VillaChris

7 minutes ago, sharkyvilla said:

I'm not sure he was really that happy to start him, he got rid of him after all.  

He still started him at Man. United. Also put him on after 67 minutes v Arsenal. Tim simply doesn't have that faith in him hence him continually warming the bench against similar opponents. 

4 hours ago, Callum said:

Youri was rested last night for this game, which is great news really. 

Did Emery said this or is that just twitter speculation?

It would be great to have him, Zaniolo and Moreno back to give us more options.

Not a good idea playing just two CMs v this as likes of Alexis Mac will just play through us constantly.

1-3.

11 minutes ago, ben1505 said:

Draw against City then smash Sheffield

Are they actually playing well enough to beat Sheffield by 6 or 7? Newcastle are hence they did it a few weeks back. However Sheffield United also lost lost 3-1 to Liverpool at Anfield and 4-2 at Man. United so I'm not sure why a misfiring Spurs (just 3 goals in last 5 away games) can just go and do it no problem.

With the way they're playing Brereton Diaz will get chances on the break against them and his goals ratio since joining in January is pretty good.

54 minutes ago, Okonokos said:

The fact that some of you are suggesting that if Arsenal lose to Manure that Guardiola will settle for a point against Tottenham is blowing my mind. In what world would he ever settle for a point? If anything, Arsenal failing to win will make him expect his team to get the job done on Tuesday even more. This is just bed wetting purely for the sake of it.

Yep he'd want it done before the final day if the opportunity arises. Can rest players v West Ham to save for the cup final.

Very odd analogy they'd effectively give up a fixture and just gamble everything on the final day given how they nearly blew it v us two years ago.

11 minutes ago, david-avfc said:

Getting rid of Dendoncker wasn’t the problem, it was not replacing him which has left us in the shit. It was always clear he didn’t fit Emery’s system so we should have sorted it out properly in the summer rather than a botch job in January 

Yes Donk had his flaws but Unai was still happy to give him a couple of starts each season when injuries/suspensions hit so he had that little run in December.

Tim doesn't have that level of trust with the manager so from mid Feb we've effectively been two CMs down on first half of the season with Kamara's injury.

It's asking a huge amount to win a trophy when you're effectively going in with a small squad in key area than for the opening months.

1 hour ago, markavfc40 said:

I'm going against the grain of recent posts but I think he did okay, He isn't a winger but needs must and with all the injuries he has found himself pushed further forward. I didn't think the movement around or in front of him was the best but he put a real shift in and did his best which is all you can ask. 

Difficult night. Hard to believe he played so much for Forest as a right winger (albeit at championship) as to me he always looks awful playing advanced compared to RB where he has his critics but I think he's alright most of the time.

Needs must as you say Mark, he's one of the freshest players we have left out of our regulars.

6 minutes ago, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said:

No more training for the rest of the season, just some intense recovery session, massages and video /tactics training.

Our boys are shot. Just let them rest and turn up on game day imo.

We also need to play a formation that requires our midfielders to cover less ground.

SJM and Luiz are getting slagged off after every game. However it's cleared both are gassed (considering they've each played 50 + games and also a few for their respective countries) yet the current formation is requiring McGinn to be box to box and Luiz to sit very deep.

At least we get an extra 30 hours to recover for Liverpool but think all our focus should go on Palace now and being as competitive as possible down there.

47 minutes ago, turvontour said:

Where is he, injured?

I hope it was a case of Emery would rather keep him fresh for the final two prem games than bring him all the way to Athens just to bring him off the bench for 10 minutes (especially as the game was pretty much over in first half).

Not good if he's suffered a reaction to five minute's playing time down at Brighton.

We get him, Zaniolo and Tielemans back for the final week and that should give us enough flexibility to freshen things up and have a better bench. Going to be a struggle and relying on Man. City otherwise I think.

1 hour ago, fightoffyour said:

Brugge just been shafted by the officials in the other semi. We're going to have our work cut out here.

Didn't realise the other tie was being played tonight.

Fiorentina in their second successive Europa final so they'll want to put last year's loss right.

2 hours ago, UpTheVilla26 said:

I hope Emery lobs a total curve ball at this. 

Go 3-5-2 

Emi,

Diego, Konsa, Pau

Cash, Dougie, McGinn, Moreno

Bailey

Duran, Watkins

Might as well try something different. 

 

Yes I think Moreno starts tomorrow ahead of Digne which will be a bit different and not really something Olympiakos can prepare for as we've never started both in a game before.

Beyond that what else can we do?

Two CMs and Bailey and Diaby so we're one player short if Zaniolo hasn't travelled and Rogers injured now. Guess we could start Duran but it never looks good when it's two upfront so we don't want to hinder ourselves further.

1 hour ago, brummybloke said:

Stoke have released him. Doesn't look great for his career now.

 

Think he'll just go back to Brazil now.

3 hours ago, pas5898 said:

Personal health matters are required to remain confidential, unless given explicit permission by the individual. The fact it's remained silent, might indicate something that's still a little taboo such as "mental health".

He took leave of absence after LMA health check up so something physical was picked up in that scan you'd suspect.

Think they'll appoint someone like Alex Neil if Mowbray can't continue as rumoured.

He's a steady enough manager and got Sunderland out of league one quickly compared to other managers. Failed at Stoke though so his stock won't be as high now with other championship teams.

They certainly won't be going for another vanity appointment anytime soon after the Rooney disaster.

Gareth Ainsworth probably another on the shortlist. Worked miracles at Wycombe before it all going badly wrong at QPR.

3 minutes ago, duke313 said:

A game where Spurs had one shot the entire match.

