Will we qualify for the CL?

[brontebilly]

I can't see Arsenal, ManC and Chelsea failing to be top 5 which leaves two spots for the chasing pack. We're well in that mix but I do think we need to stop giving away silly freekicks, and create more clear chances consistently.

I'm not that sure about Man City. Saw a bit of them v Newcastle. They are very easy to play against these days. Haaland doing a lot of heavy lifting there.

Good opportunity for us this season for sure. But the form of Watkins and Martinez needs to improve.

[PeterWithesShin]

They've lost 2 in the last 15 in all comps, away to us and Newcastle and neither of us are mugs. I can't realistically see them finishing 6th or lower.

[Rigadon]

Unless Haaland gets injured.  But even then it’d be a massive shock.  Surely Liverpool won’t be shit for much longer? 

[cdbearsfan]

Man City always have a wobble then absolutely twat everyone in the closing stages.

Last November they drew with Feyenoord, lost to Bournemouth and Brighton and were thrashed by Tottenham and Sporting. They still made the Champions League relatively comfortably.

They'll be top five this season.

[Dave]

Yeah, if someone is "not that sure" about Man City, I'd be curious which five other teams they are more sure about.

[eamonn]

We've scored the most goals outside the box this season. Unai clearly following Stevie G's tactics of "someone coming up with something special".

Now that Emi and Morgz have perfected the knuckleball free-kick method, if they can teach it to a left footer ie Lucas, we'll be well on our way.

[Drummond]

IMO we have the third best squad in the league. Not the third best 11 if people can grasp it.

I'd say fourth, behind Arsenal, Man City and Chelsea.

I think where we're massively ahead of the game is against those teams that are overperforming - if you look at Palace's squad, I think they've got about 15 players before you start looking at teenagers and elderly stop-gaps.

Assuming they're going to be in the Conference League until very late in the competition and they're seeing four players in teams expected to do well at AFCON, it's hard to see how they'll be putting a team out for the last third of the season.

Brighton and Bournemouth look similarly thin once you get past the core 12-15 or so players.

I think Liverpool were the same last season, they were just extremely lucky with inuries (or the lack of them).

[Baldy]

We've scored the most goals outside the box this season. Unai clearly following Stevie G's tactics of "someone coming up with something special".

Now that Emi and Morgz have perfected the knuckleball free-kick method, if they can teach it to a left footer ie Lucas, we'll be well on our way.

True, for every free kick around the box the oppo goalie wont have a clue where to stand.

[Dave]

We've scored the most goals outside the box this season. Unai clearly following Stevie G's tactics of "someone coming up with something special".

Now that Emi and Morgz have perfected the knuckleball free-kick method, if they can teach it to a left footer ie Lucas, we'll be well on our way.

True, for every free kick around the box the oppo goalie wont have a clue where to stand.

Now that we're about to have a reputation for "Villa score those knuckleball free-kicks", hopefully McPhee is spending the next week or two working out exactly what routine to play if the other team has set their free-kick defence up to expect that.

For example, wouldn't surprise me if Wolves stuck a player on the post if Rogers or Buendia steps up, like in the olden days.

[SoccerHQ]

IMO we have the third best squad in the league. Not the third best 11 if people can grasp it.

I'd say fourth, behind Arsenal, Man City and Chelsea.

I think where we're massively ahead of the game is against those teams that are overperforming - if you look at Palace's squad, I think they've got about 15 players before you start looking at teenagers and elderly stop-gaps.

Assuming they're going to be in the Conference League until very late in the competition and they're seeing four players in teams expected to do well at AFCON, it's hard to see how they'll be putting a team out for the last third of the season.

Brighton and Bournemouth look similarly thin once you get past the core 12-15 or so players.

Chelsea have more CBs than us but don't rate many of them.

If they're missing Caciedo then they had a game this season where they had Malo Gusto in central midfield and it looked pretty bad.

For Chelsea to be top four certs they can't afford Caciedo to get a long term injury. He's as crucial for them as Kamara is for us.

BTW Man. United bench tonight with a few injuries: Bayindir, Heaven, Dalot, L.Martinez, Malacia, Mainoo, Mount, Ugarte, Lacey.

They're really going to struggle during AFCON as Mazaouri, Amad Diallo and Mbuemo are all starting for them tonight down the right hand side.

[ASHTONVILLA]

It is looking quite likely that we will at least be in the mix.

I think the slow start was as much due the mood in the camp (squad, staff and ownership) following the last day disappointment and subsequent lacklustre window. The antics from Martinez can hardly have helped either. Emery, genius that he is, has now figured out how to assemble the pieces he was gifted into an increasingly impressive team. I have no doubt that as the season goes on we will see improvements from players that are not showing much yet.

Top four will not be easy, but we have as good a chance as every other team other than Man City and Arsenal (who are a level above us still). I am also hopeful we will qualify by winning a trophy this season as well.

[Smithy]

We've scored the most goals outside the box this season. Unai clearly following Stevie G's tactics of "someone coming up with something special".

Now that Emi and Morgz have perfected the knuckleball free-kick method, if they can teach it to a left footer ie Lucas, we'll be well on our way.

True, for every free kick around the box the oppo goalie wont have a clue where to stand.

Now that we're about to have a reputation for "Villa score those knuckleball free-kicks", hopefully McPhee is spending the next week or two working out exactly what routine to play if the other team has set their free-kick defence up to expect that.

For example, wouldn't surprise me if Wolves stuck a player on the post if Rogers or Buendia steps up, like in the olden days.

Been thinking the same, but if they do that, and put someone on the line, then offside goes away and we can stand in front of them and the goalie without punishment. Which then invites a game of chicken when those defenders move off the line as the shot is taken.

I do think goalies will stand more centrally than they have been doing, as they simply can't assume the wall will stop the ball, but then they're having to back themselves to react to the slower shot.  These knuckle-balls don't have the pace of a whipped free kick, so technically they have more reaction time - they just have to see it and predict it's flight (which is far from easy).

It's obviously a very effective technique, but I do think we're punching well above our weight with them now, so we'll probably not see another one all season!

[PaulWinch again]

I do think we need to start producing more straightforward chances in games if we’re going to sustain a top 4 push.

[Meanwood Villa]

Saw something earlier suggesting we're massively outperforming xG. I know not everyone is a fan of the metric but let's say there is something in it. If so, there's a couple of ways of looking at it. Either we can't keep getting away with it, or imagine what we'll be like when we get our shit together.