UEFA CUP Group Stage Preview - Groups A - D
UEFA Cup Group Stage Preview I
I love the UEFA Cup. Let me be the first to admit. It's unpredictable, mostly even, with a deliciously eclectic format. Most teams don't have the same financial muscle as the big boys, so superstars and costly assembled squads are hard to find. It's almost a reminder of the the old times when (almost) anyone had a chance of winning a cup competition.
There is an initial knockout round where half the entrants are eliminated - this sometimes includes the odd bigger and better heeled club. Blackburn that's you. This is followed by a slightly odd round robin stage in which the top 3 (from 5) teams in each (of the 8) group(s) actually progress. They are then joined by the discards from the Champions' League group stages and away we go, pure knockout cup football from then on.
Matchday 1 is next Thursday, October 25, 2007.
Group A
On paper this is Everton's group to lose. They are the biggest club in the group with the most resources and passionate support. They have one of Europe's most underrated midfielders in Mikael Arteta and decent consistent quality all round the park. With their 2 main strikers still to discover their scoring touch this season and their combative, nippy midfielder, Tim Cahill yet to return from injury, Everton could go quite far in the competition.
The luck of the draw sees them avoid the trip to Russia to play tricky Zenit St Petersburg while also entertaining Blackburn's conquerors Larissa at home. The two away trips to Nurnberg and Alkmaar should prove sterner tests but with Nurnberg mired in the relegation zone, 4 points from the 2 away games seems reasonable. This haul, coupled with at least 4 and possibly 6 points from the home games should see Everton top the group.
Behind them, in second place I'd place Alkmaar. The Dutch side just missed out on the qualifiers for the Champions' League, losing to Ajax in a playoff and although bereft of any big name stars, are a well drilled, settled side. Intermittent Dutch internationals Kew Jaliens and Barry Opdam marshall the defence while the excellently named Belgian, Maarten Martens, pulls strings in midfield along with Stijn Schaars.
Even though they travel to Russia to face Zenit, their final home game against Everton should be crucial. If they can avoid defeat in Russia, a win or a tie against the Merseysiders should be fine to send AZ through - provided they take 4 points together from the trip to Germany to play Nurnberg and the home tilt against Larissa.
The 3rd spot is be a toss up between Zenit and Nurnberg. A year ago I'd tip Nurnberg, but this year, struggling in a relegation dogfight this early on in the season and a daunting trip to Russia still to come in late November, the money's on Zenit. For the latter, two of their most crucial matches, and most winnable games, are at home, against Alkmaar and Nurnberg. If they can use the advantage and take home maximum points from those two games (or at least 4) their away game against Everton is rendered moot.
Larissa have shown that they are capable of upsetting the applecart in a one off tie and good on them for that. However, like Slavia Prague, who knocked out Ajax from the Champions' League, they'll find the step up to the group stage a much tougher task.
Projected Finish:
Everton
Alkmaar
Zenit
Nurnberg
Larissa
Group B
The team who seem early favourites would be Panathinaikos. They've reached the knockout rounds of both UEFA Cup and Champions' League in recent years but have dropped off a bit from their recent peak between 2000 and 2003. Although their team is missing any star quality they do have a hot striker in Dimitris Papadopolous who demolished Artmedia Bratislava in the first knockout round.
Once again, The Greek side have the luxury of playing the Russian side, Lokomotiv Moscow at home and their only tricky away game is against Athletico Madrid. Provided they beat Kobenhavn in their other away fixture and avoid defeat to the Spanish team, 4 points from their 2 home games should be enough to see them go through. Six points from the 2 home games will see them top the group.
Athletico Madrid have the biggest stars and possibly the best side on paper with Diego Forlan, Maxi Rodrigues, Luis Garcia Sanz and Jose Antonio Reyes. However the side from Madrid are notoriously mercurial, with form as fickle as the motivation and desire of their playing corps. Given that Reyes disappears when the mercury drops and Maxi frequently drops and then disappears, injured, Athletico will want to quickly put some points on the board (or at the very least avoid defeat) in their opening fixture away to Lokomotiv Moscow. Thereafter a minimum of 2 wins from the 3 games against table proppers Kobenhavn, Aberdeen and Panathinaikos should do. Crucially, their game against the latter, their main rivals for top spot in the group, is at home. But it is in December. Expect Reyes to skip.
