Topic: Europa League / Conference League / Champions League Fixtures 28th-30th November

[oojason]

Marseille vs Ajax; 15 minute highlights: https://ourmatch.me/30-11-2023-marseille-vs-ajax or https://hoofoot.com/?match=Marseille_vs_Ajax_2023_11_30 


'The referee stops the game in Helsinki ⛔️ Reason: Aberdeen fans throwing snowballs at the HJK goalkeeper... 😅' - https://twitter.com/footballontnt/status/1730306779681014211

[rob1966]

Are the U-18 eligible for the trip to St Gilloise? All players from the B-list please...

I get your reasoning, but sadly there is no way Klopp will do that, our result has implications on the group outcome and who makes the qualifier, and he's too much of a football man to do it. Toulouse and USG drew both games, so IF LASK beat Toulouse, USG then just need to beat us by a large enough margin to qualify - us putting out the U18's would likely guarantee USG get the 4-0 win they'd need if UEFA decides 2nd on goals scored, or a 2-0 win if its just down to GD (I don't know what criteria applies)

[So… Howard Philips]

I get your reasoning, but sadly there is no way Klopp will do that, our result has implications on the group outcome and who makes the qualifier, and he's too much of a football man to do it. Toulouse and USG drew both games, so IF LASK beat Toulouse, USG then just need to beat us by a large enough margin to qualify - us putting out the U18's would likely guarantee USG get the 4-0 win they'd need if UEFA decides 2nd on goals scored, or a 2-0 win if its just down to GD (I don't know what criteria applies)

And the 2-3000 fans travelling over will expect a reasonably strong team on the pitch.

[Fromola]

I get your reasoning, but sadly there is no way Klopp will do that, our result has implications on the group outcome and who makes the qualifier, and he's too much of a football man to do it. Toulouse and USG drew both games, so IF LASK beat Toulouse, USG then just need to beat us by a large enough margin to qualify - us putting out the U18's would likely guarantee USG get the 4-0 win they'd need if UEFA decides 2nd on goals scored, or a 2-0 win if its just down to GD (I don't know what criteria applies)

We'll play a stronger side and bench than we'd all like. If Toulouse lose to Lask that's their lookout though. They've got 2 more points than they should have due to a nonsensical VAR decision anyway.

[Fromola]

Another win for Leverkusen phenomenal team, Liverpool and them are better than 80% of the sides in The Champions League.

Yeah, that could easily have been a CL semi final this season. We'll have to beat them to win it.

[disgraced cake]

Good to be able to forget about it until March now. Hopefully by then we will have won the League Cup, but most years we've ever even reached the final we've gone on to play at least one more final that season, and got to two more finals in 2001 and 2022.

It's been a relatively enjoyable group stage, we've played some good football and scored goals, it was a very kind group to be fair, and it's allowed us to use a few younger players like Quansah and Doak. I've been happy we've played a strong side mostly though, bodes well for the knockouts where we have to take it even more seriously if we want to win it.

[Henry Chinaski]

And the 2-3000 fans travelling over will expect a reasonably strong team on the pitch.

I'm going to that game as well Will be sitting with the home supporters, unfortunately.

[Scottymuser]

I get your reasoning, but sadly there is no way Klopp will do that, our result has implications on the group outcome and who makes the qualifier, and he's too much of a football man to do it. Toulouse and USG drew both games, so IF LASK beat Toulouse, USG then just need to beat us by a large enough margin to qualify - us putting out the U18's would likely guarantee USG get the 4-0 win they'd need if UEFA decides 2nd on goals scored, or a 2-0 win if its just down to GD (I don't know what criteria applies)

If teams on the same points have the same number of points against each other (which 2 draws would imply) it then goes overall GD - so it needs to be a combined 3 GD between both matches (i.e. if LASK win by 1, USG need to win by 2; if LASK win by 2+, then USG by 1).  The other thing to note - is we can only actually field players named in our EL squad at the start of the season - so the only players younger then 21 in the squad are  Chambers/Quansah/Bradley/Clark/Baj/Elliot/Scanlon/McConnell/Koumas/Doak/Gordon/Fauendorf   - Elliot/Quansah obviously have played a bunch of first team matches, Baj is injured; so we'd have to have some experienced players even if it like Elliot/Quansah/Jones/etc.

[Scottymuser]

Are the U-18 eligible for the trip to St Gilloise? All players from the B-list please...

We've only named 10 outfield B list players, including Baj who is injured.  Which of our youth keepers should we play full back

[disgraced cake]

Imagine for the last game we could see something like ...

Kelleher
Bradley, Gomez, Quansah, Chambers
Endo, Clark, McConnell. (No idea how this midfield is meant to work to be honest)
Gordon, Gakpo, Doak

Think the likes of Frauendorf might be on the B list some of those get used. It's been a shame Bajcetic has been injured because he'd have been able to play in this if he hadn't in the league, then again if you sign someone like Endo for 15 million you have to start him sometimes.

You definitely can't just play 11 kids even if the squad allowed it, it worked against lower league Shrewsbury a few years ago in the FA Cup but in Europe away from home to a team who have to win you'd be asking for too much trouble. A stress free game this time of year is always nice though.

[Fromola]

There's a chance we might play Ali if it's his first game back and he needs a bit of shaprness before United/Arsenal.

It is the chance to play Bradley/Chambers/Mcconnell/Clark/Gordon/Doak alongside the likes of Endo and Elliott and then Matip or Gomez alongside Quansah. A few experienced players on the bench.

It'll be a short flight, so it depends whether we travel on the day or not. We'll take the full squad over pretty much if we travel down Wednesday because we'll need the rhythm of training, that'll see a strong bench at least. It's not like Klopp and the first team will stay at home and the U23 manager does the game and we treat it like an EFL Trophy game.

[farawayred]

We've only named 10 outfield B list players, including Baj who is injured.  Which of our youth keepers should we play full back

Do we really need to field 11 players? 

It was a tongue-in-cheeck comment. But I do want to see players rested for the United game that follows. We still owe E7H to change his name back to the original one.