Champions League Contention

[PaulWinch again]

We’ve got a pretty tough run in.

[Meanwood Villa]

Need to get VP as a fortress again. Winning the next four home games would be a huge boost with the next two away ones being so difficult.

[PaulWinch again]

We just need to get our levels up. We’re regularly having 45 minutes of games where we’re just not at it. I hope the international break gives Unai a bit of space to look at things, as well as enable Ramsey to get back. Also whilst not ideal hopefully the three game ban gives SJM a useful break.

But we need to show a better level between now and the end of the season.

[Demitri_C]

That wolves game is HUGE. Its 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.

We have to win as its citeh away next which we are likely to get nothing

[Brazilian Villain]

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.

[PaulWinch again]

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.

[London Villan]

Is netto injured?

[AV82EC]

Is netto injured?

Apparently…

[Richard E]

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.

We’d won the next premier league game after losing the previous one every time until today.

[Richard E]

Is netto injured?

Apparently…

Missing the rest of the season.

[Demitri_C]

Is hee-chan back or still injured? Cant find any reliable info 

[brontebilly]

That wolves game is HUGE. Its 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.

We have to win as its citeh away next which we are likely to get nothing

They will be hugely up for it anyway and our home from has been very mixed of late. A sensible starting lineup would be a big help! Tottenham will surely beat Luton at home earlier that day.

Need Ramsey back on the left.

[pauliewalnuts]

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.

[Brazilian Villain]

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.

They must have meant this year, which doesn't have quite the same oomph when it's mid-March.

[Somniloquism]

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.

TBH I think the same that it is a mental tiredness rather then physical. Same thing hit Arsenal last year as well and this year they have learnt and bounced back this season so I really hope we have a similar response next season if we manage to finish fourth. The players (and fans) might feel it is more deserved then and that mental block will be removed.