The Europeometer™ (2023/24) - permutations in O.P.

[wormy]

I really can't find the energy to get worked up over other clubs doing well, especially at this stage of the season. We're not fighting a relegation where we can pray for another team to slip up to give us our chance. At the other end of the table we need to do our job in keeping up with the front runners, not rely on multiple quality teams slipping up. I have every faith Eddie will keep our lads on that track.

 

3/10

[Ronaldo]

Not bothered about Brighton and Man U.  I expect us to finish above both and if we don’t we’re not CL material anyway. 

[Decky]

Think with Villa being so good we might have to try for 5th this year and hope it’s still the Champions League. 
 

Our injuries are just so punishing and we’re going to have disappointing results like the Bournemouth one. It should be handier after Christmas mind with people coming back and Europe not being so intense. 

[healthyaddiction]

1 minute ago, Decky said:

Think with Villa being so good we might have to try for 5th this year and hope it’s still the Champions League. 
 

Our injuries are just so punishing and we’re going to have disappointing results like the Bournemouth one. It should be handier after Christmas mind with people coming back and Europe not being so intense. 

Beat Everton and we're literally 3 points behind Villa. I hardly think we need to write off being able to catch them.

[SteV]

1 hour ago, ponsaelius said:

It's almost like teams at the top usually win more often than not 

The one thing that’s worse about at the top of the league rather than the bottom 😂

 

The teams that you’re competing with tend to win as opposed to losing.

 

Although you don’t get the crushing disappointment that follows the likes of Norwich getting a surprise away win at Spurs.

[Skeletor]

I accepted that we might go back a little bit this season. A balancing almost, before we eventually soar to the top in the next few years.

[cubaricho]

2 hours ago, KDT said:

Good job the league is settled after 15 games.

Obviously the point I was trying to make.  

[Kanji]

Hardly surprised Emery has created this there. Makes you feel good that we’d likely be a very good side had he chosen to come here. 

[Coffee_Johnny]

3 hours ago, Gallowgate Toon said:

Ooof going to be tough going with Villa.

Nah. We fucking annihilated them and tonight they’ve taken their first points (this season) from one of the top teams (who are, by their standards, faltering). Villa are not the ones the worry about. 

[Nobody]

Another one goal win for Man Utd then. So fucking sick of them, glad we've showed them twice this season what football can be. 

[Stottie]

Impressive win from Villa. They looked very poor defensively against Spurs and Bournemouth, so I expected City to do more against them. Two shots all game! Bournemouth had 16.

 

For us, just keeping winning and stay in it. There's a long way to go. We've been there and did it last time against a Liverpool team that had a late charge, and that experience will stand us in good stead.

[Decky]

4 hours ago, healthyaddiction said:

Beat Everton and we're literally 3 points behind Villa. I hardly think we need to write off being able to catch them.

A write off is the wrong words to use because anything can happen, but I see Villa in a brilliant position, full of confidence and just unbeatable at home.
 

Us? We’re about the same but the big difference is injuries and we’re unfortunately gonna drop points because of it. We’d have beaten Bournemouth without all these injuries and we’ll probably drop points again because we’ve played the same 11 three games in a row and are likely to be about the same for the next 3 games in the space of 6 days. The lads can’t work miracles, we need players back asap because it’ll catch up with us.
 

And it doesn’t end because while teams take breaks during the week we have a game against Milan to stay in Europe and a quarter final away to Chelsea. Fulham and Luton are our weekend opponents after these and are chilling watching us on TV during those games. It’s gonna be very tough with how stretched we are but let’s see what happens, in fairness we’ve handled the injuries extremely well so far.

 

 

Edited December 7, 2023 by Decky

[Pata]

2 hours ago, Nobody said:

Another one goal win for Man Utd then. So fucking sick of them, glad we've showed them twice this season what football can be. 

For a change they actually should’ve won by more than one goal, Chelsea were garbage.

[madras]

1 hour ago, Decky said:

A write off is the wrong words to use because anything can happen, but I see Villa in a brilliant position, full of confidence and just unbeatable at home.
 

