Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: cdbearsfan on August 09, 2025, 05:09:15 PM
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Here you go.
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Champions.
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Champions.
If we are the Champions, can we play Queen after the final whistle?
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6th-9th
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Champions.
If we are the Champions, can we play Queen after the final whistle?
I’d rather not win it.*
*kidding
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I think we'll finish 5th and grab the last CL spot.
*Posting in solidarity with CDBF.
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I think 8th as it stands if we get some more bodies in (preferably defenders) we can finish in tpp 5
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3rd
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4th or 5th I think. We're a stronger squad now than 12months ago and I don't think the loss of Rashford and Asensio will have as much impact as people think. Another defender in and I think we're pretty much where we need to be, especially if Emery has decided to give Buendia and Iling-Junior a chance. Even not getting that extra defender wouldn't be the end of the world because Bogarde has looked very good in pre-season.
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I think if we can get another defender in and potentially ship out 3 squad players and replace them with Asensio or someone of his ilk then we're in a good position. I'll say 6th though.
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Europa is possible.
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7th, but we got a centre-back and Asensio back I reckon top 5 is doable.
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7th.
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6th
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8th to 10th me thinks
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4th and EL winners.Assuming we don't lose any first teams. Think we will see the benefit of a stable squad who know what they're about, have the experience of CL last year and can pace themselves for the season. I think with our easy start we could surprise everyone with 20+ points in the first 10 games. Think we will probably finish with a couple of loanees in and possibly a surprise signing (Denzel Dumfries at RB) and have a squad capable of league and Europe.
The media have written us off already and I think that will work in our favour.
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Champions.
If we are the Champions, can we play Queen after the final whistle?
I’d rather not win it.*
*kidding
Could be worse. Could be Championees.
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8th or thereabouts, hopefully a little higher up.
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I think 8th/9th too. Things are a little stale.
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Top six, hopefully top four
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7th
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Unless Unai pulls another master stroke I just think the opposition know our strengths and weaknesses too well now and their isn't any change up really in team or formation. We have good players, but so do a lot of other teams. I think we should fully target the Europa as a cheat code in to the Champions League and a trophy.
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5th, and then by winning the Europa we'll qualify for the Champions League because that will increase the English Quota by enough to qualify twice.
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9th /10th.
We have been completely hamstrung by financial controls and been unable to strengthen and improve like most clubs in the league have.
I don’t see how we can significantly improve our league position with the same squad.
Our approach and style of play will be the same as last year, and so I think this season will be very much like a continuation of last.
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9th /10th.
We have been completely hamstrung by financial controls and been unable to strengthen and improve like most clubs in the league have.
I don’t see how we can significantly improve our league position with the same squad.
Our approach and style of play will be the same as last year, and so I think this season will be very much like a continuation of last.
And at the end of last season we won 8 of our last 10 matches
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9th /10th.
We have been completely hamstrung by financial controls and been unable to strengthen and improve like most clubs in the league have.
I don’t see how we can significantly improve our league position with the same squad.
Our approach and style of play will be the same as last year, and so I think this season will be very much like a continuation of last.
Competing for Europe? Hope so.
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We’ve finished 7th, 4th and 6th under Emery. Why not 5th this season?
That’d do me, along with the elusive cup win.
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Top, if not higher.
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9th /10th.
We have been completely hamstrung by financial controls and been unable to strengthen and improve like most clubs in the league have.
I don’t see how we can significantly improve our league position with the same squad.
Our approach and style of play will be the same as last year, and so I think this season will be very much like a continuation of last.
That to me looks an insanely doom-laden prediction.
If it's going to be very much a continuation of last season, when we finished 6th, how come we're now mooking about in 10th?
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9th /10th.
We have been completely hamstrung by financial controls and been unable to strengthen and improve like most clubs in the league have.
I don’t see how we can significantly improve our league position with the same squad.
Our approach and style of play will be the same as last year, and so I think this season will be very much like a continuation of last.
That to me looks an insanely doom-laden prediction.
If it's going to be very much a continuation of last season, when we finished 6th, how come we're now mooking about in 10th?
Only because everyone else has improved their squad.
I know we went in a magnificent run at the end of last season but to maintain that is going to take some going.
I don’t feel doom laden by any stretch. I just think none of our ‘issues’ have been fixed, because we have been hamstrung by the financial rules.
Cash at right back. Bailey wide on the right. Neither are good enough.
Keeping hold of Emi and Kamara extending were critical though.
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Thank you for bringing this absolute belter back to the fore. If we ever win the league I want this played at VP.
We’ll finish 6th
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I can see us coming between 6th and 8th again - however with a following wind we could be Top4. An off season will probably see us 11th
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6th - 8th
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For the first time in a couple of years I’m not buzzing heading into the season. I’m hoping the stability is actually a real positive, but I can’t help but think we’re largely standing still (clearly with reasons) and generally that’s not a good thing. But hopefully a couple of more additions will get us in the right place.
