gladbach so feared? They're having an awful season aren't they? I'd rather face them than Roma or Lyon. Gladbach would be preferable over a long trip to Russia too.

 

[ChaddyP]

Strange stuff happens, who would have thought that the 8th placed team in Belgium would knock out Spurs.

I would, spurs are wank in europe.

 

[AlecHDR]

We have a lot of games coming up so it would be nice if the draw took care of some of the tougher teams for us. Something like this:

Roma vs Lyon
Schalke vs Mochengladbach
Besiktas vs Celta Vigo

 

[bosnian_red]

We were favourites since day 1. Nothing changed that. A few tough teams like lyon, roma and schalke left, but overall we should win it if we take it seriously.

 

[Walters_19_MuFc]

On paper, yes, but as we know football isn't played on paper. If we play to our maximum abilities, and approach every game like its a cup final, then I don't see why we can't win it.

 

[Infordin]

I find the lack of Celta Vigo in this thread disturbing. You should fear those tough bastards.

 

[Infordin]

The difference in pace \ power really becomes evident when English clubs are playing Italians, the only ones I wouldn't fancy us against are Juve.

Napoli were able to hang with Real Madrid at the Bernabeu. Probably the most physically powerful and fastest team in the world. Both them and Roma are capable of playing some excellent football.

 

[MichaelRed]

Us, Roma & Lyon for me.

 

[Oaencha]

We're favourites but that doesn't mean much in knockout competitions. I've got a sneaky suspicion our next match will be away to Lyon. You just know Depay will end up scoring against us.

 

[Skills]

Looks like the easiest way to secure CL next season

 

[esmufc07]

Depay will knock us out.

 

[Acheron]

I think you are but it's more due to Mourinho and the lack of better Spanish sides than Celta.

 

[Klopp_De_Klown]

Bookies agree

When is the draw btw? Tomorrow?

Draw is friday at 13:00 cet i think, which is 12 noon GMT.
I put forward the point that we should look for one of the big sides or supposed big sides and hope that another 2 of anybody from Beesiktas up also draw each other. With the games with chelsea coming up and many other tough fixtures aganist the top 6 towards the end of april and start of may. Catching a bigger side not might not be the worst draw.

The likes of roma who lay in second, are far from safely qualified for the CL next season. So catching them now as opposed to the semi final when they could be resting players might no bad thing. Either way we have to face them(a big side) or a team that beat them. The way the fixtures are with us i say better to get them now and hope to carry the current momentum of EFL cup win(hopefuly) into the cup match against chelsea as well as the europa league

 

[Attila]

We're favourites but that doesn't mean much in knockout competitions. I've got a sneaky suspicion our next match will be away to Lyon. You just know Depay will end up scoring against us.

Depay will knock us out.

He's cup tied so can't play against us

 

[ti vu]

I find the lack of Celta Vigo in this thread disturbing. You should fear those tough bastards.

I said in the round 32 thread last week when they at home lost to Shakhtar that I still thought they as tougher team, and could get back in the second leg, which they did. I also said, I don't fancy either clubs from that tie for us in the next round since our fixture list is bad enough.

 

[esmufc07]

He's cup tied so can't play against us

Hallelujah!

 

[Rolandofgilead]

Roma are our biggest threats IMO. Let's draw them tomorrow.

 

[Cooksen]

Want Ajax in the draw tbh

 

[Oaencha]

He's cup tied so can't play against us

Ah I didn't think about that. Rafael then!

 

[Attila]

This poll.....just asking for bad luck

 

[Treble_Winning]

Now that many of the bigger teams have been eliminated, yes we are favourites. The bookies odds confirm this. We are the best team left in the competition and we have no excuse not to beat any of the remaining sides over two legs. We must win it. So much is at stake - a CL place, seedings, coefficients, and the chance to become only the 5th team in history to win the European triple crown. Jose needs to make this his priority and really there isn't a better manager in the world when it comes to European knock out competitions.

 

[Giflet]

I'd honestly be disappointed now if we didn't win it. When we first went into it I wasn't overly confident, which English team is when it comes to EL. But looking at whose left in it, there's nobody there that we should be worried about. Roma and Lyon are probably the 2 other decent sides left, but over 2 legs neither should have any chance of beating us. We simply have too much quality for them. I'd say we definitely make the final and worst case scenario is we lose that because we have an awful game on the night and the other team play a blinder.

 

[Invictus]

This poll.....just asking for bad luck

Spoiler

 

[Infordin]

I'll vote Roma just to counter the jinx

 

[The Man Himself]

We are favourites now along with Roma and these 2 teams on paper are better than most but best team on paper doesn't always win, especially in a knockout competition. Otherwise Gent won't have knocked out Spurs and same applies to few other shock results of this round. I hope Mourinho doesn't let players relax or get complacent based on the pool of teams left and still takes it match by match, taking every match seriously.

 

[caid]

How does the winner of the Europa seed?

