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EUROPA LEAGUE: Group Stage

• EUROPA LEAGUE: Group Stage

• EUROPA LEAGUE: Group Stage

  StrumSolo > 30/08/2013, 13:35

  The draw was made earlier and it looks fairly straightforward for the English and Welsh (Swansea) sides. Even Wigan will fancy their chances of progressing.
  
  A nice glamour tie for Swansea too as they're drawn with Valencia. No Scottish teams made it this far.
  
  Here are the groups:
  
  Group A: Valencia, Swansea, Kuban, St Gallen
  
  Group B: PSV, GNK Dinamo, Chornomorets Odesa, Ludogorets,
  
  Group C: Standard Liege, FC Salzburg, Efsborg, Esbjerg
  
  Group D: Rubin Kazan, Wigan Athletic, Maribor, Zulte Waregem
  
  Group E: Fiorentina, FC Dnipro, Pacos Ferreira, Pandurii
  
  Group F: Bordeaux, APOEL, Eintracht Frankfurt, Tel-Aviv
  
  Group G: Dynamo Kyiv, Genk, Rapid Wien, Thun
  
  Group H: Sevilla, Freiburg, Estoril, Liberec
  
  Group I: Lyon, Real Betis, Guimaraes, Rijeka
  
  Group J: Lazio, Trabzonspor, Legia Warsaw, Limasol
  
  Group K: Tottenham Hotspur, Anji, FC Sheriff, Tromso
  
  Group L: AZ, Paok, Maccabi Haifa, Shakter

• RE: EUROPA LEAGUE: Group Stage

  RussyRover > 30/08/2013, 13:41

  Nice, looks like Spurs got the easiest of them all... and there's no reason why Swansea and Wigan couldn't top their group as they only have 1 serious threat in their respective groups.

• RE: EUROPA LEAGUE: Group Stage

  rustee1 > 30/08/2013, 14:45

  the best thing about spurs group is it shouldn't damage their league form too much because they can play their second team and top that group quite easily.

• RE: EUROPA LEAGUE: Group Stage

  StrumSolo > 30/08/2013, 14:53

  Anzhi would have been a threat had they not started selling everyone.
  
  I think Valencia and Rubin will probably have too much for Swansea and Wigan, but you'd expect them both to finish 2nd without too much fuss.

• RE: EUROPA LEAGUE: Group Stage

  rustee1 > 30/08/2013, 14:56

  you would expect swansea to go through quite easily. wigan might struggle a bit with the fixture load. so many league and cup games early in championship season.

• RE: EUROPA LEAGUE: Group Stage

  StrumSolo > 30/08/2013, 15:05

  Yeah it won't be easy for them, they're looking at a minimum of 60-odd games this season. Their squad looks stronger now than it did last year at the moment though, some will probably go before Monday evening but maybe they're gonna try and challenge on all fronts?!
  
  If it came down to it, promotion would have to be the priority wouldn't it?

• RE: EUROPA LEAGUE: Group Stage

  rustee1 > 30/08/2013, 15:15

  yeah 100 %. if you offered them winnng the europa league or getting in the prem they would probably take prem because it is worth so much. then again whelan isn't like most chairman.

• RE: EUROPA LEAGUE: Group Stage

  StrumSolo > 30/08/2013, 15:19

  He never broke his leg in a Europa League final so I doubt he's too bothered. ;)

• RE: EUROPA LEAGUE: Group Stage

  rustee1 > 30/08/2013, 15:22

  lol that is very true. in that case he'll take the money everyday of the week then. i think if they take the europa league too seriously it will ruin promotion chances and if you don't go up its easy to get stuck there. birmingham were in same situation.

• RE: EUROPA LEAGUE: Group Stage

  StrumSolo > 03/10/2013, 17:03

  It's that Russian winter again. Early kick off (17:00) for Anzhi v Spurs, here are the teams:
  
  Anzhi Makhachkala: Pomazan, Angbwa, Tagirbekov, Adeleye, Ewerton, Jucilel, Ahmedov, Razak, Solomatin, Serderov, Abdulavov. Subs: Kerzhakov, Eschenko, Grigalava, Demidov, Gadzhibekov, Gatagov, Traore.
  Tottenham Hotspur: Lloris, Walker, Chiriches, Kaboul, Fryers, Dembele, Sandro, Lamela, Holtby, Chadli, Defoe. Subs: Friedel, Dawson, Naughton, Eriksen, Sigurdsson, Kane, Soldado.
  
  A strong looking starting eleven for Spurs, but then they've got a pretty strong squad these days. It's a big opportunity for Jermain Defoe to continue his impressive scoring run of late, and Erik Lamela will be hoping to force his way in to AVB's league side.
  
  Anzhi aren't looking as formidable these days post-Eto'o and post-Willian, but they should still be be able ask some questions of Tottenham.
  
  Predictions?
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