Lets look at the facts, man Utd and Barcelona were handed very easy champions league groups this season whereas the likes of Chelsea Madrid and city were put in the years groups of death. As a result both barca and Utd have found it easy to pick up results as they are able to play 2nd string teams in the cl and focus on league games.

We on the other hand, have put a hell of a focus on the cl due to the teams we have had to play and the results that we have got. Then equate the teams we have had to play around these periods, arsenal spurs Utd city liverpool. Is it any wonder we are on a hard run of form?

Lets look at Madrid who are sat in THIRD! They are a double the amount of points behind the league leaders than we are and have also been a bit hit and miss in the cl. Man City have also struggled to some extent but unlike the others, they have decided to make sure they grind out results in the league instead and are all but out of the cl (again).

I will concede that a lot of our problems come from a lack of basic essentials, such as, a striker who scores goals, a commanding cb, giving the ball away cheaply etc. but how much boils down to those cl games?

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Edited November 19, 201213 yr by Mike Carefree

I'll just be happy to be in the draw mate, sweating over tomorrow night if I'm honest.

As far as actual qualification goes, i think that we should always be good enough to qualify in the top 2 of a 4 team mini league and progress whatever the draw.

The effect it has on the league is less quantifiable, although it MUST be a disadvantage to have to play your first 11 every game compared to being in a position to rest key players, that's just plain common sense.

It could be that the CL is the reason we have this 'November slump' in the league ??

Just one word will cover the CL draw, RIGGED.

If we had finished the job against Juve at home we would have been in control of this group now, as it is we drew and lose tomorrow, Shaktar and Juve can engineer a draw putting us out of the competition. Fine lines but if we do our job properly we would have nothing to worry about.

We HAVE to draw tomorrow. The lads have to give it everything. Inter Milan beat them 3-1 in Turin so who knows.

Just one word will cover the CL draw, RIGGED.

Totally agree, every year they make a big deal out of something happening and it does for example look at these just from 05/06 Chelsea and Liverpool drawn in same group after the controversial game in the semis season before, Chelsea draw Barcelona in the knockout phase after controversial game the season before, Arsenal draw Juventus Patrick Viera returns to take on his old club