To be honest the only English teams to have taken the competition seriously over the years have been Fulham and Liverpool. It seems like a lot of the rest regard it as a nuisance rather than something to embrace. look at West Ham and the sides they were putting out.Europa League is a tougher and more prestigious trophy to win than FA Cup, Carling Cup etc. Do you guys not care about those as well?
Anyway, I was here just to laugh at Mourinho.
The problem with the Europa League is that the Champions League expansion has relegated it to very much being a second class competition. I don't think mimicking the Champions League format helps in that respect either.Aside from its relatively new incentive of a CL place, it's questionable whether the EL is more prestigious than the FA Cup, from an English POV. Although big clubs often play weakened sides, it means something to a lot of fans more than the Europa League does, generally speaking.
Yeah I don't think there's a definitive answer to this. Last year we played Liverpool in the knockout round with neither team looking likely to finish top four. That one mattered. After they had beaten us and miraculously got past Dortmund, the Europa League picked up a dynamic of its own and you wouldn't have begrudged Liverpool celebrating it hard... but also enjoyed it when they lost. But if they'd gone out in qualifying, nobody would have cared and rightly so. Losing your first group game in Feyenoord barely registers.Aside from its relatively new incentive of a CL place, it's questionable whether the EL is more prestigious than the FA Cup, from an English POV. Although big clubs often play weakened sides, it means something to a lot of fans more than the Europa League does, generally speaking.
For all the bad things that are said about him, and in spite of his many flaws, I will be really really sad when he goes.Twenty years of Arsene at Arsenal today. Congratulations to the great man, it'll never happen again.
Look at this guy fishing for fantasy info.Will Martial start for United this weekend?
I've no real problem with Chelsea, other than Terry, I think Id be pretty happy with them winning the league, mainly as a big **** you to the worst man in football, who manages a rival.I hate that Conte is Chelsea manager. Bloke's such a gun.
I wouldn't really call England and Chelsea rivals tbhI've no real problem with Chelsea, other than Terry, I think Id be pretty happy with them winning the league, mainly as a big **** you to the worst man in football, who manages a rival.
Yeah think you're right about the rival thing. Our win at your place was twice as good as winning the final that year.Yeah I don't think there's a definitive answer to this. Last year we played Liverpool in the knockout round with neither team looking likely to finish top four. That one mattered. After they had beaten us and miraculously got past Dortmund, the Europa League picked up a dynamic of its own and you wouldn't have begrudged Liverpool celebrating it hard... but also enjoyed it when they lost. But if they'd gone out in qualifying, nobody would have cared and rightly so. Losing your first group game in Feyenoord barely registers.
I'm not a big fan of the FA Cup. I'll still remember last season as a total unmitigated disaster, even though we won it. But it does feel properly important if e.g. two title rivals meet in the semis during the run-in.