Villa 2-1 Wolves: League Cup Verdict Thread

[Papper]

Us winning the Europa League would be one of the biggest results for an English club in Europe ever. The idea that it is some gimme chance to qualify for the Champions League is absurd.

Dare to dream Mobnet. That's where flogging speakers got ya.

 

[Norman Deeley]

Just watched the highlights. John Ruddy just looked what he is - a goalie coming to the end of his career whose reactions aren't what they once where. But he saved Madine's penalty - that'll do for me

 

[Paul]

If it's any consolation I have to now phone my shipping line contact in Liverpool, who was at their game last night, how long do you think I'm going to listen to that for ?

 

[Tony Towner]

Would have been Liverpool at home at a point that nobody knows

 

[Norman Deeley]

Goodness me, another easy draw for Manchester City! What a shock that is...

 

[Deleted Cyber]

If and its a big if Leicester/Villa win it they will get my congratulations and would have earned it as they have Everton/Man United/Man City/Liverpool/ to get past first. Have you ever thought that we don't have the finances or FFP room to purchase a shadow squad full of internationals to compete in every competition and that Nuno mentions working with a small squad as its effectively a necessity?

Yes I wanted to win but I don't see it as a missed opportunity.

Sorry not having that. We stay within ffp and I completely get that but we pay good money for people 30 million on cutrone Neto and Jordan for instance. You could have bolstered that squad with some experienced pros for the cups and the bench like Burnley did with Crouch last year for instance. Not saying I want Crouch btw! But we could have had three more experienced squad members for no money plus wages. And we have done it before in Moutinho. That experience and we are still in the hat. Ruddy getting beaten low down to often too easily especially close to him. That’s a worry.

 

[Deleted Cyber]

Liverpool at home , a team we beat in last years cup run. If only.

 

[Premier Quality]

The problem with having loads of players just for the cups (like villas squad last night) is that you don’t just pay transfer fees, you have to pay their wages as well, for the sake of about five games a season. You also have a bunch of players getting the hump because they don’t play - Nuno takes a different tack that his players will get game time, have less issues and the young players gain experience- and occasionally it will bite us in the backside when we have lots of games and some injuries at the same time.

I’d prefer our approach to your suggestion tbh. In a few years trezeguet will have left villa for peanuts, but Neto may well be superb. Likewise Jordao and Lansbury, Cutrone and Kodja.

 

[Deleted Cyber]

To me the best players go to or stay with the best teams. The best teams get the best sponsors. The best sponsors pay the best money etc etc.

To be a best team you need to win something. Leicester did that and they are up there now. Several of their players improve our first team. They are able to still attract quality. Not that we haven’t but tielemans and Maddison for maguire is great business and with apologies beats cutrone Neto and Jordao for me as an example.

We have a model and we have a manager that likes the model but whether it’s a model that can sustain high quality players when we win nothing remains to be seen. Logic says not.

 

[Tony Towner]

The assumption you are making is that the club/Nuno are bothered about domestic cups - particularly the league cup. I see no point in clogging the squad up with can't run anymore options like Phil Jagielka for a few games in a competition which we don't really value. That is the quality of player that is available on a free that wouldn't want huge wages

 

[Deleted Cyber]

The assumption you are making is that the club/Nuno are bothered about cups. I see no point in clogging the squad up with can't run anymore options like Phil Jagielka for a few games in a competition which we don't really value. That is the quality of player that is available on a free that wouldn't want huge wages

Jagielka last night would have been fine. Cover for Coady. Cahill too and I rate both as meh. My issue with your post is that you effectively put all the eggs into a competition that we will be unlikely to win , unlikely to finish top four and be content with being the best of the rest tag while discounting your chances in 66% of the competition you are entered into automatically. You can’t count the el as you have to qualify for that.

I have issues with that model as it’s so flawed

 

[The Bion]

Us winning the Europa League would be one of the biggest results for an English club in Europe ever. The idea that it is some gimme chance to qualify for the Champions League is absurd.

Not sure anyone is saying it's a gimme. But we've proven we can raise our game and turn over bigger teams in our own league - the same teams who for the most part tend to do quite well against the best from other leagues. So we've got a shot.

