Reluctant Striker

I do wonder if the 'we had to play midweek in Europe' excuse will start flipping from Premier League managers? To we had to play in the Premier League on Saturday..

Emi Martinez just does not lose penalty shoot outs. I do think he should really think a bit more if he's on a yellow. Pretty sure Unai will make that point to him. Fortunate in many ways, given the 'equaliser' was from their keeper fumbling the ball.

Crazy that Villa play 2 home games (Bournemouth & Chelsea) before Spurs play another league match. The next 3 for Spurs being Arsenal, Chelsea & Liverpool all away. Obviously I'd be delighted with Villa taking 4 points, to give a 7 point lead, to heap the pressure on a run of 3 fixtures like those. I'm sure Spurs will improve on the Newcastle result. But Villa do have it in their hands again right now. For 4th. And still in the Conference League too. Best it's been for a long time.

It would have been nice if Man City (a) could have gone more like this. But, where Villa finish could be significant in terms of the owners ambition to grow the club. I think we are starting to see that Liverpool were patched up in some areas & Arsenal perhaps do lack a Salah or De Bruyne level game changer.

Yes, I think Man United is the toughest Premier League manager job right now. But not for any good reasons. The recruitment has lacked any vision for a while. Liverpool sound like they are going for Amorim. Perhaps the most on trend available name. Chelsea perhaps need a manager who can get the best out of the youthful squad the owners opted for. But Man United, to get to where most their fans think they should be, they are likely several good transfer windows away, before they can even start looking at the right head coach to get them to the top again.

I don't know & follow all the ins & outs. I just know it's incredibly sad it went from terrorist kidnappings to accusations of genocide intent to military confrontation with Iran. And Russia is still in Ukraine. And there's probably other things around the world not making it to BBC News. Just really sad.

Not many stand out candidates around for too many vacancies. Alonso could yet be a 1 season wonder. Tuchel has looked to me for a while like he has an external desire to be Klopp, with an inner Roy Keane. Whether it's Man United, Liverpool, Chelsea, or all 3 appointing a new manager this summer, it could be on who takes the best gamble. For many Emery had failed in England. Not sure many saw Big Ange as an obvious Premier League candidate. Bournemouth were criticised. The Wolves manager abandoned a sinking ship. Was Eddie Howe a clear & obvious choice? Given the lack of obvious big names, and the gambles that have, to an extent, paid off over recent seasons, I think it would be football snobbery to entirely rule out a Southgate, or a Roberto Martinez, or whoever seems like a currently insufficient name.

I'd laugh @ Spurs but Villa play at Arsenal tomorrow.

Seemed to be as full strength as it gets right now. Conceding the goal was disappointing. No idea if away goals are a thing or not in this.

Shocking result. I guess a 5th Champions League spot just got further away..

Not sure I can remember a season with 3 title challengers at this stage. 4th feels difficult to call. The optimist in me sees Spurs only favourites in 2 of their games & entirely capable of losing the next 4. While the form & my pessimistic side tells me not to count on 9 points from Bournemouth, Brighton & Palace. And that Spurs will somehow do better against top half sides.

Spurs last 7: Newcastle (a) Arsenal (h) Chelsea (a) Liverpool (a) Burnley (h) Sheff United (a) & to be arranged : Man City (h) Villa's last 6: Arsenal (a) Bournemouth (h) Chelsea (h) Brighton (a) Liverpool (h) Palace (a)

With Villa I don't think missing 4th would be a case of 'bottling it'. But there is some inherent issue within good Villa sides of the last 3 decades & that's simply the level of players they have. When Villa have been good it's often with a mix of players (& maybe managers) who didn't quite fit in at a certain other club or were seen as past their best (Dean Saunders, Paul McGrath, Paul Merson, perhaps Unai) and those that have the potential to push on beyond Top 6 but questions if they are there yet (Dwight Yorke, James Milner, Ashley Young in his 20's, probably a few of the current side) In my time following the club been there has always been a battle to take things on to the truly top tier level. To see out the partial success. I'm not as familiar with Spurs, but perhaps similar things there. e.g. Harshly I probably don't quite see Maddison being a central part of Liverpool, Man City or Arsenal sides right now. While of course Man United would see him as a wing back or DM. And far too old for Chelsea.

Disappointing to hand control back over to Spurs. Could be a crucial 2 points dropped. When you look at remaining fixtures. It is the defence that's dropped more so than anything. Kamara was doing a very unique role at DM, covering the defence. And for me, we look much better when Konsa is CB, but Cash is out. On the positive side, Watkins is on 18 goals now. Rogers has an assist & goal in the last 2 games. Lille q-final either side of Arsenal (a) who have their own European games.

