Should Liverpool go all out to win the Europa League?

Warper

redout wrote: »

I reckon Valencia are the biggest threat then possibly Bayern. Nobody else there is even worth a mention to be frank.

Disagree. Hamburg, Werder Bremen, Shakhtar and Galatasaray all have massive chances in this and would be a lot better than some of the crap in this years CL. I mean Liverpool wont win it anyway whether they go all out to win it or not. Any team that struggles to beat the worst team in the CL i.e. Debrecen havnt a hope. The only team Liverpool beat in an average group were Debrecen and that was 2-0 on aggregate.

redout

redout wrote: »

I reckon Valencia are the biggest threat then possibly Bayern. Nobody else there is even worth a mention to be frank.

Are you joking? 1st of all have you watched Liverpool lately? And second of all, every team I have highlighted there is capable of beating Liverpool over a 2 legged cup tie. And I'm sure ones that aren't highlighted are also capable (don't forget how badly Barca struggled with Rubin Kazxan for example). The Europa League is a tough competition to win.

Mr Alan wrote: »

some pretty good sides likely to be in it tbh!

---

Ajax
Lille
Hapoel Tel Aviv
Sporting Lisbon
Basel
Galatasary
Red Bull Salzburg
Fenerbache
Benfica
Shakhtar
PSV
Werder Bremen

Europa Runners up

Anderlecht
Valencia
Hamburg
Hertha Berlin
Roma
Panathinaikos
Villareal
Twente
Everton
CLub Brugge
Sparta Praha
Athletic Bilbao

CL Dropouts

Bayern Munich
CSKA moscow
Marseille
Athletico Madrid
Liverpool
Rubin Kazan
Stuttgard
Standard Liege

Xavi6

I thought it was disgraceful that Martin O'Neill undermined the competition last season and I'll say the same if Benitez does it.

Silverware is silverware, and it is the second biggest European club competition so we're talking Intertoto or anything.

More poor league form and an early defeat in the FA could mean this is the only thing to look forward to come February anyway.

Warper

Xavi6 wrote: »

I thought it was disgraceful that Martin O'Neill undermined the competition last season and I'll say the same if Benitez does it.

Silverware is silverware, and it is the second biggest European club competition so we're talking Intertoto or anything.

More poor league form and an early defeat in the FA could mean this is the only thing to look forward to come February anyway.

That was stupid alright and I think it was the 1/4 finals or the round before it. Totally backfired on him as well.

smemon

This thread gives the impression that Liverpool are capable of winning the Europa League which on current form is not being realistic.

Going all out to win it means fielding Gerrard and Torres together from the start of every match.

Not worth the risk (particularly away from home) if Liverpool want champions league football next season.

Spiritoftheseventies

redout wrote: »

I reckon Valencia are the biggest threat then possibly Bayern. Nobody else there is even worth a mention to be frank.

You would think so wouldn't you?

Rob113

I think they have to have a decent run to balance the books and finance the debt. Also a team of Liverpools stature should be expected to at least compete at the latter stages of the competition even with a slightened weakened squad.
Question though - if they do win it would they not have to defend it next year? Even if they do manage to make the top 4 and qualify for the CL.

Boggles

Rob113 wrote: »

Question though - if they do win it would they not have to defend it next year? Even if they do manage to make the top 4 and qualify for the CL.

No

Spiritoftheseventies

How long before we get a proper European League. Which could be run concurrently along Premiership.
Two divisions of lets say eight teams in it. Division one would comprise of Barcelona, United, Pool, Chelsea, Arsenal, Inter, Juventus, Real Madrid and Milan.
Bottom team would play top team in Division two in a play off for spot next season.

Xavi6

bayviewclose wrote: »

How long before we get a proper European League. Which could be run concurrently along Premiership.
Two divisions of lets say eight teams in it. Division one would comprise of Barcelona, United, Pool, Chelsea, Arsenal, Inter, Juventus, Real Madrid and Milan.
Bottom team would play top team in Division two in a play off for spot next season.

Why would Pool be in it?

Surely a team in the latter stages of the most recent Champions League should be in there first, and there are another 9 of them on top of the ones you've listed.

Paul Tergat

bayviewclose wrote: »

How long before we get a proper European League. Which could be run concurrently along Premiership.
Two divisions of lets say eight teams in it. Division one would comprise of Barcelona, United, Pool, Chelsea, Arsenal, Inter, Juventus, Real Madrid and Milan.
Bottom team would play top team in Division two in a play off for spot next season.

And so the rich would just get richer.

I hate the idea of a european super league. I am happy with my national league and want it to stay that way. I also like having the Champs League as it is.

