I’ve commented on it before, but you know how it is, I’m sure.
Sometimes you just get a feeling about something and my feeling here, is that while there’s no way I can see a convincing win, I can see us getting at least a point.
Would that be a good result?
I’d say so, as on form over the last few years and the difference in the perception of the club’s levels, with us being miles behind, anything at all would be a point that we probably shouldn’t really expect.
My concern is the way we’ve played over our last few games and it isn’t conducive to predicting good results.
But we have got them, somewhat against the odds, particularly against Leicester over two legs, so it shows anything’s possible.
Which begs the question of which is currently the better team? Leicester or Spurs?
I’d say it’s Leicester, hence logic says we can beat Spurs, simple.
But it’s not simple is it?
On my way home from work, I was listening to radio WM talking about how the wind had changed things in the blues game so you can bet that will be a big factor tomorrow.
And then I heard about one game where both sides looked lethargic after the winter break.
This is probably a bigger concern to me, as we’ve already shown loads of times that we switch off too easily, as it is. Indeed, it’s probably our single biggest weakness, in my opinion.
We really need to be 100% on it tomorrow, if we’re going to get anything.
Squad news is that fortunately for us, Harry Kane, Moussa Sissoko and Ben Davies are all not available.
Steven Bergwijn, Ben Davies, Giovani Lo Celso are all available, while Erik Lamela will be assessed after his groin problem.
As for the Villa, it’s the same old, same old with the long-termers, but they’re now accompanied by Kienan Davis, the matchstick man. He’s either incredibly unlucky or more likely just doomed to never really perform for us.
Which is a shame, as I do feel he’d improve as a striker, given plenty of games.
If you’re constantly injured though, it doesn’t matter how good you are, does it?
Sturridge, anybody?
Never mind though, as at least we know Borja Baston will definitely play at least a part tomorrow, according to Dean Smith.
Which I find interesting.
Why are we announcing that he will definitely play? We weren’t told Samatta would start, even if it was blindingly obvious, after all.
Either Smith really rates him or he’s been told by someone to start him, even if only as a sub.
I tend to favour the latter option, myself, but in fairness, Sammata has tired in games.
Which leads me to another feeling, where I think Baston will prove to be yet another really poor signing in a long list.
That’s incredibly unfair of me, I know, as I’d never even heard of the bloke before he signed for us, but it just rings too many alarm bells, in an overpaid player who’s done little in the English game and plied most of his trade in the Spanish second division.
Let’s hope I’m left eating a big slice of humble pie, where he gets the goals that see us survive this season, eh?
As I’ve suggested, I think this is mostly about what sort of Villa side turns up for this game.
I think if we’re 100% up for it, we have the beating of Spurs, no problem. They really haven’t been that good lately, their last result against Man City apart.
That’s not saying much though, as if we’re even slightly off, you can just see us conceding far too easily. Again.
Where I can also see Spurs getting four or more.
I’m hoping they won’t find it so easy though and while I’m minded to think this has a 2-1 result, either way, written all over it, I’m going for a draw.
2-2 it is then.
And I’d see that as a decent point.
That it guys. We will be going down now this season. I say this because we have not drawn enough games this season. That would have been a precious point today. How many times have we gifted the opposition goals in the last five minutes of games this season. As the number of games left run down the nerves of the players will get worse and i can see our season going from bad to worse from here on in. Need 12 to 15 points from the remaining fixtures looks unlikely but not impossible. Samatta looks a smart player but too many defensive errors to give me confidence we can avoid the drop.
I don’t understand with JT as coach why our defence is so shite.
Silk purse from sow’s ear springs to mind. Basically we don’t have enough decent defenders which makes the decision to allow Chester to move even stranger.
It appears we’re still suffering from the American ideal of making money – a revised version of money ball – get rid of the older players and bring in younger, cheaper ones even though they are not good enough.
They’ll be OK when we’re relegated – they’ll sell our Crown Jewels, pocket a nice profit then put the club up for sale!
We’re in trouble – make no mistake about it.
Good luck Jack next season when you get your deserved move to a top club. We deserve to be relegated because Suso and his team signed Championship quality players.
Why oh why do we keeping do this?
I had actually reached the point where I thought we would have a point.
The upside today is that Samatta looks to be Premier class. Maybe he might be the difference between us staying up or being relegated.
However, both Engels and Konsa are liabilities in defence. We just can’t afford to play these two together. I hope Mings gets better soon.
JT needs to go as a defensive coach. We need a change here.
Don’t rate Terry as a coach one bit (and his role must come under scrutiny agreed) – but we have bought poorly. Engels made the glaring error today but Konsa / Hause are equally as bad. Apart from Mings all the other CB’s are mid table championship players – which is exactly where theyll be with us next season.
Its going to be painful losing Jack for a fraction of his value in the summer when we go down
Get rid of Terry Asp and bring in pulis also Drinkwater needs going too O’Hare much better sammata looks ok think O’Hare will replace grealish next season the way he was speaking with spurs player at the end and holding hand in front of mouth he probably wanted to get messages to Levy’s board.bloody hopeless. Brentford looking likely to replace us what a kick in teeth for Smith that would be.
We really missed Mings today. Whilst he is prone to the odd clanger, he makes up for with his leadership. Spurs could have drove a double decker bus through the middle of our defence today with the gaps we left.
Surely the owners have to question why we are the worst team in the league defensively. Is it because of his reputation that JT is still in a job? As a player he was great for us but as a coach doing his apprenticeship with us, it’s proving costly.