2023/24 - The Race For..................

[Sp3akerboxxx]

So because we,'re not favourites, we give up believing?....

Well Im not giving up and going to both games, so ill do my bit lol

Hope more fans going thinking like me and not many on here.

Don't worry mate, not sure you'll see much of other fans from the top of that high horse

 

[Mr Pink]

Don't worry mate, not sure you'll see much of other fans from the top of that high horse

No idea what youre on about lol

 

[Doctor Dinkey]

Looking at our fixtures I think it's fairly likely that Villa could lose all their remaining games and still get 4th where's that tin hat emoji?

 

[rossdapep]

I get Villa are in the driving seat but Ive no idea why a lot of people are talking like this is all done and dusted.

If we beat Arsenal, the opinion will swing again (yes big if, but still)

This is what happens when we have a bad defeat and haven't played for so long (Villa have played 3 times since)

 

[Mr Pink]

This is what happens when we have a bad defeat and haven't played for so long (Villa have played 3 times since)

Definutely mate.

Look if we get pumped next Sunday ill join in with the doom and gloom group.

But if we manage to win, suddenly things could look a lot better and we need to exert pressure on Villa, not give up lol.

Thats all Im saying. Going into a massive NLD all negative ,when we can dent their title hopes and keep us in the mix for top 4, seems silly to me.

 

[fishhhandaricecake]

So because we,'re not favourites, we give up believing?....

Well Im not giving up and going to both games, so ill do my bit lol

Hope more fans going thinking like me and not many on here.

Like your positivity but honestly think it’s pretty much done. If we were playing better and didn’t have Udogie out then mabye a tiny chance but Chelsea away we will likely get battered, Arsenal will be very very tough, Liverpool away we rarely get anything and City have struggled against us mostly under defensive coaches in recent years, they will likely pick us apart under a much more open Ange’s style, added to that we are 6points behind with far far harder fixtures than Villa.

Im as optimistic as the next person but I think our race has run and it’ll be a very painful end of season to cling onto 5th to be quite honest never mind trying to claw back 4th.

I’m not giving up all hope but it’s looking extremely unlikely.

But yea a win in the NLD could be a catalyst to an amazing finish, if not then I think it’s game over for 4th which tbh is not be devastated about.

 

[Mr Pink]

Like your positivity but honestly think it’s pretty much done. If we were playing better and didn’t have Udogie out then mabye a tiny chance but Chelsea away we will likely get battered, Arsenal will be very very tough, Liverpool away we rarely get anything and City have struggled against us mostly under defensive coaches in recent years, they will likely pick us apart under a much more open Ange’s style.

Im as optimistic as the next person but I think our race has run and it’ll be a very painful end of season to cling onto 5th to be quite honest never mind trying to claw back 4th.

Wow, respect your opinion mate, but thats negative in the extreme to me.

We're erratic for sure, but we're capable of turning in some good performances.

To be honest, we've played well against the bigger Clubs.

Aside from the Chelsea home game (which was a freak, we were battering them) who of the bigger Clubs has hammered us?

Had we not imploded last weekend I doubt we'd be seeing this reaction.

 

[talkshowhost86]

We've played well once this year really. It's good that it was against Villa but we need to be honest about that.

So unless things change dramatically on that front in the last few games then I don't see us turning over 9 points (assuming Villa win one more game).

 

[fishhhandaricecake]

Wow, respect your opinion mate, but thats negative in the extreme to me.

We're erratic for sure, but we're capable of turning in some good performances.

To be honest, we've played well against the bigger Clubs.

Aside from the Chelsea home game (which was a freak, we were battering them) who of the bigger Clubs has hammered us?

Had we not imploded last weekend I doubt we'd be seeing this reaction.

Well I’m going on recent form and on recent form, Fulham have beat us 3-0, Newcastle 4-0, we scraped past Luton at home, did ok vs a poor Forest side and drew against a West Ham side who just let in 5 to Crystal Palace.

So against far lesser opponents recently we’ve been heavily beaten twice so logic says we will find it difficult against the 3 best sides in the league and also away to a Chelsea side who are of the most in-form teams.

I don’t think I’m being particularly negative at all just realistic and you’re being quite optimistic which is fine good for you, I hope you’re right, let’s see.

My predictions would be:
Draw or loss home to Arsenal 1 pt
Loss away to Chelsea 0 pts
Loss or at best draw away to Liverpool 1 pt *weirdly of all the big 3 remaining games I feel like Liverpool away could be one where we could get something as Palace showed recently, this Liverpool team are not that great at times*
Win home to Burnley but if they’re not down yet that won’t be easy 3 pts
Loss or draw home to city 1 pt
Win away to Sheff Utd 3 pt

Absolute best case I see us getting 9 pts so Villa just need 1 win from their final 4 games.

Lets se how it goes, hopefully Ange and the lads can surprise us.

 

[Guntz]

If we're honest, we've only really played well in 2024 against Villa away.

The performances for the most part have been poor ever since that Chelsea defeat back in November.

For that reason, I can't see us going on a run that would have us finishing 4th.

