VillaChris Posted March 22, 2023 Share Posted March 22, 2023 (edited) 7 hours ago, duke313 said: Well, it's been pretty taxing on their league position, they're 18th. They followed a lot of them easy Thursday night wins with dropping points at the weekend. I think it's more their new signings have been flops and/or injured. Previous season they made SFs of europa league and had a far harder run beating likes of Sevilla and Lyon and their league form only started to drop off from March onwards but they were top 7 pretty much all season. Edited March 22, 2023 by VillaChris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Icarium Posted March 23, 2023 Share Posted March 23, 2023 Considering clubs get nearly 3m euros just for turning up to the conference group stage and another half million per group victory and 5mil for winning the lot if we were to qualify and go all the way we could buy...almost half a John Duran!!! Oh wait... While the European experience might be of some benefit and possibly winning something is great, I'm not sure the benefits will outweigh the costs 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post GlobalVillan Posted March 23, 2023 Popular Post Share Posted March 23, 2023 The state of this thread. Seriously? Not wanting us to qualify for Europe as its not worth the cost, playing our reserve team if we get there, rather we focused on the league..... Genuinely can't believe I'm reading that stuff. I'd absolutely LOVE Villa to be in ANY European competition, regardless of how much it generates the club. We are Aston Villa and to be absent from Europe for over a decade whilst the likes of Wigan, Burnley, Swansea and even the unwashed have qualified for it is shocking. Couldn't care less which European competition we get and whenever it happens, we should be going full strength and trying to win it. I honestly have no clue what the point of being a fan is if we are to turn our noses up at continental football. Of any kind. And I think in the next few years, we will get there. 29 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GarethRDR Posted March 23, 2023 Share Posted March 23, 2023 Turning our noses up at the Conference League when the last time we had European football of any kind we were routinely getting dumped out by the likes of Rapid Vienna? Nah, not for me, give me any shot at silverware please. The best part of Fiorentina's middling season has been their ongoing run deep into the Conference QF (potential Coppa Italia final notwithstanding). 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duke313 Posted March 23, 2023 Share Posted March 23, 2023 17 minutes ago, GarethRDR said: Turning our noses up at the Conference League when the last time we had European football of any kind we were routinely getting dumped out by the likes of Rapid Vienna? Nah, not for me, give me any shot at silverware please. The best part of Fiorentina's middling season has been their ongoing run deep into the Conference QF (potential Coppa Italia final notwithstanding). Maybe they wouldn't be having a middling season if they weren't in the ECL? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GarethRDR Posted March 23, 2023 Share Posted March 23, 2023 Most of their poor form has been front-loaded this campaign, so there's been no notions of fatigue; if anything, getting through to the knockout rounds of the ECL has acted as a springboard for a late season surge. Funnily enough, each victory in a Coppa Italia round has then resulted in back-to-back league losses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blunther Posted March 23, 2023 Share Posted March 23, 2023 (edited) I'd love Conference League, and I don't think we're far from having the squad for it. It'd save loaning out a few players, I imagine Iroegbunam, Archer and Little Ramsey would love to play some games in Europe, and it'd mean we have them in the squad available for league/cups too. Plus players that are going to replaced but aren't bad players, like Konsa and potentially Bailey, if we get another second striker in. Plus Traore. And it'd give a good boost to us signing a fairly decent second keeper if we could promise some guaranteed time in the Conference. Along with other squad players like Dendonker, possibly Digne, Chambers, Ashley Young if he's getting another year, a chance to blood Duran, as well as whichever regular first teamers are fit and raring to go, we'd have a great chance of going deep in that competition without burning ourselves out. And all that is without us making an extra couple of signings on top. Unfortunately I think we're just a little too far away to land 7th. Next year though. Edited March 23, 2023 by blunther Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAMAICAN-VILLAN Posted March 23, 2023 Share Posted March 23, 2023 (edited) 2 hours ago, GlobalVillan said: The state of this thread. Seriously? Not wanting us to qualify for Europe as its not worth the cost, playing our reserve team if we get there, rather we focused on the league..... Genuinely can't believe I'm reading that stuff. I'd absolutely LOVE Villa to be in ANY European competition, regardless of how much it generates the club. We are Aston Villa and to be absent from Europe for over a decade whilst the likes of Wigan, Burnley, Swansea and even the unwashed have qualified for it is shocking. Couldn't care less which European competition we get and whenever it happens, we should be going full strength and trying to win it. I honestly have no clue what the point of being a fan is if we are to turn our noses up at continental football. Of any kind. And I think in the next few years, we will get there. You're just biased as it's another excuse for you to luxury tour all over Europe with the Villa. On a serious note though, I get your point though , i'm just worried about the squad. Edited March 23, 2023 by JAMAICAN-VILLAN 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vive_La_Villa Posted March 23, 2023 Share Posted March 23, 2023 (edited) 3 hours ago, GlobalVillan said: The state of this thread. Seriously? Not wanting us to qualify for Europe as its not worth the cost, playing our reserve team if we get there, rather we focused on the league..... Genuinely can't believe I'm reading that stuff. I'd absolutely LOVE Villa to be in ANY European competition, regardless of how much it generates the club. We are Aston Villa and to be absent from Europe for over a decade whilst the likes of Wigan, Burnley, Swansea and even the unwashed have qualified for it is shocking. Couldn't care less which European competition we get and whenever it happens, we should be going full strength and trying to win it. I honestly have no clue what the point of being a fan is if we are to turn our noses up at continental football. Of any kind. And I think in the next few years, we will get there. Totally get this we just need to be ready or it’s two steps forward one step back. I want us to get to a stage where we’re challenging to get to Europe every year. Not just get there once, flirt with the conference and then several more years without it because we weren’t ready. Having said that if we get it this season I ain’t going to complain either ! Edited March 23, 2023 by Vive_La_Villa 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
