Europa Conference League 22-23

[Gazmundo]

If we were to get to the final and win it I wonder if the team would be allowed to change shirts or put on tracky tops (into C&B) between the final whistle and lifting the trophy.

[sendô]

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. In that case let's field the kids on Thursday and focus on survival.

Or - and hear me out here - we could try and win the UECL in spite of whatever kit we end up having to wear?

I can not want us to have to wear the **** orange kit and want us to win at the same time you know. They call that multi-tasking.

[Eggs'n'nuts]

We could walk out looking like contestants from Ru-Paul's drag race for all I care. As long as we win it!

[bubbles1966]

I make us underdogs in the final.

Fiorentina have had a better league season than us, and Italian teams have enjoyed a bit of a renaissance this year and have out-performed the PL ones in every competition.

Four teams have now made the final in two seasons - each finalist having a stadium ranging from 43k-70k in size. The whole strategy of having 20k stadiums for finals looks misguided.

[hammer1975]

Agree Bubbs
Very happy we’re in the final but took the gloss of a little that Fiorentina won. Basel were holding on massively and they were 30 seconds from penalties sadly.

[Ludeksgloves]

Or - and hear me out here - we could try and win the UECL in spite of whatever kit we end up having to wear?

I can not want us to have to wear the **** orange kit and want us to win at the same time you know. They call that multi-tasking.

You know I was kidding right?

[szola]

We are still the favourites. We've been the favourites at the group stage, and every game since.

https://www.transfermarkt.com/ac-floren ... verein/430

Player for player, we are better.

In the CL, all the big clubs were stacked in on half of the draw. Man City beat the lot.
In the EL, Arsenal were beaten on penalties, Man Utd collapsed in Seville playing their reserves.
In the SCL we are in the final

Can't see the PL performing badly in Europe.

Fiorentina is 3 points off 12th, 5 off 13th. We're 3 points off 13th...

[sutts07]

[dasnutnock3]

Whichever way you look at it, West Ham vs Fiorentina in a European final is a ****ing tasty sounding fixture. Footballing aristocracy

[il_martello_di_genovesi]

We are still the favourites. We've been the favourites at the group stage, and every game since.

We are the favourites. 1.78 to win the thing based on the exchanges. I would say that's fair.

Fiorentina, like us, have picked up in the 2nd half of the season. They are also in the Coppa Italia final, so their cup football exploits this season are obviously very good.

Fiorentina are a very positive side when it comes to approach. They like the ball, they like to build, they like to have their full backs push up. It'll be an interesting match up and the game will end up open, because of it.

[JerseyHammer]

Fiorentina, like us, have picked up in the 2nd half of the season. They are also in the Coppa Italia final, so their cup football exploits this season are obviously very good.

Indeed - they went on an absolutely blazing run during Feb, March & April, something like 14 games unbeaten (winning the majority), including AC at home and Inter away.

They, a bit like us, have goals from a few sources rather than 1 hitman.

This will be a great final, we can absolutely do it but we'll need to play well.

I often think playing in a smaller stadium - as much as it's a borderline criminal offence in terms of ticket numbers, might help stop the occasion getting to our lads. The stadiums in Italy don't tend to be anywhere like as intimate as ours (well, not ours, but in the UK).

[1all]

[*]j

Just charter a plane like hundreds others

Flights to Wrocław Poland were 15.99 it’s only 4 hours away. I e hired a car when I get there cheap as chips

[Roby]

We are the favourites. 1.78 to win the thing based on the exchanges. I would say that's fair.

Fiorentina, like us, have picked up in the 2nd half of the season. They are also in the Coppa Italia final, so their cup football exploits this season are obviously very good.

Fiorentina are a very positive side when it comes to approach. They like the ball, they like to build, they like to have their full backs push up. It'll be an interesting match up and the game will end up open, because of it.

I don’t follow much Italian football anymore so not sure how good La Viola are nowadays. They obviously had a great side in the late 90s under Trappatoni with Batigol, Rui Costa, Toldo in goal and Edmundo.

Checking their side now they have Amrabat in midfield who looked world class in the WC - the match up between him and Rice will be key to the game.

Cabral up front is the chap we were sniffing around when he was at Basel, Milenkovic at CB is highly rated and they have Barak in midfield meaning both sides will have a Czech international starting at the Prague stadium.

Jovic flopped at Madrid but will be dangerous if he plays, I see they also have a couple of Argie internationals.

Difficult game for sure but I’m sure they will be thinking the same about us…

[il_martello_di_genovesi]

I don’t follow much Italian football anymore so not sure how good La Viola are nowadays.

They're in 2 cup finals, so that should give some indication. Top half of their league after a much better 2nd half of the season. They have plenty of quality in Milenkovic, Cabral, Jovic, Amrabat, Nico Gonzalez etc...Infact, I'm sure we've been linked with a lot of these players ourselves.

As I said above, they are a team who like the ball and like to attack. They'll of course know that an open games suits us, but I don't expect a change. Indeed, they'll be facing a team with Rice, Paqueta, Zouma, Bowen, Benrahma etc. They'll know what we are about. It's going to be a thoroughly great game. As a non drinker, I might even need one or two myself. It should be open, entertaining and a white knuckle ride...

[bubbles1966]

They're live on BT on Sunday afternoon against Torino.

Seems reasonable to think they'll play their best team next Wednesday in the Coppa Italia, doesn't it? That would give another chance for those of us who don't follow Serie A that closely to watch them.

I did notice from the statistics that they are also strong at set pieces, as well as being possession orientated, while there's a very heavy tilt in their points accumulation towards opponents whose league position is 12th or lower, just a couple of league wins against the Milan clubs outside of that.

Lost to Vlasic's Torino, doubled by Arnie's Bologna - Arnie scored in one of the games.

[WestHamLyallStyle]

Back in the early 90s a mate of mine had a purple Fiorentina shirt. Gabriel Batistuta played for 'em and so did Dunga and going further back Daniel Passarella.

[bubbles1966]

I wonder if anyone on here attended the Anglo-Italian Cup games in 1975/1976 season?

[brownout]

I wonder if anyone on here attended the Anglo-Italian Cup games in 1975/1976 season?

I went to the home leg, not the away.

[bubbles1966]

...

(just seen the post in the other thread)

[Whitters]

Just arrived for a weekend in Florence…..perfect timing. Perhaps I’ll resist buying a football shirt while I’m here