Monaco H Big lugs borefest Weds Dec 11th KO 8pm

[IW8Goalmachine]

After saying I'm taking a step back I got offered a ticket for this so here I am in Stansted.

It'll probably be more hassle than it's worth

[Retro Gunner]

After saying I'm taking a step back I got offered a ticket for this so here I am in Stansted.

It'll probably be more hassle than it's worth

Enjoy the trip IW8. Let’s hope the result makes it worthwhile.

[OneBardGooner]

Seeing as we are playing them tonight, I thought some might like a read of this (Source BBC Sports / Football)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/ar ... 4n7qg4077o

[mcdowell42]

After saying I'm taking a step back I got offered a ticket for this so here I am in Stansted.

It'll probably be more hassle than it's worth

You'll have a terrible view from Stansted

[OneBardGooner]

[falkirk goon]

I've had a look on the Wikipedia page to try and work out the pros/cons of top 8 etc and it's a head scratcher The top 2 play the 2 winning teams from 15 16 17 18 3rd 4th play winners of 13 14 19 20 5th 6th against 11 12 21 22 and 9th 10th against 9 10 23 24..Teams 1 and 2 can't be in the same side of the draw..I pity whatever poor bastarts finish 2nd cos with the dippers 1st they'll be in the harder half for certain..

[augie]

I've had a look on the Wikipedia page to try and work out the pros/cons of top 8 etc and it's a head scratcher The top 2 play the 2 winning teams from 15 16 17 18 3rd 4th play winners of 13 14 19 20 5th 6th against 11 12 21 22 and 9th 10th against 9 10 23 24..Teams 1 and 2 can't be in the same side of the draw..I pity whatever poor bastarts finish 2nd cos with the dippers 1st they'll be in the harder half for certain..

What kind of fcuked up formula/system is that ? The top 8 should get to play second leg at home in the second knock out round, but it should absolutely be an open draw as to who they play

[Retro Gunner]

I've had a look on the Wikipedia page to try and work out the pros/cons of top 8 etc and it's a head scratcher The top 2 play the 2 winning teams from 15 16 17 18 3rd 4th play winners of 13 14 19 20 5th 6th against 11 12 21 22 and 9th 10th against 9 10 23 24..Teams 1 and 2 can't be in the same side of the draw..I pity whatever poor bastarts finish 2nd cos with the dippers 1st they'll be in the harder half for certain..

I could be misunderstanding this (very possible ), but it seems as though you can be punished for finishing 1st or 2nd.

If they’re seeding teams, which is in effect what’s happening, then it ought to be like tennis, where the top players are kept apart and play the weaker ones. Obviously, they come together as the tournament progresses.

If I’m reading this correctly, you can finish 5th or 6th and play a side that was 21st or 22nd, but finish in the top two and have to play a team between 15th and 18th.

[mcdowell42]

How will teams reach the Champions League knockout phase and will the format for the knockout phase change?
The results of each match will decide the overall ranking in the new league, with three points for a win and one for a draw still applying.

The top eight sides in the league will qualify automatically for the round of 16, while the teams finishing in 9th to 24th place will compete in a two-legged knock-out phase play-off to secure their path to the last 16 of the competition. Teams that finish 25th or lower will be eliminated, with no access to the UEFA Europa League.

The new format, with all the teams ranked together in a single league, will mean that there is more to play for all the way through to the final night of the league phase.

In the knockout phase, the teams that finish between 9th and 16th will be seeded in the knockout phase play-off draw, meaning they will face a team placed 17th to 24th – with, in principle, the return leg at home. The eight clubs which prevail in the knockout phase play-offs will then progress to the round of 16, where they will each face one of the top-eight finishers, who will be seeded in the round of 16.

To strengthen the synergy between the league and knockout phases, and to provide more sporting incentive during the league phase, the pairings of the knockout phase will also be partly determined by the league phase rankings, with a draw which likewise determines and lays out the route for teams to reach the final.

From the round of 16 onwards, the competition will continue to follow its existing format of knockout rounds leading to the final staged at a neutral venue selected by UEFA.

All games before the final will continue to be played in midweek, recognising the importance of the domestic calendar of games across Europe, while the final will continue to be played on a Saturday.


Easy Peasey

[IW8Goalmachine]

After saying I'm taking a step back I got offered a ticket for this so here I am in Stansted.

It'll probably be more hassle than it's worth

You'll have a terrible view from Stansted

[IW8Goalmachine]

Any pub recommendations?

[mcdowell42]

Any pub recommendations?

Around Stansted ,no

[Gunner Rob]

Had several ST holders reach out to me to ask if I fancy going tonight - suspect a combination of the weather, the patched up team and of course the bloated 5 month long borefest format of the competition. I thought it would be difficult to find a more boring format than the previous one, but special congratulations to UEFA for somehow managing it. The official line was seeing more of the big clubs play each other but for every Liverpool v Real Madrid, there's a dozen more absolute snoozefests cluttering up the calendar. Look at tonight's list and tell me how fucking excited you are about Lille v Sturm Graz, Benfica v Bologna, Feyenoord v Sparta Prague and Stuttgart v Young Boys......zzzzzzz.......zzzzzzzz

Anyway, I probably will go tonight just to keep my toe in the water and catch up with some old pals

In terms of the team - do we have any defenders left to play? Having cast Tierney aside for the past 2 years, he's now speaking about him warmly and praising his attitude, which is sure as hell his code for saying he'll play. What a come down that must be for him, as its 100% clear that he doesn't fancy him one bit and in his time has chosen Shitchenko and even the likes of Nuno Tavares ahead of him. English Dekkers at centre half perhaps? Permacrocks Tomiyasu and White - will they be seen again one day? In the case of the former hopefully not - fuck me this 'squad clutterer' should have been top of the pile to blow out months ago. He's shit and never ever fit

Lets hope we do enough to come top 8 of this horrible league thing - another bloody 'play off' two legged match before we get anywhere near the interesting part isn't welcomed at all

I don't know anything about Monaco as French football is almost as boring as the CL, but they've obviously picked up some half decent results in this snoozefest this season, so we won't get away with a low key performance or playing stiffs. Pray for the win to curtail the league format boredom!

Have fun!
I’m not sure I would go even if someone paid me to go!!

[Stinger87]

Any pub recommendations?

The Woodbine up Blackstock road mate.

When you're ready to head to the ground, come out of the pub and turn right and take the second on the left, Gillespie road and follow to the ground.
Lovely beer in proper glasses and a proper pint of Guinness mate.

[IW8Goalmachine]

Any pub recommendations?

The Woodbine up Blackstock road mate.

When you're ready to head to the ground, come out of the pub and turn right and take the second on the left, Gillespie road and follow to the ground.
Lovely beer in proper glasses and a proper pint of Guinness mate.

Cheers stinger

I ended up in the old local the 12 pins..