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
If we beat United – that’s a very big IF given our track record against them.
They might be poor this season but we still have a habit of losing home and away!
Just realised that if Chelsea win the conference League the team in eighth place will play in that competition. Not the seventh place team. Be an absorbing day next Sunday.
Only if Chelsea finish outside the top 5 – in that instance Chelsea will enter the Europa Cup and if they finish 6th or 7th then the 8th place team could get a Conference League place. If Chelsea win the Conference League and qualify for the CL then that Europa League place is forfeit.
At present only the top 7 teams are guaranteed a European qualification for next season.
So, if Chelsea do finish outside the top 5 whoever is in eight place on Sunday evening will be shouting for Chelsea to win the Conference League Final!
I think I’ve got that right 🙂
So if Chelsea win the competition and qualify for champions league, does that mean 7th and 8th would go into the conference then? Very confusing…
No, as I understand it – if Chelsea win the Conference League and qualify for the CL by finishing in the top 5 then 6th qualify for the Europa League and 7th for the Conference.
The Europa League place that Chelsea would have gained by winning the Conference is forfeit – it doesn’t pass to the league as an additional place.
So – if Forest beat Chelsea, we beat Man U and Man City win their two remaining games, we would finish 5th, Forest 6th and Chelsea 7th. Chelsea would enter the Europa League if they win the Conference and 8th would get a Conference League place.
The ideal Sunday for us would be – we beat ManU and either Forest / Chelsea draw or Forest beat Chelsea. In that scenario, I believe we would finish 5th and get CL football.
It’s a big IF!
If Kelleher is available for 40 million, Monchi should be camping outside his house…
Bearing the above in mind, Bournemouth should be on fire for the Citeh game tomorrow if a probable European place is up for grabs!
Also hearing rumours linking us to Ferran Torres of Barcelona. I would be surprised if it’s true but if it did happen then it would be confirmation of Ollie being on his way out. Torres has been on good form lately and might be getting a little fed up being number two to Lewandowski. Who knows?
Just that 1 point at City and it would be 100% in our hands and almost home n hosed. Disasi. The stuff of nightmares. How much might that cost the club. 😫
And we’d be in pole position for 3rd. And City would be out of the picture.
ManU apparently put offers in for Emi and Chesty. Can someone tell then those days are over? Amorin won’t restore Utd to their past glory, that’s for sure.
The cruel nature of it all is the possibility Manure will be in the Champions League and we might be in the Conference League. If that’s the case then we will be less attractive to play for. I hope we don’t lose anyone to any of the Sky 6 love in clubs but money talks and there’s no loyalty from players these days.
Holte, going to Utd has done nothing but destroy careers over the last 10 years. I know footballers aren’t the sharpest, but you’d have to be a basket case to move there. Utd have major PSR issues too. They will also have to reign in their salary allowance. Look at the wages they gave to Rash etc and how that has backfired. There is no way Emi would move to Old Trafford. I’m still in shock he’s going anywhere!!!
Agree completely. Given a choice nobody looking for ‘success’ is going to go to ManUre, unless they are totally deluded.
If he’s going anywhere, I suspect that Barcelona would be irresistable for many reasons, other than just money.
Barcelona are apparently interested in Emi, so who would you choose between ManUre and Barcelona? Anyone going to ManUre was for money, which has dried up now. Hope he stays though, but Barcelona has to be a big draw at the moment for any player. Cherries 🍒 beating Man Citeh tomorrow would-be brilliant. Going to be a roller coaster on Sunday.
Am I the only one who missed this?;
https://www.footballinsider247.com/chris-heck-leaves-aston-villa-after-leaving-fans-raging-and-falling-30m-short/
Good riddance. I can’t stand bean counters who totally disrepect their customers.
Ha! Yes you are!!!!! We have Juve’s Head of Corporate coming in apparently.
Probably happened when your broadband was down!!
Yes, fair enough.
