Champions League Contention

[London Villan]

Getting to the final and winning the Conference would add the best part of £25m to our turnover - which would be most useful.
(includes gate money, TV money, sponsors bonus and prize money)

[Footy-Vill]

I am not gonna lie. I'm concerned about what happens if we don't qualify for the Champions League anyway and what this means for major assets such as Martinez, Luiz, Watkins, Ramsey, and Kamara being sold off.  But with the financial losses would expect player sales now anyway either way.

I also wonder if we do qualify if Buendia and Mings would be considered surplus to requirements if we get a Champions League spot, as we have done a successful season without them.

[saunders_heroes]

I am not gonna lie. I'm concerned about what happens if we don't qualify for the Champions League anyway and what this means for major assets such as Martinez, Luiz, Watkins, Ramsey, and Kamara being sold off.  But with the financial losses would expect player sales now anyway either way.

I also wonder if we do qualify if Buendia and Mings would be considered surplus to requirements if we get a Champions League spot, as we have done a successful season without them.

We’re having the best season in years and you're still worried sick. Just enjoy it.
Oh and don’t boast about not lying to us. It’s such a horrible phrase that all the kids seem to use these days.

[Footy-Vill]

I am not gonna lie. I'm concerned about what happens if we don't qualify for the Champions League anyway and what this means for major assets such as Martinez, Luiz, Watkins, Ramsey, and Kamara being sold off.  But with the financial losses would expect player sales now anyway either way.

I also wonder if we do qualify if Buendia and Mings would be considered surplus to requirements if we get a Champions League spot, as we have done a successful season without them.

We’re having the best season in years and you're still worried sick. Just enjoy it.
Oh and don’t boast about not lying to us. It’s such a horrible phrase that all the kids seem to use these days.

To be fair Villa are slaying it this season.

[Footy-Vill]

So this 5th place sit.
It's two places between the 3 leagues and clubs of: Italy, Germany, and England

The coefficient determine which league will get the places at the moment it's Italy and Germany.

Italy have 7 teams still competing, a top-two finish is strong possibility

Germany are second currently with England third (6 clubs competing in the round of 16 but spread across the 3 competitions)
The coefficient system is designed to assess the overall strength of leagues.
Spain have 5 but 4 are in Champions League and France only have 3 teams.

[Footy-Vill]

8pts separate us and top of the league but not a mention on sky.

If nothing else we play all 3 of them, so we can have a huge say in who wins it,  as well as they all play each other.

Caught a little bit of the Mark Saggers show lon Talk TV, and he and his guest, Ian Brightwell, did include us as being in the title race.

The top 5 all have 4 fixtures against the top 6 remaining
These are the top 6 fixtures remaining in date order.

Villa v Spurs
Liverpool v Man City
Man City v Arsenal
Man City v Villa
Man Utd v Liverpool
Arsenal V Villa
Spurs v Man City (may be rearranged FA cup)
Spurs v Arsenal
Liverpool v Spurs
Man Utd v Arsenal
Aston Villa v Liverpool

[Dave]

So this 5th place sit.
It's two places between the 3 leagues and clubs of: Italy, Germany, and England

The coefficient determine which league will get the places at the moment it's Italy and Germany.

Italy have 7 teams still competing, a top-two finish is strong possibility

Germany are second currently with England third (6 clubs competing in the round of 16 but spread across the 3 competitions)
The coefficient system is designed to assess the overall strength of leagues.
Spain have 5 but 4 are in Champions League and France only have 3 teams.

It'll take something pretty unlikely for England not to take second place from Germany. They probably need all of Leipzig winning away at Real Madrid and knocking them out, Dortmund getting past the quarter-finals as well as Bayern and Leverkusen going pretty deep.

A lot hangs on Freiburg against West Ham - West Ham going through would probably mean enough added to the England total and stop the German total progressing to more or less make it safe.

West Ham going out though and it probably starts to get a bit uncomfortable.

[Footy-Vill]

Great information there Dave. Will keep my eyes on the West Ham match then.
It seemed like Man Utd and Newcastle were particularly weak participants and representatives this season in Champions League.

[brontebilly]

Genuine question - is Champions League football all that really.  Yes, there is significant additional revenue, but does it really make a major impact if you are only in it for one season as opposed to being in it for every season over an extended period of time?

Of course it would be great to be in it and testing ourselves against that quality of opposition, but look at Newcastle this season - finished bottom of the group and out of Europe altogether.  Hopefully, we can of course become a regular fixture in it, but I just wonder how much of an impact one season will actually have?

Newcastle didn't really invest enough to be competitive after qualifying. Their big signing Tonali got busted for gambling obviously and Barnes has been injured a lot. They are still reliant a lot on likes of Dan Burn, Dubravka and Longstaff and those that helped them avoid relegation when Howe first went in there. That only brings you so far.

I think for the likes of Newcastle and ourselves, consistently getting CL football is going to be a huge challenge. Need Man United to continue to chronically underperform relative to their revenues (likely), Man City to finally get done for breaching multiple regulations (unlikely) and Liverpool post Klopp to struggle (maybe). With Tottenham and Arsenal's revenues and recent improvements on the pitch I think they will both be very strong for next 3-5 years.

[AV82EC]

The problem for Newcastle was twofold, firstly they were in the hardest group and secondly they didn’t have the squad (or coach?) for it. I certainly think we’ve got much the better intro back into Europe after a long break away, with a tournament that’s testing the squad but against easier teams. If we do qualify then I think our squad depth will be improved and we have a much better coach.

[IFWaters]

I say we get 4th and hope all the other English sides get knocked out as soon as possible thereby denying Spurs or Man Utd the Champions League revenue for next year.

FTF !!!!

[olaftab]

Losing two key midfielders in the space of couple of weeks is going to hurt us. It’ll be the difference in comfortable 4th or a nail biter.

[olaftab]

I say we get 4th and hope all the other English sides get knocked out as soon as possible thereby denying Spurs or Man Utd the Champions League revenue for next year.

FTF !!!!

Aha…the dream scenario, I like your thoughts.

[Lastfootstamper]

I say we get 4th and hope all the other English sides get knocked out as soon as possible thereby denying Spurs or Man Utd the Champions League revenue for next year.

FTF !!!!

It's the only way to be sure.

[ChicagoLion]

Losing two key midfielders in the space of couple of weeks is going to hurt us. It’ll be the difference in comfortable 4th or a nail biter.

It’s inevitable that we will have more injury issues and will have to try and get something out of the likes of Rogers, Zaniolo, Diaby, Tim, Chambers.
We have to hope that Martinez Watkins SJM  Luiz Konsa Bailey remain fit.
We just can not afford to lose any of them.