Reflections on Conference League

[Didier Five]

Disappointing semi, in fact a total flop.

[pauliewalnuts]

Down to our last 11 senior players, some playing out of position, all mentally exhausted. It’s the alertness of thought, and sharpness of passing that has deserted us. It’s the definition of hitting the wall.

It’s genuinely perplexing to me that intelligent people can’t see this.

I know, it's just so obvious.

I think some of the people not seeing it tonight will see it tomorrow after a night's rest.

It's always a bit nuts during and just after a match.

[Ads]

If you've not enjoyed this, then fucking give up you joyless twerp. This is why you support the Villa. Competing in Europe. Gutted to have lost, probably our one and only appearance in the competition too. Up the fucking Villa.

[Villan82]

They played against us how we played for lots of Unais reign, they let us have the ball, kept their shape and discipline and watched us get frustrated and then rush things.

We looked well short of ideas in the final third and their keeper had little to do, despite us dominating possession, just looked again like we were running on fumes. First goal was disappointing as it came again against the run of play at the worst possible time, and was preventable. Second goal was a shocker, Sunday League stuff.

So disappointed that we won’t get so good a chance of silverware, they eased through without really looking that good. That we couldn’t raise ourselves to make a game of that is really worrying, even accounting for injuries we should have had too much but didnt really lay a glove on them.

I’m pretty much thinking the same as you PW, though I actually think they do look good, round pegs in round holes with a clear game plan. Not stellar, but certainly effective, and they were the better team over 180 minutes.

A lot of Villa fans thought we would win the tournament easy. But teams like Lille and Olympiacos have played much more European football than we have over the past 15 years.

We basically spent ten years in the wilderness. I had a sinking feeling when the quarter-final/semi-final draw was made and we drew two tough teams with the first leg of both away.

We will have learned a lot. But as a club we have to stick together and focus on the future.

[Monty]

Down to our last 11 senior players, some playing out of position, all mentally exhausted. It’s the alertness of thought, and sharpness of passing that has deserted us. It’s the definition of hitting the wall.

It’s genuinely perplexing to me that intelligent people can’t see this.

I know, it's just so obvious.

I think some of the people not seeing it tonight will see it tomorrow after a night's rest.

It's always a bit nuts during and just after a match.

Terror of missing out on the CL doesn't help either. Terror I utterly share, I might add.

[PeterWithesShin]

We were rightly favourites for it at the start of the season, losing a third of our squad changed that.

[shipscat]

This is the best Villa team I have ever seen, with one of the best managers in the world. The future is very bright and all the negativity on here boggles me - the players gave everything and the squad is down to the limit. Emery is basically entirely out of options.

We didn't actually play that badly across the two legs, just nothing went out way. There were fractions in the offsides for two of their goals, and obviously the two penalties. If a few things had gone very slightly differently the tie would have been completely different.

I would clap and serve an ace, tune Mr Wellers guitar,  and compare the Blues end of season collapse if I could, to this from Mr Kileen. Not good tonight, with a number of players running on empty fumes. We'll be back and I would not want to encounter us next season if I was the top two seeds in any group stages of European competition. We, as a collective, will have learnt so much and I suspect it will drive us on.

[Dave]

We were rightly favourites for it at the start of the season, losing a third of our squad changed that.

Yeah, but obviously everyone involved should have known about that and bought a billion other players just in case.

[Clampy]

I didn't see it as Konsa playing right back. To me it was a back three with Digne and Cash playing wide of a very depleted midfield which would have suited Moreno rather than Digne had he been fit.

[gpbarr]

Good luck to Olympiakos - they deserved the victory and will fancy their chances in the final.

We will learn. It’s never a straight line to success.

It doesn’t change the narrative around this season. It’s been a tremendous success and, next year we will continue to grow, improve, and win.

Disappointed tonight but, so positive for the future.

UTV

[Ads]

01:10 and not off the car park. Absolute fucking shit show

[Meanwood Villa]

I think I did my mourning last week, had a good evening with a couple of mates in the pub, occasionally punctuated by a few FFS at our final ball.

What's such a pity is that we haven't given the best account of ourselves in the two biggest matches of the season. There are well documented reasons for this and it makes me sad rather than angry.

We will almost certainly qualify for the Champions' League next season and that's a great achievement whichever way you dice it but ask me a thousand times if I'd prefer a trophy and I'll always give the same answer.

There's always next year

[edgysatsuma89]

We wouldn't have won that game even if we had bunged the ref a tasty mil. I don't think I've ever seen a team look as mentally and physically fucked as we do.

[Villan82]

01:10 and not off the car park. Absolute fucking shit show

When you have a chance mate can you head to the Heck thread? Intrigued to hear your take on today's interview with gabby where a new stadium was firmly ruled out 'in my lifetime' and in discussing the next two summers no mention was made of any major redevelopment...

[wince]

01:10 and not off the car park. Absolute fucking shit show

Is African car reverser there?