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Unread 15-05-2017, 09:33 AM
Tumescent Throb
 
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it's a great competition. people need to give their heads a wobble and embrace the thing. we've played some great football and some famous teams, and now we've got ajax in the final.

feyenoord and fernerbahce were dispatched every bit as impressively as we;ve ever dispatched them before in the group phase at old trafford. it's true that our home woes have inhibited us in the knock-out rounds, but away from home we've been much much better for much of the season and that includes against vigo and anderlecht.

can you imagine what some of the clowns who post on here would have made of the 91 ecwc run yet that still remains one of the greatest ever memories of following united for me. montpellier away, polish army away and barcelona in rotterdam
 
Unread 15-05-2017, 09:33 AM
Whip Hubley
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bunker Buster
Penalty loss....

Nailed on...


Quote:
Originally Posted by Tumescent Throb
can you imagine what some of the clowns who post on here would have made of the 91 ecwc run yet that still remains one of the greatest ever memories of following united for me. montpellier away, polish army away and barcelona in rotterdam
 
Unread 15-05-2017, 09:38 AM
Tiberian
 
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"Thursday Nights, Channel 5"
Drop outs from the CL, damages the integrity of the competition.
The old Uefa was a very strong competition. Extending the CL to 4 places has diluted the Europa terribly, full of mediocre teams and again, teams who have failed in the CL.
Disappointed that we have made the league a secondary priority to the Europa. Easy to understand why and if we win it will be justified, but can not be happy finishing 6th.

Prior to this year I would have said that the FA Cup was still a more prestigious trophy to win. Allocating a CL spot to the Europa makes a difference though.
 
Unread 15-05-2017, 09:51 AM
Tumescent Throb
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tiberian
"Thursday Nights, Channel 5"
Drop outs from the CL, damages the integrity of the competition.
The old Uefa was a very strong competition. Extending the CL to 4 places has diluted the Europa terribly, full of mediocre teams and again, teams who have failed in the CL.
Disappointed that we have made the league a secondary priority to the Europa. Easy to understand why and if we win it will be justified, but can not be happy finishing 6th.

Prior to this year I would have said that the FA Cup was still a more prestigious trophy to win. Allocating a CL spot to the Europa makes a difference though.
finishing below top in the league is a failure, and then it's just about what level of failure. being in a "battle for 4th" is a pretty high level of failure and considering we have a great chance of qualifying for the CL via a glorious route I just don't get why anyone would sweat about prioritising that over a meaningless argument for 4th, 5th or 6th.

the uefa cup used to be a strong competition but was still derided. it was only right towards the end of its life that it began to be recognised as probably the hardest competition to win, and that's why something had to be done to realign the european cup and make it clearly number one again.
 
Unread 15-05-2017, 10:06 AM
Tiberian
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tumescent Throb
finishing below top in the league is a failure, and then it's just about what level of failure. being in a "battle for 4th" is a pretty high level of failure and considering we have a great chance of qualifying for the CL via a glorious route I just don't get why anyone would sweat about prioritising that over a meaningless argument for 4th, 5th or 6th.

the uefa cup used to be a strong competition but was still derided. it was only right towards the end of its life that it began to be recognised as probably the hardest competition to win, and that's why something had to be done to realign the european cup and make it clearly number one again.
Really? My first exposure to European club football was after the ban, all the competitions had this mythical quality to them as England re-entered. Hadn't realized that the Uefa was not appreciated before that, looking at the format and the depth it stands out as a very difficult challenge.

Agree about failure in the league, I do not seeing 4th as a significant accomplishment either, not for Utd with the money spent and the wage bill we have. The Europa as a bonus after the end of a solid league campaign though, think we would all be highly enthused, enjoy the novelty of it, those who have traveled have had the chance to visit places off the usual trails.
 
Unread 15-05-2017, 10:13 AM
20 times
 
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I'm buzzing like a @#%&! about the final but I'm also pretty nervous as if we £#%&! this up the summer could be pretty shit.
 
