New CL Format Thoughts

Stelea said:
Not great in terms of players workload.
At least 4 tough games now compared to maybe 1 or 2 previous. Also 2 more games with a potential for 2 more if not in top 8. I think we have got a tough situation with having both PSG and Juve away which makes it far from nailed on that we will sail into the top 8
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I'm not convinced the top 8 matters if you have ambitions of winning it.

Okay it means 2 extra knockout games but probably against a side we'd expect to beat and if we didn't then we weren't good enough to begin with.
 
As a spectacle it's far better but a lot more difficult to quality.

The previous format was creating far too many easy fixtures.

Last night only issue was using that appaling, money making scam kit, never again should we not wear our home shirt for a home fixture, Noel, Puma and the club hang your heads in shame, money grabbing cnuts.
 
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cyan said:
The big win for Bayern may also make a difference - will there be a pressure to thrash the weaker sides and match their goal difference?
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No, because the only positions with any relevance are 8th vs 9th and 24th vs 25th. None of the other positions really matter at all. In theory you get an easier draw if you finish higher up, but I'm not sure whether that'll be the case in reality, because so many safe teams will be taking it easy, so the final position probably won't represent the quality of the team in a knockout stage anyway.
 
Gundoggin said:
It is effectively a super league which has some teams in it that would struggle in the equivalent of the European Vauxhall Conference League so a long winded boring drab competition with lots of uncompetitive matches . Extortionate ticketing prices and more games aswell , only positive for me is more potential attractive away days for those who like travelling abroad.
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Nail on head, super league, youngsters better be coming accustomed to it, as that's what it'll be in less than 6 years, earlier if City smash the PL to pieces in the coming months
 
Keeper! said:
As a spectacle it's far better but a lot more difficult to quality.

The previous format was creating far too many easy fixtures.

Last night only issue was using that appaling, money making scam kit, never again should we not wear our home shirt for a home fixture, Noel, Puma and the club hang your head in shame, money grabbing cnuts.
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The **** could afford 5 divorces at the end of all this shit
 
MCFC1993 said:
I'm not convinced the top 8 matters if you have ambitions of winning it.

Okay it means 2 extra knockout games but probably against a side we'd expect to beat and if we didn't then we weren't good enough to begin with.
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Wouldn’t be surprised if the teams that qualify out of the 2 extra knock out games are seeded 2nd
 
I'm With Stupid said:
No, because the only positions with any relevance are 8th vs 9th and 24th vs 25th. None of the other positions really matter at all. In theory you get an easier draw if you finish higher up, but I'm not sure whether that'll be the case in reality, because so many safe teams will be taking it easy, so the final position probably won't represent the quality of the team in a knockout stage anyway.
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I'd make the argument that for any decent side there is piss all difference between 1st and 24th.

The teams that finish 9th-24th will probably take 3 of their group games easy knowing top 8 is unlikely, which means the 2 extra knockout games aren't that taxing.
 
My thoughts are that it is easy to get through, many chances for the bigger clubs to get through even if they go through a bad patch of the season.

Towards the end we will get to see the full league standing and that could be the forerunner to a euro league conversation.
 
The "new format" is designed for one thing and one thing only - a bigger money drop for Uefa from TV companies and sponsors.

The last thing this torunament needed was more group games but here we go - you now have 2 more of them creating 2 more matchdays. In addition the play-off round also generates 2 more as well so it total Uefa have 4 more gameweeks to flog.

As usual the tournament will come alive once you reach the last 16 - prior to that its quite tedious and Id wager you can name 6/7 of the last 8 quite confidently right now - Real, Bayern, City, Arsenal, Liverpool, Inter, Barca.
 
It wouldn't surprise me if it was extended again at some point and then eventually turned into a league format with two divisions

A bit like a European Super League but with a different name
 
Completely unnecessary and irrelevant.

Can anyone explain the benefits that ensue for fans,players,clubs ?

When comparing the clubs in each group City have 3 elite teams, other groups have mainly championship teams.

IMO there should’ve been byes for the major/ successful clubs al la the Carabo Cup.

Too much irrelevant football will eventually dilute the quality of the game.
 
Here’s an idea. How about we take the CHAMPIONS from each UEFA country and have a straight knockout competition over two legs until you get to a final?

Whilst it was funny that Villa took a Champions League spot, it does highlight a credibility issue. In the last format we had a Dippers v Spuds final, neither (at that point) had been champions for a combined seventy years. The new format does nothing to help.
 
Sat back relaxed watching last night. Felt it was a friendly. Good to not lose and stay unbeaten but only psychologically. Actually not that big a deal. Next week v Watford though - whilst we clearly should win “means something” cos we lose and we are out. Last night we lose. Get a bit of bad press but who cares. We will still qualify
 
For me that was the best quality group game we've had in a long time. And the placing matters more than just the top 8 go to the R16.. It's not really clear yet but there is seeding after the knockouts so e.g. 1st and 2nd will be on opposite sides of the draw. The higher you place, the easier (in theory) your path to the final should be.
 
Disagree. I like it. There are no dead rubbers in this format as there is always something to fight for.

I could change my mind by the end but if you look at the number of goals scored overall it looks like teams are desperate to avoid not winning as 8 draws will see you eliminated.
 
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