Our progress in Europe has been a joy to watch

Southside_shug

Southside_shug

Well-Known Member
From the embarrassment in the bushes in Luxemburg three years ago to last night, we are actually in control as well as I can remember.

At no time last night did I think we were going to lose against a team who had not been beaten at home in Europe in six years.

We are in a fine place at the moment and pur players and management seem to be thriving in this environment.

it really is fantastic to watch
 
I have been critical of SG with regard to domestic competitions but he’s nailed it in Europe . The results and performances have been incredible .

I don’t wish to get ahead of myself , but this year feels different to last year . We look far better , stronger and fitter than previous years .
 
His record in Europe is incredible. Numbers are a wee bit inflated with some of the 1st round qualifiers you would expect us to win that we will no longer have to play in.

However the important part is the team/management are doing it also when it counts in the tough qualifiers and the group stages.

Let's be honest if we hadn't made the group stages in any of the last 3 years it would have been expected. Definitely punching above their weight. Now I think we have found our level and can comfortably compete in the EL.

I think I will enjoy us in here more than in the CL for now as that will be a tough step up. With the way the team are going it is not inconceivable to think they would make that step up too!
 
Calvinist said:
I have been critical of SG with regard to domestic competitions but he’s nailed it in Europe . The results and performances have been incredible .

I don’t wish to get ahead of myself , but this year feels different to last year . We look far better , stronger and fitter than previous years .
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We have proper squad depth now.

I think it feels different too mate.
 
I’ll be honest in his first game against Skhupi I thought if we got through to the 3rd qualifier we will have done well especially as we had a new team and manager in his first job, it has been fantastic to watch the team grow and put up a fight against so many teams in his time in Europe
 
11 ALBERTZ said:
I’ll be honest in his first game against Skhupi I thought if we got through to the 3rd qualifier we will have done well especially as we had a new team and manager in his first job, it has been fantastic to watch the team grow and put up a fight against so many teams in his time in Europe
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Our club has its pride back.

Incredible achievement by Gerrard, his fantastic young management team, and the players.

There’s not a team .............
 
It’s just so different going into European games.
The team has such a confident feel about it and consequently it’s a much more relaxed experience watching us in Europe-especially away from home.

The gaffer and his backroom team should get enormous plaudits but they really don’t get the credit for what they have achieved in European terms in the last 3 seasons

of course we want trophies and the league win but financially - this has been absolutely game changing for our prospects of improving the squad as we’ve done every year.
 
Nothing short of incredible in Europe. Genuine miracle-working going on in the first two seasons to get the results we did and now we look like a proper, composed European side.
 
Yes we seem to have the players who can play in Europe, results have shown that.
Our problem domestically IMO has been down to the rebuild we’ve been under, we did not have a pool of players that could last a full campaign with injuries and suspensions.
Not counting chickens but we have made additions to the squad whereby we are better prepared this year.
 
The only thing missing from SG's tenure is a trophy. Once we get that, there will be no stopping him. I honestly believe that.

What he has done in 2 and a bit years in terms of everything else is nothing short of incredible in that space of time. Remember what he walked into. We were an embarrassing mess. Russell Martin was still in the papers thinking he had done enough to get a contract and we were going into games losing goals on a regular basis to dross. FIFTY goals conceded in the league before he showed up. A manager who thought Russell Martin was better than Bruno Alves. Jason Holt who went from captain to not getting a game inside six weeks. A team terrified of their own shadow never mind Celtic.

Gerrard's had to build everything from scratch. The confidence, the squad, the players mentality. What is our squad valuation now compared to then ? It's night and day stuff.
 
To put last night's performance and win in some sort of perspective, the unbeaten home run of Standard Liege that we just broke included wins and draws against Sevilla, Panathanaikos, Celta Vigo, Ajax, Krasnodar, Eintracht Frankfurt and Arsenal.

They aren't small fry. We've turned over another team with a decent European history and we did it in some comfort and style.
 
roffey said:
I said to my pal last night that I expect us to take take something from every game in Europe now, what a turnaround.

The job the players and coaching staff have done is astonishing really.
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This sums up my thoughts. Whilst there is always a natural degree of caution, I always expect us to get a result, be it a win or draw. The level of sides we have successfully competed with and overcome, on a consistent basis, is impressive and you feel as we continue to strengthen, we can do so at an even higher level.
 
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