Champions League Knockout phase - Can we get there?

Who knows we may at some point play half decent in a game and score a couple of goals

Yea sometime next year when/if Sturridge comes back from injury.

Our destiny is in our hands, win both and we're thru, simples,  however when do we do things simple,
I'm.hoping we stay in the CL and not end up in the El, 
As funny as it seems continuing in the CL for however long will give us a better chance of a higher finish in the league,
Dropping into the El and playing on a Thursday then a Sunday or Monday would imo be worse,

I suppose it's about the recovery period and the conditions of where in Europe we will play, but I think players adapt more to playing Tuesdays & Wednesday rather than Thursday, haven’t got any stats to back it up.

YNWA

If we have to play Thursday night, we get on with it and stop moaning. We desperately need European football after Christmas, for the rankings if nothing else. The longer we're in Europe, the better chance of a higher seeding next time. It's taken a battering in recent years.

Beating Ludogorets will guarantee Europe after Christmas. Then it's a home game last. Exactly what you want when you need a result at the end of a tight group. Because of that, I think it will be enough to finish second. But finishing last would be disastrous.

As for the travelling, these players are full time professionals. If they have to go to Greece on a Thursday night and play again on a Sunday, them's the breaks. They have to go to Bulgaria next week, then come back and get a result on Saturday, same recovery timeframe. So if it's good enough next week, it's good enough after Christmas too.

We have to draw on Wednesday assuming Basel lose. We then need to beat Basel at home by any score not by 2 goals. That's a big difference.
The way to secure a draw which isn't rodgers' style is to play 3 at the back, and have Lucas and can holdin. Gerrard and Johnsin have to sit this one out

Well there we go then, a one off home game to decide who progresses to the knockout stage. If I was offered that knowing we'd put in 5 awful performances before it then I certainly would have taken it.

Still fancy us to go through.

Well there we go then, a one off home game to decide who progresses to the knockout stage. If I was offered that knowing we'd put in 5 awful performances before it then I certainly would have taken it.

Still fancy us to go through.

In an odd way this may actually work in our favour. Knowing how much is on the line, I'm hoping Anfield crowd will be in full song and give the players a much needed lift. Plus the players will not want to fail at home. One goal, that's all we need and taking slim positives from tonight, we scored two away.

Well there we go then, a one off home game to decide who progresses to the knockout stage. If I was offered that knowing we'd put in 5 awful performances before it then I certainly would have taken it.

Still fancy us to go through.

Will he a hard fought win if we go through and we'll need to score at least two goals cus in Brendan's words I can categorically say we are 100% going to concede a goal.

Can we get there? Yes. Will we get there? Yes.

Madrid's win tonight keeps us involved and if you have to play a decider then it's best to be at home.

I think Basel only need a draw don't they so on that basis IMO it could equally go any of the three ways I'd give us a 33.3% chance.

Win the next game.

As simple and as hard as that.

Can we get there? Yes. Will we get there? Yes.

Do we deserve to get there?

Ok I'm going to throw something out there.

What are our chances of winning the Champions League?---are we going to beat Real Madrid, or Bayern, or Barca, or even Chelsea etc?  Of course not.  No chance.

And yet, the most we can hope for at this moment is coming in second in our group, which means we'll be facing one of the heavy hitters even if we DO make it to the knockout round.  I think it's safe to say that considering how we're playing right now, we have extremely low chances of getting out of even the first knockout round.  And then that's it.  CL season over for us.  Our only hope of getting back to CL is to finish in the top four.

But the odds of us finishing in the top four are similarly fading away.  We're going to be without Sturridge for at least another month.  Rodgers isn't going to drop Gerrard or Johnson.  We'll be lucky to finish in the top half of the table at this rate.

But.  There is one more option.

What if we finish third in the group?  Ludogorets will likely lose away to Madrid.  If we don't beat Basel then we'll finish third.  That means we "drop" to the Europa League.  BUT, this season, the winner of the Europa League gets automatic qualification for next season's CL. 

What does everyone think about that?  there really is no glory in moving to the knockout rounds just to get spanked by Barca or Bayern 10-0.  But at least if we make it to the Europa League, we can put aside finishing top four in the league and just put all our eggs in the Europa League basket, bring in some reinforcements in January, and go all out to win the competition.  We'll have a much better chance of winning it than of moving on in the CL.

That way we can still qualify for CL, and re-group in the summer.

Thoughts?

Ok I'm going to throw something out there.

What are our chances of winning the Champions League?---are we going to beat Real Madrid, or Bayern, or Barca, or even Chelsea etc?  Of course not.  No chance.

And yet, the most we can hope for at this moment is coming in second in our group, which means we'll be facing one of the heavy hitters even if we DO make it to the knockout round.  I think it's safe to say that considering how we're playing right now, we have extremely low chances of getting out of even the first knockout round.  And then that's it.  CL season over for us.  Our only hope of getting back to CL is to finish in the top four.

