Europa League draw

[Overture]

How much for Hulk ? ;)

Our President says he's the most important player on the team and his release clause is 100M. He's always saying that's the value for which Hulk will leave or simply won't leave at all (but we all know he will eventually for much much less, it's just a way to get a few more € out of the transfer).

Do you think losing Falcao was a big upset for Porto? Best header of the ball i have ever seen.

Most definitely. He basically finished every Porto offensive move. The thing is, you can still clearly see Porto players crossing into the area as if Falcao was there, crosses which Kléber or Hulk (he's not an excellent header) can't really finish as they don't have that... killer instinct as Falcao had, so most crosses just end up on the other team's possession. People might think that only a player left from our squad, and it's true, but this guy was like the dot at the end of each phrase and we definitely need to get a striker this January or we won't even win our domestic league.

 

[Prestwich_Blue]

Sorry to be intruding here, but I've followed the forums for a while and since the Europa League draw placed my team against one of the other teams I sympathize with, I thought I'd give my opinion here.

We don't have a true striker, so our shitty coach puts Hulk playing in the middle like a true number 9, which he isn't, and we lose a brilliant winger (Hulk). The coach makes shitty decisions, never gets the same 11 on the pitch from the start, makes horrible substitutions, etc. Our team morale just isn't the same, we're first on the championship but that's because our rivals are even worse than us, we aren't playing a good football and that's it.

With an opinion like that I'd say you will do well on Bluemoon. Are you sure you're not Joe Mercer's Way under another username?

 

[Tricky_Trev]

Bloody hell, we've had some tough draws this season!

- Bayern, Napoli and Villarreal, the group widely considered to be the most difficult in the history of the Champions League.

- Rags in the FA Cup 3rd round

- Arsenal and Liverpool in the Carling Cup

- Porto, the holders, in the Europa League Round of 32

I guess we are always the hot ball?

 

[Deleted member 14625]

Bloody hell, we've had some tough draws this season!

- Bayern, Napoli and Villarreal, the group widely considered to be the most difficult in the history of the Champions League.

- Rags in the FA Cup 3rd round

- Arsenal and Liverpool in the Carling Cup

- Porto, the holders, in the Europa League Round of 32

I guess we are always the hot ball?

I wouldn't want it any other way!

 

[Plaything of the gods]

Great draw. Play Kolo, Bridge and all the other stiffs and get knocked out.

Concentrate on the proper stuff

Do the players ever read this forum?

Sorry to be intruding here, but I've followed the forums for a while and since the Europa League draw placed my team against one of the other teams I sympathize with, I thought I'd give my opinion here.

Porto were almost unbeatable last year, would probably beat City on both legs, but this year is a lot different. We don't have a true striker, so our shitty coach puts Hulk playing in the middle like a true number 9, which he isn't, and we lose a brilliant winger (Hulk). The coach makes shitty decisions, never gets the same 11 on the pitch from the start, makes horrible substitutions, etc.

Our team morale just isn't the same, we're first on the championship but that's because our rivals are even worse than us, we aren't playing a good football and that's it. I'm 90% sure City will go through.

Anyway, enjoy the beautiful city, the amazing beer (Super Bock is awesome), the amazing food and the beautiful Douro (where Vinho do Porto - delicious - comes from), if you can take a trip river side. Hope you catch good weather (as good as it can get at least for this time of year).

Oh dear, 90%. That's ominous.

- - - - -

Here's a great site for all things UEFA coefficients and rankings, past and present:

http://kassiesa.home.xs4all.nl/bert/uefa/data/method4/trank2012.html

 

[MSP]

Poor Dzeko, he must be sick of Portugal :)

 

[Andouble]

What team do we think Mancini will put out ?

I would play -
Hart
Richards Kompany Toure Kolarov

New signing ( De Rossi ) Barry/ De Jong

Johnson Aguero Nasri

Dzeko

If are out of the fa cup or got a easy tie in it then strongest team for porto.

are you mad? not that many first team players mate.. i know we really want to win the Europa but wielding strong teams in this comp will really affect our domestic run... it really will.

I bet we will field a team similar to the one above, at least in one of the two games. Especially with 4 days between the Villa league match and Leg 1, and potentially an entire week between Legs 1 and 2.

 

[JoeMercer'sWay]

Sorry to be intruding here, but I've followed the forums for a while and since the Europa League draw placed my team against one of the other teams I sympathize with, I thought I'd give my opinion here.

We don't have a true striker, so our shitty coach puts Hulk playing in the middle like a true number 9, which he isn't, and we lose a brilliant winger (Hulk). The coach makes shitty decisions, never gets the same 11 on the pitch from the start, makes horrible substitutions, etc. Our team morale just isn't the same, we're first on the championship but that's because our rivals are even worse than us, we aren't playing a good football and that's it.

With an opinion like that I'd say you will do well on Bluemoon. Are you sure you're not Joe Mercer's Way under another username?

what have I got to do with anything?

 

[BimboBob]

Sorry to be intruding here, but I've followed the forums for a while and since the Europa League draw placed my team against one of the other teams I sympathize with, I thought I'd give my opinion here.

We don't have a true striker, so our shitty coach puts Hulk playing in the middle like a true number 9, which he isn't, and we lose a brilliant winger (Hulk). The coach makes shitty decisions, never gets the same 11 on the pitch from the start, makes horrible substitutions, etc. Our team morale just isn't the same, we're first on the championship but that's because our rivals are even worse than us, we aren't playing a good football and that's it.

With an opinion like that I'd say you will do well on Bluemoon. Are you sure you're not Joe Mercer's Way under another username?

what have I got to do with anything?

I think PB likes you.

 

[Tonster]

Wouldnt be so quick to book flights until games are CONFIRMED ..........ie We could switch game around , also Braga are at home to Besiktas on the same night as Porto v City ..................There within 31 miles of each other i think so one game would have to switch ...

Braga's home game has been switched to the Tuesday evening.<br /><br />-- Fri Dec 16, 2011 3:10 pm --<br /><br />Taken from UEFA's web-site

Round of 32 draw
1 FC Porto* (POR) v Manchester City FC* (ENG)¹
2 AFC Ajax* (NED) v Manchester United FC* (ENG)
3 FC Lokomotiv Moskva (RUS) v Athletic Club (ESP)
4 FC Salzburg (AUT) v FC Metalist Kharkiv (UKR)
5 Stoke City FC (ENG) v Valencia CF* (ESP)
6 FC Rubin Kazan (RUS) v Olympiacos FC* (GRE)
7 AZ Alkmaar (NED) v RSC Anderlecht (BEL)
8 S.S. Lazio (ITA) v Club Atlético de Madrid (ESP)
9 FC Steaua Bucureşti (ROU) v FC Twente (NED)
10 FC Viktoria Plzeň* (CZE) v FC Schalke 04 (GER)
11 Wisła Kraków (POL) v R. Standard de Liège (BEL)
12 SC Braga (POR) v Beşiktaş JK (TUR)²
13 Udinese Calcio (ITA) v PAOK FC (GRE)
14 Trabzonspor AŞ* (TUR) v PSV Eindhoven (NED)
15 Hannover 96 (GER) v Club Brugge KV (BEL)
16 Legia Warszawa (POL) v Sporting Clube de Portugal (POR)

Unless otherwise stated, first legs will be played on 16 February, with the returns taking place the following Thursday, 23 February.
¹ second leg to be played on Wednesday 22 February
² first leg to be played on Tuesday 14 February
*Transferred from the UEFA Champions League