Villa’s Race for Europe 22/23

[VillaChris]

2 minutes ago, Demitri_C said:

Yea i agree chris about not scoring 1st its been like this for a long while now. All the top sides come back from loaing positions. This is definitely we need to work on for sure in the summer. Its esp bacd away from home

I just cant see how we are going to keep kane out next week. If we play that poorly vs spurs they will hammer us

 

We did a very good job down there on NYD after people were saying we would ship in a few after Liverpool exposed our high line the previous match.

Spurs have conceded hatfuls this season so we will create serious chances v them for first time in a few weeks given Ollie has been relying on scraps mainly.

Crowd will be interesting I think. Get the feeling Emery will play it as away game e.g. keep it 0-0 and then try to win game in second half. However this indifferent run means us playing with caution won't quite be treated with as much partisan support as a few weeks back, think VP will be expecting domination like v Newcastle which is a very big ask as everything just clicked for us that day.

I don't think Kane has actually scored v us in past four games so Son finding some form in the run in is more of a concern as he can punish us if we really push our backline 40 yards up the pitch.

[useless]

I don't care all that much if we reach Europe or not, I'm just happy to finally finish top half for first time in over ten years, anything else a bonus, I'm not trying to convince myself of anything, but it's not outrageous to suggest we still have a chance if we're just three points of sixth with three games to go.

We've lost just two of the last twelve games, there's negativity because those defeats came in our last two games, but if those defeats had have come earlier in that twelve game spell then people would be looking at it differently, there would be more positivity with it being talked about how we have an outside chance with three games to go.

In situations like this, trying to avoid relegation or reach Europe, a lot of the time the people insisting that we won't reach our target come across as more desperate for it to happen than anyone else, as it's as if they secretly still have hope but are scared to admit so for fear of being disappointed when or if it doesn't happen.

 

[VillaChris]

It's a pretty simple equation. Beat Spurs next week and we're effectively level with them with two games left. Ideally we win the game by two clear goals as then the GDs are actually equal aswell and think Spurs will only be ahead on goals scored but can't have everything and I'll take a 1-0 now.

Spurs won't find it easy at Leeds on final day with their flimsily mentality either.

[nick76]

[Villatillidie95]

We won't beat Spurs now i dont think, will probably be 2 down by end of the first half. Think the team has run out of steam and is on the beach now, their motivation and desire has gone. Not their fault, we have beenb unlucky with injuries and just think Spurs will want it more. Would love for Villa to prove me wrong and eat humble pie but i think Spurs have been there and done it, will want it more, we have made a valiant effort but have folded now.

[useless]

Should say it's not that I think we will reach Europe or am overly hopeful, just that I wouldn't completely rule it out, and wouldn't be the biggest shock if we did achieve it, so for me no need ot jump on others who want be positive

[Mark Albrighton]

30 minutes ago, Demitri_C said:

I mean i know we dint care about them as mucb as they seem to with us but it is a local derby its round the corner from villa park!

But the fact is whats perception if they see it is as a derby. The resukts against them in tbe last 5 have been poor.  They are not even good thats what frustrates the **** out of me.

 

I’m assuming you’re saying 5 games because that takes us back to the El Ghazi penalty win.

But our 5 or 6 games against them before that game weren’t great either (with one notable exception), so this is what I’m unsure what you mean about how we used to be good at derbies. We’ve been mainly been good against sha and baggies. But the “derbies” against the dingles, we haven’t had consistent success in about decade.

[nick76]

4 minutes ago, Villatillidie95 said:

We won't beat Spurs now i dont think, will probably be 2 down by end of the first half. Think the team has run out of steam and is on the beach now, their motivation and desire has gone. Not their fault, we have beenb unlucky with injuries and just think Spurs will want it more. Would love for Villa to prove me wrong and eat humble pie but i think Spurs have been there and done it, will want it more, we have made a valiant effort but have folded now.

I’m not sure about that.  Spurs defence is shocking but they have Kane, I think at home, the game next week is 50/50. I think Liverpool will beat us and I’m less confident about Brighton now but Spurs are a mess even with their win at home today.  The score next week could be anything even if we are running out of steam because Spurs have shown they can ship goals out of nothing.  I think we’ll end up 8th now but I can see us getting a result against Spurs, more because of how insanely bad they can be and we are at home.

