Where will Villa finish 2025/26

[PaulWinch again]

If Ramsey and Bailey are off we need at least 3 in (Asensio, wide forward, and centre back). We are very light right now, we could do with a couple of the youngsters stepping up but that is a big ask.

[Somniloquism]

I don’t see how Newcastle ‘will struggle’ with CL games, but we won’t with our EL games ?
The same pressure is on both teams to play the same number of group games.

In theory they'll be unable to rotate as much as they'll be playing stronger opponents, while we can field out U15s against the Dog n Duck from Luxembourg, And they currently have no striker.

Whilst we won't be able to have a Europe squad and a seperate league squad like Chelsea did because we don't have 400 players, when we do rest players we might actually win. (Although will we do it against Brugge again?) Also in theory we will play more teams we can dominate possesion over which is less demanding on the players.

[Hillbilly]

If Emery can figure how to play against 3-4-3 we will finish 4th. If not, 7th.

[Percy McCarthy]

If they don’t go on loan, we could really do with some youngsters bursting onto the scene in the cups/Europa League. Hemmings and Aloba maybe?

Back on topic - 5th, provided we get the incoming players (probably loans) spot on.

[Toronto Villa]

5th and the shiny Europa cup thingy

[nordenvillain]

6th, unfortunately I think Man U will beat us to 5th and the CL will see Newcastle below us.

[Chris Smith]

6th, unfortunately I think Man U will beat us to 5th and the CL will see Newcastle below us.

I expect Manu to improve but not by that much.

If we get the right signings in over the next couple of weeks I reckon we can make 5th.

[Flamingo Lane]

Not enough pace, physicality or depth, especially at the back. I'm struggling to see us finishing above 8th in the PL, though I think we could well go far in the Europa.

[AV82EC]

If Emery can figure how to play against 3-4-3 we will finish 4th. If not, 7th.

Ron Atkinson had the same issue with 5-3-2, the number of no mark clubs who used to play that against us and would invariably get a result.

Oh and of course MON against anyone playing 4-5-1.

[Skipper_The_Eyechild]

If the window ended now, 7th. I reckon the pack below 4th will be tight again, though.

[PaulWinch again]

I think the key is for Unai to get us functioning defensively as a team again, like when we a perfect high line. That would massively help us - and before someone starts that’s not about Pau vs Mings - it’s a wider point about how we structurally cope as a side. If we did that then with a couple of additions our attack is good enough.

[cdbearsfan]

We were decent at the back more often than not in the latter stages of the season when we stopped having a centre-half go off injured in the first half of every game.

From the Brentford game (8th March) onwards we conceded the fewest goals in the league.

[eamonn]

Will Newcastle really be playing much stronger opponents than us in Europe? It won't be like their last time in it when they wound-up in the hardest group, three clubs all with pedigree. They'll get a mix of mid-level teams like we got last year and one or two giants. And they won't play on Thursdays so will probably have better recovery time before the following league game.

[PeterWithesShin]

They'll probably be similar to us last season, where it went to the final game. There's little room for error in the CL as the 'lesser' teams punish you if you aren't on it, Like Brugge and Monaco did.

[Somniloquism]

Will Newcastle really be playing much stronger opponents than us in Europe?

Assuming you are asking about the earlier debate of them in CL and us in Europa, well yes they will be playing stronger teams then us. The CL consists of the winners and top few of the European leagues. Europa is the non league winners, cup winners and teams losing in the CL qualifiers, ie not consistent or good enough for CL. Don't get me wrong, we probably had a favoured draw with some of the teams (Young Boys from Pot three, Brugge in Pot two, RB Leipzig from Pot one) and Newcastle might have similar, but with so many English* teams in it, their pot one draws are two from:

PSG.
Real
Bayern
Inter
Dortmund
Barca.

Ours are
Roma
Porto
Feyenoord
Lille
Dinamo Zagreb,
Real Betis,
Red Bull Salzburg
and one of Rangers/Brugge,
Possibly Benfica.

Definitely a difference in quality. We will still need to be at our best and not be home to Mr Cockup (Brugge away first time).

*there is a chance with so many English teams that Newcastle might get one of Citeh, Liverpool and Chelsea.