UEFA Europa Conference League - Alkmaar, Legia and Zrinjski

[Brazilian Villain]

I'm not that excited about the European Conference and winning it would hardly feel like a major trophy.

While I don't want to second-guess your feelings, I bet you that the morning of the final next year if we're playing in it, you'll feel differently.

Agreed. I would say it'd be like winning the League Cup, not as good as the FA Cup (Europa League ) or league (Champs League) but would still love to win it and add to our tally of major trophies won.

And the biggest honour will be me sharing a lemonade with you in a European city before the night of the final😊

Sounds like a plan to me. Hopefully it will be somewhere 'lively'.

[SoccerHQ]

We win our next two and Spurs win at Newcastle and table will look like this:

4th Newcastle 31 played- 56 points
5th Spurs- 32 played- 56 points
6th Us- 32 played- 56 points

How insane would that look?!

Brighton don't play league at weekend due to FA cup so they're going to be a bit adrift aswell (with some very difficult spare games).

[olaftab]

Insane yes but we would have played 33 and the other two one more game as well. So good attempt but……

[eamonn]

Spurs don't have a manager who they're really playing for. Us, Brighton and Newcastle do. Small margins and all that. I fully expect us to double Tottenham and also funeral them.

[Nunkin1965]

I think all the involved teams will pass Spurs and we'll finish 7th at least.

[rob_bridge]

Haven't followed this discussion but I would happily see a rocking Villa Park during a midweek game in any competition.

[rob_bridge]

Even if the Group is us, Oslo Boslo, Slavia Average, Real 'Not the Deal'

[pauliewalnuts]

I think we’ll probably finish seventh.

I hope, if we do, that with all this excitement people don’t find that disappointing.

It would be an extraordinary achievement.

[ChicagoLion]

Even if the Group is us, Oslo Boslo, Slavia Average, Real 'Not the Deal'

Arthitic Madrid, Old Boys,

I did actually play for a team called ALAC it was only a few weeks later I found out it stood for Artificial Limb Allocation Centre.

[algy]

Even if the Group is us, Oslo Boslo, Slavia Average, Real 'Not the Deal'

Arthitic Madrid, Old Boys,

I did actually play for a team called ALAC it was only a few weeks later I found out it stood for Artificial Limb Allocation Centre.

St Mirnoff, Outer Milan, ..

[Smithy]

I think we’ll probably finish seventh.

I hope, if we do, that with all this excitement people don’t find that disappointing.

It would be an extraordinary achievement.

It really would, especially when you consider how far back we were when Unai took over.  To qualify for Europe from that position at the start of November essentially requires champions league form to the end of the season. 

We have a tougher run of games now, but we are capable of beating everyone we have to play. We won't win all of them, obviously, but we can give everyone a proper game now.  I can see us getting to 62 points, which should be enough for 7th, but we really need to beat Brentford and Fulham.  Win those two and I think we have an outside chance of 6th. I'd love a play-off with Brighton on the final day for the Europa League place.

[LeeB]

Even if the Group is us, Oslo Boslo, Slavia Average, Real 'Not the Deal'

Arthitic Madrid, Old Boys,

I did actually play for a team called ALAC it was only a few weeks later I found out it stood for Artificial Limb Allocation Centre.

St Mirnoff, Outer Milan, ..

Grassmokers of Zurich..

[Dave P]

Fair enough.  Well let's qualify for it first and if we do I'll certainly be at all the home games at least and delighted to see European nights back at Villa Park.  As things stand Juve would be in the conference and who wouldn't be excited about playing them?  This fixture I really want back at VP though is Inter.   

And after we win, all back to Phil King's pub if he still runs it (somewhere in deepest Wiltshire, wasn't it?).

The Dolphin in Swindon.  I was working down there about 5 years ago and I went in knowing it was his pub but not expecting to see him.  Anyway, he is in there, comes over to talk to me and, clocking my accent, asks if I'm a Villa fan.  I say yes and he straight away mentions his penalty.  His wife looks over, rolls her eyes, and says he talks about that to anyone who'll listen.

[Drummond]

I've done that predictor thing a few times now, being kinder, harsher and reasonable. It has brought up a range of finishing places from 5th to 8th (the Top 4 being Man City, Arsenal ManUtd and Newcastle), and whichever way, it's really close. Similarly the bottom of the table, with the only constant being Southampton rooted to the bottom.

It's going to be quite a ride, but wow, whatever happens, I'm pleased as punch that with 7 games to go we're talking about Europe, and not when we'll be mathematically safe.

I'm pretty sure that Emery has never finished below 9th at the end of a league season, and I worried he had too much to overcome here, I needn't have.

[rooboy316]

I can’t deal with this all of this unbridled optimism. I’m too used to the inevitable disappointments that being a Villa supporter brings. Therefore, my brain expects us to lose to Brentford this weekend, likely from defensive errors made while trying to play it out from the back. We will then go on to finish 9th. Martinez and Kamara will leave (to manu and mancity respectively), and Emery will have health problems and retire a week out from the start of next season.

There, I feel less discombobulated already.