Rival watch

It doesn't appear to be factored into their calculations on the UEFA site:
http://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/newsid=2398575.html

It only has it for four teams and not five. Not sure how it works now, honestly.
Looks like it won't be much of a hit though, if it does happen.

 

Doesn't matter. They spend ****loads on wages and the sponsors like them.

 

Don't know about that rcl. Most of their recent signings - irrespective of how underwhelming they turned out to be - have been massive, massive names coveted by multiple big clubs across Europe. Bottom line is they remain a massive club with a bottomless pot of leprechaun gold.

 

That wall is not back 10 yards. So much gamesmanship.

 

Ziyech free kick straight into the wall. Definitely something of the Eriksens about him.

 

How many Dutch players called De Jong are there? Can they field a whole team?

 

Don't know if anyone saw Herrera throw himself to the floor pretending he was headbutted, but I'd like to take this opportunity to remind everyone that he is a colossal twat.

 

I went to school with a kid called De Jong. He spoke 5 languages fluently. Total ****er.

 

Somewhere out there, there has to be a Dutch player named Je Dong, just to screw with everyone.

 

Bloody hell this Davidson Sanchez would look good in a Spurs shirt. Something of the Ledleys about him.

 

Herrera with another Swan Lake audition. Odious pillock.

 

Herrera with a massive, blatant dive. "Wins the free-kick", apparently.
And that's why I'm not keen on the diving video ref. It won't be applied equally.

 

Does this mean that Everton get Europa League next season?

 

They were going to, anyway.
Top 3 is CL, 4th is CL qualifier, 5th is EL and so are the cups.
If a cup winner already has European football, then the place goes to the next side in the table that doesn't.

5 Premier League sides in the Champions League next season, assuming Liverpool get through.
Arsenal aren't one of them. Shame.

 

PL also-rans.
But two trophies and back door CL qualification is not bad compensation.
In years to come, it will simply be remembered as another season when Utd won trophies.
Say what you like about Mourinho, that's what he does
I still hate the EL though. Pointless competition designed to derail the league campaigns of all those teams involved.

 

For me winning the EL is not a good qualification for a team's ability to perform in the CL.

 

It includes teams who are not league winners.
It includes teams from leagues vastly inferior to the recognised major leagues in Europe.
I don't see how the EL winner is necessarily inferior to the teams who qualify through league position - especially when the winner could be a team who dropped out of the CL at the group stages!
Some teams performances in the group stages would suggest that they aren't up to performing in the CL (stand up Spurs).

 

Just look at Sevilla. Won it 3 years running then got knocked out by Leicester.

 

Our level of performance in the CL only further proves DGC's point. The EL does absolutely nothing in terms of preparing teams to take the step up to the big time. It is the equivalent of claiming that a kid who has been learning guitar for 2 years will be ready to headline at Glastonbury. The gulf in quality is vast.