Villa 1 – 0 West Ham; Safe surely?

After having been extremely lucky (and crafty) for quite a while now, I wasn’t able to wangle getting away from work early enough today.
Hence I only managed to see the last 10 minutes or so and can’t really comment about the match at all.
All I know is that Cleverley got the goal, which makes it three in three games. He’s certainly staking his claim for a contract, isn’t he?

But never mind missing the game though. Having seen today’s results I’m now convinced we’re safe for another season, as while I can see Hull getting at least something at Spurs, I just can’t see them getting anything against Man Utd. Either way, I don’t see them getting the required four points for them to overtake us on goal difference.
And that’s if we don’t get another point, against Southampton away or Burnley at home, which I think we will.

Again having looked at the results, I quite simply have to take my hat off to Leicester, who have won an amazing six out of their last seven games.
When you consider all the stuff that went on with Pearson just a few weeks back, it’s a great story.
And when you add in the fact that they’ve apparently doubled their points tally in the last month, well….
They deserve to stop up, in my opinion.

Enough of Leicester though and no doubt some of you will be telling me we aren’t mathematically safe yet and that would of course be correct.
I’m still very confident we’ll survive though and the thought of Sherwood getting next season and a chance to add some of his own players is a very interesting one.

101 Comments

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  1. Dave.C
    Dave.C May 11, 2015 at 10:19 am . Reply

    I never buy this excuse that playing Thursday-Sunday tires the players out more than playing Wednesday-Saturday, pathetic excuses from managers/players looking for an easy way out in my opinion. For fans to back them up by saying we don’t want Europa cup football is just as pathetic in my opinion. Surely playing more games is a sign of success, and if Villa qualify for the Europa Cup it means they’ve had a successful season. For God’s sake all you naysayers out there, enjoy the fact we may get there, and don’t moan about what may happen if we do. I’m with Andrew, Bill, Badger and Darren, lets get there and enjoy it while we can, positivity, not negativity. Up the Villa!

    1. Bill Pearson
      Bill Pearson May 11, 2015 at 12:08 pm . Reply

      Bang on Dave C, a load of bollocks about tiredness in players, OK they train most days but that’s part of the job, I played football Saturday Sunday in my day and enjoyed the time, let’s move forwards get what we can in the game.

  2. Darren
    Darren May 11, 2015 at 10:24 am . Reply

    http://mobile.avfc.co.uk/default.aspx?s=news-display&aid=4707051

    Hope that works. Villa is going places. Keep Grealish Delph and Cleverly together with Benteke up front Clarke down back along with Okore and Sherwood as the manager and let him add to those core players.

    Most exciting times to be a villa fan for years.. And for once the future seems to be brightening again

  3. pat57
    pat57 May 11, 2015 at 11:16 am . Reply

    I’ll take the Europa League any day. Love us to be playing Valencia or Roma or Monaco.

    After all, only eleven games ago when we were under Lambert, I was 100% stone walled absolutely convinced that we’d be playing the likes of Rotherham and Charlton and Bolton next season. Those clubs don’t quite roll of the tongue in the same way, do they?

    Come on Tim and the lads – 44 points and the Cup – not much to ask for, is it? 🙂

  4. Bill Pearson
    Bill Pearson May 11, 2015 at 11:43 am . Reply

    Hi Hitch, nore did I, he’s certainly worth gambling on I’ve noticed we are playing his type of football and he’s enjoying it, bet your like me mate working hard on allotment? busy time of year now, found time to get my Wembley tickets half way up behind the goals, I’ll be waving my colours at the game.

    1. Hitchens 60
      Hitchens 60 May 11, 2015 at 1:22 pm . Reply

      Hi Bill, allotment and garden which we used to open to the public for charity. Madly we’ve agreed to a private coach visit next week!
      Really enjoying the football we are playing, almost impossible to believe this is pretty much the same team that PL fielded! You made a good point in that it’s still PL’s team, he bought all the players so why couldn’t ‘t he get them to play?
      Congrats on the Final tickets – have been lucky enough to go to a few League Cup finals including the epic battle with Everton. Will be watching on the box this time.

  5. langfordvilla
    langfordvilla May 11, 2015 at 12:56 pm . Reply

    Of course we DO want the Europa League…thats progress and ambition! If you dont want progress and ambition whats the point of watching anything? As for the players being too tired, thats complete and utter bollox and a very poor excuse for not playing well!
    We will NOT be relegated!

    We fear NOBODY, did you hear me? NOBODY!

    1. Hitchens 60
      Hitchens 60 May 11, 2015 at 1:26 pm . Reply

      Agreed Langford. However there is evidence that without a large squad Europe does impact on League performance which only the ‘richer’ clubs seem largely able to cope with.

      It’s up to the club to make sure we can cope with both

  6. langfordvilla
    langfordvilla May 11, 2015 at 1:42 pm . Reply

    Hi H60…. Yes its a hard slog but its still worth a go IMO. We could easily put out a 2nd eleven in the early rounds! Here is an example using the current players who were not in the starting 11 Saturday. It would also be a prestigious trophy to win with automatic CL qualification. Also worth a few quid and helps attract better players…..and before you say it oohah…not everyone can play for a CL club so there are many good players who want to better themselves by playing Europa League games!

    Guzan
    Hutton/Lowton
    Baker/Senderos
    Clark/Donacien
    Cissokho/Bennet/Luna

    Tonev
    Gil
    Cole
    Sanchez
    Sinclair
    Gardner

    Weimann
    Kozak
    Robinson
    Gabby
    Helenius
    Bent

    I reckon that we could give ‘the lesser teams’ a good game out of that lot! There are probably a couple of players that I’ve forgotten!

