Champions League Contention

[rob_bridge]

70 would be enough for Top 5 for sure, may even get 3rd.

75 I think would guarantee Top 4. 33 points fr0m 18 games. Would need home form to continue and no injuries or loss of form for Martinez or Watkins,

[SaddVillan]

For the doomsters and gloomsters:

Avge points so far
Home - 2.8
Away - 1.3636

Maintain that for our remaining games and we'd end up with 79 points. Over the last 5 seasons it would have got us at least 3rd.

                            4th place
2022/23 3rd       71pts
2021/22 3rd       71pts
2020/21 2nd      67pts
2019/20 3rd       66pts
2018/19 3rd       71pts

All is not yet lost.

[PaulWinch again]

Increasingly in the top 4 discourse we’re being ignored, with some of the conversation basically seeing it as a battle between Liverpool, Citeh, Arsenal, and….Spurs. Hopefully we can use that to our benefit and surprise all the fuckers.

[Smirker]

The frustrating thing for me is we are keeping pace but not taking our opportunities to build a gap.

Forest
Sheff Utd
MU

And now Everton. And before anyone says all we have to do is keep pace and we finish top 4 that isn't the point. We have very little room for error here.

Winning those two home games vs MC and Arsenal could have been a launchpad but the results since then means that we've given up any points boost we would have had, had we won the games we'd expect to win.

I'm not complaining I just want us to start taking these opportunities to gain some ground over our challengers.

[edgysatsuma89]

I know what you mean but inversely I fancy ourselves more against the 'better' teams, where we can say "come at us, bruh". Teams that sit in we are struggling against so results like Everton don't surprise me at all. Neither did Sheffield United. It has become a greater problem though now we are seen as a threat. Man United is the one that fucks me off the most, we basically gave up attacking after 30 minutes.

[dcdavecollett]

If we had, and defended deeper, we would have won the game.

[ChicagoLion]

8 points from the last 15 is not top 4 form.
Our performances have not been either.

[Dave]

8 points from the last 15 is not top 4 form.
Our performances have not been either.

Rather depends on what the other teams do.

Arsenal with four points from the last fifteen clearly have no chance.

[PaulWinch again]

8 points from the last 15 is not top 4 form.
Our performances have not been either.

Rather depends on what the other teams do.

Arsenal with four points from the last fifteen clearly have no chance.

And in November/December Man City took 3 points from 12, so assume they’re out of it too.

All clubs have ropey periods. The important thing is that we use this break to recharge and get back to some of our more sparkling displays.

[Monty]

Thinking about something Risso said in the match thread, we just have get better at the start of games. Teams are going to sit in against us and defend deep, and the longer that goes on at 0-0 (or god forbid 0-1) the more confident they're going to get.

The 'sit deep' plan is always fucked by conceding first, so let's get into them early! I have this feeling that sometimes we're a bit standoffish at the beginning of especially away games, looking to draw the sting of the home crowd etc. But you know what really draws the sting from midtable home crowds? Conceding after 4 minutes. I know because that's what top-of-the-league contenders did to Villa for who knows how many years.

[Ads]

Defend deeper is an odd one considering the goals came from individual errors.

[PhilVill]

To be honest, I'd be very happy with 70 points, and wherever that takes us in the league, its real progress. This team/club were nearly gone six years ago. To be where we are now, after so many years of stagnation is excellent. Its realistically going to be at least another two summers before we can challenge on a consistent basis. However, if we can get some of walking wounded back, and keep them fit, then a trophy/CL qualification could well be on. Sorry for being a misery arse but I've too many memories of '98 to get too excited.

[Meanwood Villa]

70 is a good target given that is our record in a 38 match season. To better it we need 28 points from 17 games, average of 1.64 a game, which would get you 62 across a whole season.

[VillaTim]

8 points from the last 15 is not top 4 form.
Our performances have not been either.

we are running out of steam not helped by the injuries and smallish squad. I think we poured so much into part 1 of the season it's catching up a bit now which is only natural.

[chrisw1]

8 points from the last 15 is not top 4 form.
Our performances have not been either.

we are running out of steam not helped by the injuries and smallish squad. I think we poured so much into part 1 of the season it's catching up a bit now which is only natural.

Plus teams are playing differently against us now they know what to expect.