Champions League Contention

[Goldenballs]

Aston Villa will reach 71 points if they take four from their final three fixtures, a total which Tottenham can only better if they collect 12 points (4/5 wins) from their remaining games against Chelsea (A), Liverpool (A), Burnley (H), Man City (H) and Sheffield Utd (A).

Taken from twitter. Maybe seeing like that calms the nerves a little.

[PaulWinch again]

In a good position, shame Arsenal couldn’t do more damage in terms of goal difference but them winning was big. Hopefully Chelsea will follow that up in the week and we can turnover Brighton, then it’ll be pretty much over.

[pauliewalnuts]

Aston Villa will reach 71 points if they take four from their final three fixtures, a total which Tottenham can only better if they collect 12 points (4/5 wins) from their remaining games against Chelsea (A), Liverpool (A), Burnley (H), Man City (H) and Sheffield Utd (A).

Taken from twitter. Maybe seeing like that calms the nerves a little.

Look at it this way - is Spurs lose at Chelsea and Liverpool, and at home to Man City, which I reckon is likely let alone possible, we don't need to take a single point from our remaining games.

[Tokyo Sexwhale]

What would be great is Villa finish 4th and win the ECL and a German or Italian team claims the coefficient spot in CL. The media love-in with Spurs is nauseating so throwing a little salt on their spuds would be delectable.

I think the only way the 5th English team can qualify now, is if Villa win the Conference, and the German teams don't win another game, or get 3 draws between them.

It's possible Bayern and Dortmund could lose both of their legs, but Leverkusen should be favourites for the Europa now.

[SaddVillan]

3 times this season we've been two-nil up

Man U 3-2 Villa
Villa 3-3 Brentford
Villa 2-2 Chelsea

7 points lost from positions where proper, professional game management should have seen us over the line.

Wouldn't have changed our current league position, but 4th spot would be pretty well guaranteed and we'd be a point behind Pool.

I do think that the next step in the development of the team is for us to become tighter defensively. It's something that Unai should be working on for next season.

Obviously having a (relatively) injury free back 4 would go a long way towards achieving that goal.

Being better defensively will help in terms of the effort players need to make in order to see out games. Retaining posession, knocking the ball around whilst running diwn the clock must be better.

Improving our gamd control will have a positive knock on on terms of fitness, fatigue etc. and that might also help with injuries, bookings and suspensions.

If we did this we'd be challenging for the title and we're way off that.
Isn't  it possible to just enjoy the progress we've made so far?

I wasn't having a pop at what we've achieved so far this season, but merely trying to shine a light on an aspect of our play that I think we cam improve.

The more successful we are, the more games we are going to play and therefore we need to develop the ability to shut down games where we've taken the lead so that we conserve physical and mental energy. Thereby cutting down on fatigue and mental exhaustion affecting us as we get to the crucial parts of the season.

You see the top continental sides doing it in European games and it's something we've tried to do on occasions.

We just need to be better at it.

[Demitri_C]

Just hope chelsea dont shit themselves va spurs

Bet they dont play anywhere near the levels they did vs us which is gonna be irritating

[LeeB]

Chelsea's record against Spurs is like Man Utd with us, even when they were shit way back they used to always turn them over.

[Demitri_C]

Chelsea's record against Spurs is like Man Utd with us, even when they were shit way back they used to always turn them over.

Hope so lee. I mean i cant see them beating liverpool at anfield they are still raging about what happened in game earlier this season.

So if they don't win either of those games they ahve to win the last three (they will beat Burnley and sheff utd easy)

[DB]

Another round of games done and 1 more point better off, with it in our hands.

[Dave]

So if they don't win either of those games they ahve to win the last three (they will beat Burnley and sheff utd easy)

Burnley are currently playing better and winning more points than Spurs are.

[Martyn Smith]

I realistically think that we will get 5 points from our remaining games and Spurs 8 from theirs. Those are the numbers I'd bet on. That'll leave us on 72 and Spurs on 68. Close but ultimately comfortable

[David_Nab]

In last 10 games only Luton and Shef U have taken less points that Brighton .They are one of the easiest teams on paper we could play currently ,they have scored one goal all of April as well.

[Tony Daleys Shorts]

All 3 teams were yet to face have nothing to play for.

[PaulWinch again]

In last 10 games only Luton and Shef U have taken less points that Brighton .They are one of the easiest teams on paper we could play currently ,they have scored one goal all of April as well.

You been reading the Footy playbook David?!

[KevinGage]

I realistically think that we will get 5 points from our remaining games and Spurs 8 from theirs. Those are the numbers I'd bet on. That'll leave us on 72 and Spurs on 68. Close but ultimately comfortable

That's totally plausible.

But we're getting goalkeepers missing games because of hamstring injuries now, on top of all the other fuckeries we've had to contend with.

It's all about what sort of XI we can field over the next three league games; Martinez, Torres, Bailey and the rest fully fit (or even 90% fit) and we'll be fine.

Olsen and Diego Diego Diego starting the next three league games for us and the odds will widen.