First of all, I just want to take a little bit of time to discuss the game on Thursday as I did not do a match review article; simply outstanding! We made it hell for them and Forest would never have coped on a month of Sundays. It was the best atmosphere I’ve ever seen at a football stadium and I think that we can beat anybody if we have that sort of an atmosphere, but we know that.
McGinn is simply a club legend whether we win in Istanbul or not – I said it before the game to Badger, if you take McGinn off then you take Villa off, it really is that simple. As for Buendia, he reminded me of Messi last night. The first goal seriously reminded me of the way Messi uses his size to slip underneath opponents. But then again I do not know what is more impressive, that or the fact that we scored a penalty! I think it could’ve game Forest brutal momentum if they saved that penalty, to be honest. Last note on the game, if I do not see Watkins wearing that super-powered headband today I will be totally fuming! 😉
Now, today’s task at Turf Moor. I am typing this in the car whilst en route to the Burnley Cricket Club, which I believe backs on to the stadium and is labelled one of the best pre-match venue in the league for away fans. Bournemouth have managed to get within three points of us and, I tell you what, if we do not win today then the pressure is on, because the Europa League is not a gimme, we have to earn it. The bookies will have us rightfully odds on to obtain a Champions League spot, but this could easily be a tragic capitulation, it really is not beyond the realms, but I don’t think it will happen as I think we will win in Istanbul, which flights are booked for as of yesterday morning!
Team news will see Onana miss out again, and obviously Kamara – which Sky reported as if we didn’t know that already? Burnley have limited injuries from what I can see, but none of their players stand out. Just for the record, Livescore is telling me Josh Cullen, Connor Roberts and Jordan Beyer are out. I haven’t heard of any of them. I think their biggest threat will come from Jaiden Anthony, potentially linking with James Ward-Prowse. Wow, what a fall from grace – we all believed he was the missing piece in the puzzle to take us to the heights! I’d like to see Buendia start for us after the great performance on Thursday, but it all depends on Burnley’s physicality.
Overall, I did say that we wouldn’t win this game over a week ago (I said 1-1) and said that we wouldn’t win another Premiership game, but I believe that we genuinely need to win this one and I hate predicting us to drop points when we can’t afford to, so I am going to ditch the conceding and go with 0-1 to Villa, and I believe the goal will come from Watkins if he plays, which I can’t call.
Hopefully we can bring the +3 points home! UTV
Beginning to look like we might do a ‘Forest’ in the league!
I wouldn’t play Rodgers if you asked me, he doesn’t run in a game he just jogs, how many times does he lose the ball in a game I’d say a dozen. Why people think he’s ace? Not for me. Another game thrown away. Bailey and Rodger make a good pair.
Brighton away to Leeds and home to Manure.
Bournemouth home to Citeh (mid week after the Cup Final – advantage Bournemouth) and away to the Tricky Trees.
Advantage Bournemouth I would say.
Assuming Bournemouth get no more than a point from City, we need to draw with Liverpool at Villa Park. And that will be that. The problem is it’s before the final. Players won’t want to get injured; Unai will want to rest his preferred players. It’ll be a (last?) chance for the disgraced players who appeared against Spurs to redeem themselves. We don’t make it easy, do we? Should’ve been home and dry weeks ago and going to Istanbul without the extra weight of CL qualification. At least we didn’t lose!
Absolutely pathetic today, why we are genuinely going to throw the league and use a one off fixture to determine our season I really do not know.
Mings was dreadful he was the root cause of all our bad defending today.
I disagree Alfie – on Mings.
Maatsen lost the ball for the first goal accentuated by a poor save by Martinez and Cash lost it for the second goal. We gave them two goals but neither was directly Mings fault.
Maatsen was completely useless all game; the difference when Digne came on – chalk and cheese.
Lindelof, Barkley, McGinn and Watkins put in a shift – the others were just OK but that’s really not good enough.
Hitch I’m sorry but Mings was dire. He’s always the weak link in our defence and the second goal wouldn’t have happened if he’d have won the duel against a player half his size.
We cannot expect to keep doing well with some players we’ve got who can’t turn up in away games like this.
Just watched both goals back. Mings for first goal and somewhat Maatsen. Second goal was Cash but Mings failed to win it in the air before it but it’s not shown on the highlights.
Defensive shambles that won’t get us over the line in Istanbul.
Just have to agree to disagree won’t we. 😄
Absolutely mate, that’s what this forum is all about – friendly debate. 🙂