Pessimistic me shares the concerns that some of us have about Spurs being very capable of scoring at Villa Park on their day.
But even I have to tend to the view that we should win this quite comfortably.
I know, it’s brave of me but the requirement is quite simple for the rest of the season. Win our 2 final games. Emery will have drummed it into the players, although I doubt they’d have needed to be told.
Win these two games and what will be, will be. Plain and simple and anything less won’t be acceptable.
It might not even be enough for us to qualify for the Champions League, but if we can succeed in our final push, that’s it. We can do no more.
So saying we will win is a bit of a bold statement, but come on, if we can’t beat these, we don’t deserve to qualify anyway. We could probably not have had a better time to play them, all season, given that they face Man Utd in the Europa league final on Wednesday. Everyone in their side is going to want to play in it and there’s no way any of them will be giving any extra tonight. It wouldn’t even surprise me if Postecoglou has told them to take it easy. They have nothing to play for in the league and can’t be relegated, after all. Will Ange even play his first team?
I won’t even go into their current form. Well, I will do, but in a minute.
Squad news then and it’s very straightforward. Tielemans is out with a calf injury, Rashford is out with a hamstring issue and Ramsey is suspended after his very soft second yellow last week. I say soft and it was, but he should never have got himself booked the first time.
As for Spurs, the good news for us (but not the player, obviously) is that Dejan Kulusevski has undergone knee surgery. James Maddison and Lucas Bergvall are both out too and it’s quite odd, as I haven’t heard Ange bleating on about how he thinks they’re the only club to get injuries lately?
Son is due to get at least a few minutes after being out for a month.
It’s probably all a bit academic anyway, if the Greek (why did I think he was Australian?) decides to not field a full strength side.
And then there’s current form.
We’re the only team to have won 5 out of 6 of our last games, while Spurs’ form is abysmal. In their last 6, they’ve won 1, drawn 1 and lost 4. That’s relegation form.
Normally, I would be saying that we’re heading for a typical Aston Villa type fall here, but I just can’t see it. Yes, a small part of me knows it’s very possible, but even so, in my head losing against them is simply not an option.
I’ve loved watching Spurs all season. They’ve been my favourite and “go to” team, Villa apart and I always look out for them playing. The reason is simple. They are (or at least, were) either great or terrible and their games always give you goals.
And I fail to see anything different tonight.
I’m going for a 3-1 win. The only thing we have to fear here is complacency.
UTV
Kelleher?
Henderson?
Just want to pick up on the debate over Rogers ‘assist’ for the Kamara goal.
This whole assist idea is purely for the EPL’s Fantasy Football game ‘acquired’ from stats mad American Football; as is the distance players run, tackles made etc.etc. The assist simply goes to the player that makes the last pass prior to a goal being scored and can, frankly, be meaningless at times in the context of the move as a whole or how the scoring opportunity is created.
Kamara’s goal was made possible by the brilliantly timed off the ball run by Asensio that dragged Bentancur out of his defensive position and allowed Kamara the space to shoot.
I’m not knocking Rogers, just thought I would put in another word for Asensio staying; he was excellent all game.
Congratulations to our U18’s who’ve beaten Citeh AGAIN to win the National U18 Premier Cup at VP.
1-0 in front of 10,000 fans – our future looks to be in good hands.
It will be interesting to see if any start appearing in the first team squad next season?
Yes Hitchens – a great double and first for the club. This was our under 18s side not the U-21s, so the gap in physique between them and Premier league players is vast. Only exceptional youngsters make the first team at 18 or under. Those that do, usually look like early maturers. Villa have been in the habit of loaning players of this type to lower league sides – but this is the first crop since the Spaniards booted out our youth coaches and brought in their own so perhaps there will be a pathway opening up.
Does anyone now see why I wanted a Newcastle and Chelsea draw last week. I was shot down when I said that would be a far better result that a Newcastle win. Now we hope Newcastle can drop points? If Forrest loose again this weekend or even draw, they are done and will have nothing to play for v Chelsea.
Palace currently winning 1-0 which isn’t good if we finish 7th. One other drawback from a Palace win is 8th will no longer be a European spot which takes away the importance of Bournemouth getting a result away to Citeh and next week with Fulham at home to Citeh.
If it wasn’t for the extra European place, I would be delighted to see Palace win and Pep crying, so I suppose there is a silver lining.
Luck going with the Croydon Crazies. Henderson gets away with handling the ball outside his area; Citeh screw up giving Marmoush the spot kick in place of Haarland and then Atwell misses the fact that Henderson moved before the kick was taken. Good goal from Eze though, a copy of his against us at Wembley.
Ye fuckin everything going for palace and as rooney is in the middle of a rant about var Lineker shuts him up
On Emi he is one of my favourites of all time and I’ve been supporting this club since 1975 his presence is amazing and through his antics he has brought our great club into living rooms all across the world everyone loves a pantomime villan and emi is one of the greatest villas absolutely love him
Congratulations Palace 🏆👏
I don’t like either club but, on balance, at this moment I dislike Palace more!
If Palace win they’ll do us yet another disservice this season.
Let’s hope Citeh are as crap in their last two EPL games!
City also have the most expensively assembled squad of footballers in the world, ever, costing €1.036 billion.
Yea Pep”s a genius.
How many splinters does Jack have in his arse?
😁😂
He apparently don’t like forwards, ask Samuel Eto’o.
Now we have to finish 6th at worst otherwise we’ll be in the Conference League.
So Palace did us yet again today – we need West Spam to win tomorrow so we ensure Europa League but still in the hunt for CL.
Emery also has to take note – tippy, tappy football doesn’t work where teams sit deep with the ability to counter attack at speed with quality players.
Eze please but with Palance getting European football seems unlikely.
“Emery also has to take note – tippy, tappy football doesn’t work where teams sit deep with the ability to counter attack at speed with quality players.”
Hopefully it’s the death knell for it.
Hope Wills is tapping up Eze whilst he’s handing out those medals. 😁
🙂
What’s the odds on Villa meeting Palace in the Europa Cup next season? 🫣
Fuckinn hate palace
Ditto
Being reported Asensio to join Villa for €15m on a three year deal.
Sounds eminently sensible to me.
I’m not sure I get it.
A team ploughs through 38games in the EPL and might get into Europe but win the FA Cup or Carabou Cup and it’s Europa League or Conference League qualification!
Europa league 13 mill euros for the winners.
Conference league winners 7 million euros.
And not worth a fraction of the CL when it comes to the real money.
I’d rather forego either and concentrate on the league next season, because I don’t believe either of the lesser formats is worth a toss and only detracts from the one true goal.
The CL, where the Prem apart, the real money and recognition is, sadly.
I’m honestly not seeing why we are so desperate to qualify for this lesser rubbish, unless you want to actually go to the games?
*Every club that qualifies earns an automatic £15.7m – even if they lose every game and go out at the league phase.”
You ain’t wrong Badger.
It’s not just the prize money, RSS.
Does anyone remember the lesser cup winners?
Or more importantly, even care?
That’s why they’re pennies in comparison.
We all know where it’s at. I’ve said it all along. If we ain’t winning the league (and we ain’t), the only thing that matters is CL qually.
And if not, the only other possible route is bringing kids through the system and selling them on.
Which is great, but incredibly difficult to maintain.
See West Ham, Southampton etc.