Tottenham Insider

A fixture against an English club in the Champions League draw? Is that even possible? I must admit I haven't fully understood the new format yet. But I would have thought that you couldn't be drawn to play a team from your own country in the first eight games...

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@JustinCase0110 wrote:

A fixture against an English club in the Champions League draw? Is that even possible? I must admit I haven't fully understood the new format yet. But I would have thought that you couldn't be drawn to play a team from your own country in the first eight games...

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Essentially, they throw all the teams in one big pile.

36 teams segregated into 4 pots of 9 teams and the draw decides which 2 teams from each pot you'll play (can be teams from your own country). And then, it is about the ranking after eight games. Top 8 advances immediately to round of 16, while numbers 9 - 24 play an preliminary round in between.

I personally would have preferred 40 teams: 8 groups of 5 teams. You play those home and away and you have eight group games as well. But I think it has been a very big compromise to those clubs threatening with their own super league. The effect of this is that you emphasize the differences between the bigger and smaller teams.

Already we've seen crazy scores (9-2, 7-1, 5-0) because for the bigger teams it's easy points, while smaller teams don't want to waste energy on a mission impossible: as long as you defeat the teams from pots 3 and 4, you're not out immediately.

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@LABoog4 wrote:
@thurlow885My work would just let me limp around! Though, I do sit in an office so that's probably why. I like injuries impacting the team but going into the season, vdV, Vicario, Udogie and Porro were the four that I really did not want anything to happen to. Everyone else we have options to work around but those four are needed because of what they bring or the depth in those areas.

We signed this guy named Archie Gray from some random club, he is going to be big in adding depth at CB, RB, and DM.

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The good thing with these Grays and Leeds is they regenerate. We've got Harry now (altho he's injured 😂)

A good old fashioned spanking for Everton and a hat trick for Solanke is a great all round. Champions League draw not half bad but a NLD drawn in 2 comps early on throws some extra unpredictability in there

I was not aware you can play teams from your own league. I am not a fan of it but for the story line here, playing a NLD is kind of exciting. Though, I like the format where you can only play your own league in the later rounds.

Man CIty hurting players. John Stones and Jack Grealish joining/rejoining Villa. Phil Foden to Newcastle, that's got to hurt in the blue end of Manchester. But maybe there isn't such a great difference from playing for Al Mubarak to now playing for Al Rumayyan.

Interesting breakdown of your centerback opportunities. Obviously Romero and van de Ven is your favourite pairing, perhaps also one of the best duos in the league. But with van de Ven out, I thought Dragusin would be an obvious choice. Losing possession 10 times is a damning stat for him though - especially when some of them proved to be costly mistakes. Good luck figuring this out over the next few months, until van de Ven returns.

Judging from those stats and how I know them IRL and in-game, I'd go for a pairing of Romero + v.d. Ven.

Decisions decisions decisions, who'd be a manager hey 🤔😜

Tough call to make especially with a bug NLD coming up. Problem for Defenders and Keepers if they make mistakes they are costly (just ask Illan Meslier Friday night 😭) and are obviously more scrutinised. Do you take the risk or completely ruining their confidence by dropping them or take the chance they won't make the same mistake again?

Aston Villa having an interesting Window as well seeing their latest signings. Bringing Jack back too.