VillaChris Posted August 4 Share Posted August 4 Midfield going to take a while to gel, people underestimating how good Kamara-Luiz was for the first half of last season. Pre season has also shown (not that we don't know this) that to have any chance of replicating last season we need all of Emi, Konsa and Ollie out for every single minute next season. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrBlack Posted August 5 Share Posted August 5 (edited) For the same reason that it was crazy when people underestimated us at the start of last season, it would be crazy to just assume we'll go back to top 4 form straight away at the start of this one. We had 6 months of exceptional form leading in to last season. That form continued until tiredness and injuries took hold. We're now coming off the back of 4+ months of poor form, and the main injury we had (Kamara) is still a factor. We've tried to replace him with Onana, but then we've lost the player we had alongside Kamara in Luiz. It's a lot of upheaval, and there's lots of new faces to get up to speed. It could all click into place overnight, but it's more likely that we'll work our way into form at the start of this season, carrying on where we left off. I do back Emery to get it working and I guess I'd expect a kind of reverse season to last year, with a similar end result. If he can get us purring sooner rather than later, we have better depth to cope with the season than last year, and so we could well turn that into a title challenge. It's a definite longshot though. Edited August 5 by MrBlack 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VillaChris Posted August 5 Share Posted August 5 5th place should also come into play for CL this season, that's something to consider as English teams across the three competitions should do much better than last season which was the worst showing for probably a decade. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrBlack Posted August 5 Share Posted August 5 1 minute ago, VillaChris said: 5th place should also come into play for CL this season, that's something to consider as English teams across the three competitions should do much better than last season which was the worst showing for probably a decade. Again, it's possible our destiny will end up being in our own hands. Us getting out the group stage will be a big help for the 5th place spot. With no dropping in to the Europa League now, it's really important to not go our at the first hurdle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobzy Posted August 5 Share Posted August 5 On 04/08/2024 at 08:38, Tomaszk said: Do you not really? We've played mostly badly from Feb/Mar to last night. That's the big reason why, forget a what anyone else has done. Personally, I don't at all. Even with what you're saying here... we played badly for 25% of the season and got top 4? How awful. We're in the best shape we've been in for God knows how long and will be competing for another top 6 finish this season. It's ridiculous to be pessimistic about the upcoming campaign. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imavillan Posted August 5 Share Posted August 5 Upcoming season Premier League review in The Guardian has us finishing 6th. Premier League previews 2024-25 Premier League 2024-25 preview No 2: Aston Villa As the club returns to Europe’s top competition, meticulous manager Unai Emery insists it is important to have dreams By Ben Fisher Mon 5 Aug 2024 12.00 BST Guardian writers’ predicted position: 6th (NB: this is not necessarily Ben Fisher’s prediction but the average of our writers’ tips) Last season’s position: 4th Prospects Just as it appeared Unai Emery was winding down, he scrunched his face once more and delivered a stirring sign-off. “I want to enjoy more and more,” he said on stage at Aston Villa’s impeccably timed end-of-season awards’ dinner in May, minutes after their place in the Champions League was confirmed. “Now the new challenge starts for us, to build again a team, to be strong, to always increase our level.” Then came a mic drop of sorts, as Emery threw up his left fist in celebration of Villa qualifying to play in European football’s premier competition for the first time in 41 years. “Up the Villa, up the Villa,” he yelled. That moment, shared with supporters, staff and players in a Holte End suite, provided a snapshot of the mind of an obsessive manager, absorbed by his job even on a night of celebration. It also explains why Villa have no desire to rest on their laurels, supported by their aggressive but strategic approach to the transfer market, bringing in eight players and moving eight on, in part owing to profitability and sustainability rules. Emery did not sign a five-year contract extension until 2029 to tread water. It is only four years since they signed Mbwana Samatta and Borja Bastón, desperate for goals amid the threat of relegation to the Championship, but having averted that existential crisis they now fish in a different pond, competing for the creme de la creme across Europe. Last season they almost lured the Spain winger Nico Williams and this summer Emery targeted João Félix, after completing deals for Amadou Onana and Ian Maatsen worth a combined £88m, and signing the young Juventus pair Enzo Barrenechea and Samuel Iling-Junior. The obvious concern is how they will cope with at least eight high-powered midweek games being added to the calendar. Emery, who has transformed Villa into a dynamic force, will relish the challenge. After reaching the Europa Conference League semi-finals last season, he also has his eyes set on winning a trophy. “Of course now [the objective is] to win the Champions League, like Aston Villa did in 1982,” he said to huge cheers on that night their place back in the big time was confirmed. “Yes, but if we are there it is easier than if we are not,” he smiled. “The most important thing is: have dreams.” 