rubberman

Yep - if we'd been in Wolves position, or cruised up in second I'd be giving him a go in the PL, but stumbling up (hopefully) through the playoffs from 4th and I can see him getting a thanks and bye. That is IF there is an obviously better replacement available.

Jesus - can you imagine a Ted Baker Villa Jersey. These are risks taking it away from a sports brand but it would be an interesting move. I work in technical sportswear and have been involved in team kit supplying as well as working in general fashion retail in the past and they are very different. (what dn1982 says makes sense)

Yep. That is going to be so sweet.

I think there's a real danger in taking the foot off the gas. Make the odd change if needed, sure, but they've just had 8 days rest and there's no back to back games now. Keep the pressure on, win the last 3 and see what happens.

Amusingly the first caller on 606 yesterday wanted Mourinho out because Man U are doing so badly and for him to be replaced by Bruce. I chuckled.

I'm enjoying how completely irrelevant this thread is until (hopefully) the end of May.

But see the baggies result to show its never a foregone conclusion.

As long as its us that goes up!

But the team finishing third has been promoted more often than 4th, then 5th then 6th. Still think we will have a better than average chance through the playoffs. Whoever finishes 3rd and 4th will be some way ahead of the 5th and 6th this season and over two legs would expect that to be the final...but its a funny old game.

Another reaches 2nd and stutters. Not easy this. Can still see it coming down to goal difference.

Keep the dream alive, please.

32? Thought he was about 40 by now. Amazing.

Gah - I'm in Spain. On business but might be able to sneak away if Friday, but then would be on a plane during Monday's. In a meeting on Saturday's, but at least back for Tuesday. Nothing in the diary for Final day.

Do our business tonight and then it's wait and see. Would be great to keep that flicker of hope alive.

Wembley - 105m x 69m Villa Park - 105m x 68m Not sure the extra 1m is going to make a big difference.

Name Home Team Away Team Guess Villa 2 0 Leeds Villa Southampton 0 2 Chelsea Chelsea Burnley 1 1 Leicester Draw Palace 1 1 Brighton Draw Huddersfield 1 1 Watford Draw Swansea 0 1 Everton Everton Liverpool 2 0 Bournemouth Liverpool Spurs 2 2 Man City Draw Newcastle 1 1 Arsenal Draw Man Utd 3 0 West Brom Man Utd West Ham 1 0 Stoke West Ham Brighton 0 2 Spurs Spurs Bournemouth 0 2 Man Utd Man Utd Burnley 1 2 Chelsea Chelsea Leicester 1 0 Southampton Leicester rubberman

Huddersfield are used to it down here and wouldn't see much changing so I'd not fancy them (though if Wagner gets poached that would help). Much better for me to have a previously established side with expensive players having to take a big pay cut / leave - as we've seen makes it much harder to perform as a team. Southampton are pretty well run so might not have the turmoil of others. West Ham, Palace, Swansea, Stoke - all would struggle I reckon. Though I doubt anyone would do a Sunderland, I could see all those taking a couple of seasons like us.

So 'new manager bounce' is something that isn't down to the manager? Sometimes your logic is truly mindblowing.

Well - every side that's hit 2nd has stumbled so far. It's obviously extremely likely that Fulham have paced it perfectly and are there to stay, but they could drop points against Brentford and lose at Millwall. Last 2 games should be gimmes, (but you never know against relegation sides). Could still be 88 is enough for 2nd and I'm going to keep dreaming for another few days. However 'deluded' that might be.

Flipping heck this is an exciting roller-coaster ride. I'd obviously rather we were in wolves position, but this has been some season already with the squeaky bit now in full effect.

^ I wish you hadn't said that. Despite myself, hope's still twitching away. Ah well - will be put out of my misery later tonight.

Name Home Team Away Team Guess Norwich 1 2 Villa Villa Everton 0 2 Liverpool Liverpool Bournemouth 1 0 Palace Bournemouth Brighton 1 0 Huddersfield Brighton Leicester 1 0 Newcastle Leicester Stoke 0 2 Spurs Spurs Watford 0 1 Burnley Burnley West Brom 0 1 Swansea Swansea Man City 2 1 Man Utd Man City Arsenal 2 0 Southampton Arsenal Chelsea 3 0 West Ham Chelsea rubberman

Fulham, Cardiff and Millwall have the three longest unbeaten runs in England at the moment. Unlucky for us, but it would be incredible if they continue through to the end of the season and fair play to them if they do - nothing we can do about that now. Can't see it though - there will be a game of bad luck, bad decisions or injury at some point. Sadly it's unlikely to be both Cardiff and Fulham, but if we keep winning who knows - I'm certainly not confident, but keeping a small flicker of hope going.

Except for beating Cardiff.

I'm not ready to give up yet and I hope the players aren't either. Talk of rotating and playing the kids at this stage is crazy. While there is even the slightest chance of automatic we should still play to get it. Who thought we would screw up the last couple of games that badly. Fulham are only level with us still as long as we beat Hull. I can see sessegnon getting distracted by speculation talk over the next few weeks. Their form might continue but would be extraordinary if it lasted to the end. Cardiff have some tricky games and who knows what will happen if they have a couple of losses with us and Fulham closing? Get back to doing our business and see what happens but not (quite) over for me yet.