Wednesday night saw Aston Villa stumbling in pursuit of securing a top four place in the Premier League losing 4-1 away to Manchester City.
But as Newcastle have shown this season despite huge spending, qualifying for Europe puts a huge strain on smaller squads especially when financial rules make it harder to spend.
And as Ange Postecoglou commented in the week, Champions League qualification doesn’t necessarily provide what clubs are seeking, if they’re unable to push on and compete.
Ayo Akinwolere is joined by The Athletic’s Tottenham writer Jack Pitt-Brooke, Aston Villa writer Jacob Tanswell and Newcastle United writer Chris Waugh to discuss how the Premier League’s growing collection of upwardly ambitious clubs sustained continued Champions League qualification amid the backdrop of strict financial spending limits.
00:00 Intro
00:12 The gap between Man City and Aston Villa
01:24 Could there be Champions League football at Villa park next season?
03:54 What are the issues at Newcastle?
07:34 Qualifying consistency for the Champions League
09:26 How have Spurs coped since 2019?
13:17 Is it “too” hard to qualify for the Champions League now?
15:36 Unai Emery in European football
20:10 The Tottenham Hotspur stadium
23:24 Can Newcastle afford to sell players in the summer?
25:22 Ambition of clubs in the Premier League
31:52 Eddie Howe & Newcastle
35:40 Final comments
36:14 Outro
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#astonvilla #premierleague #emery
37 Comments
He changes the team every bloody game that’s why most arsenal fans didn’t like him
My take is that nobody really is beside the top 3.
I still think his name should be Chris Wor
No we’re not. But thanks for asking! Europa league would be nice though. (And maybe a ECL trophy?) UTV❤
Not as it stands. However, should we make it to the UCL, we should attract more decent players over the summer, giving us more quality in depth. Also, we’ll have our long-term injured players back by next season.
Man United should just hire Emery and build with him.
In a roundabout way..no…no they are not
As a Villa fan – No we aren’t ready for Champions League on the pitch but it will benefit us massively off the pitch.
It’s been a brilliant season but we have overachieved especially with all the injuries we’ve had to contend with.
Newcastle don't need to match the revenue of the other clubs to make the top four
They can be at the top by keeping on course, continuing to spend wisely, and get a few lucky breaks
Obviously that's not a given. But the fact that there's more money in the system isn't a hindrance to any particular club. It's an incentive for clubs to do better, and clubs like Newcastle that do well on a lower budget are gooto attract more money in terms of investment and sponsorship. Always
Seeing Emery do well w Villa makes me realize how in shambles Arsenal really was when he was our manager lol
Is this guy really associated with villa? They didn't not improve facilities because of inflation, it was so they didn't cap their sales when it became clear of the European campaign. Also, they are perfectly fine with psr once the deductables have been factored in.
Tottenham aren't getting those revenues because they built a stadium; they're getting them because they built it in London. You could build the biggest arena in the world in Newcastle and it still won't generate the same kind of money because the people of the UK outside of London have many orders of magnitude less disposable income to throw at things like concerts and season tickets.
If PSR regs stay as they are then West Ham are more likely than anyone else to establish themselves long-term. Our economy is just too geographically imbalanced for other regions' clubs to obtain that trajectory organically without massive foreign commercial revenues or corrupt deals like City have used.
Unless you have two first 11 caliber players in every position, you're not ready for Europe plus two cups and the league.
Are Villa equipped for champions league football? A nonsensical question really, firstly Villa need to qualify & if we do it then you can take the nessesary steps to make yourself ready, You can look at.potential revenues, maybe taking the worst case scenario by falling at the 1st hurdle to be safe, 8 games are garrantied & UCL football is worth 30% extra than the current system, all in you maybe looking at £50 million, so that's the figure you've got on top of any other budget put aside for equipping yourself for UCL football & Villa already have an elite manager that iis a specialist in European compitition. Problem solved.!! 🤔.. ⚽💯%✔️….. ✌️😊
Javi Guerra/Khephren Thuram
Wilfried Singo
Bradley Locko
Backup GK
Dean Huijsen
Jaden Philogene comes back
I think they're ready for the CL. Solid squad.
