Match Day Thread Hapoel Be'er Sheeva vs Southampton 29/09/2016 Kick-off 6pm

Oops, forgot Davis! It's tough having enough good players to fill a bench and have some left over!

 

I was getting worried that this game might be a banana skin to slip up on.

But, according to the Football Database (like FIFA rankings for clubs), we're the strongest team in the group by a long way:

* Saints - 21st in Europe
* Inter - 42nd
* Sparta Prague - 47th
* Hapoel Be'er - 111th

For reference, Celtic are ranked 46th (and Everton 51st), so plenty of reasons to be positive.

Source: http://footballdatabase.com/ranking/europe/1

 

Leaving today, let's see if Mossad are all they are cracked up to be.

 

*makes call on secure line*

 

Does that info you have provided actually make this out to be the potential banana skin we could slip up on?

 

Make sure you have an agenda (printed) and keep copies of the hotel bill, etc, plus get the name of an Israeli citizen who can vouch for you if necessary.
I was there on business a few years ago and they stopped me when I was leaving to get a 6am flight to London and, because I didn't have a copy of my hotel bill or itinerary, they (eventually - after about an hour of questioning) called one of my business partners in Tel Aviv (it was 5am) to get them to vouch for me.
Arrive in LOADS of time for flights - security is (quite rightly) unbelievable!!
Good luck - and enjoy!!

 

Why do you need to be experienced to play away on a stadium in Israel? Why is it so different to a PL away match? There's a pitch, there's a crowd, there's an opposition team...
It'.s just two football teams playing against each other, if you're playing better football chances are you'll win.

Another thing is, surely playing week in week out in the PL gives our player huge advantage over some players who play in league of Israel, even if they might have a couple more european matches under their belts.

In other words, let Hesketh play.

 

If it were as simple as 11 players on a pitch, why are most teams better at home than away?

 

Also this is not a case of a PL game in another UK city...there is air travel, excitement and tension involved. May help us that most of our players have international experience compared with in the past so are more used to travel

 

Of course there is such a thing as home advantage. But people are saying we should pick players with european experience for this match and I don't agree with that (although I'm also not against it, I just don't think it's a necessity).

 

Ah ok.. I picked up on the Hesketh part that you finished with. I'd have his first start in a friendly atmosphere at St Mary's for a Europa League game. Have him on the bench and if all is looking good, give him some minutes.

 

I think this is the first time ever I have absolutely no bloody idea about difficulty/expectations or how we should approach the game. The Beer boys raised a few eyebrows after the win against Inter but reports say they were very poor. I'm sure the club have done their homework though. I do not think we have the players or mentality to 'park the bus' but admit I'd be ok with a draw.

Best wishes and respect to those going.

 

Is this televised?

 

It does strangely feel like stepping into the absolute unknown but if Sparta are ranked twice as high as Beer Festival then as long as we can take the sting out of them and their crowd early doors like we did against Wet Spam then we should be OK

 

Yes. BT Sport

 

I think we should stop looking at the rankings. Perhaps that is what Inter did

 

Anyone watching this in a pub anywhere around or between Bank and Waterloo? I'm stuck in London with meetings so can't get home and if needs be i'll just be watching in a pub on my own with my iphone propped up on the app!!

 

https://www.whoscored.com/Matches/1139007/Preview/

Some stats about the teams. Author has gone for 1-1 draw and thinks we shouldn't take Beer lightly.

 

Referee bias.

Vin

 

And if you don't have BT Sport, tootle off to sportsmania or sportsnationhd (one and the same), bung them £26 for half a year and watch every single game regardless of who is showing it.

Vin