Reluctant Striker

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.

Selfishly happy to see Brazil's midfield 3 lacking their Villa player. Though he will probably be on at half time. England's 2 worst players have been Chilwell & Gallagher. Part of why I do think England have more need for Bellingham as an 8, not a 10. While Gordon has been such an off the ball upgrade on nearly every other wing option England have. He's in the starting 11 now, not just the squad.

The back of neck flag thing is odd, but it's very 2024 artsy. It is what it is. And I totally agree with Gareth Southgate. The 3 Lions badge is what is front & centre of an England top. Thankfully nobody is modernising that to be a dull soulless round thing. It is criminal £125 is the selling price. Already crazy how near £100 it was if you wanted one delivered.

For me the clear favourite is France. They just simply have the best player in the world, Mbappe & very, very good players in all positions. I think certain media & social people are getting a little carried away with Kane, Bellingham & Foden, in particular, meaning England must win. Its much more that England can win. They are probably 2nd favourites. Over the last 30 years or so, dominant sides have been Germany, Brazil & Spain. This France side could beat all those eras. After France & England, I really think Germany at home will find a way to rise. Perhaps as England did in 2018, heading in with very low expectations. If it's not Germany, and France somehow get knocked out by a Switzerland on penalties & England do an England, it feels to me that it could be anyone. We could be looking at a Denmark 92 or Greece 2004 winning it. But I think the smart money has to be on France cementing a truly great era, or England finally putting a trophy in a cabinet room.

I think 4th is between Villa & Spurs. While I don't see Man United catching both, they will likely be in the top 6. And I think that leaves everyone as far down as at least Chelsea looking for 7th. And the Spurs game in hand is Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

The best bit of Disasi's own goal was how long it took Jonathan Pearce on BBC 1 commentary to realise Leicester fans were urging him to shoooooot, not boooooing him.

Sounds like plenty of drama at West Ham vs Villa. West Ham with 2 disallowed goals, including 1 very deep in injury time. An away point without McGinn has to be taken positively.

Last time with Netflix was to get up to series 5 of The Crown & was a bit of a struggle to find much else of interest. Not feeling a great urge for series 6. Amazon usually tends to have a bit of something. Perhaps generally coincides with the December football coverage. Suits me. While the back catalogue of classic shows on the iPlayer & ITVX is much more impressive than it used to be. The others seem more specialist interest. Disney + with it's traditional Disney stuff, Star Wars & Marvel. Paramount + with Star Trek & western type stuff. Paramount the only 1 I haven't tried, so far. Any Star Wars fans who haven't seen it yet, I'm up to 5th of the 6 Obi Wan episodes. Worth the £1.99 offer price itself. All the other Star Wars series & latest Marvel movies scheduled next.

Wolves vs Coventry a very decent cup match. 2 West Midlands sides I can't avoid following in some detail. Wolves do still have a few rather decent players, like the keeper, Sa, the injured Cunha, Sarabia, Ait-Nouri & Semedo. But 2 injury time goals from Coventry turn it from 2-1 to 2-3. They are only 8th in the Championship, but the 7 ahead include the 3 relegated sides plus Norwich & West Brom, who feel like 2 yo-yo sides of recent times.

Sterling really did step up at the last Euro's. Perhaps having the likes of Rashford, Grealish, Foden & Sancho in the queue forced the best out him. Anthony Gordon at 23 is looking like the future as the right footer on the left. Pleased he's got in. Would like to know the full Ben White story. Sounds very much like his issue is Ezri Konsa's gain.

Heard Unai's post match comments in BBC interview. Unlike so many more successful & less successful managers : No moaning about the audacity of having a mid week European match. No moaning about McGinn only being a yellow. Also chose to subtly ignore the inaccurate analysis Spurs had controlled the 1st half. Just a basic & humble admission it becomes difficult at 0-2 & down to 10 men. For better or worse, it's because of this management style Villa surely have, if nothing else, a more well grounded & calm squad of players than many have.