Europa League

I know many people have mixed feelings about this competition, so I figured I'd start a thread about it.

I find myself feeling a little relieved that we are out of the CL and into the EL for two reasons:

1. We had no real chance to win the CL this year, but we do have a good opportunity to win the EL and I'd love to see us lift another trophy.

2. The winners of the EL this term get automatic qualification to the main event next season, and sadly this could be our best chance to make it back to the CL next season....

The EL will also provide us with more opportunities to get our younger players some game time, and if we progress deep into the knockout rounds then we will continue to get to watch midweek footie on a consistent basis.

I'm already looking forward to a good run in this one!! Can't wait to see who we draw!!

YNWA

I know many people have mixed feelings about this competition, so I figured I'd start a thread about it.

I find myself feeling a little relieved that we are out of the CL and into the EL for two reasons:

1. We had no real chance to win the CL this year, but we do have a good opportunity to win the EL and I'd love to see us lift another trophy.

2. The winners of the EL this term get automatic qualification to the main event next season, and sadly this could be our best chance to make it back to the CL next season....

The EL will also provide us with more opportunities to get our younger players some game time, and if we progress deep into the knockout rounds then we will continue to get to watch midweek footie on a consistent basis.

I'm already looking forward to a good run in this one!! Can't wait to see who we draw!!

YNWA

http://www.lfcreds.com/reds/index.php/topic,46451.0.html 
There was nothing wrong with it in 2001, so there is nothing wrong with it now.

Personally I'm not bothered we have been demoted to it as has been well documented by others, could we really expect to get into the 2nd knock out round? I doubt it.

Funnily enough we are joint Favourites at 14/1 to win it.

Everton, by the way are 16/1. 

I think this our level at present, but with Sturridge in the team it must be a better chance of winning it.

It's still a European trophy, plus a gateway to CL. 

Still preferred the old competitions though, ie, European Cup, Cup Winners Cup, EUFA Cup.

Let's win the f**ker, give the manager and players some confidence back, and put some silverware on the mantlepiece.

There are a lot of 'Basel' level teams there!. Hopefully we will buy at least one striker who can actually score goals.

Cant see us winning this, Dont crucify me but i just dont.

Cant see us winning this, Dont crucify me but i just dont.

What happens if a team from your country wins the Europa League and finishes in a Champions League spot in the League?

Good one but you can send me witty pictures until your blue in the face pal, Still cant see us winning it and deep down you know it too. Dont get me wrong i think we will make the semi's, or the final if we are lucky.

I think whether or not we can be serious contenders depends on who's in it as well as obviously on us playing far better than we are at the moment. Not for the first time I am seeing some positives amongst the sea of negativity though, and whether it's Sturridge or a new recruit in January it cannot be overestimated what a massive difference a striker with mobility would make. Equally, I was hugely encouraged by the performance of the future club captain on his return to the defence last night, and hopefully he can provide the leadership by being the first of our players who was playing dogsh!t to find their form. If we could just get one of them playing well it would give everyone a lift, and I remain convinced that Lovren is going to be a massive player for us. 

wouldn't want to go through much more of the crap from last night. No passion no structure no plan.
We are still looking at 1 decent performance so far this season so how anyone can talk about positives is beyond me.

There are a lot of 'Basel' level teams there!. Hopefully we will buy at least one striker who can actually score goals.

We´re fu**ed then 

wouldn't want to go through much more of the crap from last night. No passion no structure no plan.
We are still looking at 1 decent performance so far this season so how anyone can talk about positives is beyond me.

Sometimes the positives aren't obvious, sometimes you've got to sift through the deluge to find them. To do so you've got to want to find them in the first place mind, a bit like trying to find a decent jacket at TK Maxx, if you ain't in the mood you'll never get one.

the glaringly obvious positive from last night was the performance of Lovren for instance. Now if you or anyone else prefers they can close their eyes and say he was sh!te, or more realistically they can say "one decent performance doesn't make a player", but it did at least show that he CAN be a top player if we get him right. As I have been convinced from day one that he'd come good, I'll take it as a positive. 

We cant buy a decent player ,the ones we have are massively underperforming the manager is going nuts with his tactics and his team selections . The Coffee is probably better now than before since we got Dunkin donuts.
There you go I found a positive

What happens if a team from your country wins the Europa League and finishes in a Champions League spot in the League?

