10 Jul 2020 00:14:32
EDs any info on whether next season champions league possibly getting a slight restructure due to the season inevitably needing to play out in a shorter timeframe. Would it be plausible for example that the group stage be set with 1 fixture against each side instead of home and away thus clearing up possible extra 3 gameweeks during midweek. Only asking because I'd love to see Liverpool have a good crack off European glory again. Winning no.7 and klopp adding a 2nd CL title to his reign would be monstrous. And with sides like Barca, real, juve, city possibly banned I feel this is a great period to capitalise on dominating Europe.

Just wondering if there has been any discussions in regard to re structuring the format next season?

{Ed002's Note - That is not the plan right now.}

10 Jul 2020 00:44:34
This is harsh on Adrian but I think we would still be in cl if becker had played athletico.

That said, I think we may have struggled with our latest form. Or maybe having another BIG trophy would have spurred us on?

Remember how the pl was always more important in these last few. Erm decades. We would win the European god damn Cup and go "oh well, at least that's something" lol. Crazy hunger we fans had. I admit I'd love to have seen this team go deeper in the ucl. I love those big games; Madrid, barca, bayern. But mustn't get greedy. This is probably the best season we have had for 30 odd years, it's an odd treble but not insignificant. Cwc, esc and pl. This surely surpasses the lc fa cup and europa league.

10 Jul 2020 00:47:30
I’m not sure how i’d feel if we were still in the champions league. The amount of changes there will be to the meat and potatoes stage of the competition does not sit right with me. The remainder of league matches being played without fans is acceptable, but the champions league changes go much further: in addition to no fans, which is a huge part of the european competition experience as opposed to a 12:30 sunday kick off against brighton, the ties are only one legged affairs, thus completely obliterating the entire strategy and art of the two legged tie, and they will only take place in one location, thus completely removing the difficulty of having to travel abroad to a foreign city with a different culture and turn up against opponents you wouldn't normally play.

I don’t know how i’d feel about it because we aren’t in it, but winning a champions league in these circumstances would feel impossible to not be viewed as tainted for me. If it was up to me i think they should have just cancelled this years edition and focused on pre season for the next season.

10 Jul 2020 02:45:48
No way anon. Can't agree with you there. I agree that the fans and pressure make the ties so exciting, but if you've ever played Sunday league (with 3 fans) a cup game has much more edge than a friendly. But I take that point. But what is all this tainted business about? I thought it was just something utd were saying. Does this league feel any less special, any less of a relief. Its the szme for all teams and its Europe's best teams. Whoever wins will have achieved a huge goal. Its not tainted, neither is the league, its just being done in difficult circumstances. You could take the stand that it is even more incredible considering the players didn't train together for 2/ 3 months.

{Ed0666's Note - good point well made fella

10 Jul 2020 04:49:02
AW - it is a toughie. I think if we are going to be a 'big club' then we should be competing at the business end of the comps we are entered into. All the other stuff can figure itself out.

But in this unique season I do think it's a good thing that we aren't involved. let our boys rest and gear up for the new season.

{Ed0666's Note - how is resting and not being involved in the champions league latter stages a good thing mate? I wanna be in finals of cups, competitions regardless of pandemics.
If we’d have beaten Juve in Hysel although it was tragic circumstances we still would have counted that as seven European cups and not six.
Whoever wins the European cup this season wins it on merit irrespective of the revisions to the competition.