Aston Villa 2 Chelsea 2 Post Match Heart Massage.

[PeterWithe]

The problem such as there is one this season has been the defence. We've conceded more goals than Everton and double Arsenal's goals against figure. Hopefully the return of Mings will help put that right, but we also need more strength in the middle of the park.

I didn't know that, interesting. Has the goals conceded per game changed much, after Kamara's season ended?

[Paul.S]

That point last night guaranteed us 5th place at the very least. Until I read Emery’s after match comments last night it had totally slipped my mind.
We will never get the recognition this fantastic achievement deserves because we all know what the media is like and who they blatantly favour. Emery has worked miracles, the team look so tired but they keep on working and getting results.
It’s not down to any other club having bad seasons like the narative we hear, it’s down to the quality we have in the squad and the world class coach we have.
In a few weeks time we could have a European final to look forward to and CL football. Either way it’s been an unbelievable season.

[Monty]

I know I'm being a bit glum and mardy about this. Obviously, we're going to be among the best in the league for holding leads, because we're fourth in the table! It would just be quite a gut-punch to miss out on that CL position, and we'd absolutely look back on matches like yesterday and especially Brentford as the reason why.

[Somniloquism]

If we do lose out then Spurs have been super human at the end of the season and we should be looking at whatever poor results we got in the next three matches as the reason why.

[martin o`who??]

Stats above show absolutely everybody else in the league is worse than us at giving up leads.

historically, going right back to the 1970s no one has given away more two-goal leads than Villa in Britain, Europe and possibly even the fucking universe (at least thats what it feels like)

[Lastfootstamper]

If Chelsea play like that until the end of the season, they've a decent chance of pinching 6th.

[Monty]

If we do lose out then Spurs have been super human at the end of the season and we should be looking at whatever poor results we got in the next three matches as the reason why.

Also true. I just have this horrible feeling that Spurs will get something today and against Liverpool, and that the Other Chelsea will show up on Thursday. But maybe that's just my Viller instinct.

[Gareth]

When we did manage to get out of the press we looked dangerous, it was just getting out we struggled with .  We are not the finished article and Unai has said that .  We are top 5 in 18 months I am buzzing !

That’s a sentiment I fully agree with…18 months amazing - be it 4th or 5th particularly if we do that mad thing of winning a trophy is phenomenal progress

[Meanwood Villa]

The problem such as there is one this season has been the defence. We've conceded more goals than Everton and double Arsenal's goals against figure. Hopefully the return of Mings will help put that right, but we also need more strength in the middle of the park.

I didn't know that, interesting. Has the goals conceded per game changed much, after Kamara's season ended?

Using this website: https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/boubacar-kamara/leistungsdaten/spieler/394327

By my reckoning we conceded 24 in 20 games he played, and 28 in 15 games he hasn't. So difference between 1.2 per game and 1.87 per game.

[martin o`who??]

I cant remember the last time we kicked towards the Holte second half and had so little of the ball. I'm no master tactician and i couldnt decide whether we'd set up to absorb pressure and catch them on the break or whether they just pushed us further and further back. Its just galling that we've made a generally sub-standard Chelsea look like absolute world beaters not once but twice at home and yet did them away. Duggie and SJM were awol.

[rob_bridge]

Regarding the last minute Chelsea ‘goal’. In the ground I thought it was a foul, I’ve seen the VAR slowed down replay and it looked a foul, however just catching up on MOTD and I feel we may have got away with one tbf. It was a foul but it was soft and Carlos didn’t cover himself in glory in those 2 mins

Dave, it was a nailed-on foul. Seeing it the first time, it was a foul; 20 times' later, it's still a foul.

MOTD were so disingenuous to show from an angle where it doesn't look much.

It was a foul - he pushed out of the way. Had he used his shoulder more subtley he'd have probably got away with it

[AlexAlexCropley]

I think we played with one eye on Thursday:the low block,the possession. And it would have worked bar the key injuries.

[martin o`who??]

If Chelsea play like that until the end of the season, they've a decent chance of pinching 6th.

Thats the annoying thing - they wont - it seems their two best perfomances of the season have both been at Villa Park.

[AV84]

I know I'm being a bit glum and mardy about this. Obviously, we're going to be among the best in the league for holding leads, because we're fourth in the table! It would just be quite a gut-punch to miss out on that CL position, and we'd absolutely look back on matches like yesterday and especially Brentford as the reason why.

I get what you're saying but after the Christmas games I said the same thing about dropping points against Sheffield Utd. The draw with Nottingham Forest earlier in the season too. Giving up the lead against Man Utd and coming away with nothing. Flopping on the opening day. There's probably more.

It's tough to be objective and look at the season as a whole, especially while it's still ongoing, but if we miss out on 4th there's lots of moments we could point to as the one that cost us. If we lose out to Spurs, by a point, or on goal difference, it'll be losing to them that did it, really.

[olaftab]

If we do lose out then Spurs have been super human at the end of the season and we should be looking at whatever poor results we got in the next three matches as the reason why.

Also true. I just have this horrible feeling that Spurs will get something today and against Liverpool, and that the Other Chelsea will show up on Thursday. But maybe that's just my Viller instinct.

Yes and a horrific plague will perish most life on earth followed by all land  flooding and then getting burnt to cinders after being hit by a giant meteor.