GordonS Posted August 22, 2018 Share Posted August 22, 2018 This year, between them the champions of Greece, Hungary, Scotland, Sweden, Bulgaria, Romania, Norway, Luxembourg, Armenia, Kosovo, Northern Ireland, Iceland, Gibraltar, San Marino and Andorra got one Champions League group stage spot. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mordecai Posted August 22, 2018 Share Posted August 22, 2018 This year, between them the champions of Greece, Hungary, Scotland, Sweden, Bulgaria, Romania, Norway, Luxembourg, Armenia, Kosovo, Northern Ireland, Iceland, Gibraltar, San Marino and Andorra got one Champions League group stage spot.The amount of spots open in the champions' path is a bit rubbish and certainly makes it harder to qualify for the group stage. Out of the countries mentioned Greece have a decent chance to have 2 teams in the group stage, with PAOK drawing 1-1 away to Benfica last night (and AEK playing Videoton tonight).Having looked at the coefficient table, I don't see any reason why Scotland can't finish 20th this season. It might not make much of an immediate difference, but it's a step in the right direction. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wastecoatwilly Posted August 23, 2018 Share Posted August 23, 2018 Countries struggling above Scotland are Austria,Holland and Switzerland,there results have been mince plus playing less qualifiers has had an adverse effect. Building Scotland's coefficient from Q1 isn't a bad thing. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginaro Posted August 23, 2018 Share Posted August 23, 2018 28 minutes ago, wastecoatwilly said: Countries struggling above Scotland are Austria,Holland and Switzerland,there results have been mince plus playing less qualifiers has had an adverse effect. Building Scotland's coefficient from Q1 isn't a bad thing. Yes but all are guaranteed UEL group stage football, so Austria could have 1 UCL+1 UEL, Netherlands 2 UCL, and Switzerland 1 UCL+2 UEL by next week. Issue is their points get divided by 5 teams, and the other teams already out haven't contributed a lot of points. Denmark are looking handy having moved up to 12th, but they have three difficult UEL play-off ties to get through. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wastecoatwilly Posted August 23, 2018 Share Posted August 23, 2018 18 minutes ago, Ginaro said: Yes but all are guaranteed UEL group stage football, so Austria could have 1 UCL+1 UEL, Netherlands 2 UCL, and Switzerland 1 UCL+2 UEL by next week. Issue is their points get divided by 5 teams, and the other teams already out haven't contributed a lot of points. Denmark are looking handy having moved up to 12th, but they have three difficult UEL play-off ties to get through. There is not many points between 12th and 20th,having one good season will shoot a country up the table. I agree Denmark and Czech rep. are on the up, 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clyde01 Posted August 23, 2018 Share Posted August 23, 2018 The champions of smaller nations should push for expansion of the champions league from 32 teams up to 48 teams (same size as Europa group stage). That way you could still have the top 4 from the big nations going straight in but also leave more space for other champions to qualify. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedLichtie86 Posted August 23, 2018 Share Posted August 23, 2018 The champions of smaller nations should push for expansion of the champions league from 32 teams up to 48 teams (same size as Europa group stage). That way you could still have the top 4 from the big nations going straight in but also leave more space for other champions to qualify.They wouldnt go for it. They only want the elite clubs that have the best players and spend £20-30M on average players. Celtic, Rangers, Rosenborg, Ajax, etc are not big enough for them 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antiochas III Posted August 23, 2018 Share Posted August 23, 2018 21 minutes ago, Clyde01 said: The champions of smaller nations should push for expansion of the champions league from 32 teams up to 48 teams (same size as Europa group stage). That way you could still have the top 4 from the big nations going straight in but also leave more space for other champions to qualify. 16 minutes ago, RedLichtie86 said: They wouldnt go for it. They only want the elite clubs that have the best players and spend £20-30M on average players. Celtic, Rangers, Rosenborg, Ajax, etc are not big enough for them They might go for it but they'd just add more clubs from the bigger leagues. Spain/England gets 5 teams instead of 4 entering the competition. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GordonS Posted August 23, 2018 Share Posted August 23, 2018 Celtic letting the nation down again, only getting a draw. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monkey Tennis Posted August 23, 2018 Share Posted August 23, 2018 2 hours ago, Clyde01 said: The champions of smaller nations should push for expansion of the champions league from 32 teams up to 48 teams (same size as Europa group stage). That way you could still have the top 4 from the big nations going straight in but also leave more space for other champions to qualify. And that would be a good thing? