Can we catch Villa?

Bruce Wayne · March 1, 2009

I think a Villa stumble is inevitable. My views on them are no different to earlier in this thread. Arsenal I don't know, they've been inconsistent all season and I'm not sure much will change there either.

The sticky issue for me is with ourselves. With Arteta in the side I would have backed us to continue the fantastic form we're in and really put pressure on the two sides above us. Without him that is much more uncertain, hence why I think we have to see how the next few games pan out and learn how the team plan to cope without him.

Defensively I think we're still very solid and that will be key at this stage of the season when games traditionally become scrappier affairs, so we just need to find ways to score goals. Saha will be a big plus in that regard as he's one player that can score goals from nothing.

Robert Jarvis · March 1, 2009

I agree if it had not been for Arteta being out I would have said we could catch Arse and Villa, but now, who knows. Priority to me is to stick by the back four that has done so well in our recent good run. With Saha being available is a big bonus to have him and Cahill upfront, but JO needs to get into gear!

In the middle is the big problem, to replace Arteta, Osman is not the one IMO. Peanuts I think would a better job but not entirely satisfactory. A difficult one this, perhaps cahill to drop back and use Saha and Jo upfront.

I do think we can pip the Arse though.

SLAVEN BILIC · March 1, 2009

if the gooners didn't rob us we'd be level on points and 6 behind villa. even without mikky i think we're gonna finish 4th, villa have lost that lucky streak and don't look like they've found form to replace it. arsenal are sh1t and their heads'll probably drop even lower. villa away to city (who aren't bad at home) on wednesday and wba at home to arsenal, we could be 5th and 5pts off villa. but knowing our luck we'll get beat by rovers and that'll be the end of that.
but lets think positive lads.

GSB876 · March 1, 2009

In short - NO.

However we can finish 5th, if you look at our remaining games theres only really Villa away and Chelsea away thats look slightly dodgy, the rest are winable

Gazdalf · March 1, 2009

GSB876 said:
In short - NO.

However we can finish 5th, if you look at our remaining games theres only really Villa away and Chelsea away thats look slightly dodgy, the rest are winable

In true panto style

"Oh yes we can"

Neiler · March 1, 2009

8 points behind, 33 stil to play for of course we can!

Villa were booed of today!

TsarDiniyar · March 1, 2009

How we adapt to the loss of Arteta will be key, Villa are going to slip up, as i predicted, however we need not to do the same. The west brom game wasnt a good game to see how we will cope although we did look shakey. If we get a result on Weds, and we're still in the cup draw this time next week, i think definitely.

In case you didnt know or I forgot to mention...Villa are crap, so lucky this season, false position!!!

Brownie · March 1, 2009

Can't see it. Seeing Mikel in agony has hurt my confidence big time.

TX Bill · March 2, 2009

There's as much chance of West Ham catching us as us catching Villa.

In other words, no chance.

bluebloodinmyveins · March 2, 2009

I have always thought that Villa's bubble will burst at some point. So i do think they will drop a lot of points in the coming weeks. Our injury list has made it almost impossible for us to be the ones to profit from it though, and i think Arsenal will be the team to get 4th

SLAVEN BILIC · March 2, 2009

heres our next 3 games before we play villa, they've got 4 games before we go down there.
everton:-blackburn (a), pompey (a), wigan (h)
villa:-man city (a), spurs (h), liverpool (a), man utd (a)
i've got a feeling we'll be 2pts behind them going into the game at villa park. i can see them losing 3 and beating spurs and hopefully us winning all our 3 games.