Champions League Contention

[ez]

Just being in the champions league would do more for our profile than winning the conference.

[PaulWinch again]

They will be told not to bust a gut on Thursday.

That’d be a weird choice as per my point above. If we go out of the Conference League that has a direct detrimental impact on the chance of 5th place being a Champions League spot. Based on today I’d be “busting a gut” to do everything we can to influence 5th being a qualification spot.

[PaulWinch again]

Just being in the champions league would do more for our profile than winning the conference.

And again there’s a very good chance that winning that latter will give us a better chance of being in the former.

[Demitri_C]

Well if us west hamd and brighton go out of europe this week that pretty much would be 5th isnt CL so that would be shot a chance of no trophy and no CL. So od rather aim to win this cup and see what happens in league

[Dave]

Well if us west hamd and brighton go out of europe this week that pretty much would be 5th isnt CL

No it isn't.

[astonvilla82]

I wouldn't shed a tear if we got eliminated thurs. To hear that Champions league music at Villa Park is my dream and we are still in 4th it's still in our hands. Man Utd, Newcastle, probably Chelsea and spurs are going to strengthen next year whilst Villa talk about selling players to meet FFP. The time is now. Conf league is a big deal for the likes of West Ham but it's chicken feed for Villa. I prefer to concentrate on the premier. The conf is a unwanted distraction the longer we are in it the more probability of burn out games like spurs. If we were 11th in the prem I'd go all out for the conf but we are 4th still 8 points clear of Man Utd. I don't believe Villa would embarrass themselves in the champions league, you see man city hammer the likes of young boys and leipzig, we wouldn't be far off that the way we play. The premier league is the strongest league in europe. The offer of champions league football would bring better players to Villa. League should be the focus from now on.

Spot on. This is our best chance in god knows how long to qualify.

So what line up plays on Thursday if you're no longer bothered with Conference football?

I never was bothered with it. I'll get pelters but it's a third rate European competition. Ron Atkinson said similar in his recent interview on YouTube

Too older supporters like me I can agree on that point, but to young supporters it a cup they would like to win and means a great deal to them, having seen Aston Villa win that great silver shiny thing,I can understand it.

[ez]

Just being in the champions league would do more for our profile than winning the conference.

And again there’s a very good chance that winning that latter will give us a better chance of being in the former.

Finishing 4th would definitely get us into the champions league 😉

[Demitri_C]

Well if us west hamd and brighton go out of europe this week that pretty much would be 5th isnt CL

No it isn't.

That only leaves liverpool city and arsenal left. We would have to hope the other nations teams go out which would be unlikely.  Its vital for 5th that us and west ham go through

[FatSam]

obviously Olson, Chambers, Zaniolo, couple of kids etc etc

How would that be any different to O’Neill’s Moscow moment?

[PaulWinch again]

Just being in the champions league would do more for our profile than winning the conference.

And again there’s a very good chance that winning that latter will give us a better chance of being in the former.

Finishing 4th would definitely get us into the champions league 😉

It would, but after today’s horror show I’d like some contingency!

[ChicagoLion]

We blew it today.
We don’t have the squad to be successful in both and today proved that.
So we might as well go all out for the conference now.

[Stinkin_Thinkin]

obviously Olson, Chambers, Zaniolo, couple of kids etc etc

How would that be any different to O’Neill’s Moscow moment?

The UEFA cup had more kudos than the conf league as it's long established. At the time I agreed with O'Neill#s decision. The league is your bread and butter.

[PaulWinch again]

We don’t have the luxury of picking which competitions we properly compete in. Given that we never win fucking anything I’d like us not to chuck in an opportunity to do so - and again winning it will boost the chances of 5th being a qualification spot which is good for us.

[Nii Lamptey]

I was ridiculously confident that we'd snag the Conf league trophy AND finish 4th, but after today's capitulation, I'm concerned for both.

Our squad is down to the bare bones, and our remaining players are either carrying knocks or generally knackered.

If we REALLY want Champions League football and/or a European trophy, the players need OUR help to pull them over the line. Villa Park has been absent of any atmosphere since the Man City/Arsenal games, which came to a head today with just a handful of half-hearted attempts at songs which generally fizzled out during the first verse....and then the crowd started disappearing from a midday game on 70mins?! Players walked off the pitch today to literally an empty stadium on the final whistle. 😔

I feel dirty saying it, but someone mentioned the Liverpool game today, where the crowd helped to lift the team. Was the same with Man Utd on Boxing Day.... Instead of supporting the team, we stop singing and/or go home when things aren't going well. That's not supporting, it's 'viewing'. Fans can do that from the comfort of their living rooms in front of the telly.

Don't want to start a good fans/bad fans argument, it's not about that - I'm just highlighting it as surely I can't be the only one to think that the atmosphere (and general support) at Villa Park for what is the best Villa team in decades has been mediocre at best in recent times. It triggered me today more than most match days, after witnessing the spine chilling atmosphere that Ajax built up on Thursday night - A lot of us away fans just stood there in awe. After witnessing that in person, English football ain't all it's cracked up to be.

This current Villa team and our amazing manager deserve much more. SO much more.

[PaulWinch again]

Unai has done an absolutely incredible job to get us where he has, he’s been fantastic. I do think it’s fair to say though that in 2024 we’ve struggled to maintain levels of performance. Even in the games we’ve won we’ve had phases of games where we implode and let the opposition back in. He talks a lot about control in games, but we’re really struggling with that. Injuries have played a big part, but if we want to maintain our top 4 push we’re going to need to get our levels back up, the games at home against top half teams have been particularly poor of late.