Europa League 2011/2012

1-0 Valencia.

Far too easy.
 
Poor defending.

But Stoke were good and created 2 very good chances.

Make that 3.
 
A lot of time wasting by Lokomotiv Moscow since the 15th minute, boring shit.
 
Not impressed by Bilbao, doesn't seem like the have any other plan than aiming crosses towards Llorente. Munain has been totally out of the game.
 
People must have very low standards set before they watch Stoke. They have no guile, thought or invention but get praised for 'having a go' and fashioning half chances.

This is a side that spends £20 million every summer transfer window.
 
He started well but that continuing spat with the right back has completely derailed his first half.

Edit: Muniain did, not Stoke.
 
I've liked the look of the Lokomotiv left winger.

Red card for Amorebieta! What a pillock.
 
Bilbao's left back has been sent off, could look like we're going to Moscow again
 
1-0 Bilbao, Muniain :D

Now Lokomotiv Moscow's time wasting doesn't look that bright, serves them right.
 
Goal for Bilbao. Poor defending, and they're going through on the away goal.
 
I had no idea Obinna was playing for Lokomotiv. Although I haven't exactly been following his career in great detail.
 
Tarasov should've walked a couple of times by now, 3 hand balls and plenty of fouls enough for at least 2 yellow cards.
 
So the Stoke players that didnt go. Are they injured or rested?
 
Bilbao it is. Would rather have played the 7th best team in Russia than the 4th best in Spain.
 
The following teams are (as good as) through:

Manchester City
Valencia
Bilbao
Hannover
Twente
Metalist Kharkov
PSV
Udinese
Standard Liege


We would play Bilbao in the next round!
 
Excellent news for the travelling fans, for the future of this competition, and most importantly, for not having to listen to the Caf moan, and moan and moan and moan.
 
Atletico Madrid v Besiktas
AZ Alkmaar v Udinese
Mentalist v Olympiakos
Manchester United v Athletic Bilbao
Sporting v Manchester City
Standard v Hannover
Valencia v PSV
Schalke v Twente

I fully expect City to go through. Sporting barely handled Legia and they're worse than Porto by somewhat a margin.
Atl. Madrid are hot in this comp and should beat Besiktas.
PSV can well beat Valencia. They didn't look at all impressive against Stoke. PSV had no problems.
 
Athletic Bilbao 1 - 0 Lok'v Moscow (Athletic Bilbao win on Away Goals Rule )
Club Brugge 0 - 1 Hannover 96
FC Twente 1 - 0 Steaua Buch't
Paok Salonika 0 - 3 Udinese
PSV Eind'ven 4 - 1 Trabzonspor
St'dard Liege 0 - 0 Wisla Krakow (Standard Liege win on Away Goals Rule )
Valencia 1 - 0 Stoke
Anderlecht 0 - 1 AZ Alkmaar
Atl Madrid 1 - 0 Lazio
Besiktas 0 - 1 Braga
Met'st Kharkiv 4 - 1 SV Salzburg

Are the teams that went through tonight.
 
Of the teams left, besides Manchester City, the most dangerous teams looks to be Metalist, Dutch teams and Italian teams. They've been playing good football in Europe. Athletic Bilbao lost a center half to a red card today and Valencia looks sloppy recently. Never know how those Spanish team will do. But for me, the teams I mentioned first look like they want to win it the most.
 
Moved this reply to hear because it had nothing to do with the atmosphere thread.


rcoobc said:
It's true, there is little to get out of it sadly. The money is fairly decent if you win it, although pretty poor for most other teams. Apart from a Super Cup position there is no reason to try though which is very sad.

This really is only the case with English football though. I guarantee that German teams, Spanish teams, French and Italian teams all take it far more seriously. Aside from the 4 English teams there are only a handful of European teams the competition would mean little for.

It's true that the Europa League has systemic problems which UEFA seem to want to do anything but solve. They could have made the Semi Final and Quarter Final single games, so making it just as long as the Champions League, but they didn't and have put the Champions League Last 16 over 4 (5) weeks as a result. Eventually the Champions League may suffer because of this.

Stoke today and Tottenham's attitudes previously have been pretty disgraceful. Stoke especially seriously cannot be that worried about relegation. They had a chance to have a famous European Night, and instead disgraced English football.

I'd like us to win the thing, and I watch the Europa League anyway, but we shall see. Look at it this way though, last year it had Manchester City and Liverpool, this year it has Manchester City and Manchester United, next year it will have Arsenal or Chelsea and probably Liverpool again. English football needs to get over their selfish spoilt attitude. If Newcastle make 4th 3 of the "big 4" will be in the Europa League next season. How I shall laugh then.

UEFA needs to stick a Champions League spot on the end of the Europa League, make the Super Cup a competition for the 4 finalists of the two cups, and a worthy trophy in its own right, get sky to show 50% of the live games, and probably do more besides, if this competition will be accepted by the majority of fans though.

Edit - This was a long 5am rant.
Click to expand...
 
Come on Newcastle. Stick Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal in the Europa League next year. Not because I want to see them suffer, but because I am sick of English football's elitism.
 
Look at the teams that could finish in the Europa League spots:

England.
Cardiff City (League Cup)
Liverpool (League Cup, FA Cup or 5th Place+)
Chelsea (5th Place+ or FA Cup)
Arsenal (5th Place+)
Newcastle (5th Place+)
Other FA Cup Winner.

Spain. Assumed a Barcelona Copa Del Rey win.
Espanyol (5-6th Place+)
Athletic Bilbao (5-6th Place+)
Atletico Madrid (5-6th Place+)

Italy
Lazio (5-6th Place+)
Roma (5-6th Place+)
Napoli (Coppa Italia or 5-6th Place+)
Inter (5-6th Place+)

Germany
Werder Bremen (5-6th Place+)
Bayer Leverkusen (5-6th Place+)
Hannover 96 (5-6th Place+)

France
Lille (5 Place+)
Saint-Étienne (5th Place +)
Lyon (5 Place+, League Cup or FA Cup)
Marseille(5 Place+, League Cup or FA Cup)

Not a complete picture, but there are at least 10 teams you would associate with the Champions League there. That is without the Champions League group stage drop outs too. Cant understand the attitude towards this cup.
 
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