StefanAVFC Posted December 26, 2023 Share Posted December 26, 2023 3 points off top and on pace for 78 points this season, and ‘we’d be lucky to finish top 4’ Christ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Albrighton Posted December 26, 2023 VT Supporter Share Posted December 26, 2023 4 minutes ago, Tayls said: Yea and people still lost their crap and actually failed to read the post! Typical. And you started the relegation thread last season as well. That’s fine, some people naturally have a more negative outlook. I wonder at what points you reached the “no chance” conclusion for the possibility of relegation for this season or last season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxjackle Posted December 26, 2023 Share Posted December 26, 2023 Half way through, and we're in with a shot. If it goes to 5th a big chance. Yep we have had a knock, but looking at a wider range of 5 games- we are at 2 pts a game with games inc Arsenal, and the mancs- most of us would have taken that before. We do need a few players though probably to stay there, RB, DM back up and a back up striker. Lets see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomaszk Posted December 26, 2023 Share Posted December 26, 2023 It's us v Spurs. 100%. Utd have no bearing on anything, they remain absolutely wank. Ten Hag in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVTuco Posted December 26, 2023 VT Supporter Share Posted December 26, 2023 (edited) 12 minutes ago, StefanAVFC said: 3 points off top and on pace for 78 points this season, and ‘we’d be lucky to finish top 4’ Christ Problem is our performances have started to slip. There are good reasons for it, I know, but it's happening. Pundits think we've overachieved, and I tend to think so too. Our players are not the quality the real contenders have, nor do we have depth in the squad. It's not sustainable, however great Unai is. Edited December 26, 2023 by AVTuco Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tayls Posted December 26, 2023 Share Posted December 26, 2023 (edited) 9 minutes ago, Mark Albrighton said: And you started the relegation thread last season as well. That’s fine, some people naturally have a more negative outlook. I wonder at what points you reached the “no chance” conclusion for the possibility of relegation for this season or last season. Defo started the one under Gerrard… but, then again we were crap… and let’s be honest, we probably would have been relegated. This seasons one was a joke, based on some comments in another thread. My post even says ‘must be the preference’ because posters were mentioning it. But unfortunately some people don’t see that, which is fine. Edited December 26, 2023 by Tayls Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VillaChris Posted December 26, 2023 Share Posted December 26, 2023 We just need to win some games. We play all of Burnley, Everton and Sheffield United before the return match against Man.United at VP in early Feb. We remain 8 points clear of them with a vastly superior GD and I'd expect to be double points clear when that match happens. If it's less and they do another counter attacking smash and grab....then yes panic. This would be a bigger collapse than 08/09 and I really don't expect it to happen given who's managing us and we hopefully won't be signing a Heskey type player next month (and on the second half tonight we certainly do need a couple of signings just to freshen things up). I also think CL will go down to 5th which will be a big help as Spurs will certainly fancy their chances again watching that second half and getting Maddison back imminently. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VillaChris Posted December 26, 2023 Share Posted December 26, 2023 6 minutes ago, AVTuco said: Problem is our performances have started to slip. There are good reasons for it, I know, but it's happening. Pundits think we've overachieved, and I tend to think so too. Our players and not the quality the real contenders have, nor do we have depth in the squad. It's not sustainable, however great Unai is. Good job there's a transfer window coming up. It always baffles me when we go on a good run and suddenly there are no players in world football good enough to play for us as we have the perfect squad. And then the reality hits with that second half and the o.k squad players getting exposed. This time last year Newcastle were comfortably top 4 and they went out and signed Anthony Gordon for 40m. He wasn't that great at all for them but ultimately he was a fresh body in final third and allowed them to rotate a bit more. On the evidence of tonight it's a must we get in an RB of decent quality as Konsa must be kept in the centre at all costs for these away games. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WallisFrizz Posted December 26, 2023 Share Posted December 26, 2023 4 minutes ago, AVTuco said: Problem is our performances have started to slip. There are good reasons for it, I know, but it's happening. Pundits think we've overachieved, and I tend to think so too. Our players are not the quality the real contenders have, nor do we have depth in the squad. It's not sustainable, however great Unai is. I think we’ve ridden our luck in some games and also been able to field a pretty stable side for the most part this season. However we have had some significant injuries to key players across 2023 and mostly kept playing well including 6-1 Brighton and 4-1 West Ham. I don’t think we have overperformed but I think some are a bit fatigued and injuries and suspensions have caught up with us. I think that winter break will do us good . