Champions League Contention

[PaulWinch again]

In terms of our position relative to Spurs. If you’d said that after this weekend we’d be a point further ahead of them I’d definitely have taken it.

[Monty]

I think we are suffering from a form of tiredness of late.

NB - I do not necessarily mean tiredness through so many games (although it's been a bit tense lately), I mean I think we are suffering from feeling the mental load of maintaining our position in the top 4 over a period of time. For months we've had a situation where every point dropped is potentially extremely costly, and that's a heavy mental load to bear, it's a lot of pressure. We look guarded at times in our play, and have lost a little bit of the confidence with which we've put some brilliant moves together earlier in the season. It's like the pressure is getting to us a little, and the performances are frequently nowhere near as good as they have been.

On top of that, we're really starting to feel the injuries and now a key suspension, too. We have a good group of centre halves and full backs, but we must have been forced to play every combination of them at some point this season, due to injury. The only one who doesn't seem to have been injured is Lenglet.

We also have three players out with ACLs, which is remarkably bad luck. We were lucky we had time to get in cover for Mings and Buendia, yeah but the fact is, had Mings and Buendia not been injured in the first place, we could have used that money to strengthen elsewhere, we were forced into those moves (and we know Lenglet is very expensive).

It has been an insanely enjoyable, crazy season thus far, but I really think it is going to be a case of absolutely grinding out the points from the remaining 9 matches, and dragging ourselves over the line.

It would be gutting if we didn't get CL qualification after all this, and gutting too if we don't win the Conference League, after having done so well.

Yeah I agree with all of this.

[pauliewalnuts]

That wolves game is HUGE. It's a saturday night game 5.30 ko so atmosphere should be excellent fingees crossed.  The only downer is wolves will want to out that sky blose result right so i expect they will be really up for this one.

Apparently* they've won every game after losing, so time to break that run.

*Per Molineux Mix, can't be arsed checking if it's true.

Yeah it’s not true. I’ve only checked start of the season and they lost back to back Manure and Brighton.

I heard they're bitter small time cunts. I've checked, and it's true.

[Percy McCarthy]

I think we are suffering from a form of tiredness of late.

NB - I do not necessarily mean tiredness through so many games (although it's been a bit tense lately), I mean I think we are suffering from feeling the mental load of maintaining our position in the top 4 over a period of time. For months we've had a situation where every point dropped is potentially extremely costly, and that's a heavy mental load to bear, it's a lot of pressure. We look guarded at times in our play, and have lost a little bit of the confidence with which we've put some brilliant moves together earlier in the season. It's like the pressure is getting to us a little, and the performances are frequently nowhere near as good as they have been.

On top of that, we're really starting to feel the injuries and now a key suspension, too. We have a good group of centre halves and full backs, but we must have been forced to play every combination of them at some point this season, due to injury. The only one who doesn't seem to have been injured is Lenglet.

We also have three players out with ACLs, which is remarkably bad luck. We were lucky we had time to get in cover for Mings and Buendia, yeah but the fact is, had Mings and Buendia not been injured in the first place, we could have used that money to strengthen elsewhere, we were forced into those moves (and we know Lenglet is very expensive).

It has been an insanely enjoyable, crazy season thus far, but I really think it is going to be a case of absolutely grinding out the points from the remaining 9 matches, and dragging ourselves over the line.

It would be gutting if we didn't get CL qualification after all this, and gutting too if we don't win the Conference League, after having done so well.

Yeah I agree with all of this.

Me too, I think we’re mentally and physically tired and have done astoundingly well considering our injuries and how much less time we’ve had to build a squad compared to those we’re competing with.

I really didn’t think we’d do much after Mings’ injury - I woke up in the middle of the night thinking how unfair life is - but we’ve coped magnificently with his and and all the other injuries. Well done so far lads!

[Villan82]

I think we are suffering from a form of tiredness of late.

NB - I do not necessarily mean tiredness through so many games (although it's been a bit tense lately), I mean I think we are suffering from feeling the mental load of maintaining our position in the top 4 over a period of time. For months we've had a situation where every point dropped is potentially extremely costly, and that's a heavy mental load to bear, it's a lot of pressure. We look guarded at times in our play, and have lost a little bit of the confidence with which we've put some brilliant moves together earlier in the season. It's like the pressure is getting to us a little, and the performances are frequently nowhere near as good as they have been.

On top of that, we're really starting to feel the injuries and now a key suspension, too. We have a good group of centre halves and full backs, but we must have been forced to play every combination of them at some point this season, due to injury. The only one who doesn't seem to have been injured is Lenglet.

We also have three players out with ACLs, which is remarkably bad luck. We were lucky we had time to get in cover for Mings and Buendia, yeah but the fact is, had Mings and Buendia not been injured in the first place, we could have used that money to strengthen elsewhere, we were forced into those moves (and we know Lenglet is very expensive).

