GregorRobertson
Jack Burkitt
Looking down the table for a moment. It would surely take a remarkable set of results for us to be overtaken by 13 teams from here?
Europa League 25/26
- Thread starter Trents
- Start date
GregorRobertson
Jack Burkitt
Similarly Aston Villa have played 30th, 35th, 21st, 26th, 13th & 28th and have 12th & 31st still to play!
It’s definitely turned out we had a tricky draw compared to some.
Chewbakwa
Viv Anderson
Cloughie1975
Stuart Pearce
I think it’s likely Forest will end up with 2 extra games in February which we could probably do without.
Should we progress then it’s going to get harder to get much further unless we start climbing the Premier League
table in the meantime (I just don’t see us fielding full strength sides when the Championship trapdoor is wide open).
Interestingly-should we reach the final in Istanbul (I personally don’t thing we will) we face the final game of the season 4 days later at the City Ground against our old friends from Bournemouth who would probably love to send us down.
Incidentally West Ham play Leeds on the final day.
It could get interesting!
DanR
Steve Chettle
I am getting strong 'Only Stoke City at home' vibes from this post.
But I think you're right, top 24 should now be sorted.
HappyHappyJoyJoy
John Robertson
9/1 to win it and play Champions League football next season.......
I still have to pinch myself at times to make sure it's real.
I still have to pinch myself at times to make sure it's real.
Cloughie1975
Stuart Pearce
7/2 to go down as well.
In the highly unlikely event of us winning the Europa League and being relegated I assume a Championship club
would be allowed to play in the Champions League?
Chappers85
Can't Play Left-Back
I was just looking at that - so of the 8 teams we have played or due to play, 5 of them are currently in the top 8. That's a tricky draw. I think if we've probably done alright considering.
Stuttgart and Roma have to play each other. Bologna have a couple of winnable games so if they got a couple of comfortable wins they could jump over us on GD (assuming we win both games). Fenerbahçe have still got to play Villa. Panathinaikos have to play Roma and Ferencavros. So if we beat both Braga and Ferencavros, and it's a big IF, we'll almost certainly finish in the top 8. I'm not sure 4 points would do it though.
HappyHappyJoyJoy
John Robertson
Let's not find out....
5/1 top price to go down, I'll be happier when we're a short price to win the Europa League than relegation.
If you offer me 17th and the cup I'd take it.
If you offered me 18th and the cup, then I'd have to think about it.
HappyHappyJoyJoy
John Robertson
If we beat Braga we go above them so we are 100% top 8 if we win both.
Big ask, as you say.
Chappers85
Can't Play Left-Back
Retain the Brian Clough Trophy on the Saturday and spank Real Madrid at the Bernabeu the following Tuesday...sounds alright!
Seriously though, with the Championship's rigorous midweek schedule, I don't know how logistically you fit those games in. It would be have to be 4 games a week, Saturday - Tuesday - Thursday - Saturday/Sunday repeat.
Cloughie1975
Stuart Pearce
bearwood red
First Team Squad
Braga have also had a favourable draw. Their current position doesn’t necessarily reflect how good they are. Definitely winnable.
HappyHappyJoyJoy
John Robertson
GregorRobertson
Jack Burkitt
Let's hope so. I notice they aren't exactly flying in the Primeria Liga (5th, 15 points behind Porto, and 6 ahead of Rio Ave in 10th). If we can beat Porto, we can beat them. Of course anything can still happen.
Have some confidence in your own team please.
Cloughie1975
Stuart Pearce
Merely stating facts young man.
Red Dog in a Dinghy
Geoff Thomas
If we can get a decent points haul in the run up to Braga I’d sacrifice the Arsenal (H) and Brentford (A) games either side of it, putting a full strength side out at Braga.
Having two less games in February gives us a greater chance of beating Liverpool and Brighton (A) (in February) and less chance of injuries piling up again.
HappyHappyJoyJoy
John Robertson
Yeah, we have to be selective and its a tricky puzzle to solve.
Rzar
Bob McKinlay
Yeah, looks like more will be required this year, probably 2 more wins needed to get top 8 now.
But a big break now, by the time we get to those games the league situation could look entirely different.
vertigored
Viv Anderson
Igor Jesus has committed 6 fouls and been given 4 yellow cards. Joint most yellows in the whole of the Europa league so far.
One more for him or Anderson and they miss the final group match/ next round
One more for him or Anderson and they miss the final group match/ next round
JonnoSnr
Grenville Morris
Even in our current state I don't think there's anything to be worried about in the Europa League aside from Villa. Some of the sides in it are just making up the numbers and are nowhere near even our level never mind Villa's. It almost feels unfair rocking up against some of these sides with an almost fully changed XI and stroking the ball about like it's pre-season. It's actually a bit sad for the game really but that's where we're at.
This season has just proven the power of the Premier League. There is absolutely no way any Premier League side in the Europa League should not be progressing through the league phase these days.
Any Prem side in the Conference League should be at least getting to the final too, the resources available to us compared to what we're up against is absolutely massive.
This season has just proven the power of the Premier League. There is absolutely no way any Premier League side in the Europa League should not be progressing through the league phase these days.
Any Prem side in the Conference League should be at least getting to the final too, the resources available to us compared to what we're up against is absolutely massive.
Notcher
Ian Bowyer
I was thinking about something along these lines last night.
What I saw was from all the teams we've played (Midtjylland aside as we were appalling) you can see the quality in side match up to the quality of domestic league that they're from .
1.Betis
2.Porto
3.Utrecht
4.Graz
5.Malmö
That's how I'd rank the quality that we've faced and that's pretty much the order I'd rank the quality of league.
Bing Crosby's Head
Viv Anderson
You can add MGW and Yates to those two.