Weekend Football

[Sanguine]

Still a very tough ask on Leicester, or Ipswich. From that point in 05/06, we won 11 of our next 13.

[Sanguine]

Villa's Champions League credentials pretty obvious now - to everyone except WestYorksRoyal.
Can't ask much more than to beat Arsenal and City without conceding a goal in the space of four days.

Liverpool have started doing Liverpool things again though. In their title-winning season, they had a habit of finding wins where they had no real right to, not least in that opening where they won 27 of 28. Now in a week they've come back late from a goal behind to win against Fulham and Palace. We might have a proper title race this season.

City could probably do without the distraction/extra games of the Club World Cup.

[Silver Fox]

No WestYorksRoyal-o but I wasn't that impressed by Villa on Saturday, thought they rode their luck somewhat.

[genome]

Yeah they were blowing out their arse after about the 50th minute. Held on well for the win though, sometimes that's what you have to do

[NathStPaul]

Good teams win ugly. Villa remind me a bit of Chelsea under Mourinho, nothing flashy but very functional and get the job done.

[genome]

Chelsea have 39 points from 39 league games in 2023

Let's not forget that they have spent £1bn to do this

[WestYorksRoyal]

Villa's Champions League credentials pretty obvious now - to everyone except WestYorksRoyal.
Can't ask much more than to beat Arsenal and City without conceding a goal in the space of four days.

Liverpool have started doing Liverpool things again though. In their title-winning season, they had a habit of finding wins where they had no real right to, not least in that opening where they won 27 of 28. Now in a week they've come back late from a goal behind to win against Fulham and Palace. We might have a proper title race this season.

City could probably do without the distraction/extra games of the Club World Cup.

I'm sticking by it, but I said the same about Leicester 8 years ago (I feel old now).

Clubs like Villa, Brighton and other over achievers don't have the depth or the experience of competing at the top of the table. It's a long season and they are more prone to key injuries or simply burn out. I'd love to see them do it but I think ultimately there are 4 better equipped sides. But the fact that they rode their luck yesterday is not a concern; you need to in order to beat top sides and they were never going to maintain the levels from against City.

Talking of fatigue, injuries etc., Newcastle look absolutely cooked. Compared to the Chelsea and City takeovers, they are really being patient in the FFP era. Not the depth to compete on so many fronts.

3 of the top 4 will go to City, Liverpool and Arsenal. Spurs, Villa and Newcastle will fight it out for the 4th. Ofc, with the new CL format 5th could be enough too.

[Stranded]

I think for Villa to continue in this vein, January will be important for them - if they can add 1 or 2 more quality players then they will be there or thereabouts for top 4 - don't see them winning the league. What will also be key is how they rebound when they finally fail to win a home game.

[Pepe the Horseman]

Villa's Champions League credentials pretty obvious now - to everyone except WestYorksRoyal.
Can't ask much more than to beat Arsenal and City without conceding a goal in the space of four days.

Liverpool have started doing Liverpool things again though. In their title-winning season, they had a habit of finding wins where they had no real right to, not least in that opening where they won 27 of 28. Now in a week they've come back late from a goal behind to win against Fulham and Palace. We might have a proper title race this season.

City could probably do without the distraction/extra games of the Club World Cup.

I'm sticking by it, but I said the same about Leicester 8 years ago (I feel old now).

Clubs like Villa, Brighton and other over achievers don't have the depth or the experience of competing at the top of the table. It's a long season and they are more prone to key injuries or simply burn out. I'd love to see them do it but I think ultimately there are 4 better equipped sides. But the fact that they rode their luck yesterday is not a concern; you need to in order to beat top sides and they were never going to maintain the levels from against City.

Talking of fatigue, injuries etc., Newcastle look absolutely cooked. Compared to the Chelsea and City takeovers, they are really being patient in the FFP era. Not the depth to compete on so many fronts.

3 of the top 4 will go to City, Liverpool and Arsenal. Spurs, Villa and Newcastle will fight it out for the 4th. Ofc, with the new CL format 5th could be enough too.