It has been an insanely enjoyable, crazy season thus far, but I really think it is going to be a case of absolutely grinding out the points from the remaining 9 matches, and dragging ourselves over the line.

It would be gutting if we didn't get CL qualification after all this, and gutting too if we don't win the Conference League, after having done so well.

Yeah I agree with all of this.

Me too, I think we’re mentally and physically tired and have done astoundingly well considering our injuries and how much less time we’ve had to build a squad compared to those we’re competing with.

I really didn’t think we’d do much after Mings’ injury - I woke up in the middle of the night thinking how unfair life is - but we’ve coped magnificently with his and and all the other injuries. Well done so far lads!

I agree wholeheartedly and I think we should remember all of the above. Unai has worked miracles given the injuries.

[Lsvilla]

Spurs are scheduled to play Citeh on semi final weekend so that's another game they'll have to back up. Can't even play the Chelsea game then as they're obviously also still in the cup. Although they get the weekend off they'll have to fit those two tough fixtures into a short window.

[Brazilian Villain]

Me too, I think we’re mentally and physically tired and have done astoundingly well considering our injuries and how much less time we’ve had to build a squad compared to those we’re competing with.

Agree with all that. I'd also say that, given his attention to detail, playing for Emery is probably more mentally draining than say Dean Smith, or even Poch. Not that I'd want Super Unai to change.

[Demitri_C]

Spurs are scheduled to play Citeh on semi final weekend so that's another game they'll have to back up. Can't even play the Chelsea game then as they're obviously also still in the cup. Although they get the weekend off they'll have to fit those two tough fixtures into a short window.

Thats great news

[Tony Daleys Shorts]

Worth noting that although our home form as nosedived, we’re going to get to April unbeaten away from home in 2024.

[Demitri_C]

Worth noting that although our home form as nosedived, we’re going to get to April unbeaten away from home in 2024.

Perfect as the next ones citeh. Im sure we can forgive the players if they dont win that one

[OCD]

Worth noting that although our home form as nosedived, we’re going to get to April unbeaten away from home in 2024.

Perfect as the next ones citeh. Im sure we can forgive the players if they dont win that one

Speak for yourself, I'm expecting an upset.

[LeonW]

I think if we win our home games against Wolves, Brentford and Bournemouth, plus pick up a couple of points here and there will be enough to get top 5.

[Smirker]

Worth noting that although our home form as nosedived, we’re going to get to April unbeaten away from home in 2024.

Perfect as the next ones citeh. Im sure we can forgive the players if they dont win that one

Speak for yourself, I'm expecting an upset.

Same here. Backing us to win that one.

[Drummond]

Is netto injured?

Apparently…

Yep, well every Lidl helps.

[brontebilly]

I think we are suffering from a form of tiredness of late.

NB - I do not necessarily mean tiredness through so many games (although it's been a bit tense lately), I mean I think we are suffering from feeling the mental load of maintaining our position in the top 4 over a period of time. For months we've had a situation where every point dropped is potentially extremely costly, and that's a heavy mental load to bear, it's a lot of pressure. We look guarded at times in our play, and have lost a little bit of the confidence with which we've put some brilliant moves together earlier in the season. It's like the pressure is getting to us a little, and the performances are frequently nowhere near as good as they have been.

On top of that, we're really starting to feel the injuries and now a key suspension, too. We have a good group of centre halves and full backs, but we must have been forced to play every combination of them at some point this season, due to injury. The only one who doesn't seem to have been injured is Lenglet.

We also have three players out with ACLs, which is remarkably bad luck. We were lucky we had time to get in cover for Mings and Buendia, yeah but the fact is, had Mings and Buendia not been injured in the first place, we could have used that money to strengthen elsewhere, we were forced into those moves (and we know Lenglet is very expensive).

It has been an insanely enjoyable, crazy season thus far, but I really think it is going to be a case of absolutely grinding out the points from the remaining 9 matches, and dragging ourselves over the line.

It would be gutting if we didn't get CL qualification after all this, and gutting too if we don't win the Conference League, after having done so well.

If the worst was to happen and we slip out of contention, I think we might look back at the failure to get in someone to challenge Ramsey for that spot on the left as key. He's been injured all season really and maybe the biggest loss of the lot. No one we have tried there has really impressed and it has impacted Moreno's form too, once he finally got fit. Even if Ramsey does come back for Wolves he tends to need a few games to find his feet after injury. 

I think we need a Diaby or someone to catch fire for the rest of the season for us to finish strong. The likes of Luiz, Bailey and Watkins have carried us all season and I fear that fatigue might kick in soon. McGinn will come back strong no doubt but he will be out of position to show his very best.