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No way we are finishing higher than Liverpool, Man City or Arsenal.
Chelsea *should* be ok, but the gung ho transfer policy can always backfire.
Newcastle have a lot on their plate with the CL football and the Isak situation.
Man U & Spurs will improve but probably not to the level of top 6.
Forest were a flash in the pan last season.
Then you are into the likes of Fulham, Brighton, Palace and Bournemouth.
I'll say 5th / 6th again but ask me again in September if we sign / sell anybody significant.
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I think 6th again
I'm sure we will get a couple more bodies in before the end of the window and with not losing anyone significant, I would hope we can finish similar to last season
I think the top 4 will be the same as last year with the resources they have compared to us
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Liverpool, Man City and Aresenal top 3 again, in any order.
Chelsea should be finishing fourth with the squad at their disposal, but I have a nagging feeling that their lack of rest this summer will catch up with them big time - can see them starting well, but having an almighty collapse after Christmas.
After that, Newcastle look in a bit of disarray and have Champions League to deal with - it didn't go great for them last time, and I'm not sure Eddie Howe will juggle things any better this year. Getting to the Europa final has masked things at Spuds and Manure - I genuinely don't see much beyond top 10 for either of them. Forest will struggle to match last season, Brighton seem to have peaked.
I think 4th/5th is absolutely achievable, and if we could win a cup as well that would be an incredible season. My potential dark horses for a challenge are our old nemesis Crystal Palace, especially now it's confirmed they have Conference League rather than Europa - that potentially eases their workload considerably.
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With you on Palace. The only doubt I'd have would be all the extra games they aren't used to having and whether they have enough depth to cope. Especially if Guehi and/or Eze go.
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Four Four Two magazine in its 2025/26 season preview have us at finishing 6th which, along with some Silverware (preferably the Europa League) would be a great season.
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I thought Palace were going to be the coming force last season, after hammering us on the last game of the previous season, but they took ages to get going. So not so sure about them.
I think we can do 5th with a good wind behind us, and that might be enough for Champs league again, but win the Europa anyway! This is going to the season.
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I'm optimistic. Keeping our squad together (*so far) is as good as new signings imo.
Decent rest for most of our squad over the summer too - Hopefully refreshed and revitalised to push on and make up for a desperate end to last season.
If Man City sell Rodri, I'm going for 3rd. Failing that, 4th. I think Chelsea will start brightly but tail away due to their summer cash grab in the States.
3rd and Europa League winners (*now that Palace are confirmed to be in the Conference league)!
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I think 5th-6th, would like to see a centre half coming into the squad.
Top four
Arsenal
Chelsea
Liverpool
Man City
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7th or 8th and a trophy to end our own 30 Years of Hurt .
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Kind of sad that the top 4 seem set in stone for the foreseeable. Then us Newcastle and eventually Spurs and Man U fighting for 5th to 8th.
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6th or 7th, with more likelihood of finishing lower than higher
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10th to 7th, with a very good run in the Europa League.
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10th to 7th, with a very good run in the Europa League.
I know it doesn’t work like this, but when shit like the Man Utd and Spurs of last season get to the final and actually win this cup, I don’t think a ‘good run’ is good enough. And if we finished 10th (Crystal Palace territory) it would represent a massive league drop off.
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Top six
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If we are getting 2 or 3 additional faces in - obviously on the proviso they’re good - I’m more confident. The nagging doubt I have about the current squad is whether inertia sets in.
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8th. Europa League Final.
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Add some pace out wide, a decent centre half and another option up front I think 5th/6th.
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5th-7th. Injuries will dictate which.
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9th - and win a trophy
Have a feeling that this could be Unai’s last season with us
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Phil McNulty on da Beeb website has Villa down for 5th
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c70771lq88zo
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This from the beeb.
It’s so fucking predictable and boring.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cx27rrrz2nko
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This from the beeb.
It’s so fucking predictable and boring.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cx27rrrz2nko
Is this who made the penultimate prediction?
(https://i.imgur.com/GKwTNs2.jpg)
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This from the beeb.
It’s so fucking predictable and boring.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cx27rrrz2nko
I see they've stopped asking Stephen Warnock as he kept predicting us to finish top 4.
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Boring set of BBC bastards. Not sure why they all seem so certain that Chelsea are so certain of a top 4 finish either, us, Spurs or Newcastle could easily finish above them.
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I really enjoy seeing twat fans contact the people who make these predictions on social media. They do themselves and their clubs proud.
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Boring set of BBC bastards. Not sure why they all seem so certain that Chelsea are so certain of a top 4 finish either, us, Spurs or Newcastle could easily finish above them.
