The Soccer Thread (IV)

That ain't a sure thing just yet. Rapid probably should have had one just now, which would have put them through. Rapid just scored, so it's 2-2 on aggregate, and Rapid leading on away goals. Atrocious defending.

 

And Villa go out.

Not sure it's all bad for them, though. This competition is becoming less and less prestigious, and less and less valuable. The crowd, or lack thereof, tells the story. Wouldn't surprise me if it ends up costing Fulham and Everton a few league places in the end.

 

It helps with UEFA coefficients quite a bit, got Russia and Ukraine extra UCL bids.

 

USMNT roster for next two WCQ matches ...

GOALKEEPERS (2): Brad Guzan (Aston Villa: 5/3 SO), Tim Howard (Everton FC: 12/7 SO)

DEFENDERS (8): Carlos Bocanegra (Rennes: 22/3), Jonathan Bornstein (Chivas USA, 2/0), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover: 19/0), Jay DeMerit (Watford: 3/0), Clarence Goodson (IK Start: 1/0), Chad Marshall (Columbus Crew: 2/0), Oguchi Onyewu (AC Milan: 17/1), Jonathan Spector (West Ham: 2/0)

MIDFIELDERS (8): Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake: 0/0), Michael Bradley (Borussia Mönchengladbach: 11/4), Ricardo Clark (Houston Dynamo: 6/0), Clint Dempsey (Fulham: 18/4), Benny Feilhaber (AGF Aarhus: 2/0), Stuart Holden (Houston Dynamo: 1/0), Robbie Rogers (Columbus Crew: 0/0), José Francisco Torres (Pachuca: 5/0)

FORWARDS (6): Jozy Altidore (Hull City: 9/5), Conor Casey (Colorado Rapids: 5/0), Brian Ching (Houston Dynamo: 16/6), Charlie Davies (FC Sochaux: 3/2), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy: 31/11), Robbie Findley (Real Salt Lake: 0/0)
*numbers indicate all-time World Cup Qualifying caps/goals

 

There is that about it. Also got Sevilla into the first group of CL seeds.

But, by the same token, England already have about the best CL coefficient you can get. They're not going to get any more than the top three in the group stages and fourth place in the qualifiers.

 

I find it interesting that Cooper is left off in favor of Findley. I don't know Findley's play well enough, but from those that have seen him, is this something you expected?

(As an aside, my original plan to be in Salt Lake suffered a setback. However, I'll still be in DC!)

 

Findley's fast. Maybe they wanted someone as a backup for Davies more so than Cooper, whom they have a tough time positioning. Not a hold-up guy, not a speed guy.

 

Europa League Draw

Group A

Ajax
Anderlecht
DinamoZagreb
Timisoara

Group B

Valencia
Lille
Slavia Prague
Genoa

Group C

Hamburg
Celtic
Hapoel Tel-Aviv
Rapid Vienna

Group D

Sporting Lisbon
Heerenveen
Hertha Berlin
Ventspils

Group E

Roma
Basel
Fulham
CSKA Sofia

Group F

Panathinaikos
Galatasaray
Dinamo Bucharest
Sturm Graz

Group G

Villarreal
Lazio
Levski Sofia
Salzburg

Group H

Steaua Bucharest
Fenerbahce
FC Twente
Sheriff

Group I

Benfica
Everton
AEK Athens
BATE

Group J

ShakhtarDonetsk
Bruges
Partizan Belgrade
Toulouse

Group K

PSV Eindhoven
FC Copenhagen
Sparta Prague
CFR Cluj

Group L

Werder Bremen
Austria Vienna
Athletic Bilbao
Nacional

 

OK, so Ajax, Valencia, Hamburg, Sporting, Celtic, Roma, Pana, Villareal, Fenerbaeche, Benfica, Shaktar, PSV and Bremen don't belong in the Champions League, but Apoel, Debrecini, Kazan and Urinea do??
The group stage is going to be an abortion of epic proportions. I say we all boycott the Champions League and follow the Europa League (and do we have to call it that? I'll stick with UEFA Cup thank you). The Europa League isn't as glamorous, but it's been more competitive than the UCL the last 2 or 3 years. Just my thoughts...

 

No, they don't, because they didn't win their league. Each of those clubs you listed is more than capable of winning their respective league title. If they can't do that and guarantee themselves a spot in the Champions League — you know, the league of champions — then tough shit.

And show me a Champions League season with a group stage people thought was interesting. You'll forgive me if I don't hold my breath. It's always a tedious but nonetheless necessary exercise.

 

Three things.

- it's "Unirea", not "Urinea", as awesome as that is.
- it is the Champions League. what's wrong with the, you know, champions getting in? the Portugese, Turkish and Greek leagues aren't exactly the Prem, Serie A or La Liga - Sporting, Pana and Fenerbahce could have played their way in. do you hate the automatic bids to the NCAA tournament?
- Europa is, in fact, a terrible name for a league (although the name of two unrelated delicious restaurants in the last two places I've lived). Wafer Cup it is.

 

Kazan won Russian League whose UEFA coefficient is 6 (England, Spain, Italy, Germany & France are top 5).