romavillan Posted March 23, 2023 VT Supporter Share Posted March 23, 2023 2 hours ago, duke313 said: Maybe they wouldn't be having a middling season if they weren't in the ECL? Yeah you're right it's **** Lazio's season right up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duke313 Posted March 23, 2023 Share Posted March 23, 2023 13 minutes ago, Vive_La_Villa said: Totally get this we just need to be ready or it’s two steps forward one step back. I want us to get to a stage where we’re challenging to get to Europe every year. Not just get their once, flirt with the conference and then several more years without it because we weren’t ready. Having said that if we get it this season I ain’t going to complain either ! I'm in the same boat, a European run would be great, but not at the expense of league progression. Generally speaking, teams outside of the 'Big 6' don't have the squad depth to compete on both fronts, so they either play weakened teams and get dumped out or play stronger teams and suffer domestically. This project is a marathon, not a sprint. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlobalVillan Posted March 23, 2023 Share Posted March 23, 2023 (edited) 1 hour ago, duke313 said: I'm in the same boat, a European run would be great, but not at the expense of league progression. Generally speaking, teams outside of the 'Big 6' don't have the squad depth to compete on both fronts, so they either play weakened teams and get dumped out or play stronger teams and suffer domestically. This project is a marathon, not a sprint. The owners are fully aware of that fact though and are planning for the long haul. You can see that with everything they do, from the training ground, to the stadium expansion and even to the transfer windows where we are happy to miss out on a player and come back when the price is right. Such as Guendozi. We will need to start getting into Europe soon, not only to attract better players, but to keep the ones we have. Such as Martinez. We need to be looking to next season with the intention of going for that top 7. Other teams like Newcastle, maybe Brighton, will be in Europe and we need to match that or miss out. Edited March 23, 2023 by GlobalVillan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
picicata Posted March 23, 2023 Share Posted March 23, 2023 1 hour ago, duke313 said: I'm in the same boat, a European run would be great, but not at the expense of league progression. Generally speaking, teams outside of the 'Big 6' don't have the squad depth to compete on both fronts, so they either play weakened teams and get dumped out or play stronger teams and suffer domestically. This project is a marathon, not a sprint. Whilst true, isn't it a bit of a chicken/ egg situation? Can we build a squad strong enough to play in Europe without first qualifying for Europe? Already, if we don't qualify in the next year or two our better players will want to leave. I'd rather qualify for Europe and trust that our management could make it work, than hang on the edges having to replace our better players each year as they go off to play for teams who have already qualified. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlobalVillan Posted March 23, 2023 Share Posted March 23, 2023 5 hours ago, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said: You're just biased as it's another excuse for you to luxury tour all over Europe with the Villa. Yep that's about it mate. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KMitch Posted March 23, 2023 Share Posted March 23, 2023 7 hours ago, GlobalVillan said: The state of this thread. Seriously? Not wanting us to qualify for Europe as its not worth the cost, playing our reserve team if we get there, rather we focused on the league..... Genuinely can't believe I'm reading that stuff. I'd absolutely LOVE Villa to be in ANY European competition, regardless of how much it generates the club. We are Aston Villa and to be absent from Europe for over a decade whilst the likes of Wigan, Burnley, Swansea and even the unwashed have qualified for it is shocking. Couldn't care less which European competition we get and whenever it happens, we should be going full strength and trying to win it. I honestly have no clue what the point of being a fan is if we are to turn our noses up at continental football. Of any kind. And I think in the next few years, we will get there. I'm still pissed off about our last European appearance in Moscow, where we played the youth team to "focus on the league"... I'd kill for the Conference League next season. Anyone suggesting we bin off any competition to focus on another is delusional at best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatman Posted March 23, 2023 Share Posted March 23, 2023 8 minutes ago, KMitch said: I'm still pissed off about our last European appearance in Moscow, where we played the youth team to "focus on the league"... I'd kill for the Conference League next season. Anyone suggesting we bin off any competition to focus on another is delusional at best. We lost 2 more seasons after that both to Rapid Wien Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MWARLEY2 Posted March 23, 2023 Share Posted March 23, 2023 All i will say about can we cope with Europe is that Emery has played in Europe every year for the last 15. And he has won 4 europas and lost 1 or 2 more. Reached the semis of rhe champs league as well twice. His teams dont tend to struggle in the league particularly when playing in Europe. If anyone knows how to manage a squad to play midweek and weekends week after week it is him 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrBlack Posted March 23, 2023 Share Posted March 23, 2023 7 hours ago, picicata said: Whilst true, isn't it a bit of a chicken/ egg situation? Can we build a squad strong enough to play in Europe without first qualifying for Europe? Already, if we don't qualify in the next year or two our better players will want to leave. I'd rather qualify for Europe and trust that our management could make it work, than hang on the edges having to replace our better players each year as they go off to play for teams who have already qualified. This^ The sooner we qualify for European football the better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMelvillan Posted March 24, 2023 Share Posted March 24, 2023 worst part about getting into europe is that i'll have to fork out for BT Sport! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingman Posted March 24, 2023 Share Posted March 24, 2023 42 minutes ago, TheMelvillan said: worst part about getting into europe is that i'll have to fork out for BT Sport! But you really Don't! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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