ToffeeWeb - Season 2009-10

The Mail Bag

High Noon

So tomorrow is the draw for the Europa League group stage: 12 noon. The format (for those who don't know) is 8 groups of 4, with top 2 going through. Each team plays each other home and away so 6 group matches. Everton will be seeded 17 so go into pot 2.

Teams to go out were Zenit and Metalist but Rapid Vienna went through as did Villarreal and Dinamo Bucharest and we could end up in a group with all three of them! Now wouldn't that be scary and a time to settle some old debts...

What I do not fancy is Hertha Berlin, Atletico Bilbao from pot 3 or Toulouse, Genoa, Nacional (who beat Zenit) from pot 4.

So group of death or group of life? — Ajax, Slavia Prague and Ventspils of Latvia or Werder Bremen, Athletic Bilao and Genoa?
Phil Roberts, on the settee Posted 27/08/2009 at 19:20:03

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Michael Kenrick

Phil; we need you to do an updated write-up the next part of our European Adventure 2009-10...

Phil Guyers
1 Posted 27/08/2009 at 19:34:01

This is the first time we are playing in a 'proper' European group (all teams home and away) and in spite of the indifferent start to the season, I'm really looking forward to it.

We're in the middle of the second of the four pots so our opponents will be one from each of the other pots. The top pot consists of Werder Bremen, Villarreal, Roma, PSV, Shakhtar Donetsk, Sporting Lisbon, Hamburg, Benfica, Valencia, Panathinaikos, Ajax and Steaua Bucharest. No easy ones of course but I'd prefer the Dutch or German teams.

Of the 24 teams in the bottom 2 pots, 14 are from eastern Europe and beyond (Israel!). The more accessible opponents are Hertha Berlin, Athletic Bilbao and FC Twente from pot 3 and Toulouse, Rapid Vienna, Salzburg and Sturm Graz from pot 4.

We are certainly in for a tough time whoever we get and we'll have to up our game on tonight's display.

John Maxwell
2 Posted 28/08/2009 at 03:59:17

All good experience for the squad and priceless for our youngsters.

Nice to see us coast through to the group stages round, previous seasons saw us stuggle, my finger nails have only just grown back from the metalist game.

My only worry is what are the rewards for progressing ? sure we get TV rights etc.. but didnt we only get 500k for getting into the last 32 against Fiorentina ?

Looking forward to the draw and proud to see our name in there.

Tony Waring
3 Posted 28/08/2009 at 09:23:06

With few exceptions there are no easy ties in the offing but it would be nice to put one over Rapid (a la 1985) and particularly so since they beat that world beating team from the Midlands, Aston something or other, whom all the pundits were raving about not so long ago. Seems to me that they’ve never been the same side since they fortunately grabbed a win at Goodison last season. Puts our bad start into some perspective. Let’s hope the new boys settle down and gel quickly and we can look forward to a good run in Europe as well as in the Premier League. Oh and by the way what about a bid for Milner, even though he is cup-tied for Europe ?

David Alexander
4 Posted 28/08/2009 at 09:30:52

I dont care who we get, Its europe its an adventure who wants to play some latvian team we’ve neverheard of, I want to play ajax and villareal and have some memorable nights. Besides whoever we get there will be bigger sides to face when the champs league dropouts join the competition.

Paul Gladwell
5 Posted 28/08/2009 at 09:29:50

I am looking forward to it and no matter what certain people, say it is good we are in it.
Bollocks to Harry and O’neil moaning and putting out weakened teams, if they are going to do that then what is the point of them spending millions to be the best of the rest in the premiership each year? they may as well finish tenth if they dont want this form of Europe.

Col Wills
6 Posted 28/08/2009 at 09:47:15

Villa suffered like we did a few years back when we 1st got into Europe, it takes time to learn how to play in Europe and we are thankfully further along the curve than them. Steven Warnock must have been gutted sitting watching them go out like that. Fabian Delph played Centre Mid and looked very mobile and tidy for them, whilst Ashley Young went down everytime he was tackled and ’won’ 2 penalties, very dubious

Trevor Williams
7 Posted 28/08/2009 at 10:03:56

I am hoping for some nice ties, easy to get to locations and grounds large enough for everyone who wants to go being able to.
Thats all I want

We should finish at least 2nd in reality

Keith Dolan
8 Posted 28/08/2009 at 11:41:39

Minor point. Its actually 12 groups of 4 teams with the top two going through. 8 3rd place teams from CL join to make last 32.

David McKitt
9 Posted 28/08/2009 at 12:25:55

so far we’ve been drawn in group i with benfica

Trevor Williams
10 Posted 28/08/2009 at 12:29:05

brilliant

Lison Portugal, Staduim of light

67,000 ...Tickets should be no problem

Tony Marsh
11 Posted 28/08/2009 at 12:37:57

where can I see the draw being made
?cant find it on tv?

Dave Southon
12 Posted 28/08/2009 at 12:40:27

Im watching it on http://www.iraqgoals.net/ch3.html

Pavel Ivanov
13 Posted 28/08/2009 at 12:36:21

I believe Hibbert’s straight red card means a 3-match ban in European matches. Is this great news or what?

Hopefully those three games will help Moyes see that the teams looks much better with just about anyone else (why not Heitinga?) at right back.

David McKitt
14 Posted 28/08/2009 at 12:42:22

With AEK Athens..

Trevor Williams
15 Posted 28/08/2009 at 12:36:16

Athens would be nice tooo... Be nice to us draw

Robert Szlaz
16 Posted 28/08/2009 at 12:43:36

It’s on Uefa website

Michael Lynch
17 Posted 28/08/2009 at 12:43:17

All good so far. No eastern european teams please.

