are we better off now compared with 12 months ago?

[Colhint]

So now the window has closed are we better placed.

Well on the downside we have lost our manager and have not replaced him, but maybe there is an upside to that. We have also lost possibly our best player. I cant see an upside to that to be honest. Also 2 of our strikers and the captain  are that bit older

On the upside, well sort of, we lost our best player the year before and found a better one. With the manager going it does seem there was some disharmony in the camp which can never be a good thing. We also have a number of players NRC Sidders Davies Young Beye etc who will probably feel they have more of a chance.

The style of football would hopefully improve

As would the use of Subs

The opportunities for Allbrighton, Fonz, Delph and maybe Delph look considerably better

After a considerable number of buys over the last few years maybe the team gets chance to settle

We have got Stephen Ireland

Not many other teams have improved their squads significantly mcfc excepted

The likes of Gabby, Ash, Warnock getting more experience


Had MON not gone I thought we would need a new right back, CM and forward, now I dont think we need a right back and maybe not a midfielder, once Delph returns. I'm also hoping we may change our style a bit to enable The Fonz (who is probably the best young English forward in the country) to play a lot more

The Loss of Milner is big though.

We will probably have a lot more to spend in January

So a bit of a waffle but  now I have written it Im feeling a bit more positive

[Toronto Villa]

Right now, probably not. But you cannot really answer this question fairly until we have a proper manager in place. We have a lot of good young kids coming through, but we've lost a top player, and got in a very good player that has yet to settle properly. Ask this question again at Christmas and you'll get a truer indication as to where we are as a club.

[Dante Lavelli]

I definitely see this as an opportunity for the club to improve.

12-months ago I thought MON had hit a bit of a ceiling at Villa, however I did not think he deserved the sack or constructive dismissal. 

Now he is gone, I'd like to think we could get a decent manager in who would correct some on MON's weak points and complement his good work.  Therefore, if the club has got the balls and are being well advised, I actually think we could be stronger.  Pre-MON we would not have been able to attract a top manager.  I think we could now, as long as we're patient enough.

It's a huge "if" though.

[Pete3206]

No.

But then again, if the club pulled off a master stroke managerial appointment, we could improve very quickly.

 

[hawkeye]

we are now in a period of transition, i have even less faith about the season than last year because we have gone from flawed leadership to no leadership, but at least we  have seen the back of MON so i feel better about our long term future than i did, if however we appoint Curbishley then we will have taken a big step backwards

[Pete3206]

we are now in a period of transition, i have even less faith about the season than last year because we have gone from flawed leadership to no leadership, but at least we  have seen the back of MON so i feel better about our long term future than i did, if however we appoint Curbishley then we will have taken a big step backwards

Indeed, into the late 90's by my reckoning.

[TimTheVillain]

No.

But then again, if the club pulled off a master stroke managerial appointment, we could improve very quickly.

 

Agree.

[hipkiss92]

we are now in a period of transition, i have even less faith about the season than last year because we have gone from flawed leadership to no leadership, but at least we  have seen the back of MON so i feel better about our long term future than i did, if however we appoint Curbishley then we will have taken a big step backwards

Indeed, into the late 90's by my reckoning.

Oh no another FA Cup final! How will we survive?

[smudger]

we are now in a period of transition, i have even less faith about the season than last year because we have gone from flawed leadership to no leadership, but at least we  have seen the back of MON so i feel better about our long term future than i did, if however we appoint Curbishley then we will have taken a big step backwards

Indeed, into the late 90's by my reckoning.

Oh no another FA Cup final! How will we survive?

That was in 2000.

[Shrek]

we are now in a period of transition, i have even less faith about the season than last year because we have gone from flawed leadership to no leadership, but at least we  have seen the back of MON so i feel better about our long term future than i did, if however we appoint Curbishley then we will have taken a big step backwards

Indeed, into the late 90's by my reckoning.

Oh no another FA Cup final! How will we survive?

Still won nothing though

[Gregorys Boy]

No we are in a worse prosition, because of losing a very good manager, and because of losing Milner, and apart from Ireland bring no one else in.  Even taking into account than we got a good deal for Milner, we still would have needed two or three new players even if Milner had stayed.

Way I see it the last manager has left us as a top six club, meaning if we get the right manager to take over we will have a chance of doing something, if not we may have to take a few steps back before going forward.  This maybe the biggest week of our season.

[Salsa Party Animal]

I would say better due to using the squad more not just starting eleven plus Heskey/Sidwell/Luke Young as we rarely use players outside the 14 and lot of young players coming through with promises and more experience. We miss Milner's workrate and energy.

I expect slow progress and it can been speed up with a quality modern manager and good signings especially in attack in the winter.

[Gregorys Boy]

Thats a fair point, although I predict than that approach would only get us so far.  In all fairness to MON while he did play the same team most weeks, it was our best team, and I do think the best policy is to keep a settled side than make unnesscary changes.  To do this, but also blood one or two new players slowly is the way to go.

And by the way I don't buy this arguement than O'Neill didn't fancy youth, afterall he did sign Delph last summer, a very forward thinking buy who could benefit us for years to come, both on the pitch and in the money we could make when we sell him on.

[villasjf]

Its early days but there are positives, let some of the none first 11 get games, let people play in their proper positions, let the younger ones get some match time, experience. Rest people when they are carrying injuries/knackered. Better use of subs and tactics.We can be better but it may take time. We need the right manager and scouting system. (we used to have a good one, Bouma, Larsen, Mellberg, Bosnich, Yorke were good signings) Ok we had some nightmare ones too Balaban Curcic but doesnt everyone.

[not3bad]

Agree with other posters that say it depends on the manager that is appointed.  A good manager will find there's a lot of potential to exploit here.