Tonights exciting and all, but like a giddy kid counting down the hours to Friday lunchtime and 'holiday lottery day!'
And the way the pots are, we'd be massively unlucky not to drop on some boss trips. The Europa ****** all over the Champions League in that regard.
It's like Christmas day for adults..
.We didn't even want Europa League football as a club.
Funny how you view things as a fan. Naturally, you want to be in the Champions League. It's where we belong and what we've always been all about playing at Europe's top table. But with the same teams more or less year in, year out, those trips get predictable. So when you get a chance of something different in the Europa, it's a far more exciting prospect. And there's three or four potential brilliant trips in every pot. (Along with some horrendously long, expensive, and logistical nightmares. Astana would be a longer trip for example than Aberdeen made with their record haul the last round of qualifiers. Initial look at that through Moscow (not even half way), involves 8 hours in Moscow where you wouldn't even be able to leave the airport down to not having the Visa, and the flights are ridiculously early in and out of Khazikstan.).
Other fans who just have a passing look at Thursday night Europa games and naturally mock at some of the names and places. But they often make for boss, real fun trips. And you know unless it's a big one, most won't bother unlike the Champions League so prices stay lower which is all relative.
I'm babling but I love the group draws as good as any day in the calendar. It is like a holiday lottery. 3 potential trips that you don't know where your going but you know your gonna' have a great time and some stories to tell no matter how it ultimately goes.
We didn't even want Europa League football as a club.
Funny how you view things as a fan. Naturally, you want to be in the Champions League. It's where we belong and what we've always been all about playing at Europe's top table. But with the same teams more or less year in, year out, those trips get predictable. So when you get a chance of something different in the Europa, it's a far more exciting prospect. And there's three or four potential brilliant trips in every pot. (Along with some horrendously long, expensive, and logistical nightmares. Astana would be a longer trip for example than Aberdeen made with their record haul the last round of qualifiers. Initial look at that through Moscow (not even half way), involves 8 hours in Moscow where you wouldn't even be able to leave the airport down to not having the Visa, and the flights are ridiculously early in and out of Khazikstan.).
Other fans who just have a passing look at Thursday night Europa games and naturally mock at some of the names and places. But they often make for boss, real fun trips. And you know unless it's a big one, most won't bother unlike the Champions League so prices stay lower which is all relative.
I'm babling but I love the group draws as good as any day in the calendar. It is like a holiday lottery. 3 potential trips that you don't know where your going but you know your gonna' have a great time and some stories to tell no matter how it ultimately goes.
TV revenue and prize money is **** compared to what the teams would get from the premier league and champions league plus it isn't very effective at increasing a club's overall profile and brand. That's why, the Europa league is a hindrance for the top 8. The West Ham situation seems odd, however if you look at the effects of the Europa league of lower teams, it's devastating and some teams have been relegated after playing it the same season.
Firstly, teams from other leagues do not possess the huge resources of premier league clubs, meaning that the Europa league is viable. In Italy, Spain and Germany their respective football associations move dates of games to give larger gaps between league and continental competitions, as well as having a winter break. In England, you could play Thursday night, as well as Saturday (2 days later), while in Spain their FA would allow it to be played on a Sunday or Monday night.
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How would a player being injured suit a team? While I understand he may not have started, it's hardly good news.
If he isn't good enough to start, Brendan wouldn't pick him. He's best qualified to pick the team tbh.
In my opinion, Liverpool have got to stop buying so many average players. The only signing that's improved the first team is Clyne. Milner, Ings, Gomez, Bogdan and Benteke have all increased depth, however the first team isn't that improved. BR screwed up the Sterling contract situation, however after selling him, Liverpool should have left it in the kitty to offer big money to a champions league quality attacker. Liverpool aren't signing a top player based on future prospects due to many top European clubs having money, however if Liverpool payed over the market rate for a player, you might actually have improved. One example is Alexis. You may had enough had a better chance if he was offered 200k+ per week.