UEFA Europa Conference League-Knockout stages (Olympiacos)

[Risso]

We haven't won anything since 1996, we can't afford to be sniffy about any trophy.

[LeeS]

  I'd definitely rank it well below the FA and League Cups. 

I'd agree on the FA Cup but perhaps not the League Cup. That has been seriously devalued in recent years. I'd take one though, if offered.

[chrisw1]

Don't get me wrong I'd like to win it, but right now for me it's a long, long way below CL qualification (although I accept the argument that winning it may help unlock the 5th CL spot).

If we don't get top 4/5, I'm worried we will lose key players like Luiz & Martinez.

[olaftab]

Yes I am also quite happy that we keep winning the League and FA cup every other year so we can do without this tin pot cup.

[ChicagoLion]

Don't get me wrong I'd like to win it, but right now for me it's a long, long way below CL qualification (although I accept the argument that winning it may help unlock the 5th CL spot).

If we don't get top 4/5, I'm worried we will lose key players like Luiz & Martinez.

Exactly this, CL qualification will help us hold and attract the right players.

[chrisw1]

Yes I am also quite happy that we keep winning the League and FA cup every other year so we can do without this tin pot cup.

The fact it would be nice to win it isn't in question.

But would you prefer we go all out to win this cup and potentially risk our league placing - possibly coming 6th or would you prefer finishing 4/5th and qualifying for the Champions League next season (and the benefits of income, player retention and recruitment that brings)?  As I suspect this is the stark reality of the choice Emery will be considering when selecting the team in this competition.

[Risso]

I don't agree with that though. There's been no discernible effect on our league results as a result of playing in Europe, and depending on who we get in the games from now on, it might be an opportunity to give some game time to players like Iroegbunam and KKH in order to get them up to speed in case they're needed in the league.

[Charlie8182]

Martin O'Neill/CSKA Moscow 2009, no repeats of that please.

[Brazilian Villain]

We haven't won anything since 1996, we can't afford to be sniffy about any trophy.

Especially a European trophy, no matter how new it is.

Let's just win the next 2 league games which would leave us needing 15/16 points from 11 games for likely Champs League qualification. That should be doable without giving up on the Conference League.

[Dogtanian]

We haven't won anything since 1996, we can't afford to be sniffy about any trophy.

Especially a European trophy, no matter how new it is.

Let's just win the next 2 league games which would leave us needing 15/16 points from 11 games for likely Champs League qualification. That should be doable without giving up on the Conference League.

Plus, FFP being such an issue, the idea of ECL-winning prize money and matchday revenue on top of CL money next season is very, very tempting.

[Risso]

Also, although we've got injuries, we've got Carlos on the bench, Konsa due back soon, plus one of Moreno or Digne on the bench. They're all going to need game time, and if Konsa comes back in at right back when fit, so will Cash. Then as I said before, we need to give Tim some games, plus also Diaby and Rogers etc.

[ez]

We haven't won anything since 1996, we can't afford to be sniffy about any trophy.

Normally I would agree but how often do we  find ourselves in 4th place at this stage of the season.

[chrisw1]

I don't agree with that though. There's been no discernible effect on our league results as a result of playing in Europe, and depending on who we get in the games from now on, it might be an opportunity to give some game time to players like Iroegbunam and KKH in order to get them up to speed in case they're needed in the league.

Well then I imagine we're all agreed on how that would be a good way to approach it.  But people expecting a full-strength team may be a bit disappointed.

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

The draw is tomorrow friday at noon (GMT), 1pm (CET).

In the draw for the round of 16, the eight group winners are seeded, and the eight winners of the knockout round play-offs are unseeded. The seeded teams are drawn against the unseeded teams, with the seeded teams hosting the second leg.

 Ties level after 180 minutes will go to extra time irrespective of the number of goals each team has scored at home and away. If the teams still cannot be separated after the additional 30 minutes, the tie goes to a penalty shoot-out.

Link below to watch draw live.

https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaconferenceleague/news/0287-19733dd3ba2d-639db1b27473-1000--uefa-europa-conference-league-round-of-16-draw-what-is-it-wh/

[AV82EC]

I don't agree with that though. There's been no discernible effect on our league results as a result of playing in Europe, and depending on who we get in the games from now on, it might be an opportunity to give some game time to players like Iroegbunam and KKH in order to get them up to speed in case they're needed in the league.

Well then I imagine we're all agreed on how that would be a good way to approach it.  But people expecting a full-strength team may be a bit disappointed.

We haven’t played a full strength team in any ECL match so far so quite why it’s being framed as disappointing when we’ll do exactly what we’ve done so far is puzzling to me.

Quite frankly if the team currently lying 4th in the Premier League, the strongest league in Europe don’t have the squad depth to beat 90% of the teams in this competition we’re doing something wrong. Unai has been an expert in utilising the squad to negotiate this competition so far, I don’t expect that to change as we go forwards it’ll just be harder as the teams get better , though having watched bits and pieces of Ajax, Betis and Frankfurt last week I couldn’t say I’m overly worried.

Bring it on.