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Race for Champions League - 2023/2024


Don_Simon

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It's very simple. We don't deserve to qualify for the Champions League. When it has come to the crunch home games this year we've failed. Not even managed to get draws and Sunday was the biggest most damaging failure of the lot.

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1 minute ago, Captain_Townsend said:

I honestly think you need to take a break from football.

I am so proud of the club, getting back to the top end of the table after experiencing a lost decade.

Spurs deserve it. We had our chances to show our worth when the heat was on. We failed, completely and repeatedly so and we should accept the consolation prize we end up with.

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Newcastle and Man Utd who both got top four last season didn't have as many points as we now after twenty-eight games last season, same for Spurs the season before, and many other teams who got top four in previous seasons.

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Were absolutely still in this, some really tough games to come though with limited options to pick from.  Beat West Ham and were still in the box seat.  

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1 hour ago, CVByrne said:

It's very simple. We don't deserve to qualify for the Champions League. When it has come to the crunch home games this year we've failed. Not even managed to get draws and Sunday was the biggest most damaging failure of the lot.

Yet we have taken 6 points from 6 against the top teams we played at home

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Before Spurs we had won four of the previous five games in the league, had only lost one in six in all competitions. When people moan about us losing the odd game, it's essentially the same as moaning that we're not showing title form, because that's what us winning the occassional games we're losing as well as the games we're already winning would amount to, title winning form.

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15 minutes ago, Zatman said:

Spurs dropped points to us, Chelsea, Everton, Wolves and Brighton far. Why do they deserve it?

Because Villa are uniquely bad and awful, it seems.

Honestly defies logic.

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1 hour ago, CVByrne said:

Spurs deserve it. We had our chances to show our worth when the heat was on. We failed, completely and repeatedly so and we should accept the consolation prize we end up with.

Do they **** deserve it. Last time I checked we were 2 points ahead of them in the league

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1 hour ago, CVByrne said:

It's very simple. We don't deserve to qualify for the Champions League. When it has come to the crunch home games this year we've failed. Not even managed to get draws and Sunday was the biggest most damaging failure of the lot.

Funny that, last time I looked we’d beaten three of the top four. However some people only want to be negative. 
My God some people need to give their heads a wobble. So boring 

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We need five more wins from somewhere.

It's annoying that Sheffield United result pretty much made our invincibility at VP pretty much disappear instantly. 

We just about got past Burnley but that was another warning performance and since then we've lost to every top half team we've played at VP.

However we should be winning at least three of our home games left. None will be straight forward but Wolves will be missing endless forwards, Bournemouth should be safe by end of April and Brentford will be another scrap but we should win that if we score first.

I also think we've got a decent chance of beating Chelsea if we actually realise the game starts at 0 minutes compared to 60 minutes in the recent cup tie.

Can probably get two away wins but a few of those are looking more like draws currently as you need a solid midfield structure away from home and we probably won't have that at West Ham so that might have to be a battling draw.

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I’m just worried about our midfield… for the next 3 league games at least… losing Kamara was a big enough blow but having McGinn missing (on top of that) for the next 3 games is a real setback, much more than losing that single game… that’s my main concern atm… I feel we lose too much when he’s not in the team and not performing well… he is the heartbeat, we rely on his energy and tenacity… without him, we lose a lot in terms of defensive ability and resilience too… maybe the main thing we lack in the side generally… bit of a lack of defensive proficiency… “steel” etc…

He has really stepped up and performed well in that role… I’m so frustrated by the injuries (and the suspensions) we’ve had… it really is rotten and unfortunate… and yet Unai has kept us battling away at the top end of the league… 

And… let’s be honest… there weren’t that many people that expected us to keep winning and performing as last year and not experience some kind of blip or slump… a hell of a lot more were sure it would happen… but I don’t think it’s been to the extent that they imagined either… it’s hard to be so consistent and not experience some fatigue, especially a set of players that aren’t used to competing at this level and are pretty much “learning on the job”… they will be better for the whole experience anyway…

I’m trying not to look too far ahead and just enjoy the experience (we have an incredible manager who has elevated us to heights we haven’t experienced in ages… and playing the best football that I’ve seen and long yearned for)… we can reflect on what’s been achieved after but… I’d be lying if I denied that I was craving CL football aswell as the boost and further elevation it could provide… let’s make that first step before even worrying about whether we could sustain it (with Unai, I think we could… even if our finances were comparatively limited to our those of our rivals)…

Anyway, back to the original point. Dougie must step up and become a leader again… he has dropped off and gone a little quiet (especially when compared to his form and scoring run at VP earlier in the season)… we need him back to his best and to show some real mettle…

Tim… has to be thrown in and has to demonstrate what he can do… and back up the words and faith Unai has shown in him… it seems like a big ask… I am a bit concerned… this is the least positive or confident I have felt this season… I want to be proven wrong and pleasantly surprised…

I don’t think we have any good options beyond these two (that’s if Tim can perform well and not struggle) in terms of central midfield…

Tielemans… let’s be honest… he has been crap and a bit of a liability when we’ve seen him play further back and is certainly not suited to a defensive role… he has thrived in an attacking one and it’s probably the only suitable role or position for him in the side… he is too slow and loose in possession to cover at either CM/DM… but creates well and makes penetrative passes for the likes of Ollie and Leon in a more forward role…

What do we have beyond Doug and Tim right now? If we are desperate… we’d have to throw someone like Chambers in or force someone like, I don’t even know - Pau? Cash? into an unfamiliar role… the drop off from the likes of Bouba and John is massive…

I’m just not that confident about the next few games… but we have to keep getting points on the board…

If anyone can do it, it’s Unai, but… we have to be a bit realistic (and fair) too… he’s really been hindered by the disruption in the squad and the lack of player availability… it’s been difficult to put a consistent defence, or even the same side, out there…

Got to really stand up and fight now…

UTV

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40 minutes ago, VillaChris said:

We need five more wins from somewhere.

It's annoying that Sheffield United result pretty much made our invincibility at VP pretty much disappear instantly. 

We just about got past Burnley but that was another warning performance and since then we've lost to every top half team we've played at VP.

However we should be winning at least three of our home games left. None will be straight forward but Wolves will be missing endless forwards, Bournemouth should be safe by end of April and Brentford will be another scrap but we should win that if we score first.

I also think we've got a decent chance of beating Chelsea if we actually realise the game starts at 0 minutes compared to 60 minutes in the recent cup tie.

Can probably get two away wins but a few of those are looking more like draws currently as you need a solid midfield structure away from home and we probably won't have that at West Ham so that might have to be a battling draw.

No doubt we have to restore our strength and fear factor at VP… that had been huge for us… as well as the form that players like Dougie had shown last year… we don’t quite look like that side but I’m hoping it’s just a very temporary and short lived thing… 

2023 was great… 2024 has not been going that well… so far…

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5 wins, 2 draws and 3 losses is how I see us finishing and getting to 72 points which is most likely 4th.

McGinn will come back determined and lift the team.

Emery will find a way to keep getting points out of games.

 

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If I was a young midfielder, and I'd been watching Mcginn, Youri, Douglas and Bouba from the bench, waiting for my opportunity to shine, I wouldn't be worried at all, I'd be **** buzzing to finally get a chance to do I've been training to do since a 5/6 year old.

I'd be nervous, yea.  But I'd be determined to show my worth.

This is Tim's opportunity to show us what he's got.  Honestly, I don't see loads in him, but the coaches do.

Hopefully we won't be sitting here in 2/3 games wishing McGinn's red card had never happened, but we'd barely noticed his absence.

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