Everton, Panathinaikos, Fiorentina and Rennes look good for UEFA Cup success

There is an initial knockout round where half the entrants are eliminated - this sometimes includes the odd bigger and better-heeled club (Blackburn that's you). This is followed by a slightly odd round robin stage in which the top three (from five) teams in each (of the eight) group(s) actually progress. They are then joined by the discards from the Champions League group stages and away we go, pure knockout cup football from then on. Match Day 1 is next Thursday, October 25.

'The Uefa Cup is a reminder of the the old times when (almost) anyone had a chance of winning a cup competition'

Group A
On paper this is Everton's group to lose. They are the biggest club in the group with the most resources and passionate support. They have one of Europe's most underrated midfielders in Mikael Arteta and decent consistent quality all round the park. With their two main strikers still to discover their scoring touch this season and their combative, nippy midfielder, Tim Cahill, yet to return from injury, Everton could go quite far in the competition.

The luck of the draw sees them avoid the trip to Russia to play tricky Zenit St Petersburg while also entertaining Blackburn's conquerors Larissa at home. The two away trips to Nurnberg and Alkmaar should prove sterner tests but with Nurnberg mired in the relegation zone, four points from the two away games seems reasonable. This haul, coupled with at least four and possibly six points from the home games should see Everton top the group.

Behind them, in second place I'd place Alkmaar. The Dutch side just missed out on the qualifiers for the Champions League, losing to Ajax in a play-off and although bereft of any big-name stars, are a well drilled, settled side. Intermittent Dutch internationals Kew Jaliens and Barry Opdam marshall the defence while the excellently named Belgian, Maarten Martens, pulls strings in midfield along with Stijn Schaars.