**Champions League Play Off Draws Fri 7th August 11am**

Visionary said:
I have to say this new draw is much better actually gives teams who win their leagues (i.e. champions) in the Champions League.
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The whole format is utterly, utterly retarded anyway.

I've just been to Prague for a week, and the people there I spoke to about football were complaining because in England, we get three people straight into the ECL and one qualifier.

What do they get? Two qualifiers. I actually felt pretty sorry for them.

Quite why their "champions" have to qualify for the "champions" league is beyond me. I know it's something to do with seeding, but it's completely ridiculous.
 
But then if we have the Champions of Lichtenstein (for example) playing instead of say Chelsea or Liverpool the competition would be far poorer.
 
Gooner14 said:
But then if we have the Champions of Lichtenstein (for example) playing instead of say Chelsea or Liverpool the competition would be far poorer.
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Fairer though, and then you wouldn't have the same teams qualifying every season.

If say Liverpool fell out of the competition and missed out on CL money then maybe Villa or Everton could finished in the top four (wouldn't mean anything because they wouldn't be in the CL :p but would mean they were closer to the title).

If Liverpool or Chelsea or anyone want to be in the CL they could always win the league. ;)

Maybe champ of Lichenstein is too far, but there would still be qualifiying phrases to get the best of the best out of the rubbish Champions.

Anyway if I had my way the tournament would be a straight knockout tournament anyway so if teams are deserving they will get to the quarters and semis etc. regardless of where they are from.
 
Should just rename the competition back to the European cup, the best teams in Europe should be playing in the 'Champions' league.

I really worry for Celtic at the Emirates if Mowbray attempts to play a more attacking style.
 
Tute said:
The whole format is utterly, utterly retarded anyway.

I've just been to Prague for a week, and the people there I spoke to about football were complaining because in England, we get three people straight into the ECL and one qualifier.

What do they get? Two qualifiers. I actually felt pretty sorry for them.

Quite why their "champions" have to qualify for the "champions" league is beyond me. I know it's something to do with seeding, but it's completely ridiculous.
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Well I agree with you also Tute....

Thing is the SPL face the exact same scenario next season as the teams from the Cech Republic.

We will have one Qualifier in each of the play off rounds next season :( One via Champions and one via the Non-Champions....totally gutting that the Champions from the majority of the European leagues are not represented.

The whole groups are made up with a few runners up from all over the place which in my opinion has always made it into a bit of a joke. Sure these are the "best" teams but they aren't the champions. This should be what the UEFA Cup always was for, I only think the top 2 should ever get entry and thats it. 4 from one league is always excessive.
 
For any Celtic fans thinking of flying down, Ryanair right now is very very cheap still, approx. £45 in total down and £45 in total coming back up. So around £90 if you get them now.
 
I think it should be Champions straight in, and the runners up qualify. That's it - two teams from each top league in each country.

That way we won't have the situation we currently do, where the ECL is made up mainly of English, Italian, and Spanish teams with a smattering of the rest.

I mean how are the lesser countries meant to improve if they can't get access to the funds from the group stage?

Also it would improve the image of the UEFA Cup a fair whack if teams from our top four ended up in it, there's no shame in being in it IMO and back in the nineties it used to be a very fiercely contested competition, with some fantastic matches.
 
The problem with this Tute is you know the greedy teams, i.e the big ones would then split and create their own competitions, this is the problem.

Anyways looking forward to seeing the game but honestly cant see past Arsenal, as long as their big players stay fit ;)
 
Rapier said:
Should just rename the competition back to the European cup, the best teams in Europe should be playing in the 'Champions' league.

I really worry for Celtic at the Emirates if Mowbray attempts to play a more attacking style.
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If anythings been learned by watching Arsenal last year its that sitting back to defend is suicide, attacking = almost certain goals. Teams that bothered attacking us and managed to score, Stoke, Hull, Fulham(while good normally couldnt' score to save their lives), etc, etc, etc.

Arsenal will probably score against Celtic, Celtic can go through by having the balls to score themselves and try outscoring Arsenal. Its pretty easy to score against Arsenal though, overload with players as you know our midfield won't track midfielders, you get 4/5 in and around the box, Arsenal concede.
 
jrodga2k5 said:
The problem with this Tute is you know the greedy teams, i.e the big ones would then split and create their own competitions, this is the problem.

Anyways looking forward to seeing the game but honestly cant see past Arsenal, as long as their big players stay fit ;)
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Yeah, I know. It's all posturing anyway - the ECL has already gone down this path and nothing will change that. :)

Best just to look forward to this game.
 
Just Celtic's luck that they'd get the away win and then face Arsenal. I'd expect Arsenal to draw at Parkhead and win at Emirates then again most thought Celtic would be beaten by Dinamo Moscow.
 
Celtic's results against the English in Europe aren't that bad and Mowbray is familiar with Arsenal having met them twice just last season..... I'm really trying to put a good spin on this :D
 
drunkenmaster said:
If anythings been learned by watching Arsenal last year its that sitting back to defend is suicide, attacking = almost certain goals. Teams that bothered attacking us and managed to score, Stoke, Hull, Fulham(while good normally couldnt' score to save their lives), etc, etc, etc.

Arsenal will probably score against Celtic, Celtic can go through by having the balls to score themselves and try outscoring Arsenal. Its pretty easy to score against Arsenal though, overload with players as you know our midfield won't track midfielders, you get 4/5 in and around the box, Arsenal concede.
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Those teams try to hit the front early; into the striker and get midfield runners in - having seen WBA play all of last season i can't see Mowbray changing his style of trying to pass through teams.

The past couple Celtic teams have outmuscled and outhussled quite a few of the bigger teams in Europe hence why i think they will get slaughtered if they attempt to outplay Arsenal.
 
I don't know why people want less teams from the big leagues and more teams from lets be honest, crap leagues. Its football, its supposed to be an elite competition, how good will it be to see Barca, Utd, Real, Chelsea playing, a team of amature footballers from San Marino.

More great teams, less bad teams = better football, more viewers, more money and more reason to play.

If it became 2 clubs from the top 3 leagues, you'd have no chance of a good league, very few good games and a LOT less money in it because less people would watch.
With less money involved, and less people watching, less people giving a damn about it at all, the top teams will take it less seriously aswell.
 
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