UEFA Champions League 2011-12

[DJ_Markstar]

Pires was just one of those magical players who could play in numerous positions to a world class standard.

 

[redwhiteAustrian]

Think Bobby was still brilliant as LM right until the end of the 2004/05 season but I see where you're coming from.
His eye for goal, coupled with his vision and great passing would've been quite good to have in central midfield, for the CL.

 

[Thommybhoy]

What would happen if APOEL won this year's CL?
They are not champions of Cyprus, they finished 3rd. Cyprus only has 1 team in CL.
So would APOEL go to CL into group stage and current champions would have to go to Europa league even though they are champions?

 

[dpt49]

What would happen if APOEL won this year's CL?
They are not champions of Cyprus, they finished 3rd. Cyprus only has 1 team in CL.
So would APOEL go to CL into group stage and current champions would have to go to Europa league even though they are champions?

I think the CL winners automatically go into the group stages, where ever they are in the league.

 

[AnthonyG]

What would happen if APOEL won this year's CL?
They are not champions of Cyprus, they finished 3rd. Cyprus only has 1 team in CL.
So would APOEL go to CL into group stage and current champions would have to go to Europa league even though they are champions?

No. For leagues which have fewer than 4 CL spots, an extra spot is awarded. In your example both would be in the CL; I don't know what Cyprus' league gets in terms of Europa spots, but one would be converted to a CL spot if APOEL finished there or, if not, it's +1 for European spots total.

 

[Cudareli]

I find it ironic that the manager who precipitated the continental revolution in England has struggled to adapt the most to the European competitions. We were frankly awful in Europe until about 2001-2002 when we finally started to notch up some decent scalps, but being outplayed and out-thought by supposedly weaker forces was still a common occurrence. It still amazes me how our Double winning side lost out to PAOK Salonika of Greece, or that clubs like Lens and even Galatasaray were able to better us. We produced a good UEFA Cup run towards the end of the century, but we were still found to be lacking at the end.

I think we struggled initially to adapt to Wembley, whilst our subsequent home form at Highbury was generally top class. Until Deportivo came to visit that is, and then Auxerre added insult to injury. Most of our major scalps during the period owed heavily to the likes of Kanu and Henry who were massive performers in several major ties. Nonetheless, our poor form continued right until we started to employ a more possession based strategy. Since then, we've started to beat the teams that we are superior than, and tend to only lose to those that are a step up in quality.

Wenger's record has improved in Europe, after all our team may have declined, but we're bank on favourites to progress out of the group stages now. Still, his poor finals record shows that even if he can forge a challenger, it most likely won't be a winner. Both Arsenal and Wenger have lost too many finals in our respective histories.

The truth is that the European competitions heavily favours a pragmatic possession side, or a defensive counter-attacking side. Only Real Madrid and Barcelona have succeeded with a true offensive strategy, and they've had the very best of players at their disposal. We lacked possession qualities in our earlier sides, but would have done better if our defence was more resolute. United, Liverpool and Chelsea all succeeded with a strong counter-attacking strategy, despite lacking possession qualities just like we did, but the difference was that they were much more stronger on the back foot. Our tendency to cut corners on the likes of Toure eventually cost the team, as good a defender as he was at times. Lastly, we never had Bergkamp in any of our away games, bar a few, which was arguably the biggest detriment to our prospects.

Wow :shock:

Post of the year contender and we are only in May.

 

[Thommybhoy]

What would happen if APOEL won this year's CL?
They are not champions of Cyprus, they finished 3rd. Cyprus only has 1 team in CL.
So would APOEL go to CL into group stage and current champions would have to go to Europa league even though they are champions?

No. For leagues which have fewer than 4 CL spots, an extra spot is awarded. In your example both would be in the CL; I don't know what Cyprus' league gets in terms of Europa spots, but one would be converted to a CL spot if APOEL finished there or, if not, it's +1 for European spots total.

Forgot about that "no country can have more than 4 teams in CL". Think it's rather unfair I must say.
I know it's Tottenham who doesn't get to play in CL because of it, but that doesn't make it fair.
So if it happened in France that has 3 sports their last team to get in CL would still be in CL, and English team isn't because England has 4 spots already. It punishing for being good. In this case whole league. Always great thing to do...

