Will we qualify for the CL?

[Clampy]

The team we had out last night should defiantly have been enough to beat a team that had only won once all season but overall the injuries really have knackered us.

[PaulWinch again]

In terms of current and recent performance levels we are one of the worst teams in the league right now. That’s the reality of the situation and unless those performance levels significantly improve there is absolutely zero chance we make the Champions League qualification positions or win the Europa League.

The one crumb of comfort is both objectives are still recoverable, because even with the injuries we are performing well below the level we should and Unai is a brilliant coach. He does need to step back and look at the last month or so though, it is very obvious our approach of starting passively is not working. We are not creating anywhere near enough to overload or threaten teams later in games and consequently as soon as the opposition score we are not going to win. He needs to change it up or we will just fade away.

He wants the fans to energise the team, which is fair enough. He needs to approach the games in a way that the team will energise the fans too. It’s a symbiotic thing and our attacking play across the board isn’t anywhere near enough. There’s lots of stuff about individual players, but they’re not universally terrible so the fact they’re all struggling suggests it’s tactical incompatibility.

We’ve wasted pretty much all the buffer we had, time to stop sleep walking into wasting the opportunity we’d earned.

[eamonn]

Well-said, Paul.

[Beard82]

I feel surprisingly upbeat this morning - considering yesterday was one of the worst performance I have ever seen by a Villa team.

Our forward play has been off all season - Watkins, Sancho, Guesasard, Bailey and Elliot have contributed far, far to little for a club wanting to finish in the top 6.  Onana has gone missing when we really need him.  But under Unai we have always struggled to break down a low block.  We dont have the options that the clubs we are competing with to chnage things up. 

Despite the huge echo's to some of the big games of recent years (Man Utd, CP in the cup etc) - we have a big advantage this time - we have an opportunity to put it right.

Were still in a great position - I think well see a diferent Villa in the next 2 games - and if we can muster 4 points we'll be firmly in control of our own destiny. 

I think we all need to pause, take a deep breath, and give it our best for the remaining third of the season. 

[Sexual Ealing]

So, were we unsustainable all along?

[AV82EC]

So, were we unsustainable all along?

Possibly, who knows.

[caster troy]

I can’t believe my one point from three games prediction might turn out to be optimistic. Realistically we are not getting anything at Old Trafford so we simply must beat Chelsea somehow. Maatsen Barkley and Tammy have to start.

[cdbearsfan]

I quite liked the unsustainably twatting one in from thirty yards every game. Maybe we could start shooting again, we might score a goal.

[AV82EC]

We need to get in the position to shoot first.

[cdbearsfan]

Since we broke The Curse of Boxing Day by not playing on Boxing Day, the gods have been out to get us. They don't take kindly to that kind of chicanery.

[Mellin]

So it's gone from Man Utd won't catch us, to Liverpool won't catch us, to Chelsea hopefully won't catch us. We are in serious trouble and everyone knows it. I think we've already blown it, but Chelsea to lose their next two away at Arsenal and then, somehow, us would nudge me back in favour. If that doesn't happen I'm accepting it as done and anything else will be a nice surprise.

[PaulWinch again]

We haven’t already blown it - we’ve made an almighty balls up of our advantage, but if yesterday was the nadir and something clicks in the players and manager’s mind then it’s recoverable.

Our run of pathetic, aimless, performances has coincided with Tielemans injury in particular. Whether subconsciously or consciously I think the advantage we had has got into our heads and we’ve just hoped we could tick along. There can be no delusion around that now, they must realise continuing in that way will do for us. We have no choice but to go for it more now.

[PeterWithesShin]

Arsenal win tomorrow and a Villa win midweek and it looks rosy. 2 Chelsea win and I don't think we'll have what it takes to get back into the top 5.

[Mellin]

I know we haven't literally blown it. We're still third, but the evidence available right now suggests that gap is going in short order. Accept it. Join me. It's easier this way.

Caveat being those two Chelsea games.

[Demitri_C]

This weeks massive if chelsea get 6 points  in next two we are cooked
No one but ourselves to blame if we cock this up