So I’ve made the move to Liverpool for six months and it’s been a nightmare. It’s said that moving house is one of the most stressful things in your life and although I haven’t moved house, I can see why, if my experience this week is anything to go by. I’ve done nothing but make phone calls and send Emails every evening this week. I won’t go into the ins and outs, but a good example, which is probably the weirdest is that the previous tenant and my missus have both taken supposed gas readings from the water meter. To be fair, it appears it was only because the letting agent told us the meter was in a room on the ground floor. Anyway, she took the reading and texted it to me and I gave the reading to my supplier. It was only when I actually checked the meter myself that I realised. Now that I’ve found out where the meter actually is and I’ve a key to open the box, I can get a proper reading. That’s going to involve an interesting call to the supplier tomorrow.
Anyway, onto the important stuff and how important is this game?
If fifth gets you Champion’s League it’s not quite so important, as it will take a big change in fortunes for Man U to catch us, but if it’s only the top four who qualify, this game is massive.
If we win, we open up a nice eight point gap, although they have a game in hand. Lose and it puts them within two points of us, which really puts the pressure on.
Squad news and Tyrone Mings, Emi Buendia and Boubacar Kamara are all still out. Ramsey is a doubt, but Pau and McGinn will be back after being rested for the Ajax game. There seems to have been some concern about Pau coming off on Thursday, but it was apparently all planned and I suspect it was more about easing him back in gently rather than him not being at all fit.
As for Spurs, Pedro Porro will probably be back, but Richarlison, Fraser Forster, Ryan Sessegnon and Manor Solomon are all still out.
I’m not sure what to think about this game or how to even predict a result, to be honest.
Spurs play a very gung ho style of football and while it can be very successful, it can also be their undoing when they’re attacking and playing a high line. It sounds a bit familiar doesn’t it?
Whatever, it gets goals, although the numbers are very much on a par with us, which surprises me a bit, because I thought they’d have been superior in that aspect.
I see a lot of goals, at least three, but I honestly struggle to see who is going to win, as it could go either way.
I’m tempted to say I think we’ll edge it, but my predictions have been terrible recently, so I’m going to play safe and go for a draw.
2-2 it is then.
PS Well done to Bailey being voted as Player of the month by the Villa fans. Totally deserved in my opinion.
UTV!
I’m really looking forward to this.
Martinez, Konsa, Lenglet, Pau, Cash, McGinn, D Luiz, Digne, Tielemans, Bailey, Watkins
Subs: Olsen, Carlos, Moreno, Diaby, Zaniolo, Duran, Rogers, Kesler-Hayden, Iroegbunam
Sky thinking it might be 3 at the back.
No Ramsey and Duran is back on the bench.
Cash has slipped three times already. Get some decent studs
I don’t think much of the ref. Seems to have given us nothing.
Tactically good though and we’ve stifled Spurs pretty well.
Totally bricking it though.
That pass from Watkins, when he should have shot?
It would have been offside anyway…
When he tried to pass to Bailey, I mean. Didn’t look off to me???
Game over.
Giving the fucking ball away again.
Game over
We have been weak and lacked focus today…
Nice to see a 3 man change made nice and early rather than on 82 minutes…
Absolute shite today bottled it
WTF McGinn?
That is totally reckless and red is probably correct.
Konsa has been too sloppy in possession recently. Now McGinn is sent off and is our season going down the pan?
McGinn. Frustration.
Spuds lightweights.
A bad day at the office. Lost McGinn and little back up…
McGinn off – say goodbye to fourth.
Now on a battle for fifth / sixth and our form has gone completely off at a crucial time.
Now worried about Thursday although McGinn can play but will Emery include him – I have my doubts.
Only upside is we’re entertaining and I’ve only had endure the odd five minutes.
Got to try and keep the score down to 2-0 but I have my doubts!
We were always going to lose today. I wasn’t convinced the home form was back on track. The Forest result looks impressive on paper but we made hard work of it. If the home form does continue like this, we will need 5th. But even that’s not nailed on with away trips to Arsenal and City. West Ham away also a tough one. The skipped will miss 3 games now so if someone offered 5th, I’d take it. I’m not sure if a knockout game at home in 4 days is helpful or not. The Villa boys are gonna need some big balls in the coming weeks. But it seems the fear factor that has plagued the team at VP has come back. Problems to solve for Unai.
*skipper
So blatantly pushing or yanking Watkins over by the arm is allowed?
Shockingly biased ref, imo.
Brown paper bag, I wonder?
The standard of refereeing surely can’t just naturally plummet, the way it has done.
I agree – we seemed to be plagued by referees that give us nothing. It was the same on Thursday – Watkins got nothing even though he was continually fouled and Zaniolo got a yellow card when it wasn’t even a foul which rules him out of Thursday’s game.
It’s difficult enough playing two games a week without having to play against 12 men as well.
We said a couple of weeks ago the the officials would help Spurs to 4th. It wasn’t the deciding factor today but they weren’t exactly neutral were they?
First goal is always crucial when it comes to Villa. It’s unusual for Emery to get it wrong in terms of formation and selection but I think he did today.
To be fair to all concerned, the concerns preseason were if the team could cope with Thursday and weekend matches. They just about managed it before Christmas, to everyone’s credit. Spurs have had a week off, hence the game in hand, and no Europe. We haven’t. It shows. It’s just basic sums really. I said preseason I didn’t want the ECL because I feared it would come at a cost: 4th and the promised land. Those concerns are now beginning to materialise.
Disagree, BFR.
While we’ve stifled Spurs pretty well in the first half, have we actually had a shot on target? I don’t remember one.
Some poor passing and worse crossing has cost us.
And that’s 3.
Pisspoor, but I don’t think it’s down to tiredness today.
It is Badger. There’s no edge, no sharpness. That’s mental and physical tiredness. It’s basic science, basic biology.
And there’s the 4th. I predicted 2-4 today, but we didn’t manage the 2. F*** it.
To confirm, big Ange stated post match we were beginning to tire end of first half and that we had to work very hard to contain them. Not enough gas in the tank I’m afraid. While I’m here, I predict we’ll be knocked out on Thursday.
Bailey completely off it, too much f**king about at the back and beaten by the better team on the day.
Think we can kiss goodbye to forth with their run in compared to ours.
They’ve got a really tough run of games in April, Ron.
Having said that, their next 4 games look piss easy. They’ll be looking to be out of sight by the time they hit that tough 4 game run. Meanwhile, all our fixtures suddenly look like mountains to climb.
Spuds last 2 games – Burnley at home and Sheffield away BFR.
That’s 6 points more or less guaranteed.
Would it be better to go out against Ajax? Others would argue that a win would lift morale after today’s disappointing performance.
No, we have to try and win the ECL and I think Emery will go all out for it.
The Champions League is, first and foremost, about money but I really don’t think we’re good enough to be in it – yet.
I’d take Europa League next season and another assault on the top – but that assumes we do have money to spend in the transfer window.
UTV
No Holte. They need a result Thursday. Or they could disintegrate.
I believe the progress of English teams in Europe will have a direct effect on that 5th champions League place, so it’s in our own interests to go as far as we can.