 

[DK Gooner]

I find it ironic that the manager who precipitated the continental revolution in England has struggled to adapt the most to the European competitions. ...................... Lastly, we never had Bergkamp in any of our away games, bar a few, which was arguably the biggest detriment to our prospects.

Good post Outlaw

I think the fact that we are seeded in pot 1 in the CL despite finishing 3rd or 4th in the league and our recent "luck" in avoiding big teams in the group stage may actually work against us in our efforts to win the competition. We are always favourite to top our group, and we only ever meet the best teams in the knock-out stages. If we had to fight to finish 1st in the group against a very tough opponent with serious ambitions of winning the tournament themselves, I think we would be better prepared for the knock-out stages, even if we ended up second. Having looked at the potential seedings for the group stage, I would like us to have a team like Valencia in our group.

 

[Anzac]

I find it ironic that the manager who precipitated the continental revolution in England has struggled to adapt the most to the European competitions. ...................... Lastly, we never had Bergkamp in any of our away games, bar a few, which was arguably the biggest detriment to our prospects.

Good post Outlaw

I think the fact that we are seeded in pot 1 in the CL despite finishing 3rd or 4th in the league and our recent "luck" in avoiding big teams in the group stage may actually work against us in our efforts to win the competition. We are always favourite to top our group, and we only ever meet the best teams in the knock-out stages. If we had to fight to finish 1st in the group against a very tough opponent with serious ambitions of winning the tournament themselves, I think we would be better prepared for the knock-out stages, even if we ended up second. Having looked at the potential seedings for the group stage, I would like us to have a team like Valencia in our group.

Agreed - top post Outie...

However IMO it doesn't matter who we're drawn against & when = our approach will always fundamentally remain the same.
In recent years we've had to go through 4th place qualification & still play the likes of Dortmund etc in the Group.
As a supposed top ranked club we shouldn't 'need' tougher matches in the Group stage to prepare us & as it is we often manage to blow winning the Group & finish 2nd by our own misdemeanors.

IMO whilst I agree with the fundamentals of Outie's post,
I also think that AW's inability to rotate / utilise a 25 man squad is also a major factor,
particularly when we are in the pointy end of the seson in all 4 comps from Feb on.
The more comps we are playing in the greater drain on the players & the more spectacular our expected 'collapse'.
We have a core of 3-4 players who play more PL matches than the top players at our top6 rivals, half out 1st XI play 30 or more games in the PL whereas most other top teams only have 1-2 who do so.
We also use these same core playes in the CL & FA Cup - hence we are a 1 Trick Pony in more ways than just formation, tactics & style.

Admittedly the issues re player burnout / injury are a consequence of a lack of genuine depth & balance in the 25 man squad = too much dross combined with too many opportunities for developing players to play.
IMO at least a handful of positions in the squads are 'dead' so far as any contribution is concerned - we essentially have no better than a match day 18 & the rest are made up for the numbers with Reserves & youth,
which IMO is simply not good enough to sustain a genuine challenge across 4 comps at the same time playing a match every 4 days from Feb on.

Our 'squad' is only good enough to genuinely challenge in the PL (as it is based upon an accumulation of points over the season rather than 1 off wins in a Cup comp),
whilst our ability to progess in the Cups is dependant upon injuries & a favourable draw to avoid the BIG teams who have more/better resources/approach on & off the field.

Our fundamental minimal/small minded approach continues to undermine any progress on/off the field,
and AW is incapable of maximising his return on his available resources becasue of his own philosophies & approach primarily to providing playing opportunities to developing players. Originally this was done only via the CCup squad, but now sees such players appearing in the PL & CL squads. I have no issues with the likes of Fabregas, Wilshere & Ox as genuine talents with genuine current capability, but for me the rest (including the likes of Walcott, Song, Gibbs & Rambo), had no place in those squads when they debued,
and I fundaentally disagree with AW's strategy/outcome that they will have more that 30-40 games in the CL by the time the reach age 23 when most players are making their debut. Apprearances & 'experience' means squat if it's devoid of lessons learned.

Apologies for rant & going off on a tangent.

 

[Jury]

and then Auxerre added insult to injury.

Got to just say that Auxerre side, under Guy Roux, put in the best performance I've ever witnessed by an away side. We were in great form and I was expecting them to fall apart. We couldn't get near them for entire 90 minutes.