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jackbauer24

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Everything posted by jackbauer24

  1. jackbauer24
    Having never done a friendly abroad, how easy is it likely to be to get tickets for this game? Adult nephew desperately wants to go, sounds like it could be fun.
  2. jackbauer24
    See... I have a confession... I'm just, just, JUST holding on to my hero Mark Bosnich!! Can't judge a player by their success internationally when it comes to Villa (unfair on McGrath, JPA and even Bailey etc!) so it's all to do with their performance at Villa. I love Martinez, he is incredible and undoubtedly a massive player for us but my nephews asked me a long time back if he had pushed Bosnich from his pedestal and I said it was close, so close, but he needs to help us win something. Stats wise;* Mark Bosnich played 174 times for us in the league, keeping 61 clean sheets (W72 D46 L55), we won 2 cups and we were consistently (ish!) in top parts of the league including a great spell in 95-99. He almost single handedly (pun?!) won us the 1994 League Cup in the run that season. Emi Martinez has played 142 times for us in the league, keeping 45 clean sheets (W65 D26 L51) and this is our first season really pushing back at the top of the league. There's clearly a very strong argument to suggest Martinez could be considered the better player but the stats aren't that conclusive and, I put so much weight on bringing home a trophy that, for now, just, I still hold a flame for my idol Bosnich. That's loyalty!! Speak to me again after May 29th hopefully. *stats bloomin hard to find so take with pinch of salt!
  3. jackbauer24
    It's the arrogance of some on here to question those that worry about things not going our way. Oh we're guaranteed to win Europa. Oh 5th is guaranteed to be Champions League. Oh we're guaranteed 4th. Crap.
  4. jackbauer24
    I'd take either; the fan wanting a trophy and the logical side wanting the potential for greater growth in the CL. Unfortunately, it's not a case of one of the other... It could be both, but I imagine the likelihood of it being neither is actually greater. And that would be a devastating end to an incredible season. So close but so far.
  5. jackbauer24
    Being in Champions League doesn't guarantee anything. But not being in Champions League will definitely cause a bump in the road at the very best. FFP and players leaving (having got so close and wanting it more) will happen and mean getting this close again may take some time. It's an incredible season but don't pretend it won't be absolutely devastating not to be rewarded with CL and/or a cup.
  6. jackbauer24
    Am I worried about a team that is 3 points behind us but with a game in hand when the difference between 4th and 5th is a Champions League spot.... mmm... yes. Yes I am.
  7. jackbauer24
    It's not beyond the realms of possibility, maybe even a decent bet, that EVERY English team exits this week. 5th is not going to be Champions League.
  8. jackbauer24
    This is exactly where the fear comes from for some of us more negative types!! Villa finally doing well and it just feels like everything goes against us. Normally England would be a shoo-in for that extra spot, now it effects us, practically EVERY result goes against us. Even the draw. Man City edgy. Arsenal probably going out. Atletico failing. West Ham crumbling. Liverpool shocking. Villa have it tough. Just couldn't have gone much worse. So, despite odds and likelihood and all that law of averages stuff, I just can't envisage us catching a damn break! Something will stop it... us or the draw.
  9. jackbauer24
    I'd be a lot more confident of 4th if we had the safety net of 5th being a CL place! If Arsenal, City, Atletico and ourselves could progress, I think we'd push on without pressure and get 4th. I don't care if Spurs get 5th and a CL spot, if we want to be a big team we just need to take care of ourselves. But if results go badly, then pressure will be on every match and with such tight margins. Greedily, I desperately want a cup too! CL is better for the club, but trophies are better for most fans. Again, if by Thursday results have gone our way, I'd fancy us really going for it vs Lille. If they haven't, I worry we may focus/prioritise Bournemouth. Reckon we know what's what by late evening next Sunday. A MASSIVE week for us in all ways.
  10. jackbauer24
    If only we didn't have to play Arsenal, Chelsea and... Liverpool!! It's the other games that are relevant.