It’s good news anyway, imo.
Cheers!
Badger
Interesting article! I feel there are two key aspects regarding Heck. Yes, he carried out NSWE’s requirement to increase revenue. And there’s no getting away from it the prices he oversaw were the prices required. We still have PSR issues.
The second part was that he was tone deaf to fan communication. The days of the Sports Argos and limited communication are over. If you want top dollar from fans then talk to them.
The incoming man from Juventus is well known to NW and Monchi. While I have no doubt pricing will be steep, I expect communication to improve.
Great to see the Adidas Villa golf clothing / merchandise rolling out. Another source of income.
Been in 4 departure lounges this week. In the sports shops, the kits are the same old faces.
Does nobody do ‘Sale or Return’ anymore? If you can’t see it, you can’t buy it.
Jusy bloody ManU and Liverpool shirts…all looking like they’d sold very badly…
Sorry Sid, I can’t be doing with that approach at all.
By all means increase things.
But you can’t do it that fast and expect to get away with it.
I’m pretty sure he only came in to set the shockwaves, but now it gets a lot more difficult.
It matters not to me. I’ve got a hundred things better to spend my money on during my approaching retirement. Solar power at my Spanish gaff is my latest project, so I cut my outlay, not increase it.
I need to be setting myself up, hence I won’t be partaking in any of this marketing tat.
Paying some of the prices associated with football clubs nowadays? No chance.
But then, I’m sure the marketing is aimed at the much more gullible who still believe in “fashion”
Don’t get me wrong. I’ve been there. I got refused entry to the Locarno for wearing Burgundy shoes!
I’ve just grown out of it and I really think my having supported Villa for over 50 years doesn’t matter a toss. There’s no money in it.
The Locarno…
There’s a name I haven’t heard mentioned in years and years!
🙂
Burgundy shoes? 🙂 You bloody well deserved being turned away? 1984 was it? Grey shirt with a pin through the collar? Jumpers for goalposts and all that????
Summer of 1981. I was well into the fashion stuff. I remember it like yesterday because of the cracking girl I went out with then. The bouncer said I could go in if I changed my shoes, no problem, but it would have meant going back home and back again. It would have taken too long on the bus and I couldn’t afford a taxi there and back, as well as home at 2 in the morning.
That’s the boring bit.
The interesting part is I got the right hump at not being able to get in. I don’t know if you’re old enough to remember then, but there was a Green Shield stamp place dead opposite on Hurst St. It had these windows measuring about 20ft long and 8 feet high.
And you know how it is……
I went up and punched one, in frustration.
The bloody thing just shattered and fell to the floor in a pile. I couldn’t believe it. I must have just got dead lucky or something.
Anyway, me and my mate ran off with a crowd chasing us.
I still laugh in disbelief now. And have the scar.
That’s a cracking story!!!! As Andy Warhol said, ‘There’s nothing worse than being turned away at the door wearing a big hat’!!! 🙂
Only several years out anyway! We dressed like that at big school… And then goth came along!
So Andy Warhol turned away from from The Locarno?
Who’d have thought it?
Check this site for memories of Brums Night Life back in the day.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1427643590784382
Come On Bournemouth!!!
I hope you horrible lot are watching!!!
Well that’s game over.
Yep, Bournemouth being battered. And then some 🙁
Okay. You can stop watching…
I see Sly are showing the Pool-Palace game on the last day.
WTF?
Yes, I get that Pool are finally going to pick up the trophy, but surely the big watch and tension is on the clubs competing for CL?
That’s a strange one for me, I suppose it’s a case of the usuals only.
It matters not to me, as I’ll be watching anyway. But it’s still annoying.
Lineker praising God;
https://www.givemesport.com/leicester-legend-gary-lineker-named-aston-villa-icon-hated-playing/
Europa Cup Final. Where’s Rash? 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Two atrocious teams. Bizzare! Let’s hope for a few ManU injuries!!!