Unread 15-05-2017, 10:17 AM
Sparky***
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tiberian
Really? My first exposure to European club football was after the ban, all the competitions had this mythical quality to them as England re-entered. Hadn't realized that the Uefa was not appreciated before that, looking at the format and the depth it stands out as a very difficult challenge.

Agree about failure in the league, I do not seeing 4th as a significant accomplishment either, not for Utd with the money spent and the wage bill we have. The Europa as a bonus after the end of a solid league campaign though, think we would all be highly enthused, enjoy the novelty of it, those who have traveled have had the chance to visit places off the usual trails.
Well if you look at the list of winners prior to the early 2000s it's a list of some of the most prestigious names in world football.

expanding the champions league has virtually killed it's appeal along with the fact that the money isn't as good. Personally I think it'll be gone soon and they'll just expand the Champions league again to allow 5th placed finishers and domestic cup winners in it.

 
Unread 15-05-2017, 10:19 AM
atticusgrinch
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 20 times
I'm buzzing like a @#%&! about the final but I'm also pretty nervous as if we £#%&! this up the summer could be pretty shit.
Agreed. The fact there's so much riding on it should make it a proper nerve wrecker.

If Bailly, Rojo and Zlatan were available it'd be a walkover... as it is the injuries and suspensions have evened things up...
 
Unread 15-05-2017, 10:23 AM
Drexl
 
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I only laughed at europoh when we were in the CL and opposing fans weren't.

Now it is the best, most sincere, pure, entertaining cup compo in Europe

Cannot wait.

(genuinely excited to see the ajax boys tbh)
 
Unread 15-05-2017, 10:27 AM
gav81
 
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The best way I've heard it put is that the prize for winning the EL is that we don't have to play in the £#%&!ing thing next season - says it all.
 
Unread 15-05-2017, 10:28 AM
Tiberian
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sparky***
Well if you look at the list of winners prior to the early 2000s it's a list of some of the most prestigious names in world football.

expanding the champions league has virtually killed it's appeal along with the fact that the money isn't as good. Personally I think it'll be gone soon and they'll just expand the Champions league again to allow 5th placed finishers and domestic cup winners in it.

You are probably right. Said it before but the CL place is like a last gasp to lift the competition up. Great list of winners there.

Is the CL in great shape at the moment? Lack of parity across Europe, the likes of Bayern, Real/Barca, Juve dominating their leagues with little competition. Expand the CL and it will be more cannon fodder for those elite sides. Expecting Monaco to have a number of their best picked off this summer as well.
 
Unread 15-05-2017, 10:29 AM
20 times
 
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It's a bit of a shit Cup these days but this is our level now so let's win it and never play in it again.

Those are my thoughts.

Full steam ahead Stockholm
 
Unread 15-05-2017, 10:30 AM
Tumescent Throb
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tiberian
Really? My first exposure to European club football was after the ban, all the competitions had this mythical quality to them as England re-entered. Hadn't realized that the Uefa was not appreciated before that, looking at the format and the depth it stands out as a very difficult challenge.
yep, it was ranked below the ecwc because you didn't have to win anything to get into it. when i was a kid it was won by the likes of spurs, ipswich, and dundee united iirc. the reputation stemmed from the old fairs cup i suppose ...

back in the day it didn't matter what the competition was really. there were just these weird teams rocking up at OT to play united . young whipper snappers probably don't get why an old bastard like me is so excited by the uefa cup run this season but basically it';s cus we're about to play £#%&!ing ajax in the final and have already had feyenoord, st etienne and anderlecht. what could be better than this? i mean apart from maybe playing dynamo dresden or leipzig

Quote:
Originally Posted by atticusgrinch
The record fee for Pogba was just righting Ferguson's wrong. Not sure why that means the league position is disgraceful.

