The English Football Thread

[Cuthbert]

still 11th.

[right-track]

Still 8th

[Mojo]

Still bottom!

But:

[Cuthbert]

Cool as fuck mate hope you go on and win it now.

Best news all season for us today, Jores Okore announced he may actually be back playing this season. Actually felt a bit sick when he was ruled out after Newcastle, he was playing so well.

Jores Okore v Chelsea in Champions League • Aston Villa • HD on Vimeo

Give that a watch, vs Chelsea last season in the Champions League, I know it's only one game, but he's literally got everything & was showing that for us, Chelsea were so impressed they bid for him but he turned them down.

I think he can be the best centre back in the league.

#Giddy

[Goofle]

He can be very good, but he ain't ever gonna reach Koscielny's level.

[Cuthbert]

lol

[Goofle]

Best CB in Europe this season.

[Mojo]

Ok, I'm looking for people to weigh in here. Preferably people whose team aren't a top 6 team or people who have known a relegation battle or life in the lower leagues.

Sparked by recent conversation surrounding Sunderland reaching the last four of the League Cup, I want to ask, IF your club was bottom of the league or in a relegation fight and also reached the semi-finals of a cup competition - would you rather survive or win a cup final?

[Cuthbert]

Originally Posted by Mojo

Ok, I'm looking for people to weigh in here. Preferably people whose team aren't a top 6 team or people who have known a relegation battle or life in the lower leagues.

Sparked by recent conversation surrounding Sunderland reaching the last four of the League Cup, I want to ask, IF your club was bottom of the league or in a relegation fight and also reached the semi-finals of a cup competition - would you rather survive or win a cup final?

We were in a very, very similar position last year if you remember. Looked nailed on to go down around December-February, 19th at the end of January and in the League Cup semi's.

It's hard for me to say, cos it's been 17 years since Villa won something which is far too long for a club of Villa's size, the fans have had very little to cheer about, and in that time we've lost two cup finals. Being one of only a handful of clubs to have never been relegated since football was invented, in 1992, is nice to gloat about but means nothing really, trophies are what it's all about.

I think because of the way the league is now, with the TV money and all, most people would pick staying in the league cos that gives you the platform to improve, but there's no actual glory in that. You don't remember getting 50m but you do remember winning a trophy. Wigan's FA Cup win will live on forever to Wigan fans for example, yeah they went down, but they won the FA Cup.

Depends if you want sustainability or glory. I discussed this with a Scouse friend before, we were talking about them dropping out of the CL and Arsenal and the 4th place issue. Basically we agreed that Liverpool's lows have been lower over the past 5/6 years but the highs have been much higher, whereas Arsenal haven't actually done anything.

It's a tough one. Also people have forgot Newcastle's relegation pretty much, it's safe to say they are 'back', people would forget in time.

I'm gonna begrudgingly go for a trophy & a relegation, but preferably the FA Cup not the League Cup.

[Mojo]

I guess I wouldn't say that I've ever thought of it as much of a tough one. I understand why people would, of course, I understand why the league is more important. Why playing in the Premier League is the most important thing. In that sense then, it's easy to prioritise the league over any other competition. However, where that becomes slightly different is once you're in touching distance.

We're bottom and we're in the final four. I know that odds are stacked against us, I know we'll be given the longest odds, and I know that it's highly improbable that we'll win it. However we are one win away from a Wembley final so naturally, we're in a with a shot. We have a crucial league season to contend with as well, regardless of how we progress from here in the league cup.

It's only a hypothetical, obviously, to ask someone which they would prefer as if it was a choice of one or the other, but naturally its a question that people have started to ask. For example I witnessed a bit of banter between a Geordie and a Mackem. The Mackem was asking the Geordie who they drew in the cup, to which the Geordie asked if they meant the Europa League next season etc etc. Anyway, the Geordie inevitably told them that it didn't matter because they were getting relegated anyway, and then asked the Mackem "But surely you'd take a league cup win with a relegation, if you were given the choice of that or finishing 17th and trophy-less?" and the Mackem said they would rather finish 17th and trophy-less.

This both shocked me and didn't. As I said, I understand the prioritisation of the league, and the revenue that comes with competing in this league. I don't necessarily find it odd to hear someone say that when we are in the opening rounds of cup competitions and nobody expects us to get anywhere near a final anyway. However, this close to one, it frankly amazes me that some people rubbish any silverware that isn't the Premiership or Champions League.

We last won a trophy in 1973. Everyone remembers it. Those who weren't alive then (like myself) have watched it, read about it, are aware of it. I wonder how many Mackems could also tell you where we finished in the league in 1973.

We will continue to battle to avoid the drop. If the prospect of three more games and the possibility of winning a major trophy in a Wembley final is gonna be the deciding factor in whether we are able to fight hard enough to achieve it, then we don't deserve to stay up anyway, and most importantly - we can always win promotion back to the Premier League. God knows how long it will be before we're this close to a Wembley final again...and yet some fans, who have never seen us win any silverware before, would rather sack it off and have us finish 17th again?