tbf it was Evra who said he was embarrassed, and we all know he's an arsehole
― Number None, Thursday, 15 December 2011 12:23 (twelve years ago) link
Ha, possibly that's true - my assumption was that PSG and Roma were halfway competent.
― Ismael Klata, Thursday, 15 December 2011 12:24 (twelve years ago) link
Don't agree with having the shite teams from the Champions League joining the competition halfway, that devalues it, then it becomes easier to dismiss it as the You're 'Opeless League
― Derek Pringles (Deep in the Tony Hart land), Thursday, 15 December 2011 12:29 (twelve years ago) link
Hm, I see Roma didn't even make it - apologies for neglecting you my sweet Europa League, I've changed, things will be different from now on.
― Ismael Klata, Thursday, 15 December 2011 12:29 (twelve years ago) link
I've got much love for the Europa League too. And the "self fulfilling diss" IK speaks of is so otm. This will also be the reason why City and United won't come far in the tournament; Basel was keen on kicking Utd's arse, a lot of clubs in the EL will be the same if not more motivated to do the same.
― lebateauivre, Thursday, 15 December 2011 12:30 (twelve years ago) link
dunno, if utd leave rooney out then they'll prob do ok
― bloating forecast: ruff swells (p much resigned to deems), Thursday, 15 December 2011 12:35 (twelve years ago) link
Yesterday: Barcelona will not sell David Villa (to Chelsea)Earlier: Chelsea will not sell Torres 'at any price'This just in: Villa breaks leg in Japan
― Ismael Klata, Thursday, 15 December 2011 12:45 (twelve years ago) link
First Putin fixes the election, now this
― Derek Pringles (Deep in the Tony Hart land), Thursday, 15 December 2011 12:49 (twelve years ago) link
Don't agree with having the shite teams from the Champions League joining the competition halfway, that devalues it, then it becomes easier to dismiss it as the You're 'Opeless League― Derek Pringles (Deep in the Tony Hart land), Thursday, 15 December 2011 12:29 (18 minutes ago) Bookmark Permalink
― Derek Pringles (Deep in the Tony Hart land), Thursday, 15 December 2011 12:29 (18 minutes ago) Bookmark Permalink
^^ this tbh
― ken c, Thursday, 15 December 2011 12:49 (twelve years ago) link
Yesterday: Barcelona will not sell David Villa (to Chelsea)Earlier: Chelsea will not sell Torres 'at any price'This just in: Villa breaks leg in JapanTorres: Still shit
― ken c, Thursday, 15 December 2011 12:51 (twelve years ago) link
Don't agree with having the shite teams from the Champions League joining the competition halfway, that devalues it
Agreed, the parachuting in shite is the absolute worst.
"Well done, you managed to finish above GENK! You're in!"
― mortified of ILX (onimo), Thursday, 15 December 2011 12:52 (twelve years ago) link
Yesterday: Barcelona will not sell David Villa (to Chelsea)Earlier: Chelsea will not sell Torres 'at any price'This just in: Villa breaks leg in JapanTorres: Still shitJohn Terry is a cunt
― lebateauivre, Thursday, 15 December 2011 12:52 (twelve years ago) link
that doesn't even rhyme tbh
The truth doesn't have to rhyme
― lebateauivre, Thursday, 15 December 2011 12:53 (twelve years ago) link
Sad for Villa. Was he still the main frwd for the national team during qualifying?
― pandemic, Thursday, 15 December 2011 12:54 (twelve years ago) link
God forbid they would have to resort to Torres this summer.
― pandemic, Thursday, 15 December 2011 12:55 (twelve years ago) link
Maybe they'll give Soldado a go after 3/4 years in exile.
― pandemic, Thursday, 15 December 2011 12:56 (twelve years ago) link
torres stinking up the bridgeForm so cold it's like a fridgeBarca wouldn't touch the sapOh wait- did i just hear a snapJohn terry is a cunt
― bloating forecast: ruff swells (p much resigned to deems), Thursday, 15 December 2011 12:56 (twelve years ago) link
Ruud van Nistelrooy is the 'World Goalgetter of the first decade (2001-2010)', just before Henry and Drogba
― lebateauivre, Thursday, 15 December 2011 12:56 (twelve years ago) link
If you can't do the timeDon't do the crimeIt doesn't have to rhymeJohn Terry is a cunt
― mortified of ILX (onimo), Thursday, 15 December 2011 12:56 (twelve years ago) link
love Villa, hope he comes back from this as good as ever.
liking this UEFA Cup revival as well, i'm sure it won't be spoiled by British football media behaving as if there's only 1 team in the competition now
― Angles that bitch (Julie Lagger), Thursday, 15 December 2011 12:58 (twelve years ago) link
Genuinely didn't know Ruud was also an alchemist in his spare time
― Number None, Thursday, 15 December 2011 12:58 (twelve years ago) link
where did van Nis come in the "World Elbowing Dudes in the Face of the First Decade" comp?
― Angles that bitch (Julie Lagger), Thursday, 15 December 2011 12:59 (twelve years ago) link
You won't catch me out that easily. we all know there are 2 NVxp
― pandemic, Thursday, 15 December 2011 12:59 (twelve years ago) link
They retired that trophy with Shearer. No one could compete xpost
― Number None, Thursday, 15 December 2011 13:00 (twelve years ago) link
You won't catch me out that easily. we all know there are 2 NV
Stoke and Man City
― Derek Pringles (Deep in the Tony Hart land), Thursday, 15 December 2011 13:01 (twelve years ago) link
The 'Europa League' is a pile of shite. It's not just the parachuting losers in halfway through, it's also the group format and the pool of teams (i.e. 5th-7th-best instead of 2nd-4th best). Old UEFA Cup & Cup Winner's Cup >>>>>>>>>> Europa League.
