Europa League Thread

2nd Row Donkey

Very true. A win on Sunday will steady the ship.

Here Precious2

hugo29 wrote: »

Maybe so but let's look at it in perspective, they beat bayern Munich in Munich 2 0 and we got spanked by inter Milan, they now have momentum and we have lost 2 in row,

Moral victories in Munich get ya fcuk all. I'd rather be where we are than where they find themselves...COYS

hugo29

Here Precious2 wrote: »

Moral victories in Munich get ya fcuk all. I'd rather be where we are than where they find themselves...COYS

Don't give a fcuk about their moral victory, it's confidence and momentum that worries me, last year is too painful, I don't think I could stick another gooner laughing again

tippspur

I'm still shattered after watching that game,I reckon Gallas had money on Inter, UEFA should look into it.That must have been our worst game of the season and we still made the QF at the end of it..The Gods must have our name on that cup after tonight !

irishmover

I think we should only really we worrying about our own momentum and our own form to be honest. We're in the driving seat and don't need to rely on anyone to **** up.

2nd Row Donkey

seriously worried about fatigue as this competition goes on. Squad isnt strong enough to finish out the business end of the season and take the remainder of the EL seriously

irishmover

Europa League quarter-final draw lineup confirmed:

Tottenham Hotspur FC, SL Benfica, S.S. Lazio, Chelsea FC, Newcastle United FC, FC Basel 1893, FC Rubin Kazan and Fenerbahçe SK make up Friday's quarter-final draw list.

Basel or Fenerbahce would be my preferred... Saving Chelsea for the final.

jobeenfitz

Or Newcastle, save the team travelling too far.

ziedth

I wouldn't mind a crack at Benfica, they are undefeated in the league this season...... be a cracking game!!

davycc

ADEBAYOR, ADEBAYOR... THIS IS THE BEST TEAM, YOUR EVER PLAY FOR!

just scraped through..i knew we should have scored a 4th in the 1st leg lol.....

Inter fans caught with the rascist chanting again.
time for eufa to come down hard on italian football with another €50.00 fine in 6mths time the gutless shams

mickman

Didnt see any of the game but read lots of articles after on it.

Holtby was apparently shocking - robbed easily and just jogging around.

what was wrong with everyone ?

Sugarlumps

I wouldn't be so quick to judge Holtby just yet, at the moment he looks incredibly unfit. After 30 minutes he looks knackered in every game I've seen him play. Think I'm right in saying he hasn't lasted 90 minutes? At best a good squad player, new league and team so may take some time to adjust.

Bar Vertonghen, Sigurdsson and Dembele the rest were bloody awful. We never looked like scoring, Dembele saved us once again even though ade scored.

Naughton and Walker were, well I can't put into words how bad they played. Parker thinks he's something he's not. Constantly losing possession and going on these mazy runs to nowhere.

And this high line with Brad in nets is suicide.

Hatch99

Blessed to get through, but getting through in cup competitions is the important thing. Some shocking performances throughout the side, too many to go in to.

It was the first time I have felt that the team selection was crazy. Why play 2 strikers when we never do, we were 3 up, not 2 down. Why didn't Caulker play ahead of Gallas, Gallas is a liability at this stage. The 2 lads up top should be docked a weeks wages for their performances, they were both disgraceful.

mickman

Sugarlumps wrote: »

I wouldn't be so quick to judge Holtby just yet, at the moment he looks incredibly unfit. After 30 minutes he looks knackered in every game I've seen him play. Think I'm right in saying he hasn't lasted 90 minutes? At best a good squad player, new league and team so may take some time to adjust.

Bar Vertonghen, Sigurdsson and Dembele the rest were bloody awful. We never looked like scoring, Dembele saved us once again even though ade scored.

Naughton and Walker were, well I can't put into words how bad they played. Parker thinks he's something he's not. Constantly losing possession and going on these mazy runs to nowhere.

And this high line with Brad in nets is suicide.

This is a good point. The high line works with Lloris because he is just so quick off his line to mop up any errors from the back 4 but brad stays on his line so it doesnt work .

I also agree about Parker - i have been very defensive of him in the past but now he is beginning to annoy me

constantly running into people and just running around wasting energy for no reason at all.

I hear Gallas had a great game :-)

Leinstersqspur

First problem, we started 4-4-2 away in Europe, reminiscent of Young Boys.
Second problem was playing the high line Gallas & Friedel.
Time and time again Inter played a long diagonal ball over the defence. Add to that the space Walker and Naughton kept leaving for players to run into, Sigurdsson spent most of his night covering for Naughton.
Third problem was central midfield. Playing Dembele and Sigurdsson on the wings is fair enough but not in a 4-4-2, where our two strikers are left feeding off the creativity of Parker and Livermore! Everytime they had the ball they were passing it sideways or hopeful passes up to the striker, neither of them could hold the play and relieve the pressure. In fairness, playing Tom Carroll in there would have been risky too, Inter were pretty physical.

