New CL Format Thoughts

If we had been in the normal group format we would’ve had 8 points, so probably been in europa league now!
 
They have achieved exactly what they wanted with the new format, but at the end of the day when it get's to the nitty gritty is when it's more important, we (hopefully) will be in it, even though an extra few games required to get to the serious stuff.

Plenty are saying forget it, better out blah blah, but come on, let's be serious, we might get a favourable draw and go on and win the whole thing......................sorry I did say let's be serious :)
 
They have achieved exactly what they wanted with the new format, but at the end of the day when it get's to the nitty gritty is when it's more important, we (hopefully) will be in it, even though an extra few games required to get to the serious stuff.

Plenty are saying forget it, better out blah blah, but come on, let's be serious, we might get a favourable draw and go on and win the whole thing......................sorry I did say let's be serious :)
Plus (and unlike the Premier League) the best team doesn't always win it.
 
If we beat Bruges (big if I know, obviously) don’t see how we don’t qualify. We are 25th at present so need to move up one place. A win takes us above Bruges on goal difference, on 11, whilst Stuttgart play PSG with them both being on 10 at present. They both can’t win and a draw also takes us above both on the old goal difference. Might be time to back us at 10/1 to go full Real Madrid
 
If we beat Bruges (big if I know, obviously) don’t see how we don’t qualify. We are 25th at present so need to move up one place. A win takes us above Bruges on goal difference, on 11, whilst Stuttgart play PSG with them both being on 10 at present. They both can’t win and a draw also takes us above both on the old goal difference. Might be time to back us at 10/1 to go full Real Madrid
If we beat bruges we are definitely into the play offs.
Problem 1 - we may well not do and only a win will suffice.
Problem 2 - we could end up with a very good team in the play offs.
 
If we beat Bruges are we 100% in play offs?

Now you've gone and gotten me excited.
But do we want to? Players are absolutely knackered and I think the last thing we need is 2 more games against quality opposition. Out clear focus should be somehow making the top 4 of the prem and start fresh next season.
 
5 wins in 19 games and 4 of those against opposition from the bottom half of the prem and Salford City, I would relish playing us right now!
Fair point but we've got a bit of a squad refresh now and there has been signs of improvement, let's hope our new players are straight in the team and add some impetus, I'd still like to see a midfielder with "legs" Bernie, Kova and Gundo just don't have the energy and I don't think Mcatee is good enough.
 
But do we want to? Players are absolutely knackered and I think the last thing we need is 2 more games against quality opposition. Out clear focus should be somehow making the top 4 of the prem and start fresh next season.
Yes we want to. Reinforcements are coming and instead of challenging for titles and cups we need to draw on our experience of doing that to challenge for top 4 and get as far as we can in the knockout competitions. Different results but same mindset. Throwing games is not for us.
 
It will in absolute terms, but our inclusion has been known since we won the CL and the club will have already decided where the extra income would go.
The CWC will also mean the players have had yet another summer without significant rest.

Yeah 100%. It will undoubtedly have an impact and something we wouldn't have anticipated. I'm sure that's why the club have been so active this window and will continue to be. We may have the fortune of 5th place being enough to qualify and we have to remind ourselves that there are at least 3 players joining the group where the PL is concerned. They might not improve us immediately but they do enable us to rest and rotate the squad. Unless a midfielder comes in though, Pep is going to have to do something because our lack of legs in the middle means we can't find any space for an outball and we're just ragged.
 
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.
Stuttgart and PSG would go through with a draw, looks set up for a gentlemans agreement that game...
 
I was thinking last night that if it were the old group's stage We would have been out long ago with the fall-off from this squad and team, This new system gives you a hell of a chance to scrape through, City could finish in the last place of the playoff-teams and still win the whole thing,

From the idea of 2 more games in the league table to 2 more playoff games is 4 more games than last season, Also, it gives you a transfer window to add more players if you get into the knockouts,

So if City gets in the knockouts by a playoff game I would say the new system has favoured us in a big way
 
When Liverpool won it under Klopp they lost 4 games along the way (including PSG away)

Beat Brugge and j have a sneaky feeling we could do something. All those years of having a great team having shit luck in this comp could be turned on its head.

It’s a cup competition, anything can happen.
 
overall aim is have more money by more games and also stronger teams have more chances to get far. in old system you fuck up first 2-3 games of group stage you likely out of CL. here you can be as bad as City we still have decent chance to go through.

and then another tie for most stronger teams in playoff where they are likely to face a weaker side albeit their a chance for a huge tie like Bayern-City or Real-City etc.

it will result imo in a much stronger set of 16 clubs left. I think it was pretty boring in previous format that we had of the 8 ties in last 16 like 5-6 of them were like Copenhagen-City, Leipzig-Real etc which rarely caused surprise result.

in this format general level of teams in last 16 will be bit higher as stronger sides have multiple goes to get further, with lot more bit closer Atletico-Juventus or Barca-Milan type of games and lot less not close at all Copenhagen-City type games.

top8 is quite strong anyway based on form in the league stage and all of them will face the winners in playoff games.
lets assume the playoff winners include PSG, Bayern, City, Real, Juventus (they might meet tho each other lol) it means these 5 will face one of the top8 already in last 16. those will be pretty great games in last like like PSG-Atletico, Liverpool-Real, Bayern-Inter, City-Barca, Juventus-Leverkusen
these are more like the ones normally you get in QFs or later.
 

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