I fully realise this kind of logic means that since we beat Man City who beat Liverpool we are effectively champions of europe, but that's another story.

 

[MobNet Wolf]

The assumption you are making is that the club/Nuno are bothered about domestic cups - particularly the league cup. I see no point in clogging the squad up with can't run anymore options like Phil Jagielka for a few games in a competition which we don't really value. That is the quality of player that is available on a free that wouldn't want huge wages

I think you’ve got to walk before you can run. The idea that we’re not bothered about cups is ahead of where the club is at IMO.

Most of us have never seen us win a cup, ever.

 

[Tony Towner]

I think you’ve got to walk before you can run. The idea that we’re not bothered about cups is ahead of where the club is at IMO.

Most of us have never seen us win a cup, ever.

I think this season is the exception though. I'm sure without the EL we would have made 5 or so changes to the team we did put out last night. The FA Cup team vs. Liverpool in Jan was stronger than anyone expected so Nuno has shown he will have a go when he thinks the time is right.

I think prioritising the league over last night is the right thing to do when considering the EL schedule. I appreciate that there are no guarantees, we could still lose on Saturday, but I believe last nights decision made us better placed to win.

I've said before that ideally I'd have liked a slightly larger squad, but where I disagree with Cyber is I believe it should be done by improving the first 11 and the Doncks and Bennett's become the squad players not bringing in over the hill players to bulk up numbers. If it's Kilman or Jagielka for example last night it's Kilman every time for me.

 

[YoungWolf]

I think this season is the exception though. I'm sure without the EL we would have made 5 or so changes to the team we did put out last night. The FA Cup team vs. Liverpool in Jan was stronger than anyone expected so Nuno has shown he will have a go when he thinks the time is right.

I think prioritising the league over last night is the right thing to do when considering the EL schedule. I appreciate that there are no guarantees, we could still lose on Saturday, but I believe last nights decision made us better placed to win.

I've said before that ideally I'd have liked a slightly larger squad, but where I disagree with Cyber is I believe it should be done by improving the first 11 and the Doncks and Bennett's become the squad players not bringing in over the hill players to bulk up numbers. If it's Kilman or Jagielka for example last night it's Kilman every time for me.

Completely agree with this.

 

[Dinowolf]

It's so disappointing to have lost last night, esp. to Villa. We didn't just lose either, we were outplayed for long periods of the game.

I'm all for giving the youngsters a go, but all together like that was asking for trouble.

 

[PuntsWolf]

Nothing wrong with playing the youngsters, just not so many. A midfield and right side of Jordao, Perry, Sanderson and Campbell with a combined 2 senior starts ever was always going to struggle. I think if we play Neves and If MGW was fit we’d have probably had enough. Neither of those get into our best team and Neves has had more time than most out the team and he’s isn’t getting in the Portugal side at the minute.

 

[Johnny75]

I think this season is the exception though. I'm sure without the EL we would have made 5 or so changes to the team we did put out last night. The FA Cup team vs. Liverpool in Jan was stronger than anyone expected so Nuno has shown he will have a go when he thinks the time is right.

I think prioritising the league over last night is the right thing to do when considering the EL schedule. I appreciate that there are no guarantees, we could still lose on Saturday, but I believe last nights decision made us better placed to win.

I've said before that ideally I'd have liked a slightly larger squad, but where I disagree with Cyber is I believe it should be done by improving the first 11 and the Doncks and Bennett's become the squad players not bringing in over the hill players to bulk up numbers. If it's Kilman or Jagielka for example last night it's Kilman every time for me.

Completely agree with this too. Our recruitment in the summer was poor in hindsight.

 

[Deleted Cyber]

I see your points and can’t disagree but it’s frustrating as we knew we had four competitons this season and yet have set ourselves a hard task with such a small squad.
If we don’t qualify for Europe next season and lose some of our quality stars I will have the steaming hump.

 

[Norman Deeley]

Completely agree with this too. Our recruitment in the summer was poor in hindsight.

Yep - was thinking last night that we more or less spent on Cutrone and the Mendes twins what Leicester spent on Tielemans