UEFA Europa League Draw

[McGoose]

said it before, and will again — we should be going all out to win this, even if it means sacrificing a good league campaign / position.

Agree! If we go for it we should have a very good chance of doing that.

 

[SUIYHA]

Depending on where in the calendar the fixtures are drawn with respect to our Premier League games and general travel schedule - I'm pretty pleased with that. Roma will be tough, but having them at home for a midweek game under the lights at the Lane will be a good test early season to see if we're serious about winning this thing.

Only one away trip more than 2.5 hours flight away and it's in Istanbul where there will be high quality hotels and infrastructure - no trips to Scandinavia or the Baltic countries in freezing conditions, no trips to random backwaters in Asia where the players will probably be staying in some shitty hostel, and no away trips to any of the big tournament favourites so all games are winnable if we play well.

 

[WorcesterTHFC]

I’m sure I recall playing Elfsborg under either Jol or Ramos in the 00s(?).

Spurs have never played a Swedish team in any UEFA competition.

 

[WorcesterTHFC]

Some serious clubs in the comp. Lots of tough matches for us

You don't improve without facing tough opponents.

 

[Archibald&Crooks]

Rangers and Galatasaray, there's two tasty away games.

 

[tommo84]

Spurs have never played a Swedish team in any UEFA competition.

Looked it up - I was thinking of Aalborg (Danish).

 

[snakehipsspurs]

Lol Ange rattling their cages already

 

[Marty]

I’m sure I recall playing Elfsborg under either Jol or Ramos in the 00s(?).

I think you're thinking of Aalborg from Denmark. We beat them 3-2 in 07/08.

 

[Nine while nine]

Spurs have never played a Swedish team in any UEFA competition.

We played Osters IF in the UEFA Intertoto Cup in 1995-96.

We lost 2-1, but Gerry McMahon scored his only ever goal for us in that game, so we should remember it for that alone.

 

[tommo84]

Depending on where in the calendar the fixtures are drawn with respect to our Premier League games and general travel schedule - I'm pretty pleased with that. Roma will be tough, but having them at home for a midweek game under the lights at the Lane will be a good test early season to see if we're serious about winning this thing.

Only one away trip more than 2.5 hours flight away and it's in Istanbul where there will be high quality hotels and infrastructure - no trips to Scandinavia or the Baltic countries in freezing conditions, no trips to random backwaters in Asia where the players will probably be staying in some shitty hostel, and no away trips to any of the big tournament favourites so all games are winnable if we play well.

Yeah I think having some tough ones in there - particularly Roma (h) and Galatasaray (a) should help to inspire the players and spark their appetite to do something in this competition. In the past it’s always seemed like the players just weren’t focused when facing the likes of Wolfsberger, Limassol and LASK. An early trip to either Glasgow or Istanbul should fire them up.

 

[Marty]

We played Osters IF in the UEFA Intertoto Cup in 1995-96.

We lost 2-1, but Gerry McMahon scored his only ever goal for us in that game, so we should remember it for that alone.

That was the year we lost 8-0 to Köln with Alan Pardew as a trialist in our XI, wasn't it?

If ever anybody needs reminding just how bad things were back then.

 

[riggi]

Wonder what the points cut off will be for Galatasary.

 

[gavspur]

Some good/tough games for us there, hopefully enough to get us going in this competition for once. Quite an exciting few matches, it’s bringing the excitement back to this competition reminiscent of how I used to feel about the old Cup Winners Cup. Much better than feeling you’re travelling across the other side of Europe to play teams you’ve never heard of. Surely this is better for the players too. Plus, winners get CL, could be our best route back to that.

 

[Joshua shepherd]

Wonder what the points cut off will be for Galatasary.

Depends how easy it’ll be to sell the tickets on won’t it.

 

[spurmin]

I think that's a fairly tough draw actually

I think it’s better to play against decent teams. Our record against so called smaller opposition is dire.

 

[Marty]

Just realised MD7 is my birthday so Roma at home would be a nice occasion to celebrate it.

 

[The Long Suffering One]

The Roma, Gala and Rangers games can easily pass off as Champions League ties as well. What I love about the draw is it will test the resolve and competence of the whole squad.

How will Archie fare as a no. 6 away in Turkey? Can the likes of Werner and Moore deliver in the Rangers atmosphere? Etc.

 

[Goldman]

Decent draw, I’m actually quite excited for the EL this year!

Hopefully we can give a decent amount of minutes to the wider squad, including the youth!

 

[Romulus]

I like that the competition runs into January too as I feel that the break from December to February made a lot of teams lose 'rhythm'. we always seemed to struggle after the break

 

[riggi]

Depends how easy it’ll be to sell the tickets on won’t it.

I didn’t bother applying for Marseille because I assumed the points would be too high but that ended up being pretty low.

Suspect this will be the same.