Not really a surprise to me, sadly. Form had been off for a while. And the latest batch of missing players I think got to 7 or 8 missing starters. Too much to be down by when a title challenger is at it & we're not. Only plus to take really is Duran scoring. Feels like he'll either develop in time for us, or bring in a profit sooner or later.

Fairly sure Rodri was suspended. De Bruyne was out for a while. Not sure Doku & Grealish are that influential. Mahrez & Gundogan didn't count. For me it was more that Villa were absolutely flying at that moment, and Pep did not take it seriously enough & was messing around playing 6 defenders with none of Kovacic, Nunes or Phillips 'trusted'. And he got burned for it by a Villa side with 4 CM's & 2 season long injuries. At the same time, Villa have dropped off since very significantly. I am looking at Man City (a), Arsenal (a) & Liverpool (h) as any points being a bonus.

The running order on Match of the Day was odd. Spurs win to go 4th.. lets head over to see the response to that.. at Stamford Bridge, for the most meaningless match of the weekend.

Could be Liverpool, Man United & Chelsea all looking for a manager. Liverpool have the advantage to openly approach Klopp's replacement. And there is pressure to get it right. A top 5 of Man City, Arsenal, Spurs, Villa & Newcastle is as feasibly possible as things that went on after Fergie.

Today's win feels as good as some of the one sided wins early in the season. There's been the few out injured most of the season. Today was a derby type match, without long term Kamara, suspended McGinn, the semi permanent injured J Ramsey & apparently only trusted for Ajax away Iroegbunam. Very happy for Diaby & Konsa to get the goals. Did seem harsh on Diaby, the way he's been dropped in recent months. And Konsa just perhaps emerging as Villa's most likely member of England's Euro squad. It gets tough from here. Man City (a), Brentford (h), Lille (h), Arsenal (a), Lille(a), Bournemouth (h), Chelsea (h), Brighton (a), Liverpool (h), Palace (a) and hopefully 2 semi final & a final match in Europe.

Dunk has played well in previous games. But his defending & passing were so awful in the 1st half Vs Belgium it felt very odd to me that Branthwaite did not get on. The wide players, will surely be Saka or Foden off the right, likely Rashford, Grealish or Foden off the left. I do think Bowen & the unused Palmer are unlucky barring any injuries. But Gordon could just sneak in, with his high tracking back energy. Could depend on how many multi position defenders are included. Midfield 3 could well be Bellingham, Rice & Mainoo, with Maddison, Henderson, Phillips & Gallagher being 4 after 3 possible spots. I do think Toney with his penalty taking could get in ahead of Watkins, after a few months of everyone deciding it would definitely be Watkins. Only way both fit into 23 is probably if all 3 of Palmer, Gordon & Bowen miss out & only 7 defenders are chosen. Or maybe only 2 from Maddison, Henderson, Phillips & Gallagher. With TAA & Stones as emergency DM options. It's at the back it all gets a bit more a case of who is good enough, more than who is unlucky. I think we can expect Walker, TAA, Stones, Maguire, Dunk, Konsa, Trippier, if fit Shaw

England look awful in defence. Konsa the only one playing reasonably well. I don't think that's me being biased. Dunk has aimlessly launched long balls to nobody numerous times. Pickford gifted the 1st goal. Dunk the 2nd. Chilwell looks like a player who has forgotten how to win & Gomez like someone used to having very limited minutes in fodder matches.

Toney has an advantage over Watkins, with his penalty taking. And Mainoo does look very good. I think I'd be happy with Rice, Mainoo & Bellingham. To flip with it if Gary Neville wants a live on TV Foden meltdown if & when we lose. Bowen always looks decent, but will surely have Saka & Foden ahead of him.

I think it's fair to say the UK has reached a stage of being a non militaristic civil war. And weirdly international football just pours petrol all over that particular bonfire.

It was only a friendly, but how a player can be 2 yards offside, score the goal, but adjudged as not offside, as not interfering with play, blows my mind. The popular reaction will likely be questioning Southgate. But for me, it shows how important Kane & Bellingham are. After the subs, Foden just did not look the same level as Bellingham down the middle. And Rashford looked very one dimensional compared to Gordon. Suddenly England's big threat was Bowen on the right. If we really have to play someone next to Rice, ahead of a back 4, then Mainoo just made a big claim. Its certainly a matter of time before he's a first choice starter. Bowen unlucky to have Saka ahead of him & likely Foden being accommodated in somewhere.

I really want to see Adidas or Puma making England kits. A few years ago, England had to move on from 'only Umbro' as Germany are now choosing to move on from 'only Adidas'. England choosing to go to Adidas, or Puma, would be an even more interesting change.