It starts today! Happy days for us!
The Europa League 2017/18(Use the SF thread to discuss the current match)
- Thread starter Santi_Mesut_Alexis_87
- Start date
First results: Gorica, Pavlodar, Almaty, Botev Plovdiv, Slovan Bratislava, Dinamo Minsk, Cork City and Trencin win, while Ventspils and Valur draw.
It actually isn't a bad competition.. I'll miss it in some way.
I think Arsenal should take it seriously. Winning this trophy could help the team massively
I think Arsenal should take it seriously. Winning this trophy could help the team massively
Of course, we badly need to win an european trophy. It could do us so well.
Be interesting to see how Wenger approaches it.
I imagine he'll not be too excited by it and pay it little attention but at the same time he's never won a European trophy which must hurt him. He's never going to win the Champions League so I think this would be his best bet.
It's a pain in the arse competition that is almost guaranteed to mess up your domestic season. There's very little sense of glamour, in our run last season I'd say only Ajax could be seen as a really prestigious club. On the other hand if you go all the way and win the trophy it's a brilliant feeling and as last season proved it can be a great backup plan for Champions League qualification.
Arsenal should really go for it in my opinion. Their last European trophy was in 1994 I believe, that's far too long ago for a club of Arsenal's stature.
I imagine he'll not be too excited by it and pay it little attention but at the same time he's never won a European trophy which must hurt him. He's never going to win the Champions League so I think this would be his best bet.
It's a pain in the arse competition that is almost guaranteed to mess up your domestic season. There's very little sense of glamour, in our run last season I'd say only Ajax could be seen as a really prestigious club. On the other hand if you go all the way and win the trophy it's a brilliant feeling and as last season proved it can be a great backup plan for Champions League qualification.
Arsenal should really go for it in my opinion. Their last European trophy was in 1994 I believe, that's far too long ago for a club of Arsenal's stature.
I don't know whether Wenger will take it seriously but even if he doesn't it'll be a good test for young players needing experience.
They could have switched managers this season, but they have settled for mediocrity with Wenger. Tuchel is available, He would have been a perfect fit for them. You have to be ruthless in this era, just like Perez and Abramovich. They took the right decisions(sacking ancelotti/jose), regardless of how harsh they were.
At least until the knockout stage
At least we can't play Bayern
Wins for Altach, Jagiellonia, Shkendija and VPS as well. Draw for Soligorsk and Suduva, instead.
You never know. This could be the year.
Ochoa, lol!
Why? He's like the last coach you would want following up Wenger.
Some very exotic teams there.
Kalju, Lyngby, Beitar Jerusalem, Ferencvaros, AEK Larnaca, Haugesund, Levski Sofia, Odd, Osijek, Zaria and Zira win.
altach in a EL playoff. still cant belive this. our league is so random its unreal
Starting in June! What a state!
They even lead the league for some months last season
If that happens I think I'd give up on football
This tournament is Arsenal's to lose. I'm calling it now, they will win it just like how we did it. Gonna put 2k on them.
Fola, Vaduz, Connah's, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Midtjylland, Norrkoping, Skenderbeu, Vojvodina, Domzale, Inter Baku, Mladost Podgorica, Siroki Brijeg, Red Star, Rabotnicki, Crusaders, Lech Poznan, Glasgow Rangers, AEL Limassol, Trakai, Valletta, Videoton and Zeljeznicar the other teams to win. Klaksvik and AIK Stockholm draw.
Shamrock Rovers win, while KR Reykjavik and and SJK draw.
Both Bulgarian teams get 3-1 wins, would be nice for someone other than Ludogorets to perform respectably in Europe
Not a chance for that to happen though. Ludogorets plays well in Europe because 90% of their players are from Brazil or some other Latin American country. The rest of bulgarian teams are pure garbage when it comes to quality of the players. What is worse - bulgarian coaches are really shitty and have no clue about how modern football should be played. I expect all of the bulgarian teams to be out in the next round of the EL.
Sadly I agree with most of what you've said, football in our country is an absolute mess. Thought we might have a chance in qualifying and then we fecked up against Belarus. Sad that the only one of our teams that does well is the one that buys the league and has only a few Bulgarian players. Surprised Jonathan Cafu hasn't been bought by a bigger team yet, there were plenty of rumours
Ooh, burn @KirkDuyt
They won't! Especially if they get a decent league start. The 4th place trophy will always be their priority.
Without trying to be arrogant , I feel Manchester united have made this competition a bit more meaningful. Our last season triumph has made this competition look somewhat decent. I believe every club should take this competition seriously, especially clubs like arsenal/Tottenham ( whenever they play in it)/Everton. Look at spanish clubs like athletico madrid and even sevilla, they have left a mark in this competition and have gone on to do reasonably well in champions league (especially at.madrid).
I really hate when english clubs fans downplay this competition and act bigger than every other league's clubs. This is a prestigious competition and if you are competing in here then better so your best rather than just throwing away to just finish 4th.
I really hate when english clubs fans downplay this competition and act bigger than every other league's clubs. This is a prestigious competition and if you are competing in here then better so your best rather than just throwing away to just finish 4th.
To an extent what you say is correct ..... but that's only because United took it seriously due to the CL slot on offer and as Jose correctly identified they were struggling to male Top 4 in the PL, because otherwise last season was a piss poor competition with so many of the higher ranking teams managing to avoid the drop from CL into EL and others from Italy, Spain etc. not playing to the expected level.
However I would be very surprised if from now on a lot of teams don't take this seriously simply because of that CL slot. I would be very surprised too if Arsenal didn't, since now they have two avenues open to CL qualification and if they miss out on a CL slot again they could be in the same boat as Liverpool, struggling to attract top name players. No more Sanchezes for them.
I still maintain a manager needs to decide relatively early whether he's going to go for the Europa or top 4, despite the "evidence" people present that Europa doesnt effect domestic league.
The premier league is so competitive at the top now Thursday games are a massive disadvantage. Klopp and Mourinho both did the right thing at the right time and Wenger will have to decide early as well; no way will Arsenal finish top 4 and win the Europa.
The premier league is so competitive at the top now Thursday games are a massive disadvantage. Klopp and Mourinho both did the right thing at the right time and Wenger will have to decide early as well; no way will Arsenal finish top 4 and win the Europa.
Watched more Europa league games than UCL last season.
Think I'll continue to watch this season when I can.
Think I'll continue to watch this season when I can.
yeah that makes it even worseThey even lead the league for some months last season
Indeed. I would like to see us focusing on the Europa League. United did the same and won it.
Can't really deny we're nobody in Europe
Neither are Ajax to be honest. This season was just a fluke.
No disrespect but how funny would that be if Bayern had a nightmare in the CL, dropped into the Europa Lge and knocked you out, obviously not funny for you
Arse will be the favourites followed by Liverpool. There will probably be an English winner again given the state of the English top 6.
As long as we knock you out on the way again