Will we win the Premier League

[Stu]

Could be back for Arsenal match 🤷‍♂️

[eye digress]

From the injury, or from now?

[Stu]

From the injury, or from now?

He posted it after today’s game, just over an hour ago. Emi Martinez back “this week”.

[Astnor]

All in all not that bad news regarding Pau and Martinez then. Pau to get some rest as Lindeløf doing ok as deputy.

[Dave]

All in all not that bad news regarding Pau and Martinez then. Pau to get some rest as Lindeløf doing ok as deputy.

Agreed. Pau's arguably in our top three most important players at the moment and his absence could easily be the difference between a win and a loss in one of our next three matches.

And at the same time, him resting now could be the thing that keeps him fresh in April that means we win our FA Cup semi-final against Man Utd.

Take your silver linings where you can get 'em.

[Deano's Mullet]

The media  make me laugh. We are one win and a couple of points worse  off than where we were the same stage two years ago yet we are now being bigged up as if it's the first time we've ever been this high or in contention. Im sure we barely merited a mention of being contenders then and certainly after the Sheffield United game it was barely mentioned ever again. It was the same 98-99 when they clearly forgot the title challenges of 90 and 93. I just cant comprehend it this year. What's changed? Were we seen as a flash in the pan two years ago?

[Dave]

The media  make me laugh. We are one win and a couple of points worse  off than where we were the same stage two years ago yet we are now being bigged up as if it's the first time we've ever been this high or in contention. Im sure we barely merited a mention of being contenders then and certainly after the Sheffield United game it was barely mentioned ever again.

I think it's just your memory playing tricks on you. It was about the same:

Aston Villa are title contenders – and Unai Emery knows it
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2023/12/18/aston-villa-title-contenders-unai-emery-premier-league/

Aston Villa's Title Challenge Starts Now
https://www.forbes.com/sites/zakgarnerpurkis/2023/12/31/aston-villas-title-challenge-starts-now/

Aston Villa confirms status as unlikely Premier League title contender
https://www.cnn.com/2023/12/10/sport/aston-villa-premier-league-title-contender-spt-intl

Aston Villa Can Dream of Premier League Title Glory
https://theanalyst.com/articles/aston-villa-premier-league-title-chance

Are Villa title contenders? Only in 1980-81, when they last won the title, have Aston Villa taken more points after 16 games of a top-flight season
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/67598695

From relegation candidates to title contenders
https://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/uk-sport/23981931.relegation-candidates-title-contenders---unai-emerys-impact-villa/

[Dave P]

Maybe we've learnt from that experience in 2023?  Maybe we are the real deal now?

[LeeB]

Maybe we've learnt from that experience in 2023?  Maybe we are the real deal now?

I was thinking this the other day. We were wet behind the ears wth playing in Europe then, we're seasoned veterens now.

[Somniloquism]

Obviously injuries can't be scoped for, but I genuinely think we won't be losing too many in the second half of the season through our players being knackered. Although if Kamara had stayed fit all that season we probably won't have been as bad either.

[eamonn]

H ManU
A Chelsea
A Arsenal
H Forest
A Palace

There's the test, playing them in the space of two and a half weeks.

It looks like we're laughing in the face of our opponents.

[Mellin]

We were actually pretty poor that calendar year, relative to this one and the year that preceded it. Kamara did his ACL in February. Go figure.

[cdbearsfan]

H ManU
A Chelsea
A Arsenal
H Forest
A Palace

There's the test, playing them in the space of two and a half weeks.

It looks like we're laughing in the face of our opponents.

Only until the Man U match. After that, we will be engaging in Alan Partridge impressions or proclaiming our admiration for a Norwegian pop combo.

[UK Redsox]

Stat heavy article on ESPN

https://www.espn.co.uk/football/story/_/id/47333295/aston-villa-couldnt-crowned-premier-league-champions-they

[andyh]

3rd at Christmas, whatever happens this weekend.
Impressive doesn’t begin to describe it.