European expectations

What are your expectations for Europe this season? I know a lot can change based on who we draw, but I'm interested to see our early expectations. I'll be happy if we qualify for the CL group stages again.

 

Same as always.

Group stage.

then a run in the uefa Cup.

 

I don’t think we’ll qualify for the Champions League this year.

We should beat Alashkert, but we can draw the champions of Denmark, Israel, Norway, Romania or Serbia in the next round.

Those games would be tight, and we would probably need a bit of luck to go through. We have had the rub of the green the past two seasons, but, inevitably, luck stops going your way.

The sooner the Champions League becomes a closed shop the better; then we’ll know where we stand.

 

I would feel a lot more confident if we brought in a couple of high-quality defenders.

 

we are seeded in the champions route though?

 

aye but the teams @Vertie mentioned are all unseeded and we got the champs of Norway again!

 

Won't be surprised if the do away with the qualifiers in the next 5 years and just have it teams from the top 10 leagues.

 

I'm genuinely unsure.
These are going to be 8 extremely tough qualifying matches. I thought the first round would be a gimme and while we're clear favourites it's * awkward.
Round 3 and 4 (if we make it ) are going to be a right *.

 

We were battered with injuries last season. We had no strikers for 3/4s of Rosenborg and 1 centre back in Kazakhstan. We certainly had some luck in front of goal but we got through them qualifiers nowhere near full strength.

 

Exactly, and given no outgoings were another year stronger as a team

 

I voted last 16 because the poll question is what would make you happy, and that would make me very happy.

But the bare minimum is the CL group stages - even though I never feel confident going into these qualifiers. I miss the days of the play-off round being the only tie we had to play, or even better, going straight in.

 

Group stage.

We should be aiming to qualify for the group's each season. The only thing that worries me about this season is we have another game and we are very light in positions that we need quality for.

If we go out and get a a centre half, right back, right and left wingers before the main games then we have a much better chance.

If we end up leaving it to the last min again we could * it all up.

Getting French Eddy in has been great but we do need to spend more on real quality at the back and we will miss Paddy as well.

Gordon needs replacing but I can see Rodgers sticking by him again this season, I hope to * we replace him for next year.

 

Qualification is all that matters.. until we get there.

 

Last 16. HWFG

Seriously though i don't know how anyone could be happy with finishing 4th in the groups again. Maybe after Deila when we hadn't made it for 2 years but we've been there and done that, time to do something. I'd take a 3rd place finish assuming we make it more that one round into the EL

 

Would be happy with groups and a third place finish

 

Group stage.

Ideally we would finish 3rd, but as long as we make the group stage i can't complain.

And not taking a bad pumping would be nice.

 

I think we almost have to look at the qualifying rounds and the competition proper as two separate campaigns.

We can’t say that we finished third in our group last season, so we should be looking to finish second or first this season because we might conceivably be knocked out in the first qualifying round - upsets happen all the time in knockout football.

Our primary objective should be to secure European football until Christmas; our objectives will change once we have that.

 

We have a more than capable squad and budget to make it to the group stages, want at least 3rd place in the Groups depending on the draw obviously.

But of course the qualifiers are no cake walk, especially playing teams in * Asia.

 

Qualifying like the last two years. Then once we get there move the goal posts and moan when we get beat off real Madrid.

 

Realistically group stages then a run in the Europa league.

But I would love to make the last 16.