[Albion] We Just Played the First Europa League Match in our Club's History

[Acker79]

Just thought it needed to be mentioned. There are a lot of reasons to moan, moreso when we lose, and there are threads that are doing that. I don't personally have anything against people moaning. But thought I'd just add this thread to the pile.

Just over a quarter of a century ago the club was staring oblivion in the face. Oblivion blinked first and now we are a Europa League Club.

Just over a decade ago we were scrambling around the lower leagues in the middle of an athletics track. We just played a notable European team with a decent recent history of european football in both the champions league and europa at the Amex.

We have European history, now.

I'm sure in conversations to come, I'll join in with the moans, but for now, I just wanted to put some positivity out there.

 

[LamieRobertson]

Just thought it needed to be mentioned. There are a lot of reasons to moan, moreso when we lose, and there are threads that are doing that. I don't personally have anything against people moaning. But thought I'd just add this thread to the pile.

Just over a quarter of a century ago the club was staring oblivion in the face. Oblivion blinked first and now we are a Europa League Club.

Just over a decade ago we were scrambling around the lower leagues in the middle of an athletics track. We just played a notable European team with a decent recent history of european football in both the champions league and europa at the Amex.

We have European history, now.

I'm sure in conversations to come, I'll join in with the moans, but for now, I just wanted to put some positivity out there.

Well said …Horrible result but I wouldn’t want to have missed that special evening for anything

 

[Bozza]

Yep - all quite correct and valid.

I'm not moaning, but I do feel a little bit dispirited - we just didn't do ourselves justice tonight, sadly. I was so full of hope that we'd arrive on the European stage with a bang, and put down a marker of our intent in the competition.

Unfortunately, we had a collective "bad day in the office", but they don't come along very often and I wouldn't be surprised if that's the worst we play in the six group games.

Onwards and upwards!

 

[mothy]

What a great night. Good atmosphere, exciting game, a bit unfortunate for all 3 goals (ask them to head the 1st like that again, 2nd to finish like that again, & 3rd to ricochet like that again). What's not to love- apart from the result.

VaR was MoTM

 

[Icy Gull]

OK so who took the 16/1 bet on AEK winning tonight?

 

[zefarelly]

We lost our first ever top flight game too. . . Way back . . . we learn from this.

 

[zefarelly]

What a great night. Good atmosphere, exciting game, a bit unfortunate for all 3 goals (ask them to head the 1st like that again, 2nd to finish like that again, & 3rd to ricochet like that again). What's not to love- apart from the result.

VaR was MoTM

You forgot the rain. Biblical!

 

[Icy Gull]

I will be way more gutted than I am at the moment if we lose to Plucky on Sunday

 

[LamieRobertson]

I will be way more gutted than I am at the moment if we lose to Plucky on Sunday

I feel exactly the same …hoping we bounce back otherwise I will be annoyed

 

[WATFORD zero]

We can play far better, and hopefully will on Sunday

Onwards and Upwards (to bed for me )

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

I will be way more gutted than I am at the moment if we lose to Plucky on Sunday

Me too.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Well said …Horrible result but I wouldn’t want to have missed that special evening for anything

Me neither. But....

But I've moved on now.

(I am strangely reminded of my first bit of rumpy pumpy back in the early 70s, with a German student. Not something that warrants a femtosecond of cogitation, as such. No amount of preparation would have made the slightest difference to the proceedings)

 

[jimhigham]

A deeply frustrating match to watch but the experience and entertainment were superb. So pleased to have been there for another slice of Albion history.

Slightly less thrilled about the three hours sleep before work.

 

[Justice]

OK so who took the 16/1 bet on AEK winning tonight?

That was printing money, winning three games in a row under RDZ is proving to be mission impossible.

 

[Gabbafella]

I'm feeling very deflated today, even more so because not only did we not turn up but AEK didn't even play that well, they were there for the taking and it just didn't click for us, very frustrating.
I hope the players can bounce back and we get something from muff, the league is more important.
It was a great atmosphere at night, I got a little choked up watching the video before kick off. Shit results are all part of the journey, and I wouldn't change the journey we've all been on with this club, it really is a fairy tale at times.

 

[Brovion]

Yep - all quite correct and valid.

I'm not moaning, but I do feel a little bit dispirited - we just didn't do ourselves justice tonight, sadly. I was so full of hope that we'd arrive on the European stage with a bang, and put down a marker of our intent in the competition.

Unfortunately, we had a collective "bad day in the office", but they don't come along very often and I wouldn't be surprised if that's the worst we play in the six group games.

Onwards and upwards!

Yes, agreed.

Is it also true that we've never won three games on the trot under RDZ? Someone mentioned it (and I think I have as well), but I'm not sure if it's true.

 

[tigertim68]

I'm feeling very deflated today, even more so because not only did we not turn up but AEK didn't even play that well, they were there for the taking and it just didn't click for us, very frustrating.
I hope the players can bounce back and we get something from muff, the league is more important.
It was a great atmosphere at night, I got a little choked up watching the video before kick off. Shit results are all part of the journey, and I wouldn't change the journey we've all been on with this club, it really is a fairy tale at times.

I think you are being a bit harsh on AEK , I thought they caused us lots of problems on the break , they were very quick on the break as well , the only annoying thing was to play Milner at full back , tried it first 2 matches of the season didn’t work , tries it again

 

[JetsetJimbo]

On paper AEK at the Amex was the easiest game we're gonna get in this competition. It's not looking good, we'll probably struggle to get out of the group now - and that's really deflating after the exhilaration of qualifying at the end of last season.

But yeah, in the grand scheme of things, it's amazing we're even there.

 

[Gabbafella]

I think you are being a bit harsh on AEK , I thought they caused us lots of problems on the break , they were very quick on the break as well , the only annoying thing was to play Milner at full back , tried it first 2 matches of the season didn’t work , tries it again

I didn't mean to play them down, they were very good at closing down space and restricting our movement, and whether their set pieces were good or our defending was poor is debatable, I just meant that in the periods that we played well we looked like we could beat them, but we were so hit and miss.
Veltman on the bench was just an odd decision, especially when missing Dunk.

 

[herecomesaregular]

I was glad our first goal in Europe was a penalty. Had time to turn to my friend and say this could be it and then really take in the moment, remembering my first Albion game (preseason friendly at the Goldstone vs Arsenal 1987, 2-7). A magic moment when it rolled in. Unforgettable.