ohmelads

We need 6 points from 6. We always get shafted at Stamford Bridge. Chalobah on Murphy, Havertz on Burn. Yeah it's blatant but are blatant and "clear and obvious" the same? VAR will pull the same shit again. We have to win the home games with zero room for error. Wolves had fuck all to play for and it showed. Southampton are down and have nothing to play for against Liverpool.

Defending one on ones has never has been his forte because of pace and the fact he has licence to attack, but he has played in teams that are very well drilled in Atletico and Newcastle (his role was more defensive in Spain). The issue we'll have is replacing him in 12 months or so because of age and the same goes for Schar and Wilson and Murphy and Almiron will start to lose pace in a couple years (and they both heavily rely on pace). I think that's why we overpaid for Gordon and are targeting youth.

Funny. But being serious, I wonder if Firpo took a bung to get himself sent off. The ridiculous dive, then the shocking tackle, then playing volleyball in the area and then cleaning out the last man. Could've been sent off twice. The 'tackle' his eyes are on the leg, not even the correct leg, his studs are up, he's nowhere near the ball. I don't see how on earth VAR miss that or decide the ref has got it right within the laws of the game. It's an easy decision. Firpo did finally get his red in the 91st min and then we got a few seconds of the ball in play. We were poor, let's be honest, but all we ask is the ref to take charge of the game. He was having a laugh and joke with Ayling in the tunnel before the game. At least try to stay professional. I said before the game that managers like Allardyce tend to get away with more and we saw it with Dyche and Everton with the Longstaff tackle. Just ref the game and not the occasion.

Also think we'll do well to come through this one without injuries. Everton felt the same and look what happened to Longstaff. Absolutely clattered and we didn't get the pen. That makes it even more important we get the 3 points here. I see this as must win in terms of momentum and the teams behind us, even if it isn't mathematically.

Allardyce will stick to what he knows. Probably his best attribute is organising defences and set pieces (I know West Brom conceded loads). He'll have them set up deep and try to frustrate us and try to counter and exploit set pieces. The longer it's 0-0, the more the crowd will sense an opportunity. I think they'll be very physical and try to turn it into a dogfight with some rough early challenges that you often get away with early on in games. If we get drawn into tit for tat and arguments, we'll be playing the game on their terms and get the crowd up for it. I hope we get a strong ref and that we don't get sucked into playing the game they want. Hopefully we can move the ball quickly and have too much movement for them. Needless to say first goal is always crucial but especially so here because I feel like refs tolerate a bit more bullshit with certain managers and he'll do everything he can to break up the game.

That was all just PGMOL marking their own homework and giving themselves a decent score. Total nonsense.

It's not an easy decision but I think I'd stick with Isak and Wilson. Against the weaker teams lately we've started badly with one on the bench and then mauled teams with them both on the pitch. Arsenal are not only far better opponents than Leeds, but play a very different way. Leeds have conceded 69, the worst in the league, and I think this game will be a case of whether or not we put away our chances.

Nowt wrong with anything you've said except the last line which is an exaggeration. If Liverpool win their games, WDDL in our last 4 would see them above us. Any win against Leeds is vital but a big win could see us put our GD out of reach (unless Southampton are already relegated by the last day which looks likely and completely rolled over for Livarpool, who we know are capable of cricket scores on their day too). Beating Leeds by any margin would be a bit deflating for Liverpool I feel, but especially if we can do it by a couple of goals. They already know they need to win their games, but if we draw or lose, it's a shot in the arm for them and Man U.

I agree it is must win. Livarpool aren't playing well but they'll win all their games regardless. Klopp gave the officials an absolute bollocking for not helping them even more and leaving the Spurs game so tight and it seems to have worked. If we don't beat Leeds, all the pressure falls on us going into a dangerous game with Brighton. We'll do well to get through Leeds without injuries but I don't care so long as we win.

If reffing was consistent for every team in the league, I wouldn't want to see any pens given for those unless it looks blatantly deliberate, but the fact is teams are regularly getting pens for far less. It travels a fair way and replays are inconclusive. The ref gives the pen which means the burden of proof is on VAR. If that's our defender at Anfield, does anyone honestly see VAR overturning that? I wouldn't hold out any hope whatsoever.

Not so sure I agree with the view that starting Isak and Wilson was a mistake. Arsenal are still a better side than us at their best, and they played well. They knew they had to. But the game was incredibly tight and we went toe to toe with them. We created more than enough to win the game; we had more possession, more shots and more corners than them and should certainly have scored a couple. We've hit the woodwork twice and been denied by a save of the season contender, but lost to a long ranger and a pretty fluky own goal. They missed big chances aye but so have we. Who knows what a different lineup would have achieved, but you have to consider who we were up against: a team that could still win the title. A different lineup could also have fared worse and been actually outplayed, which ours wasn't. We were just a bit unlucky on the day.

I think those 1/20 odds are bookies covering their arses. Liverpool are only 5/1 to get CL, and 4/1 with some bookies.

If Longstaff is out then Joelinton and Willock are needed in the centre and then I could see him starting Isak out left and Wilson up front against Arsenal. It's either that or Gordon wide left, and on current form I'm not sure he'll go for that in such a big game.

