Aston Villa vs AFC Bournemouth Pre-Match Thread

[andyh]

A trophy would be magnificent. A European one, after the last 15 years we have endured would be incredible.

But, like it or not, CL is what the club NEEDS to move forward for the revenue and recruitment it brings.
It’s also a pretty special competition to be involved in.

We are so, so close to it now. It might be another 10 years before we get this close again, if at all.

We must, must, must take this opportunity.
We need to.

[VillaTim]

Qualifying for champions league would be transformational for the club. Winning the conference wouldn't be , it would be a nice moment that's about it. That isn't sky brainwashing me either it's basic maths and common sense .
UTFV.

[Smithy]

Ending the season 5th and with a trophy would definitely "feel" better than 4th and no trophy, but my head also knows that finishing 4th could let the club take a pretty big step towards establishing itself in Europe for the next decade.  So it's a case of heart wanting a trophy, vs head knowing the best thing for the club in the medium term is finishing 4th.

Obviously both is the dream :-)

[Dave]

Ending the season 5th and with a trophy would definitely "feel" better than 4th and no trophy, but my head also knows that finishing 4th could let the club take a pretty big step towards establishing itself in Europe for the next decade.  So it's a case of heart wanting a trophy, vs head knowing the best thing for the club in the medium term is finishing 4th.

Obviously both is the dream :-)

I think if you offered me the option of guaranteeing either one or the other, but it meant the other didn't happen I'd probably take the deal.

Both would be nice. But either one in isolation would make it a fantasic season.

[dave.woodhall]

It doesn't have to be either/or. We're odds-on to finish fourth and favourites for the Conference. That's the sort of level we aspire to, so we have to go into every game believing we can win.

[PaulWinch again]

I think this will be really tough, would have been without the midweek exertions. We’ll need to be right at it and get some luck. This is one of those games we really need to win.

[AV84]

Winning the Conference and securing Europa League would also help move the club forward financially. Not as much as the CL, obviously, but it's perhaps a more steady trajectory to be on, and would mean we spend the summer building for one step up rather than two. Maybe that's an overly cautious view to have, but I look at West Ham compared to Newcastle this season and I think WH are having the better year, and with a more exciting coach they'd probably be looking even better.

[olaftab]

It’s a tough game today for two reasons. One being we are on a high from doing Arsenal and the sheer exhilaration of the win on Thursday , these two facts may have an impact on “doing it again in a routine game”. Second being the obvious tiredness on our side with very few options for Unai to refresh and opposition have had a nice easy week and achieved their targets this season.

[Risso]

It doesn't have to be either/or. We're odds-on to finish fourth and favourites for the Conference. That's the sort if level we aspire to, so we have to go into every game believing we can win.

Exactly this. 5 league games to go, and two, potentially three European games. We've got to believe we can win every one of them. Yes we've played a lot of games, but the likes of McGinn and Luiz have just had disciplinary enforced rests, Cash has been out for a while, Digne has been rotating with Moreno etc, so managed right we can do this. It's not one or the other, it's both, let's do it, starting today.

[dave.woodhall]

And let's stop looking for reasons why games will be hard and why the other team are always up for it. We're eight games from history and if that doesn't motivate the players they shouldn't be playing.

[Dave]

It doesn't have to be either/or. We're odds-on to finish fourth and favourites for the Conference. That's the sort of level we aspire to, so we have to go into every game believing we can win.

I didn't say that it had to be. I said that I'd take one or the other if offered right now.

[London Villan]

If you are going today make the extra effort to get behind the team. We will play our part in getting them over the line. UTV

[SoccerHQ]

I wonder if Bailey is a doubt? I saw yesterday that he was lucky to be involved in the week and wasn’t even expected to be on the plain let alone come one and put in that performance of his.

Really struggling for options if he's out. Is Zaniolo involved as you'd think he'd be struggling given he was stretchered off on Thursday.

So if we continue with 4-2-3-1 that leaves Diaby, Rogers.....? So we'd have to bring Tim in or move Cash to RW, neither is ideal.

This is a very awkward fixture, more leaning towards a draw now.

[Dave]

I wonder if Bailey is a doubt? I saw yesterday that he was lucky to be involved in the week and wasn’t even expected to be on the plain let alone come one and put in that performance of his.

Really struggling for options if he's out. Is Zaniolo involved as you'd think he'd be struggling given he was stretchered off on Thursday.

Looked to me like he was winded when he landed heavily. He was walking around happily enough during the celebrations at the end.

[Behind Bluenose Lines]

John McGinn was unusually awful the other night: hopefully he'll have a blinder (and even score!) so he can prove a point!

I suspect a score draw, but I'll take 1-0 us. Bournemouth tend to make things tough for us.