LOI in Europe 2022

[Kingswood Rover]

Genk seems to be the fans firm favourite should get a few hundred traveling to that, mmmmmm belgian soup.

[Philosophizer]

Lots of talk about whether it's a good group or not, but it all depends on what your definition of good is.
Personally I'm thinking of going to the away games so would have loved a glamour tie somewhere warm like Fiorentina/Villareal. And maybe a European city trip like Belgrade/Prague/Koln and then a very winnable tie like RFS.
And all of those trips would be very affordable.
By my metrics, it's been a brutal draw.
But if you're thinking about it purely for football reasons it's probably an ok group.

[sbgawa]

That sounds a bit unlikely doesn't it?

6/7 points in second place means one more defeat than victory (1-3-2 or 2-1-3), which means the group winners have to get at least three more wins than defeats (3-3-0, say). But that requires a clear top seed, and I don't think Gent are them.

7 got through one ECL group last year, and 8 through two more, while all the others needed at least 10 points. One team (Rangers, strangely) got through the EL groups with 8 points, and Benfica/Atlético got through the CL groups with 8/7 points, but in the CL there's definitely clear top seeds (Bayern/Liverpool won all their group games)

I think another way of looking at the group is that Djurgarden, Molde and Gent will all fancy their chances of winning the group, and will think that starts with six points against Rovers. A tight group does open things up, but also puts pressure on every game.

That would be my take on it and hence a good start with a home win would really put the cat among the pigeons.
As passinginterest said above zero points wouldn't be a surprise but 6 or 7 isn't impossible either.
Djurgardens beat Apoel Nicosia 3 nil at home and then lost 3 to 2 in the return leg in Cyprus....pretty impressive but if Rovers can get Jack fit i wouldnt put it past us to get a few decent results

[joey B]

Genk seems to be the fans firm favourite should get a few hundred traveling to that, mmmmmm belgian soup.

I hope Rovers fans don’t end up in Genk anyway!!

[ontheotherhand]

Not a great draw. No really winnable tie and it will probably be tight until the end so nobody will take their foot off the gas. Expensive away trips although I like Stockholm and we owe Djurgardens.

But hey, we are in the groups and will hopefully have Jack and Burke fully fit for the adventure. A home win and draw would be lovely. Bring it on.

[placid casual]

Talk of finishing 2nd in this group is beyond fanciful, that being said I'd be disappointed if Rovers finished up with zero points. I think a win and a draw is certainly achievable with anything above that a really impressive return.
Now to go win the double.

[yurt]

That sounds a bit unlikely doesn't it?
6/7 points in second place means one more defeat than victory (1-3-2 or 2-1-3), which means the group winners have to get at least three more wins than defeats (3-3-0, say). But that requires a clear top seed, and I don't think Gent are them.

Yeah, like it is very unlikely for Rovers to qualify. The point I was trying to make is that their excellent home form alone is something which could possibly be enough to see them advance. But it is unlikely.

[ontheotherhand]

Yeah, like it is very unlikely for Rovers to qualify. The point I was trying to make is that their excellent home form alone is something which could possibly be enough to see them advance. But it is unlikely.

Don't stop believing yurt. All those teams are going to draw with each other home and away while we will win all our home ties. We will get hammered away by a combined total of 12 goals but top the group on 9 points with everyone else on 7. Simples.

[pineapple stu]

Here's the highlights from Linfield v RFS last night actually. The two-on-the-keeper chance is at 0:18, and was immediately followed by an RFS one-on-one which isn't shown. Then the 4-on-1 miss which led to the goal is at 2:20

[sparky12345678]

That would be my take on it and hence a good start with a home win would really put the cat among the pigeons.
As passinginterest said above zero points wouldn't be a surprise but 6 or 7 isn't impossible either.
Djurgardens beat Apoel Nicosia 3 nil at home and then lost 3 to 2 in the return leg in Cyprus....pretty impressive but if Rovers can get Jack fit i wouldnt put it past us to get a few decent results

not to make the comparison with Dundalk but if
St. Petersbourg/AZ = Ghent/Molde
Tel Aviv = Djurgardens

I dont think people were expecting Dundalk to get much from that group either and were obv chuffed with the 4 plus staying relatively competitive even against St Petersbourg. It seems like 3-4 points should be similarly be a realistic a target.

[legendz]

Kenny's Dundalk picked up a creditable 4 points in 2016. While difficult, 8 points is an achievable ambitious target.

[sidewayspasser]

I hope Rovers fans don’t end up in Genk anyway!!

They wouldn't be the first ones ending up in the wrong place after a Genk/Gent confusion.
https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soc...ixup-1.4061458

[Nesta99]

Kenny's Dundalk picked up a creditable 4 points in 2016. While difficult, 8 points is an achievable ambitious target.

Going in to the last game against Tel-Aviv we still had a chance of going through, indeed a spectacular kilduff missed sitter if put away and go 1-2 up (and another late miss also) would have would have had us in the top 2.
It would have been bitterly disappointing in the end as over the last few minutes events in the other game put a last 32 beyond us. The preventable goals at home to Zenit home, the very early one v AZ where they caught us cold and while we had them pinned back couldnt get a result. Ifs and buts! That was a formidable group and we didnt look out of our depth and its certainly possible for Rovers to pick up points, 4 is doable and after that ye never know.

