fightoffyour

I have been to our 3 worst home defeats (by 2+ goals) this season, against Everton, Tottenham and Wigan. These are the only games I have been to so far. I'm going to the Liverpool game. Good luck everyone.

Are Jordan Graham and Daniel Johnson still involved at this level?

Let's not get carried away... I wasn't I was just asking! April 2010. Beat Pompey 2-1 away, Hull 2-0 and then Small Heath at home 1-0. Thanks. 3 teams who are long gone from the Premier League.

When was the last time we won 3 in a row?

Still going strong. Hope you've got it wrong from Stoke on though because we will need more than 35.

It was Clint Hill and he would have let the goal stand as that is what he wanted/was paid for.

four more years! four more years!

Don't think 35 will be enough. Just posted in the relegation thread that after 30 games last season 17th and 18th were on 28 points but 37 was needed to finish 17th. Could be looking at 38-39 this season.

Another assist. Good lad.

where are the GIFs?

last season, 17th and 18th had 28 points and joint -19 GD after 30 games, when 37 points was enough for 17th place (18th had 36). This season, us and Wigan may be joint 30 points after 30 games, so it looks like a projected 38-39 points could be needed. I think Wigan will escape again, but Sunderland will go down.

Yeah you would have one incorrect one like tennis. If your review is correct then you don't lose it.

It was actually Vlaar who fouled the player when Sylla got booked, just to compund the refs total incompetence.

Yes the title race could well be over by the time Wigan have their game in hand against City in mid April, as it is just after the Manchester derby which may decide it. We then also play Utd just after, so it is very unlikely that we will have it all our way in that City will still need to beat Wigan AND that Utd won't have anything to play for against us.

5 was signalled but he played 6! Was ridiculous. Would have been typical to concede at the end too. Great win! UTV

I've been waiting all week for this, cheers!

Sunderland are playing Norwich so it's probably best for us if Norwich win - they will pull to safety but Sunderland will be right in it. The rest i think are fine, especially Newcastle who are in no trouble whatsoever.

That was a brainfart on Swansea. I meant Norwich away in the cup. That's the problem with making long posts and not checking but whatever. Don't debate then. It's painful to debate with people who cherry pick things you say rather than responding to the overall point. I never said McLeish played counter-attacking football because a lot of the time he didn't, he played for draws as I said previously. It is possiible to play successful defensive football. Chelsea won the champions league this year with pretty negative football, Inter did a few years ago, Greece won the Euros less than ten years ago with an awful team. If people think its more entertaining to concede a record number of goals then okay that's your opinion but it's not mine. My overall point was a manager should recognise the strengths of the team and pick tactics to suit the players. We should be protecting the defence right now because it is atrocious. That means packing the midfield a bit which is entirely negative. There are a few sides in the league we can go toe to toe with and try and outplay right now by opening the game up but only a few. My eyes tell me that this season has seen better football than last.

Didn't Swansea win the league cup?

We may play that way (the away way) as they need a win more than us, they will have to come at us. Could work in our favour.

They are bottom yes but would probably be mid table with Redknapp and their current squad from the start.

Delph and Sylla? No thanks! How about Sylla, Bannan and Westwood. Played in League wins: Westwood 6 Bannan 5 Delph 2 Thanks for including the number of appearances and league position of the opponents faced to provide relative merit of your stats.

Should have made it much more comfotable but held out for a vital win. Sylla looked like the player we hoped he might be. Very comfortable and read the game well in tackles and interceptions without commiting many fouls. Guzan as ever bossed it and Benteke had one of his on days which meant he was unplayable. Not sold on Bannan, would prefer Delph to come back in for him. Surprised to see the defence getting so criticised when in the end we only conceded a freak own goal.

Lowton has made the most combined tackles and interceptions of any Premier League defender (and therefore player I would assume) this season. Villa Reading Preview - stats

I just don't know why he didn't push the ball away with his arm or grab it when he slipped. The ref was close to giving a free kick anyway that he probably would have done if Clark had stopped play (I know it wasn't a foul by the way, but it could have easily been made to look that way). At worst he would have got a yellow for the handball.