markavfc40

I think anyone worried that Liverpool may have one toe on the beach when they play Spurs next week need to factor in that if that is the case by the time they play us the following week they'll have sun creamed up, be lying on their towel, head phones in and fast asleep. Bottom line is though Liverpool at Anfield is a far tougher game than playing them at home.

Overall this has been a great weekend for us. We gained a point on Spurs, Chelsea got a point keeping them well in the hunt for 6th place with Spurs up next, Arsenal won to ensure that Man City will almost certainly still need to get something when they play Spurs, Brighton who we play next got trounced meaning they have no wins in 6 including 4 defeats and Burnley got a point meaning they'll almost certainly still be fighting for survival when they play Spurs. 

I am sure not one of us would swap places with Spurs but every single one of their supporters would swap places with us. We have put ourselves in a great position. 

We can take it as a given that Spurs will beat Sheff Utd. I think we can also say it is highly likely they beat Burnley. That then gets them to 66. 

It then comes down to us needing to get more points from our four games against Chelsea (H) Brighton (A) Liverpool (H) Palace (A) than they do against Arsenal (H) Chelsea (A) Liverpool (A) Man City (H).

We both play Chelsea and Liverpool with the big advantage for us being we are at home for both whilst they are away so even if we are a little pessimistic and say we both take the same amount of points from those games it then comes down to us needing more points from Brighton and Palace away than they take from Arsenal and Man City at home. 

What a fantastic position we have put ourselves in. 

Just now, WakefieldVillan said:

En route now, it's the first home game I've been to since Dean Smith's first Villa match against Swansea.

My dad used to take me on the train a fair bit when I was younger, so I wanted to return the favour that day and take him. Hopefully we can get the same result (1-0).

Unfortunately he passed away in January, so I feel a little emotional sat on the train, on my own, thinking about all the times he used to take me and now he's not here. Hopefully he's watching and can bring some good luck upon us!

 

Sorry for your loss mate. He is going to the game with though as you are taking him with you by thinking about him now and you'll carry those thoughts and him with you throughout today. Enjoy the day mate. 

15 minutes ago, Genie said:

I have mixed feelings on this because like most things this government touch it’ll lead to widespread suffering no doubt I know family members that absolutely take the piss with sick leave.

My mother in law will regularly take several weeks off because she feels like a break. The GP’s just can’t be arsed to challenge it (and she knows it). She has a colleague/friend who is equally piss taking.

Shes currently on a 7 week break which started because they asked her to do something she doesn’t usually do when someone else was on holiday.

The trouble is for everyone like your mother in law there will be 10 genuine cases of people who are ill and will now potentially be assessed as to whether they are fit to work by someone who is incentivised to find them fit for work.

Digging a little deeper it seems that these Tory proposals include wanting to reform PIP which is a benefit to support those with long term illness/disabilities. Things like cancer, parkinsons, MS, COPD. In a lot of cases illnesses that are unlikely to ever be cured. Instead of giving cash payments he wants to replace those payments with access to treatment apparently. In 2024 in the 6th richest country in the world you'd expect people who are ill to be getting access to treatment anyway but the Tories have run down the NHS that much they are now looking to get people who are ill to give up their disability/sickness benefits to pay for treatment. Just when you think the bastards couldn't sink any lower. 

Just to add insult to injury the guy who announced these proposals today is a billionaire. 

I'd take a cup win all day long over qualification for Champions League. My eldest daughter is 26 this year and has had a season ticket since she was 5 and has never seen us win anything. There are thousands of supporters like her. 28 years since we last won a trophy so we haven't won a trophy this century.  SHA have won a trophy more recently than us and I have some of them often remind me of that fact.

Champions league qualification doesn't guarantee future success. Far from it. A trophy in the cabinet can never be taken away though and will be something we'll talk about until our last breaths. 

I have nothing against all this analysing what other clubs may or may not do in the run in but one thing I would tell us all to remember to do is enjoy it.

Since 1981 we have finished in the top 4 in the top flight just three times. The last time was 28 years ago. This is rarefied air we are experiencing, breathe it in people and enjoy it.   

I'm 50 years old and was 7 when we won the league in 1981. I could say I remember it like it was yesterday but I'd be a bullshitter as I don't. To put a little perspective on what Emery is on the verge of overseeing though since that title win almost 43 years ago we have finished in the top 4 in the top flight 3 times. All within 6 years of each other with the last time being in 1996. Extend that to finishing in the top 5 and we have done that 4 times since 1981. Winning a trophy and finishing top 4 has happened once over all that time.

Given the current playing field and closed shop nature of the league we play in Emery is on the verge of achieving something remarkable and arguably the most remarkable achievement since we last won the league. That he will have achieved it having found us a clueless mess (on the field) looking like relegation fodder just 18 months ago puts it at the point where if someone predicted this tale 18 months ago you'd have wanted them sectioned. 

It is simply unbelievable the job he is doing and he has to be up there now as one of the greatest managers of many of our supporters' lifetimes. Certainly anyone under the age of 30. Wow what a statement, but one I believe is warranted. 

48 minutes ago, Xela said:

 

Has Bailey been doinking that second blokes missus