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HanoiVillan Posted December 26, 2023 Share Posted December 26, 2023 5 minutes ago, VillaChris said: Good job there's a transfer window coming up. It always baffles me when we go on a good run and suddenly there are no players in world football good enough to play for us as we have the perfect squad. And then the reality hits with that second half and the o.k squad players getting exposed. This time last year Newcastle were comfortably top 4 and they went out and signed Anthony Gordon for 40m. He wasn't that great at all for them but ultimately he was a fresh body in final third and allowed them to rotate a bit more. On the evidence of tonight it's a must we get in an RB of decent quality as Konsa must be kept in the centre at all costs for these away games. have to agree about the RB, Konsa is not a RB for a side with European pretensions and Konsa-Torres is by far our best CB partnership. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maqroll Posted December 26, 2023 Share Posted December 26, 2023 Title talk surely over now, for varying reasons. But CL race still on. We need to beat Burnley and then regroup after a frenzied period of highs and lows. Get some starters back and rested and healthy, and perhaps a new signing or two to freshen things up and provide some relief heading down the stretch. Tonight will sting for a while and it is deeply disappointing, but the team will need us to back them again. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spoony Posted December 26, 2023 Share Posted December 26, 2023 We really need some signings in Jan to turn this into a reality. We are constantly two injuries/suspensions away from being quite a poor team Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foreveryoung Posted December 26, 2023 Share Posted December 26, 2023 Still convinced some played like they had a little too much party time over the Christmas period. Lets hope it's just that, an we get back to full fitness in Jan and kick on. I mean Liverpool struggled a bit with Burnley today. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ender4 Posted December 26, 2023 Share Posted December 26, 2023 We are still tracking over 2.0 PPG which would get us 78 points for the season if we continue. That feels like top 4 form stil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VillaChris Posted December 26, 2023 Share Posted December 26, 2023 32 minutes ago, WallisFrizz said: I think we’ve ridden our luck in some games and also been able to field a pretty stable side for the most part this season. However we have had some significant injuries to key players across 2023 and mostly kept playing well including 6-1 Brighton and 4-1 West Ham. I don’t think we have overperformed but I think some are a bit fatigued and injuries and suspensions have caught up with us. I think that winter break will do us good . After Saturday we actually only play one prem game in four and a half weeks (it will be a mix and match team for Boro I suspect) so just a case of getting through this period and then signing a couple in January just to freshen things up. I think a decent run of good form during Feb and March will pretty much secure top 5 and then we could concentrate on europa more while picking up wins here and there in prem. Still loads to play for and this is period of season where we need to be strategic. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foreveryoung Posted December 26, 2023 Share Posted December 26, 2023 7 minutes ago, ender4 said: We are still tracking over 2.0 PPG which would get us 78 points for the season if we continue. That feels like top 4 form stil. Chilled now. Get kamara, Pau, and Telimans back after the Burnley game and crack on for a top 4 finish. In Emery we trust! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulC Posted December 27, 2023 Share Posted December 27, 2023 31 minutes ago, foreveryoung said: Chilled now. Get kamara, Pau, and Telimans back after the Burnley game and crack on for a top 4 finish. In Emery we trust! Yes I think its imperative we beat Burnley now. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mantis Posted December 27, 2023 Share Posted December 27, 2023 59 minutes ago, ender4 said: We are still tracking over 2.0 PPG which would get us 78 points for the season if we continue. That feels like top 4 form stil. Our overall form is still ok - 3 wins, 1 draw and 1 defeat in our last 5, with 3 of those games being against last season's top 3. Understandably though people are downcast due to the manner of the last two games - being unable to beat the bottom side at home (although admittedly VAR played a huge part in this) and then throwing away a 2 goal lead to a shit Man United. Burnley will be very interesting. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xela Posted December 27, 2023 Share Posted December 27, 2023 Half way through the season and we've got 39 points. Keep that up and we're top 4 at the end of the season barring a disaster. Worth remembering that barely any if us would have predicted a top 4 finish this year. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CVByrne Posted December 27, 2023 Share Posted December 27, 2023 Was a very costly defeat that to United. Gets them right back into it, only 7 points behind us and half the season to go. If we don't beat Burnley I'll accept that CL now unlikely given how more experienced the other clubs are in the run in and under pressure. Still all to play for as they say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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