Mark Albrighton

Whether a Luton Town supporter would want a win, lose or draw for Forest, it would make sense not to have a supporter whose team is impacted by the result helping to officiate the game. 

That aspect of the criticism is valid, I feel.

Obviously Castore take a lot of the blame for producing it in the first place.

But did the club simply not have another shirt available? When did they first realise the mistake? It’s all a bit shoddy.

So lucky

Ah Callum

It looked close

****

Menzies quitting the tories and remaining as an independent until the GE.

Highest points total achieved across a 38 game season.

Another record he’s made his own.

That’s a valid point @VillaChris, I hadn’t thought about the preference of finishing 5th or 6th.

And yes, I have considered Wagner may wish to avoid a repeat but that might simply mean a regular first XI playing at 75% rather than ten team changes.

As you say, Wednesday could help matters by winning tomorrow.

They are shit away from home. It’s plausible they’ll lose or draw to Huddersfield who themselves will realise it’s about as must win as it can get.

Annoyingly I really think it’s going to boil down to how seriously Norwich are going to take the final game. Wagner gonna to throw it again? Can a half enthusiastic Norwich side beat them?

4 minutes ago, sharkyvilla said:

True.  I often wonder what our ceiling is under Unai.  Do we think we could win the Premier League within 5 years?  

We could.

I don’t believe we will. I think what will likely happen is we’ll bounce around 3rd to 7th over the next few years, trophy here and there. I’m saying that almost flippantly but that would be fantastic.

But yes, we could win it. If we can play the best team off the park, beat the second best team home and away…it wouldn’t be the most ridiculous thing to say that a team that can do that could ultimately win it.

The strength of the Premier League?

3 hours ago, GlobalVillan said:

I am also worried about the Bournemouth game. Especially after our efforts in Lille. We simply have to win though, or we let Spurs off the hook. Again.

I think Spurs supporters would say they have let us off the hook on more than one occasion.

28 minutes ago, VillaChris said:

Just thinking of our general shoot out record. Am I right in thinking the only serious shoot out we've lost in last 30 years was 1999 against West Ham? And that match got replayed in the end because they put on an ineligible player.

We've had the shoot out wins v Tranmere, Inter Milan, Bolton, Sunderland and West Brom before last night so a very good record indeed compared to most clubs.

Think it's due to the keepers we had at the time being great presences for those occasions. Bosnich, James had that Emi type presence facing penalties and Guzan and Steer also did well in the more recent ones. Also usually have a core of experienced penalty takers which helps aswell.

We lost to Chelsea two seasons ago in the league cup on penalties but otherwise yes our record is pretty good as far as I can see (and recall).

He scored a goal when I didn’t think anyone else was going to.

He scored the penalty when I thought he wouldn’t.

He’s alright in my book.

2 hours ago, villa89 said:

Is there anything worse than those "fan" channels? Awful stuff. I wonder how far humanity has sunk when people are actually watching that tripe. 

1 hour ago, PieFacE said:

It's a really weird thing. The whole "watchalong" concept is utterly baffling to me. 

Probably something for the "things you don't get" thread. 

41 minutes ago, choffer said:

The thing I don’t get is the presumably london-based guys who are commentating on the match from the gaming chair in the flat. You’re that much of a fan that we should listen to your opinion but you only ever see them on telly. A truly baffling recent development. 

Really it’s no different to Soccer Saturday or Final Score. They’re watching matches and giving their opinions on something we the viewer aren’t seeing. Just tailored to one club (typically).

Now, you may think that they’re a nonsense too. That’s completely fine. But they’ve existed as a concept for longer. 

On the bold @choffer I personally wouldn’t say a supporter who only watches on tv or stream is in a poorer position to give their opinion on the game. You could perhaps critique their dedication in supporting their club on match day, but if they’re watching the game by any means then by my reckoning they have consumed the knowledge to give their opinion on the action as much credence as someone in the stadium. Whereabouts would someone have to live in order to be able to watch on a stream and give their opinion without criticism for not attending? Somewhere outside the M25? 

I should add that none of the above means I enjoy this form of entertainment, but at the same time, I wouldn’t include someone watching this as an indication of how far humanity has sunk. If this was as bad as it got, the world would be a much better place.

1 minute ago, HKP90 said:

I didn't realise there was another Laura Trott. I thought this was the Olympic cyclist for a second. Which disappointed me cos I really liked (like) her.

Yeah for a while I had the same thing when the MP was referred to I would think they meant the cyclist.

FWIW, the cyclist is now Laura Kenny.

1 hour ago, villa4europe said:

Probably not to outsiders looking in but to me I think of the Emirates and arsenal as being the least shock of all the "big" clubs, it's not OT or ettihad or even anfield 

From mellberg getting the first goal there in a draw, gabby scoring there, bent getting us a win there, the luna goal, Grealish bullying them, beating arsenal at the Emirates happens 

Oh yeah I’m looking at the fixture/result without my villa specs on and looking at it through a neutral point of view.

How quickly the lead doubled I think added to the shock/surprise element.

I suppose it might be argued that if Spurs had beaten Arsenal on Sunday instead it might not be reported in such a surprised manner. Who knows.

I think though, the “OMG”ness of any reporting is more about Arsenal losing than it is about Villa winning. It’s kinda (potentially) thrown a spanner in the works of a grandstanding title battle for them to cover.

1 hour ago, Stevo985 said:

Oh of course. It's madness that we've got 5 games left and we're still mathematically in the title race. Absolute madness

I hadn’t thought of it like that. I think it probably was the 95/96 season when that last was the case. I haven’t checked any other year in fairness.

According to Wikipedia Man Utd were on 73 points after 34 games while we were on 62. We ended on 63 

1 hour ago, HanoiVillan said:

I would love to get 75 points, but even with a pessimistic hat on I don't think Spurs are going to get to 75. 72 is a good initial target, of course if we can get more then great. 

Oh yeah I don’t think we will reach 75. But it’s a nice target to aim for.

3 minutes ago, VillaJ100 said:

22 team league then though. PPG equivalent would be 67 points in a 20 team league

Yeah that’s why I put the 38 game caveat in my post.