Expectations from our European campaign

[Bruce Wayne]

Now that the draw has been made I was just wondering what peoples expectations were for this season.

Personally I think it will be tough because all the teams in our group have some quality and as we showed against Metalist our game isn't really geared up for European competition yet.

So for me I'm treating this campaign as experience. I hope we'll improve and get some guys back from injury, perhaps add that one cultured midfielder in the January window and spring some surprises, but I don't expext us to pull up trees in this campaign.

 

[micknick]

Im expecting us to improve as the season goes on- we have to! I think the European adventure could well see us from the group stages to the knock out but probably no further.

With players such as Cahill, Vaughan and Gravesen to come back into the side and a couple more players in january I think we will get progressively better as the season goes on.

 

[TX Bill]

I agree with Mick's assessment. Nothing really to add.

 

[atrottel]

I would be disappointed if we didn't get through the knock-out stages. I think each of the four games will be competitive, but I think we have done OK with the home/away selection as well as the choice of opponents.

Anything more than that would be a bonus, although I would also like us to draw a big European fish if we do get through the group stages. As you say, it's all experience and, hopefully, adding to our European ranking. And, if we are playing well, I don't see why we couldn't progress further. But we will have to raise our current game.

 

[TX Bill]

That would be nice if we were to get through the group stages. Part of me wouldn't want a big fish but then part of me would. I'm really torn on that.

 

[SuitsBlue]

villareal please, first knock out stage.

for the season, getting a uefa place again is paramount. if it means going all out for the carling cup, then so be it, if it means staying top of the fair play charts, fine. even intertoto is a line in, so that cant be sniffed at.

with city, villa, and newcastle all having improved the battle for fifth and sixth place this season will be tougher than ever.

 

[zero]

Bollocks! We're going all the way to the final, then we'll beat Munich 5-2 on penalties after it became 2-2 after extra time.

(Taking a page out of TX's prediction book )

 

[Piijt]

I don't think we'll lose a home game to any in this group. AZ away will be tricky though. Let's face it, we got just about the easiest group, if we can't get through this lot then we will have a problem.

 

[Sim]

I'm just really happy we now have 4 european matches left and with the possibility of more. I tend to see it from your point of view Bruce, in that this is damn good experience. But as micknick also points out, we almost certainly will get better, so you never know, with a bit of luck...

 

[neonleon]

Group A Betting

15/8 Everton
12/5 AZ Alkmaar
13/5 Zenith St Petersburg
5/1 Nurnberg
14/1 Larissa

from paddy power. we are faves to win group.

Uefa Cup Latest

7/2 Bayern Munich
9/1 Tottenham Hotspur
10/1 Atletico Madrid
12/1 Villarreal
18/1 Hamburger SV
20/1 Fiorentina
22/1 Bayer Leverkusen
22/1 AZ Alkmaar
22/1 Everton
33/1 Spartak Moscow
33/1 Girondins Bordeaux
33/1 Lokomotiv Moscow
33/1 Galatasaray
40/1 AEK Athens
40/1 Bolton Wanderers
40/1 Rennes
40/1 Getafe
40/1 Zenit St. Petersburg

pasted from OS.

 

[Piijt]

Spurs 9 / 1, us 22 / 1
WTF is all that about..?

 

[SuitsBlue]

previous competition history

 

[TX Bill]

Bollocks! We're going all the way to the final, then we'll beat Munich 5-2 on penalties after it became 2-2 after extra time.

(Taking a page out of TX's prediction book )

Don't laugh but when discussing the World Cup Final, I sent an email to my friends with a prediction of 1-1 with Italy winning on penalties.

I had actually forgotten about it until one of 'em dredged up the old email and asked me if I had put any money on it.

Naturally I hadn't.

I can talk a big game but.....

 

[Piijt]

They won the UEFA cup in 1972 and 1984.
Surely the odds are based upon current performance.

 

[SuitsBlue]

they were in it last year and were put out by the then holders that went on to retain the cup.