Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Qarabag FK

Tottenham start off their annual trek through the Europa League this Thursday. Spurs have been sent into Group J which features a former European giant, a Belgian side with lots of history (and some against Spurs!) and Azerbaijani side Qarabag FK who visit the Lane first. While many in this forum debate the merit of the Europa League, Spurs should be in it to win it, especially with an automatic berth in the Champions League at stake.

Team from Azerbaijan

Qarabag have quite an inspirational story. Because of the Nagorno-Karabakh war, the team have been displaced from their home city of Agdam, and have been playing in the capital of Baku since 1993. Their coach at the time was killed in the war, so before we start complaining about travel times and Thursday/Sunday fixture “congestion”, let’s remember what’s important.

According to multiple sources, the team, under new ownership, have finally been able to create support organizations and youth projects in their former home.

Last Season

Qarabag won the Azerbaijan League last season and qualified for the UEFA Champions League by winning it the year before. They were knocked out, but beat FC Twente in the Europa League playoff round to advance to the group stage for the first time in their history. They fared well for debutantes, but failed to advance. They drew with Inter Milan at home and drew twice with St. Etienne. They went on the road and beat Dnipro, last year’s runner’s up, 1-0. They will be extremely motivated playing a team of Spurs’ magnitude, but won’t be intimidated.

This Season

Again, Qarabag qualified for the Champions League via the winning the league and gave Celtic a run for their money, losing 1-0 on aggregate. They then handed Young Boys of Bern a 4-0 aggregate crushing to advance to the group stage of the Europa League. They’ve been impressive so far this season in Europe.

Quotes from the Coaches and Players

Mauricio Pochettino on team-first focus: "Our mentality like a team is first.... the result, the collective situation is our target. Now the mentality is a collective one. The team. Everyone has targets individually but first it is for the team."

Poch on striker Harry Kane: "I am happy with him and he gives the best for the team. He only needs time to score again. The moment will arrive. He has the skills. After two months last season he started scoring. He is very confident and very happy in the changing room.”

Team News

Ryan Mason is out after his heroic display at Sunderland on the weekend. Christian Eriksen, Mousa Dembélé, Nabil Bentaleb and Clinton N’Jie are still out.

Probable Starting XI

This is a difficult one to pick as this game should be the easiest of the group and Spurs have a few big challenges in the Premier League to come. Will Poch rest a few key players? You’ve got to think a few guys are going to get their first starts of the season and will be given a chance to impress.

Vorm/Trippier/Wimmer/Vertonghen/Rose/Dier/Lamela/Townsend/Carroll/Alli/Son

Prediction

The opener is at White Hart Lane and Spurs should get three points and a nice goal differential right off the bat. Spurs need to run wild in this one. Spurs 4-0 Qarabag.

 

As I've said before the way to tackle an Europa league is to go hard early on get qualified then give game time. Three home wins and a point or 3 normally will see u through. One or two need resting three or four need games. Townsend needs rewarding for his cameo and harry needs a spurs goal.
Vorm Tripp's Toby wimmer rose. Bentaleb Alli Carroll. Townsend on the left. 1 from lamela,njie son on the right. I'd go with son personality
Kane up front no more than 60mins if he gets a goal or two. Bring Njie and eriksen dembele into fold if fit ssecond half.

 

No Rose, no Son, no Vertongen for me. N'Jie to start, Wimmer and Faz maybe? EL is Davies' level

 

Think we should go all out for a goal fest We need to get in a strong position early. That's if we are serious about our ambitions. COYS

 

This is exactly the sort of glamour tie our yearly half hearted attempt at the Europa league throws up.

Can anyone name a decent campaign weve ever had in this comp?

 

I predict 0:0 draw.

 

Not really, but why not start now? Plus, if we're not careful, the English UEFA Coefficient is going to drop to the point where the Prem loses it's fourth Champions League team. This is in part to recent **** performances in the Champions League (especially the last two years or so from English clubs), but also from teams like Spurs and Liverpool who treat the Europa League like it's useless. The more we and others treat it this way, the better the chances that it will be inevitable.

 

And im totally with you on that mate, id love us to give this comp a right go.

But unfortunately our club thinks its bigger than a comp it cant even make the semis in.

 

Well that was good. Son on Song and even Mr Rabona getting on the scorecard. Positive side Deli Allí (he floats like a butterfly and stings like a bee). Son.. Quick and agile, Lamela's confidence and Alderwood being generally awesome. The negatives **** it we'll finish above the mousers wherever that may be who are pure small-time under Rogers hahaha.