Arsenal vs Montpellier. 21st Nov. 19:45.

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Originally Posted by Marc Overmars

Yeah I don't care anymore whether we're 1st or 2nd. Of course you'd like to have a better chance of a kinder draw but I'm sure we'll do our best to balls it up against anyone of moderate quality.

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which is the horrible, ugly truth.

By the end of the group stage more of the "better" teams will have finished top, so based on probability there's no question it's better to finish first. Sure, on occasions you may end up getting a top quality team who finished 2nd, but surely it's best to try and give yourself the best chance of getting past the first knockout round.

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Originally Posted by Joker

By the end of the group stage more of the "better" teams will have finished top, so based on probability there's no question it's better to finish first. Sure, on occasions you may end up getting a top quality team who finished 2nd, but surely it's best to try and give yourself the best chance of getting past the first knockout round.

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true but as charlie said there are lots of top teams who could come second so that it makes it seem like no point in getting first or second.

for instance, juve/shaktar/chelsea could all finish second, none of those are easy teams for a top place team to play, nor is dortmund, madrid, city or ajax. there are no easy teams really anymore, not apart from the ones in uniteds group.

the only advantage i can see of getting first place is playing hte home leg second

I think it's far too complicated a draw to talk about what's best on probability. We know for certain we could draw 7/8 teams in the last 16 should we finish second (Citeh and Chelsea cannot top their groups), that leaves a more than decent chance we'd avoid Barcelona. I don't want us to draw Barcelona just because they are horrible games to watch your side try and play against, even if we had a moderate chance against them.

After today we'll know more or less who is top and bottom. Don't think there are many bad teams 1st or 2nd tbh.

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Originally Posted by Charlie the Gooner

After today we'll know more or less who is top and bottom. Don't think there are many bad teams 1st or 2nd tbh.

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Yeah, just taking a look at who currently occupy 1st and 2nd in a few groups. Real/Dortmund, Shakthar/Juve, Bayern/Valencia...the quality is very high these days. Our record in the knockouts is mediocre to say the least, so anyone we get is going to provide a very strong test.

First lets just get ourselves into the hat anyway, still a job to be done.

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Originally Posted by Syn

No it didn't - we got Milan?

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:doh:

Looking forward to this one.

I am as long as Ramzi is not on the team sheet.

is gibbs back?