Us? We’re about the same but the big difference is injuries and we’re unfortunately gonna drop points because of it. We’d have beaten Bournemouth without all these injuries and we’ll probably drop points again because we’ve played the same 11 three games in a row and are likely to be about the same for the next 3 games in the space of 6 days. The lads can’t work miracles, we need players back asap because it’ll catch up with us.
 

And it doesn’t end because while teams take breaks during the week we have a game against Milan to stay in Europe and a quarter final away to Chelsea. Fulham and Luton are our weekend opponents after these and are chilling watching us on TV during those games. It’s gonna be very tough with how stretched we are but let’s see what happens, in fairness we’ve handled the injuries extremely well so far.

 

 

 

True its going to be tough but after this weekend we could start getting players back and look at the position we are in. People are wanking over Villa (and rightly so) but win tonight and we are on their tails possibly coming out if one if the worst injury runs I can remember.

[Scoot]

The joys of being up the top end of the table, it's great man. Add to that new sides   (including us) villa and Brighton being up there and it's really refreshing for the league. 

[BoSelecta]

It is ridiculously competitive this year. It’s fantastic for the league for someone other than city to win the title, such a shame it has to be LEGO hair or the scouse gurner - dislike them both immensely.

 

 

Edited December 7, 2023 by BoSelecta

[Boey_Jarton]

As an aside, Villa's form since Emery took over is sensational. Similar to us last year, it has  reached a point now where the sample size of demonstrating top 4/5 form is so large, it would be a real surprise for them to materially drop off.  

 

 

 

 

[The Prophet]

I don't expect Villa to "drop off" as such, but their form will take a downturn at some point. All clubs experience it to an extent.

[TRon]

12 hours ago, Geogaddi said:

I don't even worry about what the other teams around us are doing , if we do what we did last season we will be top 4/5 regardless of what the other teams do. So far we are pretty much on course for that.

 

In theory that sounds absolutely correct. Reality for me is that I get really happy when other teams around us stumble, and get very pissed off when they keep pulling out last minute winners.

[Keegans Export]

25 minutes ago, The Prophet said:

I don't expect Villa to "drop off" as such, but their form will take a downturn at some point. All clubs experience it to an extent.

Same as us last season, either side of the Cup Final.

 

They have a tough run in the new year as the European games start up again, let's see how they go. 

 

They've been mightily impressive and are where they are on merit, but we're still within touching distance despite missing an entire XI and juggling one of the toughest CL groups in recent memory. 

[Mazzy]

Hard to see the weaknesses in Villa when you watch them, that's the biggest compliment I can pay them. If they get top 4 they absolutely deserve it. I'd much rather they get in there than Man Utd or Spurs. 

[Skeletor]

2 minutes ago, Mazzy said:

Hard to see the weaknesses in Villa when you watch them, that's the biggest compliment I can pay them. If they get top 4 they absolutely deserve it. I'd much rather they get in there than Man Utd or Spurs. 

 

It's much better if the league is more competitive. The "big 6" monopoly almost killed the game off both literally (Super League) and figuratively.

 

 

Edited December 7, 2023 by Skeletor

[janpawel]

Thankfully Villa are no where near as good away from home as they are last night, they're only slightly better than us away from home roughly looking at results so far. Both of us should look to improve away results to try and consolidate top 4 in the table 

[TRon]

1 minute ago, Mazzy said:

Hard to see the weaknesses in Villa when you watch them, that's the biggest compliment I can pay them. If they get top 4 they absolutely deserve it. I'd much rather they get in there than Man Utd or Spurs. 

 

They are pretty similar to us, they have a really effective and attractive style of football, but I would think if there is a weakness it would be squad depth. An injury in key areas like up front might potentially derail them.

[Kid Icarus]

I thought they were good last night but I've seen them play better than that (most notably against us). Thought they were protected a bit by a fairly lenient ref and Man City were obviously really poor. 

 

Their rolling 38 game total is 75 points. If they draw their next game they'll equal our 38 game peak under Howe.