Condimentalist

If Brighton lose this we can definitely finish above them. Arsenal, Newcastle City and us to play - there may not be too many points there.

We have to beat Spurs though. 

3 minutes ago, Demitri_C said:

Oh dear deano disastrous at half time

Yeah not great

40 minutes ago, lexicon said:

Disagree. Think low 20s is most likely. 

From who mate? He's on good wages too. 

42 minutes ago, lexicon said:

If we could get 25m for him, I'd sell him.

I like the guy, seems like a nice bloke and he does work hard, but I just don't think he's suited to the way we play. It's not to his strengths. 

There's absolutely zero prospect of getting 25m for him. His value is probably about £15m at most. 

The fact that he's the only player not to have improved under Emery suggests to me that it's not going to work out.

Deano used to talk about how important it was for players to be 'coachable' - that they could take on board instructions about how to improve their game and what they needed to do for the team tactically. Clearly that's a massive priority for Unai as well. 

Bailey seems like a nice guy but I am not sure he is coachable.

I think we'll struggle to sell him for anything remotely reasonable but if we could I'd be minded to take it and move on.

More likely he's part of the squad next year, we've had far worse bench options and I hope he can learn to come on and affect games in short periods.

This remains a huge game for us.

As I said in the Europe threat, that pursuit isn't dead although it's a long shot now.

But lose this and we could easily sleepwalk to five straight defeats to end the season and we really don't want that.

I hope the crowd are up for it, the players deserve our backing to sign off on a high after their efforts since Unai came in.

I like Buendia a lot but I am sure we'll be signing forward players in the summer and he may find he is less of an automatic starter next year.

He's definitely got a big role to play for us in the years ahead but as part of a bigger and better squad. 

Next week against Spurs is a big game. 

Not necessarily for Europe, although that's not completely done, but to avoid a really poor end to the season.

We could easily end up signing off with five losses on the bounce if we're not careful - which would lend a very different colour to the second half of the season. 

Super experienced and presumably someone Emery will have personally signed off.

Has obviously operated at the highest level but I imagine his CV getting maximum value in the loans and frees department was also attractive to the club given we have expensive stadium development plans to pay for. 

It's all very exciting anyway

8 hours ago, jackbauer24 said:

Whilst I would love European football... I was wondering if it really matters to Villa/ the players when it's not Champions League.

Commercially I'm guessing it is of minimal benefit unless CL, and also get the impression that players are no more likely to join us than if we finished 9th - they'll look at the project and the hopes of CL in the future?

Other than fans enjoyment, will it make any notable difference in income/ transfer power between if we come 5th or 9th? Just interested.

Nice looking up finally though.

I think it matters for sure. Obviously CL is the ultimate but Europa League is a very decent tournament full of huge clubs, and arguably a stronger tournament now that the Conference League has been hived off. 

I'm not sure the Conference League is a huge draw in and of itself, but it would be a good experience for the fans and players as long as it doesn't kill our league form. 

Just watched it - he speaks well. 

Keep him away from football decisions but he is a better administrator and corporate figurehead than we have had in my lifetime. 

Not a great performance but a decent point in the end. Keeps the momentum going. 

I can understand this from both the club and fans perspective. 

What I would say is the football is much more than 15% better than it was heading into last season. 

If we're in Europe he'll surely be part of our squad next season. 

2 hours ago, Demitri_C said:

I think that 4-0 is gonna be jn thwir minds so i expect a tough game. We never win there so id take a point

We've never played there under Unai. 

It won't be an easy game but no chance would I take a point, got to be going for all three. 

20 minutes ago, Lord Willard said:

Liverpool are now scary after that win against Leeds. 

Mmm they won 7-0 against Man U and then lost to Bournemouth the next week. 

54 minutes ago, CVByrne said:

Let's not be disappointed if we end 8th. I still think we're unlikely to get top 7 as Liverpool will go on a run with the easy fixtures they have. 8th but within a few points of the top 6 would be an insane performance

We can definitely finish above Spurs. Their next three games are Newcastle, Man United and Liverpool, and they also have to come to Villa Park. 

You'd expect Brighton to get above us if they keep playing as they are - but their fixtures are starting to pile up and again they have to come to VP. 

Liverpool have good fixtures and could well go on a run but at no time this season have they been remotely consistent because their midfield is pish, and that's not about to change. Again, we play them too, albeit at Anfield.

It's all set up very interestingly but top 6 is absolutely on, but we can't get carried away, one game at a time.

Brentford are fading but they are still a very tough away game and will want to make up for the 4-0, so we'll need to be at our best.

People calling for him to be sold need to have a word. He's a very solid squad option. 

Incredible today

Best half since the 7-2 

Looked like peak Benteke out there that half but with more running. Superb. 

Great start. So deserved.

1 hour ago, turvontour said:

We're always priced to win very well with the bookies generally. Touching 3 to 1 today is essentially both ignoring our form in recent months and/or assuming that it comes to an end very soon. We had ridiculously long odds away at Chelsea given their form

Yeah 5/1. Took that one with Ollie to score, nice payday.