Champions League Contention

[Marlon From Bearwood]

Did any of you who are saying Lille look defensively solid happen to see the calamitous goal they conceded last night against Marseille?

[Percy McCarthy]

These are the games for us to watch out for re: the thread title:

Man Utd v Liverpool
Spurs v Forest

Tuesday 9th April:

Arsenal v Bayern
Real Madrid v Man City

Wednesday 8th April:

Atl Madrid v Dortmund

Thursday 9th April:

Aston Villa v Lille
Leverkusen v West Ham
Liverpool v Atalanta

Saturday 13th April:

Newcastle v Spurs
Bournemouth v Man Utd

Sunday 14th April:

Arsenal v Aston Villa

Tuesday 16th April

Dortmund v Atl Madrid

Wednesday 17th April:

Bayern v Arsenal
Man City v Real Madrid

Thursday 18th April:

Lille v Aston Villa
West Ham v Leverkusen
Atalanta v Liverpool

Sunday 21st April:

Aston Villa v Bournemouth

Haven’t gone further at this stage as it might not be up in the air by then, particularly regarding the co-efficient.

[PaulWinch again]

That’s a lot of games. Luckily I’m sure Footy already knows what will happen in all of them, much like today’s “foresight”.

[Ads]

Time to ignore others, as it eats you alive chewing over permutations this way and that. 12 points out of 18 is needed based on historical statistics. Let's get them as soon as possible, the Gods will decide the rest.

[ChicagoLion]

Time to ignore others, as it eats you alive chewing over permutations this way and that. 12 points out of 18 is needed based on historical statistics. Let's get them as soon as possible, the Gods will decide the rest.

I don’t see us getting anywhere near that.
We look on our knees.

[Ads]

Disagree. We looked in total control then one of our most reliable players had an abysmal 9 minutes. We don't look jaded, tired, we looked suddenly vulnerable to the same ball 3 times.

[LeonW]

Disagree. We looked in total control then one of our most reliable players had an abysmal 9 minutes. We don't look jaded, tired, we looked suddenly vulnerable to the same ball 3 times.

It’s not suddenly. We consistently concede goals in the first 15 minutes of the second half. It keeps happening and we’ve not addressed it. That’s in form, out of form or indifferent form. Tired or not tired. The amount of goals we’re shipping is alarming. We haven’t really kept clean sheets this season. It’s reoccurring and at increasing regularity. We’ve been vulnerable to the same ball in from out wide for a long time. Mctominey, Maddison, Forest at home, Newcastle at home, yesterday, etc.

[Rigadon]

Disagree. We looked in total control then one of our most reliable players had an abysmal 9 minutes. We don't look jaded, tired, we looked suddenly vulnerable to the same ball 3 times.

It’s not suddenly. We consistently concede goals in the first 15 minutes of the second half. It keeps happening and we’ve not addressed it. That’s in form, out of form or indifferent form. Tired or not tired. The amount of goals we’re shipping is alarming. We haven’t really kept clean sheets this season. It’s reoccurring and at increasing regularity. We’ve been vulnerable to the same ball in from out wide for a long time. Mctominey, Maddison, Forest at home, Newcastle at home, today, etc.

Yep.  Powder puff defending.  Same from corners.

[Ads]

Most goals from crosses, so its a problem for all teams everywhere.

[Sexual Ealing]

5th will be good enough but we're going to finish 4th anyway.

We're up against Spurs not fucking Real Madrid.

Everyone relax, have a cup of tea and watch a documentary of your choice.

Aston Villa will be in the European Cup again next year.

You say thia with confidence because? How do you 5th ia getting CL? None of us know for sure.

If villa arsenal and west ham go out this round its virtually going to take a miracle for 5th to get CL. If all 3 sides go throigh then ill feel abit moee optimistic like you seem to be !

Take your oven gloves off before you post FFS!

[PaulWinch again]

Disagree. We looked in total control then one of our most reliable players had an abysmal 9 minutes. We don't look jaded, tired, we looked suddenly vulnerable to the same ball 3 times.

I think I’d be inclined to agree if we hadn’t seen so many terrible phases of games where we just collapse- Manure away, Newcastle home, Chelsea home, Forest home, Luton away all jump to mind. Clearly in the latter two we still managed to get a result, but it seems like as soon as a team puts us under stress we just ship goals very easily. I don’t know if that’s tactical, fatigue, injuries, mentality, or a mix of all of those things but it keeps happening on a pretty regular basis.

Hopefully the overt references to it in post match means it’s out in the open and they are having frank discussions about it, which will ultimately address it. But the lack of game intelligence in that 9 minutes was just shocking.

[ChicagoLion]

Disagree. We looked in total control then one of our most reliable players had an abysmal 9 minutes. We don't look jaded, tired, we looked suddenly vulnerable to the same ball 3 times.

I think I’d be inclined to agree if we hadn’t seen so many terrible phases of games where we just collapse- Manure away, Newcastle home, Chelsea home, Forest home, Luton away all jump to mind. Clearly in the latter two we still managed to get a result, but it seems like as soon as a team puts us under stress we just ship goals very easily. I don’t know if that’s tactical, fatigue, injuries, mentality, or a mix of all of those things but it keeps happening on a pretty regular basis.

Hopefully the overt references to it in post match means it’s out in the open and they are having frank discussions about it, which will ultimately address it. But the lack of game intelligence in that 9 minutes was just shocking.

Last season we were really good at sealing games up, that ability seems to have deserted us.
As you say , slight pressure and we buckle.

[caster troy]

My instinctive reaction when Kamara got injured was that 4th place was gone and it seems like it is playing out like that. I don't think we lose that lead yesterday if he was on the pitch, not only from the extra control in midfield but he had a great habit of intercepting those dangerous balls in from the right side.

Historically Spurs are known for falling apart under pressure but it seems unlikely they are going to lose four games in a row, they are pretty much full strength and have no other competitions as a distraction.

Hopefully Cash will be back for Bournemouth and we can finish the season with a proper back 4 and get 5th.

[Villan82]

Kamara's injury has left a gaping hole in the midfield. No question.

[ChicagoLion]

Agree Kamara is a big loss and it’s telling.