3rd spot should be tightly contested between Lokomotiv and Aberdeen. Both are capable, if unspectacular, outfits for whom the crunch game will be the Matchday 2 game at Pittodrie. While both have to play Panathinaikos in Greece and Kobenhavn at home; Aberdeen also face Athletico away from home while Lokomotiv play the Spanish outfit in Russia. Provided they match each others results against the first 2, Lokomotiv will be looking to better Aberdeen's haul versus Athletico to be better equipped to progress.
Projected Finish:
Panathinaikos
Athletico
Aberdeen
Lokomotiv
Kobenhavn
Group C
Right from the outset this group is a dogfight between Villareal and Fiorentina. Both teams boast sound goalkeepers, mean defences and quality further up the pitch. Both teams are liberally sprinkled with class players and old hands with the Florentine side boasting some excellent younger stars from Italy's next generation in Ricardo Montolivo and Manuel Pasqual. Villareal have some seasoned campaigners in Joan Capdevilla and Robert Pires, while the grand daddy of all journeymen and ex-superstar Christian Vieri has made the Viola his latest home. Fiorentina are unbeaten in Serie A so far (at the time of writing) and Villareal have led La Liga briefly.
After the crucial square off on Matchday 1 when Villareal host Fiorentina, I expect both sides to dispath the rest of the teams with ease. If they finish level on points with 10 (3 wins and a draw each) then their head to head game becomes all the more crucial. However, I suspect that even though the first game will be a draw, Fiorentina will beat AEK Athens in Athens while Villareal will miss repeating the trick and drop points against the Greeks. That will decide the group in Fiorentina's favour.
AEK should secure 3rd place comfortably, especially since they are at home for their 2 toughest tests, the visits of the aforementioned duo. Therafter, provided they pick up a reasonable 4 points from their travels to the minnows of Elfsborg and Mlada Boleslaw, AEK should go through as the third placed team.
Between the last two, we're splitting hairs but Royal League engagements might distract the Scandinavians from achieving a 4th place finish.
Projected Finish:
Fiorentina
Villareal
AEK Athens
Mlada Boleslaw
Elfsborg
Group D
The best three in this group are easily Rennes, Hamburg and Dinamo Zagreb in that order. The French side have the best defence with Erik Edman, Peter Hansson, Jon Mensah and Rod Fanni anchoring the best rearguard in the group. Similarly up front, their combination of Jimmy Briand, Jerome Leroy and Sylvian Wiltord should see them score quite esily and frequently.
Hamburg, on the other hand, have the best player in Ryan Van der Vaart who may use the group stages to further showcase his skills in Europe. Last year, in an eminently forgettable campaign, Van der Vaart was easily Hamburg's best player in the Champions' League. They will be looking for some more spectacular goals from him to progress this time around. With transfer rumours rife the shop window beckons once more for the Dutch star.
Finally Dinamo Zagreb will be looking to experienced strikers Davor Vugrinec and Bosko Balaban along with star player Luka Modric to see them through to the group stage. They are a handy side, well capable of testing any team but lacking any class players to pass the distinction between being a decent side and a very good one. Ex-striker Eduardo Da Silva will be sorely missed.
In the games between the three it's hard to see any advantage, as in each team's games against the other two, one game is at home and the other away. Intriguingly, Rennes host Zagreb on the last matchday while Hamburg are at home to Basel. If Rennes have not wrapped up the group by then, Hamburg could leap frog them to top spot if the French side fail to beat Dinamo at home.
Basel and Brann similarly just make up the numbers. Once again, like Group C, the scenario arises where a club in the Scandinavian Royal League - which for them is eminently more winnable - is pipped by a team from central Europe.
