Aston Villa vs Arsenal the battle for 4th

DSB

Ahahahahaha Knight you hero. Still **** though.

internelligent

Who's this Zat Knight guy again?:)

Bobalicious93

EDIT: nevermind

OPENROAD

ah well typical Arsenal :mad:

Villa deserve it.

Well done

OPENROAD

**** it yet again we throw it away :mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:

Helix

delighted, absolutely delighted

Chong

Delighted for Villa, its excellent stuff for them , the fans and MON LEGEND!

DSB

jesus_thats_gre wrote: »

Incidently...

:D:D:D

Kiith

No less then Villa deserve. Brilliant stuff.

Bounty Hunter

well we stay in the CL spot going into the new year 3 points ahead with a nice string of fixtures coming up....Phew!

Knight must be the happiest man alive now, a villa fan and all to boot.


Arsenal's title campaign is 100% over!

Villain

Oh yes oh yes the big 4 it could soon be the big 5 LOL Mon I love u

eagle eye

Great game.

Who was worried about Zat Knight???:)

My MoM Gareth Barry, immense imo.

Beau x1

As an Arsenal fan I cannot portray how frustrating this is for us.

Fair play to Villa though.

mirwillbeback

My girlfriend got me clothes.

My sons got me DVDS.

Me mam bought me a voucher.

But Zat Knight, you gave me the best present of all.

C'mon the Villa, Champs League here we come. What a performance.

Ardent

What a game, really enjoyed that. Villa did not deserve to lose that. That's the title gone for Arsenal this season (and, who knows, possibly 4th??).

Helix

its a bizarre one to call, on the one hand we shouldve been miles ahead by half time and on the other to come back from 2-0 down was a phenomenal achievement

i think itll feel like a win to our boys and might just deflate arsenal more than us scoring 3 or 4 in the first half wouldve done

we were hideously unlucky, and blessed at the same time

cracker of a game, and despite it all, im delighted with the point

Quazzie

Villain wrote: »

Oh yes oh yes the big 4 it could soon be the big 5 LOL Mon I love u

I'd say it'll ne more like big 3. Arsenal dropping out doesn't mean Villa automatically filling the spot. To be part of it you actually have to have some hope of winning the PL. Atm Villa don't.

DSB

eagle eye wrote: »

Great game.

Who was worried about Zat Knight???:)

My MoM Gareth Barry, immense imo.

I'd have gone with Sagna. Young was class too, never gave up.

Bounty Hunter

Feckin hell though Villa never do anything the easy way, its always a rollercoaster of emotions during one of MON's boys matches

DSB

Q2002 wrote: »

I'd say it'll ne more like big 3. Arsenal dropping out doesn't mean Villa automatically filling the spot. To be part of it you actually have to have some hope of winning the PL. Atm Villa don't.

So it was just a big 2 for the last few seasons then? Liverpool must be chuffed to have broken in.

A Primal Nut

Time to get rid of Gallas - officially the worst challenge ever. Time to go for Toure and Djorou the only two reliable centre-backs. Sagna was amazing today again, and with Clichy on the left that would be a decent defence.

Doodee

Wow!


Zat Knight, who'd have thunk it!

Come on transfer window, we need to get a touch up of quality now.

Helix

Helix wrote: »

its a bizarre one to call, on the one hand we shouldve been miles ahead by half time and on the other to come back from 2-0 down was a phenomenal achievement

i think itll feel like a win to our boys and might just deflate arsenal more than us scoring 3 or 4 in the first half wouldve done

we were hideously unlucky, and blessed at the same time

cracker of a game, and despite it all, im delighted with the point

+1

Villa dominated the game until the Arsenal goal. They deserved at least a draw.

Quazzie

Well considering we lead the PL for most of last season I'd have to disagree with that.

Villain

jesus_thats_gre wrote: »

Incidently...

LOL

Necronomicon

It was the game of the day on paper, and it really delivered. Fantastic stuff. Villa should have finished some of their first half chances, but they deserved the point. Arsenal would've leaped them based on goals scored, so the point will undoubtedly feel like three.

DSB

Q2002 wrote: »

Well considering we lead the PL for most of last season I'd have to disagree with that.

Yet the season before finished 21 points off the pace, the season before that 24. Does the big 4 criteria rotate to suit Arsenal and Liverpool now?

invincibleirish

all i can say is 'PHEW', happy with a point and to think some were predicting Zat Knights selection would be a disaster:D, what a hero, Hull here we go.

Quazzie

DSB wrote: »

Yet the season before finished 21 points off the pace, the season before that 24. Does the big 4 criteria rotate to suit Arsenal and Liverpool now?

