Europa League Draw

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Ensiluokkainen said:
I reckon Redknapp will play an almost full strength side against Hearts - there's no point in going out before it actually gets to the group stages.
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Depends on whose still with us surely? 'Arry might use it to shop window a few players, and blood some youngsters for the upcoming PL campaign?

Think it will be a mix - the likes of Rose, Livermore and Townsend featuring if they're not out on loan, and the likes of Keane, Jenas and Bentley if they're not out the door and the rest made up of first teamers would be my guess.
 
He must play a full strength side in the first leg to get a good result. Suppose we play a weakened side and go down heavily? What I don't want is a frantic Spurs having to go for a win in the second leg. If we win the first comfortably then play the youngsters.
 
Without the pedantry, I meant that if they're are players still with us who we are looking to ship out to other sides, not in in the EL obviously, then it would be a good stage on which to show them...
 
Ensiluokkainen said:
Ah - I get you. Not the sensible thing to do in my opinion, the EL there's to win not faff about in. Either take it seriously or don't bother.
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I do think that even our supposed deadwood are more than capable of surpassing Hearts to be honest, and would take the comp seriously.

But I get where you are coming from.
 
Well Ensil, I have to say I do not disbelieve harrys last statement saying Livermore and Townsend, (I expect you can add Rose and a different keeper to them) will feature, I don't think anybody wants to bomb out like Villa did, but there would be a massive upside if it did happen....only the normal amount of league games on Sun and Mon.

Check our fixture list, the 1st leg is 3 days before Man Utd, the return sandwiched between that and Man City the following weekend. The same side will not play all 4 games.
 
The risk of injury pushing that hard, this early in the season, no, madness. I hear what you say, 2 games is to be expected, but not straight away imo. Peak fitness is achieved gradually, not by switch.

He would obviously never even hint it, but deepdown I doubt he gives a toss about the EL, he says all the right things for the club in the media, but its a hindrance to his main objective, 4th+. If we don't, players will leave, its as simple as that. THFC back to square one.
 
Completely agree with your summation notso, this season I think is all about 4th and if the EL falls early by the wayside I'm not going to be too fussed.

Although I still think whatever team is put out should be more than a match for Hearts.
 
Don't get me wrong Ensil, we share the same sentiment, i wish it was like the old days with the cups, sadly they're all secondary to one, the CL. The harsh reality of modern football is in our face this season, we have to qualify for it. You cannot stagnate for a second in this league, Liverpool did, look how easy it is to lose it. <ok>
 
Ensiluokkainen said:
Uefa could have added credibility and value to the competition had they given the winners an entry into the CL qualifying round. Then all sides involved would take it seriously as it would be worth winning.
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Thats a good point, but then there would not be a chance of a team retaining the cup (not that that really matters tbh)

Although, I think that you could be onto something Ens, if UEFA really wanted to make the CL special they would make it a true champions league by making the entry proviso having WON something in the previous season - so the teams for this season would be the Premier League champions, the FA cup champions and the League Cup champions.

as for places 2-4 in the league, they could go into the EL.

At least that way teams would put out their strongest line-ups in all competitions and none would be reduced to Mickey Mouse level (as some call it!)
 
OnlyOneDB said:
Thats a good point, but then there would not be a chance of a team retaining the cup (not that that really matters tbh)

Although, I think that you could be onto something Ens, if UEFA really wanted to make the CL special they would make it a true champions league by making the entry proviso having WON something in the previous season - so the teams for this season would be the Premier League champions, the FA cup champions and the League Cup champions.

as for places 2-4 in the league, they could go into the EL.

At least that way teams would put out their strongest line-ups in all competitions and none would be reduced to Mickey Mouse level (as some call it!)
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...and the Goons would not have had Champions League money for the last 6 yrs.:emoticon-0100-smile


I have to say the idea...well, I'm struggling to see fault! :emoticon-0148-yes:
 
Ensiluokkainen said:
I'm not so sure that I do - I would field the strongest side possible for the 1st leg, United away is never going to be easy. However with a decent lead and home advantage I would give others a chance in the home leg as it's City afterwards and despite the players they have bought in I'm not convinced that they will come out of the blocks as well as many other teams.
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Even though United are considered 'slow starters'? Not Everton slow, but slow all the same? A strong side up there and we could realistically come away with something.
 
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