Are things really as bad as I feel they are?

[Fergal]

It's been worse than this before, it'll be worse than this again. It'll also be better. That's football.

I know that Dave, but this feels a lot like hope has left the building.  I have been going down the Villa since the 60's and for whatever reason this is the time I feel worst about.
Perhaps it's the disappointment  of the failure of 'Proud History and Bright Future' thingy that we all bought into.

[Compass]

I still can't believe we have the worst manager in the Premier League. How anyone has any faith in ability is beyond me.

[barrysleftfoot]

  For me, once we get a new central midfield, and find a proper place for BB then i am quite optimistic.

  Theres a lot of deadwood at VP atm, that are going to be there another 6/12 months.I'm holding judgement on McL atm , and if Petrov/Heskey/beye etc are still here in 12 months then i will be disappointed, but i think attacking options of Bent/Gabby/N'zog/Ireland and Bannan is good, midfield options of Herd/Jenas/Gardener/Delph, needs adding to, and Clark is going to be a good player.And we have the best goalie in the last 15 years.

  A bit of investment, we could have a good attacking football team.

[Fergal]

  For me, once we get a new central midfield, and find a proper place for BB then i am quite optimistic.

  Theres a lot of deadwood at VP atm, that are going to be there another 6/12 months.I'm holding judgement on McL atm , and if Petrov/Heskey/beye etc are still here in 12 months then i will be disappointed, but i think attacking options of Bent/Gabby/N'zog/Ireland and Bannan is good, midfield options of Herd/Jenas/Gardener/Delph, needs adding to, and Clark is going to be a good player.And we have the best goalie in the last 15 years.

  A bit of investment, we could have a good attacking football team.

Not with this manager

[frankmosswasmyuncle]

Right now there's a feeling of emptiness. The club have contributed to it. We as fans have contributed to it. There just isn't that feeling of togetherness, and it's almost every man for himself in trying to get out of it. People are pointing fingers and even from afar, watching the games on TV there just seems a constant air of scepticism and cyncism. I think as much as the club have made a number of errors, we as fans can help matters, if only on match day when we should all be united and getting behind the team, more so than any one player or the manager. I'm trying to get my head around why Newcastle have pulled out of their funk faster than us, and a part of is their support. It helps massively to be united in a cause. Between the two Birmingham clubs there is an air of resignation, and that's kind of how it feels watching us right now.

As Dave said, it's been far worse, and far better, and it will be better again. It just might have to get worse though first which is the really worrying thing, but are strong enough as a combined unit (club and fans) to get break out of this.

The thing that really worries me tho TV is the really poor quality football we seem to produce week in, week out. We keep being told what a great squad we have but i rarely see more than 3/4 passes being put together. Our players rarely see to "give and go", create openings for each other or try to keep possession. The number of balls simply lumped upfield to 2 strikers who are not that good in the air is a complete waste of possession and gives the oppo the ball, confidence and the chance to come back at us. The number of times we lose possession/give silly free kicks away/seem to want to defend from our own last 30m (as we did yesterday as soon as Herd went off - no sign of any "fight" or attempt to reshape and make the oppo work for it!) beggars belief. If my under 14s did it I'd give them a bollocking. These guys are very well paid pros who seem to think that jogging about a bit and tapping the ball now and again is ok and if we/they score it's just some kind of a coincidence. "It'll all soon be over and I can go home in my nice big car to my nice big house and carry on being a bit famous"
Newcastle have got out of their funk by playing some decent stuff and working hard.
Wolves, Baggies and Bolton are all "lesser" teams, and all outperformed us on the pitch.
From what I saw yesterday Swansea and Norwich are going to have field days against us.
What concerns me is on the pitch and the apparent "tactics" of the manager who I am/was prepared to give every chance to. It seems to be getting worse, not better.   

[TheSandman]

It feels worse than it is. The problem is not that it is bad but rather it is completely uninspiring. There was a good point in one of the articles in yesterday's zine about how as a fanbase we are quite insecure and we generally need something (even if it is illusionary like proud history; bright future) to inspire us. I've said this before but every time in the past few months where I have found a shaft of light the club have done something that has made it disappear. When Houllier went I expected we would appoint an interesting and excellent manager. Instead we got McLeish who whilst not the oaf some portray was a massively disappointing, underwhelming and dividing appointment and a man who was guaranteed to get absolutely no honeymoon period. When we appointed McLeish I consoled myself with the fact that he would surely be backed. Instead we sold half the first team and barely replaced them.

Selecting a few key words from posts on this thread 'malaise', 'futility' and 'emptiness' feature. They all sum it up. We have lost direction and we have become content to float around the league.

[Holtemeister]

I am a ST holder, have only not had a ST for 1 and a half seasons (Gregory days) in 23 years (shit that long....) and even the half a season I still went to almost all of the games.

I realised at the game yesterday that I just do not care anymore.....Its not that I don't care about Villa I just don't care about football.

We lost against local rivals, but what does it really matter?

That we will finish 11th, 10th, 9th, 8th maybe 7th or 6th

What does it matter ?

There's no romance left, we chuck the league cup, we don't really try in the FA cup we get into Europe only to throw the game and they want to get rid of relegation and promotion as we know it.

