The Europeometer™ (2023/24) - permutations in O.P.

[timeEd32]

7 minutes ago, SteV said:

You’re right of course, but the differential between EL and ECL is tiny compared to the differential between EL and CL, so the idea of it being ‘easier to win’, has a fair bit more sway.

Yeah but we’d be one of the best teams in the Europa League too. We held our own in the hardest CL group despite insane injuries. Half of our games until the final would be at home where I like our chances against anyone. 
 

I’ll take the decreased odds of winning for all the other potential benefits.

[Mattoon]

I'd snap your hand off at the conference league after the season we've had and you've got to expect us to be favourites. Having said that we've never finished above Man Utd in the Premier league, I think its about time that ended.

[Skeletor]

I'd really hope that if we eventually broke our trophy drought it was a bit more romantic than the Paint Cup of Europe.

[The College Dropout]

I’d be delighted with any European competition. Europa is great but we’ll probably not win it. Conference is less exciting from a sporting perspective but great away trips and a realistic chance of winning. 
 

the first trophy is the hardest.  We just need to win it. 

[duo]

1 hour ago, Keegans Export said:

Europa League could offer a route into the CL though, winners qualify for the group stage I think? 

Interesting 

[Vaj]

Winners of the Europa League qualify for group stage as a pot one I believe. Unless it has changed with the new format

[Yorkie]

37 minutes ago, Doctor Zaius said:

I can't believe I'm going to say this but, winning the Conference wouldn't feel like that much of an achievement. I feel myself turning my nose up at it.

 

If we're going to wait 50+ years to win something, I want it to be as glorious as possible. We'd go into the ECL as favourites with a budget that puts most other clubs in it to shame. Plus, if West Ham and Villa have already won it. The Europa League is different. 

 

Yeah, I don't feel good about it but I'm there too. I'll feel a bit more up for it if Villa don't win it. I really like the competition but it being won by Premier League FC every year eradicates a lot of the prestige imo.

 

That being said, if it transpires that we feature in it, I would look forward to it and embrace the experience, and enjoy seeing us face opponents we've never faced. But when it comes to preference, it's the Europa League all day. I'd rather be in it than even the Champions League. 

[SteV]

As an apropos to nothing, here’s the teams currently on course to be in the ECL (and no, I can’t be arsed to find out why there’s six pots)

 

[Mazzy]

6 minutes ago, SteV said:

As an apropos to nothing, here’s the teams currently on course to be in the ECL (and no, I can’t be arsed to find out why there’s six pots)

 

 

We'd probably still end up in pot 6. 

[timeEd32]

It's going to be awesome (not really) when we lose to Palace tomorrow and go from debating which European competition we want to be in to whether the manager is worthy of his job.

[NSG]

6 hours ago, Mazzy said:

 

We'd probably still end up in pot 6. 

Think our coefficient is about 24 so would have us pot 2

[ramirez]

We would certainly be among favourites for Europa too, especially with no champions league teams dropping in next year. I’d imagine spurs would be other favourite off top of head. Bilbao are hosting final and have already qualified so they’d be another big favourite, what a place that would be to go back to for a final. 

[Displayname]

17 hours ago, Sufi said:

Not all that worried about Chelsea. After they play Arsenal today they have to go play Villa next match. I see us being out of sight by the time those fixtures are played. 
 

Only thing I’m remotely concerned about is Man U somehow winning the cup through some VAR fuckery or whatever. 
 

We have a relatively easy schedule coming up and matches we should be winning. 

I dont know about that, the biggest deciding factor regarding our results this year seems to be if we play home or away. And we only have 2 home games and 4 away games left.

 

What makes me most hopeful is Man Utd being so shit and Chelsea having a hard schedule.

[54]

One thing that is worth mentioning from a monetary point of view, the Europa League group stage next season has 8 games, compared to the Conference Leagues 6.

 

Feels dirty even having to discuss things from a "monetary" view point.

[ramirez]

5 minutes ago, 54 said:

One thing that is worth mentioning from a monetary point of view, the Europa League group stage next season has 8 games, compared to the Conference Leagues 6.

 

Feels dirty even having to discuss things from a "monetary" view point.

We would have a two legged qualifier for conference in August, not that it would make up for same cash. That in itself wouldn’t be ideal but didn’t seem to harm Villa much this year, it wouldn’t be too taxing a tie I’d imagine. 