[Aston_Villan4]

Who knows. With Kamara back maybe that helps stabilize use and we can still make it interesting on the final day of the season.

Edited May 6, 2023 by Aston_Villan4

[Villatillidie95]

1 minute ago, nick76 said:

I’m not sure about that.  Spurs defence is shocking but they have Kane, I think at home, the game next week is 50/50. I think Liverpool will beat us and I’m less confident about Brighton now but Spurs are a mess even with their win at home today.  The score next week could be anything even if we are running out of steam because Spurs have shown they can ship goals out of nothing.  I think we’ll end up 8th now but I can see us getting a result against Spurs, more because of how insanely bad they can be and we are at home.

You may be right, Spurs are 50/50 and can look half decent one game and then shambolic the next. I'm happy with our progress this season and we know that if we give Emery Time, Funds and Games, he will get us right up the table. Just this season is probably a bit too premature due to the wasted beginning 1/3 of it under Gerrard unfortunately.

[Don_Simon]

39 minutes ago, paul514 said:

Are people still not admitting it is over then?

I bet you're fun at parties.

[paul514]

46 minutes ago, Don_Simon said:

I bet you're fun at parties.

I’m just not delusional 

[Tomaszk]

2 minutes ago, paul514 said:

I’m just not delusional 

You're completely delusional. You think there's canals in Italy.

[AvfcRigo82]

1 hour ago, Aston_Villan4 said:

Who knows. With Kamara back maybe that help stabilize use and we can still make it interesting on the final day of the season.

I think it's too little too late.

We've ran out of gas right when it mattered. It's a monumental task now and for me sadly I don't think it's possible.

I don't want to come across as a negative Norman but sadly as much as it pains me to say it, I don't think we get Europa qualification now.

[PaulC]

I feel like all the momentum has gone now.  I'm hoping we can bounce back and beat spurs but I'm not expecting it. 

[ozvilla28]

Don't agree with this theory to from we're we we're at the start of the season to now even if we don't get Europe we should be happy that's a poor mentality.We we're in touching distance to Europe you take it with both hands there's no guarantees next season.

Positive is it's open Emery eyes to the weake links in our side bigtime.

[Risso]

14 minutes ago, PaulC said:

I feel like all the momentum has gone now.  I'm hoping we can bounce back and beat spurs but I'm not expecting it. 

No me either. Our attacking power has dried up completely, whereas Kane and Son have still been scoring regularly for Spurs even when the team as a whole has been shit. I think even if we do manage a result, it won't be enough as I can't see us getting anything against Liverpool or Brighton.

[John]

Three cup finals left now and we have to win two and probably draw the other one for me. Those last two home wins look bigger asks than they did two games ago and avoiding defeat at Anfield always looked difficult. Having rarely been conceding goals and scoring at least one, we now seem to be finding scoring a problem again and our defence is not looking as impregnable as it had been.

We haven't become a bad team overnight though, and six points might just be enough, if other results help us out. Whatever happens, eighth would still represent progress and the season is not quite over yet. I must admit that I will be thinking of what might have been if we follow such a good run with what is fast beginning to look like a poor one though. Come on Villa fight like lions in the last three games, or it could be:

    

[GingerCollins29]

Still need 7 points minimum. Going to take a small miracle now but still a small glimmer of hope. 

Difficulty is I can also see us getting 0 more points and brentford overtaking us

[Frodo]

If you look at it as a whole, I feel we were in a false position with teams like Liverpool & Brighton with games in hands & now there taking them games in hand & winning. Even from our 10 game unbeaten run we still had to be pretty much perfect until end of season to get a European spot & it was a tall order to keep going, our last 4 or 5 weeks with our injuries has not helped at all & there only coming back now with 3 games to go. But what Emery has done since he has been in he has found out who he can keep & who he can trust on the pitch & who he can't & I'm sure most people with a football brain can assume who they are. Emery has changed the mentally at this club & with a new sporting director coming in soon a new scout appointed in Spain things are definitely going in the right direction m, everything feels like we're a big club again with the right people in the right positions at the club, it's disappointing that it looks like we will miss out on some sort of European football but there is so much to be excited about going into the summer transfer market & next season.