 

[fishhhandaricecake]

We've played well once this year really. It's good that it was against Villa but we need to be honest about that.

So unless things change dramatically on that front in the last few games then I don't see us turning over 9 points (assuming Villa win one more game).

Basically completely agree with this, and tbh I’d still be happy with the season on the whole, just not going to massively get hopes up when really our form would need to flip 180 suddenly and even then with the fixtures we have it would be a huge ask.

 

[Mr Pink]

Well I’m going on recent form and on recent form, Fulham have beat us 3-0, Newcastle 4-0, we scraped past Luton at home, did ok vs a poor Forest side and drew against a West Ham side who just let in 5 to Crystal Palace.

So against far lesser opponents recently we’ve been heavily beaten twice so logic says we will find it difficult against the 3 best sides in the league and also away to a Chelsea side who are of the most in-form teams.

I don’t think I’m being particularly negative at all just realistic and you’re being quite optimistic which is fine good for you, I hope you’re right, let’s see.

My predictions would be:
Draw or loss home to Arsenal 1 pt
Loss away to Chelsea 0 pts
Loss or at best draw away to Liverpool 1 pt *weirdly of all the big 3 remaining games I feel like Liverpool away could be one where we could get something as Palace showed recently, this Liverpool team are not that great at times*
Win home to Burnley but if they’re not down yet that won’t be easy 3 pts
Loss or draw home to city 1 pt
Win away to Sheff Utd 3 pt

Absolute best case I see us getting 9 pts so Villa just need 1 win from their final 4 games.

Lets se how it goes, hopefully Ange and the lads can surprise us.

Yeah our form hasnt been that great.

I just think we'll raise our level against the better sides and theyre coming on to us will suit us more than all the low blocks we've encountered, where we have struggled, but still managed to get the job done a lot of the time.

Im also hoping this two week break will of given Ange time to reflect and possibly tweak things.

On the face of it, I understand your view but football doesnt always go the way you expect

Got to believe a bit mate. We're still only 3 points off 4th after 32 games.

 

[wpmcg]

By my calculations we need 3 points to be definite in Europe, albeit Conference. That's Newcash finishing 5th, Manure winning cup and Chelski finishing 4 -3 -0.

 

[Mr Pink]

We've played well once this year really. It's good that it was against Villa but we need to be honest about that.

So unless things change dramatically on that front in the last few games then I don't see us turning over 9 points (assuming Villa win one more game).

I thought we played well at United away, Neville certainly did.

Yes theyre not great, but traditionally its been a shite fixtute for us.

To be honest, I think we've struggled more since Maddison came back in just after that game, bizzarely.

 

[Mr Pink]

Richarlison coming back in will be a big plus imo.

Holding the ball up, running the channels and pressing hard....we've missed that big time

 

[talkshowhost86]

I thought we played well at United away, Neville certainly did.

Yes theyre not great, but traditionally its been a shite fixtute for us.

To be honest, I think we've struggled more since Maddison came back in just after that game, bizzarely.

We were okay against United but as you say not particularly impressive considering how poor they are.

And I agree that Madders coming back in hasn't been a plus unfortunately.

 

[talkshowhost86]

Richarlison coming back in will be a big plus imo.

Holding the ball up, running the channels and pressing hard....we've missed that big time

I agree with this.

Get Sonny out wide and give us more of a focal point.

 

[Ginola+Tonic]

Like your positivity but honestly think it’s pretty much done. If we were playing better and didn’t have Udogie out then mabye a tiny chance but Chelsea away we will likely get battered, Arsenal will be very very tough, Liverpool away we rarely get anything and City have struggled against us mostly under defensive coaches in recent years, they will likely pick us apart under a much more open Ange’s style, added to that we are 6points behind with far far harder fixtures than Villa.

Im as optimistic as the next person but I think our race has run and it’ll be a very painful end of season to cling onto 5th to be quite honest never mind trying to claw back 4th.

I’m not giving up all hope but it’s looking extremely unlikely.

But yea a win in the NLD could be a catalyst to an amazing finish, if not then I think it’s game over for 4th which tbh is not be devastated about.

You think we lose our current 5th spot to one of the teams behind?

 

[talkshowhost86]

You think we lose our current 5th spot to one of the teams behind?

Both United and Newcastle can technically get to 68.

I don't think they will, but that is possible.

I don't have a huge amount of confidence we'll get to 68 unfortunately.

So I don't think it's likely, but I can see why some might be worried.

 

[Ginola+Tonic]

Both United and Newcastle can technically get to 68.

I don't think they will, but that is possible.

I don't have a huge amount of confidence we'll get to 68 unfortunately.

So I don't think it's likely, but I can see why some might be worried.

They literally both can’t because they play each other, one can if they win all their games, but that absolutely isn’t going to happen.

I understand the worry and the doom, but we’d need 6 points and any of those teams behind us have to win at least 5 and draw 1.
And I think we’ll get more than 6 points from our remaining games anyway.

It would be a monumental drop off and an incredible run of form from others to lose 5th spot from here.