[Kingswood Rover]

I hope Rovers fans don’t end up in Genk anyway!!

booboo due to intense excitement

[legendz]

Going in to the last game against Tel-Aviv we still had a chance of going through, indeed a spectacular kilduff missed sitter if put away and go 1-2 up (and another late miss also) would have would have had us in the top 2.
It would have been bitterly disappointing in the end as over the last few minutes events in the other game put a last 32 beyond us. The preventable goals at home to Zenit home, the very early one v AZ where they caught us cold and while we had them pinned back couldnt get a result. Ifs and buts! That was a formidable group and we didnt look out of our depth and its certainly possible for Rovers to pick up points, 4 is doable and after that ye never know.

Gent 27.500
Ludogorets Razgrad 23.000
Molde 19.000
Ferencváros 15.500
Shamrock Rovers 7.000
Djurgårdens IF 4.575
Dundalk 2016 were a formidable group alright. 4 points is doable as you say. Rovers momentum with their home form might eek out a few more points. Going into the group stage in Pot 3, 4th will be a harsh failure of sorts, 3rd par for the course and an unexpected qualification from the group a great success.

[ontheotherhand]

Gent 27.500
Ludogorets Razgrad 23.000
Molde 19.000
Ferencváros 15.500
Shamrock Rovers 7.000
Djurgårdens IF 4.575
Dundalk 2016 were a formidable group alright. 4 points is doable as you say. Rovers momentum with their home form might eek out a few more points. Going into the group stage in Pot 3, 4th will be a harsh failure of sorts, 3rd par for the course and an unexpected qualification from the group a great success.

3rd par for the course? I wouldn't be too fooled by Djurgs coefficient legendz. We aren't the 3rd strongest team in that group. They are 3rd in the Swedish league after 19 games.

Would give us a chance at home against them all the same.

[ger121]

They won’t fear any of those sides and why should they. Good teams sure but not exactly power houses of European Football.
Two of the sides are in title contention and will be in the business end of their leagues during the period of the 6 matches. Will be interesting to see how that might impact on performances. Rovers will coast to the league so that is not going to be an issue for them.
Someone else made a good point that the other 3 teams most likely will take points off each other, that could create its own pressure to take maximum points in the games with Rovers.
Travel and heat will not be a factor, games will be at a packed Tallaght and not the Aviva where they are used to winning. Also some key players should be returning from injury. All of these variables should make this group quite interesting. A home game first, would be a good one for the computer to spit out.

[Nesta99]

3rd par for the course? I wouldn't be too fooled by Djurgs coefficient legendz. We aren't the 3rd strongest team in that group. They are 3rd in the Swedish league after 19 games.

Would give us a chance at home against them all the same.

Dundalk had the lowest ranking in 2016 EL groups with being the side with the lowest co-efficient to progress from qr1 to groups. So it both backs your point that you cant always use a low co-efficient as a gauge, but also that Rovers should be targeting wins in genuine belief that they an pick up points.

[ontheotherhand]

Dundalk had the lowest ranking in 2016 EL groups with being the side with the lowest co-efficient to progress from qr1 to groups. So it both backs your point that you cant always use a low co-efficient as a gauge, but also that Rovers should be targeting wins in genuine belief that they an pick up points.

I think we will pick up points but we will be underdogs in every game no matter what the coefficients say was my point. Dundalk had the best run in Irish history and ended up in 4th. Hopefully Djurgs do the same from their own lowly coefficient standing!

We will probably finish in 4th as well but hopefully we can match the 4 points dundalk picked up if we catch a few teams early doors when they aren't expecting much of a challenge. A home tie first would be ideal although maybe we want to lull them all into a false sense of security by getting hammered away in the first game....then release Jack and Burke on then in Tallaght.

[legendz]

Dundalk had the lowest ranking in 2016 EL groups with being the side with the lowest co-efficient to progress from qr1 to groups. So it both backs your point that you cant always use a low co-efficient as a gauge, but also that Rovers should be targeting wins in genuine belief that they an pick up points.

Zenit were 2/32, AZ 9/32 and Dundalk 32/32 in 2016. Some difficult group at time.
Rovers are 22/32. Djurgs are 29/32. Coefficients and rankings aren't the full story granted.
A good fixture draw for Rovers could be to have Gent and Molde away in the second half of the fixtures, considering their poor away form against higher ranked opponents. Dundalk notably started the group with a 1-1 draw away to AZ. A Rovers result like that would be massive.
Bradley has been talking the talk of targeting the knockout stage, sensibly saying it before the draw.
Many have seen the group stage as an achievable target. Pot 3 was a good reflection of recent European form. Just as group stage was seen as achievable, 3rd should be seen as achievable too, while accepting the difficulty. Rovers have a good opportunity to set a new high bar for achievement.
The composition of the group is an interesting one. Offers potential while being fraught with danger. Something LoI sides are familiar with from qualifying rounds. Rovers 4 European ties so far have them well versed going into the group stage. Previous group stage qualification led to more difficult challenges. Rovers draw today is resulting in a similar enough challenge to what they've come up against already.