Pre-Match Thread

[foreveryoung]

10 hours ago, Mark Albrighton said:

If you don’t win Burnley at home, it makes winning away at Arsenal more important.

If you win Burnley at home, it slightly reduces the need to win away at Arsenal.

We’re going to need something like 32 more points (estimate, if you think 35, fair enough). If we pick up 3 on Saturday, that’s 3 fewer needed from the other 18. 

My point is, reaching the estimated required points total is the ultimate “must do”, not winning an individual game. Some individual games appear easier to help achieve that points total, but whether we get the points from Burnley or Arsenal doesn’t matter, as long as we get the points.

I’m sure Emery will treat this as a “must win” game. But I expect he treats every game as a “must win”. So debating how much a single game is a “must win” is somewhat redundant.

I'm not saying a single game, I'm as good as saying they are all must win, but the poorer teams are going to be easier than the Arsenals. As I said in previous anyway, we just need to lay our own game and not worry what's going on around us, I'm sure thats how MEry sees it.

Even how distant it maybe, he will also be aiming for the title I'm sure, not just to stay in the top 5.

[Mark Albrighton]

12 minutes ago, foreveryoung said:

I'm not saying a single game, I'm as good as saying they are all must win, but the poorer teams are going to be easier than the Arsenals. As I said in previous anyway, we just need to lay our own game and not worry what's going on around us, I'm sure thats how MEry sees it.

Even how distant it maybe, he will also be aiming for the title I'm sure, not just to stay in the top 5.

Ok, so they’re all must win games. That’s a perfectly acceptable opinion.

It’s just slightly redundant to ask or discuss whether Burnley at home is a must win game if you are of the opinion they’re all must win games.

[foreveryoung]

11 minutes ago, Mark Albrighton said:

Ok, so they’re all must win games. That’s a perfectly acceptable opinion.

It’s just slightly redundant to ask or discuss whether Burnley at home is a must win game if you are of the opinion they’re all must win games.

Burnley is probably the most winnable game in the Prem and at home, which is why I prioritise as a must win. If your saying we can afford to lose some, I'd save the loses for the Liverpools and Arsenal's.

[VillaJ100]

21 minutes ago, foreveryoung said:

Burnley is probably the most winnable game in the Prem and at home, which is why I prioritise as a must win. If your saying we can afford to lose some, I'd save the loses for the Liverpools and Arsenal's.

Absolutely agree it's a must win and to be fair we need a statement win not some shitty lucky 1-0 we need a demolition job

[Zero7]

Hope Pau is back for this one and perhaps Youri too 

[Mark Albrighton]

1 hour ago, foreveryoung said:

Burnley is probably the most winnable game in the Prem and at home, which is why I prioritise as a must win. If you’re saying we can afford to lose some, I'd save the loses for the Liverpools and Arsenal's.

I did not say anything about losing. Not a word. We’re talking about not winning a “must win”.

I’m giving you two scenarios.

Scenario one 

We win our must win game against Burnley. And we lose to Arsenal away.

Scenario two

We draw our must win game against Burnley. And we win away at Arsenal.

Which scenario are you choosing?

 

 

Edit - as a recent example. Sheffield United was presumably a must win game. But would you have swapped beating Man City in order to beat them?

The points total is the most important thing.

Edited December 29, 2023 by Mark Albrighton

[Pinebro]

I have now went out and bought fireworks which my 2 boys have been begging for.

With a Villa win it will add more flavor to it.

[duke313]

I dreamt that Burnley sacked Kompany, and replaced him with Steve Bruce, who then got a 1-0 win against us

[turvontour]

49 minutes ago, VillaJ100 said:

Absolutely agree it's a must win and to be fair we need a statement win not some shitty lucky 1-0 we need a demolition job

Not at all. You absolutely take a one nil with a Burnley own goal and then regroup for the fixtures in the new year. 

[OutByEaster?]

I want to win every game.

It's fun.

(Sometimes it's not fun)

[foreveryoung]

48 minutes ago, OutByEaster? said:

I want to win every game.

It's fun.

(Sometimes it's not fun)

So does Emery, I don't get this, we can afford to lose against Burnley malarkey??

[Mark Albrighton]

2 hours ago, foreveryoung said:

So does Emery, I don't get this, we can afford to lose against Burnley malarkey??

Again, stop saying people are accepting to “lose against Burnley” no one has said that. We are debating how much of a must win it is.

You want to win every game but at the same time you are prepared to 

5 hours ago, foreveryoung said:

 save the loses for the Liverpools and Arsenal's.

That is not a winning mentality. You’re writing off games there.

Emery will want to win against Burnley, Arsenal AND Liverpool. 

I want us to win against Burnley, Arsenal AND Liverpool.

I am saying a world is possible where it proves we didn’t need to beat Burnley, because we can pick up points elsewhere. Exactly how we failed to beat Sheffield United but we beat Man City so the lost win against Sheffield United was banked with the somewhat unexpected win against Man City.

If we can make the points up elsewhere, then that reduces the “must win” nature of the Burnley game.

That’s it from me on the subject, cos I know what’s going to happen is you’ll read all that and come away thinking “I don’t know why Mark thinks it’s ok to lose to Burnley…”.

 

Edited December 29, 2023 by Mark Albrighton

[birdman]

2 hours ago, duke313 said:

I dreamt that Burnley sacked Kompany, and replaced him with Steve Bruce, who then got a 1-0 win against us

Your brain is toxic

[cheltenham_villa]

No one is really saying that it's acceptable to lose against Burnley. What those people really mean is that they are worried about our form and pre empting a loss. By somehow pre empting it, it almost excuses it if it happens. 

[Pongo Waring]

 

 

[wedge]

We usually react very well after a defeat, so fingers crossed! 

 

 

                                Martinez

Konsa            Carlos            Lenglet           Moreno

 

                      Luiz                Dendoncker

                                 McGinn

    Bailey                   Watkins              Diaby  

 

Subs: Marschall, Cash, Pau, Zaniolo, Ramsey, Duran, Chambers, Tim, Proctor.

 

 

Edited December 29, 2023 by wedge

[wedge]

On 28/12/2023 at 08:55, Pinebro said:

I have no confidence in this team after the Utd collapse.

Please surprise me.

You're right mate they're all absolutely gash 

 

State of our fanbase at times.

[wedge]

On 27/12/2023 at 13:15, foreveryoung said:

If we lose to these at home, we may aswell write the season off.

You're right mate, might as well jack it in and follow the rugby instead, absolutely nowt to play for if we lose.

 

Am I on a Brentford forum?!

Edited December 29, 2023 by wedge

[srsmithusa]

We need a different thread to discuss and establish a clear, consistent definition of “must win”.   
 

we can call it the “must define” thread.  

[rjw63]

1 hour ago, wedge said:

We usually react very well after a defeat, so fingers crossed! 

 

 

                                Martinez

Konsa            Carlos            Lenglet           Moreno

 

                      Luiz                Dendoncker

                                 McGinn

    Bailey                   Watkins              Diaby  

 

Subs: Marschall, Cash, Pau, Zaniolo, Ramsey, Duran, Chambers, Tim, Ramsey.

 

 

So tell me who the extra Ramsey is