Of our last two games, Pool and Palace, I’d normally be most worried about the former, probably because it’s rare for us to beat them.
But Palace are in excellent form and have taken 16 points from their last 18, only bettered by Citeh, who we rely on tomorrow.
A glance at the form table is a bit of a surprise really, because while it’s pretty universally accepted by us that we’ve been miles off our best, with our small squad and tiredness having taken their toll, we’ve won two, drawn two and lost two in our last six games.
The surprise then is that Liverpool have done exactly the same.
We’ve actually done better than them if you only take the last five games into account and while I don’t set to much store by previous games, it is at least a bit of an indicator that Liverpool aren’t exactly flying either. Not that they need to be. Third place is guaranteed, so can we hope they will have their holiday attire on?
I doubt it, as we don’t get that sort of luck.
Squad news then and with Villa, a lot is up in the air as the fitness of several players with small injuries, including Nicolo Zaniolo, Youri Tielemans and Alex Moreno is being monitored.
It’s all demonstrative of how fatigue has caught up with the lads.
As for Liverpool, Joel Matip and Thiago Alcantara are out,but they are hoping Diogo Jota is ready for a return.
A Reds fan who I’m working with in Liverpool has had a bet that Nunez and Watkins will get two shots each and Luiz will be booked. I told him it could be a decent bet, particularly the Luiz part, but that I wasn’t sure about Ollie, as he can sometimes be taken out of the game if the midfield isn’t offering any supply.
I think this game is easily summed up by the fact that if we were in top form, this is a game I’d have been pretty confident of winning.
Unfortunately, we look jaded and slow, hence I don’t think we’ll be able to live with Liverpool’s overall pace and press.
Would a draw do tonight? Maybe, but Spurs need to win both their gams really because a win and a draw would also require them turning round our 8 goal difference in the difference.
The trouble is, I don’t see a draw, as much as I’d probably take it and it’s another game where I just don’t see us winning either.
It’s a 2-1 or maybe even 3-1 defeat, I’m afraid, with us holding our breath tommorow night.
UTV! and come on lads, one last push!
Oh. my. god
I don’t believe it !!! 3-3
Will 9 minutes left .
But can we hold the point?
Do not sit back, for god’s sake!
Have u lot turned off????? 🤣🤣🤣
No still here Bum Bum – just can’t believe what I’m watching – no way did we deserve to lose it.
Pressure on Spuds.
I’ll take that!
What an amazing match. Well done Villa on the fight back, especially Duran.
Even better Spurs have to beat Man City and Sheff Utd.
We can now draw at Palace and Spurs have to win both and pull back 9 goals to over take us.
Well, that’s a great point in the end.
Not slating Ollie, because he’s been great, but how incisive did Duran look compared to Ollie? Tiredness again, at a guess.
Brilliant game to watch for the neutrals and I think I’ve had all the emotions today.
The crowd were good too, once they saw a glimmer of hope.
Plan B: Ollie left, Duran up top.
Duran should have come on sooner. Dare I say Chambers added more to the press! We need to do something about defending crosses in particular because they have been a major contributor to our goals conceded.
3-3 and somehow a point. We need Citeh to at least draw now!
And specifically low crosses.
I’m not seeing valid excuses for that.
One thing about Duran – he makes things happen and he’s only 20.
Do we need to spend big on a back up for Ollie – don’t think so.
That point helps us massively going into the Palace game.
Just a shout out for Tielemans – we look so much better with him alongside Luiz and McGinn pushed forward. Emery was right to take him off – we’ll need him Sunday.
Wow! A very, very significant point!
Wow! Spuds have to WIN both now where a draw will be sufficient for us. What a cracking game!!!!
We are Aston Villa and we ROCK!!! Even when we play against 12 men.
Same place. Same time tomorrow guys!!!!!
See you there – hopefully – if I get permission from the Mem Saab!
What a performance, thought we were dead and buried at 1-3 but the football gods blessed us with fortune with that equaliser but nothing less than we deserved.
Come on City do the business tomorrow 🤞
Well that was a great comeback. I thought it was all over at 3 – 1. But that looked more like the villa we have come to expect. If we can just get over the line tomorrow night, I think we will see a whole host of quality players queuing up to play for villa and Emery next season. Now I want spuds to get a draw tomorrow. Not enough to get champions league, but maybe enough to give Arsenal the league. A real spursy thing to do lol.
Hope the Spuds get smashed out the park tomorrow, 0-4 by halftime will do nicely thank you.
My nerves couldn’t stand a draw Tekkers.