Xavi6 wrote: »

Why would Pool be in it?

Co-efficients? I think pool would be in the top 8 over the last few years performances, certainly better than Inter/Juve and probably others mentioned.

Spiritoftheseventies

p_larkin99 wrote: »

And so the rich would just get richer.

I hate the idea of a european super league. I am happy with my national league and want it to stay that way. I also like having the Champs League as it is.



Co-efficients? I think pool would be in the top 8 over the last few years performances, certainly better than Inter/Juve and probably others mentioned.

Yes Pools overall record in champions league is good enough to put them in division one. I name those eight teams because they are still more or less the top eight teams in Europe. I know we play chelsea and united in the league but I think the chance to play them in Europe would be good.
I mean when was last time we played United in Europe. Know there are probably issues in relation to crowd control and all that but would love to see it happen.

Paul Tergat

bayviewclose wrote: »

Yes Pools overall record in champions league is good enough to put them in division one. I name those eight teams because they are still more or less the top eight teams in Europe. I know we play chelsea and united in the league but I think the chance to play them in Europe would be good.
I mean when was last time we played United in Europe. Know there are probably issues in relation to crowd control and all that but would love to see it happen.

I would have thought you would be sick of playing Chelsea in Europe by now (although I assume this year Pool fans would jump at the chance ).

What do ya mean with crowd control issues?

Spiritoftheseventies

p_larkin99 wrote: »

I would have thought you would be sick of playing Chelsea in Europe by now (although I assume this year Pool fans would jump at the chance ).

What do ya mean with crowd control issues?

Never grow tired of playing chelsea. Re the crowd control issues, games with United are lunch time kick offs. Would assume thats down to crowd safety issues.

Paul Tergat

bayviewclose wrote: »

Never grow tired of playing chelsea. Re the crowd control issues, games with United are lunch time kick offs. Would assume thats down to crowd safety issues.

Well yeah i think the issue is that they dont want fans in the pub all day. As the champs league games are on weekday evenings (i.e. people at work) it would be much less of a problem i think. Or at least i'd like to hope anyway. People would get home from work and only have an hour or so before KO obviously not the case for the early KO's at the weekend if left at 3.

edit: think we've gone wayyy of topic though

Warper

A European Elitist League would ruin football and it would become boring after a while seeing the same teams play each other over and over again.

mayordenis

yea a little exclusive league would be a disaster anyway,
I think keep people keep on missing that it's around 3 or 4 months until we will have a game to play, approximately 1/3 of the league season will be played between now and then if we were to pick up say 10 wins or more in that period it would be a very different question.

PHB

Personally, its like winning the league cup, but I'd actually say the League Cup is harder to win imo.

Warper

PHB wrote: »

Personally, its like winning the league cup, but I'd actually say the League Cup is harder to win imo.

Ya right - how in Gods name is the League Cup harder to win? If you cant beat the Arsenal U-18 team or the Utd/Chelsea rejects then you havnt got a hope of winning the Europa League where you have to travel to the ends of the earth on a Thurs evening encountering monsters.

SlickRic

PHB wrote: »

Personally, its like winning the league cup, but I'd actually say the League Cup is harder to win imo.

this made me laugh. thanks.

i know it's fun to kick a club when they're down, but at least stay within the realms of realism.

x in the city

Bandit12 wrote: »

They need to forget about this joke europa league and concentrate on winning the league.

good luck with that eh...!

Eirebear

i always laugh when people knock down the Europa league as being "mickey Mouse" etc. Lets see how Liverpool fans are reacting when/if theyre in the final stages come April and May.

Its a tough tournament IMO, obviously not the glitz and glamour of the Champions league but lets look at some the teams who should be there come the latter stages.

Ajax, Valencia, Sporting Lisbon, Galatasaray, Roma, Villareal, Fenerbahce, Atletico, Lazio, PSV.

There are potentially some big ties for Liverpool in there.

Spiritoftheseventies

p_larkin99 wrote: »

Well yeah i think the issue is that they dont want fans in the pub all day. As the champs league games are on weekday evenings (i.e. people at work) it would be much less of a problem i think. Or at least i'd like to hope anyway. People would get home from work and only have an hour or so before KO obviously not the case for the early KO's at the weekend if left at 3.

edit: think we've gone wayyy of topic though

No we are talking about the Europa league and Im talking about a proper European league. And remember Dalglish previously put forward the idea of a European league. Thats the way it will probably go. European league will replace champions league in terms of importantce, Champions league will replace Europa league, and Europa League will some day be won by some pub team from Donegal. Opposition team wont be able to handle the arctic conditions and will just head off to the local pub where Andy Reid will entertain them on the guitar

x in the city

Eirebear wrote: »

i always laugh when people knock down the Europa league as being "mickey Mouse" etc. Lets see how Liverpool fans are reacting when/if theyre in the final stages come April and May.

