Match Thread Aston Villa v Everton - Preview, Match Report and MotM Poll

[Simon Buttle]

Our defending is fine, relative to the teams we're competing with. We're not City or Chelsea defensively, but we're not candidates to win the league either.

We don't score enough.

If we are aiming for top 6 then our goals against needs to less in general, it's -42 at the moment and it really would be better if it was more around the mid -30 mark. The chopping and changing hasn't helped imo. No doubting we need to score more goals though.

 

[Tubey]

It's a huge game. It's not impossible to get 5th, 6th is very viable, we just need to win bare minimum three of the next four.

A loss or even a draw here truly is the end of the road for top six. We'd likely finish 8th.

Think we'll squeeze out yet another narrow win here.

 

[Curtis]

Our defending is fine, relative to the teams we're competing with. We're not City or Chelsea defensively, but we're not candidates to win the league either.

We don't score enough.

Not scoring enough is a clear issue but I think our defensive frailties at home are problematic as well. Away we're very resolute it's just that abysmal home form in general.

 

[Curtis]

It's a huge game. It's not impossible to get 5th, 6th is very viable, we just need to win bare minimum three of the next four.

A loss or even a draw here truly is the end of the road for top six. We'd likely finish 8th.

Think we'll squeeze out yet another narrow win here.

That's what unnerves me we're not really known for performing under pressure when there's high stakes.

 

[witchdoc187]

Go 6th if we win tonight. That's alright isn't it

 

[Martin Alvito]

If we are aiming for top 6 then our goals against needs to less in general, it's -42 at the moment and it really would be better if it was more around the mid -30 mark. The chopping and changing hasn't helped imo. No doubting we need to score more goals though.

Other than the defensive superstars, everyone in the running is between 38 and 45 against. The early season, much like the period after the restart, was a bit of a goal bonanza.

A little tightening down would be a positive but we're lagging badly behind the top teams in goals scored. They're either in the sixties or, in the case of Chelsea, playing some very impressive defense. If Tuchel had been in charge all season, they'd probably be down in the 20s with City for goals against.

 

[PeregrineT]

Absolutely must win here, anything short of that and its season over. A win pops us up to 6th and sets up a nice matchup with Sheff United to make it three in a row and some end of season confidence.

 

[Runub]

Go 6th if we win tonight. That's alright isn't it

Would be perfect if it was the last game of the season lol

 

[JMT]

No Watkins.
Grealish is hopefully rusty.
Everton have a chance to go 6th, Please don't mess it up lads x.

 

[CahillsCornerFlag]

Everton 1-0 Calvert-Lewin 50/1, fiver on. It’s happening.

 

[Moomin]

1 all draw written all over this game.

Plenty of passing sideways.

 

[witchdoc187]

Would be perfect if it was the last game of the season lol

Well, IF we win of course

 

[Carlito]

Grealish probably won't start, and Keinan Davis, who'll likely replace Watkins, scored only a fortnight OK vs. West Brom, if that puts your mind at ease

I was expecting it to be Wesley, seeing as though he hasn't scored yet this season.

 

[witchdoc187]

No Watkins.
Grealish is hopefully rusty.
Everton have a chance to go 6th, Please don't mess it up lads x.

Sounds like a recipe for disaster to me

 

[Simon Buttle]

Other than the defensive superstars, everyone in the running is between 38 and 45 against. The early season, much like the period after the restart, was a bit of a goal bonanza.

A little tightening down would be a positive but we're lagging badly behind the top teams in goals scored. They're either in the sixties or, in the case of Chelsea, playing some very impressive defense. If Tuchel had been in charge all season, they'd probably be down in the 20s with City for goals against.

Yeah you are talking about this season, i am talking just in general to finish in top six which is what our long term goal is. But yeah we need to start scoring a lot more goals and spreading them throughout the team. I made a post about this earlier on explaining about how in the top 4 teams aside from Bruno (mostly pens) the other 3 teams have mostly got their goals from having multiple players on single figure numbers, of course there are a few exemptions such as Gundogan and Vardy (12+13 respectively) but it shows you don't need a 15-20 goal man. We need to score more (as you say) and we need to be a threat from across the pitch like the better teams are rather than just being reliant on DCL and Richarlison and the odd Digne free kick and odd Gylfi anything.