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomaszk Posted August 6 Share Posted August 6 6th would be a good season. The competition at the top is absolutely insane. 4th is achievable but incredibly difficult. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abdulaziz1 Posted August 6 Share Posted August 6 We have different points to consider, I think this season any qualification to Europe is welcomed (preferably CL or EL). To do that Top 5-7-8 could all have a chance to qualify. Won’t be the end of the world. The CL success made us believe, usually when teams fall apart it’s hard to get that belief. But only achieving that I think made it easier for us to aim higher. Thats not to say I’m going to watch and only consider 6th or 8th, let’s see how we began and what’s available. We should aim as high as we can. If we found ourselves top of table like what we almost did last season then go for it until it’s not possible. Same goes with the other three competitions. We have a squad to rotate, just need to do it frequently and right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ender4 Posted August 6 Share Posted August 6 (edited) 6 hours ago, Tomaszk said: 6th would be a good season. The competition at the top is absolutely insane. 4th is achievable but incredibly difficult. With our current squad, I agree 4th would be insane and 6th would be difficult but achievable. However, I did think 4th last season was virtually impossible as well so I guess anything can happen with a bit of good luck. Edited August 6 by ender4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MSvillain Posted August 7 Share Posted August 7 20 hours ago, Tomaszk said: 6th would be a good season. The competition at the top is absolutely insane. 4th is achievable but incredibly difficult. 5th and you've got a deal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomaszk Posted August 7 Share Posted August 7 6 minutes ago, MSvillain said: 5th and you've got a deal Right now, that's a great season. Really good. Decent chance it gets UCL as well. It becomes a bad season if, like last year, we start like a runaway train and should be top at Christmas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MSvillain Posted August 7 Share Posted August 7 8 minutes ago, Tomaszk said: Right now, that's a great season. Really good. Decent chance it gets UCL as well. It becomes a bad season if, like last year, we start like a runaway train and should be top at Christmas. Just to add some data behind this, 1.76 is the average ppg for 5th place across the last 4 years, with a high of 1.82 which looks like a bit of an anomaly. Below are Emery's ppg: 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ender4 Posted August 7 Share Posted August 7 19 minutes ago, MSvillain said: Just to add some data behind this, 1.76 is the average ppg for 5th place across the last 4 years, with a high of 1.82 which looks like a bit of an anomaly. Below are Emery's ppg: What about Sevilla and PSG? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pinebro Posted August 7 Share Posted August 7 I feel like we are far from ready. CL football may have come way too early. I think there is every possibility we may have a slow start Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MSvillain Posted August 7 Share Posted August 7 57 minutes ago, ender4 said: What about Sevilla and PSG? Very similar, PSG is obviously not applicable Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MSvillain Posted August 7 Share Posted August 7 He’s pretty much consistently achieved over 1.78ppg his entire career Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ender4 Posted August 7 Share Posted August 7 1 minute ago, MSvillain said: Very similar, PSG is obviously not applicable Hold on... Sevilla - 1.78 PPG Villareal - 1.78 PPG Aston Villa - 1.78 PPG. 1.78 is obviously the magic number! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MSvillain Posted August 7 Share Posted August 7 (edited) 7 minutes ago, ender4 said: Hold on... Sevilla - 1.78 PPG Villareal - 1.78 PPG Aston Villa - 1.78 PPG. 1.78 is obviously the magic number! We will hit that 2.42 in a couple of years Edited August 7 by MSvillain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abdulaziz1 Posted August 7 Share Posted August 7 36 minutes ago, Pinebro said: I feel like we are far from ready. CL football may have come way too early. I think there is every possibility we may have a slow start The slow start won’t be because of CL, we have a month before that begins. Our team last season regressed whenever an important players miss few games particularly, Kamara, Martinez, Torres. But also others. Right now without Kamara and Luiz it will be a challenge wether we have CL or not. So U’m glad we had it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fightoffyour Posted August 7 VT Supporter Share Posted August 7 (edited) 47 minutes ago, ender4 said: Hold on... Sevilla - 1.78 PPG Villareal - 1.78 PPG Aston Villa - 1.78 PPG. 1.78 is obviously the magic number! Villa 178, could be a pop-punk band Edited August 7 by fightoffyour Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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