As a Villa fan I can say without a doubt that we are no where near ready for the Champions League. It could be quite embarrassing for us to be in there next season.
Are Aston Villa ready for Champions League qualification? No, they are NOT. And I am a Villa fan. If they can not beat Man City even though they did at home, how can they beat Barcelona, Real Madrid and all the others…they have not finished in the conference league yet… let's see how that goes first
For Villa its all about the money. Unlike Newcastle, Villa have had European experience this season so that will help.
Where does Jacob find the time to defend Gironas left wing on the weekends and also being The Athletic Villa expert??😮
On the Man City Villa game – how strange was it that the media were talking about Haaland and De Bruyne being on the bench and ginormous praise for that youngster Phil Foden stepping up against CL competing Aston Villa in their absence… yet little to no mention of Aston Villa missing Martinez, Cash, Mings, Kamara, McGinn, Ramsey, Buendia, Watkins all out injured, and resting Torres, Tielemans, and Bailey – that is a whole potential starting 11 and the spine of our best players! Thought we were great 1st half, undone by a silly free kick and a weak wall. Second half was a lot to ask, but may have been different if we had not conceded that silly goal before HT, and sometimes you just get done by great finishing – Foden's two finishes were excellent – that's the sport, it happens.
Given the opposition and our unavailable players & resting some – I take a lot of positives after that game.
I'm loving this season we are having at Aston Villa it's been brilliant I hope we get CL we've deserved it. UTV
Easy for a spurs reporter to say champions league isn't important when they have the revenue they do. The only way Villa and Newcastle can raise their revenue is theough champions league
Ange is very deluded if he thinks Champions League qualification is some sort of runner up prize. Keep that attitude and Chelsea might pass Spurs out.
It is possible to redevelop Villa Park but there seems to be a sudden lack of confidence. Anfield is in an area of Liverpool that is similar to Aston, and yet they are developing Anfield. The problem is the local Birmingham Council who appear to be dragging their feet about any plans to redevelop the rail stations in Aston. Villa can fill 60,000 but getting in and out of Aston on public transport is a nightmare, and even worse by car. If Birmingham Council wants the city to host major Football competition it needs to either build a new stadium for the Midlands or simply stop dragging their feet and help Aston Villa achieve their goal.
they will perform better than Newcastle, United, or Tottenham. The Man City game was not representative of First Team Aston Villa. If you don't know, then you don't follow Villa. They will be fine by next year in the CL (assuming they make it) Lots to play for and twists and turns to happen. After Liverpool dismantles United – they will be cut them adrift of 5th place ( and probably a CL spot)
This jacob tanswell guy does not know what hes talking about. Where has it been reported that Villa have to sell anyone in the summer? Also what he said about stadium redevelopment is wrong. The north stand was put on hold after being given planning permission because we might qualify for champions league next season and we dont want 1 stand closed all season for it.
Yes were ready for that CL money.
The hardest thing for villa is revenue. We simply do not make enough. Villa park is historic and a very special place but it's awful at making money. Transport to and from is horrific. Matchday hospitality is laughable. Unless villa can buy a few of the roads near by and build out villa willl need to move away from villa park to compete at the top.
what happened to newcastle after reaching ucl
Under Unai we are ready for everything
I hate these pointless circular arguments about CL qualification, its a business at the end of the day. Who are these guys anyway??
Are Aston Villa ready ? As we talk non stop about Newcastle nil and Tottenham!!!!
Whatever happens we have to be be ready for it! You finish where you deserve to be given the squad available at your disposal. Up the villa!!!!
Easy to say trophies doesnt matter when youre the spursy owner
PSR is a way of keeping less rich clubs out. Man City have bought their success, then voted to prevent others doing the same, and then proceeded to break those rules. The whole system is skewed towards the clubs already having success, including Spurs. Even the refs give them an easier time!
The answer is no we've done very well to get this far
Typical for The Athletic to ostensibly do a video on Aston Villa but, in fact, spend nearly the whole episode talking about Spurs and Newcastle.