Wait, wasn't it YorkshireRoyal99 who made the Villa comments? Or are you the same person?

[NathStPaul]

Villa's Champions League credentials pretty obvious now - to everyone except WestYorksRoyal.
Can't ask much more than to beat Arsenal and City without conceding a goal in the space of four days.

Liverpool have started doing Liverpool things again though. In their title-winning season, they had a habit of finding wins where they had no real right to, not least in that opening where they won 27 of 28. Now in a week they've come back late from a goal behind to win against Fulham and Palace. We might have a proper title race this season.

City could probably do without the distraction/extra games of the Club World Cup.

I'm sticking by it, but I said the same about Leicester 8 years ago (I feel old now).

Clubs like Villa, Brighton and other over achievers don't have the depth or the experience of competing at the top of the table. It's a long season and they are more prone to key injuries or simply burn out. I'd love to see them do it but I think ultimately there are 4 better equipped sides. But the fact that they rode their luck yesterday is not a concern; you need to in order to beat top sides and they were never going to maintain the levels from against City.

Talking of fatigue, injuries etc., Newcastle look absolutely cooked. Compared to the Chelsea and City takeovers, they are really being patient in the FFP era. Not the depth to compete on so many fronts.

3 of the top 4 will go to City, Liverpool and Arsenal. Spurs, Villa and Newcastle will fight it out for the 4th. Ofc, with the new CL format 5th could be enough too.

Wait, wasn't it YorkshireRoyal99 who made the Villa comments? Or are you the same person?

West Yorks Royal is nowhere near as tedious.

[Royal Rother]

Good teams win ugly. Villa remind me a bit of Chelsea under Mourinho, nothing flashy but very functional and get the job done.

Whilst we bacically agree, against City I thought Villa played a brilliant style of football that Mourinho is utterly incapable of conceiving let alone coaching.

Far more functional / attritional against Arsenal but probably of necessity brought on by being pretty knackered after the City game.

[Sanguine]

Villa's 15 consecutive home wins is the 4th longest streak since football began (1992). United reached 19, City 20, and across 2019-20, Liverpool won 24 in a row at Anfield.

Fwiw, Villa are the only side to have stopped Liverpool winning in their last 12 home league games.

But for some reason I fancy United to avenge that 7-0 this week.

[Sanguine]

Relegation. Luton, Burnley and Sheff Utd are done already, aren't they? Everton are good enough and I think Forest will find enough results. Is surely only Palace, who are in freefall with Doucoure out, who might bother 18th spot?

[paultheroyal]

Relegation. Luton, Burnley and Sheff Utd are done already, aren't they? Everton are good enough and I think Forest will find enough results. Is surely only Palace, who are in freefall with Doucoure out, who might bother 18th spot?

Said before but likely team to get out of the bottom 3 are Luton. They are not suffering huge defeats. Have been in most games, seem to be up for the scrap, and that ground and atmosphere will help them.

[paultheroyal]

Basically the bottom 3 - need to find a minimum of 9 wins from 22, when they all are on a run of 2 wins from 16 - that is a tough ask to turn that around.

[Brogue]

Lol at the Newcastle Sunderland fa cup game. Supporters are only allowed to travel by coach. As per request of the police. Newcastle have an allocation of 6000 so 120 coaches Newcastle are trying to book. Which they are not finding east to do. Plus there are no provision anywhere near the stadium for so many coaches. It’s becoming a logistical nightmare for everyone

[Winston Biscuit]

Top of the table Stockport at home to bottom of the table Sutton.

4-0 after just 23 minutes.

[genome]

Watching Soccer Saturday, it's a complete shambles. Mistakes being made by all the presenters on almost every incident.

[Winston Biscuit]

Sounds like something serious has happened to Tom Lockyer

[genome]

Something happened to Tom Lockyer?

Head injury it seems, after an impact. He went down in the playoff final too, not sure if his reaction to a head impact today is related to that condition