Trevor Williams
18 Posted 28/08/2009 at 12:43:39

www.uefa.com tony live feed

David McKitt
19 Posted 28/08/2009 at 12:43:02

http://www.uefa.com/competitions/UefaCup/index.html#
just click on "Draw" .. then click on Video to watch it live.

Trevor Williams
20 Posted 28/08/2009 at 12:46:12

oh yesssssssssss Athens.. another easy place to get to and a 71,000 stadium

Trevor Williams
21 Posted 28/08/2009 at 12:47:59

I think we have to get a swiss team now due to the way the draw is set into coloured groups or genoa

Dave Southon
22 Posted 28/08/2009 at 12:50:40

Hibbert’s Red card is a one match ban.

Tony Marsh
23 Posted 28/08/2009 at 12:50:29

CHERRS LADS GOT IT

Michael Lynch
24 Posted 28/08/2009 at 12:45:40

Benfica, AEK Athens and Batu (Belarus)

David McKitt
25 Posted 28/08/2009 at 12:52:01

with BATE.. anyone know anything about them!?

Trevor Williams
26 Posted 28/08/2009 at 12:53:18

well I am happy with that

Jonathan Bradley
27 Posted 28/08/2009 at 12:53:17

bate were in the CL not so long ago... other than that i know nothing of them

Dave Southon
28 Posted 28/08/2009 at 12:54:37

They drew home and away with Juventus if memory serves me right.

Tony Marsh
29 Posted 28/08/2009 at 12:54:25

We are in the group of death

Graham Smallwood
30 Posted 28/08/2009 at 12:53:57

good draw, benfica and aek sound like decent glamour ties to me! distins officially signed as well SSN.

c.o.y.b’s

Shaun Marran
31 Posted 28/08/2009 at 12:55:03

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FC_BATE ... Capacity... 5402 ...

David McKitt
32 Posted 28/08/2009 at 13:00:23

Although FC BATE didnt win any of their games in the champs league last season, them seemed to have held their own against some good teams.. well that going by the results that are on wikipedia..

Ray Said
33 Posted 28/08/2009 at 12:55:06

I think this whole Europa gig is a ploy by the CL teams (and their lapdogs at UEFA) to ensure that the teams that finshed just below them (like us) who are the main challengers will endure such a grinding slog for very little financial reward that that it will kill of any challengers for CL spots.
Yeah, i know that European football provides some great nights but i do think that whilst we are slogging through these games that we are diluting our scant resources and that will cost us any chance of getting into the CL. Just 1 year in the CL proper could wipe out half of our overdraft.
That point made, COYB!!! we can win this thing.

Tony Marsh
34 Posted 28/08/2009 at 13:02:50

Any dates yet??

Chris Leyland
35 Posted 28/08/2009 at 13:02:48

Just what are Kenwright and Moyes playing at getting us this group in the Europa. They should have got us an easier group I blame them and Sir Phillip Green.

Tony Marsh
36 Posted 28/08/2009 at 13:06:26

Chris we can bame them when we dont qualify from this group which looks a cert.

Trevor Williams
37 Posted 28/08/2009 at 13:08:10

Thursday 17th September
Home to POT 3

Thursday 1st October
Away to POT 1

Thursday 22nd October
Home to Pot 4

Thursday November 5th
Away to POT 3

Thursday 3rd December
Away to POT 4

Thursday 17th December
Home to POT 1

I believe

Trevor Williams
38 Posted 28/08/2009 at 13:10:54

Every team is in a group of death ...FFS

Two will continue and two will not

Simple

Phil Bellis
39 Posted 28/08/2009 at 13:16:46

Well thought out Ray
That Nicey O’Neil’s not daft

Alan Clarke
40 Posted 28/08/2009 at 13:18:31

I’d rather watch us play better teams. It’s more interesting than playing shite teams no one’s ever heard of in the arse end of Europe.

Stephen Parris
41 Posted 28/08/2009 at 13:18:58

Well said Trevor.........there are no easy groups..........and ours looks attractive and we should look forward to these games !!

Top two qualify..............we can do it !!

COYB

David Barks
42 Posted 28/08/2009 at 13:22:00

Every team in our group is beatable. How could it "look a cert" for us not to come out of this group? I think top of the group is definitely a possibility. We’ll have a couple more players added by the time the fixtures begin, Arteta and Yak should be back for at least the majority of these fixtures. We’re absolutely capable of coming out of this group.

James Potter
43 Posted 28/08/2009 at 13:25:09

Well we could've drawn Roma, Valencia, PSV or Ajax etc... instead of Benfica, but I will settle for a trip to the Stadium of Light proper!!! COYB!!!

Thomas Christensen
44 Posted 28/08/2009 at 13:40:01

Group I

Benfica
Everton
AEK Athens
BATE

Malcolm Evans
45 Posted 28/08/2009 at 13:46:51

I will be disappointed if we dont beat all 3 of these teams at Goodison and that would be enough to see us qualify i suspect.

Peter Roberts
46 Posted 28/08/2009 at 16:02:49

Tony, please. If you look at any of the other groups you will see we have got off rather lightly.

Yes, all 3 teams in our group have recent CL experience but really the teams aren’t as tough as we look. If we don’t beat the Belarussians home and away I’ll be disappointed and I would expect us to beat AEK at home, and maybe snatch a point away. There is a reason our team was ranked 16th in the draw. Do remember by then we will have Arteta and Yakubu back to full fitness by the start of the group games, plus any new signings.

Stop whinging for the sake of it.

Tony Waring
47 Posted 28/08/2009 at 17:00:55

Blimey Trevor this POT outfit must be something special if they’ve got four teams in the competition. Where the hell is it and is there an airport there ? If there is, sure to be a direct flight from JL airport.

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