ToffeeWeb - Season 2007-08

The Mail Bag

Uefa Cup Opponents

Does anyone know what the significance of the groupings are in the Uefa Cup draw that was done today? I am fairly pleased with our first round draw against Metalist, and would expect us to progress to the group stages (we are Everton though, so I'm not counting any chickens yet).

If we are to progress however, are we to be in 'Group 2' along with (most likely), Villareal, Leverkusen, Standard Liege and Galatasaray? This seems like quite a tough group in comparason to some of the others. If this is the case I am a bit less satisfied with the draw.
Gareth Cooper, Sheffield Posted 31/08/2007 at 12:37:21

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Phil Grayston
1 Posted 31/08/2007 at 12:27:25

Metalist finished 5th in their league and don't seem to have much European pedigree. Still, they're no minnows and the Ukraine has produced some skilful players and teams in the past. We're home first leg so we'll need a solid cushion to help us put our last East European experience behind us and secure our passage into the group stages. COYB!

Steve Linden
2 Posted 31/08/2007 at 14:02:02

I think that?s the group we?re in. Does look a lot tougher than the ones Spurs, Bolton and Blackburn are in.

The group draw was made last night. Does anyone know if this was in secret or in the open?

Dutch Schaffaer
3 Posted 31/08/2007 at 13:23:35

Here are some facts on them:-

Country: Ukraine
Founded: 1925

In 2006-07 FC Metalist Kharkiv finished 3rd in the Ukrainian Premier League to qualify for the Uefa Cup.

This is the first time FC Metalist Kharkiv have appeared in a European Competition.

Ground: Metalist Stadium. Which is scheduled to be one of the venues for Euro 2012. The Capacity is being increased to 43,000.

Top Players: Ivory Coast International striker Venance Zézé nickname Zézéto. Ukrainian International midfielder Oleksandr Rykun, voted Best Unkranian Premier League Player 2003-04.

Could be a tricky away fixture but in all honesty Everton should easily spank FC Metalist Kharkiv and progress in the competition.

Danny Jones
4 Posted 31/08/2007 at 14:18:40

I hope it isn’t but if it is we have a tough draw because we are would be bottom seeds in the group if all the seeded teams went through, we would be ranked 34th out of 40.

Dan Sedlak
5 Posted 31/08/2007 at 14:19:09

according to the UEFA website there is another draw after the first round that determines the groups. Therefore I think the Gp 2 teams above are of no relevance. I think they just split the teams into ’groups’ for the first round draw to avoid teams from the same country facing each other.

Phil Roberts
6 Posted 31/08/2007 at 14:13:08

The seedings are 1-80. The 10 groups are Group 1 = Seeds 1, 16, 17, 32, 33 to play seeds 48, 49, 64, 65, 80

Group 2 is seeds 2, 15, 18, 31, 34 (which was Everton) against 47, 50, 63 (Metalist) 66 and 79 and so on through all 8 groups.

It seems that once the 1st round is finished, then the 40 winning clubs are re-drawn into 8 groups of 5, so we are not certain to be in a group with Villareal, Galatasaray etc. etc. The top 3 of each go through (=24) to be joined by the 8 3rd place teams after the Champions League group stages. These 32 are then in a straight cup competition down to the final.

But it does seem that this year’s UEFA cup does have a very strong line up. Getting out of the group stages will need some good performances

Phil Grayston
7 Posted 31/08/2007 at 14:46:16

Just checked Metalist out on YouTube, including goals from their 1-1 draw with Arsenal. Very little to go on, I know, but they look a neat outfit. Their fans seem odd, though. You can’t actually see many of them but they make a hell of a din when they score. Does Ukranian TV use canned cheering?
Phil Grayston
Barcelona

Stephen Turner
8 Posted 31/08/2007 at 14:59:51

Hey Phil - just did the same after your post - think your right. Check the other one out against Shaktar - its even more staged. But the best is against FC Lvov, talk about ugly fucker fans partying away and goal celebrations.

Stephen Turner
9 Posted 31/08/2007 at 15:10:20

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NC5hvZNYfMk

Hey Anyone know how I can get their training video for Moysey to study their tactics

Stephen Turner
10 Posted 31/08/2007 at 15:14:11

and their hard core - lets be careful out their lads.They are jolly noisey

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aw5Mz-Jp308

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssrpSqmJryA

Chris Leyland
11 Posted 31/08/2007 at 15:04:06

Metalist Kharkiv ? they are the Ukranian Villarreal. Mark my words.

Paul Momber
12 Posted 01/09/2007 at 07:01:34

Another question about the group stage, if you play two at home and two away it is possible that you could play the strongest 2 temas in the group? ie leverkusen and Villarreal away or is there something to make this a bit fairer?

Always paranoid that Eeverton are going get a raw deal somewhere in the shake up.

Phil Grayston
13 Posted 01/09/2007 at 13:39:29

See what you mean, Stephen. Their fans like to party alright but why so few of them? Metalist tickets over-priced? Or maybe they’re so dangerous that the club has to take segregation to extremes. Whatever, travelling Blues won’t have to worry about the bog rolls and the balloons for the trip.

Paul Momber
14 Posted 01/09/2007 at 06:47:28

Looking at the UEFA site the matches were drawn from groups of 10 teams (5 seeded and 5 unseeded), Everton are in the group with Villarreal and Leverkusen. Do the winners in each group stay in that group and therefore makeup the groups of 5 in the next round? If so tough draw I think.

John Pickles
15 Posted 01/09/2007 at 19:52:57

Would have been interesting if we had drawn Blackburn’s opponents Larisas of Greece. Their best result in European competition was Euro CWC quarters in 1984-5 and they currently have a certain Ibrahima Bakayoko in their squad.