Anyone starting to get worried?

[themossman]

Yah good point. The problem is by playing them later the games become must wins which isn’t ideal.

[SoccerHQ]

Yah good point. The problem is by playing them later the games become must wins which isn’t ideal.

We play Watford twice by end of January. Odd quirk of the fixture list but we won't be playing them in last ten games when it will become six pointer shoot out.

Ultimately need to be taking 4 points off them as that will be another two games they don't win.

Personally think Watford and Norwich are the two certs to go down. No idea at all on who the third will be as when one settles on 18th they suddenly start winning games again.

[Damo70]

Not based on todays scores so far no. Bournemouth losing heavily at home to Liverpool, Spurs thrashing Burnley and Watford and Palace drawing 0-0.

[SoccerHQ]

Burnley's GD taken a hammering over last four days.

[clash city rocker]

Yeah I’d add to the above that I also agree that we’re not going to be that daft and Smith is being tactical in his use of language, which I get.

We are probably scouring the world for a good striker at a decent price. But so many other clubs will be doing the same.  Finding a prolific striker at a reasonable price is like finding someone at the sty that has more than two brain cells.

[Jon Crofts]

One thing to consider is the fact we’ve played all the top Sky clubs away so far bar Liverpool.
That said we’ve taken just the 1 point from 18 on offer.

Has any other team in the bottom half played all the big 6 with 5 of them away?

[themossman]

But does this mean we’re going to have a second half of the season with lots of ‘lesser’ teams away, where they will be harder to beat, while playing teams at home who will beat us anyway? That’s my optimistic take anyway.

[SoccerHQ]

But does this mean we’re going to have a second half of the season with lots of ‘lesser’ teams away, where they will be harder to beat, while playing teams at home who will beat us anyway? That’s my optimistic take anyway.

There is no way we should be writing off home games v Man. United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Spurs after January. After the nightmare opening 10 minutes v Bournemouth we've actually been decent at home I think.

When you push Liverpool for 94 minutes and nearly get at least a draw from that you shouldn't be just writing off other home games as a few of those teams above struggle to win away from home for a reason.

To me our only proper winnable away game so far was Norwich and we won that 5-1 so think we can get draws when wins when we play some of the bottom half.

[Sexual Ealing]

We should've won at Arsenal.

[SoccerHQ]

We should've won at Arsenal.

You'd never have thought it in August but that was our worst result of the season, even before you look at the circumstances of the game.

In the three months since Arsenal have only won one league game and failed to win at home v Palace, Wolves, Brighton and Southampton.

I'm sure cdbully will give a better evaluation of their strengths and weaknesses than I can though.....

[Sexual Ealing]

We should've won at Arsenal.

You'd never have thought it in August but that was our worst result of the season, even before you look at the circumstances of the game.

In the three months since Arsenal have only won one league game and failed to win at home v Palace, Wolves, Brighton and Southampton.

I'm sure cdbully will give a better evaluation of their strengths and weaknesses than I can though.....

We battered them for an hour and then caved to their reputation.

[dave.woodhall]

I wonder if we helped the rest by showing how to play against them.

[Sexual Ealing]

I think the players just didn't believe in themselves. My main worry is that a lot of them see themselves as Championship/newly promoted players rather than Aston fucking Villa players.

[themossman]

Although Watford were unlucky not to beat them before our game as well, and they exposed a lot of the shortcomings.

I think the point about reputations is right. If we had that exact game against them now I reckon we’d feel like we had more of a right to finish them off.

[Roysmert]

I've been worried all season unfortunately. I worry that once we drop into the bottom three again, we'll lose so much confidence and will need another Deano special run.