Aston Villa News 24/7Writer: Bobbyfett 
Date:Monday March 9 2009
Time: 11:23AM
UK time is: 11:01:51
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Why So (Claret and) Blue
Why So (Claret and) Blue
Having spent the weekend trying to squeeze in watching the FA Cup games around fitting a new kitchen, a chance conversation with mybBrother got me thinking about our current plight.
In recent weeks it seems that our season has capitulated, out of the Cups, snatching a draw from the gaping jaws of victory against Stoke and only now a 3 point gap above an Arsenal side who seem to have all their injured players back.
My brother is of the opinion that the game against Spurs will decide our fate, if the Villa that we've enjoyed for the majority of the season come out to play then, yes, we'll finish 4th. if not, then who knows.......
Being the sort of annoying person who's glass is always half full, I always try to look on the bright side and it got me asking myself a few questions.
How lucky we are that, with 12 games to go, we still have something to play for?
The majority of the last decade, we would have been lucky to get past christmas with anything other than mid-table obscurity to look forward to!
How lucky we are to be able to panic about not finishing 4th?
Something that even O'Neill wasn't expecting of us this year.
How lucky are we that we are being chased by a club of Arsenal's calibre?
Now I'm not trying to rally the troops or anything here, I just wanted to state my opinion. No matter which European competition we qualify for this season, we should take pride in the fact that during the 08/09 season a team seriously rattled the top four. and that team was Aston Villa.
Bobbyfett
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Your Comments
Fair do's bobby!! It would also seem that 38% are as annoyingly optomistic as you too! lol
nottinghamvillain
The daft thing is 3rd is still a possibility, let's not look backwards but forwards
2fishinatank
Spot on mate! To me even challanging and threatening to break the sky 4's strangle hold is progress. As disappointing as it will be IF we do miss out on the Champs league!
AstonVillaFC
When we have a chance like this (finishing 4th), it is a tragedy to not take the chance. MON may not have expected us to be doing this well and for the gooners for to be trailing us but that doesn't mean that he shouldn't know how to finish the job off. If you don't take chances in life then someone else will step in front of you with their hands open wide and a big smile. Third is definitely a possibility as we have to play redscouse still and Torres is a quarter the player of last year. Regardless, MON not expecting us to be where we are is NO excuse for failing now.
Villan444
This is all well and good but I am firmly of the opinion that there are 2 reasons why we are not comfortably 4th now (a good 8pts ahead of Arsenal) and they are NOT sending the squad to Russia - they did NOT have to start the game but should have travelled and been available. You should not give the impression that you do not mind losing a game. Secondly, changing a successful, winning side - we were excellent with the 4-5-1 formation. Has anyone seen Gabby play as well since??? Sidwell didnt do that well but surely Gardner could have came in (at least until Reo-Coker was fit again) or shift around and play Gabby wide with Heskey up top and shift Milner or Young centrally. Our game is based on width and the 4-5-1/4-3-3 looked well for us.
deano.avfc
if M.O.N did not think we would be where we are now . where the hell did he think we would be then. he spent somethink like 50 millon in the summer on a team that finnished 6 real positive thinking l don,t think
one match ban
I thought there were only 10 games left , sorry didn't bother reading after that.
Villan57
I thought we'd be where we are now at the start of the season even if MON and everyone else didn't. I expected us to improve on last season and I still believe we will although I am not as convinced as I was before the Stoke City game. There is no doubt that if we do fail to finish at least 4th that game will be the reason. Anyway knowing our luck we WILL finish 4th and Arsenal will win the Champions League. Which is why we have to target 3rd. How funny would it be if Liverpool finish 4th and miss out on CL becasue Arsenal the damn thing? Priceless.
Adam Deuce
When Liverpoo won the CL and Everton finished fourth Everton were not excluded from the following season's CL. Some poor saps from Robulgary or somesuch were given a wodge of cash and shuffled off to the UEFA Cup. I expect that's what would happen again.
chocolate teapot
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