Isak looks so much better on the left against teams that drop this deep. When he's up front he drops deep anyway, but he couldn't get in the game today until he was moved wide. Wilson on the other hand loves these kinds of games where defences sit deep. He's so shartp in and around the box whereas Isak does his best work further out. I see no reason why we can't start both. Gordon is a work in progress. He looks low on confidence and probably needs a goal to get going.

If you can't find a touch then it's onside.

We look as complacent as most of the predictions. Isak hasn't got in the game. Think he might be better out left in this game. This is more Wilson's type of game against a low block, especially with them now defending a lead. Not sure who would come off though. Gordon has been hit and miss today. Looks very low on confidence.

We look complacent. Missing Longstaff again - he works harder than anyone and allows the others to play.

You're defending a system that is totally anti-competitive and corrupt. The Champions League money goes to the same small cartel of clubs year on year, which extends the gap to everyone else, creating a viscious circle. Even if someone somehow breaks in, they very quickly lose all all their best players to the cartel. It is not just difficult - it is impossible for a club outside those 6 to break in and remain there by 'fair' means. There's 2 decades of evidence to back that up. Are you aware of how Champions League money is actually distributed? Even if we finish 3rd and Man U finish 4th, we will receive considerably less CL money next season because it is paid out based on a club's European performance over the past 10 years (their coefficient ranking). It's an absurd situation and is the reason the major leagues in Europe have had the same teams dominating for decades. Are sugar daddy owners the solution to the problem? Yes and no. Under such a corrupt system, there is zero way to compete with the cartel by fair means.

Liverpool have almost a fully fit squad and play 4 of their last 6 games at home. They'll be firm favourites in all 6 games and VAR is there if they need it. People are looking at their form so far but I'm not sure they've had a run of fixtures this kind all season, and if they did, it would've come with European games midweek. Some of the teams they are playing have nothing to play for now. We need 4 wins and a draw from the last 7 to be out of sight. Every game is massive until we get to that.

I'm confident Liverpool will go on a big run because of their fixtures and returning players. Their next opponents Forest are in horrendous form. Then they travel to West Ham. That's a potentially tricky one depending on which West Ham turn up, but we saw first hand why they're struggling, and that's Liverpool's trickiest away fixture. Brentford (0 wins in their last 5) and Fulham (1 win in their last 6) look like they're already thinking about the beach so it's a perfect time to be playing them now. Villa and Spurs are the other tricky ones but both are at Anfield. Liverpool's other away games are Southampton and Leicester. I think I read they have the best remaining fixtures of any team in the league on paper. People will say look at their form over the season, but Thiago and Jota are back in the fold and there's basically a fully fit squad now. They made the same late season run two seasons ago. They're a far bigger threat than Villa. They've got a game in hand on Villa and go level on pts with a win, and far better GD. Villa's fixtures are far tougher, as are Brighton's (they play Man City, Man U, plus Arsenal away, Villa away, and a cup game against Man U). Neither Villa nor Brighton have the huge squad depth Liverpool do or the number of players with experience of these situations, and to be honest, I don't see them getting the "breaks" from officials/var either when it really matters (look what happened to Brighton). To go on the kind of run Liverpool need, you normally need the kinds of fixtures Liverpool have. 72 points (5 wins and a draw from our last 8) is a big ask but would put us mathematically out of reach of Liverpool, and I wouldn't see anyone matching that. Tottenham is must win for us and I reckon Spurs fans are thinking the same. I think neither side would take a draw if offered.

Probably wouldn't have have changed the result, because we were shit everywhere, but he was blatantly missed. We lost the midfield battle and the midfield three were all to a man terrible. Longstaff covers a massive amount of turf and does the less glamorous work. I sometimes wonder if he's underrated because of his local roots. He has been missing sitters, which is frustrating, but if he was Brazilian, I think fans would love him for what he does do.

Kane leaving a foot in on a defender on the deck. Imagine that was Mitrovic?

Villa were good, but I think today exposed cracks that have appeared in the last two games. West Ham hit the post and dominated us early and Brentford even moreso. West Ham defended like we did today and the Brentford game we did play very well second half, but it papered over the cracks. Villa exposed them. A wake up call or a blow to morale ahead of next week? I don't think today is down to any individuals but I think now is the time to drop Burn. Fans have been calling for it for weeks but we have been grinding results. Gordon also has done himself no favours this week with his tantrum followed by an abject performance with no positional discipline. He works harder than ASM but also wanders more which I think would drive Howe mad especially away from home in a game like this. Most worrying thing about today was our midfield three were anonymous. Bruno, Joe and Willock. Longstaff misses sitters but he puts in a shit tonne of work that goes unseen and I think we missed his industry today. He does a lot of the dirty work that allows others to play.

It's like someone's asked ChatGPT for a caricature of the stereotypical Villa fan.

Lucky to still be in it and ended the stronger side, but the timewasting has been ridiculous and the ref added nothing on. Players need to keep their heads cos they're gonna do the same this half. Up to the ref to try and get the game restarted quicker.