Mourinho's done plenty wrong. Playing Fellaini instead of Basti was just crazy. Not playing TFM and Martial enough. Not realising Rojo was a better centre back than Jones and Smalling quickly enough. Playing Rooney for too long in the first team...

He's not been perfect, but who is?
agree on all those points - all of them seem obvious.

suppose it's all about finding the balance, keeping the back door shut and trying to give the forwards a platform to play.

have to wonder where the season could have gone if the forwards had actually clicked in winter like i kept expecting ... 6 wins on the bounce had put us right in contention in the league going into january.
 
Unread 15-05-2017, 10:34 AM
Chorlton74
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tumescent Throb
yep, it was ranked below the ecwc because you didn't have to win anything to get into it. when i was a kid it was won by the likes of spurs, ipswich, and dundee united iirc. the reputation stemmed from the old fairs cup i suppose ...

back in the day it didn't matter what the competition was really. there were just these weird teams rocking up at OT to play united . young whipper snappers probably don't get why an old bastard like me is so excited by the uefa cup run this season but basically it';s cus we're about to play £#%&!ing ajax in the final and have already had feyenoord, st etienne and anderlecht. what could be better than this? i mean apart from maybe playing dynamo dresden or leipzig
Videoton in the final
 
Unread 15-05-2017, 10:41 AM
Tiberian
 
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tumescent Throb
yep, it was ranked below the ecwc because you didn't have to win anything to get into it. when i was a kid it was won by the likes of spurs, ipswich, and dundee united iirc. the reputation stemmed from the old fairs cup i suppose ...

back in the day it didn't matter what the competition was really. there were just these weird teams rocking up at OT to play united . young whipper snappers probably don't get why an old bastard like me is so excited by the uefa cup run this season but basically it';s cus we're about to play £#%&!ing ajax in the final and have already had feyenoord, st etienne and anderlecht. what could be better than this? i mean apart from maybe playing dynamo dresden or leipzig
No, I get it from that. It is a throwback to the glory days of European competition, random sides who could all be a threat, seeing players you had only heard of before, all playing in slightly different ways.

That was the pioneering ideal behind European competition, not to end up with the same names dominating and the rest being reduced to developing talent.
 
Unread 15-05-2017, 11:18 AM
Bunker Buster
 
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People throwing up past winners images and 'back in the glory days' posts...



Really

Not a single person on this entire board has ever wanted to win this thing before..
It's been mocked for years...
 
Unread 15-05-2017, 11:28 AM
Mr_Ed
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by atticusgrinch
The record fee for Pogba was just righting Ferguson's wrong. Not sure why that means the league position is disgraceful.

Mourinho's done plenty wrong. Playing Fellaini instead of Basti was just crazy. Not playing TFM and Martial enough. Not realising Rojo was a better centre back than Jones and Smalling quickly enough. Playing Rooney for too long in the first team...

He's not been perfect, but who is?
Conte has been more decisive... moving from a back four, £#%&!ing off the club captain and the right back whose name escapes me.
 
Unread 15-05-2017, 11:30 AM
Jethro
 
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bunker Buster
People throwing up past winners images and 'back in the glory days' posts...



Really

Not a single person on this entire board has ever wanted to win this thing before..
It's been mocked for years...
Are you implying that we as Football fans aren't fickle?
 
Unread 15-05-2017, 11:30 AM
20 times
 
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bunker Buster
People throwing up past winners images and 'back in the glory days' posts...



Really

Not a single person on this entire board has ever wanted to win this thing before..
It's been mocked for years...
So we should want us to lose in the final because we didn't want to win it in the past?
 
Unread 15-05-2017, 11:31 AM
Clarkie
 
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bunker Buster
People throwing up past winners images and 'back in the glory days' posts...



Really

Not a single person on this entire board has ever wanted to win this thing before..
It's been mocked for years...

Think it's more the incentive of CL football rather than winning it.


Obviously football is about winning trophies, the occasions etc etc but, if it didn't come with CL football, I doubt many here would care
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