The next 4 games....

[JJ-AV]

As proud as I am about our history (even though the best of it was 7-8 years before I was born), you're ultimately only as good as you are currently.

I'm sure I'd enjoy the Villa just as much if we were in League 2, but I still believe that every day we're working towards being the best.

Last season was depressing, to the point that I wished I didn't care. As was DOL's last season and GT2.

I wouldn't trade a Cup win for a season like that sending us down... But at the time under MON I'd have preferred to have finished 5th (or 6th!) and won the League Cup than got 4th.

[ajmant]

These people who would take relegation and a Cup win are seriously in need of help. I assume they believe Villa's return to the top flight would be routine? Just ask the fans of Sheffield Wed, Leeds, Nottingham Forest and Manchester City, to name just a few, how easy it is to regain your top flight status.

So for me, I couldnt give a fart about Swindon in the Cup this season. This year is all about hanging onto our Premier League status. If we fall, I think it's a long way back. So as a result, Villa will no doubt lose all 3 league games and win the cup game!!!!

[dave.woodhall]

These people who would take relegation and a Cup win are seriously in need of help. I assume they believe Villa's return to the top flight would be routine? Just ask the fans of Sheffield Wed, Leeds, Nottingham Forest and Manchester City, to name just a few, how easy it is to regain your top flight status.

So for me, I couldnt give a fart about Swindon in the Cup this season. This year is all about hanging onto our Premier League status. If we fall, I think it's a long way back. So as a result, Villa will no doubt lose all 3 league games and win the cup game!!!!

It's no dafter than the regular assumption that winning a cup and relegation is an either/or. We're not going down, let's aim to win every match.

[ajmant]

Agreed Dave, it should never be an either or an or. I hope we win all 4 like I hope we win every game that Aston Villa play.

[Aston Villa]

I wouldn't trade a Cup win for a season like that sending us down... But at the time under MON I'd have preferred to have finished 5th (or 6th!) and won the League Cup than got 4th.

That is pretty much my view on it. I'm not sure I'd trade a League Cup for the top 4 as I would love to see us play in the CL at least once. Probably would accept the FA Cup or Europa League for it though. But in general, relegation is the red line for me. I'd even have another season like the last if it meant a trophy. But never relegation, even for multiple trophies it would be too big a price to pay. Also, this may sound a bit small time and sad but I'm proud of our ever-present PL record.

[silhillvilla]

I'm not sure CL football is for me. We'd see fewer Saturday 3pm games and ticket prices would rocket. All that for a competition we'd have virtually no chance of winning or even getting to the latter stages of.

[Aston Villa]

Agreed Dave, it should never be an either or an or. I hope we win all 4 like I hope we win every game that Aston Villa play.

As do we all. The original point was which of our next 4 games is most important. I'd take a minimum of 5 points in the PL games if that meant losing to Swindon. But it is hypothetical of course and I obviously want us to win all 4 games if possible.

[Aston Villa]

I'm not sure CL football is for me. We'd see fewer Saturday 3pm games and ticket prices would rocket. All that for a competition we'd have virtually no chance of winning or even getting to the latter stages of.

To make the top 4 you have to be a very good team. Therefore if we were to make the CL we would have every chance of making the latter stages. As all English clubs usually do.

[Toronto Villa]

If we are not going to invest the stupid amounts of money to become a CL place regular then I'd rather we invested wisely enough to be the best of the rest and try and win both domestic cups every season. The only shit part of all of that is the dreadful Europa League which I'd sooner opt out of every season.

[Aston Villa]

The only shit part of all of that is the dreadful Europa League which I'd sooner opt out of every season.

Rather win the Europa League then the League Cup. It also gives you access to the Super Cup.

[tomd2103]

Whereas I subscribe to the old adage of "taking it one game at a time", we have a similar run of games to the next three league games at the end of November and into early December.  After the Man Utd, Man City and Arsenal run of games we have Reading (H), QPR (A) and Stoke (H) which should give us the opportunity to pick up some more points.  I might be being a little optimistic, but I don't think Man Utd and Arsenal at home should be written off as definite losses just yet.     

[dave.woodhall]

I'm not sure CL football is for me. We'd see fewer Saturday 3pm games and ticket prices would rocket. All that for a competition we'd have virtually no chance of winning or even getting to the latter stages of.

To make the top 4 you have to be a very good team. Therefore if we were to make the CL we would have every chance of making the latter stages. As all English clubs usually do.

Eventually.

[olaftab]

If we lose the next league game we still have 30 more to get ourselves up the league.
If we lose against Swindon we are out of the League Cup, no coming back from that.

Well said that man.

[eamonn]

If we are not going to invest the stupid amounts of money to become a CL place regular then I'd rather we invested wisely enough to be the best of the rest and try and win both domestic cups every season. The only shit part of all of that is the dreadful Europa League which I'd sooner opt out of every season.

I think Villas-Boas is right with his point that if you talk something down enough it becomes worthless like English teams generally do with the Europa. I was living in Madrid when Atletico won it a couple of years ago with Aguero and Forlan up front (before winning it again the season just gone largely thanks to the brilliant Falcao) and it was great to see the fans taking it serious all the way through to the final.
The Fulham fans had a great time that season following their team campaign that year losing to Atleti in the final but beating the likes of Juventus along the way.

[Aston Villa]

If we are not going to invest the stupid amounts of money to become a CL place regular then I'd rather we invested wisely enough to be the best of the rest and try and win both domestic cups every season. The only shit part of all of that is the dreadful Europa League which I'd sooner opt out of every season.

I think Villas-Boas is right with his point that if you talk something down enough it becomes worthless like English teams generally do with the Europa. I was living in Madrid when Atletico won it a couple of years ago with Aguero and Forlan up front (before winning it again the season just gone largely thanks to the brilliant Falcao) and it was great to see the fans taking it serious all the way through to the final.
The Fulham fans had a great time that season following their team campaign that year losing to Atleti in the final but beating the likes of Juventus along the way.

I think it means something lots of Villans too. Remember how pissed most of us were when MON basically surrendered to CSKA Moscow by fielding a B team? I would say the reaction to that was no less then when Houllier did the same in the FA Cup. I respect AVB's approach to the competition and hope that becomes the norm.