What have we learned from this year in Europe?

I think they were actually a rather good TEAM. Not packed with quality but a clear, effective style of play that they implemented well.

Their style of play may not translate into great domestic results, perhaps owing to teams sitting in against them and depriving them of the opportunity to play their favoured counter-attacking style.

 

True, they were good at playing as a team. I think when they come up against an actual decent team i.e. Sevilla, they will get hammered. At least 5 goals over the two legs.

 

I think we've learned that we are now a Europa league quality team. I believe that we have no real other plan of action until it is too late. We have had too many individual errors. Those individual errors cost us dearly in Europe. I believe that if izzy didn't see red in Amsterdam we'd have won, if ambrose want so much a bomb scare vs fenerbace we'd have won and mo than likely progressed. We need a more solid approach to up top in Europe. Don't believe we have that in griff or cifti.sutton type player we need.

We have seen a growing partnership In jozo and boyata. Can only be s good thing. Kieran tierney great prospect.

 

Anyone else not think that maybe we aren't even a Europa League quality team now? I think we're at Mowbray standard.

 

I've learned that to a lot of supporters it's all about Europe, and that domestic competitions are worthless - and the manager should have no credit for winning even a double or (* forbid) a treble. Thus I conclude that if Deila were to win the treble this year, it would be hypocritical of those said supporter to actually celebrate it.

 

I said that Molde are a mid table Norwegian side which they are. I have also said in the past that I thought Fernabache and Ajax were very ordinary.

If people think I am only saying this to belittle Ronny Deila, im not. I said it because its true. If these statements belittle our manager in the process then it is what it is. I think its funny that the same men who think im on a one man crusade to belittle our manager are the same boys who seem to be on a crusade to either paint false positives or be in total denial.

It was around October last year when the penny dropped for me when I said, howl on a minute this man is not for changing. I dont think the way he sets up a side is a productive way to play in Europe and I think we can all see now that thats the case.

The main positive that I took from Europe was the fact that in half the games I was happy that our number 10 player was far closer to a central midfielder than to a traditional 10. I thought we looked better for this as well. I thought our line was dangerously high though and Griff was isolated far too often. Would I use Griff as the main focal point? Maybe but I would lean towards using him as a man running into space behind rather than as striker playing the classic lone forward role in a 451.

I think a 4411 diamond could have fixed this problem while keeping us solid in the middle. We are sacrificing a serious amount of width if we choose to play this way but in tight games in Europe especially at home, I fancy us to win these games. Not giving away easy goals at Parkhead is the name of the game in Europe. Deila doesn't want to play tight though and that's a major problem for us.

His tactical inflexibility was always my major gripe with him but now we face a different problem. Pressure. The pressure on him to qualify if he is still here next season will be massive. I dont think he can handle it and I dont blame him either because the pressure he will face will be mental. It is not a risk im prepared to take.

 

They aren't that great, granted but we aren't far away from any of those. Weigh it up and Fenerbache were knocked out by Donetsk in the qualifiers, who were beaten by Malmo and showed up not too bad in a tough group with Madrid and Psg. The Ukrainian league is obviously decent with Dynamo Kiev coming through a group with Chelsea and Porto and Dnipro finalists in the tournament we were just knocked out of.

Ajax who are flying in the Eredivisie, then Psv who have just papped United who've spent over a quarter billion, out the Champions league..

Basically what I'm saying is, if these team's are ordinary and not up to much, then we aren't actually that far away at all..

 

I agree in fact I think we are under performing and that is the problem. We have seen much worse back fours than what Deila has had access to do better in Europe, primarily because of organisation. We should be doing better and getting better results.

 

We showed we have the beating of both Ajax and Fener. We have far superior players to Molde. It was definitely with our capabilities to top that group with the right attitude, tactics and teamwork.

 

"Organisation", particularly in the Molde game's, were massive errors of judgment.....and it's failed us everytime we've taken a lead in Europe this season, not knowing how to handle a lead and strike a balance between countering and exposing ourselves to daft mistakes..

 

You used Møldes league position as a stick to try and beat Ronny with like you always do.
In the last 5 years they have won 3 Norwegian Championships, The Norwegian cup twice and also finishing top of group A in the Europa League. That alone would indicate they are anything but just a mid table Norwegian side as you put it.

 

And that is the crux of it

 

No matter what you say they finished sixth out of sixteen teams. That is mid table. I dont think we should be getting beat by the champions of Norway never mind a mid table side. Can you not see my logic?

 

Except we didn't beat any of those teams?

 

Definitely. From Malmo to Ajax at home, we've surrendered ridiculously poorly from a leading position (Malmo you know what I mean, threw the tie away) but the one's that really got me were Molde over both legs. How can a Norwegian title winner, get it so wrong tactically against a side he should know inside out? He shouldn't, and his naivety slammed home why I think he should go now..

He won't be though and he'll get my backing (despite thinking it's wrong) untill the board pull the plug.....which I think is just a matter of time next season..

 

I agree with all of that. If there is to be a silver lining from this campaign then I dont see how he can stick with his default set up from now on. I would sack him immediately and hire Moyes but looking ahead is there anyway that he will show the same naivety next season. I honestly dont see how he could not learn lessons from the past two campagins. As I said not learning them before was unforgivable but going forward I refuse to believe he would make the same mistakes again.

 

He really can't, good point. Hopefully he does turn our European performances around and how we set up. We don't have to throw everyone forward when we're 2 up, especially at corners.....protect what we have and be more savvy. We had signs that we can do it to a tee, Qarabag away.....and for spells against Ajax and Fenerbache..

The next move is to find an approach that consistently allows us to defend and protect what we have, when we need to.....as I quite like how we attack by and large, we genuinely look a threat and likely to score..

It's really finding the balance, we're not far away but it's the naivety and game management that leaves me thinking that Ronny probably isn't the man to get it all right..

We haven't learned in 2 season's of European football but I really hope he does next season..

 

We learnt that we are now a poor Europa League side. We accumulated one of the lowest points totals in the tournament. We learnt that for us to have a realistic chance of making the CL next year the turnaround has to be huge, and right now I think it's easier to make an argument that we are regressing from this time last year.

 

True but because we were unorganised and tactically naive

 

I don't think we are actually, a poor campaign does not equal a poor team in the EL. The prior year we made the last 32. We are an average EL team at the moment, i think we can become a good one with the right tactics and acquisitions.