[Optimistic Nut]

The most typically "Newcastle thing" to happen from here would be for us to catch Spurs to finish 5th and miss out on the CL.

[Geogaddi]

Its a straight shootout between us and Man United for 6th, they have a very similar run in to us playing four of the same teams, will come down to that game at Old Trafford for who finishes 6th. 

 

As other have said the conference league is a bit of a joke trophy but seeing how West Ham fans went on last season and Villa fans this season, I do think winning it would be brilliant and its not like we can exactly be picky over which trophy we want to win.

 

 

Edited April 24 by Geogaddi

[54]

Some of them fixture would be

[brummie]

1 hour ago, Geogaddi said:

Its a straight shootout between us and Man United for 6th, they have a very similar run in to us playing four of the same teams, will come down to that game at Old Trafford for who finishes 6th. 

 

As other have said the conference league is a bit of a joke trophy but seeing how West Ham fans went on last season and Villa fans this season, I do think winning it would be brilliant and its not like we can exactly be picky over which trophy we want to win.

 

 

 

I think it’s seen as a joke by fans of clubs who aren’t in it, partly because if you look at West Ham’s run to the final it seems insanely easy. 
 

Ours has been tougher- obviously still easier than EL but: 

 

Hibs

Mostar

Legia Warsaw

AZ Alkmaar

Ajax

Lille

Olympiacos

and then if we get there, probably Fiorentina. 
 

That’s way tougher than West Ham had. It has also thrown some really tough ties- Mostar was tougher than you’d think and Legia Warsaw (lost away) and Lille (beat on penalties) were really tough. 
 

Then there’s the fact that we’ve played 12 matches in the competition already - we’ve had awful injury problems already this season and until last week looked dead on our feet. No, they aren’t CL ties but traipsing around places like Mostar or Warsaw on a Thursday night takes a toll. 
 

To Emery’s credit though, we’ve only lost once in a Sunday match following a Thursday game. Clearly knows how to handle it, but it’s gruelling. 
 

Having said all that - it doesn’t feel like a joke competition to our fans. 18 months ago we were stinking of relegation. We haven’t won anything for 28’ years. Next week we’re in a European semi final and have a very real chance of winning another European trophy. That feels

massive, and if you play in it next year and get to the same point (similarly having been recently out of the top flight and also having not won anything in decades), I guarantee, you’ll love it. 

[Fezzle]

9 hours ago, SteV said:

As an apropos to nothing, here’s the teams currently on course to be in the ECL (and no, I can’t be arsed to find out why there’s six pots)

 

Pretty rapid drop off in quality there mind after the 'best' 5/6

[TheBrownBottle]

11 minutes ago, 54 said:

Some of them fixture would be

Ajax, Braga, Panathanikos would be my dream draw from that pot - in terms of my usual preferences (big names, preferably clubs we’ve never played in a competitive fixture). 

[TheBrownBottle]

10 hours ago, Skeletor said:

I'd really hope that if we eventually broke our trophy drought it was a bit more romantic than the Paint Cup of Europe.

I’d rather break our duck with the Conference League than the League Cup, if I’m given the choice. 

[54]

8 minutes ago, TheBrownBottle said:

Ajax, Braga, Panathanikos would be my dream draw from that pot - in terms of my usual preferences (big names, preferably clubs we’ve never played in a competitive fixture). 

You get drawn against 8 teams, two from each pot, they then get assigned as either home or away afterwards.

 

So for instance based on that list, my preference would be:

Pot 1: Ajax, Lazio

Pot 2: Ferencvaros, Molde

Pot 3: Athletic Club, Malmo

Pot 4: Panathanikos, Rijeka.

[TheBrownBottle]

Just now, 54 said:

You get drawn against 8 teams, two from each pot, they then get assigned as either home or away afterwards.

 

So for instance based on that list, my preference would be:

Pot 1: Ajax, Lazio

Pot 2: Ferencvaros, Molde

Pot 3: Athletic Club, Malmo

Pot 4: Panathanikos, Rijeka.

Got you.  Yeah, I like your list - the only one I’d swap out would be Ferencvaros - though only because I’ve already been there to see NUFC play in the UEFA Cup (was also at the home game when Ginola scored a peach)

[SteV]

22 minutes ago, TheBrownBottle said:

Ajax, Braga, Panathanikos would be my dream draw from that pot - in terms of my usual preferences (big names, preferably clubs we’ve never played in a competitive fixture). 

How do Braga fall into that category for you?