Obviously

invincibleirish

Q2002 wrote: »

Well considering we lead the PL for most of last season I'd have to disagree with that.

Is that you Arsene?

DSB

Q2002 wrote: »

Obviously

Well it is time for Arsenal to move out of the way, unless Wenger decides to splash the cash. On another note..............

ZAT KNIGHT FOR ENGLAND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:D:D:D:D:D:D

invincibleirish

DSB wrote: »

ZAT KNIGHT FOR ENGLAND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:D:D:D:D:D:D

again

With finishing like that from Zat have we found our own Gary Doherty:pac:

jesus_thats_gre

Fair played to Villa - they obviously deserved something out of that match.

rossie1977

Ardent wrote: »

What a game, really enjoyed that. Villa did not deserve to lose that. That's the title gone for Arsenal this season (and, who knows, possibly 4th??).

4th gone after 19 games, i doubt it, i predict alot of twists and turns all over the league before may. chelsea for example still have to go to OT, anfield, arsenal and villa

Helix

DSB wrote: »

ZAT KNIGHT FOR ENGLAND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:D:D:D:D:D:D

i wonder if theyd buy him off us lol

now might be the perfect time to con someone into buying him actually

DSB

Reminds me of Harewood against Liverpool last season haha.

A Primal Nut

On the top 4 debate, the same 4 teams have finished in the top 4 champions league spots for the last three seasons. The extra money from Champions League helps those clubs stay there so they keep their grip. Unfortunately Arsenal having spent **** all and they have a lot of long-term injuries (fabregas, rosicky, walcott, eduardo) they've tried to force some weaker youths into the lineup (Song and especially Bendtner, whos ****e) despite poor performaces while allowing some of the better ones to leave (Flamini, Diarra and Yaya Toure). They have a lot of good young players; Denilson, Diaby and Djorou for example, but other than Sagna, Fabregas and Van Persie, none are world class or good enough to play for Arsenal first team. Vela looks good but Wenger has insisted on playing Bendtner ahead of him. Why, I have no idea!

DSB

A Primal Nut wrote: »

On the top 4 debate, the same 4 teams have finished in the top 4 champions league spots for the last three seasons. The extra money from Champions League helps those clubs stay there so they keep their grip. Unfortunately Arsenal having spent **** all and they have a lot of long-term injuries (fabregas, rosicky, walcott, eduardo) they've tried to force some weaker youths into the lineup (Song and especially Bendtner, whos ****e) despite poor performaces while allowing some of the better ones to leave (Flamini, Diarra and Yaya Toure). They have a lot of good young players; Denilson, Diaby and Djorou for example, but other than Sagna, Fabregas and Van Persie, none are world class or good enough to play for Arsenal first team. Vela looks good but Wenger has insisted on playing Bendtner ahead of him. Why, I have no idea!

So if a team consistently finishes 5th behind them, it can be changed to a top 5? Even if that team doesn't really challenge those above them in any significant way? Seriously, making up new criteria as they go along.

RasTa

Villain wrote: »

No crisis I'd be delighted with 5th in league, I'm not a glory hunter

You do realize he is a Liverpool fan right?

mormank

A Primal Nut wrote: »

On the top 4 debate, the same 4 teams have finished in the top 4 champions league spots for the last three seasons. The extra money from Champions League helps those clubs stay there so they keep their grip. Unfortunately Arsenal having spent **** all and they have a lot of long-term injuries (fabregas, rosicky, walcott, eduardo) they've tried to force some weaker youths into the lineup (Song and especially Bendtner, whos ****e) despite poor performaces while allowing some of the better ones to leave (Flamini, Diarra and Yaya Toure). They have a lot of good young players; Denilson, Diaby and Djorou for example, but other than Sagna, Fabregas and Van Persie, none are world class or good enough to play for Arsenal first team. Vela looks good but Wenger has insisted on playing Bendtner ahead of him. Why, I have no idea!

isnt there a guy of the same name who never played for arsenal but plays for barca?? strange coincidence that one...:rolleyes:

Frankie Lee

DSB wrote: »

Tell ya what, if Everton catch up the 8 points on what would be necessary to be up there now, overtaking Arsenal on the way, I'll let you put your choice of sig on my profile. Not in a million years will they even get 5th.

Only 6 points away now and 3 points away from 5th, I wouldn't put money on them to break the top 4 but I would not write them off either.
They had a slow start to the season but have been grinding out results week in week out and are making steady progress. A striker in January is crucial for them though.

DSB

Frankie Lee wrote: »

Only 6 points away now and 3 points away from 5th, I wouldn't put money on them to break the top 4 but I would not write them off either.
They had a slow start to the season but have been grinding out results week in week out and are making steady progress. A striker in January is crucial for them though.

