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These 54 comments are related to an article called:

The distraction of Europa/Europe

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posted on 21/9/14

Stop making feccccccking excuses. It was a poor performance against the bottom club in the league, absolutely nothing to do with midweek. If they play like that on Saturday they will lose very, very heavily.

comment by Spurtle (U1608)

posted on 21/9/14

You don't think it's something of a coincidence Everton lost at home as well?

posted on 21/9/14

Yes

comment by Spurtle (U1608)

posted on 21/9/14

Or that our two losses so far have come off the back of midweek games? Isn't there a ridiculous stat somewhere about a large number of our losses following Europa games?

posted on 21/9/14

Don't know why people try and downplay the impact European games have on teams. Not just physically, but it also takes focus away from preparation for the weekend games.
West Brom, for example, have had 7 days to concentrate on Spurs, whereas you have had two days. Two travel heavy days.

It certainly is something of a leveller between the top teams and the middling clubs.

posted on 21/9/14

There is no doubt that the Europa League (particularly away games) has a detrimental affect on the following PL results, the statistics back this up.

I thought Albion looked half a yard quicker than Spurs today, obviously as a result of Thursday. If performance levels drop just 5 or 10 percent it makes a massive difference in the PL.

Of all the PL teams that played in Europe this week, only Arsenal won.

comment by Spurtle (U1608)

posted on 21/9/14

Exactly DJ, it's the mental focus of it as well as the physical one. If you only have one focus throughout the week and are able to prepare solely on that, like Liverpool did last season, you will always get that advantage, unless you a) have an exceptionally strong team and/or b) have a exceptionally good manager.

posted on 21/9/14

Loris was the only starter today who played thursday

posted on 21/9/14

comment by Billy The Yidd (U3924)
posted 1 minute ago
There is no doubt that the Europa League (particularly away games) has a detrimental affect on the following PL results, the statistics back this up.

I thought Albion looked half a yard quicker than Spurs today, obviously as a result of Thursday. If performance levels drop just 5 or 10 percent it makes a massive difference in the PL.

Of all the PL teams that played in Europe this week, only Arsenal won.
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We made ten changes from Thursday. Yes, european football will have an effect. It is more of a mentality thing in my opinion. If we were playing Arsenal today there would have been a far higher level of performance and no one would have been talking tiredness.

Instead we play a bottom of the table side without a win, so start the game off messing about with the ball because we expect them to roll over.

comment by Spurtle (U1608)

posted on 21/9/14

Billy and Arsenal were the ones that suffered the biggest loss midweek, and that makes me believe they'd therefore go into their next PL game intent on winning in order to bounce back. It's got to make some kind of difference.

posted on 21/9/14

comment by Dave&Danny (U4428)
posted 1 minute ago
Loris was the only starter today who played thursday
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Most of them still travelled though, the long travel time is still mentally and physically draining.

comment by Hector (U3606)

posted on 21/9/14

It's 2 x 3hr flights with 3 days to get over it.

Players should be able to deal with that, i've went to work the day i've travelled why cant they?

posted on 21/9/14

comment by Hector (U3606)
posted 2 minutes ago
It's 2 x 3hr flights with 3 days to get over it.

Players should be able to deal with that, i've went to work the day i've travelled why cant they?
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Games aren't played at airports. And your calculation is shocking...

comment by Hector (U3606)

posted on 21/9/14

What?

posted on 21/9/14

Also preparation time for PL fixtures is reduced to 2 days, teams with no midweek games have 7 days to prepare.

posted on 21/9/14

Why are we aiming for CL football if we can't cope with midweek games followed by PL games.

5 players didn't even travel. I think it is simple, our squad is not that strong. Infact, I would say our first 11 is not strong enough. Our players are average.

posted on 21/9/14

comment by Hector (U3606)
posted 1 minute ago
What?
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Spurs played Thursday evening and Sunday afternoon. How do you get three days to get over it?
And they had no days to get over it, they had a game to prepare (badly as it turns out) for.

comment by Hector (U3606)

posted on 21/9/14

Billy.

That helps the opposition but doesn't explain the post-europe lethargy that players from all club suffer from.

comment by Hector (U3606)

posted on 21/9/14

DJ

Pedant.

comment by Spurtle (U1608)

posted on 21/9/14

comment by Stop it and tidy up (U7303)
posted 1 minute ago
Why are we aiming for CL football if we can't cope with midweek games followed by PL games.

5 players didn't even travel. I think it is simple, our squad is not that strong. Infact, I would say our first 11 is not strong enough. Our players are average.
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I think we'd be good enough to do well in Europa/a cup competition, and then suffer elsewhere, or vice versa. As far as doing well in both I reckon that would require a much better team than the one we have. I mean our team is inferior to the one with VDV, Bale and Modric a few seasons ago, and we were at least competitive in both competitions back then.

posted on 21/9/14

D'Jeezus Mackaroni

Don't know why people try and downplay the impact European games have on teams. Not just physically, but it also takes focus away from preparation for the weekend games.




What`s Man United`s excuse then, they have just spent £150 million, have no European football and have just been gubbed by a team that were in the Championship this time last season.

posted on 21/9/14

comment by Hector (U3606)
posted 5 seconds ago
DJ

Pedant.
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It is not being pedantic, the whole point is there is no time 'to get over it'. They went straight from travelling back from Eastern Europe into preparation for a game in the PL.
Your comment that they have three days to get over it is not only erroneous in fact, but also fails to recognise the need for professional football teams to prepare for each and every game.

posted on 21/9/14

comment by thesingingangel (U20025)
posted 11 seconds ago
D'Jeezus Mackaroni

Don't know why people try and downplay the impact European games have on teams. Not just physically, but it also takes focus away from preparation for the weekend games.




What`s Man United`s excuse then, they have just spent £150 million, have no European football and have just been gubbed by a team that were in the Championship this time last season.
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Uniteds excuse is they have an absolute terrible defence, a manager who has yet to work out how to set his team up in the PL and the fact Leicester have been a match for every team they have played so far this season, including Chelsea to a large extent.

posted on 21/9/14

Arsenal were smashed out of sight midweek, but they still won at a canter yesterday, thus dispelling the myth that European football is a hinderance the following weekend when playing in the prem.

It is a very poor excuse to use European football as a reason for poor performances. I can remember Spurs used to adequately play the same team in Europe and then back in the league at the weekend, and win plenty of matches.

comment by Spurtle (U1608)

posted on 21/9/14

You have a point about Man United. It shows how badly LVG is performing right now. I do expect them to come good consistently though.

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