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Premier League 2023/24 Gameweek 20 - 30th Dec-2nd January, 2024


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Villa still not really finding the early season form. But, a win is a win. Looking through the league fixtures to early March, home matches with Newcastle, Man United, Forest & Spurs . Away games with Everton, Fulham, Sheff United & Luton. Probably the way round you would choose them & will be the final 10 after that. Which will include Arsenal (a) Man City (a) Liverpool (h) West Ham (a) Brighton (a) Chelsea (h)

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Just now, LFCMike said:

I think Arsenal are a good side but was always amazed that some of the top pundits had them as City's closest challengers. 

They have bottled the run in for three years running. Two failed attempts at a champions league qualification, followed by last year. They have a soft underbelly.  

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1 minute ago, Stan said:

That was good from Fulham. Arsenal barely threatened when they had to chase the game. Liverpool's title to lose. 

It really isn't. City would be 2 points behind if they win their game in hand, assuming we win ours tomorrow. 

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2 minutes ago, Rick said:

They have bottled the run in for three years running. Two failed attempts at a champions league qualification, followed by last year. They have a soft underbelly.  

Yeah and they won't win the league with the doubts over the keepers and without someone to score 20+ a season

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5 minutes ago, LFCMike said:

It really isn't. City would be 2 points behind if they win their game in hand, assuming we win ours tomorrow. 

If you're not winning it, you're going to be their closest challengers. There's something about them which isn't quite clicking - maybe it's the injuries or too many games. Hopefully you don't feel the effects of missing Salah for the next month or so. Need other players to step up collectively. 

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6 minutes ago, Stan said:

If you're not winning it, you're going to be their closest challengers. There's something about them which isn't quite clicking - maybe it's the injuries or too many games. Hopefully you don't feel the effects of missing Salah for the next month or so. Need other players to step up collectively. 

I don't disagree with any of that. Just don't think it's ours to lose. Long way to go yet. Get to March with it close and City at Anfield will be huge. We've normally had them away second when it's been close so hopefully that can be the difference

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It's in City's hands for me. If they're at 90% or better for the rest of the season then they'll have enough. They're effectively 2 points behind having missed De Bruyne and at times Haaland. Liverpool certainly better placed than Arsenal to take advantage now if City continue to be up and down.

Arsenal have looked absolutely clueless in attack since half-time at Anfield. If they are genuinely in for Toney then his agent and Brentford's negotiating team will have been rubbing their hands together watching these two defeats.

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The fact that City have had their worst spell for years and have barely got out of first gear this season, and they’re now only 2 points off the top of the league tells me they’re winning it again. 
 

Arsenal…. why?! :dam: 

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A much needed win for us. The longer this was going on the more nervous I was getting worried about where the next win was coming from.

I thought Brentford were pretty good. The goal they scored looked very good in the ground and I never felt like we were comfortable. I don't buy in to the 'worst team we have played all season' narrative I've seen on the pond life app from people that I'm starting to wonder if they even watch football. We won the game in the last fifthteen minutes of the first half, and the first fifthteen minutes of the second half. Other than that it was an even game. I'm very happy to be the team that played them twice without Iva  Toney.

Special shout out to the obvious Michael Olise. He's been pretty spectacular in the last two games. To think he's three years younger than Eze too. He's looking likely to play at that Liverpool, Man City, PSG etc level.

Also praise to Dean Henderson whose growing in to the role, Eze & Ayew who both improved from midweek, Mateta who I think has the shirt ahead of Edouard now, and Chris Richards who gets a lot of grief online purely because he's playing out of position but I thought did excellent. If Chris Richards had played there against Everton, Bournemouth and Luton I don't think we concede seven goals.

A side bit of info, I was speaking to people who would know more than me behind the scenes and the impression they've got is the Steve Cooper rumours were generated from people outside the club with there own agendas. Which I'm quite happy about at Roy deserves his big send off this summer.

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1 hour ago, LFCMike said:

How good is De Bruyne going to be after such a bad injury at nearly 33? Yeah I'm proper clutching at straws here but I think it's a valid question also

I imagine he will have a bit of rust but on the flip side, would the long rest of done him good physically and mentally? ..guess we will find out soon. Haaland & Doku are going to have a huge impact too when they return, both game winners

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On 31/12/2023 at 06:40, Reluctant Striker said:

Villa still not really finding the early season form. But, a win is a win. Looking through the league fixtures to early March, home matches with Newcastle, Man United, Forest & Spurs . Away games with Everton, Fulham, Sheff United & Luton. Probably the way round you would choose them & will be the final 10 after that. Which will include Arsenal (a) Man City (a) Liverpool (h) West Ham (a) Brighton (a) Chelsea (h)

December is a tough month, so many games in quick succession that you need to grind out results and we’ve hung in there arguably despite injuries and suspensions. I think we’ve done well. I think we need to have another run of 5-6 wins on the spin to get top 4 though 

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18 minutes ago, Fairy In Boots said:

December is a tough month, so many games in quick succession that you need to grind out results and we’ve hung in there arguably despite injuries and suspensions. I think we’ve done well. I think we need to have another run of 5-6 wins on the spin to get top 4 though 

Yes, Pau & Kamara have been particularly big absences. Them 2, Douglas Luiz & Emi Martinez, in particular, get into most sides. Certainly very limited players who can be considered as better.

On one hand, the top 5 look fairly clear. And feels like it would take a big turnaround for a side outside to catch up. So, Villa probably are firstly looking at staying ahead of Spurs or Arsenal.

But then, this a very new Villa, which I can't quite decide what is realistic. But I think it is in a better position than signing Championship strikers in January. 

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2 hours ago, Reluctant Striker said:

Yes, Pau & Kamara have been particularly big absences. Them 2, Douglas Luiz & Emi Martinez, in particular, get into most sides. Certainly very limited players who can be considered as better.

On one hand, the top 5 look fairly clear. And feels like it would take a big turnaround for a side outside to catch up. So, Villa probably are firstly looking at staying ahead of Spurs or Arsenal.

But then, this a very new Villa, which I can't quite decide what is realistic. But I think it is in a better position than signing Championship strikers in January. 

We won’t win the league, that will be City or Liverpool and it will be a 90 point tally. I think we’ll end up about 10 behind as will Arsenal and Spurs so it’s just who finishes top 4 really

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Am sticking to my pre-season prediction of Liverpool. They seemed to have stopped leaking goals now opposed to earlier on. City do usually come good after Christmas but the difference this season it'll be vs Liverpool not Arsenal.

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1 hour ago, MUFC said:

Will Europe be a factor? Maybe Liverpool can rest players in Europe as it's not the CL. Unless they go all out for it.

We will be able to rotate to a degree in the Europa knock outs depending on who we draw in the last 16. Certainly more than we'd have been able to in a CL knock out tie 

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