I'm not writing them off because of their current league position as such, I'm writing them off because they are pretty poor. You'd need some massive collapse from both Villa and Arsenal for anything to happen. Villa and Everton were at about the same level last year, Villa have moved on in strides. Everton are still at that level, and will probably get 6th.

jesus_thats_gre

RasTa wrote: »

You do realize he is a Liverpool fan right?

To re-enforce how defensive and ridiculous he is being, I am 28 and was 10 when Liverpool last won the league.. I ended up supporting Liverpool after watching an Everton and Liverpool cup final and deciding that I liked the team in red.. That was 89 I think.. Actually, my ould fella reckons it could actually be the '86 final..

Defo a glory hunter






Regarding the argument about the big 4 and so on.. If the same 5 finished in the top 5 80% of the last 5 seasons, you would label them the top 5...

If classifying them by league finish isn't enough, you could classify them by their fan base, their trophy haul, recent successes, turnover, ground size or even the amount of funds available for transfer..

Whatever way you do it, the top 4 would be Man United, Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal. The 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th positions would be made up of Villa, Everton, Man City and Spurs. I don't know why people get worked up about it - the big 4 is simply a convenient way of referring to the top 4 that qualify for the CL most seasons.



Anyway, it is looking increasingly possible that Villa will quality for the CL next season at Arsenal's expense. They are playing some great football, have a quality squad and are very organised.

RasTa

jesus_thats_gre wrote: »

To re-enforce how defensive and ridiculous he is being, I am 28 and was 10 when Liverpool last won the league.. I ended up supporting Liverpool after watching an Everton and Liverpool cup final and deciding that I liked the team in red..

Defo a glory hunter..

I wouldn't even bother!

Bounty Hunter

A Primal Nut wrote: »

while allowing some of the better ones to leave (Flamini, Diarra and Yaya Toure).

um i might be being an idiot here but im fairly sure Yaya never played for Arsenal

edit: Mormark got there first

Quazzie

mormank wrote: »

isnt there a guy of the same name who never played for arsenal but plays for barca?? strange coincidence that one...:rolleyes:

Arsenal had first option on him but didn't take up on it

A Primal Nut

DSB wrote: »

So if a team consistently finishes 5th behind them, it can be changed to a top 5? Even if that team doesn't really challenge those above them in any significant way? Seriously, making up new criteria as they go along.

What are you talking about? Its clear who the top 4 teams have been for the last few years.

The top 4 is significant because they are the champions league places and these have been dominated by the same teams for the last three seasons. Obviously this is why people talk about teams breaking into the top 4! These same 4 teams have variously challenged for the premier league over that period. The team who finished 5th isn't as relevant; ok they can finish in the uefa cup spot but the rewards for uefa cup are insignificant compared with the champions league and in addition various different sides have occupied this spot.

If the champions league places were expanded people would start talking about a top 5. The reason this is important is because champions league leads to more money, makes it possible to attract world class players, bigger reputation, fanbase etc., which in turn makes it easier to compete for bigger honours in the future. Its no surprise that its these teams that have generally competed for the league - liverpool and chelsea this season, united, arsenal, chelsea last season, united and chelsea previous season. Arsenal went two seasons in a row without being competitive but came back in a big way last season. As long as a team is finishing in the top 4 they will always be contenders for honours - thats why breaking into the top 4 is such an immediate aim for the likes of Man City, Aston Villa, etc, but so far nobody has managed to break in.

DSB

A Primal Nut wrote: »

What are you talking about? Its clear who the top 4 teams have been for the last few years.

The top 4 is significant because they are the champions league places and these have been dominated by the same teams for the last three seasons. Obviously this is why people talk about teams breaking into the top 4! These same 4 teams have variously challenged for the premier league over that period. The team who finished 5th isn't as relevant; ok they can finish in the uefa cup spot but the rewards for uefa cup are insignificant compared with the champions league and in addition various different sides have occupied this spot.

If the champions league places were expanded people would start talking about a top 5. The reason this is important is because champions league leads to more money, makes it possible to attract world class players, bigger reputation, fanbase etc., which in turn makes it easier to compete for bigger honours in the future. Its no surprise that its these teams that have generally competed for the league - liverpool and chelsea this season, united, arsenal, chelsea last season, united and chelsea previous season. Arsenal went two seasons in a row without being competitive but came back in a big way last season. As long as a team is finishing in the top 4 they will always be contenders for honours - thats why breaking into the top 4 is such an immediate aim for the likes of Man City, Aston Villa, etc, but so far nobody has managed to break in.

Since the 4 places were allocated to the Premiership, when exactly have Liverpool challenged for the title? Except this year, of course, when they are obviously up there.

Villain

no MON interview or MOM??