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginaro Posted August 23, 2018 Share Posted August 23, 2018 (edited) Update after this week's games. Win and a draw move us ahead of Sweden and to our highest 5 year coefficient since 2011/12 - another win and we're above Poland. Red Star Belgrade got a draw with RB Salzburg so could still make the UCL groups, BATE Borisov unlikely after losing to PSV. Norway have jumped up with a couple of 3-1 wins today so could have two teams in the UEL groups - one of which would put out Israel's remaining team. Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan as it stands are going out. 19 Serbia 4.125 20.375 +0.250 2/ 4 20 Belarus 3.000 19.875 1/ 4 21 Poland 2.250 19.250 0 22 Scotland 3.625 19.000 +0.375 2/ 4 23 Sweden 2.125 18.900 +0.125 1/ 4 24 Norway 3.625 18.450 +0.500 3/ 4 25 Israel 2.375 18.375 1/ 4 https://kassiesa.home.xs4all.nl/bert/uefa/data/method5/crank2019.html Edited August 23, 2018 by Ginaro 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forest of Dean Posted August 23, 2018 Share Posted August 23, 2018 41 minutes ago, Ginaro said: Update after this week's games. Win and a draw move us ahead of Sweden and to our highest 5 year coefficient since 2011/12 - another win and we're above Poland. Red Star Belgrade got a draw with RB Salzburg so could still make the UCL groups, BATE Borisov unlikely after losing to PSV. Norway have jumped up with a couple of 3-1 wins today so could have two teams in the UEL groups - one of which would put out Israel's remaining team. Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan as it stands are going out. 19 Serbia 4.125 20.375 +0.250 2/ 4 20 Belarus 3.000 19.875 1/ 4 21 Poland 2.250 19.250 0 22 Scotland 3.625 19.000 +0.375 2/ 4 23 Sweden 2.125 18.900 +0.125 1/ 4 24 Norway 3.625 18.450 +0.500 3/ 4 25 Israel 2.375 18.375 1/ 4 https://kassiesa.home.xs4all.nl/bert/uefa/data/method5/crank2019.html Looking very good and hopefully will be even better as I can definitely see both sides making the group stages. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bennett Posted August 23, 2018 Share Posted August 23, 2018 Just doing our bit, no need to thank us. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wastecoatwilly Posted August 23, 2018 Share Posted August 23, 2018 1 hour ago, bennett said: Just doing our bit, no need to thank us. I think it's time the rest started pulling their weight. -2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacksgranda Posted August 24, 2018 Share Posted August 24, 2018 15 hours ago, RedLichtie86 said: They wouldnt go for it. They only want the elite clubs that have the best players and spend £20-30M on average players.Celtic, Rangers, Rosenborg, Ajax, etc are not big enough for them Even if they amalgamated they still wouldn't be big enough. -1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacksgranda Posted August 24, 2018 Share Posted August 24, 2018 10 hours ago, wastecoatwilly said: I think it's time the rest started pulling their weight. Probably need to increase their football knowledge first... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wastecoatwilly Posted August 24, 2018 Share Posted August 24, 2018 9 minutes ago, Jacksgranda said: Probably need to increase their football knowledge first... When you have teams from Luxembourg,Macedonia,Moldova,Sweden,Romania,Lithuania,Slovenia,Norway,Slovakia, and Serbia at this stage in the competition there is no excuse. -2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiegoDiego Posted August 24, 2018 Share Posted August 24, 2018 When you have teams from Luxembourg,Macedonia,Moldova,Sweden,Romania,Lithuania,Slovenia,Norway,Slovakia, and Serbia at this stage in the competition there is no excuse.The excuse is that nine of those eleven clubs are only this far in the Europa League because they've already been papped out of Europe's premier tournament. Scotland only had one club embarrass themselves in such a way and it wasn't Aberdeen or Hibs. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesM82 Posted August 24, 2018 Share Posted August 24, 2018 (edited) Celtic drawing with Suduva was easily the worst result of any Scottish club in Europe this season (so far). Edited August 24, 2018 by JamesM82 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedLichtie86 Posted August 24, 2018 Share Posted August 24, 2018 The excuse is that nine of those eleven clubs are only this far in the Europa League because they've already been papped out of Europe's premier tournament. Scotland only had one club embarrass themselves in such a way and it wasn't Aberdeen or Hibs.And thats because UEFA changed the format of the Europa League so that teams eliminated from the Champions League now only play against fellow eliminated teams rather than facing league placed teams from England, Spain, France, Italy etc. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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