Europa League Group G permutations

[the gunslinger 3,366]

2 hours ago, Bluedell said:

In terms of qualifying, is a win any better than a draw? I've just had a look at the permutations and I'm not sure it is.

Only if Porto win. 

[ian1964 10,723]

 

[Tannochsidebear 2,406]

Proof that you can make stats say pretty much anything you want. So a couple of hundred successful passes from side to side in the final third, the vast majority of which will be of no consequence to getting a shot at goal, but hey lets make a table of this stat and pretend it is actually meaningful in some way.

 

If there is a further column in this research which tells you how many goals were scored from this possession, then that may actually be of some significance, but without it it's completely irrelevant.

 

Still, its another lazy story to fill a page in a dead newspaper. I feel all dirty as I actually clicked it to see what the hell they were on about. All I will concede is at least the writer had the decency to say that it doesnt do you any good with Man City lying 4th in their league despite having all this final third possession.

[Bluedell 5,624]

3 hours ago, the gunslinger said:

Only if Porto win. 

Why does it make a difference?  If Porto win, we need a draw in our last game to qualify, whether we win or draw against Feyenoord. 

[pete 2,499]

6 hours ago, Bluedell said:

In terms of qualifying, is a win any better than a draw? I've just had a look at the permutations and I'm not sure it is.

Two wins is the best!

[Gonzo79 15,293]

One game at a time is what it's all about.

 

Hamilton on Sunday is arguably more important than the final two EL matches.  Feyenoord will be tough and I'd be satisfied with a point there.

[JFK-1 1,693]

2 hours ago, Bluedell said:

Why does it make a difference?  If Porto win, we need a draw in our last game to qualify, whether we win or draw against Feyenoord. 

Isn't it better to only need a draw rather than be faced with a must win in the final game?

[Bluedell 5,624]

2 hours ago, JFK-1 said:

Isn't it better to only need a draw rather than be faced with a must win in the final game?

Is there a scenario where we're in a must win in our last game having drawn our next game? 

[JFK-1 1,693]

57 minutes ago, Bluedell said:

Is there a scenario where we're in a must win in our last game having drawn our next game? 

Having studied it you're right, two draws mean qualification. And while that has to be the absolute priority I would still like a win since a win has multiple benefits.

 

I feel Porto will beat YB because firstly they're a better team and secondly if they were to say draw then they're reliant on other results in the final games to progress. They're going to go all out for a win and I strongly feel they will win. If they do while we also win a draw in the last game is then good enough to top the group.

Topping the group has the obvious co-efficient for both club and country benefit then the prize money. Topping the group pays a million euros while runner up gets half a million. A win earns 570,000 euros in comparison to 190,00 for a draw so there's a difference of 880,000 euros in that scenario and that's still a significant amount for the club at this point.

Topping the group would also mean drawing a group runner up in the last 32 which all in all may mean a better chance of reaching the last 16 which pays 1.1 million euros even if beaten there. Plus I suppose the prestige of being group winners and we would never hear the end of it if the yahoos top their group and we don't even if we qualify.

But at the end of the day I will obviously accept any route to the last 32. Most of us didn't even expect to make the groups a second time in succession far less qualify for the knockout rounds.