Feeling positive / negative with 3 weeks to go?

[StevieEvansRedNWhiteArmy]

There are 5 weeks to go yet RUFC1986, still plenty of time to get a few in.

First game of the season in 2 and a bit weeks away mate. We haven't got 18 as it stands.

 

[TTOCS]

Well we are certainly stronger than last year, Freeman isnt anywhere near our first team for a start.

But reading of £27m bids for Newcastle players puts it in perspective. We will be mid table and if we can threaten play offs then it will be a great season. The Johnsons have previous.

 

[SF_]

Wow...

 

[AnkleBiter]

How did you get into my documents?

 

[Bobbin']

'You won't have hardly any possession'

So you will have a lot of the possession?

 

[City169]

So when we play Huddersfield away, the away end will be both "full bouncing and loud" and "quiet and speechless".

 

[Costello]

'You won't have hardly any possession'

So you will have a lot of the possession?

Reminds me of this from a few years back:

 

[villa loyal]

optimistic but not naive enough to not know how tough this league is. if we dont get promoted its not the end of the world but we need to be careful we dont do a leeds and end up doomed for years. i think we will be there or there abouts.

 

[Bluebird_Dai]

Top half and I'll be chuffed to bits. The signings we have made apart from Lex Immers don't inspire me at all, and even though it's pretty much the same squad that finished in the top 8 last season unless we strengthen further I can see midtable mediocrity hitting us hard.

 

[Another Walkley Owl]

After last seasons near miss, I was convinced we would come back stronger and get automatic promotion. The nearer the season gets and the lack (so far) of the 3 or 4 signings I think would guarantee this, the less optimistic I am becoming. Could still all change before season starts, but at the moment I only expect to be in or around the playoffs. Other teams to look out for, for me would be Bristol City and Hudds. Think City will fare the better of the two, maybe a playoff challenge. Don't think Hudds have enough time to gel a full team together (a problem we found early last season) so maybe too early for them. Think Villa could be in for a shock, don't expect em to get to auto's and playoffs no certainty either. Other than that hope Burton stay up and expect Newcastle to go up, with the rest your usual suspects. As we all know though, anything can happen in this league. Good luck to all (except when you play us).

 

[THE TERRACEMAN]

I like how many clubs supporters hope we stay up. Truth is if we beat them they will be calling for the managers head for losing to tin pot Burton Albion.

 

[MagpieBee]

If I compare where we are now to roughly this time last year, we are in a lot worse shape. We've lost Button, Tarkowski, Odubajo, Bidwell, Diagouraga, Jota and Gray, and Judge is likely to only play a handful of games for us again. We've only signed Bentley, Woods, Egan and Sawyers to replace them.

Our bank balance is huge compared to last year, but we don't have nearly as much quality in the squad.

We desperately need a Left Back, DM and a couple of wingers, oh and Hogan not to get injured. At the moment I reckon we could get to lower mid table with the squad we have, but need a couple of top quality players to push the play offs.

The comparison in potential starting XIs says a lot:

Button
Odubajo Tarkowski Bjelland Bidwell
Diagouraga McEachran
Jota Judge Vibe
Gray

Against:

Bentley
Colin Egan Bjelland Field
Woods McEachran
Sawyers Kerschbaummer Vibe
Hogan

 

[JaseTheVillain]

Not confident at all tbh. We still have A LOT to do, can't see us getting up this season unless it is via the play-offs, amd considering our recent record in cups (2 semi final and 2 final losses in the past 8 years...), I can't see us managing to get through them.

The squad is beginning to take shape, but still needs looking at I think, as a team of:

Gollini
Hutton Baker/Clark Elphick Amavi*/Bennett
Sinclair Westwood Gana*/Gardner/Tshibola Adama
Gestede Ayew​

*If we keep them.

isn't going to get us autos imo. Though, the major weakness there is only the defence. Could probably do with another creative midfielder, but otherwise it should do alright. Sinclair/Adama should have a field day with full-backs in this league, no disrespect intended of course, and if Gestede and Ayew can bang them in, it could see us do alright.

Honestly have no fucking clue what to expect, as I think my opinion changed a bit whilst writing that post!

 

[Madejski]

Sinclair/Adama should have a field day with full-backs in this league, no disrespect intended of course

You'd be surprised. At this level you can get full backs who can actually defend, not those fancy ones in the Prem who are basically just wingers playing at full back. Although Reading are not the best example to prove that.

Sinclair was great the last time he was down here, but that was a long time ago, in a team that was built for his strengths. Plenty of decent wingers have been at this level and done little. Downing was playing great with West Ham a couple of seasons ago, very close to the England squad, and I hardly remember him doing much of note last season (despite Boro getting promoted).

 

[Aaron-Bcfc]

Why the fuck have Villa still got Hutton.

 

[JaseTheVillain]

Why the fuck have Villa still got Hutton.

Unbelievably one of the few players to come out of last season with any credit...

Besides that, there are bigger priorities to get rid of... Lescott, Guzan, Richards, Bacuna being the main suspects.

 

[Veggie Legs]

I'm feeling positive. I think we could do with one or two more signings, either permanent or loan, but overall I'm happy with the squad. I still think Mick McCarthy is the right man for the job and I expect we'll be on the fringes of the playoffs again. Hopeful of seeing more of our promising young players too.

 

[Super_horns]

How much do you agree with Mr Holloway?

http://www.skysports.com/football/n...le-prediction-aston-villa-could-go-down-again

 

[THE TERRACEMAN]

How much do you agree with Mr Holloway?

http://www.skysports.com/football/n...le-prediction-aston-villa-could-go-down-again

I agree with him that the mighty Brewers will stay up !

 

[Liam_SWFC]

Can't see Leeds making the top 6, nor do I see Huddersfield or Brentford finishing bottom 3. Villa down in 16th is a good shout though as is Burton surviving.

 

[Magic]

I'm a little more confident once Hernandez is confirmed. Our attack is as least better this year but our defence is still woefully short so we won't be top 6. If our attackers stay fit then a front four of Dallas, Hernandez, Roofe and Wood is on their day a potentially top 6 foursome.

 

[markwwfc1992]

Much respect to Dr Tony Xia

 

[JaseTheVillain]

It's amusing, but he's keeping up our recent image unfortunately....

A fucking laughing stock.

 

[PrestonCha]

Much respect to Dr Tony Xia

What a bellend. Saying personal shit like that about someone, because they dare to predict (not unreasonably) that you may have a difficult campaign.

Holloway is far more respected in the football community than this tit will ever be.

 

[PrestonCha]

Confession: I used to be a diehard Villa fan when I was younger. Until I was around 13/14. Supported and followed PNE obviously, but Villa were my proper love. Dalian Atkinson, Dean Saunders, Ian Taylor, Mark Bosnich, Dwight Yorke etc. Used to love it.

Don't know what changed but, my love fizzled out and have been fully absorbed by North End since.

Quite a shame to see how far they've plummeted since those days.

 

[Liam_SWFC]

That's poor from the new Villa chairman, no reason to suggest they will have a good season. The debacle of last season will take a bit more than a few months to sort out.

 

[JaseTheVillain]

Not to mention that so far we've signed a grand total of 3 players to add to last season's squad. As I said, it's amusing, but keeps us going as the laughing stock we have been for the past 6 years or so.

 

[Super_horns]

I hope he isn't expecting an easy promotion or something - might be in for a nasty shock!

 

[JaseTheVillain]

He'd be the only one mate.

 

[JoshBCFC]

Much respect to Dr Tony Xia

Does he have the slightest understanding of football?