Edit: Pot 2. Would be a bonus to qualify this way to be honest

Another add

4/3 - Bournemouth (H)
9/3 - Europa League, last-16, first leg
13/3 - Chelsea (A, FA Cup)
16/3 - EL last-16, second leg
19/3 - Middlesbrough (A)

If we did qualify from here, the quarters would be played as follows:
8/4 - Sunderland (A)
13/4 - Europa League
15/4 - Chelsea (H)
20/4 - Europa
22/4 - Burnley (A)

The semis would be a bit worrying depending where we sit in the league:
29/4 - Swansea (H)
4/5 - Europa League
6/5 - Arsenal (A)
11/5 - Europa
13/5 - Tottenham (A)

-----

Some games would be moved for Sunday matches, but we also have to find room for City and Southampton games also

Playing chelsea twice right after a thursday game is going to be fun

 

[Needham]

Now I just want to make Roma beg for mercy again.inx

Bit racist

 

[MullerUtd]

David Michael, I'm blaming you if we fail to win the Europa League. Honestly, threads like this never turn out well.
Let's just merge this thread with the Europa League thread.

In all seriousness, I've been saying that we are the favourites to win the Europa League since when we were in the group stage, even before the CL teams get drawn with us. I posted a thread in the newbies back in October, we should forget about Top 4 and go all out in the Europa League because of our abysmal league form then, yet I got called out for that. Good to see that so many teams who are capable of upsetting us are out in the first round.

 

[Anduin]

Why are Gladbach so feared? They're having an awful season aren't they? I'd rather face them than Roma or Lyon. Gladbach would be preferable over a long trip to Russia too.

They recently sacked the awful Schubert and replaced him with Hecking who is way better. It already shows in the quality of their football and results.
A decent enough team, but we should be fine over two legs. A potential final? Hard to tell though. Hope they go out soon...

 

[ti vu]

Playing chelsea twice right after a thursday game is going to be fun

And Arsenal.

Not saying we should put all egg into one basket (EL), but EL should be our top priority with how many tough teams left.

They recently sacked the awful Schubert and replaced him with Hecking who is way better. It already shows in the quality of their football and results.
A decent enough team, but we should be fine over two legs. A potential final? Hard to tell though. Hope they go out soon...

Gladbach is not that scary even as of now. Fiorentina just simply collapsed after dominated and got 2 goals lead (concentration issue?). The 3 goals in the second half were scored in quick succession, and very preventable for a well organized team. It's not like Gladbach went to peak Pep's Barcelona mode and blew Fiorentina out of water...

 

[Sarni]

We are several levels above most of the teams left, I'd say we are.

We are not several levels above Roma.

 

[Anduin]

Gladbach is not that scary even as of now. Fiorentina just simply collapsed after dominated and got 2 goals lead (concentration issue?). The 3 goals in the second half were scored in quick succession, and very preventable for a well organized team. It's not like Gladbach went to peak Pep's Barcelona mode and blew Fiorentina out of water...

I'm not fearing them at all, but they are capable of some very good football and Hecking has managed to get one over us once already (last season with Wolfsburg, albeit under LVG). I'd be confident of beating them of course, just pointing out that they've improved considerably since sacking Schubert.

 

[ManUchosenbosslvg]

Now that many of the bigger teams have been eliminated, yes we are favourites. The bookies odds confirm this. We are the best team left in the competition and we have no excuse not to beat any of the remaining sides over two legs. We must win it. So much is at stake - a CL place, seedings, coefficients, and the chance to become only the 5th team in history to win the European triple crown. Jose needs to make this his priority and really there isn't a better manager in the world when it comes to European knock out competitions.

We were the favourites before then too according to the bookies odds. I'd think we're nearly an even money shot with our momentum and depth of quality in our squad compared to the club's that are left.

Well we should be, from a financial standpoint we might be bigger than the rest of the teams combined, knowing that yet more failure to play in the CL next season could cost us £100m in lost revenue from performance clauses alone will mean serious pressure on us to win the thing.

 

[Thunderhead]

I'd be backing Roma if I had £100, if Ibra. get's injured then I just can't see United scoring the goals in a two legged tie against a decent and organised defence.

 

[Treble_Winning]

We were the favourites before then too according to the bookies odds. I'd think we're nearly an even money shot with our momentum and depth of quality in our squad compared to the club's that are left.

Well we should be, from a financial standpoint we might be bigger than the rest of the teams combined, knowing that yet more failure to play in the CL next season could cost us £100m in lost revenue from performance clauses alone will mean serious pressure on us to win the thing.

£100 million is no big deal for a club with as much money as we do. That shouldn't be our focus. Our focus should be on trophies, winning, coefficients, seedings, prestige and history. We win the Europa League and we make history. It's not and shouldn't be about the money. We have the money to attract quality players regardless of whether we are in the CL or not. This season has already proven it, with the signings of Zlatan and Pogba.