Virtua Stiva Posted March 15 Share Posted March 15 Have a good window that improves the depth around the club and EL/CL would be great, man. I get the arguments about revenue and needing CL to close the gap but from a football fan POV, the “lesser” European cups are a chance for silverware, away trips to new teams and I think we’d manage it fine tbh. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dokko Posted March 15 Share Posted March 15 2 hours ago, Yorkie said: Hopefully you're right cos it's absolutely crucial the academy steps up and it could be a useful device for aiding that progress. Just dunno if Howe will go for it unless he feels they're definitely good enough. He certainly won't just gift it to them, but I think he'd love to give a few more some time, judt every game is a must win, and has been most of the season, that he finds it hard to rotate at the best of times, nevermind take a risk on youth. We'll probably still somehow draw citeh away in the conference league, and fuck that thought. 😂 I'd see conference league as a win this season. If be delighted with it as we would add another trophy to the cabinet and secure europa season after. I'd be even more pleased w9th europa straight away, but we probably wouldn't win it as it still has tough opponents in at and we'd no doubt grt them all. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRon Posted March 15 Share Posted March 15 It's a shame we've conceded so many points through late goals, because there's definitely going to be a pretty shit team qualifying for the CL this season. Man U, Liverpool, Chelsea and Villa all look pretty ordinary. Feels like it's a battle of who will be the less shit. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Butcher Posted March 15 Share Posted March 15 @Mike Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Optimistic Nut Posted March 15 Share Posted March 15 I know there's 30 games played, but those back-to-back home losses to Brentford & Everton stick out like a sore thumb. Win those two games and we're in the top 5 race. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRC Posted March 15 Share Posted March 15 7 minutes ago, Optimistic Nut said: I know there's 30 games played, but those back-to-back home losses to Brentford & Everton stick out like a sore thumb. Win those two games and we're in the top 5 race. Mackems too. Should have beat them Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stottie Posted March 15 Share Posted March 15 If Villa win Europa and finish sixth (looking increasingly likely), and a top five team win the FA Cup, wouldn't eighth get Europa? I'm assuming that we do not win the Champions League, in which case it would not matter. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yorkie Posted March 15 Share Posted March 15 27 minutes ago, Optimistic Nut said: I know there's 30 games played, but those back-to-back home losses to Brentford & Everton stick out like a sore thumb. Win those two games and we're in the top 5 race. I feel like it isn't really one of those "If only we'd..." sort of seasons; back in say 23/24, where all we needed was a point at Stamford Bridge and we'd have been in Europe at their expense. We've deserved to be mid-table/upper bottom half, and we've deserved to lose those games, because that's who we are this season, at least up to this point. However, if you're "If only we'd"-ing, I can't look past that sequence of late goals in the early home games. A point against Liverpool, a point against Arsenal, two more against Spurs - and we're right in the mix. Above Brentford and arms length from the CL places. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyc35i Posted March 15 Share Posted March 15 We’ve definitely left so many points out there this season. But a strong finish can put that all to bed and get us some sort of European place Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stottie Posted March 15 Share Posted March 15 Gemini AI seems to think there is a UEFA rule that eighth cannot inherit a Europa place from someone else. It said Conference League only. Its AI, so this might be bollocks. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keegans Export Posted March 15 Share Posted March 15 Just now, Stottie said: Gemini AI seems to think there is a UEFA rule that eighth cannot inherit a Europa place from someone else. It said Conference League only. Its AI, so this might be bollocks. I don't think it's up to UEFA is it? They just dish out the places and the relevant leagues decide how to distribute them. If you had the top 5 qualify as normal, then one of them wins the FA Cup the 2nd Europa League qualifying spot goes to the league - so 6th and 7th. If Villa won the Europa and finished 6th it would go down to 7th and 8th. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
