ECL matchday 4

[bugylibicska]

Apollon Limassol v AZ Alkmaar 3.90 3.30 1.83
Austria Vienna v Villarreal 4.60 3.60 1.65
CFR Cluj v Slavia Prague 3.40 3.20 2.05
Djurgarden v Gent 2.90 3.20 2.25
Fiorentina v Hearts 1.10 7.00 23.00
Istanbul Basaksehir v Rigas FS 1.25 4.80 11.00
Partizan Belgrade v Koln 3.30 3.20 2.05
Slovan Bratislava v Basel 2.80 3.10 2.37
Ballkani v Sivasspor 3.50 3.25 2.00
FCSB v Silkeborg 2.70 3.10 2.45
Hapoel Be'er Sheva v Lech Poznan 2.10 3.20 3.25
Nice v Slovacko 1.40 4.20 7.00
Shamrock Rovers v Molde 4.50 3.60 1.67
Vaduz v Dnipro-1 3.20 3.25 2.10
West Ham v Anderlecht 1.50 3.80 5.80
Zalgiris v Pyunik 2.00 3.10 3.60

[bugylibicska]

Outright:

Villarreal 5.00
West Ham 6.00
Fiorentina 13.00
AZ 15.00
Koln 17.00
Nice 21.00
Basel, Basaksehir 26.00
Slavia Praha, Anderlecht 41.00
Gent, Djurgarden 51.00
Cluj, Partizan Beograd 67.00
Sivasspor 81.00
Austria, Molde, Slovan Bratislava 101.00
Dnipro, Hearts, Lech Poznan 126.00
Steaua, Silkeborg 151.00
Pyunik 201.00
Zalgiris Vilnius, Shamrock Rovers, Apollon Limassol, Hapoel Beer-Sheva 251.00
Vaduz 301.00
Slovacko, Rigas, Ballkani 401.00

[Greyn]

[matt]

Koln being more likely to win the ECL than Nice does not make sense, because the german team is currently in a worse position, and the two teams should be considered similar in strenght.
Probably Nice pay the bad start in the league, and maybe Bundelisga have a slightly higher reputation than Ligue 1.

Also, Molde below Sivasspor is outright absurd. Greek and turkish teams are overrrated.

[BurningStorm]

Koln being more likely to win the ECL than Nice does not make sense, because the german team is currently in a worse position, and the two teams should be considered similar in strenght.

Maybe it's because French teams haven't won any silverware in ages and for Köln the bookies see a small chance for the 'Frankfurt effect', also with a big number of fans. Both won't win it anyway. Villarreal the big favourite, West Ham also with a decent chance, and apart from those two I only see 3rd-placed teams from EL as possible winners.

Lets see what happens in Belgrade. Köln have won against Dortmund and then against Partizan, their coach rested 7 (!) players from the winning team against BVB. It was similar against Slovacko, but the substitutes then decided it with quick goals. It's a bit arrogant to believe it works all the time. With just one point against Partizan, Köln still would've been 1st. He threw it away single handedly.

[naaba]

Koln being more likely to win the ECL than Nice does not make sense, because the german team is currently in a worse position, and the two teams should be considered similar in strenght.

Maybe it's because French teams haven't won any silverware in ages and for Köln the bookies see a small chance for the 'Frankfurt effect', also with a big number of fans. Both won't win it anyway. Villarreal the big favourite, West Ham also with a decent chance, and apart from those two I only see 3rd-placed teams from EL as possible winners.

Lets see what happens in Belgrade. Köln have won against Dortmund and then against Partizan, their coach rested 7 (!) players from the winning team against BVB. It was similar against Slovacko, but the substitutes then decided it with quick goals. It's a bit arrogant to believe it works all the time. With just one point against Partizan, Köln still would've been 1st. He threw it away single handedly.

What's the deal with Köln ? They don't care about Europe ? I know it's "only" Conference League but it's not like Köln was playing Europe every year...

[Greyn]

This is quite strange, German clubs usually cared as much as possible about every European Cup and European match. European matches also always put high interest among German fans, which always resulted in great attendances. I really appreciated and admired this attitude, I hope it will continue and Koln with this coach is just an exception.

[BurningStorm]

Koln being more likely to win the ECL than Nice does not make sense, because the german team is currently in a worse position, and the two teams should be considered similar in strenght.

Maybe it's because French teams haven't won any silverware in ages and for Köln the bookies see a small chance for the 'Frankfurt effect', also with a big number of fans. Both won't win it anyway. Villarreal the big favourite, West Ham also with a decent chance, and apart from those two I only see 3rd-placed teams from EL as possible winners.

Lets see what happens in Belgrade. Köln have won against Dortmund and then against Partizan, their coach rested 7 (!) players from the winning team against BVB. It was similar against Slovacko, but the substitutes then decided it with quick goals. It's a bit arrogant to believe it works all the time. With just one point against Partizan, Köln still would've been 1st. He threw it away single handedly.

What's the deal with Köln ? They don't care about Europe ? I know it's "only" Conference League but it's not like Köln was playing Europe every year...

The fans and players enjoying this adventure, it seems like the coach was a bit arrogant, thinking the subs can decide it after 65, 70 minutes. He rested 7 players for the derby against Gladbach and now he got what he deserved: a 2-5 spanking.

Winning in Belgrade is difficult even with the top team, it was dumb to throw away the home game. Let's see if he learnt his lesson.

[Todor]

Last time Cologne played in Europe, they got relegated from the Bundesliga. So maybe now they are cautios not to put too much in ECL and got themselves in trouble domestically.

[bjkman1903]

Also, Molde below Sivasspor is outright absurd. Greek and turkish teams are overrrated.

Even Cluj is above Molde.
Maybe that's because Sivasspor and Cluj are in a better position in their group than Molde.
None of these teams will lift the cup this year, so it doesn't matter anyway.

[Meister Ether]

Last time Cologne played in Europe, they got relegated from the Bundesliga. So maybe now they are cautios not to put too much in ECL and got themselves in trouble domestically.

In the season you mentioned (2017-18), Cologne spent 33 of 34 matchdays in relegation zone (30 of those rock bottom) and the club sacked Peter Stöger (who signed to Dortmund one week later) after 14 matches.
This season, they haven't been worse than 9th - currently 7 points above the play-off spot.
I don't think "relegation angst" is a (major) factor - neither for the people in charge nor for the fans. The squad is better (especially regarding team spirit) than five years ago.

Next Bundesliga match on Sunday is at home against FC Augsburg, incomparable to the pressure against the away match in Mönchengladbach, one of the big "historical" derbies in current Bundesliga.
Thus, Baumgart should definitely field his best possible XI.

The biggest disadvantage for the match in Belgrad imho is the supporters ban. The fans from the Rhine metropolis are very good as motivational aid during a match. Taking the passion of Partizan fans into account, it might even be a doulbe disadvantage.

[Lorric]

Hearts intercepted a pass along the Fiorentina backline, big chance, but hit the post.

[Lorric]

Fiorentina took the lead while the stream was down.

[BurningStorm]

Another gift by a German team: blackout by Köln defender Hübers and 1-0 Partizan. Idiot.

[Todor]

Is No4 from Cologne a professional player?