[Football] Could the Albion beat NK Maribor?

[Hamilton]

Liverpool hit 7 past NK Maribor, and I'm left asking NK who?

Now, I have utmost respect for every club, but is having NK Maribor in the European Cup devaluing the competition? After all, there must be far more competent teams in Europe that should be playing in this mini-league that UEFA have set up. The bar seems to be set a lot lower for some clubs to enter UEFA's magic land than others.

I'm not suggesting we go back to the old days of the knock-out competition - even though I'd like it - but I question how impressive this Liverpool performance really is.

 

[Simster]

Liverpool hit 7 past NK Maribor, and I'm left asking NK who?

Now, I have utmost respect for every club, but is having NK Maribor in the European Cup devaluing the competition? After all, there must be far more competent teams in Europe that should be playing in this mini-league that UEFA have set up. The bar seems to be set a lot lower for some clubs to enter UEFA's magic land than others.

I'm not suggesting we go back to the old days of the knock-out competition - even though I'd like it - but I question how impressive this Liverpool performance really is.

No. You get thrashings in pretty much every league.

 

[dazzer6666]

God yes, very easily. Looked comfortably worse than most of the championship clubs we played last season. Their midfield in particular was useless. Liverpool were OK but defensively would’ve been undone by a better team (as they are regularly)

We could also beat Andorra, San Marino, Gibraltar etc etc.......but we won’t get a place in the World Cup qualifiers either.

Unfortunately the way the system works is by the top teams in each country getting a chance....even if the top teams are crap in relative terms. All the qualifying stuff is basically money-spinning nonsense, we all know the eventual winner will most likely come from a list of half a dozen clubs at most.

 

[Beanstalk]

Liverpool hit 7 past NK Maribor, and I'm left asking NK who?

Now, I have utmost respect for every club, but is having NK Maribor in the European Cup devaluing the competition? After all, there must be far more competent teams in Europe that should be playing in this mini-league that UEFA have set up. The bar seems to be set a lot lower for some clubs to enter UEFA's magic land than others.

I'm not suggesting we go back to the old days of the knock-out competition - even though I'd like it - but I question how impressive this Liverpool performance really is.

In fairness to NK Maribor, they got a point against Spartak Moscow and had to go through three qualifying rounds to get to the group stage.
They probably had a slightly easier path than most through those knock-out rounds but still got further than Nice, Hoffenheim and FC Copenhagen. I don't think the bar is set lower for them to get to the group stage but they have probably hit their ceiling in getting there.

 

[The Optimist]

What's the alternative? Make the Champions League a league for English, Spanish, French, German and Italian clubs plus maybe one or two other teams and lock out most countries?

 

[Carrot Cruncher]

What devalues the 'Champions' League is having teams in it that finished a distant 4th in their home league...

 

[AmexRuislip]

What's the alternative? Make the Champions League a league for English, Spanish, French, German and Italian clubs plus maybe one or two other teams and lock out most countries?

What devalues the 'Champions' League is having teams in it that finished a distant 4th in their home league...

This is almost like the World Cup, where the competition has been widened to let in lesser established countries teams, giving them a fair go?

 

[Carrot Cruncher]

This is almost like the World Cup, where the competition has been widened to let in lesser established countries teams, giving them a fair go?

And that's my point, Maribor have a lot more right to be in it than Liverpool, even if the Mickeys tonked them.

 

[Notters]

What's the alternative? Make the Champions League a league for English, Spanish, French, German and Italian clubs plus maybe one or two other teams and lock out most countries?

If it means Scottish football is excluded, this can only be a good thing, surely?