Ibrahimovic derby. Him and Mandzukic have to be the oldest strike partnership in Europe! Still surprisingly decent, though.
You obviously don't think Jose is "special" enough to add finishing in the PL top 4 to the above fluke list ...
I can't stand the bloke and I like him even less now that he manages you. So the fact you've been drawing favourable sides in both domestic and European cup ties, means that a manager I detest could win silverware with a club I also detest. Not really a situation I like to see.
Playing the most in form team in club football in the league cup final is hardly easy. Europa doesn’t get hard until the last 8, let’s see the quarter final and semi final draw before we start saying easy draws. I’d hardly call your route to the last 16 challenging either
Who did Zagreb knock out in the last round ? And do they have players that can run rings round our static defence
Dont worry, our defence will **** their pants if we get drawn against a premier league team, and our PL form will cross over into the EL! If we avoid you and United, and others can knock both out... that’s when you’ll need to worry. Maybe. Probably not.
Their CB, Gvardiol, signed for Leipzig in the summer but went back to them on loan for the season. Highly rated and he’s a left footer, we probably could’ve done with having a look, especially as our track record of signing Croatians hasn’t been that bad to say the least, especially those we got from Zagreb/ via Zagreb!
Mislav Orsic is rapid Probably worth starting both Aurier and Sanchez so we have some pace in front of him Josip Misic and Arijan Ademi aren't quick, but they can move the ball quickly - which is where Orsic comes into the equation
In the actual final, no, but your route there absolutely was easy bar the Chelsea game. That's not even debatable. And in a final, anything can happen. Your domestic cup draws this season: Marine, Wycombe Wanderers, Everton (KO'd), Leyton Orient, Chelsea, Stoke, Brentford and Man City (final - TBC). Compared to our cup draws this season: Leicester, Liverpool, Man City, Newcastle, Southampton Then in Europe, you've played Wolfsberger and now playing Dinamo Zagreb. Whereas we had to play Benfica and now Olympiacos. Don't think it's controversial to say our draws are fairly significantly harder than yours.
Hearing that our tie has to be reversed as arse are at home the same day and as they qualified via FA cup they take priority UEFA rule even though there are no fans present
Olympiakos is the easier draw. You even got a free run-out at their ground as preparation. UEFA rates both the league (18 v 20) and club (35 v 36) higher in both cases. Your group was a joke, too. Having got back-to-back non-league teams in the FA Cup a few years back, you're due harder draws.