Unai Emery

[Toronto Villa]

If we don't make Champions League he will be off.

I think so, too.

I said a while back, this feels more and more like the end of something. Well, the end of some things. Much of this squad is ageing and/or needs moving on. That's the one thing.

The other, sadly, is that it feels like he's realised that where we've been the last few seasons is the limit to where we are going to get. And let's face it, it is.

Given that, plus how long he's been here, if he gets an opportunity somewhere else, with a higher ceiling, then he'll go there.

I also wonder whether part of the shitness of the last couple of months is that the above is true, and the players know it.

It also has to be incredibly frustrating to Emery to continue to squeeze the last drops out of what is a very dry lemon. Even if he’s a part of why the lemon is so dry. Clearly the message that was so effective for so long doesn’t have the same impact as it once did.

[curiousorange]

He famously told the players that he wasn't here to waste his time. Well, being here with this squad and these restrictions is a huge waste of time. What we see on the pitch is that mentality in action.

[N'ZMAV]

I think he's hit the glass ceiling.

[curiousorange]

I might be alone here but I just can't imagine a rebuild involving Emery. Not that he can't do it, just that this all needs a complete reset which probably means accepting the top 5 is out of reach for the foreseeable. In which case, he has bigger fish to fry.

[PeterWithesShin]

If we don't get CL I reckon the summer could see a lot of changes. I'm not convinced Unai will stay.

Still sticking with this.

[N'ZMAV]

All this depends on if we win the Europa League or not.

[PeterWithesShin]

My biggest worry is that the owners get fed up of it all. They do everything they can and yet a club with over a billion in debt can outspend a club with ambitious billionaire owners and little to no debt by hundreds of millions.

[PaulWinch again]

If we don't get CL I reckon the summer could see a lot of changes. I'm not convinced Unai will stay.

Still sticking with this.

Whatever happens we need a big shift in the squad. We look very stale, and we need to avoid wasting the money we do have.

[Beard82]

It does feel a pivotal period. I think to miss out on CL when its been within our gift and I think he'll be off.  Getting CL and the money that comes with it could just give us enough money to do something. 

To be honest - we just need 1 or 2 really good signings that could be enough.  They dont have to be expensive - just "right".

Our big problem all season has been our attacking play - we dont create chances and when we do we dont take them.  Sancho, Bailey, Guessard, Elliot have contributed fuck all.  Watkins and Beudia havent for months. 

We need to just try and get enough to get champions league football - and go from there.  Otherwise I fear it will be another of those sliding doors moment where we came up just short when it mattered most.

[N'ZMAV]

If we don't get CL I reckon the summer could see a lot of changes. I'm not convinced Unai will stay.

Still sticking with this.

Whatever happens we need a big shift in the squad. We look very stale, and we need to avoid wasting the money we do have.

quite a few older players now that really need this Europa League win or they'll have to be moved on

[PaulWinch again]

It does feel a pivotal period. I think to miss out on CL when its been within our gift and I think he'll be off.  Getting CL and the money that comes with it could just give us enough money to do something. 

To be honest - we just need 1 or 2 really good signings that could be enough.  They dont have to be expensive - just "right".

Our big problem all season has been our attacking play - we dont create chances and when we do we dont take them.  Sancho, Bailey, Guessard, Elliot have contributed fuck all.  Watkins and Beudia havent for months. 

We need to just try and get enough to get champions league football - and go from there.  Otherwise I fear it will be another of those sliding doors moment where we came up just short when it mattered most.

Yep all throughout the season, even our good run - when we outperformed underlying numbers - the big problem is we just don’t create enough. I think lack of pace is part of the problem, but we do actually look like we’re trying to score a lot of the time. It looks a lot like we’re retaining possession to retain possession.

[Clark W Griswold]

Not being in the CL will financially hurt us. Martinez will be gone anyway but we will certainly sell Rogers. It will be a summer of massive uncertainty again. We have too many players in their late 20’s and early 30’s. We are not in a great spot right now and it could get a lot worse.

They still have an opportunity between now and the end of the season The only game that you look at as certain defeat (like today) is Man City away last day. There isn't any other PL game that they can't win, including Liverpool at home, and no one in the EL that they can't beat. That means that if they get their shit together they could either win the EL and qualify for the CL, or get enough points for 4th or 5th and qualify for the CL. They've got players coming back, and Emery has turned it around before, a few times.

All of that said, do I think they'll do it? No, but they bloody well ought to, assuming we won't be unlucky with another injury crisis with players all in the same position or another fucking horrendous ref decision or 2.

I assume you mean we vs they. But I wouldn’t blame you from mentally disowning your fan shares in Aston Villa after the last few weeks.

:-)
Talking about it from the players point of view, really saying it's in their hands.

[Aldridge Villa]

Very odd selection today not starting Messrs Torres , Luiz and Abrahams. As damaging as it was to lose the spine of our midfield in seemingly one foul swoop , his train of thought selection wise since has been somewhat baffling at times. Whether he has the fire in his belly to drag us over the CL league line remains to be seen, the malaise which has set in is deep rooted now and will take some serious shifting.

[Meanwood Villa]

Picking Watkins is not an odd selection, it's what Unai does

[Toronto Villa]

Emery: "We did things good, but it was not enough. We are recovering confidence and working on some things in our structure.

"Today, the result was in my expectation. They are in a good moment and they played an intelligent match. But we did compete and we can feel better."

Fucking hell Unai. You expected us to lose?