Hotlby had a good few sloppy touches (Defoe's touch was worse) but I wouldn't say he was shocking, reserve that for the full backs, Gallas and the centre midfield.

Sugarlumps

mickman wrote: »

This is a good point. The high line works with Lloris because he is just so quick off his line to mop up any errors from the back 4 but brad stays on his line so it doesnt work .

I also agree about Parker - i have been very defensive of him in the past but now he is beginning to annoy me

constantly running into people and just running around wasting energy for no reason at all.

I hear Gallas had a great game :-)

So have I regarding Parker, but for some reason he's changed his normal game this season? Just go back to winning the ball and lay off a simple pass to those that are more accomplished? Billy Gallas...I presume this will be his last season with us!

Leinstersqspur

There was a good few occasions last night when Friedel was found rooted to his line. Lloris has to start in the next round, at this stage of the competition every club plays their strongest team. There is no point saying you're taking a competition seriously and not playing your strongest team. Wasted journey and you end up getting embarassed like last night. Still amazed we got through, they spurned a few very good chances.

Sugarlumps

Stupid question but has that been done, changing keepers in a cup competition? It's Friedels swan song, can't see it happening.

Hatch99

Sugarlumps wrote: »

Stupid question but has that been done, changing keepers in a cup competition? It's Friedels swan song, can't see it happening.

There is no place for sentiment when you get this far, if we want to win this competition, we have to play our best side from here on in.

Sugarlumps

Hatch99 wrote: »

There is no place for sentiment when you get this far, if we want to win this competition, we have to play our best side from here on in.

I agree, just don't think it will happen though.

celt262

Sugarlumps wrote: »

I agree, just don't think it will happen though.

It will be the end of the road if it doesn't happen.

mickman

celt262 wrote: »

It will be the end of the road if it doesn't happen.

Remember when cudicini was played in FA cup semi against chelsea and we got battered cos harry said "carlo is my cup keeper"

Bodie Doyle

mickman wrote: »

Remember when cudicini was played in FA cup semi against chelsea and we got battered cos harry said "carlo is my cup keeper"

You cannot blame Brad for last nights performance. Look at the chance Palacio (?) hit the bar with in the first half, the line was so high up the field a simple lob over the top and Palacio was through. Unless Brad has a turn of pace like Bolt he is never going to intercept the pass. Also their second goal was a through ball where Gallas left Palacio behind him only to find our "line" all over the place. The keeper did the correct thing in staying up for as long as possible but it was a great finish.
The high line is a disaster waiting to happen. All the good teams will break it down. (Liverpool could have a had a few with better passing and even Arsen*l smade the wrong decisions when a simple pass would have opened us up) We cannot keep on relying on Jan to make last ditch tackles or for Walker to use his pace to cover.
I am not sure who or what to blame for last nights performance - were the players tired? Did AVB send out the wrong signals and try to play too defensively? ( I know we had 2 forwards on the pitch but this possession football with no goal threat is useless). Do our forwards need to learn/remember how to finish? (Ade last night, Defoe in teh first leg)

And then there was Lewis Holtby. Is he on the Wayne Rooney diet? Overweight, unfit and knackered after 30 mins. Get him to the training ground for a few weeks before he is allowed back on the pitch.

Hatch99

Who do you want in the draw ? Anyone bar Chelsea for me.

Sugarlumps

I don't mind who we get, I'm just happy we snuck past Inter and are into the quarters.

mickman

Holtby looks like he is trying to pack on muscle and looks like he is drinking too much protein shakes and eating too much steak

Bodie Doyle

Yup anyone but Chelsea.
Can we draw Lazio after playing them in the group stages?

Hatch99

Bodie Doyle wrote: »

Yup anyone but Chelsea.
Can we draw Lazio after playing them in the group stages?

We can afaik

golfball37

Benfica are the best team left in it imo. I would like to avoid them and Rubin Kazan for logistical reasons. Wouldn't fancy Lazio either.

Anyone else including the 2 English teams would be ok.

Ormus

Are we really all that surprised that Spurs made it so difficult for themselves?

I know people say we have more steel this year but that's different, we have shown great spirit in winning tight games.

We are still Spurs - that means we are disastrous at protecting a lead, especially a big lead, especially away from home, especially for a full 90 mins, especially when we have comedy full backs and are missing our best player.