    BTW…where have Cissokho, Lowton, Sinclair and Gil disappeared to? I keep fairly up to date but dont recall seeing news of any of them being injured….has Sherwood started his own bomb squad? 🙂

    1. Ardent Villain
      Ardent Villain May 11, 2015 at 4:12 pm . Reply

      The list looks ‘OK’ on paper, but look at those names and see how many of them have been un-available for weeks, or even months, on-end during the last year or so…

      1. langfordvilla
        langfordvilla May 11, 2015 at 5:04 pm . Reply

        Ardent…I get where your coming from but my point is at least 5 or 6 of those could play in ‘the easier’ Europa League games. I’m sure that the fringe players would be simply glad of some gametime!

        BTW…..when we won the league in 81, I’m pretty sure we only used 14 players and that was for 42 league games, plus FA and League cups. Could if be that players ‘cry off’ far too easily these days? ……too much guaranteed pay as opposed to appearance money me thinks, but I am a cynical old twat! 🙂

    2. Hitchens 60
      Hitchens 60 May 11, 2015 at 4:47 pm . Reply

      Cissokho and Sinclair have been injured. I know Sinclair is back but can’t force himself back into the team primarily, I guess because of Grealish’ form. I suspect Lowton will be off in the summer. Gil is a strange one – he looked like a really good player from what little we have seen of him; who knows?

      I wouldn’t be surprised if Weimann moves on in the summer as well.

      WBA are supposed to be interested in Sinclair – strange one given his poor loan spell with them last season.

      1. langfordvilla
        langfordvilla May 11, 2015 at 5:07 pm . Reply

        H60…. Someone has said Sinclair was given time off due to his partner giving birth. Shouldnt be allowed nookie between August and June IMO!……but his partner is VERY difficult to resist 🙂

      2. Ardent Villain
        Ardent Villain May 11, 2015 at 5:09 pm . Reply

        I was mostly thinking of the injuries: Senderos, Tonev ,Helenius, Kozak,etc., {I’ve actually forgotten who Donacien is…} and we’ve hardly managed to put out the same back-four in successive games all season.

        I wouldn’t be surprised to see Weimann go either, but I still think that an awful lot depends on what’s going on behind the scenes as far as Benteke’s future is concerned.

  7. michael bridges
    michael bridges May 11, 2015 at 2:03 pm . Reply

    i think we’re a small club who is punching above our weight. still think we will go down

    1. Guest
      Guest May 11, 2015 at 4:04 pm . Reply

      OohAhh’s changed his profile i see.

    2. pat57
      pat57 May 11, 2015 at 4:07 pm . Reply

      Who let a Bluenose in here?

    3. GIDDYVILLAN
      GIDDYVILLAN May 11, 2015 at 4:20 pm . Reply

      LOL there’s always one little bluenose b*****d that slips through the net.

    4. langfordvilla
      langfordvilla May 11, 2015 at 5:09 pm . Reply

      Fuck off you bluenose twat!….if you dont it will be ‘thrown of Bridges’ not Michael!

      1. Hitchens 60
        Hitchens 60 May 11, 2015 at 5:59 pm . Reply

        🙂 🙂

  8. GIDDYVILLAN
    GIDDYVILLAN May 11, 2015 at 6:47 pm . Reply

    Ok then fuck off you skybluenose.

  9. Andrew
    Andrew May 11, 2015 at 6:54 pm . Reply

    Reportedly had scouts at the Club Brugge v Anderlecht game and some clash in Portugual (teams not named), along with Everton v Sunderland and Hull v Palace. No idea how true this is but that’s what “Sport Witness” claims.

  10. Andrew
    Andrew May 11, 2015 at 8:18 pm . Reply

    Sherwood has been pictured tonight at Swindon’s game.

    1. OohAhPaulMcGrath
      OohAhPaulMcGrath May 11, 2015 at 8:23 pm . Reply

      Must after the Swindon managers job then according to Keane!

      1. Andrew
        Andrew May 11, 2015 at 8:28 pm . Reply

        Clearly. or he’s scouting players, which is just rude, should never have players watched, disrespectful and Keane would never do such a thing.

    2. Bum Bum
      Bum Bum May 11, 2015 at 10:09 pm . Reply

      Yup. Checking out the FA cup final opposition!!!! Good old Swindon!!!

  11. pat57
    pat57 May 11, 2015 at 10:23 pm . Reply

    Swansea beating the Arse. Well if Monks can do it I’m bloody certain Sherwood can!

    I’ve got a funny feeling that on May 31 I’ll be changing my moniker from Pat57 to Pat15

    God how this season has turned around!

    UTV

    1. Ardent Villain
      Ardent Villain May 11, 2015 at 10:46 pm . Reply

      That result tonight will mean that Arseholes can’t just take it easy between now and the 30th; they’ll want to avoid ManUre leapfrogging them into 3rd place and having to play the extra CL qualifiers again.

      1. OohAhPaulMcGrath
        OohAhPaulMcGrath May 12, 2015 at 1:02 pm . Reply

        They will finish 3 rd as they have game in hand and 2 points clear of Utd

  12. pat57
    pat57 May 11, 2015 at 10:57 pm . Reply

    Whereas if Villa get anything against Southampton and/or Hull get beat on Saturday Villa can relax and give some players a break before the Cup final.

    Just keeps getting better.

    I find that I have to pinch myself occasionally just to prove it isn’t some sort of weird dream!

    UTV

  13. Tyson
    Tyson May 12, 2015 at 1:29 am . Reply

    interesting he’s at the Swindon game- the ozzie Massimo Luongo plays for them – he had a brilliant asian cup and hasd been linked to a few PL club (including ours)

    1. Andrew
      Andrew May 12, 2015 at 3:58 am . Reply

      2nd time in a month he’s been there.

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