Projected Finish:
Rennes
Hamburg
Dinamo Zagreb
Basel
Brann
There is an initial knockout round where half the entrants are eliminated - this sometimes includes the odd bigger and better heeled club. Blackburn that's you. This is followed by a slightly odd round robin stage in which the top 3 (from 5) teams in each (of the 8) group(s) actually progress. They are then joined by the discards from the Champions' League group stages and away we go, pure knockout cup football from then on.
Matchday 1 is next Thursday, October 25, 2007.
Group A
On paper this is Everton's group to lose. They are the biggest club in the group with the most resources and passionate support. They have one of Europe's most underrated midfielders in Mikael Arteta and decent consistent quality all round the park. With their 2 main strikers still to discover their scoring touch this season and their combative, nippy midfielder, Tim Cahill yet to return from injury, Everton could go quite far in the competition.
The luck of the draw sees them avoid the trip to Russia to play tricky Zenit St Petersburg while also entertaining Blackburn's conquerors Larissa at home. The two away trips to Nurnberg and Alkmaar should prove sterner tests but with Nurnberg mired in the relegation zone, 4 points from the 2 away games seems reasonable. This haul, coupled with at least 4 and possibly 6 points from the home games should see Everton top the group.
Behind them, in second place I'd place Alkmaar. The Dutch side just missed out on the qualifiers for the Champions' League, losing to Ajax in a playoff and although bereft of any big name stars, are a well drilled, settled side. Intermittent Dutch internationals Kew Jaliens and Barry Opdam marshall the defence while the excellently named Belgian, Maarten Martens, pulls strings in midfield along with Stijn Schaars.
Even though they travel to Russia to face Zenit, their final home game against Everton should be crucial. If they can avoid defeat in Russia, a win or a tie against the Merseysiders should be fine to send AZ through - provided they take 4 points together from the trip to Germany to play Nurnberg and the home tilt against Larissa.
The 3rd spot is be a toss up between Zenit and Nurnberg. A year ago I'd tip Nurnberg, but this year, struggling in a relegation dogfight this early on in the season and a daunting trip to Russia still to come in late November, the money's on Zenit. For the latter, two of their most crucial matches, and most winnable games, are at home, against Alkmaar and Nurnberg. If they can use the advantage and take home maximum points from those two games (or at least 4) their away game against Everton is rendered moot.
Larissa have shown that they are capable of upsetting the applecart in a one off tie and good on them for that. However, like Slavia Prague, who knocked out Ajax from the Champions' League, they'll find the step up to the group stage a much tougher task.
Projected Finish:
Everton
Alkmaar
Zenit
Nurnberg
Larissa
Group B
The team who seem early favourites would be Panathinaikos. They've reached the knockout rounds of both UEFA Cup and Champions' League in recent years but have dropped off a bit from their recent peak between 2000 and 2003. Although their team is missing any star quality they do have a hot striker in Dimitris Papadopolous who demolished Artmedia Bratislava in the first knockout round.
Once again, The Greek side have the luxury of playing the Russian side, Lokomotiv Moscow at home and their only tricky away game is against Athletico Madrid. Provided they beat Kobenhavn in their other away fixture and avoid defeat to the Spanish team, 4 points from their 2 home games should be enough to see them go through. Six points from the 2 home games will see them top the group.
Athletico Madrid have the biggest stars and possibly the best side on paper with Diego Forlan, Maxi Rodrigues, Luis Garcia Sanz and Jose Antonio Reyes. However the side from Madrid are notoriously mercurial, with form as fickle as the motivation and desire of their playing corps. Given that Reyes disappears when the mercury drops and Maxi frequently drops and then disappears, injured, Athletico will want to quickly put some points on the board (or at the very least avoid defeat) in their opening fixture away to Lokomotiv Moscow. Thereafter a minimum of 2 wins from the 3 games against table proppers Kobenhavn, Aberdeen and Panathinaikos should do. Crucially, their game against the latter, their main rivals for top spot in the group, is at home. But it is in December. Expect Reyes to skip.