timeEd32 Posted March 15 Share Posted March 15 I feel like I read somewhere - probably last season - that winning a UEFA competition doesn’t add a league place. I (or it) could be wrong though. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfcastle Posted March 15 Share Posted March 15 We're not having a season where results are being strung together so I wouldn't get carried away. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Novocastrian Posted March 15 Share Posted March 15 Hammer the Mackems and things might still be on. A few of the CL/EL competitors have hard games next week. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnny36 Posted March 15 Share Posted March 15 (edited) 1 hour ago, Optimistic Nut said: I know there's 30 games played, but those back-to-back home losses to Brentford & Everton stick out like a sore thumb. Win those two games and we're in the top 5 December was the month that cost us..Conceding late equaliser to Spurs..Losing to Sunderland..Dropping 2 goal lead to Chelsea..Should have beaten Man Utd Edited March 15 by johnny36 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vaj Posted March 15 Share Posted March 15 7 points off CL with Liverpool, Chelsea and Villa faltering. Easy! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Superior Acuña Posted March 15 Share Posted March 15 👀 dare we? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moose Posted March 15 Share Posted March 15 Our fixture congestion will soon ease Tino back Bruno, Tonali and Miley back soon Gordon in good form Ramsey getting better every game Ramsdale looking solid Liverpool, Chelsea and Villa all sinking It's fucking happening lads Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CallumG6 Posted March 15 Share Posted March 15 Rather Villa not win the Europa tbh. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stifler Posted March 15 Share Posted March 15 (edited) The lowest a league place will get you Europe is 8th. That requires 5 Champions League places, and the cup winners to already qualify for Europe via the league. It is virtually assured that England will receive a 5th Champions League spot. It is almost impossible for us to drop that requirement. With the placing of both Arsenal and Man City, it’s also likely that the Conference League place will drop to the league. The biggest outstanding issue currently is the FA Cup place, and considering the teams left, you would assume the winner of the FA Cup will be a team who finish in the top 8, and likely top 6. If Villa do not finish in the top 5, but finish in the top 8 (European place) and win the Europa League, then we will lose either a Europa League or Conference League slot and Villa will gain a Champions League slot. If Forest win it, then Forest like Spurs last year will just gain a Champions League slot without England having to give up a European slot. The same applies for Crystal Palace and Europa League slot if they win the Conference League and fail to finish in the European places via the League. Edited March 15 by Stifler Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MileyCyrus Posted March 15 Share Posted March 15 11 hours ago, Yorkie said: I can't picture many minutes for academy players in the event we qualify for the Conference League, certainly not if Howe is still the manager (not that I'd blame him or anyone else for choosing not to play kids who aren't ready for first team football). We'd take it seriously because, third-rate competition or not, it's a bona fide trophy and he and the players will want that glory. And if Palace's campaign is anything to go by, if you're not going to be at your best levels, even the fodder can get results with an organised low block. Tbf I'd be a lot more up for it providing Palace don't win; likewise Europa/Villa. There's no way Howe isn't playing academy players in the conference league. The clubs in that league are appalling Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
nemtizz Posted March 15 Share Posted March 15 13 minutes ago, MileyCyrus said: There's no way Howe isn't playing academy players in the conference league. The clubs in that league are appalling The only time he plays them is pre-season let's be honest. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fountain Posted March 15 Share Posted March 15 3 hours ago, Stottie said: Gemini AI seems to think there is a UEFA rule that eighth cannot inherit a Europa place from someone else. It said Conference League only. Its AI, so this might be bollocks. England would still have to have two teams in the Europa. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fountain Posted March 15 Share Posted March 15 3 hours ago, Stottie said: Gemini AI seems to think there is a UEFA rule that eighth cannot inherit a Europa place from someone else. It said Conference League only. Its AI, so this might be bollocks. Conference is League Cup winners, only goes on league position if the winners qualify for the champions or Europa Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fountain Posted March 15 Share Posted March 15 2 hours ago, Moose said: Our fixture congestion will soon ease Tino back Bruno, Tonali and Miley back soon Gordon in good form Ramsey getting better every game Ramsdale looking solid Liverpool, Chelsea and Villa all sinking It's fucking happening lads Hopefully not. (Fixture congestion). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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