Hands up if you want Villa to win the league
Wednesday, January 28, 2009 at 3:16PM It's unlikely with Utd currently clean-sheeting their way through opponents and finally knocking 'em in for fun. And Liverpool and Chelsea will do their utmost to get ahead of them. Especially Liverpool who believe this is their year. Potentially, Arsenal might drop out of the Top 4 and lose Champions League football and a shed load of cash with it. I say might because there is plenty of time for more swapping of places allowing for the Gunners to climb back into contention. And there's always the possibility Villa might choke.
Personally, Martin O'Neill and his men HAVE to crack the Top 4 because, well.....because it's time for the Cartel to have its monopoly broken-up. Sick of Grand Slam Sundays and Richard Keys dismissiveness of anything that isn't Utd, Chelsea, Liverpool or Arse? Bored of massive massive analysis from Jamie Redknapp? How great would it be if there were 5 or 6 clubs fighting toe-to-toe for those 4 positions? Fantasy football, right?
Cracking it is one thing. Villa would then need to maintain their position with Europe's elite for longer than a season. No point having a one-night stand and finishing 6th the following year. That's the tricky part and any of the current Top 4 that (might) lose out this season would be gunning to finish back up there the season after. The distraction of being in the Champs League might have a negative effect on league form. Still a nice scenario for Villa to be in. Their transfer policy would have to change to compete on both fronts.
As for the impact failure to reach the premier European (world) Champions of Champions competition........it could simply be disastrous. Imagine if Arsenal didn't make it. Financially, it wouldn't be too great for them (I doubt they would be that strapped for cash) and their ego might be a little dented, but their pedigree won't be hurt too bad. It's the itchy feet syndrome that may well break out across their squad that will be the main concern. I'd much rather see Chelsea not make it. If anything, for the potential of a Roman holiday.....one that he doesn't return from.
If the qualification for the Champs League does change to the Top 3 rather than 4, then things will get interesting in England. Finally.
Still, the Cartel are very much there on merit at the minute, and Aston Villa have to keep believing and plugging away and hope for a bit of luck that the teams around them self-destruct once or twice.
This has almost happened before, hasn't it? My advice to Villa would be.......avoid the hotel lasagna.
Reader Comments (13)
Few years ago, no chance theTop 4 looked like changing. I'd say its far more probable at the moment and the next couple of seasons might shape up for a few changes at the top end.
City will want to be involved, Spurs might if they get their act together and Villa and Everton will also challenge for that 4th place. I'd says its squeakybum time for us (Arsenal).
Arsenal are the only ones likely to fuck it up and drop out of the top 4. But if they get their players back from injury they could comfortably catch Villa. Pressure is on MON more than its on Wenger.
I disagree. If Arsenal dont make it, then they could easily lose 3 of their players. Money and new challenges is far more of an easier option to take than it was say 3-4 years ago. Wenger might also look towards new challenges.
There is absolutely no pressure on MON or Aston Villa. If Villa finish 5th or 6th it will have still been a good season, if as i suspect they go all the way and finish in the top 4 at Arsenal's expense it will be a disaster for them. Bye bye Cesc, Van Persie, Adebayor and probably Arsene Winger. And they will miss the 35 million they had banked on getting for being in the champions league. Villa will maybe lose Barry if they don't get into the top 4, that would hardly be as big a loss as Arsenal would suffer.
Villa fan here, and I'm just picking up on your point about the 3 teams qualifying for champs league...
as far as i know, and i think wikipedia confirms this, the top 3 will be automatic qualification with 4th as going into the 3rd qualifying round..
shame i know... =(
We have to qualify for the Champs League. No question. I can think of two players who would engineer a move away if we dont. And I dont think its a coincidence Ramos has a 6 month contract at Madrid.
~ Rich (Arsenal fan)
i probably would disagree with how the pressure is on MON rather than wenger.... as a villa supporter we are just happy to see how the club is progressing over the long term so an improvement over last year will be job done for us... with this in mind however for this season we are just taking each game as it comes and with how we won yesterday and you have a difficult game tonight....so at this very moment i would be much happier being MON with the three points rather than the nerves Wenger faces this evening .....
regards injuries coming back it would be slightly myopic to ignore how Villa arent short of their own injury problems of key players such as how Laursen, Carew, Bouma all out with Young suspended when previously our side without these was unimaginable we are seemingly going along rather nicely ....
at the start of the season us villa fans would have been more than happy with 5th place...so anything more is a bonus...
so to say MON is feeling the pressure more so than wenger is ridiculous, arsenal fans expect to finish in the top 4, so if they dont the consequences would be far worse than if villa dont.
also ill point out that at the start of the season id have been more than happy with a cup win (preferably the eufa cup) and 5th place...
Rich - Lifelong villa fan
Always liked MON. Hope you chaps stick it out up there.
1 Team should qualify for the CHAMPIONS League, but I guess thats for another day...
Would be nice to see someone else in the top 4, but a lot of Villa fans are getting arrogant and taking great delight in telling us all how great they are, poor we are etc etc...
Mind you, anything is better than the goons in the top 4!!!
I hope Villa win it for sure minimum required is to deny the arsenal a championsleague spot dont lets us down Villa!!
Arsenal 1-0 down.
Last minute equaliser, surprise surprise. Everton need to learn to kill teams off.
Rafa and the Pool have imploded.
Villains all smiles.