Deserved 4th place

It's a magnificent achievement by Unai, Monchi, the owners Nas and Wes, and all the players to get 4th in this day and age where we have to compete against massively unfair financial advantages given to the Big 6. The big challenge now is to compete for the top 4 every season and try to do it again and again, while hopefully winning a trophy or 2 along the way. Keeping Unai will help us to achieve that, as well as the work by the commercial team to bridge the gap in revenue between us and the Big 6.

I don't necessarily agree with the OP that Spurs should have got it more than us, based on the first 10 games of the season yes, but we've not really been outside the top 4 since November and if it hadn't been for injuries I think we could have done even better. We've shown what a good side we are by beating Arsenal twice and outplaying the champions at home like no other team has done to them. Injuries have meant we stumbled towards the finishing line and we've definitely looked jaded in the last few weeks but I think we thoroughly deserve to have finished 4th given the efforts we have put in this season in Europe as well. The only shame is we couldn't end our 28 year wait for a trophy.

UTV!

comment by Boris 'Inky’ Gibson (U5901)
posted 2 hours, 31 minutes ago
Clubs who qualify for the CL immediately know they have at least £50m more in the transfer kitty
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Not true.

UCL money is available in one season, transfers (and wages) are paid for and accounted for over several years.

If you splash the cash but don't make UCL next season then you put FFP/PSR at risk. It certainly would not be wise to blow it after you first venture in to the UCL for decades.

I think it generally means that a team can probably afford players at the better end of their list of targets.

comment by Devonshirespur (U6316)
posted 4 minutes ago
comment by Boris 'Inky’ Gibson (U5901)
posted 2 hours, 31 minutes ago
Clubs who qualify for the CL immediately know they have at least £50m more in the transfer kitty
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Not true.

UCL money is available in one season, transfers (and wages) are paid for and accounted for over several years.

If you splash the cash but don't make UCL next season then you put FFP/PSR at risk. It certainly would not be wise to blow it after you first venture in to the UCL for decades.

I think it generally means that a team can probably afford players at the better end of their list of targets.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
https://www.sportingnews.com/uk/football/news/champions-league-prize-money-breakdown-ucl-winners-uefa/6e9cd9ee671ddd07fc6507ff

£50m was a ballpark figure based on the minimum you'll earn for even reaching the Group Stage.

Of course teams don't actually get the money until the end of the season but they can safely borrow money on the strength of it.

comment by red_evils (U19878)
posted 2 hours, 26 minutes ago
comment by it'sonlyagame (U6426)
posted 6 minutes ago
comment by Boris 'Inky’ Gibson (U5901)
posted 2 minutes ago
Clubs who qualify for the CL immediately know they have at least £50m more in the transfer kitty
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Is it really a £50M kitty though? You have to start by knocking off whatever's due in bonus payments to the playing and coaching staff. There will also be contract improvements demanded, some given, which knocks another chunk off, and the increased wage expectations of whichever 'CL calibre' players are brought in. Not to mention however much the execs and directors might take out. So it's not quite the transfer kitty it appears to be.

In addition to that, is it really worth it when it's relatively likely it's going to be a once or twice off?

With or without those £50M, considered in terms of the playing staff already at their disposal and the wages they're able to pay, there will still be 6 or 7 better resourced clubs competing for the CL slots next season (City, Arsenal, Liverpool, United, Chelsea, Spurs, and probably Newcastle).

Not to say a club like Villa shouldn't set its aims high, but it isn't so clear to me that the chance of having a season in the CL trumps lifting a continental trophy.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I wouldn't spend that much effort to explain how money transfer work to a City fan
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Is it like trying to explain civil engineering and stadium contruction to a United fan?

Haha he typed contruction!

Thicky Gibson

Not sure if it’s been mentioned but I’m a mini league between the top 4 villa we’re actually top.

Couple of drubbings there but still pretty impressive

UTV

In

comment by Devonshirespur (U6316)
posted 4 hours, 52 minutes ago
comment by red_evils (U19878)
posted 17 minutes ago
The table doesn't lie, you are where you deserve.

Now please go and got beaten by Palace so we can all laugh at Spurs fans again
----------------------------------------------------------------------

That would be the highlight of your embarrassing season !
----------------------------------------------------------------------
They are in a FA Cup final, Spurs would have an open top bus parade just for getting that far.

comment by villa1987 (U6870)
posted 2 hours, 35 minutes ago
It's a magnificent achievement by Unai, Monchi, the owners Nas and Wes, and all the players to get 4th in this day and age where we have to compete against massively unfair financial advantages given to the Big 6. The big challenge now is to compete for the top 4 every season and try to do it again and again, while hopefully winning a trophy or 2 along the way. Keeping Unai will help us to achieve that, as well as the work by the commercial team to bridge the gap in revenue between us and the Big 6.

I don't necessarily agree with the OP that Spurs should have got it more than us, based on the first 10 games of the season yes, but we've not really been outside the top 4 since November and if it hadn't been for injuries I think we could have done even better. We've shown what a good side we are by beating Arsenal twice and outplaying the champions at home like no other team has done to them. Injuries have meant we stumbled towards the finishing line and we've definitely looked jaded in the last few weeks but I think we thoroughly deserve to have finished 4th given the efforts we have put in this season in Europe as well. The only shame is we couldn't end our 28 year wait for a trophy.

UTV!
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Monchi! I'd completely forgotten he was with you guys. He made such an impact at Sevilla. I won't say he wasn't appreciated there, because everybody considered him instrumental to their success, but he hasn't been at Villa all that long, has he? How much credit would you award him for the upturn in fortunes, he can't have made that much of a difference in such a short time, can he?

Either way, I suppose the really hard work begins now. Let's see how things go this summer.

comment by it'sonlyagame (U6426)
posted 3 hours, 16 minutes ago
comment by villa1987 (U6870)
posted 2 hours, 35 minutes ago
It's a magnificent achievement by Unai, Monchi, the owners Nas and Wes, and all the players to get 4th in this day and age where we have to compete against massively unfair financial advantages given to the Big 6. The big challenge now is to compete for the top 4 every season and try to do it again and again, while hopefully winning a trophy or 2 along the way. Keeping Unai will help us to achieve that, as well as the work by the commercial team to bridge the gap in revenue between us and the Big 6.

I don't necessarily agree with the OP that Spurs should have got it more than us, based on the first 10 games of the season yes, but we've not really been outside the top 4 since November and if it hadn't been for injuries I think we could have done even better. We've shown what a good side we are by beating Arsenal twice and outplaying the champions at home like no other team has done to them. Injuries have meant we stumbled towards the finishing line and we've definitely looked jaded in the last few weeks but I think we thoroughly deserve to have finished 4th given the efforts we have put in this season in Europe as well. The only shame is we couldn't end our 28 year wait for a trophy.

UTV!
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Monchi! I'd completely forgotten he was with you guys. He made such an impact at Sevilla. I won't say he wasn't appreciated there, because everybody considered him instrumental to their success, but he hasn't been at Villa all that long, has he? How much credit would you award him for the upturn in fortunes, he can't have made that much of a difference in such a short time, can he?

Either way, I suppose the really hard work begins now. Let's see how things go this summer.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
He joined last summer. I think he gets a mention because Emery wanted him here and some of the players we brought in last season have really transformed the team and squad, although I think we were hoping for a little bit more from Diaby and maybe Zaniolo. I think we're yet to see what he can really do though so this summer could be really exciting!