Rival watch

[PleaseNotPoll]

For those that haven't seen it:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-68985701

There have been previous accusations against someone that could be described as a Premier League boss:
https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/local-news/birmingham-city-boss-david-sullivan-70032
I'm sure that these are utterly unrelated, though.

 

[PleaseNotPoll]

Incredible finish from Leverkusen to keep their unbeaten status

It's just getting silly now. Last kick of the game.
They've got four games left, two of which are cup finals.

Their last game will be against Kaiserslautern, who are 14th in 2 Bundesliga.
It would be typical of football for them to lose that one.

 

[Dier Hard]

Graham Potter’s apparently turned down the chance to become Ajax manager. Thought that would’ve been a good gig for him.

 

[KingHotspur]

Ended up being a step too far for Villa this evening.

They've had a brilliant season overall though and Ebening deserves credit for turning it around so quickly.

I have a very funny feeling they will lose to both Liverpool and Palace and we will have to beat City to get top 4, handing Arsenal the title in the process.

You all already know my opinion on this matter, but if it came to that...

Wid ye/would you ?

Nope. Not even a second of thinking.

 

[KingHotspur]

Guy on sky sports news just said Villa would have taken a top 4 finish over winning the Conference League.

Just me that thinks winning a European trophy (even that one) is so more enjoyable than a top 4 finish?

 

[BrunelGunner]

Ended up being a step too far for Villa this evening.

They've had a brilliant season overall though and Ebening deserves credit for turning it around so quickly.

I have a very funny feeling they will lose to both Liverpool and Palace and we will have to beat City to get top 4, handing Arsenal the title in the process.

You all already know my opinion on this matter, but if it came to that...

Wid ye/would you ?

As a totally unbiased, neutral observer with no ulterior motive whatsoever, I would definitely accept this scenario

 

[humanbeingincroydon]

Graham Potter’s apparently turned down the chance to become Ajax manager. Thought that would’ve been a good gig for him.

There's better jobs freeing up in the Eredivisie given Feyenoord have a managerial vacancy and, unlike Ajax, their squad isn't a complete mess that has youngsters amd experienced heads but is almost completely lacking players in the 25-28 bracket

 

[BrunelGunner]

Guy on sky sports news just said Villa would have taken a top 4 finish over winning the Conference League.

Just me that thinks winning a European trophy (even that one) is so more enjoyable than a top 4 finish?

I suppose it depends. If it was a choice between top-4 or winning the Conference League, which one really moves the needle for you as a club?

Maybe it's different for me as an Arsenal supporter, but I would choose playing in the Champions League over winning the Conference League. I would never want us to be in the Conference League (god forbid). But perhaps it's easier for me to say this because of the general level we've been competing at and the fact I have seen my team win some silverware over the years. In comparison, Aston Villa haven't won a major honour for 28 years. So, whilst that Villa fan on SSN said he wants Champions League as a priority, I can equally understand why there may be divided opinions amongst their fanbase because I'd imagine they are probably desperate to win something after almost 3 barren decades.

Generally, my perspective is that, although Conference League is European silverware, it's still a newly-formed third-tier competition that many quote "big clubs" unquote do not respect due to the general quality of opposition and lack of gravitas it has. And, aside from winning a trophy, what's the reward? Getting into the Europa League the following season. If you're a team like West Ham or Brighton or maybe even Newcastle, I get why this would be huge for you because these teams don't have a history of winning much and aren't always consistent European contenders. However, Champions League qualification improves your status as a club, raises your profile, will allow you significant financial power that can improve the quality of your team and you get to potentially be up against teams like Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, PSG, Inter Milan, Juventus, Barcelona etc. I would always want to see my team play against the best players and opposition teams in the world.

I appreciate this view won't be universally shared by others, but it's just my view on it.

 

[Citizen Kane.]

Guy on sky sports news just said Villa would have taken a top 4 finish over winning the Conference League.

Just me that thinks winning a European trophy (even that one) is so more enjoyable than a top 4 finish?

It's an academic question.

They need CL money to avoid FFP issues next year. Simple as that.

 

[Dier Hard]

Guy on sky sports news just said Villa would have taken a top 4 finish over winning the Conference League.

Just me that thinks winning a European trophy (even that one) is so more enjoyable than a top 4 finish?

Definitely more enjoyable.

Something hits different when you see your team’s captain lift silverware. I’ve had some great moments and memories watching Spurs, especially in Europe to be fair but getting to see Ledley and Keano climb the Wembley steps when we beat Chelsea is still by far my favourite moment of watching us. If the choice was presented as one or the other, I’d 100% take Europe’s third tier trophy over finishing top four - I’d take any competitive trophy over top four, especially when you’re a team that isn’t winning much as it is.

 

[KingHotspur]

It's an academic question.

They need CL money to avoid FFP issues next year. Simple as that.

