The perception of Villa

[TimTheVillain]

Generally speaking, we're looked on as a boring club with over expecting fans and one with a boring team that plays uninteresting football and while we have ambitions, they are seen by many as ambitions way above reality.

How are we to change this perception ?

Indeed, how would we argue that it is just a perception and not reality ?

[TheSandman]

Bring in some class players that will improve our style of play and league position.

It's my opinion that our biggest flaw is a lack of technical ability. We bring in two decent central midfield players and change formation and things could well improve.

Improve on the pitch and realities and perceptions will change.

I think a good many of our own fans share that perception judged by some of the recurring arguments on this board.

[hawkeye]

Until we change the manager we are likely to continue along the same lines. This seems to be good enough for the majority of fans.

[Risso]

Sack the manager and appoint one who is on nodding terms with the 21st century.

[Nigel Macdougall]

Sack the manager and appoint one who is on nodding terms with the 21st century.

Would you then actually come to Villa Park to watch a game or two ?

[pauliewalnuts]

Sack the manager and appoint one who is on nodding terms with the 21st century.

Would you then actually come to Villa Park to watch a game or two ?

How do you know he doesn't already?

[Olneythelonely]

I don't think we are perceived that way and I don't think we do playing boring football. We're the 6th best team in the Premier League, is this good enough? No. But it's not as bad as posters like Risso, Paulie, Mark Kelly etc would have you believe.

[pauliewalnuts]

I don't think we are perceived that way and I don't think we do playing boring football. We're the 6th best team in the Premier League, is this good enough? No. But it's not as bad as posters like Risso, Paulie, Mark Kelly etc would have you believe.

Errr, that's a gigantic simplification.

I am not one of the ones moaning that sixth is terrible, it isn't. It isn't terrible, but neither is it a gigantic achievement.

I'm also not one of the ones who think we should have broken fourth by now. I just don't think MON is ever going to do it, because he's stuck in the past.

My gripes are pretty much entirely about the dire, sleep inducing football we play.

I'd take 8th next year if we could play a bit of football. Have a bit of fun, that kind of thing.

[Dave]

I think we're perceived as a likeable team with good players who are trying to do things the right way. Certainly not boring, but not disliked.

Like a better version of Fulham.

I would say that most non-Villa fans would say we played much better football than we would. Most non-Villa fans seem to picture us as as flying wingers and lightning-fast counter attacks.

[Nigel Macdougall]

Sack the manager and appoint one who is on nodding terms with the 21st century.

Would you then actually come to Villa Park to watch a game or two ?

How do you know he doesn't already?

Because of his/her consistent attendance on match threads, maybe ?

[villa `cross the mersey]

From people I speak with on Merseyside we are seen as the biggest club in the Midlands, with a great vociferous away following, tidy ground but with little or no chance of breaking into the top four.MON is generally liked and our counter attacking play away from home appreciated. Generally I hear the comment - " I really like the Villa", primarily as we are not seen as a threat - our recent history tends to support this.
Will it change? I very much doubt it even despite our new owners suggesting a bright future - incidentally - "Proud history, bright future" is the same/similar phrase used by Philips of Eindhoven, so even that is not original !!

[curiousorange]

I really couldn't care less how anyone but myself percieves the club.

[supertom]

I think we're perceived as a likeable team with good players who are trying to do things the right way. Certainly not boring, but not disliked.

Like a better version of Fulham.

I would say that most non-Villa fans would say we played much better football than we would. Most non-Villa fans seem to picture us as as flying wingers and lightning-fast counter attacks.

Yes, that's the impression I've got of late being a Villa fan. In previous years we've been seen as boring, but not in the last 3 seasons.
With other fans I speak to, they seem to think we're a very attacking side, in ways akin to Newcastle under Keegan in his first run (with less success mind).
As you say Dave, lightening counters and pace to burn. I've also found that amongst those I know of non-Villa allegience, the majority if given the choice of cherry picking one of our boys, would pick Gabby Agbonlahor, a player who very much divides opinion on here.

In fairness I'm not suddenly saying we haven't played a lot of drab football under Martin, but I do think the doom and gloom and woe can get a tad too much here.

Certainly, writing off our season already as some have, is a tad on the pessimistic side.

[pauliewalnuts]

Sack the manager and appoint one who is on nodding terms with the 21st century.

Would you then actually come to Villa Park to watch a game or two ?

How do you know he doesn't already?

Because of his/her consistent attendance on match threads, maybe ?

Your post seems to assume he's not coming to matches because he chooses not to.

He lives on the Isle Of Man, which might have something to do with it.

If he's got other things to do which rule out coming to matches very often, then that's his business, as it is for every other overseas poster.

[Irish villain]

One of my friends said he sees us as a club that is happy to float around the top ten and that so long as we are a bit better than mid-table we are doing well. He thinks we see ourselves as bigger and more fashionable than we are.

Then I punched him.

No I didn't, but it was interesting to see what another fan would think of us.