What's your Futbol team? Joga Bonito - Dallas-Mavs.com Forums

LonghornDub · 02-28-2009, 08:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mavdog

12 games remaining, villa is one point behind.

chelsea went 6-2-2 in the last 10 games (losses to the reds and manu) with games left against teams mostly in the bottom half of the table.

villa went 4-3-3, with matches (both away) vs liverpool and manu still ahead of them. so yes, it is villa catching chelsea.

I disagree, though only on the semantics. You're looking ahead while I'm talking about the present. "Catching" implies that you have some significant amount of ground to make up already (i.e. at this point in time). So no, that's not the correct thing to say when referencing a measly one point deficit. While that terminology probably will become accurate in the next few weeks, given that Chelsea are likely to increase the gap (for the reasons you mentioned), it's inaccurate right now. If you're watching the top two runners 2/3 of the way through a marathon, and the second place guy is five feet behind the first place guy, you wouldn't at that point in time say "I wonder if he can catch him," even if you knew the first place guy was likely to increase his lead.

As for Arsenal, another goalless draw today. A Villa win tomorrow puts them 8 points clear with 11 matches to go.

Mavdog · 02-28-2009, 08:56 PM

hey, if you are behind someone and you want to get in front of them, then you must "catch" them first..

Quote:

As for Arsenal, another goalless draw today. A Villa win tomorrow puts them 8 points clear with 11 matches to go.

arsenal has such wonderful style, and ball movement, but they just cannot seem to put the ball into the net.

a villa win tomorrow (not something hard to imagine against stoke) and it's champion league competition for them.

and with liverpool's disappointing loss to boro, it is not as much a question of villa catching chelsea but perhaps villa catching liverpool. to think that the reds were in first place with what? 10 pts ahead of manu? what a fall.

LonghornDub · 03-01-2009, 03:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mavdog

a villa win tomorrow (not something hard to imagine against stoke) and it's champion league competition for them.

and with liverpool's disappointing loss to boro, it is not as much a question of villa catching chelsea but perhaps villa catching liverpool. to think that the reds were in first place with what? 10 pts ahead of manu? what a fall.

It keeps shifting around who Villa are most likely to finish ahead of. A couple weeks ago, it was looking a lot like they might finish ahead of Chelsea and Arsenal. Now, it's certainly looking like Chelsea will finish ahead of them, but, as you said, there's an increasing possibility of finishing ahead of Pool. And when Villa dropped points against Wigan at home and then lost to Chelsea at home, both times it looked like Arsenal would capitalize and end up moving into 4th within a few more weeks--but they still haven't even put a dent in Villa's lead. In fact, a Villa win over Stoke tomorrow would give them the biggest lead they've had over Arsenal all season.

Bottom line, I can't even predict how much more this stuff will change in the next 3 months. Man U will win the league, but that's about all I can say. If I had to bet, I would say 1) Man U, 2) Chelsea, 3) Pool, 4) Villa.

Obviously, 4th would be great, but I would really love 3rd. This year, I believe 3rd progresses straight to the group stage of the 2009-2010 CL, rather than starting in the qualifying rounds. That would be huge for Villa.

Mavdog · 03-02-2009, 05:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LonghornDub

As for Arsenal, another goalless draw today. A Villa win tomorrow puts them 8 points clear with 11 matches to go.

just saw the villa stoke match I had tivo'd.

cannot believe how villa choked this win away, in complete control with 5 minutes to play. the 1 pt from this tie keep things status quo with arsenal, but the manner in which villa gave the 2 pts away surely will weigh on them.

arsenal is very capable of regaining the 4th position.

LonghornDub · 03-04-2009, 11:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mavdog

arsenal is very capable of regaining the 4th position.

Even more so now that Villa took it on the chin 0-2 today against Citeh.

Mavdog · 03-05-2009, 12:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LonghornDub

Even more so now that Villa took it on the chin 0-2 today against Citeh.

they should get the points from the spurs this weekend, but then it's away vs liverpool and man u.

villa is in deep trouble, their hold on 4th and champions league play is iffy to say the least. being more of a gunners fan, I'm pleased.

LonghornDub · 03-07-2009, 10:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mavdog

they should get the points from the spurs this weekend, but then it's away vs liverpool and man u.

villa is in deep trouble, their hold on 4th and champions league play is iffy to say the least. being more of a gunners fan, I'm pleased

"Deep trouble" is an extreme overstatement, but I certainly won't be putting any money on them to finish top-4.