We don't stand any chance of competing with the top 4 or 5 cant compete to sign players, we lose any players that show a modicum of promise to bigger teams, we signed a manager who's track record is two relegations in 3 years and there's very little atmosphere at the games any more.

And they wonder why people are losing interest in football.

I walked away yesterday thinking of all the other more enjoyable ways I could spend my £450 next season....it will be some miraculous marketing effort to make me spend it with Villa next year.

Empty seats my lord....two more in the lower holte i think next season.

 

[TonyD]

The slide is gathering a pace.   Apathy will see us bobbing around the Championship.   AM has to ensure Petrov and Heskey never wear the shirt again.  These two players have held us back for the last 2 years. He will of course keep playing them because he is a piss poor manager. 

[KRS]

Once you accept the fact that we were shit last season, even worse this season and that we're likely to lose even against the worse Premier League opposition, then every point we get is a bonus. It shouldnt be like this but once you accept it, then the pain of defeat is more acceptable.

[villa `cross the mersey]

I am a ST holder, have only not had a ST for 1 and a half seasons (Gregory days) in 23 years (shit that long....) and even the half a season I still went to almost all of the games.

I realised at the game yesterday that I just do not care anymore.....Its not that I don't care about Villa I just don't care about football.

We lost against local rivals, but what does it really matter?

That we will finish 11th, 10th, 9th, 8th maybe 7th or 6th

What does it matter ?

There's no romance left, we chuck the league cup, we don't really try in the FA cup we get into Europe only to throw the game and they want to get rid of relegation and promotion as we know it.

We don't stand any chance of competing with the top 4 or 5 cant compete to sign players, we lose any players that show a modicum of promise to bigger teams, we signed a manager who's track record is two relegations in 3 years and there's very little atmosphere at the games any more.

And they wonder why people are losing interest in football.

I walked away yesterday thinking of all the other more enjoyable ways I could spend my £450 next season....it will be some miraculous marketing effort to make me spend it with Villa next year.

Empty seats my lord....two more in the lower holte i think next season.

 

Spot on ... that could well have been me writing that.

Things were put into perspective driving to and from the game yesterday - we saw 3 bad smashes on the M6 and I got to thinking why am I spending my hard earned cash on watching that lot and even putting my life at risk on the 220 mile round trip.

Before the game VCTM jnr and I were looking at the cars parked in the players car park  - realistically speaking some of them were probably were worth just a weeks` salary to the players  - the equivalent for me would be like buying a Porsche for £500 ! Its totally mad -  I remember I stopped going to football back in the day when Keegan first signed as a player for Newcastle on £2k per week. I eventually came back as I missed the atmosphere etc.

This time its different - The money is obscene, the hype overbearing, the football poor, the atmosphere at the games (Villa at home certainly) gone and the prices for drinks/food fecking ridiculous - £3.50 for a can of John Smiths and £4.00 for a burger is a rip off in any one`s book.

I have missed two home games already  and am not coming down for the Norwich game - likewise I walked out of the Everton and Baggies games as I just am not enjoying it.

I get the feeling I am one of a growing band of fans who are sick and tired of the modern game and all it has become. Once  out of the habit of going to the match it becomes tougher to return.

Its rare for me to agree with Dave but yes he is right - there have been far worse times and things may still get worse - however I doubt I will live to see the return of how things were in 1981-2 when my team literally rose from the ashes to become European Champions just 11 years after becong third division champions.

Finally, I am like many others who believed the hype surrounding - "Proud History, Bright Future" .. should have realised that our friends across the pond are partial to spouting bull shine !

Incidentally the Philips Group based in Eindhoven have the same tagline - I wonder who used it first?

[Billy Walker]

The club lacks leadership, ambition and direction at the moment.  Randy Lerner as custodian of the club needs to come  out and talk to the fans.  He needs to come out and lead.  His silence is really letting us down at the moment, in my view.

We're not back in the dark days of Ellis yet but Randy sure as hell isn't doing himself any favours with the way has handled the club these past fifteen or so months.  There seems to be no forward planning or joined up thinking going on anywhere at Villa Park.

[pauliewalnuts]

Once you accept the fact that we were shit last season, even worse this season and that we're likely to lose even against the worse Premier League opposition, then every point we get is a bonus. It shouldnt be like this but once you accept it, then the pain of defeat is more acceptable.

Thing is, how were we ever going to be less shit than last season, with two of our best players gone, more released and not replaced, and no money to spend?

[KRS]

I had some post through the door yesterday from the club inviting me to buy a half season ticket. I took the time to read it but it ended up in the bin without a serious thought or consideration of buying. Bad times.

[KRS]

Once you accept the fact that we were shit last season, even worse this season and that we're likely to lose even against the worse Premier League opposition, then every point we get is a bonus. It shouldnt be like this but once you accept it, then the pain of defeat is more acceptable.

Thing is, how were we ever going to be less shit than last season, with two of our best players gone, more released and not replaced, and no money to spend?

Exactly. It was inevitable. I accepted it before the start of the season so I've had time to adjust.

[Irish villain]

It's shit and it's going to get worse before it gets better.

I think so too. We look like we are heading for the drop. Yesterday was a big wake up call. There is little leadership at villa right now, from anywhere.