The Europa League 2017/18(Use the SF thread to discuss the current match)

[el3mel]

Note that turnaround came with a change of manager ... Gattuso now managing them. Supposedly a bit more defensive & solid (no surprise there then) but still lacking flair up front. I think they'll see off Arsenal.

And that was the main surprise for me, because I didn't expect Gattuso to be able to do anything there. Thought of him as just a new "retired player trying his luck with football management" but seems he turned the tides for them very well.

Good luck for them against Arsenal. As I said will always have a soft spot for Milan as long as they stay away from United.

 

[oneniltothearsenal]

My predictions


Lazio v Dynamo Kiev
RB Leipzig v Zenit St Petersburg
Atletico Madrid v Lokomotiv Moscow
CSKA Moscow v Olympique Lyonnais
Marseille v Athletic Bilbao
Sporting v Viktoria Plzen
Borussia Dortmund v Salzburg
AC Milan v Arsenal

 

[markelphick]

AC Milan aren't the force they once was. Great fixture though, both sides have got a great chance! Looking forward to this one as a neutral.

 

[cyberman]

When you look at the 16 posted by Rafateria this year then the 16 posted by Markolan from last year there is a difference in quality but as I said I think what makes it actually seem worse is the fact United were the eventual winners and you only have to look at the quality of the teams they faced.

United literally only had Ajax & Roma to fear last year... Roma went out straight away and Lyon weren't much better.... then on top of that the Ajax team was obviously completely inexperienced.

This year if you look at Atletico at this stage they could still play Lazio, Dortmund, AC Milan, Arsenal potentially all teams that suffer with inconsistency but all teams that on there day are more than capable as oppose to Rostov,Celta Viga etc who quite clearly just do not have the quality.

But you're comparing our actual draw with Atletico potential though.
Utd could have faced Spurs, Roma, Schalke etc in last years 32.
The standard really isn't that much different. There's a very good chance that the winner of this years tournament could only face one or two from that list. Listing everybody is a bit of a cheat.

 

[Seven Seas Sardines]

Our EL run was so much easier than Arsenal's.

If they beat Milan, the quarters could look something like...

Atletico Madrid - Lyon
Sporting - Arsenal
Lazio - Marseille
RB Leipzig - Dortmund

And semis..

Arsenal - Dortmund
Atletico Madrid - Lazio

 

[haram]

When you look at the 16 posted by Rafateria this year then the 16 posted by Markolan from last year there is a difference in quality but as I said I think what makes it actually seem worse is the fact United were the eventual winners and you only have to look at the quality of the teams they faced.

United literally only had Ajax & Roma to fear last year... Roma went out straight away and Lyon weren't much better.... then on top of that the Ajax team was obviously completely inexperienced.

This year if you look at Atletico at this stage they could still play Lazio, Dortmund, AC Milan, Arsenal potentially all teams that suffer with inconsistency but all teams that on there day are more than capable as oppose to Rostov,Celta Viga etc who quite clearly just do not have the quality.

Teams like Roma and Shakhtar are now in the CL KO stages. You also left out Spurs. Competition is probably a bit more difficult this year but it’s not our fault teams like Roma and Spurs got knocked out.

 

[Markolan]

So what? Those are the teams that played KO round.

There's a difference in quality even if we compare the teams that played KO round imho.

Last year, from the top 5 leagues we had:
(position in the league table on February 23, 2017)

Roma (2), Tottenham (3), Lyon (4), Manchester United (6); Villarreal (6), Athletic (7), Fiorentina (8), Celta Vigo (10) Schalke 04 (10), Gladbach (11)

This year:
Napoli (1), Atletico (2), BVB (2), OM (3), Lyon (4), Lazio (4), Leipzig (5), Arsenal (6), AC Milan (6), Villarreal (6), Atalanta (8), Nice (9), Real Sociedad (12), Athletic (14).

This is a better UEL.

 

[roonster09]

There's a difference in quality even if we compare the teams that played KO round imho.

Last year, from the top 5 leagues we had:
(position in the league table on February 23, 2017)

Roma (2), Tottenham (3), Lyon (4), Manchester United (6); Villarreal (6), Athletic (7), Fiorentina (8), Celta Vigo (10) Schalke 04 (10), Gladbach (11)

This year:
Napoli (1), Atletico (2), BVB (2), OM (3), Lyon (4), Lazio (4), Leipzig (5), Arsenal (6), AC Milan (6), Villarreal (6), Atalanta (8), Nice (9), Real Sociedad (12), Athletic (14).

This is a better UEL.

I didn't say last year was better. I said there were good teams in ko round last season and it was almost as good.

 

[Santi_Mesut_Alexis_87]

The best we can hope today is a draw. We are not gonna surely win based on the 2 sides's form atm.

 

[el3mel]

Gonna cheer for Milan tonight. Always had a soft spot for them and another Arsenal fan TV meltdown never gets old.

 

[Ikon]

I have a soft spot for the UEFA Cup for some inexplicable reason, and I was absolutely delighted that United won it last season.
It's been on my "bucket list" for years...

I predict that Arsenal will crash out against Milan, but there are some really good sides still in the competition.
On paper, this will be the toughest competition for years.
My predictions:
Lazio v Dynamo Kiev
RB Leipzig v Zenit St Petersburg
Atletico Madrid v Lokomotiv Moscow
CSKA Moscow v Olympique Lyonnais
Marseille v Athletic Bilbao
Sporting v Viktoria Plzen
Borussia Dortmund v Salzburg
AC Milan v Arsenal

 

[RedSky]

I have a soft spot for the UEFA Cup for some inexplicable reason, and I was absolutely delighted that United won it last season.
It's been on my "bucket list" for years...