Its a tough tournament IMO, obviously not the glitz and glamour of the Champions league but lets look at some the teams who should be there come the latter stages.

Ajax, Valencia, Sporting Lisbon, Galatasaray, Roma, Villareal, Fenerbahce, Atletico, Lazio, PSV.

There are potentially some big ties for Liverpool in there.

big ties but **** money

CR9 has earned more money sitting on his ass out injured than the winning team will get for euro success...

and Liverpool 'need' CL money. NOT **** euro league money.

flahavaj

x in the city wrote: »

big ties but **** money

CR9 has earned more money sitting on his ass out injured than the winning team will get for euro success...

and Liverpool 'need' CL money. NOT **** euro league money.

Is this like a **** sock but for rich people?

Eirebear

x in the city wrote: »

big ties but **** money

CR9 has earned more money sitting on his ass out injured than the winning team will get for euro success...

and Liverpool 'need' CL money. NOT **** euro league money.

TBH im not too informed on Liverpools cash situation, so im purely talking from a football perspective.

Spiritoftheseventies

flahavaj wrote: »

Is this like a **** sock but for rich people?

End of the day, Clark (sorry Flahavaj) champions league tv money is where its at. And dont think we will get much change from Channel 6 or sky one or whoever is showing the Europa league. Rafa will be focusing solely on getting a top four place. That will be his priority.

~Rebel~

bayviewclose wrote: »

End of the day, Clark (sorry Flahavaj) champions league tv money is where its at. And dont think we will get much change from Channel 6 or sky one or whoever is showing the Europa league. Rafa will be focusing solely on getting a top four place. That will be his priority.

That is the number one aim. There is, however, absolutely no reason not to be able to get top 4 as well as giving a damn good showing in the Europa League.

flahavaj

bayviewclose wrote: »

End of the day, Clark (sorry Flahavaj) champions league tv money is where its at. And dont think we will get much change from Channel 6 or sky one or whoever is showing the Europa league. Rafa will be focusing solely on getting a top four place. That will be his priority.

^^^^^^^^^^^

Didn't get it. Having a bad off night I think.

PHB

Chelsea will play a full strength team in the league cup. Combined with United playing a pretty much full strength team towards the end. Then with every club outside hte top 4 playing their best teams. Yeh I'd say it's tougher than the UEFA Cup. Although on the plus side, it doesn't take up as many games.

~Rebel~

PHB wrote: »

Chelsea will play a full strength team in the league cup. Combined with United playing a pretty much full strength team towards the end. Then with every club outside hte top 4 playing their best teams. Yeh I'd say it's tougher than the CL. Although on the plus side, it doesn't take up as many games.

:eek:

Que calls from ferguson that his League Cup winning team is in fact superior to Barca's CL winning team by virtue of competition strength!

Warper

PHB wrote: »

Chelsea will play a full strength team in the league cup. Combined with United playing a pretty much full strength team towards the end. Then with every club outside hte top 4 playing their best teams. Yeh I'd say it's tougher than the CL. Although on the plus side, it doesn't take up as many games.

You are right - the Carling Cup is harder to win than the Champions League.

PHB

JPA

PHB wrote: »

Chelsea will play a full strength team in the league cup. Combined with United playing a pretty much full strength team towards the end. Then with every club outside hte top 4 playing their best teams. Yeh I'd say it's tougher than the CL. Although on the plus side, it doesn't take up as many games.

Sarcasm?

Boskowski

redout wrote: »

I reckon Valencia are the biggest threat then possibly Bayern. Nobody else there is even worth a mention to be frank.

I see you have your European League facts right man.

Currently both - Werder and HSV - are wiping the floor with Bayern in the league. Also both of them played last years European League semifinal.

Hardly worth mentioning alright.

That_Guy

redout wrote: »

I reckon Valencia are the biggest threat then possibly Bayern. Nobody else there is even worth a mention to be frank.

Villareal.

FlawedGenius

Dont think itl be that easy for Liverpool to do well in it. They struggle to beat mid table premiership sides each week and theres alot of good teams in the Europa. If they pick up more injuries(Gerrard and Torres) there really fcuked.

Boskowski

The whole thread baffles me.

It's like as if Liverpool were a near certainty to win the Europa League if only they'd be bothered to take it seriously.

News for you guys. English teams have been dominant lately because thats where the bucks are, fair enough. But no matter what, they are NOT the be all and end all. Especially when they're struggling not to drift into mediocrity like Liverpool are right now.