Spurs Face Young Boys
Young Boys (SUI) v TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR (ENG)
Sporting Braga (POR) v Sevilla (ESP)
Werder Bremen (GER) v Sampdoria (ITA)
Zenit St Petersburg (RUS) v Auxerre (FRA)
Dynamo Kiev (UKR) v Ajax (NED)
Salzburg (AUT) v Hapoel Tel-Aviv (ISR)
Rosenborg (NOR) v Copenhagen (DEN)
Basel (SUI) v FC Sheriff (MDA)
Sparta Prague (CZE) v MSK Zilina (SVK)
Partizan Belgrade (SRB) v Anderlecht (BEL)
Europa League play-off draw (British clubs only):
LIVERPOOL v Trabzonspor
CELTIC v Utrecht
DUNDEE UNITED v AEK Athens
Rapid Vienna v ASTON VILLA
CSKA Sofia v TNS
Odense v MOTHERWELL
Timisoara v MANCHESTER CITY
From BBCSport
Tottenham must beat Swiss side Young Boys in their two-legged Champions League play-off to land a coveted place in the competition's group stages.
Harry Redknapp's team avoided bigger-name sides such as Dynamo Kiev of Ukraine, Italian side Sampdoria and French outfit Auxerre.
Tottenham will play in Bern on either 17 or 18 August then host Young Boys at White Hart Lane on 24 or 25 August.
The Londoners have never before played in the European Champions League.
Neither club has played in the competition's group stages, although Tottenham did take part in Europe's top club competition 48 years ago - when it was known simply as the European Cup.
Young Boys got into the play-offs by beating Turkish side Fenerbahce 1-0 in Istanbul [3-2 on aggregate] in the previous round.
Last season's runners-up in the Swiss league are also well into their domestic season, which kicked off on 17 July, although they have failed to win any of their opening three games.
That was the best draw possible for Spurs as we avoided the tougher sides in our pot. It still won't be easy, but with the 2nd leg at White Hart Lane we have a fantastic chance of qualifying for the first group stage.
Cheers,
AM
21 comments:
Haha. Young Boys.
What impact will that mid August game have on Tottenham's line up for the EPL opener against City? Any chance Bale sits?
hancoach13
Havent posted in a while.. thanks for everything you do AM, great to have the season almost upon us.
Piece of pie AM, piece of pie! Spurs should win no problem.
I would not worry about Bale being rested, he is young and damn well able to play 2 games in a week. Hell he had no part in the world cup so he should be well rested since he had a few months of no play.
Best of luck to spurs ;)
i, as the big gunner, wish much luck to spurs. i hope they finish, this coming season, in second place. i hope that they finish second to arsenal by 15 points. i hope that everton gets third place and i hope fulham gets fourth.
Good luck, great draw
i hope they wont reschedule the premier game.. i got bale in my team at the moment too..
Dont spurs have to win another qualifier to make it to the group stages?
@greg -> mate... can u add blackpool for 5th ?
C****khor
@ToffeeDave
No, these are the playoffs, the last stage before the group stage. I just hope Hapoel Tel-Aviv gets there too and is drawn against Arsenal so I can see them in Israel.
@greg
As long as Arsenal finishes first, I really don't care who's second :)
SF
Young Boys for Spurs
Gary Glitter will be pleased!
Spurs should be able to win this, Hope Bale is not rested for this match, I have him on my line up as well.
Interested in joing a fantasy league on yahoo
ID# 266
PASSWORD: pass
After watching some highlights from Arsenal's recent friendly at Warsaw, I'm even more negative about Vermaelen and Koscielny pairing's defensive returns, and still somewhat negative about Vermaelen's offensiveness IF they do not sign another CB. If Kosci is his partner Vermaelen will find he cannot get forward at all or else surrender cheap goals.
Some examples. 1st goal, it was a brilliant strike, but one where neither Verm or Kosci picked up an attacker that would've been 1 on 1 with fabianski had the goal scorer just tapped a through pass. But that was a great shot and it looks like Arsenal were caught unaware so I'm not reading into it.
