Will we qualify for the CL?

[tomd2103]

Sounds really easy this. I guess if we buy two fast players, we'll win two trophies instead of one.

Might be a bit more to it than that!  Watching the 'elite' teams we played in the Champions League games at Villa Park this season, one thing that really struck me was the athleticism and pace they had in their teams.  It meant that when they broke in attack, they seemed to be on the edge of our area in an instant. 

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So you're saying we need to buy three, just to be sure?

[VillaTim]

Indeed - pace is an important component, but it’s part of a wider picture.

It's a vital ingredient, Rashford gave us the danger of pace, Diaby provided it last season. I like the look of Malen as he's pacey but has barely played . That team out there yesterday had no pace whatsoever.

[PaulWinch again]

Well it did - Maatsen is rapid, but I agree we need more of it out wide.

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Onana is one of the fastest players in the league.

[Somniloquism]

Opta have us finishing 5th next season. Obviously not a definite CL place but close. However alot of the predictions also seem to be taking from where people finished last season as still have Spurs and Manure bottom half.

https://theanalyst.com/articles/premier-league-predictions-2025-26-opta-supercomputer

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5th won't be enough with the Spurs mutants stinking the Champions League out.

[Somniloquism]

I doubt it will be either as I think we are dividing points earned by 9 rather then 7 or 8 and we have teams like Forest, Newcastle and Palace in there as well as Spurs.

[Dave]

5th won't be enough with the Spurs mutants stinking the Champions League out.

Yeah, there's no recent history to point to of poor Spurs sides doing well in Europe.

[Smithy]

I think qualifying through the league is going to be tough (but not impossible).  I think our chances of winning the Europa League are about the same as finishing top 4.

This is the bit where Emery does something incredible and moulds a team that look like champions league certainties from October onwards.

[AV82EC]

I doubt it will be either as I think we are dividing points earned by 9 rather then 7 or 8 and we have teams like Forest, Newcastle and Palace in there as well as Spurs.

This is true, everyone in Europe needs to be on it this year to maintain the extra CL place. I’d imagine us and Forest will do well in the EL and also Palace in the ECL it all depends on how Spuds and Newcastle do in the CL.

[Dave]

I doubt it will be either as I think we are dividing points earned by 9 rather then 7 or 8 and we have teams like Forest, Newcastle and Palace in there as well as Spurs.

This is true, everyone in Europe needs to be on it this year to maintain the extra CL place. I’d imagine us and Forest will do well in the EL and also Palace in the ECL it all depends on how Spuds and Newcastle do in the CL.

It would be quite a surprise if they didn’t both make it to at least the play-off round.

Unless someone really screws it, I'd be surprised if England didnt have the fifth place again next year.

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5th won't be enough with the Spurs mutants stinking the Champions League out.

Yeah, there's no recent history to point to of poor Spurs sides doing well in Europe.

Beating Frodo Baggins in front of 9 whalers and their polar bear, before a game so excruciatingly low in quality you could barely watch is not to me a sign they're going to go toe to toe with PSG and do it for the coefficient.

But you have your achsually moment.

[paul_e]

5th won't be enough with the Spurs mutants stinking the Champions League out.

Yeah, there's no recent history to point to of poor Spurs sides doing well in Europe.

Beating Frodo Baggins in front of 9 whalers and their polar bear, before a game so excruciatingly low in quality you could barely watch is not to me a sign they're going to go toe to toe with PSG and do it for the coefficient.

But you have your achsually moment.

They don't have to go toe-to-toe with PSG though, they need to beat the teams from pots 3 and 4, so the likes of Slavia Prague, Ajax, Olympiacos, etc. 3 wins an 2 draws get you to knockout and even Newcastle and Spurs should be able to manage that. If they do, and assuming we have 3-4 teams get into the semi finals (as is usual) then that should be enough for the 5th spot.

[Meanwood Villa]

I'm pretty sure the only times England don't get the highest coefficient is when there are more English teams in Europe so it doesn't bode well.