But the odds of us finishing in the top four are similarly fading away.  We're going to be without Sturridge for at least another month.  Rodgers isn't going to drop Gerrard or Johnson.  We'll be lucky to finish in the top half of the table at this rate.

But.  There is one more option.

What if we finish third in the group?  Ludogorets will likely lose away to Madrid.  If we don't beat Basel then we'll finish third.  That means we "drop" to the Europa League.  BUT, this season, the winner of the Europa League gets automatic qualification for next season's CL. 

What does everyone think about that?  there really is no glory in moving to the knockout rounds just to get spanked by Barca or Bayern 10-0.  But at least if we make it to the Europa League, we can put aside finishing top four in the league and just put all our eggs in the Europa League basket, bring in some reinforcements in January, and go all out to win the competition.  We'll have a much better chance of winning it than of moving on in the CL.

That way we can still qualify for CL, and re-group in the summer.

Thoughts?

Already suggested this Fed but can't see us getting anywhere in the Europa when you consider Brendan's record in knockout competitions. It is probably our best chance, but I don't see us realistically having a chance.

We can absolutely qualify from this group, but we need to show more courage. It's what Brendan likes to speak about, but I'm yet to see it this season.

Only issue is once we are at the qualifying stage. It'd be nice to face a Porto or a Dortmund. Worst case is having to face Barcelona. Dawn of the Suarez.

Ok I'm going to throw something out there.

What are our chances of winning the Champions League?---are we going to beat Real Madrid, or Bayern, or Barca, or even Chelsea etc?  Of course not.  No chance.

And yet, the most we can hope for at this moment is coming in second in our group, which means we'll be facing one of the heavy hitters even if we DO make it to the knockout round.  I think it's safe to say that considering how we're playing right now, we have extremely low chances of getting out of even the first knockout round.  And then that's it.  CL season over for us.  Our only hope of getting back to CL is to finish in the top four.

But the odds of us finishing in the top four are similarly fading away.  We're going to be without Sturridge for at least another month.  Rodgers isn't going to drop Gerrard or Johnson.  We'll be lucky to finish in the top half of the table at this rate.

But.  There is one more option.

What if we finish third in the group?  Ludogorets will likely lose away to Madrid.  If we don't beat Basel then we'll finish third.  That means we "drop" to the Europa League.  BUT, this season, the winner of the Europa League gets automatic qualification for next season's CL. 

What does everyone think about that?  there really is no glory in moving to the knockout rounds just to get spanked by Barca or Bayern 10-0.  But at least if we make it to the Europa League, we can put aside finishing top four in the league and just put all our eggs in the Europa League basket, bring in some reinforcements in January, and go all out to win the competition.  We'll have a much better chance of winning it than of moving on in the CL.

That way we can still qualify for CL, and re-group in the summer.

Thoughts?

F**k that.

It'd be nice to face a Porto or a Dortmund.

or Leverkusen

We'll have a much better chance of winning it than of moving on in the CL. That way we can still qualify for CL, and re-group in the summer.

Thoughts?

  Better??!! really? Cant beat Ludogrrrrtssss but yeah better chances of beating Napoli, Sevilla, Dynamo et al. We might make it to the quarters with performances like that. We've been close to good on ONE DAY this season - Aug 31, against a team who have been equally woeful ever since they sold their star man.

My thoughts? First think about winning at home this weekend and then we can contemplate winning on Dec 9

Can see a Steven Gerrard "Olympiakos" special coming up. Then Barca in the knockout stages. It's rigged I tell ya....we'll knock them and Luis out!

Can see a Steven Gerrard "Olympiakos" special coming up. Then Barca in the knockout stages. It's rigged I tell ya....we'll knock them and Luis out!

Barca in the last 16, then Arsenal in the quarters (knock out Sanchez and co), Chelsea semi's and finally, Real Madrid in the final and win Easy!!!!

Barca in the last 16, then Arsenal in the quarters (knock out Sanchez and co), Chelsea semi's and finally, Real Madrid in the final and win Easy!!!!

Now we're talking...That's a million miles off bud but just thinking about it makes me want to do a Coutinho. 

https://mtc.cdn.vine.co/r/videos/631C1B91B71149493400538591232_35780b23eb5.1.1.16416677228566178984.mp4?versionId=09n_zJ4z1AyNb89XNTBU54Pyui4gbkYe

Well get there sort out our defence and go on and win it...

I think we will beat Basle and progress, don't think we have what it takes to go much further though. If we bring someone in at Christmas and Sturridge manages to stay fit you never know.

Well get there sort out our defence and go on and win it...

God, I so admire your optimism!

Ancelotti today came  out with the opinion that we wont.

I saw last few minutes of the Basel - Madrid game on a Fox Sports USA feed  and Basel  were really fizzing it about trying to get an equaliser.

Basel will be tougher than Ludo.