But 3rd one, it looks like Vermaelen is placed further ahead, and Kosci (i think it's him) fails to cover, so Verm is running back but not in time to prevent a shot. This was always the danger with them, with Verm's tendency to take a more forward position and Kosci not covering since Kosci likes to do the same thing. Another instance, a classic Vermaelen, he surges forward to win the ball, opponent loops it over him into the box, Kosci is not there to cover the space Verm just vacated.
I think the 2 can work against bottom table opponents in the EPL, but perhaps Djourou or a new signing is best paired with Verm, but never the 2 of them. Also, they are same-footed, so one of them will be playing on the center side they are not used to.
-JJOKBOB
JJOKBOB,
first off, most center back pairings in the whole wide world are the same footed, albeit both being right footed.
i guess you should should not pick any arsenal defenders because they all get forward and don't know how to defend, can you just pick on another team to rip on. when chelsea and manure play tomorrow, i want a detailed description of each defensive players weaknesses. you are not allowed to say anything positive about the defenders.
didn't manure give up two goals to MLS all stars? didn't chelsea lose all the friendlies so far by giving up 2 goals at least?
@greginho
what made you so angry? Are you an Arsenal fan?
Don't pick Arsenal defenders? That's a stupid position, since I would play them based on match up. I wouldn't play Arsenal defenders against a good team though e.g. Week 1 away to LIV.
They are 2 left footed and both used to playing on the left side of CB I think? But I was trying to figure out why they did poorly, not why they will do poorly.
Vermaelen is a good defender. Not a great defender always, but good. He can be great sometimes. I don't know about Kosci yet, but I'm not going to say he's good cuz Wenger always spots talent etc...He's just a cheap alternative to get Arsenal clean sheets depending on the match up for now.
Yeah other teams gave up goals, but they were playing many young players and 2nd teamers. I think this recent match saw a lot of 1st team players for Arsenal who play regularly during the season, and it's their final match before the season. And the back 4 that started, Sagna/Clichy/Verm/Kosci, are what people are expecting to carry the Arsenal defense for the season!
to be fair, I recognize that it's still a pre-season, and maybe having fabianski in goal did not give the defenders any mental comfort.
But next time don't get angry and have a discussion about what I brought up. If you don't have anything interesting to add to counter my argument or thoughts then STFU
-JJOKBOB
So Greginho, We're only aloud to analyse Arsenal, if we also analyse Chelsea and Man Utd?
Can you give a reason for this?
Arsenal conceded 5 goals, with a new centre back pairing. I would have thought that on a forum, where we discuss player picks, and all things football, we could mention the fact that 5 goals were conceded, and discuss it without fear of being "harangued" by over-sensitive fans of that club.
I'm not normally one to get into handbags etc, on the internet. But all the guy did was post his opinion on an aspect of a game that was played!
time for Jenas to shine?
Now we have 2 jokers representing the KOPS & the GUNNERS !!!
C****khor
no guys i had a horrible day and tried to drink it off and only made things worse. what i wanted to say was that we have seen this opinion before from JJKBOB, and if he doesn't think the defenders are worth picking up, don't pick them up. the defense is a sore subject for me, because wenger has been losing his defenders. last year was the first time in a while that he bought a defender to be a straight away starter, not a project. i think that the CB are the strongest part of the defense and fail to see why JJKOBOB keeps ripping them apart. if they are that weak, then arsenal will finish out of the top 10. it seems that everyone is talking about how they can't play together, are not strong, didn't come from great, known teams, didn't cost much to sign, etc. no one seems to say that kolorav or boetang are not great picks, nor should anyone stay away. chelsea and manure's is not picked apart, even though they leaked games and lost matches, nor is tottenham's defense looked at. i guess i didn't mean to be so rough so i am truly sorry JJOKBOB and promise i will not jump down anyone's throat for ripping apart arsenal's defense. i am not happy with it either, so i am too sensitive.
one thing is for certain, Vermaelen was one of the most consistently strong players of the entire 09-10 campaign. the acquisition of his worth was another genius move
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