3rd spot should be tightly contested between Lokomotiv and Aberdeen. Both are capable, if unspectacular, outfits for whom the crunch game will be the Matchday 2 game at Pittodrie. While both have to play Panathinaikos in Greece and Kobenhavn at home; Aberdeen also face Athletico away from home while Lokomotiv play the Spanish outfit in Russia. Provided they match each others results against the first 2, Lokomotiv will be looking to better Aberdeen's haul versus Athletico to be better equipped to progress.
Projected Finish:
Panathinaikos
Athletico
Aberdeen
Lokomotiv
Kobenhavn
Group C
Right from the outset this group is a dogfight between Villareal and Fiorentina. Both teams boast sound goalkeepers, mean defences and quality further up the pitch. Both teams are liberally sprinkled with class players and old hands with the Florentine side boasting some excellent younger stars from Italy's next generation in Ricardo Montolivo and Manuel Pasqual. Villareal have some seasoned campaigners in Joan Capdevilla and Robert Pires, while the grand daddy of all journeymen and ex-superstar Christian Vieri has made the Viola his latest home. Fiorentina are unbeaten in Serie A so far (at the time of writing) and Villareal have led La Liga briefly.
After the crucial square off on Matchday 1 when Villareal host Fiorentina, I expect both sides to dispath the rest of the teams with ease. If they finish level on points with 10 (3 wins and a draw each) then their head to head game becomes all the more crucial. However, I suspect that even though the first game will be a draw, Fiorentina will beat AEK Athens in Athens while Villareal will miss repeating the trick and drop points against the Greeks. That will decide the group in Fiorentina's favour.
AEK should secure 3rd place comfortably, especially since they are at home for their 2 toughest tests, the visits of the aforementioned duo. Therafter, provided they pick up a reasonable 4 points from their travels to the minnows of Elfsborg and Mlada Boleslaw, AEK should go through as the third placed team.
Between the last two, we're splitting hairs but Royal League engagements might distract the Scandinavians from achieving a 4th place finish.
Projected Finish:
Fiorentina
Villareal
AEK Athens
Mlada Boleslaw
Elfsborg
Group D
The best three in this group are easily Rennes, Hamburg and Dinamo Zagreb in that order. The French side have the best defence with Erik Edman, Peter Hansson, Jon Mensah and Rod Fanni anchoring the best rearguard in the group. Similarly up front, their combination of Jimmy Briand, Jerome Leroy and Sylvian Wiltord should see them score quite esily and frequently.
Hamburg, on the other hand, have the best player in Ryan Van der Vaart who may use the group stages to further showcase his skills in Europe. Last year, in an eminently forgettable campaign, Van der Vaart was easily Hamburg's best player in the Champions' League. They will be looking for some more spectacular goals from him to progress this time around. With transfer rumours rife the shop window beckons once more for the Dutch star.
Finally Dinamo Zagreb will be looking to experienced strikers Davor Vugrinec and Bosko Balaban along with star player Luka Modric to see them through to the group stage. They are a handy side, well capable of testing any team but lacking any class players to pass the distinction between being a decent side and a very good one. Ex-striker Eduardo Da Silva will be sorely missed.
In the games between the three it's hard to see any advantage, as in each team's games against the other two, one game is at home and the other away. Intriguingly, Rennes host Zagreb on the last matchday while Hamburg are at home to Basel. If Rennes have not wrapped up the group by then, Hamburg could leap frog them to top spot if the French side fail to beat Dinamo at home.
Basel and Brann similarly just make up the numbers. Once again, like Group C, the scenario arises where a club in the Scandinavian Royal League - which for them is eminently more winnable - is pipped by a team from central Europe.
Projected Finish:
Rennes
Hamburg
Dinamo Zagreb
Basel
Brann
Labels: UEFA CUP 2007-2008
posted by Arjun Datta @ 10/19/2007 04:38:00 PM
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