turvontour

Are you serious? The goalkeeper and defender are on top of each other in the middle of the goal when he hits it, and he aims it at the quarter of the goal that they're covering. Quite why he felt the need to go to ground and try and slide tackle it in is beyond me too. It annoys me because hes talented, and I feel it was a really unnecessary miss.

I agree. We have been for the last decade. What really annoys me about us this season and our lack of results is three things. 1) we have Grealish, the best player outside of the top clubs by a mile. Even with him playing out of his skin, as a team we've been poor, and you wouldn't now begrudge him a move. 2) we spent a lot of money on a lot of players who in the most part have not proved their worth. 3) this is the weakest premier league in years. Spurs were there for the taking today, as they were start of the season. You cant usually say that. I wouldn't mind if it was a great PL season full of quality, but the standards been so poor. A top half place is there for anyone who is vaguely competent.

But it's our failings that's let us be the whipping boys. To be honest , we've hardly been the whipping boys. When we lose, it's mostly been by a single goal. Our own poor recruitment, individual errors, poor in game management etc that's been the difference this season. If we'd seen out a couple more of these games we'd be mid table now.

We've won two games in the last minute ourselves recently.

He's got to do so much better than that with that chance to make it two nil. I know he is young but he is rolled a ball perfectly to him 8 yards out. He deliberately goes to ground and tries to slide tackle it in. I was annoyed with the way he went about that one on one at Burnley when he tried to lob the keeper instead of taking it round him. That didn't have any impact on the outcome then.

It always feels like we can get something against Liverpool. Would much much rather have had them in the final of the cup than Man City. We dont even seem to be able to give Man City a game.

It really will be a good time for us to be playing them. Likely a couple of games after they've won it?

We aren't really a draws sort of team, which is a good thing. Generally either win or lose. Thats one thing I like about Smith.

Wonder if these matches will be on today.

Brighton v Watford a draw please.

I'd say it's about as must win as gets. Probably the easiest of our remaining games. Bit odd taking a draw here, and then what beat Man U and Spurs?

Gary Lineker and the BBC were pretty much praising the Shrewsbury fans (which a far far greater percentage of them ran on the pitch than villa fans). Lineker was raising the FA cup and getting them to cheer and celebrate on the pitch. It is odd how the reaction is so extreme when its us.

When was the Derby game?

Yes.

I think the fact that we played last night rather than tonight helps us somewhat ahead of Saturday.