I think the EL winners take one of the spots dedicated to that country. England has 4, so if we finish 5th but win the EL then we would take the 4th spot. If we win the EL and finish 4th, then it all stays the same.

Personally, I would love nothing more than for the mancs to finish 4th only for us to backdoor them and sneak into the CL by winning the EL!!

Thursday night EL games will damage our PL results even more than they are already! Horrible competition playing in crap pitches in crap weather. It's a case of either forgetting about top 4 and concentrating all efforts on winning this or fielding a second string team in the EL and concentrating on getting top 4. I would concentrate on the PL as it's less of a gamble. If we go all out for both we will achieve neither.

Good one but you can send me witty pictures until your blue in the face pal, Still cant see us winning it and deep down you know it too. Dont get me wrong i think we will make the semi's, or the final if we are lucky.

I was actually agreeing with you.

If I wasn't you'd know about it, as I would have been quit damming in my reply, and far less witty.

I think the EL winners take one of the spots dedicated to that country. England has 4, so if we finish 5th but win the EL then we would take the 4th spot. If we win the EL and finish 4th, then it all stays the same.

Personally, I would love nothing more than for the mancs to finish 4th only for us to backdoor them and sneak into the CL by winning the EL!!

No you misunderstood me because they have said any team winning the EL their country will have an extra place. What I meant was, say we won the EL and finished 4th. We've effectively earned two berths in to the UCL. So what happens to that second berth? Does it go to the EL runner up or does 5th place go through? I'm wondering in case City crash out tonight and City might have a decent chance of winning it but are almost certain to finish in the top four as well. I'm wondering if we have a get out of jail free card available

I think we're going to win it!   

I believe that if we had Sturridge last night we'd have won, if we can get him back fit and raring to go, And providing Brendan actually wants to win the competition, and by that I mean plays the strongest squad available including BOTH Coutinho and Lallana, then we should have no problem creating chances. Add to that our defence looks much tighter, and Gerrard has recaptured some of his old form, we're in with a fighting chance!

  

Thursday night EL games will damage our PL results even more than they are already! Horrible competition playing in crap pitches in crap weather. It's a case of either forgetting about top 4 and concentrating all efforts on winning this or fielding a second string team in the EL and concentrating on getting top 4. I would concentrate on the PL as it's less of a gamble. If we go all out for both we will achieve neither.

Moaning about crap weather and pitches? Just goes to show the depths football has sunk to. It USED to be a mans game FFS!

No you misunderstood me because they have said any team winning the EL their country will have an extra place. What I meant was, say we won the EL and finished 4th. We've effectively earned two berths in to the UCL. So what happens to that second berth? Does it go to the EL runner up or does 5th place go through? I'm wondering in case City crash out tonight and City might have a decent chance of winning it but are almost certain to finish in the top four as well. I'm wondering if we have a get out of jail free card available

I'm really not sure.... I was under the impression that the winners took one of the spots allocated to that country - like what happened a couple years ago when spuds got ousted by Chelsea when they won it.

If the winners are granted an extra spot, I'd guess it is only created IF the team that wins it does not finish in one of the spots already allocated to that country.

Moaning about crap weather and pitches? Just goes to show the depths football has sunk to. It USED to be a mans game FFS!

When the injuries start racking up over these EL games you'll be moaning too. We're supposed to be a top 4 side again that's where the clubs priorities should lie not the CL waste disposal competition.

I'm really not sure.... I was under the impression that the winners took one of the spots allocated to that country - like what happened a couple years ago when spuds got ousted by Chelsea when they won it.

If the winners are granted an extra spot, I'd guess it is only created IF the team that wins it does not finish in one of the spots already allocated to that country.

I think the maximum CL entrants a single country can have is 4.

Thus if I am correct then only England and a few others would be affected.

I'm really not sure.... I was under the impression that the winners took one of the spots allocated to that country - like what happened a couple years ago when spuds got ousted by Chelsea when they won it.

If the winners are granted an extra spot, I'd guess it is only created IF the team that wins it does not finish in one of the spots already allocated to that country.

That's only UCL winners.