Yeah financially CL is better.

But as a fan, seeing your team lift a trophy and actually win something (Villa barren since 1996?) or finish top 4 (not a trophy despite how Arsene Wenger treated it)

 

[KingHotspur]

Graham Potter’s apparently turned down the chance to become Ajax manager. Thought that would’ve been a good gig for him.

Crazy of him to think he can get a better job than that. Biggest job in Holland by a mile. Be interesting to see where he ends up if he’s turning down Ajax

 

[Citizen Kane.]

Yeah financially CL is better.

But as a fan, seeing your team lift a trophy and actually win something (Villa barren since 1996?) or finish top 4 (not a trophy despite how Arsene Wenger treated it)

You're missing my point.

The question pertinent to Villa specifically isn't "would you rather lift a trophy or CL football?", it is: "Would you rather CL football or lift a trophy and then sell Ollie Watkins and Douglas Luiz a month later?"

That's the reality of their financial situation. They've gambled 3 years of exorbitant wages on clinching CL gold before the FFP cycle is up.

 

[BrunelGunner]

Crazy of him to think he can get a better job than that. Biggest job in Holland by a mile. Be interesting to see where he ends up if he’s turning down Ajax

Rumours he wants the England job and is eyeing it up depending on how we do in the Euros. Southgate's job could be on the line and I don't blame him for wanting that role. I think Potter could do well for England, to be fair.

 

[KingHotspur]

You're missing my point.

The question pertinent to Villa specifically isn't "would you rather lift a trophy or CL football?", it is: "Would you rather CL football or lift a trophy and then sell Ollie Watkins and Douglas Luiz a month later?"

That's the reality of their financial situation. They've gambled 3 years of exorbitant wages on clinching CL gold before the FFP cycle is up.

I get that and to the owners top 4 and the riches that come with it may well be better for the bank balance.

It’s a sorry state of affairs though that finishing top 4 is better for a club than a European trophy.

 

[remembercolinlee]

Guy on sky sports news just said Villa would have taken a top 4 finish over winning the Conference League.

Just me that thinks winning a European trophy (even that one) is so more enjoyable than a top 4 finish?

Nope...would love us to have won the ECL. And if we qualify this year I want us to go all out to win it next season.

Think villa may have money issues though so CL may be the priority for them

 

[Citizen Kane.]

I get that and to the owners top 4 and the riches that come with it may well be better for the bank balance.

It’s a sorry state of affairs though that finishing top 4 is better for a club than a European trophy.

It is a sorry state of affairs.

It is also a sorry state of affairs that a club has to bring itself to the brink of cheating on the hope that it's 3-year long gamble pays off.

If it fails, I won't feel a drop of sympathy for them.

They have the fourth highest wages:revenue ratio in the league in that time. They've done this to attract bigger names and sign players to bigger deals than they can actually afford.

The only teams with even higher ratios? Leicester, Forest and Everton.

If this gamble fails for Villa, they have a choice between selling their best players to pay the bills, or face a points deduction like the rest have.

They're playing a dangerous game.

 

[humanbeingincroydon]

It is a sorry state of affairs.

It is also a sorry state of affairs that a club has to bring itself to the brink of cheating on the hope that it's 3-year long gamble pays off.

If it fails, I won't feel a drop of sympathy for them.

They have the fourth highest wages:revenue ratio in the league in that time. They've done this to attract bigger names and sign players to bigger deals than they can actually afford.

The only teams with even higher ratios? Leicester, Forest and Everton.

If this gamble fails for Villa, they have a choice between selling their best players to pay the bills, or face a points deduction like the rest have.

They're playing a dangerous game.

It's hardly the first time in their history they've taken this approach, either: the Martin O'Neill era saw them operate in the exact same way - only to come up short and see the team picked apart once O'Neill left

 

[PleaseNotPoll]

Guy on sky sports news just said Villa would have taken a top 4 finish over winning the Conference League.

Just me that thinks winning a European trophy (even that one) is so more enjoyable than a top 4 finish?

I doubt Emery would and most Villa fans probably wouldn't, either.
They haven't won a trophy since 95/96, despite coming close a few times.
Mr Good Ebening loves winning the Europa League too, so being in it would be fine.

I wonder if anyone's going to take a shot on Ayoub El Kaabi?
He's 30, but his goalscoring record is generally decent and it's excellent this season.
Scoring 5 in 2 against Villa is very impressive.

 

[Spurf]

I wonder if anyone's going to take a shot on Ayoub El Kaabi?
He's 30, but his goalscoring record is generally decent and it's excellent this season.
Scoring 5 in 2 against Villa is very impressive.

How about us, he knows how to score and the finishing I saw was very good. Sir Les was 29 when he joined us and 37 when he left so age is not a deal breaker. Of course his value will rise now especially if he keeps scoring in the final. Put it another way, I didn't see anything to put us off.