It's probably because they were last season's top four and they've all massively strengthened, while the teams immediately behind them haven't.
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I've been screenshotting VillaTim posts and sending them to Joe Hart as punishment. That'll teach him.
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I reckon most of us would have those 4 as the most likely top 4. Hopefully at least one of them implodes this season.
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Yup I’d say they’re all massively likely.
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Boring set of BBC bastards. Not sure why they all seem so certain that Chelsea are so certain of a top 4 finish either, us, Spurs or Newcastle could easily finish above them.
It's probably because they were last season's top four and they've all massively strengthened, while the teams immediately behind them haven't.
Yep. I do have to state thatv unliike in other years, I can't see those not being the top four. Maybe Arteta has shown one too many lightbulbs and his player brains have collapsed, maybe it turns out Maresca is shit in the second season at a club, maybe the charges do come out and Citeh are punished. But without something massively out of the blue, you can't see anything else. Just the actual order of the four.
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8th to 10th me thinks
My thoughts too
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8th to 10th me thinks
Out of interest, the top 4 are set in stone but which other 3-5 teams are finishing above us in the league?
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Last season I went for 7th.
This season I go for.....7th.
It is hard to see us finishing below that as we still retain some very good players. Our midfield unit is comfortably top 6 level and we need to keep them all fit.
Watkins looking sharp in pre season, hopefully Rogers goes back central and interested how we set up wide.
Our main weakness is obviously the right side of the defence but surely with 40m coming in we can make at least one signing now in that area.
Also think Emi will be more focused than last year in a World Cup season.
Can't see all of Man. United, Spurs, Brighton and Newcastle finishing above us if people are predicting 10th or 11th. We didn't collapse last year despite all the extra european games so don't really see it happening this year.
We will though be a fair way off top 4 so think from March the avenue to CL becomes all on the Europa league which will be interesting to watch how we cope with that expectation.
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Assuming they are top 4 and England get the 5th place then the race for 5th is interesting to think who is the most likely to get it.
Us and Newcastle are the most likely but they have CL and no striker currently, we know our potential issues. Forest I reckon will be mis table so that leaves whether Spurs or ManU get their shit together or will someone else emerge from the pack.
For me the 5th place is currently the most interesting debate, and not just because it includes us. Top 4 is probably set and I couldn't give a shit which of them wins it or finishes 2/3/4. Bottom 3 likely to be the 3 that came up. So that leaves 5th and the other European place(s) in the league as an actual race.
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8th to 10th me thinks
Out of interest, the top 4 are set in stone but which other 3-5 teams are finishing above us in the league?
I have it like this
1. Liverpool
2 City
3 Chelsea
4 Arsenal
5. Manure (no europe and i expect them to sign a keeper which massively improves them)
6. Spurs
7. Newcastle
8 Villa
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Phil McNulty
(https://scontent.fbhx4-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/532051652_1310406393781388_7917407083355285001_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s640x640_tt6&_nc_cat=1&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=127cfc&_nc_ohc=yyglTxgKTBMQ7kNvwEX7ZJ9&_nc_oc=AdkGcy3u7wjtNUTizNXRJUszoeQinYtHLC-NA3WHriJA-qzXh2mxaN8j8gHBQpDyDJA&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent.fbhx4-2.fna&_nc_gid=I7NOltkEmOnAj3YS6nX0cg&oh=00_AfWzlaS4UrUPlevBHluBzUVNYcgwD_0HcZSTcVWeHxtXKQ&oe=68A407AD)
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I do love a stat. The top 4 being the same as the top 4 the season before has happened 4 times in the last 20 years, and in the same order hasn't happened at all.
Put another way, there's an 80% chance it won't be the same. So I'm going for us to break into the top 4 again. Spurs and Man Utd to be better than last year but still works in progress, Newcastle to struggle to cover all their games.
No CL this year and I think we will see more of a cup team alternating with league team as the earlier stages will be easier. We have a stable, experienced team and 1 or 2 loans can fill gaps.
1 of last year's top 4 will fuck it up and I think we will pick them off.
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For me the 5th place is currently the most interesting debate, and not just because it includes us. Top 4 is probably set and I couldn't give a shit which of them wins it or finishes 2/3/4.
That's why I went for 5th. Hopefully Newcastle will struggle with having Champs League, and I couldn't see anyone else that will definitely finish above us. Obviously avoiding major injuries will be a factor too.
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I don’t see how Newcastle ‘will struggle’ with CL games, but we won’t with our EL games ?
The same pressure is on both teams to play the same number of group games.
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I don’t see how Newcastle ‘will struggle’ with CL games, but we won’t with our EL games ?
The same pressure is on both teams to play the same number of group games.
In theory they'll be unable to rotate as much as they'll be playing stronger opponents, while we can field out U15s against the Dog n Duck from Luxembourg, And they currently have no striker.