I’ve never been more confident of a result, that of City beating Spurs next week.

Yes. From what I remember Man. City (with a mix and match team) were fully in control and Spurs didn't threaten at all. Haaland and De Bruyne didn't start that game.

Bit nerve jangling if waiting until 88th minute for them to score as happened that night.

35 minutes ago, Zatman said:

Lewandowski up top and Pepe at centre back next season

They're getting linked to Frankie De Jong again.

Would be hilarious them signing him a day after sacking Ten Hag.

Not even convinced he'd be that good in the prem with his physique. Amrabat looked a good player in Serie A but he can't move at premier league pace.

14 hours ago, Nicho said:

We lost twice to them with as shit as they are, fear being the wrong word but they always seem to beat us no matter how they are doing.

The VP game they pretty much had their strongest team out (compared to now) with those in their correct positions. Even then they were very average but we missed a hatful of chances just shooting straight at Onana and Emery made the bizarre call to sub Bailey with 15 minutes left when he was giving Lindelof the run around.

We also didn't have either Pau or Konsa starting that. They'll comfortably keep Hojlund under wraps next season.

36 minutes ago, T-Dog said:

If the away fixture is during the week I'm gonna kick off at that bloody fixtures computer. Smash it to pieces. 

Probably get them away on Boxing day!

4 hours ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

Build a strong squad with Champions league money  and then get some luck with injuries, we could challenge for the title in a couple of seasons once City have been relegated. 

I think if Emery is here another five years we'll get plenty more opportunities to win cups. It will be disappointing to fall short in the Europa given the heroics against Lille but you'd like to think in 18 months our squad will be strong enough that we just don't chuck the league cup in September like we did this season.

No replays in FA cup aswell now from round 3 so that should give more incentive given it will all be settled on the day.

8 hours ago, S-Platt said:

Spurs are at home that's the only worry for me where City have a shocking record.

They did beat them in the FA cup this season. Scored from a corner with Vicario flapping and they'll be getting plenty more in the league game.

8 hours ago, Mr_Dogg said:

You might want to check the table. This makes no sense. City are 2 points behind Arsenal.

It is genuinely amazing people posting all these doomsday predictions....and they don't even know how many points these teams have in the actual table!

There was someone on this thread the other day being very negative about our prospects and they were actually unaware that Spurs can't catch us if they lose to Man. City, thought the six points from Sheffield United and Burnley would be enough to catch us if we lost our last two.

With so few games left now it's not that hard to be on top of the brief for all the teams run ins and who needs what.

In that scenario aswell, Man. City win at Arsenal don't then Man. City can win the title at Spurs. I can think of no reason why they wouldn't want to wrap it up there as then they can rest players on the final day to keep them fresh for the cup final.

9 hours ago, ben1505 said:

Spurs 4 losses were against Newcastle A, Arsenal H, Chelsea A, Liverpool A... most teams in the league would lose these 4 games one after another.... Spurs form is poor last 4 games but the difficulty of thie fixtures is not being considered in this poor form...

In the previous four they also lost 3-0 to Fulham and drew 1-1 at West Ham so their middling form has been going on longer than just losing to top 6.

Beating us at VP is actually their only away win in the league since mid December. In that time we've won five away games.

They also only beat Luton 2-1 with 85th minute goal so I don't think it's a lock they just beat Burnley 3 or 4 nil tbh. Burnley need to make sure they don't go gung ho from first minute as if they sit in they will get chances on the counter against this Spurs.

17 minutes ago, Mr_Dogg said:

The Palace game will be irrelevant.

Let's hope so!

That's a far tougher proposition than it was two months ago. Our record at Selhurst is historically abysmal aswell. Think it's just two wins there since the mid 90s.

I think Man. City will win the cup final 5 or 6 nil if this is what Man. United will put out. Realistically it's only Rashford, Maguire and Fernandes who'll come back in if fit. The rest haven't played for months on end and there's only three more league games for them after this.

1 hour ago, cheltenham_villa said:

i can see Spurs getting a draw against City. I think we will need another point.

Ideally if it has to happen like that they only beat Burnley by a goal. Hopefully Burnley will attempt to keep things tight for an hour rather than gung ho from kick off otherwise Spurs will beat them 4 nil like Newcastle did as they are certainly not good enough to go toe to toe with Spurs. We'll see as Burnley have drawn away to Chelsea and Man. United in last month so not like they're complete no hopers and Spurs are actually in worse form than either.

So in that scenario (and we lose to Liverpool by a single goal) then situation on final day is this:

Us 67 points -19

Spurs 64 points -12

There then needs to be a 7 goal swing in Spurs favour on the final day e.g we lose to Palace 2-1 and they beat Sheffield United 7-1.

Now I know Sheffield United are one of the worst teams we've seen in a long while at this level but it's not like they lose by six goal margins every week. In recent times they've lost 3-1 to Liverpool and 4-2 to Man. United. Also got a 2-2 v Chelsea.

Can Spurs just turn it on and score 7 or even 8 in a blink of an eye. Again form isn't suggesting that at all, they only scored two v Luton when they won that game.

This is all still very much in our favour as long as we don't attempt ridiculous high line tactics v Liverpool as they will expose us and beat us by a few goals. Spurs only beating Burnley by a single goal is far from a terrible result though.

7 hours ago, markavfc40 said:

I'd imagine/hope that both Mings and Buendia would be ready to play in June but obviously we don't have games in June. That would be 10 months out. If Kamara is out for the same length of time he is looking at November.

Was mid Feb when he had the operation. I think he may get back involved in the squad right at the end of the year. Pretty much misses all our potential CL campaign so for that alone we can't be messing around trying to sign a DM all summer window.