LOI in Europe 2023

**ger121** · 27/08/2023, 12:30 PM

Originally Posted by Nah Nah Nah Nah

Daniel Kelly on LOI weekly talking about having better xG. Good for them.

I was shaking my head when I heard him say that. I play FPL and it is seriously the most overrated stat. Goals are what count, not chances you create.

**geysir** · 31/08/2023, 8:34 PM

KI (nearly) shot the sheriff this evening but will have to do with the Conf group stage. Breidablik, remember them? have not gone away yet, after a run of 9 wins and 3 losses they enter the group stages alongside their viking brothers. But so far most all of the kudos go to KI.
I wonder in regards to earning club ranking points and Uefa dosh, doesn't a 'minnow' have a much better chance being in the 4th pot Conf groups stage as they would in the 4th pot EL group stage? the opposition is of a considerably lower calibre in the Conf L but similar enough ranking points and prize money?

**pineapple stu** · 31/08/2023, 10:04 PM

Another Euro day over and we're somehow still 32nd. But it's getting tight - there's only 0.250 between us and 37th. Six countries below us have teams in the group stages - Kosovo, Kazakhstan and Finland are within that 0.250 of us and need just a draw to pass us out. The Faroes, Bosnia and Iceland are further back. Taking two points for a win, the Faroes need five group points, Iceland need four points and Bosnia need seven points to pass us out.

Tobol (who beat Derry) lost 5-1 to Plzen on aggregate; fairly sound beating. Ballkani (Kosovo), Astana (Kazakhstan), HJK (Finland), KI (Faroes), Breidablik (Iceland) and Zrinskij Mostar (Bosnia) are the sides we want tough draws for in the group stages; they're all in the Conference League, and Astana and HJK are third seeds.

Still reckon we'll end up 36th - Finland, Kazakhstan, Kosovo and one of the other three. Looks like 43rd for the year.

Here's for better next year!

**Nesta99** · 01/09/2023, 8:39 PM

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

Another Euro day over and we're somehow still 32nd. But it's getting tight - there's only 0.250 between us and 37th. Six countries below us have teams in the group stages - Kosovo, Kazakhstan and Finland are within that 0.250 of us and need just a draw to pass us out. The Faroes, Bosnia and Iceland are further back. Taking two points for a win, the Faroes need five group points, Iceland need four points and Bosnia need seven points to pass us out.

Tobol (who beat Derry) lost 5-1 to Plzen on aggregate; fairly sound beating. Ballkani (Kosovo), Astana (Kazakhstan), HJK (Finland), KI (Faroes), Breidablik (Iceland) and Zrinskij Mostar (Bosnia) are the sides we want tough draws for in the group stages; they're all in the Conference League, and Astana and HJK are third seeds.

Still reckon we'll end up 36th - Finland, Kazakhstan, Kosovo and one of the other three. Looks like 43rd for the year.

Here's for better next year!

That'd be par for the course if Derry win the league and Dundalk win the Cup, and Bohs/St Pats dig in too after Roverss sojorn!

**pineapple stu** · 21/09/2023, 9:05 PM

Another day hanging on in in 32nd. Only one result from the six countries below us left in the competition - Zrinskij Mostar coming from 3-0 down at half-time to beat Alkmaar 4-3. They were the lowest-ranked country so not the worst of outcomes from the evening. 0.500 for them; they're still 1.125 behind us.

KÍ took the lead in Bratislava but lost 2-1. Breidablik were 3-0 down away to Robbie Keane's Maccabi Tel Aviv, but brought it back it back to 3-2. Ballkani and HJK also lost by a single goal so you'd imagine they'll all get points over the campaign though.

**Philosophizer** · 21/09/2023, 9:17 PM

Ki once again showing themselves to be a decent outfit. You just have to admire them.

**yurt** · 22/09/2023, 1:39 PM

Just after realizing that both Balkani and Astana are in the same group. A draw in either of their games will put both of them ahead of us. It's hard to believe we're still somehow where we are and each week that ticks by, the chances of the impossible happening trend up.

Will require an incredible string of results to go in our favour but given how much of that string has already been strung at this point you couldn't completely rule it out.

**MichaelCherrito** · 22/09/2023, 2:45 PM

I’m not sure how UEFA will revamp the Conference League from next season onwards but seeing the sort of clubs that wander around, I can see the likes of Rovers, Derry or Pats playing in it

I don’t know if they need exceeding expectations or being consistent enough in a period of time from June to August or simply improving structures and set-ups but it’s a shame if they miss season after season.

It will be a big dissapointment if the champions miss twice every season to go into it.

**holidaysong** · 22/09/2023, 3:53 PM

Originally Posted by yurt

Just after realizing that both Balkani and Astana are in the same group. A draw in either of their games will put both of them ahead of us. It's hard to believe we're still somehow where we are and each week that ticks by, the chances of the impossible happening trend up.

Will require an incredible string of results to go in our favour but given how much of that string has already been strung at this point you couldn't completely rule it out.

Yes good point, we will need one of them to go pointless in the group therefore.

There is still the possibility that 34th place would be good enough to get a team into the Europa League, should Russia remain suspended up until 2025.

**Nesta99** · 22/09/2023, 4:37 PM

Originally Posted by yurt

Just after realizing that both Balkani and Astana are in the same group. A draw in either of their games will put both of them ahead of us. It's hard to believe we're still somehow where we are and each week that ticks by, the chances of the impossible happening trend up.

Will require an incredible string of results to go in our favour but given how much of that string has already been strung at this point you couldn't completely rule it out.

Well there is one way to make sure results end up going completely against us in the end, for me to put a few € on an accumulator - we'd drop 10 places before a ball is kicked! Conversely if I dont bother every damn one will line up nicely.

**holidaysong** · 06/10/2023, 4:43 PM

Kosovo overtook us last night so we're down to 33rd. Finland are just a draw away from passing us.

**EatYerGreens** · 09/10/2023, 1:31 PM

Originally Posted by holidaysong

Kosovo overtook us last night so we're down to 33rd. Finland are just a draw away from passing us.

Crazy when you think that Kosovo has fewer people than the north does, isn't really a proper country, and is currently wracked by ethnic conflict. (Again - all much like the north is

)

**pineapple stu** · 26/10/2023, 7:45 PM

Down to 34th after today; Astana of Kazakhstan won away to the Kosovans in their group.

HJK 3-0 down away to German opposition at half-time so they don't pass us out yet but it's almost inevitable.

KÍ of the Faroes had a great 3-0 win over Olimpija Ljubljana; one more win and they draw level with us and pass us out on tie-break.

Breidablik lost 5-0 to Gent and are still pointless. Zrinskij level at half-time against Legia in the evening games but they'd need another two group wins to pass us out.