  11. jackbauer24
    I have some fears of holding on to 5th, but they reduce slightly as the games run out. However, that's nothing to with irrational fears, but the fact we have six games left, two of which we're strong favourites to lose and two of which are incredibly tricky (rejuvenated Chelsea and Brighton away) meaning our two 'bankers' of Bournemouth and Palace (A) have a lot of increased pressure on them. Add to that suspensions, injuries, a lack of form and the fact we've no experience in this situation, I'm uneasy crowing that we've got 5th or above in the bag so confidently as others. A win against Bournemouth may change that with a few other favourable results. It's not a sleight on Emery to suggest we may struggle to hold fifth, it's a culmination of the situation you can find yourself in this part of the season when you're a smaller team in terms of squad depth and experience. We're looking good for it at the moment... But not enough to be shouting 'ole' with every pass. But with 5th now looking incredibly shaky for CL anyway, it may well be irrelevant. 5th or 6th wouldn't make much of a difference. It'd be fourth or nothing and that looks tricky, despite both us and Spurs stuttering, as they have the healthier squad, the experience, the game in hand and no European distractions. Suppose most of this will be clear one way or the other in the next 10 days.
  12. jackbauer24
    I have never done a Villa game abroad and it's been a good few years since I've even done an away game but my adult nephew fancies doing this and said we should go... How easy is it to get tickets for these kind of preseason games? A quick bit of research suggests a flight and hotel for night or two wouldn't cost too much really. Any advice?
  13. jackbauer24
    I thought they counted it as two draws and then penalties wasn't counted other than for progression?
  14. jackbauer24
    This is why we want as many wins as possible, both for English teamsand obviously ourselves. In the incredibly unlikely event we win 5-0 tomorrow, I'd still want us to go strong enough to win the second leg too as that directly helps us. Same in reverse too, get smashed and we shouldn't give up on a win as it all counts. West Ham will go out in all likelihood, but if they could nick a win or a draw in one of the legs it would help.
  15. jackbauer24
    Aimed at no one in particular, but people get told off for 'bed wetting' when early scores or results go against us, but the opposite happens and we're allowed to party after 15mins?! I really hope that next week we can be practically assured that 5th is a CL spot, but at the moment both Man City and Arsenal are on a knife edge, with one the favourite and the other one behind, and less than a half in to today's fixtures and still awaiting tomorrows. Early gloating is just as bad as early doom mongering, except when people are doom mongering and are wrong, we're delighted, when you gloat and fail you look silly.
  16. jackbauer24
    Interestingly, I've just read that Liverpool fans are protesting at a 2% increase in ST prices for next season. Spurs are increasing theirs by 6% with people vocally complaining. I get that the pound cost might be different here, but it seems odd that all of us are exoecting much bigger increases and there is little, to no, real protest about it.
  17. jackbauer24
    I do find it... interesting... how you're not 'allowed' to have a different view point on here sometimes. Whilst I agree that certain posters are barely short of trolling, the concern some have for our end of season results and rewards are often scoffed at. How come blind optimism that it'll all go our way is allowed but worry isn't?! I wish I could think positively, but my experience of life and football is normally, if shit can go wrong, it will! We're going to get 4th definitely. Mmm... We're going to get 5th definitely. Strongly probable... But definitely? We'll get CL regardless. Have you seen the draw? We'll win Conference. Hardest draw/route possible. I think the odds of it all going our way are diminishing almost week by week, and soon probably day by day. I take ZERO enjoyment in that and hate the idea I could be right and definitely wouldn't be saying I told you so. But equally people shouldn't be hounded for being pessimistic.
  18. jackbauer24
    I'm also concious of our run at the end of last season to secure Europe... How far out were we with six games remaining? That's not rhetorical, I don't know!! But it's a lot easier, mentally, chasing than being pursued. We've had DECADES of struggling, it's hard to be confident things will work out. Someone going to chase us down? CL place not going to England? What's going to go wrong?! Feels this is/was our opportunity for CL and now it's out our hands in the league and as regards coefficients. We might make the most of it with our owners. But miss out, and I think we'll fall back while we lose players and have to address finances. I'm terrified!!! Thinking the worst will happen makes it easier to cope with, rather than being crushed when it does! I just can't see it all going right from this point... I hope more than anyone that I'm wrong and will take ZERO delight if my fears become reality.
