Interpolic

Doubt he would be back-up if he stayed, maybe if he was more versatile he'd not be first choice, as Pardew could then offer him more games.

That needs to be a common GIF.

Barcelona thoroughly deserved their Champions League win last year, what Chelsea have done this year isn't much better than Greece 2004 except they have an astronomical wage bill that would suggest they might fancy approaching a Champions League final with a plan beyond defending for their lives.

What?? You sneaky editing motherfucker, you have no morals.

aplal pks

Seemed like Di Matteo was having a go at them for being so negative at normal FT.

Can remember most people hating the cwc and thinking it was a joke in its latter years tbh

Hmm, pretty sure I'd prefer the group format if/when we get back in the CL. 6 games against some of the best sides in Europe, guaranteed.

They're keeping him there? :lol:

and to keep the coffers ticking over for those knocked out. pretty sure my reason is the main reason. I really don't think it is, they brought it in when there were situations of teams with no chance of qualifying from the groups essentially throwing games because they couldn't be arsed, leading to a few teams getting fucked over in the process.

Think the main reason for the CL drop-outs is to keep the CL groups competitive.

Well say if Man Utd and Barcelona are clearly the standout best teams on the continent one year - and particularly if it's entirely a knockout competition like people are saying - then it's a bit of a gutter for the neutral if one of those sides goes out first round by virtue of drawing each other.

Yeah that certainly needs to be scrapped, yet another thing that values the competitiveness of the CL over the EL.

What's the problem with seeding?

Yep, doesn't make any sense that otherwise logical people still go on about this.

It was weighted so massively in Chelsea's favour to qualify for the Champions League through the normal means, should be tough shit for them if there's only 4 places going.

The winners of the Premier League do though, FTW.

Can't believe that Chelsea side won the FA Cup and Champions League this season man.

Nicking that to put on my Facebook, no higher praise exists.

So you pick someone who finishes 4, third of the losers to play in the Champions League over someone who are the champions of the Champions League. Bizarre! Even more bizarre to pick the people who finished 5th of the losers like, or potentially 19th, as it could happen. Bayern finished 10th when they won the second European Cup in the 70's. Who finished 4th in the Bundesliga that year? Nobody knows because it doesn't matter, Bayern winning the European was a far better achievement which people do still remember and gave them the right to win it he next year There weren't 4 CL places in those days so this is a laughable comment anyway. More laughable than 4th place being an achievement worth comparing to winning the European Cup? That's what's fucked up, not the holders getting in as they've always done They haven't always though, the rules only changed when Liverpool wet themselves about it. They have. Real got in in 2000 when they finished 5th It was the FA trying to get Everton in that caused the mess in 2005 so Uefa cleared up the rule completely That was the choice of the Spanish FA. The English FA chose 4th but Liverpool weren't having it. It's no longer the choice of the country's FA.

Well surely that's at the expense of someone else then?

I don't understand why 5 teams getting in would be a joke, unless you're hanging on to the idea of the old competition. It'd only be one country that got an extra place each year.

Yeah, does this mean Arsenal need to go through a qualifier now? Rings a bell.

So you pick someone who finishes 4, third of the losers to play in the Champions League over someone who are the champions of the Champions League. Bizarre! Even more bizarre to pick the people who finished 5th of the losers like, or potentially 19th, as it could happen. Bayern finished 10th when they won the second European Cup in the 70's. Who finished 4th in the Bundesliga that year? Nobody knows because it doesn't matter, Bayern winning the European was a far better achievement which people do still remember and gave them the right to win it he next year There weren't 4 CL places in those days so this is a laughable comment anyway. More laughable than 4th place being an achievement worth comparing to winning the European Cup? That's what's fucked up, not the holders getting in as they've always done Spurs have been a better side than Chelsea this season and if one of them deserves to get in the premier European cup competition then it's them.