― The Artist Formerly Known As Teh HoBB, Thursday, 15 December 2011 13:02 (twelve years ago) link
Here's Neymar scoring a nice goal in the WCChttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ntRlXNVggQ
― Number None, Thursday, 15 December 2011 13:02 (twelve years ago) link
tbf if the Europa was still 2nd to 4th best clubs then Man U wd still be taking part
― Angles that bitch (Julie Lagger), Thursday, 15 December 2011 13:04 (twelve years ago) link
I quite fancy watching Santos-Barca. Is it on Sunday?
― pandemic, Thursday, 15 December 2011 13:06 (twelve years ago) link
(xp) next season, yeah, not this one - unless they introduced a rolling-impratical-where-you-are-in-the-table-right-now criterium
― The Artist Formerly Known As Teh HoBB, Thursday, 15 December 2011 13:07 (twelve years ago) link
:D
― Angles that bitch (Julie Lagger), Thursday, 15 December 2011 13:08 (twelve years ago) link
Er, 'criterion', sorry (got bike racing on the brain)
― The Artist Formerly Known As Teh HoBB, Thursday, 15 December 2011 13:08 (twelve years ago) link
Utd are going top on the weekend anyway
― Number None, Thursday, 15 December 2011 13:09 (twelve years ago) link
It's still the 2nd-4th best (or higher) for most countries, lamenting absence of the CL elite is very much a first world problem.
― Ismael Klata, Thursday, 15 December 2011 13:39 (twelve years ago) link
Yeah, but that wasn't how it used to work - it isn't 'still' 2nd-4th for those countries, because those countries would never have had three places in the old days.
― The Artist Formerly Known As Teh HoBB, Thursday, 15 December 2011 14:51 (twelve years ago) link
According to this:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_coefficientthe top three leagues (currently England, Spain and Germany) get four CL spots and then three EL spots; then the next three (Italy, France and Portugal) get three of each; then the 7th to 14th leagues (from Russia down to Austria) get two places in the CL and either 3 or 4 in the EL. It's only once you get down to the 16th-best league (Cyprus!*) that the second-placed team goes into the Europa League. Of course it gets muddied by teams getting knocked out of the CL in the qualification stages or group stages and getting booted down a level and also whether cup competitions are used instead of your league placing.
Also according to this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Europa_Leaguein the good old days (1980-1999), outside of the top eight leagues only one or two clubs would have been entered into the UEFA Cup.
*Scotland come 18th, just behind Israel.
― The Artist Formerly Known As Teh HoBB, Thursday, 15 December 2011 15:00 (twelve years ago) link
* Oof, and that's with Rangers' 2008 Uefa Cup final run due to drop out of the counting shortly.
The elite players are nearly all with the top dozen clubs nowadays too; I'm fine with the competition below Harlem Globetrotters level being a broad church.
― Ismael Klata, Thursday, 15 December 2011 15:05 (twelve years ago) link
In fact it drops out next year (it's the single biggest year for anyone outside the top eight leagues) and without it Scotland drop down to football-failed-state level i.e. Hungary. A lot hinges on Celtic giving Serie A leaders Udinese a damn good thrashing tonight.
― Ismael Klata, Thursday, 15 December 2011 15:16 (twelve years ago) link
without it Scotland drop down to football-failed-state level i.e. Hungary
Failed a long time ago. Hungary are better than Scotland these days, aren't they? National team's a lot better than it was.
― Derek Pringles (Deep in the Tony Hart land), Thursday, 15 December 2011 15:20 (twelve years ago) link
They do seem to have revived a bit. Probably roughly on a par these days, though Scotland losing their best player isn't ideal either. We need Hungary and Scotland back almost winning world cups imo.
― Ismael Klata, Thursday, 15 December 2011 15:26 (twelve years ago) link
D. Fletcher might be Scotland's best player but not when he's playing for Scotland
― Derek Pringles (Deep in the Tony Hart land), Thursday, 15 December 2011 15:29 (twelve years ago) link
... so I don't think he'll be missed tbh
― Derek Pringles (Deep in the Tony Hart land), Thursday, 15 December 2011 15:31 (twelve years ago) link
I guess 'Scotland's best player' rarely plays for Scotland, for various reasons (usually spats)
― Ismael Klata, Thursday, 15 December 2011 15:37 (twelve years ago) link
Man Utd player not playing as well for his country, who'd've thought it?
― Derek Pringles (Deep in the Tony Hart land), Thursday, 15 December 2011 15:39 (twelve years ago) link
It's true that Jock Stein didn't look kindly on Charlie Nicholas turning up to training in a pair of thesehttp://www.partydomain.co.uk/images/P/22650.jpg
― Stevie T, Thursday, 15 December 2011 15:46 (twelve years ago) link
http://www.partydomain.co.uk/images/P/22650.jpg
― Stevie T, Thursday, 15 December 2011 15:47 (twelve years ago) link
So funny I had to post it twice.
― Stevie T, Thursday, 15 December 2011 15:48 (twelve years ago) link
Only left footers in spats
― Derek Pringles (Deep in the Tony Hart land), Thursday, 15 December 2011 15:51 (twelve years ago) link
I was 'hoping' that image would be his apocryphal modelling shoot in fetching leather-jacket-and-speedos combo.
― Ismael Klata, Thursday, 15 December 2011 15:57 (twelve years ago) link