CL - What's the point

[PowerSpurs]

For a club which has never won the Champions League, I think we are being a bit snooty about the Europa. As mentioned above it could be an alternative route into the CL and there are some good nights out to be had in the knock-out rounds.

 

[The RDBD]

The byes that clubs get aren't that helpful: in the League Cup the clubs playing in Europe skip just one match, yet they have a bunch of midweek games added to their fixture list (including a two-legged semi final) and the mid-season final leads to fixtures being rearranged, while the FA Cup having replays not only adds the potential for additional midweek fixtures, but once again the probability of fixtures being rearranged.

I made this clear in the "season compass" article.
To reach the League Cup final only causes a one PL game backlog.
The FA Cup is far more damaging in its fixture congestion + coinciding with
PL/UEFA campaigns.

 

[The RDBD]

For a club which has never won the Champions League, I think we are being a bit snooty about the Europa.

The group stage is a logistics chore, irrespective of whether you can field weaker teams.
Anyway, no point in worrying about that this season until Feb at the worst.

 

[vimhawk]

I obviously know nothing about the CL. For example, looking at our group table it seems to me that if we win our last game and Bayer lose theirs, if we also turn round the goal difference why don't we go above them in the table? Is it only based on performances against each other rather than goal difference?

 

[Citizen Kane]

I obviously know nothing about the CL. For example, looking at our group table it seems to me that if we win our last game and Bayer lose theirs, if we also turn round the goal difference why don't we go above them in the table? Is it only based on performances against each other rather than goal difference?

The CL is based on head-to-head record if teams finish on equal points. Bayer's record against us is W1 D1 so they'd go through. Although why anyone would want us to go through and be humiliated in the knock outs is beyond me.

 

[Spurm]

For a club which has never won the Champions League, I think we are being a bit snooty about the Europa. As mentioned above it could be an alternative route into the CL and there are some good nights out to be had in the knock-out rounds.

The group stage is a logistics chore, irrespective of whether you can field weaker teams.
Anyway, no point in worrying about that this season until Feb at the worst.

So looking on the positive side.....
Coming 3rd is the best thing we could do! Don't mess it up Spurs! We had ZERO chance of winning the CL but at least have a slim chance of the EL. Plus we avoid the crappy EL group stages (right?) while getting the CL prestige.

We're the ****ing best!

 

[The RDBD]

"So looking on the positive side.....
Coming 3rd is the best thing we can now do! Don't mess it up Spurs! We had ZERO chance of winning the CL but at least have a slim chance of the EL. Plus we avoid the crappy EL group stages (right?) while getting much more of that CL filthy lucre."

<fixed>

 

[vimhawk]

The CL is based on head-to-head record if teams finish on equal points. Bayer's record against us is W1 D1 so they'd go through. Although why anyone would want us to go through and be humiliated in the knock outs is beyond me.

Thanks, I thought it must be but I've never really taken much interest in it before. It's a bit odd though that it doesn't use goal difference, which I assume most leagues use.

 

[PleaseNotPoll]

Thanks, I thought it must be but I've never really taken much interest in it before. It's a bit odd though that it doesn't use goal difference, which I assume most leagues use.

I actually think that head-to-head makes more sense in this sort of competition, though not in the league.
It prevents teams from progressing by steamrollering some crap side that's already been eliminated in the last game.