New CL Format Thoughts

I started off saying we could go all out win the first 4 then play the kids and even if we didn't make top 8 we would have rested the majority for a playoff.

How times change! Now I'm looking at Club Brugge as if they're prime Barcelona!
 
ID70 said:
The current squad is not capable of winning it, not sure our domestic season and trying to get top 4 would be benefitted by the extra games.
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Agree for this season, but longer term impact of not reaching the knockouts is big.

Financially it would cost the clubs tens of millions.

We need a complete rebuild. Need every penny we can get to fund it.
 
Mcfc1.9.8.0 said:
We’ve got no chance in winning the CL better off going out of it less games to play and concentrate in getting into it next year
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I disagree. There are plenty of games left to go in the league this year and I think the knockout phases will fall more into our favour.
 
With how the 7 games have gone, any game at this level is looking tough.

A win against Brugge and it could be someone like Atalanta, Bayern Munich or Real Madrid. I can see them possibly finishing in positions 9 to 12.
 
Just looking at the Top 8 and it looks like Atalanta (7th) need to win at Barca otherwise Villa (9th) would take their place with a win at home to Celtic.

As for the rest, teams like Dortmund, Bayern and Madrid all have an outside chance of sneaking the 8th automatic place. Realistically they are more likely playing for higher seeding and could be potential Play-Off opponents if we finish 22nd -24th.
 
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dont be the only club that doesnt reach top24 of those that were absolutely tipped to even be in top8 at the start ad also one of favourites to win the whole thing.

having said that reality is we beat Brugge, and in the playoff round we get Bayern or Real who will put us out of misery or we face Juventus, Atalata etc who will do us over two legs by pressing us, and run more off the ball while we do what we did vs Sporting, PSG, Juventus already.
i would be worried even vs Aston Villa with the way Emery doing against us at Villa Park this year or last year.

if we get to last 16 its even worse, we are unseeded and get one of the teams in actually great form in the CL.

of course there is a silver lining if Kovacic turns into Fernandinho, Bernardo turns into Rodri and KDB becomes 4 yers younger all of a sudden while defenders get fit ad stay fit. now this last one sounds the most unlikely of all.
 
Damanino said:
dont be the only club that doesnt reach top24 of those that were absolutely tipped to even be in top8 at the start ad also one of favourites to win the whole thing.

having said that reality is we beat Brugge, and in the playoff round we get Bayern or Real who will put us out of misery or we face Juventus, Atalata etc who will do us over two legs by pressing us, and run more off the ball while we do what we did vs Sporting, PSG, Juventus already.
i would be worried even vs Aston Villa with the way Emery doing against us at Villa Park this year or last year.

if we get to last 16 its even worse, we are unseeded and get one of the teams in actually great form in the CL.

of course there is a silver lining if Kovacic turns into Fernandinho, Bernardo turns into Rodri and KDB becomes 4 yers younger all of a sudden while defenders get fit ad stay fit. now this last one sounds the most unlikely of all.
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Not sure we can play teams from our own country in the play off mate.
 
Celtic in 18th and above are all guaranteed progression now. Psv would need psg v stuttgart to draw, sporting, benfica and us to all win and psv to lose by 5 or more to go out, so they're all but through. Similarly, Brugge would have to lose to us and the same results as above for them to go out too.

In all probability, that leaves 4 teams currently in the play offs in jeopardy and 3 teams that could sneak in last game.

Shaktar could technically still progress but they'd need a 6-8 goal swing with a team on 10 points to go through plus us and zagreb to lose or a second or third 6-8 goal swing if either or both of us and zagreb win. So almost certainly out.

Zagreb need a win at AC milan and a win either way in the psg game or one of sporting/benfica to lose to progress and we just need a win.

On paper, you'd expect sporting to beat Bologna who have nothing to play for and secure their place. Benfica is in danger, they have to go to Juve last game. Juve are qualified but they'll likely want a win to improve their play off standings. the psg v stuttgart game is very possibly going to be a winner takes all game if we do our job, psg can play for a draw as that guarantees them qualification, stuttgart will have to go for the win.

If we do win, it is likely we won't finish 24th or even 23rd but 21st or 22nd instead and therefore move into the bracket that plays 11th/12th as we would be guaranteed to finish above at least one of stuttgart and psg, and potentially both if they draw, then brugge would be guaranteed too, then its fairly likely psv seeing as they have to play the dippers and possibly benfica.
 
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