UEFA Europa Conference League - Alkmaar, Legia and Zrinjski

[chrisw1]

I always felt this squad should be good enough for top 8.  Gerrard massively under performed and obviously Unai is over performing.  We’ve got a tough run in, so for me top 8 from where we were when he took over would be an outstanding achievement. 

If we can do that (or better) then the knock on benefits going into the summer will be huge.

[Toronto Villa]

He hasn’t counted out getting into Europe. If we miss out it won’t be for the lack of any kind of effort

[Mellin]

Probably playing Football Manager to wind down the mad bastard.

[LeeB]

Look, all it takes is the greatest winning streak in the club's history to finish fourth, I don't see why so many are so pessimistic.

Seriously though, I'd take top half and beating Newcastle at VP. Conference, Europa, it'd be nice to be back in Europe but it could be a potential slip-up - got to keep focused on getting back in the big time.

I always remember my old politics tutor saying when the Villa juggernaut gets going it's hard to stop. It doesn't happen often but it feels like it's on its way again.

[pauliewalnuts]

I always felt this squad should be good enough for top 8.  Gerrard massively under performed and obviously Unai is over performing.  We’ve got a tough run in, so for me top 8 from where we were when he took over would be an outstanding achievement. 

If we can do that (or better) then the knock on benefits going into the summer will be huge.

With Emery, I actually feel like we look much better and put in better performances against the better teams.

[Steve67]

I love the fact that we are being spoken about with respect, like we were when MON was here.  Hopefully, this continues and we build and strengthen year on year with Unai calling the shots.  Good times ahead with the stadium expansion too.

[algy]

Look, all it takes is the greatest winning streak in the club's history to finish fourth, I don't see why so many are so pessimistic.

Seriously though, I'd take top half and beating Newcastle at VP. Conference, Europa, it'd be nice to be back in Europe but it could be a potential slip-up - got to keep focused on getting back in the big time.

We just seem to have a similar team spirit to Arsenal at the moment. I don't think anybody would argue that their team is as good as Man City's, but they just keeping knocking out win after win. This has a similar feel to when Gregory took over. After a while, you just get into a feeling of every game is going to be won.

That Gregory run was amazing and probably my favourite time as a Villa supporter. It's lovely, just being able to look at our fixtures and think we ought to beat, say, Chelsea who are a decent side a bit down on their luck. It wasn't that long ago as we'd go in to it thinking that we were the ones to end their run!

[eamonn]

Probably playing Football Manager to wind down the mad bastard.

Had to laugh watching MOTD last night when Guy Mowbray exclained "He looks like a Bond villain!" when the camera showed Unai stroking his chin on the touchline yesterday.

[Dave]

It wasn't that long ago as we'd go in to it thinking that we were the ones to end their run!

It'll take many years of this before I stop assuming that's what's going to happen.

[RamboandBruno]

He hasn’t counted out getting into Europe. If we miss out it won’t be for the lack of any kind of effort

The man is a machine!!!

[chrisw1]

I always felt this squad should be good enough for top 8.  Gerrard massively under performed and obviously Unai is over performing.  We’ve got a tough run in, so for me top 8 from where we were when he took over would be an outstanding achievement. 

If we can do that (or better) then the knock on benefits going into the summer will be huge.

With Emery, I actually feel like we look much better and put in better performances against the better teams.

Very true.  I’d still prefer an easier run in though!

[SoccerHQ]

Loved the Gregory win run but do not want it to turn into a similar outcome this time.

We got into europe on the final day didn't we by beating Arsenal 1-0?

[eamonn]

Look, all it takes is the greatest winning streak in the club's history to finish fourth, I don't see why so many are so pessimistic.

Seriously though, I'd take top half and beating Newcastle at VP. Conference, Europa, it'd be nice to be back in Europe but it could be a potential slip-up - got to keep focused on getting back in the big time.

We just seem to have a similar team spirit to Arsenal at the moment. I don't think anybody would argue that their team is as good as Man City's, but they just keeping knocking out win after win. This has a similar feel to when Gregory took over. After a while, you just get into a feeling of every game is going to be won.

That Gregory run was amazing and probably my favourite time as a Villa supporter. It's lovely, just being able to look at our fixtures and think we ought to beat, say, Chelsea who are a decent side a bit down on their luck. It wasn't that long ago as we'd go in to it thinking that we were the ones to end their run!

Aged 13, Spring 1998 was my favourite run as a Villa fan (even more than the start of the following season when we went 12 unbeaten and were still top or second til mid-January'99).

I didn't even see most of the highlights/let alone games in 1997/98, as we didn't have the TV channels at home but there was a lot of vicarious enjoyment, listening to radio reports and reading match reports on these games. I thought the sky was the limit with this young new manager and attacking options that seemed to be all clicking into gear (Yorke, Savo, Joachim, Collymore - finally and a young Hendrie bursting onto the scene). 10 wins, 3 defeats. Culminating in a last-gasp, last-day qualification for Europe through a chipped Yorke penalty against Double-winners, Arsenal, where a young Gareth Barry made a full home debut and looked perfectly at home amongst world-class players in the Arsenal team.

The two league losses in these 3 months came at home to teams that ended-up getting relegated, the other defeat in Madrid. But like now, we had goals in us in practically every game and some of the attacking play was liquid. I presume we haven't won 5 league games in a row since (came close with 4 at the start of 20/21 of course). 

Hopefully we are set for similar twenty five years on...

[LeeB]

Loved the Gregory win run but do not want it to turn into a similar outcome this time.

We got into europe on the final day didn't we by beating Arsenal 1-0?

No, we actually got I thanks to Chelsea winning the Cup Winners Cup in the week after

[SoccerHQ]

Loved the Gregory win run but do not want it to turn into a similar outcome this time.

We got into europe on the final day didn't we by beating Arsenal 1-0?

No, we actually got I thanks to Chelsea winning the Cup Winners Cup in the week after

Oh yeah of course! I remember watching a Podcast Gregory did with the Villa view lads a few years ago and he said they were in Marbella on end of season trip watching the match and one of the coaching staff was slagging off Zola when he came on for them for some reason. He then scored the winner five minutes later.

What's the issue with West Ham possibly winning the europa conference league as I've read somewhere 7th wouldn't qualify for europe if that happens.

Would be the most Villa thing ever if we didn't qualify because Moyes wins his first ever trophy in 25 years as manager.