***Official*** English Football Season 2018-19

[Furball]

that Otamendi pen is a load of absolute bollocks

2 great VAR calls in the Atleti-Juve game.

 

[Pothas]

Totally with Uppercut on VAR. Even when it gets it right I hate it.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

If pay good money to **** Leroy Sane.

 

[andmark]

European football strikes again: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/47315415

Edit: Yeah, DCYE, Sane's such a great footballer.

 

[sledger]

Ozil at full throttle here. Crap oppo I guess, but he's well up for it.

 

[Furball]

Teams who finish 3rd in Champions League groups shouldn't drop into the Europa League.

 

[GIMH]

Teams who finish 3rd in Champions League groups shouldn't drop into the Europa League.

Agree. Only time it should happen is the qualifying rounds. I’m okay with it there.

 

[cpr]

Not even sure it should happen there TBH. Yeah, yeah money and viewing figures n all that, but from a sporting perspective, nah.

 

[GIMH]

Not even sure it should happen there TBH. Yeah, yeah money and viewing figures n all that, but from a sporting perspective, nah.

I dunno. I’m fine with the CL qualifiers being a ‘which European competition do you qualify for’ thing than all or nothing.

Granted not all early CL exits get into the Europa but it makes sense to me

 

[Furball]

Not even sure it should happen there TBH. Yeah, yeah money and viewing figures n all that, but from a sporting perspective, nah.

There's so many teams in the Champions League qualifiers and so few places available that I'm fine with it. The Champions League drop outs get segregated in the Europa League draw anyway so a bunch of them end up knocking each other out anyway. I think there's maybe only 10 teams out of the 48 teams who make the group stages who are Champions League drop outs.

 

[Cabinet96]

Had never really thought about it that deeply before we faced Atleti last season. The more you think about it the more you realise how silly it is.

 

[sledger]

I dunno. I’m fine with the CL qualifiers being a ‘which European competition do you qualify for’ thing than all or nothing.

Granted not all early CL exits get into the Europa but it makes sense to me

Not allowing teams that go out in the CL qualifying rounds to go into the Europa League may also create perverse incentives for teams to try to finish 5th or 6th rather than 4th as well. Unlikely I guess but I could see how it could happen.

Also would mean that smaller leagues (where they don't even get 1 automatic CL spot) could (and probably would) often end up with no European representation in any competition whatsoever each year.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Not allowing teams that go out in the CL qualifying rounds to go into the Europa League may also create perverse incentives for teams to try to finish 5th or 6th rather than 4th as well. Unlikely I guess but I could see how it could happen.

Also would mean that smaller leagues (where they don't even get 1 automatic CL spot) could (and probably would) often end up with no European representation in any competition whatsoever each year.

correct, EL is filled with smaller country champions these days (which isn't a bad thing imo)

Although there's talk of a third competition which I have no idea how would work, sounds like it's some kind of Challenge Cup for non-champions from mid-sized countries

 

[Furball]

Not allowing teams that go out in the CL qualifying rounds to go into the Europa League may also create perverse incentives for teams to try to finish 5th or 6th rather than 4th as well. Unlikely I guess but I could see how it could happen.

Also would mean that smaller leagues (where they don't even get 1 automatic CL spot) could (and probably would) often end up with no European representation in any competition whatsoever each year.

ie the vast majority of leagues within UEFA.

Half the Champions League group slots go to the big 4 leagues.

Only 6 teams actually get into the Champions League via the qualification rounds that start at the beginning of July.

 

[Furball]

correct, EL is filled with smaller country champions these days (which isn't a bad thing imo)

Although there's talk of a third competition which I have no idea how would work, sounds like it's some kind of Challenge Cup for non-champions from mid-sized countries

Only 8 of the 48 teams that take part in the Europa League group stages are Champions that are benefitting from a 2nd chance.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

RIP Sarri.

 

[sledger]

lol, just as well they did not sell Hudson-Odoi I guess

 

[Furball]

RIP Sarri.

Assumed from your post he had been sacked.

You would have to assume that he'll need to try and work more with the youngsters at Chelsea. I'd have thought given the sea change that his style represents that he may prefer moulding young players to a system that he wants to play.

 

[sledger]

I'm sure he would prefer that. That probably won't factor in a great deal to what actually transpires though, one suspects.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

You have to think they had an idea this was coming. The Pulisic sign and loan and the 18month loan spell for Higuain make a bit more sense now.

I'm not gonna stick the boot in until I'm sure we don't have one coming too