VillaChris

In other news.... Sunderland got Eboue on trial!

And for last season?

Ironic thing there is we have a better home record in the last 5 years v Chelsea than Newcastle and we've also won twice at Stoke in the last 3 seasons compared to the zero at Swansea since they came up. There's no real way of knowing how it will pan out. We will need to get a couple of "rabbit out of hat" results though in the run, results like Spurs away last year which were a bonus three points and set us on our way. We play Chelsea in early April. They should be safe by then so would like to think they'll concentrate on the FA cup and CL if they're still in it so that game could quite easily be one we get at least a draw from.

You're a round ahead BOF, all those teams play those fixtures when we're away to Stoke! Sunderland and Newcastle both have very tough games this weekend, Norwich-West Ham will be a draw I think.

Good news at least is all the major papers are covering this, in previous occasions it's just been a footnote story so good there's double page spreads on it and the topic is being taken seriously. We all know how image obsessed the Premier league gets so all this bad publicity will force them to do something I reckon although can't see it being put down to 20 quid.

Derby spent about 30m I believe this summer. They already had an excellent central midfield with Will Hughes (although he got a long term injury), Jeff Hendrick, Bryson and George Thorne so they added Bradley Johnson for 6m and Butterfield was about 10m aswell. Again in attack they had Chris Martin, Johnny Russell so they add Tom Ince, Bent and Weimann for a decent amount. What I don't understand is why in January they signed even more strikers, Blackman came in from Reading for 3m and got a French guy in called Camara. Any defence that has Carson and Warnock in is always going to struggle to keep clean sheets so don't understand why they don't get in a good CB. That and I think they lack bottle, all the way back to when they froze when QPR went down to 10 men in the play off final.

West Ham goal won me 800 quid btw, they were 25/1 to score just before the free kick was taken. I actually like watching them this season under Bilic, great combination of pace, power and technique which any good English side should have imo. Good outside bet for the cup I think, should beat Blackburn.

I've defended Benteke many times this season but he does look really clueless atm. At least with us when he was going through his poor patches like over xmas last couple of seasons he'd still be playing week in week out to play himself into form. Back to the bench on Sunday and Sturridge will be first striking sub as long as he dosen't break a leg toeing his shoelace.

I see Derby have put Paul Clement out of his misery and go back to making Ancelotti tea. The relevance to this thread? Gary Rowett lives in Derby....

How many points are we ahead of Derby from their low points tally now, just shows you how bad they were and how a few on here were getting a little ahead of themselves declaring we were going to be the worst ever prem team. I presume we've beaten one of Sunderland's seasons aswell now.

Maybe but if they lose their next two to Man. United and West Ham away (sure the 'ammers would like to send Big Sam on his way) and we get 4 points from Liverpool and Stoke which is possible if not likely then what does Keown say then? Even if it's a 1 point difference in two weeks time he can't say with a straight face we're just playing for pride and Sunderland are staying up. I like Keown as a pundit FWIW anyway. To me you say that about us or Bournemouth or us and West Brom as you're talking 12-13 point gaps there.

They rarely win at the Stadium of Light though, they're as bad at home as we are. Just looking at what they have left, Man. United at home on Saturday who are picking up now so draw at best imo and towards the end of the season they have Leicester and Arsenal back to back. Also got Chelsea at home who hardly ever lose at Stadium of Light. Unless I've missed it most of their winnable games are away from home and with their slow defence it's a struggle for Sunderland to get up the pitch. I couldn't believe Keown last night. Fair enough him saying we were dead and buried as that's the general view but then saying Sunderland had a great chance of staying up?! They're only 4 points ahead of us, it really should be just 3 so to me it's not a big enough points gap to have an extreme view like that. It's a smaller gap than between Leicester to Arsenal and Man. City and those two could still easily win the league.

Can see Leicester signing him.

It's not just Man. United they have to finish above though....it's a very consistant West Ham these days. Southampton and Everton have both started picking up now and I'd back both to do enough to finish above Chelsea. They're having a very similar season to what we had in 10/11 so I'd say 9th place they'll finish.

Think Richard lives in Leicester terriority.... I used to despise them in the 90s when MON was there as we could never blooming beat them! Our record back then against them was as bad as it is v Man. United now. Every season if it wasn't Steve Claridge shining one in or Matt Elliot turning into Van Nistelrooy every time he played us, it would be Heskey falling over a keeper or getting Southgate sent off...couldn't stand them. Again with relegation and being out of sight you kind of forget them and be indifferent. They have spent 10 of the last 12 seasons out of the Premier league.

I notice on his instragram his grandad passed away last weekend so that could explain his impulse reaction on Tuesday. He may be a millionaire but he's still human.

Saw a bit of the second half, Penaranda looks a player, see Watford have actually signed him.

Vidal ftw.

Amazes me Sakho keeps starting for France despite all the excellent CBs they have, think it's a bit of a heads up for scoring two goals when they scraped past Ukraine in the world cup play offs.

You wonder how much rushing him back from injury in September messed him up as he started the season very well I think we'd all agree on that.

I forgot Drinkwater, will draw the line at Danny Simpson though!

If Arsenal could stop gift wrapping them 6 points a season then yes they would be in serious trouble. Hopefully they beat Newcastle next weekend.

I watch their games and they barely show anything for about 80 minutes and only liven up at the end. Today with 10 men they created more than with 11, had a goal disallowed that on another day would've been allowed and Rodrigo had a chance saved at the end. They are playing like us really, so tentative at the start and only liven up once they go behind, all the hallmarks of a struggling team despite some of the names you see in their 11.

Be interesting to see if any of the unheraled players get international recognition if they win the league. Could be a bit like when we won it in 82 and hardly any of our players went to the world cup. Albrighton for England? Will Huth get even a sniff of a German call up? Unlikely but if Mertasacker can get 80 odd caps.....Is Kante French? Going to be difficult for him to break in when France are so stocked up in central midfield.

Fuming....Neville losing and where is Zatman?! Losing to Betis who apparently haven't won in 12 games. They're only 4 points off relegation now. They have to sack him now as they need to pick up points. As I've previously said last 7 games include Sevilla and Villareal at home and Real Madrid and Barca away.