  19. jackbauer24
    Spurs will win today, very little doubt about that... just about when it comes. So let's assume same points. They then face; Newcastle (A) Arsenal (H) Chelsea (A) Liverpool (A) Burnley (H) Sheffield Utd (A) and Man City (H) We have; Arsenal (A) Bournemouth (H) Chelsea (H) Brighton (A) Liverpool (H) Palace (A) We have three of the same teams. Let's assume they lose to Man City. So it comes down to Newcastle, Burnley and Sheffield or our Bournemouth Brighton and Palace. They definitely have the easier fixtures. We also aren't in form and have European games. Finally, I suspect they'll get more from the tricky Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool games than we will - they'll benefit from the local derby underdog status and nick points and/or wins. Think Spurs are STRONG favourites for fourth. For fifth, Man Utd have very very easy run in. Hardest games are Newcastle (H) and Arsenal (H). Be nice for us to shut off that avenue once and for all before too long as the pressure could build. But we're still reliant on the European games for that.
  20. jackbauer24
    Oh come on... Bailey? Chambers coming on. Everyone acknowledges that some changes were forced, others were perhaps more cautionary (Watkins) but when your team is already weakened then you don't do it further by starting three or four first teamers on thr bench as well. He threw that game, some people don't mind and some, including me, see the logic but I don't like it at all and don't think it serves a purpose. I'd have rather gone stronger then and rest Pau for today (his rest clearly didnt work!) and play Iroegbunam ahead of Tielemans against an opposition he realistically could have competed with. We put out the type of side you put out when you don't care if you go out the cup... But even that is normally against weaker opposition. We threw that game. Whether you agree with the approach or not, that's what we did.
  21. jackbauer24
    If he'd kept his head for literally a minute longer, then he wouldn't have faced a ban this season as today was last chance for totting up.
  22. jackbauer24
    Whilst I may admit my anger is clouding my judgement a little, we definitely threw in the towel against City before a ball was kicked. The number of changes was not necessary and completely sabotaged any chance of a result. Yes, teams rotate but against weaker sides in the hope the players left are still good enough to get a result. I can't think of another team who has rested players against better opposition. And the discussion about whether we could have won both, lost both is conjecture and backs up my view to some degree - you give yourself the best chance you can in every game as points can be gained and lost anywhere.
  23. jackbauer24
    We can't now battle for a few weeks... Next up is Arsenal and they are currently better than City so we will need to wave white flag and put out the kids. We'll also have European games either side. So we'll have to wait til Bournemouth before we hope to get some more points... You may have guessed - I am seethig about the last week!!
  24. jackbauer24
    Luiz was not good at all today. Passing was off, tackling was off, game management was off. For whatever reason, new not been on it at all in last month or so. The card at the end was moronic frankly. Some blame to Unai for not getting him off before this as he wasnt contributing much anyway.
  25. jackbauer24
    And today is EXACTLY why I was fuming at our approach against City. You can not just throw in the towel against any team, otherwise you'll never pick up surprise points and only drop 'guaranteed' ones. Did we look any fresher today?! Made zero difference. Now lost Luiz for a stupid unneeded tackle in, what, the 97th minute?! Smacks of arrogance against likes of Brentford to assume we just needed a break, but also suggests Unai doesn't gave faith in his near first XI to get anything either. Just a bad look all round. Point against City, be a little tired but on a high and maybe today is a win. Feels like 2024 has just been Villa trying to think of new ways to mess up such an amazing season to that point. Flat games, poor performances, cup exits, losing badly to teams around us, McGinn red, Unai throwing a game, Ramsey injury, Luiz suspension. Just been a terrible 3 months really. Sheffield Utd only real highlight. Fourth is a pipe dream frankly, Man Utd are doing a better job of giving us a chance of fifth than we are. Need them to lose again tomorrow.
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