Europa League discussion

[Rapid 13]

@Crimson Dynamo I couldn't find a 24/7 bus service between vienna and bratislava. Between midnight and 5-6 am there isn't going on anything.

 

slovaklines.sk is the official bratislava airport bus service to vienna (and back). flixbus also has a lot of busses between the two cities (not all to the airport). train would be another option but it's more expensive and there's no train going to bratisava airport so you would need a bus there or taxi.

 

Just got my confirmation for the match ticket in Glasgow. Looking massively forward

[der Berliner 3,744]

Just reading the German board regarding the Villareal game and seen that we could miss about 7+ players. While Murphy, Dorrans and Rossiter were always out of the equation, Flanagan and Morelos are suspended, Ejaria on a touch-and-go (but more likely for the weekend), while Jack and McAuley out after international / training knocks. I reckon Coulibaly will get a start, while Grezda may have a cameo too. Not all of them certain starters, but that's 10 people alone who are either injured, suspended or not yet fit. Alas Villareal are seemingly not yet firing at all cylinders either, being 14th after but one win in 4 (2 losses), this weekend 1-0 at bottom of the table Leganes.

[buster. 5,196]

16 minutes ago, der Berliner said:

Just reading the German board regarding the Villareal game and seen that we could miss about 7+ players. While Murphy, Dorrans and Rossiter were always out of the equation, Flanagan and Morelos are suspended, Ejaria on a touch-and-go (but more likely for the weekend), while Jack and McAuley out after international / training knocks. I reckon Coulibaly will get a start, while Grezda may have a cameo too. Not all of them certain starters, but that's 10 people alone who are either injured, suspended or not yet fit. Alas Villareal are seemingly not yet firing at all cylinders either, being 14th after but one win in 4 (2 losses), this weekend 1-0 at bottom of the table Leganes.

Jack is an excellent and valuable player for us but i's frustrating that he misses so many games.

 

Just as it is to have so many good midfielders but thus far, always be restricted to bare bones plue one.

 

 

[JFK-1 1,693]

It's definitely disappointing that we can't field the strongest 11 or anything like it. A result in this the could really set us up for a run at the knockout stages.

 

On the other hand as soon as the draw was made I wrote this one off as doubtful and looked to all the other ties to get us through which I still deemed doable.

 

And let's face it. None of yscexpected to be here at all far less beating a side like this away. The entire group stage no matter what happens is a surprising and welcome bonus to our season.

[buster. 5,196]

13 minutes ago, JFK-1 said:

It's definitely disappointing that we can't field the strongest 11 or anything like it. A result in this the could really set us up for a run at the knockout stages.

 

On the other hand as soon as the draw was made I wrote this one off as doubtful and looked to all the other ties to get us through which I still deemed doable.

 

And let's face it. None of yscexpected to be here at all far less beating a side like this away. The entire group stage no matter what happens is a surprising and welcome bonus to our season.

Thursday is effectively a 'free hit'.

I'd go for the element of surprise, attack and go for a goal in the first 15 to 20 minutes.

 

I can't see 90 minutes of parking the bus working against a team that has quality middle to front.

 

Had we had Jack and Ejaria fit, I'd be much more confident of getting a result.

 

 

[Tannochsidebear 2,411]

Did I not read somewhere that Morelos & Flanagan were not suspended because all cards were cancelled after the qualifying rounds? I thought that was a bit suspect at the time!

[Tannochsidebear 2,411]

28 minutes ago, buster. said:

Thursday is effectively a 'free hit'.

I'd go for the element of surprise, attack and go for a goal in the first 15 to 20 minutes.

 

I can't see 90 minutes of parking the bus working against a team that has quality middle to front.

 

Had we had Jack and Ejaria fit, I'd be much more confident of getting a result.

 

 

What little evidence we have is that SG is more inclined to go deep and defensive when up against it. The games we played with 10 men or when trying to hold out like at Fir Park, and the overly negative tactics at the piggery would indicate that we are more likely to try to shut up shop until such time as we are no longer level, and try to hit on the break or from a set piece.

 

 

[Whosthedado 1,685]

17 minutes ago, Tannochsidebear said:

Did I not read somewhere that Morelos & Flanagan were not suspended because all cards were cancelled after the qualifying rounds? I thought that was a bit suspect at the time!

Yes mate I definitely read that somewhere too. Obviously not the case!

[Uilleam 5,940]

I hear, and keep hearing, that Villareal is out of form, struggling in  La Liga, not ready for the EL, and, thus, we are 'catching them at the right time'.

 

Does this remind anyone of the Valencia team, with Mendieta, Claudio Lopez, Kily Gonzalez, and others, which gave us a football lesson over two legs,

in, what, 1999?

 

[26th of foot 6,082]

12 minutes ago, Uilleam said:

I hear, and keep hearing, that Villareal is out of form, struggling in  La Liga, not ready for the EL, and, thus, we are 'catching them at the right time'.

 

Does this remind anyone of the Valencia team, with Mendieta, Claudio Lopez, Kily Gonzalez, and others, which gave us a football lesson over two legs,

in, what, 1999?

 

Aberdeen were sitting dead bottom of the SPL, couldn't buy a result. The Doyen of Scottish football, Sir Shug of Keevins christened Valencia, "the Aberdeen of Spanish football". 

 

Valencia rattled us 2 zip at the Mistral, then went all the way to the Champions League final.

 

This righting off of Villarreal stinks of a pre-prepared narrative.