Do we have the best non CL squad in Europe?

[WinterWarrior]

Was just thinking about this, what other teams can put out a first 11 as strong as ours (when fully fit) also it pisses me off that Fiorentina are close to signing a striker of Gomez's quality when they're not in the CL and not nearly as an attractive proposition as we are

 

[Park Lane James]

We're most certainly up there, which gives us no excuse to bow out of Europe early next season

 

[mad]

not sure if we are the number 1 outside of CL but yeh, we're in a group of 4 or five clubs who can attract very good players despite not being in CL.

 

[Scottwallace15]

Was just thinking about this, what other teams can put out a first 11 as strong as ours (when fully fit) also it pisses me off that Fiorentina are close to signing a striker of Gomez's quality when they're not in the CL and not nearly as an attractive proposition as we are

maybe fiorentina is better at transfer negotiations then us

 

[Park Lane Hutton]

These are the teams which have qualified for the Champions League play-off for the 13/14 season. With perhaps the exception of Celtic, I think we could beat any of these teams with ease. I know it would be unfair to put more teams from England through but there has to be a way which suits top clubs in big footballing countries without disrupting the progress of Ludogorets Razgrad or Sutjeska Nikšić




Maccabi Tel Aviv (1st) Slovan Bratislava (1st) Sligo Rovers (1st) FH (1st)
Celtic (1st) Molde (1st) Maribor (1st) Sutjeska Nikšić (1st)
Viktoria Plzeň (1st) Partizan (1st) Ekranas (1st) Skënderbeu Korçë (1st)
Legia Warsaw (1st) Ludogorets Razgrad (1st) Sheriff Tiraspol (1st) Birkirkara (1st)
Dinamo Zagreb (1st) Győr (1st) Neftchi Baku (1st) The New Saints (1st)
Steaua București (1st) HJK (1st) Daugava Daugavpils (1st) Nõmme Kalju (1st)
BATE Borisov (1st) Dinamo Tbilisi (1st) Vardar (1st) Cliftonville (1st)
Elfsborg (1st) Željezničar (1st) Shakhter Karagandy (1st) Fola Esch (1st)

First qualifying round​

Shirak (1st) EB/Streymur (1st) Lusitanos (1st) Tre Penne

 

[RSpurs]

Best squad outside the CL quarterfinals...

 

[Blanchflower]

With perhaps the exception of Celtic, I think we could beat any of these teams with ease.

We would batter Celtic over two legs

 

[Park Lane Hutton]

We would batter Celtic over two legs

true. although last time we played them we lost 2-0 (but we had frazier campbell up front or something) although that was 4 years ago. you're right. we'd hammer them. the quality of scottish football is really quite poor.

 

[cahspur]

If we're doing this by the upcoming season and assuming Pelligrini does in fact go to City and thus weakens Malaga, yes I would say we are the strongest side in Europe outside of the CL spots. However, Malaga, Valencia, and Fiorentina would all be worthy debate points.

 

[Park Lane James]

We would batter Celtic over two legs

I'm not so sure about that, they've troubled a lot of teams at Parkhead over the last few years (Barcelona this season, United etc). It would be a 'banana skin' tie for sure. I can't see them laying over for us at all, especially given how we threw away the second leg against Inter and the Basel matches

 

[N17 THFC YiD]

Its really sucky not to even get at least CL or wining a cup!!! :walkerwtf:

 

[Raitei]

Yeah, plus we'd absolutely cunt Basel too....

 

[Deuce]

Yeah probably. With good health and proper lineups, we probably easily beat anytime that was listed in that previous post and we should have been in the final. The Europa should be ours if we go for it next year.

 

[Éperons]

These are the teams which have qualified for the Champions League play-off for the 13/14 season.

That's not quite right. Those are the clubs that have qualified for the qualifying rounds, which includes clubs like Ekranas. I've seen Ekranas play live. Spurs would ruin them if they didn't do their ACLs first on the dodgy Lithuanian pitch.

But look at who is in the actual playoff round already: Wanderers, Milan, Schalke, Real Sociedad and Paços de Ferreira. The last two are pretty weak sauce, but I don't know that we're obviously better than Milan…

Furthermore, the round before features the likes of Lyon, whom we managed to beat only by the skin of our teeth. Also included: Zenit, Fenerbahçe, PSV Eindhoven, and Metalist Xarxiv. So that's four clubs not in the group stages of the CL who have better UEFA coefficients than we do (Zenit, Lyon, Milan, Schalke).

Granted, the coefficients don't correlate super well with squad strength, since they're averaged over five years, and we're much better than we were in 2008/09… But our current rating also includes our performance in the CL to boost our own numbers…

Next look at who is in the group stages of the Europa League:

Valencia are the tenth best club in Europe by coefficient. I imagine we're better today, but I wouldn't stake my life on it. Lazio also are already in the group round… we didn't exactly take them to town either, did we?

We are, at least, the highest seeded club in the EL playoff round, however, and I think that, outside of Valencia, Sporting, Inter, and Liverpool, we are the club with the highest coefficient who has no chance of CL this upcoming year.

Of course, those final three aren't even in Europe this upcoming year…

 

[SanDiegoYiddo]

Of course, those final three aren't even in Europe this upcoming year…

Insane

 

[Hazza]

Sorry but I don't really agree. We have some very good players who are CL quality but our overall squad is not that great right now.

 

[N17 THFC YiD]

...the main problem with our team or squad is they rely to much on some world class individuals and it is obvious that maybe 3 or 4 callibres of that size cant be the whole team...I hate it when our team gets in front of the penalty area with great dominance and then just only chip the ball to bale or defoe to score a freaking goal...we cant kill teams off that's the main problem...I mean you got the potential of a world class team who can eventually score from any distance or even force a goal in an other way coz they are brilliant, but they don't. All the quality is mainly lost due to ranking orders or easyness. I mean look at our team we play a 4-5-1 for most of the times latelybecause we have so many good midfielders and also crap strikers =) but they rarely have a peek at the goal. even the LB and RBs got some decent power and accuracy for an attempt but they rather pass the ball and waste a good opportunity or fuck up then rather have a shot on goal! Too much quality is lost there imo!

 

[zin]

Monaco.

 

[Tucker]

Monaco.

Have they been let into Ligue 1 yet?

 

[YidoBuckler]

Valencia are the tenth best club in Europe by coefficient. I imagine we're better today, but I wouldn't stake my life on it. Lazio also are already in the group round… we didn't exactly take them to town either, did we?

We scored 4 legitimate goals against Lazio compared to their zero, all ruled out wrongly by inept officials.