EUROPA DRAW

If you feel you must go down with the ship, then by all means.

Or, you could just admit you were wrong and save some face. "Pride goeth..." and all that.

 

Pot

Kettle

Black

 

Sure you didn't mean you are gum and I am glue?

 

I think it is "rubber" Christian and not gum. Gum is sticky too. Unless of course that is what you meant that you are both right or that you are both wrong.

 

It's that new-fangled rubber gum, BP,.....geez.

Yes, I meant rubber. I'm out of practice, since I have not had such an obviously ridiculous argument with someone who could be so wrong and not willing to admit it since I was 7 years old.... and it was with my sister. She's still like that today. Are you a Sagittarius, andy??

 

WB. Speaking of ridiculous arguments, I've actually backed up my opinion with some explanation. Is the best you have, "I'm right because I say I am." ??

 

I suggest you re-read the 1st page.

 

Well, as my post was, in effect, a rebuttal of yours, that doesn't really add anything to your side.

 

Gulp! Not often you have to look close to make sure it's not a architectural drawing.

I hate to bring this up but that's another half point favor for the home side. Fulham should get there early and spend plenty time on that ground to wear down the awe factor.

 

Once you have actually rebutted, I can reply. Until then, the premise stands. We are in a much tougher group than Everton, Everton included, as I see them currently suffering from similar demise effecting Atletico and Sporting. Galatsaray should win the group, and the rest is a battle for the best of the worst.

I guess I have to spell it out to you,...AGAIN.

Atletico = 3 wins, 14 points, 15th Place. SUCK.
Everton = 5 wins, 22 points, 11th Place. SUCKY.
Sporting = 5 wins, 21 points, 5th Place. Getting better, but one loss from falling to 9th. Only marginally better than SUCKY.
Galatasaray = 11 wins, 36 points, 1st Place. GOOD, and I give them their due.

FULHAM = 7 wins, 27 points, 9th Place. Decent in arguably the toughest league in Europe, but really just a little better than O.K.
Ajax = 12 wins, 38 points, 3rd Place. DECENT and RESPECTABLE.
Juventus = 9 wins, 30 points, 3rd Place. 1 point away from being in 2nd Place in Serie A and GOOD.
Shakhtar = 19 wins, 64 points, Runners-Up in League AND Defending Europa League Champions. GOOD.

But hey, maybe I'm wrong about our group being more difficult. And maybe UEFA is wrong too: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_coeff ... oefficient


Naaaah.

 

The Coefficient is based upon both how strong the league is and how well the team has done over the last 5 years.

Atletico - 15th place, but in the 2nd best league in Europe (per UEFA) and arguably more competitive, top-to-bottom than the EPL.

Everton - top league in Europe and hammered by an injury crisis that will be greatly improved by February. I still think they'll finish top 10 in the EPL this year.

Sporting - 8th best league in Europe (per UEFA), ahead of the Netherlands, and 5th place in that league.

Galatasaray - we both agree this team is tough.

Juve - yes, on paper, a very very tough team. They're high coefficient, however, is from Champions League play. As stated earlier, how much will be care about the Europa league? Will they play their starters or their youth squad? The league and Champions League football for next year are easily the more important prizes for them.

Ajax - the Dutch league ranks below the Portuguese one and is far less competitive, outside of the top few teams (very SPL like), so their league position means less than it should. They also came in 2nd in their group to a team from Belgium of all places.

Shakhtar - they had a good run last year, but did lose their vice-captain and central defender during the summer transfer window. The Ukrainian league ranks the lowest of any in the 2 groups we're discussing, and with their extra funding (from the UEFA cup last year) staying on top of that league should be expected.

Look, I'll say this: if Juve comes to play, then yeah, Fulham has the tougher group. With the Juve youth squad showing up, however, I don't really see Ajax giving either Fulham or Shakhtar much challenge for the round of 16 game.