I predict that Arsenal will crash out against Milan, but there are some really good sides still in the competition.
On paper, this will be the toughest competition for years.
My predictions:
Lazio v Dynamo Kiev
RB Leipzig v Zenit St Petersburg
Atletico Madrid v Lokomotiv Moscow
CSKA Moscow v Olympique Lyonnais
Marseille v Athletic Bilbao
Sporting v Viktoria Plzen
Borussia Dortmund v Salzburg
AC Milan v Arsenal

AC Milan after a terrible start to the season has managed to find some form lately. Arsenal are facing them at a bad time, Milan have a decent fixture list too so you could well be right.

 

[FootballHQ]

Man. United's run last season was similar to Portugal at euro 2016 imo.

When you entered it Villareal, Roma and Lyon were all on the other side of the draw and those three were arguably the best three other teams left.

So you won your games and Villareal-Roma drew each other than Roma got through and drew Lyon.

This season it's harder simply for the fact Atletico Madrid are in. You're talking here about a regular champions league semi final/finalist in last 5 years.

They are favourites for this by a long way imo as they're such a tough team to beat over two legs.

 

[Javi]

The guy who is resonsible for kick off times should be fired, all the decent matches are in the first bracket. What the feck. The best game in the second bracket is Marseille-Athletic. Athletic is nothing like they were under Bielsa, they now specialize in kicking opponents for 90mins and Marseille - don't even know how they play. Anyway UEFA guy screwed up big time.

 

[JuveGER]

Looking forward to the Milan/Arsenal match tonight. Haven't watched Milan in a long time and was completely surprised by their recent purple patch after what seemed to me like a laughable decision to hire Gattuso. Let's see what they can do against a decent team.

 

[Tommy]

Looking forward to the Milan/Arsenal match tonight. Haven't watched Milan in a long time and was completely surprised by their recent purple patch after what seemed to me like a laughable decision to hire Gattuso. Let's see what they can do against a decent team.

Well tonight isn't the night for that.

 

[K2K]

Man. United's run last season was similar to Portugal at euro 2016 imo.

When you entered it Villareal, Roma and Lyon were all on the other side of the draw and those three were arguably the best three other teams left.

So you won your games and Villareal-Roma drew each other than Roma got through and drew Lyon.

This season it's harder simply for the fact Atletico Madrid are in. You're talking here about a regular champions league semi final/finalist in last 5 years.

They are favourites for this by a long way imo as they're such a tough team to beat over two legs.

Atletico are deservingly in the Europa league though.

Have been awful in Europe this season. Only beat Qarabag because of some very dodgy decisions with Qarabag looking the better side.

You are putting too much stock to reputation.

 

[Sly]

Going to the stadium tonight for the Sporting vs Plzen match. I hope Jesus doesn't mess up tactics wise. Miserable weather today, so i really hope we have something to cheer tonight. I hope we still have a high profile european away this season, so we have to take Plzen seriously in this tie.

 

[Akshay]

Well tonight isn't the night for that.

Poor Arsenal.

 

[el3mel]

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[Djemba-Djemba]

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Welbeck leading the line?

Oof.

 

[Canagel]

Arsenal's team is so average. Zero width in that team and the bench isn't good enough. Welbeck against Bonucci is such a mismatch too.

 

[el3mel]

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[el3mel]

That Milan lineup video is the most cringeworthy way of announcing a lineup I have ever seen.

 

[Damien]

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Really hate clubs that use videos for lineups.

 

[van der star]

That Milan lineup video is the most cringeworthy way of announcing a lineup I have ever seen.

It's how it's done in the stadium.

 

[el3mel]

It's how it's done in the stadium.

In the stadium, not on twitter.

 

[van der star]

In the stadium, not on twitter.

At least you get a sense of how the atmosphere is going to be like. I'm sure if Arsenal were to try something similar, their announcer would have to read the names in a monotonous voice.

 

[el3mel]

At least you get a sense of how the atmosphere is going to be like. I'm sure if Arsenal were to try something similar, their announcer would have to read the names in a monotonous voice.

Well, hard to disagree with that bold part.

 

[Kapardin]

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Feck sake, Milan. Sounded more like the announcement for Royal Rumble or Wrestlemania.

Also, the background music is coincidentally similar to Tokyo Gore Police's soundtrack.

 

[AR87]

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Is Lacazette hurt?

 

[Damien]

It's how it's done in the stadium.

How are Milan doing? Are they expected to have another spending spree in the summer - and if so which players have been linked?

I really think you could do well against Arsenal. Their team is pretty uninspiring.

 

[Damien]

Is Lacazette hurt?

Yep. Welbeck and Nketiah are the only striking options they have.

 

[Yagami]

I'm actually more excited for some of the Europa matches than the CL ones (bar United). I need to choose one game out of CSKA Moscow/Lyon, Dortmund/Salzburg, Milan/Arsenal, Lazio/Dynamo, Marseille/Bilbao... I'll probably go for Milan/Arsenal but I think the other matches will all be a fun watch, too.

Going to the stadium tonight for the Sporting vs Plzen match. I hope Jesus doesn't mess up tactics wise. Miserable weather today, so i really hope we have something to cheer tonight. I hope we still have a high profile european away this season, so we have to take Plzen seriously in this tie.

Good luck!

 

[Liver_bird]

Strong Europa League this time around.

 

[Djemba-Djemba]

Strong Europa League this time around.

You can only beat what's put in front of you eh?

 

[Liver_bird]

You can only beat what's put in front of you eh?

True.

 

[Liver_bird]

Be nice to have the Rossoneri back where they belong.

 

[Sly]

Good luck!

Thanks mate. It would be incredible to win after United. My two favourite clubs.

 

[Djemba-Djemba]

If things go badly tonight, this could be the last genuinely important game Wenger ever manages at Arsenal.