Tom Hanks’ celebrations were great and looked genuine
USA sports don’t have the tension football has.
That save from Diaby at the end was mental. We’d nearly won it!!!
It almost feels like a win.
You forget he’s an Oscar winning actor! 😁😁😁
One last thing before bedtime, why is everyone assuming Palace will beat us?????
Watkins was excellent for the first goal which he created out of nothing but he seems too obsessed with getting that 20th league goal. A couple of times he could have played someone in but chose to shoot. I hope he can get it against Palace. He might find it easier if Citeh get a win or draw tomorrow night.
A valid point. Strikers often get that mental block. He’ll just have to grab a brace on Sunday then!
I was so impressed with Bailey’s fight tonight. He was kicked, stamped on, shoved, and he never gave up! What a star.
Anyone catch Luiz’s celebrations at the equaliser? He went mental!!! Also Emery walking down the tunnel with his arm wrapped around Emi Martinez. A nice touch.
Hope he gets it. He deserves it.
So a majority of Spurs fans want to lose tomorrow, so Arsenal don’t win the league, according to a Sky poll?
What a load of tosh and Postecoglu was rightly pissed at that suggestion.
To suggest they’d knock CL back just for that reason is laughable, imo.
Typical of the rubbish that Sky find to make some ‘headlines’…
And while on that subject, somebody PLEASE get rid of Alan Smith, or at least stop him ever commentating on Villa games. I don’t think I’ve ever heard him have a positive thing to say about us – he makes Robbie Savage sound like a Villa fan in comparison.
Worse than Lee Dixon?
Never really noticed Dixon – it just seems that every time I see a Villa game on Sky it’s Smith (+ someone or other that I don’t recognise ) and he’s at the negatives/digs from an hour before the start to the final whistle!
He appears to hate us with a passion matey, nothing but disparaging remarks.
Here’s Gabby having a pop at him…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaFJBdS9gd0
Ardent, I’m pretty certain that Alan Smith is a Villa fan. If you played FIFA with him on the commentary, he refers to being a fan. Maybe when he does commentary on Villa he tries too hard to make sure he sounds non biased. Something Neville and Carragher need to learn.
I thought he was Villa too, tbh.
Funny that, I rather think Smith is one of the best pundits in terms of informed, balanced remarks and he says it as he sees it.
Didn’t know that he’s a Villa fan but he’s from this area of the world – started his career at Alvechurch.
I had a feeling that we might get something from this game but, like many here, I began to doubt it. But we did it. Somehow we got our mojo back and I’m absolutely certain that we will make CL now. It’s been a hell of a season with its ups and downs but it’s been the best one we’ve had in ages. Emery is a genius and, whatever people say, I honestly think that we’ll make a fist of it in the CL.
As Unai said, ‘Up the Villa!’
Well, if Grealish plays tonight, it’s like we have a somebody representing ourside of things on the pitch tonight
12 hours until kick off part 2!!!!
I had the strangest dream about Villa and Liverpool last night…😁
So proud of the lads brilliant fighting spirit and we’re missing 6 players buzzing today
Nothing on the new kit though
https://www.reddit.com/r/avfc/comments/1cgafgd/new_villa_kit_leaked_in_a_market_in_turkey/
Those Turkish boys appear to be ahead of the game.
It’s f****** hideous, so I hope it’s not even close. If that’s the new badge – awful. Why a yellow lion, again??? Zero impact. And the 150 anniversary logo is questionable. Small and on the sleeve, maybe, but the bigger it is, the uglier it looks. Less is more when it comes to design. Keep it clean and simple and you’ll sell shit loads and a classic shirt will endure the test of time. The more bits of shit you add, the worse it gets. Designer’s rant over!
Oh , and UTV!!!
I reiterate that the badge is butt ugly. I sincerely hope it’s not that!
BFR, I hate that badge too with the cowardly yellow lion! We have our best season in a generation after ditching that shite badge and possibly reintroduce the ‘unlucky’ badge. Based on the teaser advertisements with the adidas logo in yellow, I think it’s very likely which is madness!
Also if they want to sell more shirts, why not sell shirts without the horrible sponsors name across the front. I would buy one even if it cost more than the one with a sponsor. Just a thought 🤔
Agree, Holte. Personally, I’d go for the vintage look like Liverpool’s this season. No shield, just a biggish rampant lion, with a star and ‘Aston Villa’. Yellow is a bad idea. Ideal for the away kit. Other than that, no.
Anyway, City looking sluggish. But so far, so good. 🤞