Match Day Thread 2015/16 Premier League, Cups & Euro Watch

never happen IMO.

FA cup is for all. I think they need to move it ealrier than january


I think league cup is toast if there's no europe for it. Its a nice to have for reserves at that point. certainly city and cheslea's obsession with it will end.

They both ignore FA cup as FA cup is on in run in and they don't want the distraction.

 

I think League One & Two clubs and none league sides would all be up for a group stage. Good chance they'll play a PL side.

Somehow make it a one game per opponent so total of three games in group. Lowest ranked side is at home?

 

Dunno.

It's also assured they are out after it.

Magic of cup is knockouts and drama and the dream that if you get that home tie you might even get through and get even bigger game.

If Utd, wolves, doncaster and rushden are in group it would be biggest miracle ever for rushden to top it.

 

Oh and imagine if Utd were already through and rushden are out. What kind of tie is that for fa cup?

 

I realise this is all make belief by the way, I'm just bored waiting to go home

 

Structure it so lowest and highest rank sides play each other first.

 

Although the EL as gained some interest in recent years (could be because we're in it ), I think its the poor relation that will never match up to the CL. Scrap it an make one big competition is the way to go imo.

However, groups of eight and fourteen games is too much. A team making the CL final (that didn't have to play qualifying games) only plays thirteen games.

 

Yes there's no TV money in europa and that shows in who wants it and who isn't bothered.

I've thought many times europa should be on before cl games in evening and whoever gets on rights has to take all... and then money should be shared more equitably.

Right now it's 3/4 more for cl just for turning up

But then if its all about money a prem league position is worth more than an fa cup or league cup in prize money

 

As I said above, I think the CL and EL should be merged. Have a group stage and split them off into two competitions then if you wish. Group of four, top team goes into CL last sixteen / eight. Second goes into EL last sixteen / eight.


Last sixteen would mean thirty-two groups of of four (128 teams) which is clearly too many. Thirty-two group of three is 96 teams so I'd go with that or stick with sixteen groups of four.

 

any other fixes you want.. maybe give them a 2 goal head start?

 

It would be predictable in that you'd still end with Barca, Real, Bayern and one other in the SF's so doesn't really change much. Do give the teams not making the SF's more glamour games possibly I suppose.

Maybe go with expanded KO' stages ending in round of 32 to produce 16 teams for the CL and EL (winners and losers) and then have 4 groups in each with the group winners going into the SF's.

 

Prob fair but.... actually... well... there is the thought that if you split them off for a second teir you would have sides who are not very interested and acting disappointing in it.

the current reality is if we had this set up and added say top 6 in spain it might be likley all 6 would be at top of groups... and english would be at bottom.

You don't need so many groups.

Do elimination rounds first and narrow the pool down to manageable numbers. that halves numbers each round then do the groups and then send top 2 in gorups to champtions ucp and next 2 in groups to challenge cup... the only prize is more coefficents and higher seedings.

 

yes. right now highly likely but it'd kill the leagues at home as those clubs would need 40 players to complete in both comps... they'll hoover up talent.

you can't play 38 league, what soundslike 20/22 games in europe, another 8 in a cup and do it with just 20 odd players.


I agree kill off ****e first then go for glamour groups and end with a "post season" play off system. reward topping group with easier tie.

 

10 years ago Bayern were always the bridesmaid never the bride. I think the cycle will come round again and they'll fall away again.

As for the CL, the problem is that more than half the games in the group stages are a complete fckin waste of time, that nobody cares about or wants to watch. That's got progressively worse over the last 12 years. Why? Bcos UEFA are far too busy trying to promote football in Austria and Greece or some recent state of the former USSR. Bollox to them. I say keep the same number of groups with 32 teams but lets have the 32 best teams in Europe!

I want to see Arsenal, United, Chelsea, City, Liverpool, Spurs, Juve, AC Milan, Inter, Napoli, Fiorentina, Real Madrid, Barca, Atletico, Villareal, Bilbao, Sevilla, Bayern, Dortmund, PSG, Lyon, Ajax, PSV slugging it out against each other in the group stages before we start entertaining entry to the likes of Apoel to make up the numbers.

Lets increase the allocations to the best leagues not reduce them! And if the likes of Malmo or Apoel or Maccabi Haifa Celtic want to enter they can play the 6th placed teams in England or Italy or Spain, or the 4th place team on Germany or Holland in the pre-qualifiers. Bcos the reality is they probably wouldnt get past them. And THAT would not only be fair but it would ensure the best teams would get through and as a result the vast majority of games in the group stages would actually matter.

 

Well all of that is true from an english perspective.

The problem is each country has an equal vote.

So it's like f1. Even if something is totally stupid it's in until they all agree to take it out.

So yeah.

No name Eastern teams... 80% of time are cannon fodder and then they have -10 degrees and playing at midnight to 1am to actually have the games?

Stupid.

But..... That's uefa isn't it.

The system now allows for the rise of a club. Like sevilla or Atletico. It was not that long ago they were jokes.

How most German clubs were jokes. How dortmund rose and fell and rose again......

City didn't exist as a force until a corrupt thaI prime minister bought them.

Chelsea rose then went bankrupt. They were nobodies until ken bates bankrupted them like leeds.

Actually poor leeds.... they were the ones not taken over by rich billionaire and saved....

Who are we to say who's fit for the top table....

 

You've missed the point of the prime driver for this mate - money.

This is about the self defined 'top clubs' wanting a larger individual slice of the CL dosh. So they're wanting to push the number of participants down in order to gain a larger share.

In order to achieve that they've got to force some noses out of the trough. It explains the meeting of the CEO's from the 'big clubs' in London last month btw.

They'll be asking for it to be a guaranteed 'franchise' next, so that the self annointed don't even have to qualify and have their places guaranteed for a 3 year stretch. You watch.

 

My point is more subtle than that. It's irrelevant who the 6 clubs are from England, Italy or Spain are, or the 4 from Germany and for example Holland. They'll always provide a higher standard of football and more entertaining competion than the likes of Apoel.

10 to 15 years ago we had the likes of Celta Vigo, Villareal, Valencia, Inter, Bayer Leverkeusen where we now have Sevilla, Dortmund etc. The teams may change but the standard will remain.

 

Yes over apoel but.... in the 1990s red star Belgrade.... etc etc etc.

What you are saying is no other country can provide a top team and entertainment.

Well let's tell them all to stop playing then???

There must be some route to the top table... but in 1990 you could a lot easier than today as money has ruin the ethos akready

 

I didn't miss it mate, I just ignored it because it shouldn't be the driving force. Unfortunately it is and nothing will change that.

 

Sakho unused sub against holland