Coffee_Johnny

There are not enough laughing emojis for this post, TBG! Fair play to you.

I think he’ll have a good season next time around. He’s certainly not going anywhere. Gordon is probably the closest match/most recent example, in terms of position, age and buying for potential. Also, for having the kind of ‘game changing to anonymous’ range of performances all of our (anybody’s?) wingers are notorious for. In 2022-23 Gordon played 18 times for Everton, and scored 3 goals. He played 16 times for us and scored 1. So 4 in 34 (not sure how many from the bench or how many assists). In 2023-24 he scored 12 from 48 for us (11 from 35 in PL). In 2024-25 9 in 42 (6 in 35 PL). In 2025-26 he has 9 from 30 so far (2 in 18 PL). In 2024-25, Elanga scored 6 in 43 for Forest (all 6 in 38 PL games). He’s still 23 and improving. I think he’ll get double figures next year. I also think he’ll continue to frustrate us. It’s what they do—when they’re not delighting us.

I would take that. Think he’ll follow our ‘Anthony trajectory’ and do a Gordon. He’ll get double figures next year folks; you heard it here first.

No not looked at bookies. Just a preseason predictive model/equation I do each year. It’s not usually far away. But is totally based on averages of previous PL seasons. I think this season is going to be an unusual one; at least in terms of 3rd to 6th.

Who we play, when and where, obviously makes a difference, but the previous 12 were only slightly ‘easier’. I use a formula (preseason) which takes account of the position opponents finished last season, and whether home or away, to see where we should expect to pick up points if we are on track for a particular league position. According to this we should have picked up 21 points from our previous 12 games (we did indeed pick up 21 points). For the coming 12 games the formula predicts 19 points. So not that much different over 12 games. Personally, as the cup games fall away I am expecting (hoping…) that we overperform on that. We still have a distance to make up due to earlier season results, e.g. predicted to get 17 points from first 11 games, only managed 12. That said much tighter around European places this year than usual, so perhaps we won’t need the average (or better) points total for a 6th or better finish.

Gave it a go for a few months, food wise not clobber, and I lost a lot of muscle. That said I paid zero attention to making sure I made up for the absence of meat and dairy.

Is there actually a problem with how we are doing? There’s a fair bit of frustration re Howe/our performances in this thread. Also a casual look at our league position might lead to thinking we are having a stinker of a season with no signs of improvement. How do you think our league form has been over the last dozen games since the November international break? I bet we can all recall disappointing results in that time. Do you think we have been poor, worse than usual, overall? Well, in the last 12 games we’ve accrued 21 points; 1.75 points per game. If we kept that up over a full season we would total 67 points. Normally enough for 4th (and exponentially better than the 12 points, 1.09 ppg, we managed in the first 11 games). Interspersed through this same 12 game period, we’ve played 5 cup games: 1-2 loss away to Marseille, 2-2 draw away to Leverkusen, home FA Cup win on penalties—after amazing 3-3—over Bournemouth, 0-2 LC SF home loss to Man City, and 3-0 home win over PSV. So in the last 17 games against PL or CL opposition, in 9 weeks: Won 8, Drew 4, Lost 5. Whatever the ‘eye test’ concludes and our internal ‘if only’ woulda-shoulda-coulda, whispers, that doesn’t look too bleak to me. Given we had to find a striking solution/new way to play, I don’t even think we were too far off it in the first 11 games; bar the away losses to West Ham and Brentford (which were bookended by two great wins—home to Man City and Athletic Club).

Great opening post @HaydnNUFC. It was actually nice (bizarrely) to re-watch the highlights from the last time. Was left with a feeling of incredulity (partly that we’d kept them at bay, but still mainly from the pella decision) but nowhere near the gut-punch despondency of the night. Both then and now had a massive sense of pride in the team. What an effort, particularly in the injury ravaged circumstances.

Are there any? Nope. As you were 🫡

Disappointing result. Villa edged it though. They’re undoubtedly a good side. Might have been different if we’d taken that early Tonali chance; but can’t complain really.

Unlucky Elanga. More of that please.

Howay lads make the difference .

Another great ball by Miley. Too much on cross by Barnes.

Fuck me man. Wissa…

Crowd gut punched by the sound of it.

Howay Jacob. Show them what they’re missing.

Recurrence of groin injury he’d been carrying recently??

It’s hard not to boil over with frustration when a win could take us 4th—ridiculous in itself given we have only won 9 games from 22. Obviously the potential outcome is irrelevant to figuring out how to win this. The crowd are flat and restless so maybe focussing on anything tactically that will give us a bit more of the ball in threatening areas. A bit of purpose and creativity. Maybe time for Elanga and Ramsey to show their worth-but again just feels like hopeful grasping rather than a good plan.

They will tire badly. Rogers’ already blowing hard. Need to keep at it. If we’ve got the legs/lungs.

That’s more like it. Much better right footed cross from Gordon and Miley unlucky with great header.

Gordon’s left footed crosses aren’t in the groove today.

Great ball from Miley. Top vision.

Very half arsed at the moment. Only Joelinton really running and challenging with any belief. Wissa jogging about too much, no real commitment to closing down or finding space. We need a spark.

Not many sides can do the double over them; Burnley can be the first (I think).

Really shocked to read (on NUFC.com) that it is over twenty years since Villa won here in the league. 11 wins and 7 draws in that time. In fact they have only won here twice in the PL era. That along with their Thursday night away game in Turkey, should fill us confidence (why am I suddenly anxious…).