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If Ramsey and Bailey are off we need at least 3 in (Asensio, wide forward, and centre back). We are very light right now, we could do with a couple of the youngsters stepping up but that is a big ask.
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I don’t see how Newcastle ‘will struggle’ with CL games, but we won’t with our EL games ?
The same pressure is on both teams to play the same number of group games.
In theory they'll be unable to rotate as much as they'll be playing stronger opponents, while we can field out U15s against the Dog n Duck from Luxembourg, And they currently have no striker.
Whilst we won't be able to have a Europe squad and a seperate league squad like Chelsea did because we don't have 400 players, when we do rest players we might actually win. (Although will we do it against Brugge again?) Also in theory we will play more teams we can dominate possesion over which is less demanding on the players.
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If Emery can figure how to play against 3-4-3 we will finish 4th. If not, 7th.
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If they don’t go on loan, we could really do with some youngsters bursting onto the scene in the cups/Europa League. Hemmings and Aloba maybe?
Back on topic - 5th, provided we get the incoming players (probably loans) spot on.
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5th and the shiny Europa cup thingy
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6th, unfortunately I think Man U will beat us to 5th and the CL will see Newcastle below us.
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6th, unfortunately I think Man U will beat us to 5th and the CL will see Newcastle below us.
I expect Manu to improve but not by that much.
If we get the right signings in over the next couple of weeks I reckon we can make 5th.
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Not enough pace, physicality or depth, especially at the back. I'm struggling to see us finishing above 8th in the PL, though I think we could well go far in the Europa.
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If Emery can figure how to play against 3-4-3 we will finish 4th. If not, 7th.
Ron Atkinson had the same issue with 5-3-2, the number of no mark clubs who used to play that against us and would invariably get a result.
Oh and of course MON against anyone playing 4-5-1.
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If the window ended now, 7th. I reckon the pack below 4th will be tight again, though.
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I think the key is for Unai to get us functioning defensively as a team again, like when we a perfect high line. That would massively help us - and before someone starts that’s not about Pau vs Mings - it’s a wider point about how we structurally cope as a side. If we did that then with a couple of additions our attack is good enough.
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We were decent at the back more often than not in the latter stages of the season when we stopped having a centre-half go off injured in the first half of every game.
From the Brentford game (8th March) onwards we conceded the fewest goals in the league.
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Will Newcastle really be playing much stronger opponents than us in Europe? It won't be like their last time in it when they wound-up in the hardest group, three clubs all with pedigree. They'll get a mix of mid-level teams like we got last year and one or two giants. And they won't play on Thursdays so will probably have better recovery time before the following league game.
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They'll probably be similar to us last season, where it went to the final game. There's little room for error in the CL as the 'lesser' teams punish you if you aren't on it, Like Brugge and Monaco did.
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Will Newcastle really be playing much stronger opponents than us in Europe?
Assuming you are asking about the earlier debate of them in CL and us in Europa, well yes they will be playing stronger teams then us. The CL consists of the winners and top few of the European leagues. Europa is the non league winners, cup winners and teams losing in the CL qualifiers, ie not consistent or good enough for CL. Don't get me wrong, we probably had a favoured draw with some of the teams (Young Boys from Pot three, Brugge in Pot two, RB Leipzig from Pot one) and Newcastle might have similar, but with so many English* teams in it, their pot one draws are two from:
PSG.
Real
Bayern
Inter
Dortmund
Barca.
Ours are
Roma
Porto
Feyenoord
Lille
Dinamo Zagreb,
Real Betis,
Red Bull Salzburg
and one of Rangers/Brugge,
Possibly Benfica.
Definitely a difference in quality. We will still need to be at our best and not be home to Mr Cockup (Brugge away first time).
*there is a chance with so many English teams that Newcastle might get one of Citeh, Liverpool and Chelsea.
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Anywhere between 1 and 2.
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Absolutely best, 14th. This year's Spurs but probably without the cup.
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When I voted 'relegated' I was joking, Villa!
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8th-12th
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13th.
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When I voted 'relegated' I was joking, Villa!
Now we know who to blame.
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When I voted 'relegated' I was joking, Villa!
Now we know who to blame.
Sorry.
Though I have been feeling downbeat since the FA Cup semi-final.
Not that I believe in 'sliding doors moments', but the wet-pants brigade have pretty much had things their way since then.
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I thought my prediction was negative, upper mid-table.
I would take that right now.
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Top 6. We will find a way.
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Top 6. We will find a way.
Not with this squad mate.
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12th - 14th
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15th if we’re lucky
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I don't think we’re even good enough to finish bottom. We’ll probably finish about 7th in the Championship.
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About 10th. League cup final defeat. FA Cup final defeat. Europa League final defeat. I'm going for the ol' reverse psychology.