Conquering Europe?: UEFA Cup Preview

The UEFA Champions League may be Europe's most prestigious tournament, but the UEFA Cup is still regarded as one of Europe's top prizes.

Blackburn, Bolton, Everton, and Tottenham will all look for glory as they head into the second leg of the first round on Thursday night.

Blackburn Rovers

Despite getting off to a flying start in England’s top flight, Blackburn will be looking to recover from their first defeat since April 15th after a shocking 2-0 loss at the hands of Greek side Larissa in the first leg.

Providing a relatively poor performance, the Rovers failed to sustain an offensive presence throughout the whole match.

"Up until now we have shown quality and energy, but they were missing tonight. We have left ourselves a lot to do,” said a frustrated Mark Hughes when asked about his club’s performance in Greece.

If Blackburn is to stay in the UEFA Cup, Hughes will need to rally his troops when they welcome Larissa to Ewood Park on Thursday night for their second leg encounter.

Player to Watch:

Roque Santa Cruz, Striker

Paraguay international Roque Santa Cruz will to be a key figure in Blackburn’s bid to keep their European campaign alive. Santa Cruz will need to establish himself as a constant thorn in the Larissa defense as the Rovers look to close the gap.

Bottom Line:

Blackburn will be in for quite a scare when they set foot on the pitch at Ewood. While a 2-0 deficit will be very difficult to overcome, the Rovers have the firepower up front to make up for their lackluster first leg.

Bolton Wanderers

Samie Lee’s side has gotten off to a poor start in both their European and English campaigns.

Under pressure to make up for the loss of the departed Sam Allardyce, Lee will need to ensure Bolton supporters that the club is in good hands.

With that being said, Bolton will need to put their troubles behind them when they play at the RBK Stadium Thursday night against FYR Macedonian side Rabotnicki after a 1-1 first leg draw.

Player to Watch:

Nicolas Anelka, Striker

Relying on French talisman Nicolas Anelka, Bolton will need to find a way to provide him opportunities to get shots on target. Blessed with uncanny pace and accuracy, Anelka has become one of the most feared strikers in the Barclays English Premier League.

 
Bottom Line:

Replacing a man of Sam Allardyce’s stature is never easy. Samie Lee is finding it out the hard way. If he doesn’t find a way to overcome Rabotnicki, it could mean a quick pink slip at the end of the season.

Everton

Suffering an embarrassing 1-1 tie in front of the Everton faithful, Everton will need to forget about their first leg result. Failing to convert on two penalty opportunities, the Toffees will have to perform away from Goodison Park if they are to make it through to the next round.

Player to Watch:

Mikel Arteta, Midfielder

The return of Spanish maestro Mikel Arteta will significantly boost Everton’s offensive attack when they make a trip out to the Ukraine to visit Metalist. Blessed with amazing technical skill and vision, Arteta will be relied on to pick out £11 million hitman Yakubu.

 
Bottom Line:

David Moyes’ boys should be looking more confident and composed when they take on Metalist. The Toffees will be without striker Andy Johnson but the overall talent of Everton should be enough to overpower a weak Ukrainian side in Metalist.

Tottenham Hotspur

To say the least, it hasn’t been a great start for Spurs manager Martin Jol. With speculation of Sevilla manager Juande Ramos replacing him as Tottenham manager, Jol has been a target of major scrutiny from the English press. Following a poor defensive effort against Aston Villa, Jol will be sure to stress the importance of defending to his players.

For now at least, the team is still under Jol’s control as they head into Cyprus to take on Anorthosis Famagusta FC after a first leg 6-1 thrashing.

Player to Watch:

Robbie Keane, Striker

If playing, Tottenham captain Robbie Keane will be a constant headache for the Anorthosis back four. Being Tottenham’s most consistent player thus far, it’s hard not to envision the Ireland international not coming away with a goal or two. 

Bottom Line:

The pressure will be off Martin Jol for the time being after establishing a comfortable first leg victory over Anorthosis Famagusta FC. Look for Tottenham to play reserves and younger players, as they will be looking for European experience.