English Football Premiership 2004/05..

[Conman]

Liverpool braced for European draw

Liverpool will be praying for a total solution to their Champions League headache when the draw is made for the first two qualifying rounds of the competition tomorrow.

Kairat Almaty in Kazakhstan should be low-quality opponents but faced with the prospect of an eight-hour flight Liverpool would much rather a two-hour coach trip to Llansantffraid to face Welsh champions Total Network Solutions.

Matches in Azerbaijan or Armenia are also possibilities when the Reds start the defence of their crown next month after being given special dispensation by UEFA to take part in next season's competition despite finishing outside the top four qualifying places in the Barclays Premiership.

The 12 potential opponents for Liverpool are: FK Rabotnicki (Macedonia), FC Dinamo Minsk (Belarus), FC Pyunik (Armenia), Sliema Wanderers (Malta), KF Tirana (Albania), FC Levadia Tallinn (Estonia), Glentoran (Northern Ireland), Total Network Solutions (Wales), F91 Dudelange (Luxembourg), PFC Neftchi (Azerbaijan), HB Torshavn (Faroe Islands) and FC Kairat Almaty (Kazhakstan).

The draw takes place in Nyon, Switzerland, at 11am BST tomorrow and UEFA will also draw the second qualifying round.

As fourth in the top seeds Liverpool will be guaranteed games against the weaker, unseeded sides meaning they will avoid playing Celtic in the second qualifying round.

Celtic are also guaranteed to play unseeded teams in both their qualifying rounds and if they make the group stage their UEFA coefficient means they will be, like Chelsea, among the second seeds and even ahead of those sides who qualified automatically for the group phase.

::UEFA's coefficients, top seeds (if all qualify for group phase): 1 Real Madrid (Spa) 131.326, 2 AC Milan (Ita) 121.191, 3 Barcelona (Spa) 117.326, 4 Liverpool (Eng, title-holders) 115.864***, 5 Man Utd (Eng) 110.864*, 6 Inter Milan (Ita) 101.191*, 7 Bayern Munich (Ger) 97.166, 8 Arsenal (Eng) 93.864.

::Second seeds (if all qualify): 9 Porto (Por) 93.739, 10 Juventus (Ita) 93.191, 11 PSV Eindhoven (Hol) 84.145, 12 Lyon (Fra) 81.324, 13 Panathinaikos (Gre) 70.715*, 14 Chelsea (Eng) 68.864, 15 Celtic (Sco) 63.476**, 16 Villarreal (Spa) 58.326*.

:: Third seeds (if all qualify): 17 Sporting Lisbon (Por) 55.739*, 18 Monaco (Fra) 53.324*, 19 Ajax (Hol) 52.145*, 20 Bruges (Bel) 50.476*, 21 Anderlecht (Bel) 47.476**, 22 Olympiacos (Gre) 46.715, 23 Schalke (Ger) 44.166, 24 Sparta Prague (Cze) 43.223.

::Fourth seeds (if all qualify): 25 Lille (Fra) 41.324, 26 Rangers (Sco) 40.476*, 27 Dynamo Kiev (Ukr) 40.200**, 28 Werder Bremen (Ger) 40.166*, 29 Lokomotiv Moscow (Rus) 38.469**, 30 Benfica (Por) 36.739, 31 Rosenborg (Nor) 36.665*, 33 Slavia Prague (Cze) 35.223.

Others: 34 Real Betis (Spa) 34.326*, 36 Udinese (Ita) 30.191*, 42 Everton (Eng) 20.864*.

* = must play one qualifying round.

** = must play two qualifying rounds.

*** = must play three qualifying rounds.

 

[moxdevil]

It seems Slavia Prague are in a huff about losing their seeded status to Liverpool, talk of official complaints to Uefa.

How are Inter seeded in the top eight? they're rubbish. They had one good season in Europe when they reached the final a few years back, but otherwise zilch.

Meanwhile United have bought a South Korean by the name of Park, only seen him in the odd PSV game in Europe but he looked useful. Is he any good? and does anyone know his position? (i'm not attempting to turn this into the united thread, so don't worry!)

 

[moxdevil]

Oy Conman answer my question above! :lol:

Meanwhile its 'Battle of Britain' in the first round of the Champs League. Well, maybe not. T.N.S. of Wales vs Pool of 'convict colony' er erm freudian slip, of England. Guess the Pool won't have to arrange any friendlies this preseason eh Con?

 

[Conman]

Yup!. And to think TNS were the chaps that offered Pool their first ticket to redemption when the farce started in the first place. TNS got their match afterall

And Utd fans, Owen is NOT going to Man Utd. I say again Owen in not going to Utd;
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/headlinenews?id=336023&cc=4716

 

[moxdevil]

TBH never thought he would. A bit by the link really, as we don't need a striker and he'd be in the same position as he is now- competing with two other strikers for one or two places. Besides we've got David Bellion

It seems pool have bought a young Spanish fullback from Sevilla, and you should be glad to know that the speculation linking pool with Peter 'donkey' Crouch has terminated.

 

[moxdevil]

Ian Rush could come out of retirement to play against Liverpool

http://uk.sports.yahoo.com/050625/4/bteu.html

Might pull in a few more fans for the Welsh minnows.

 

[Zinista]

I think just for them to play Liverpool will draw a huge amount of interest... Would be funny if one of Pool's favourite sons (Rush) would bag the winner to knowk them out! lol

 

[Conman]

You know what? That will make Rushie ineligible to play for any other club in the Champs League!

 

[Conman]

Stevie G, Jamie C, Djimi T and Didi all confirmed for next season plus Figo on the way! There hasn't been a buzz of anticipation like this at Anfield since Dalglish left.

 

[Zinista]

Vieri's gone to AC Milan too hey... And Chelsea's looking like they want Crespo back playing in England instead of out on loan..

 

[Conman]

OK Gentlemen, time to put this one to bed.

Go here for the new season;
http://forum.exp0sed.com/showthread.php?t=3998

Thanks to all who contributed and made this another great football thread. Just shows we aint a bunch of hooligans afterall.

Thanks also to Zini for keeping a great thread.

And now ... on to a new season!!!

 

[Mafiaman]

As a Chelsea fan i am a VERY happy man with their win !!!!!

And as the 05/06 league kicks off next month (aug) i will be spending a LOT of time in front of the box.

 

[Zinista]

And this thread is now locked for most of eternity!

Check out the new Football thread Conman's started..
Cheers!