Europa League 2016-2017

Pity for who? Doubt United fans care. Another trophy to finish their collection and guaranteed CL football next season.

 

De Ligt looks a really good defender already, Sanchez looks really raw but is a great athlete. Had heard lots about Dolberg (sp?) but he was anonymous.
Thought (hoped) the styles of the two teams could make for an interesting game and with their much talked about playing style Ajax could have made a go of it, but Man U stifled them with what will be called a professional job by some, just not a very good spectacle for the neutral.

 

Only watched the 2nd half. thought the game was poor after United scored again. Ajax didn't really manage to create much. they looked out of depth. Man Utd were the more clever team last night.

 

No you're right, it's got nothing to do with a terrorist attack. But I stand by my point that football is a powerful thing and can let people escape for 90 mins. I know it changes nothing, but it's something.

I hate Ajax because of what their fans, albeit a small minority, done over here.

I've always kind of liked United compared to the rest of the English teams.

 

So they go straight into the group stages? Utter bollocks imo should have too at least qualify for it, we work our balls off all season and have to navigate 3 tough rounds

 

Why are people so disgusted that the Europa winners get a place in the champions league yet before man utd won it, it was a great idea and gave the competition some meaning again.
Is it because an English team won? all sounds bitter to me.

Ajax were *, they stayed central to attack, if that was us paddy would have tore down the wing, split them open but ajax just tried to go through the centre. ... where 10 men stood. No wonder they lost.

 

Going into straight into the group stage is my problem make them qualify from the same stage as us

 

I think the CL spot will lead to more 'big clubs' trying to win it. Fair enough really.

 

So if we win it you'd still want us to start in the 2nd round ?

 

Agreed, I think it's a good idea. Something had to be done as the competition was quickly losing it's appeal, clubs now take it a little more serious.

Also, * having the Europa winners in our qualifying draw, we have enough problems getting past Hapoel * Be'er Sheva! Going into the non-champions route wouldn't be much of a reward, still very hard to get past some of the big teams in that draw.

I like it the way it is now.

 

Of course you shouldn't be gift wrapped a group stage place, I've always said the domestic champions should be the only ones given a group stage place everyone else should qualify

 

Ajax were absolutely dreadful in the final third last night.

United are brutal to watch, don't care how well they defended last night, they didn't deserve to win. An unbelievably lucky deflection and a poxy tap in from a corner where Mhikytaryan wasn't even supposed to be forward are what won them the game. Outside of that they were shocking going forward, long balls up to Fellaini and then hoping for Rashfords pace to get them up the pitch. Horrendous.

One of the shitest finals I've watched, but it was always going to be I suppose.

 

I don't think you can blame Ajax at all, they seem to be getting a lot of negative attention after last night.

An average age of 22, 6 of the starting 11 21 or under, 17 and 20 year old centre back pairing, 19 year old leading the line.. Coming up against a seasoned, well drilled Mourinho side. Their young team just didn't have the experience or ability to win.

United sat back and Mourinho must have had an inkling into how the game would turn out.

Ajax gave it their best shot, the players weren't hiding - They just didn't have enough to get through a negative Mourinho side. Better teams than that young Ajax side have tried and failed.

Ajax deserve credit, incredibly young squad, the youngest ever, and they tried to play football the right way.

 

This crap about teams who dont win the league getting guaranteed GS spot in CL should stop.

My idea.

Only Winners get into CL.
I am talking about winner from every Euopean league plus both of their cup winners.
For Europa it should be all league runners up and Cup runners up.
As example for qualifiers from this season

CL- Celtic
EL- Aberdeen
Since Aberdeen are also in Scottish Cup the league runners up get the 3rd spot.
Unfortunately that means Sevco this season as Aberdeen are in 2nd in league as well.

Placings would be from the end of this seasons coefficients but after that coeffiicents would only be used for previous season not before that.

No seedings to take place at all.
Just standings as currently in UEFA tables.
Maximum teams from each country is 3 except the country who have a winner from Europa.

This would give CL a starting amount of 160 teams, i think, with lowest ranks starting at 1st round

1st rd) 160 teams
2nd rd) 80 teams
3rd rd) 40 teams
4th rd) 20 teams
5th rd) 10 teams plus CL holders and EL holders = 12 teams

Split 12 into 4 groups of 3
1st 2 from each group qualify for QF
3rd place, if not already qualified, get automatic entry to following seasons Europa

Then normal QF, SF and Final.

No seedings throughout the whole competition. Open draw meaning teams from same country could posibly be drawn against each other

 

"Absolutely nothing in Amsterdam"

 

If you win the CL/European Cup, then you should be guaranteed a lifetime of qualification for the grou stages, or whatever other format it evolves into.

Simple.

 

English teams ruin every European game I watch. Boring *.

 

You have my approval.

 

Herrera: United's new hard man.