Are things really as bad as I feel they are?

[Stu]

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.

They got relegated first, TV. Blimey.

[Toronto Villa]

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.

They got relegated first, TV. Blimey.

Calm down. Their recovery has nothing to do their relegation which was 2 seasons ago, and wasn't the point I was making. Heading into this season, they had lost most of their best players and reinvested very little by comparison. They have a manager that was a very controversial choice and a board that most of their fans despise. They started the season in much the same position as we did, and yet they have come of out of the blocks on fire by comparison.

[Legion]

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

This.

[Chris Smith]

I think we got a lot of the same sort of posts last season but we eventually turned things around and I still think there's hope for this one. Defeats like yesterday put everyone down in the dumps and makes us question everything but while we haven't got much depth I don't think we're as ad as some posts suggest.

Despite the last couple of weeks I think we're pretty decent defensively.

Bent and Gabby are good strikers.

Our continuing problem is getting the right midfield balance. Herd was looking fine yesterday until Dowd decided he wanted to be centre of attention but the truth is he's probably third choice at best while our first, Jenas, has yet to kick a ball. Our big signing has yet to fire and given the boots he's had to fill that's been a major problem. When he does then things might look different.

[Ad@m]

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

This.

Absolutely.

There are some short memories on this site.  I'm not the oldest fan by a long shot but I can remember at least 5 seasons since 1990 where I thought we were in real danger of being relegated, last season being one of them.

I don't think we'll go down this year, if only because I'm convinced there are more than 3 teams worse than us.

Yes the football will be dull this year but it wasn't that long ago DOL was in charge.

I suppose the main thing that's missing now is the hope we've had over the past few years but then that's the way football has gone for 90% of fans out there.

I don't think things at the Villa are as bad as you feel they are, but things are probably as bad (if not worse) in football as you feel they are.

[Stu]

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.

They got relegated first, TV. Blimey.

Calm down. Their recovery has nothing to do their relegation which was 2 seasons ago, and wasn't the point I was making. Heading into this season, they had lost most of their best players and reinvested very little by comparison. They have a manager that was a very controversial choice and a board that most of their fans despise. They started the season in much the same position as we did, and yet they have come of out of the blocks on fire by comparison.

I'm as calm as a really calm thing. I just don't think you can compare the two situations. Newcastle could only get better, whilst we've gone backwards at a very alarming rate.

I think that's the thing that worries me really, the complete retrenchment in spending is something which I can understand, even if it means you stop competing, but the lack of ambition from the top down is criminal. No ambition shown at the top where we find people with no prior experience in football matters making the wrong decision time and again. Their inability to appoint the correct manager has gone a long way in seeing us where we are, and has lead to supporter apathy.

[Stu]

I don't think things at the Villa are as bad as you feel they are, but things are probably as bad (if not worse) in football as you feel they are.

I think you're right, but the early promise of the Lerner era, with all the great games and times we had, feels like it has been snatched away.

We knew we couldn't compete with Doug in control and our new era now has the same feel about it - we can't compete. Our chance has gone and people are looking at the situation thinking that if things didn't change after Randy took over, then they never bloody will.

[villa `cross the mersey]

Bent and Gabby are good strikers.

Gabby is totally wasted on the wing - at least three times yesterday he had the opportunity to turn into the box whilst being faced with 2 or 3 defenders - each time he went down the channel and was easily closed.

Bent really must do better with his limited opportunities.

As for the defence - do you really think it is ok to concede so easily from set pieces?

Given seems to have just one weakness - commanding his box on crosses .

[Mister E]

  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.

The problems seem to  stem from the weakness through the central midfield - problems that were evident even when MON was with us. For example, a team that has goot its collective shit together have Tiote and Cabaye in the middle and the barcodes are doing well. We just do not have the combination of solidity and guile that they represent.

The solution? - I don't think Ireland and Heskey are the answers, so we have to look at the rookies to step up and make things happen. This may mean a central three from Bannan, Herd, Clark, Johnson, Delph and Gardner - why not try them? Nothing else has worked thus far!

And then in January, we may have to go out and buy some experience to blend in with Jenas (if he's fit by that time).

[mgrubb1970]

I'm afraid they are!!!
The most worrying part of yesterday was the heads down, drooping shoulders look from most of our players at the start of the 2nd half as if the game was already lost!!!!
We had 1 shot on target and that was Bents penalty but that shouldn't be a major surprise because so far this season we have barely managed more than 3 or 4 in any game, including the 2 we have won.

There seems to be a total lack of passion from players and the majority of our fans too and the sending off for me just papered over the cracks and detracted from what was a totally dismal performance. We had 10 men against the self titled West Bromwich Barcelona, not the real Barca !!!!! You see teams with 10 men get results every week, but the fact that we couldn't do the basics and seemed resigned to defeat with the scores level and half the game left was embarrasing.

I've heard some fans questioning Lerner and even laying the blame at his door, but with the players we have we should be capable of better performances than what we have had so far this season. The buck as always stops with the manager and I suppose as Lerner gave him the job he has to take a certain responsibility.

The current squad with a half decent manager would finish mid table comfortably, but yesterday had bottom six or even worse stamped all over it!!!

[Eigentor]

At this point in time, with our lack of options in midfield, replacing Makoun with an injured Spurs reserve doesn't look like a masterstroke.

[Vanilla]

At this point in time, with our lack of options in midfield, replacing Makoun with an injured Spurs reserve doesn't look like a masterstroke.

And replacing a reliable full back with an injured Spurs res . . . oh, there's a pattern forming here. 

[JUAN PABLO]

At this point in time, with our lack of options in midfield, replacing Makoun with an injured Spurs reserve doesn't look like a masterstroke.

and buying a terrible RB off Spurs too , when we have already got players who could have done the job .

[phil__]

They are but they shouldnt be.  I can accept us not spending any money due to the financial situation but we stil have a good squad.  I like mcleish as a bloke but he aint got a clue.  The football is so dire we play so deep and just hoof it up to bent and lose possesion.  If he played players in the right position we cud easily finish 7th with the squad we have.  A lot of teams outside the top 4 would love to have bent nzogbia in there team.  Im sick of seeing fuckin petrov and heskey in the team lets see albrighton on the right nzobgia on the left play with width and bent will score for fun.  the depressing thing is were stuck with mcleish as i cant see lerner paying him off.  What an idiot lerner is, the 1 manager every villa fan we didnt want and hes given the job.  FUCKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK SAKEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE.  Get the youngsters in fuck off petrov and heskey and hutton.  Usually i have been to villa twice at this point of the season but i havent been once.  Not because of the money but because we play shit football.  Heres my team

                      GIVEN
CUELLAR DUNNE COLLIN CLARK
                     BANNNAN
           G GARDNER DELPH
ALBRIGHTON              NZOGBIA
                      BENT

[Chris Smith]

Bent and Gabby are good strikers.

Gabby is totally wasted on the wing - at least three times yesterday he had the opportunity to turn into the box whilst being faced with 2 or 3 defenders - each time he went down the channel and was easily closed.

Bent really must do better with his limited opportunities.

As for the defence - do you really think it is ok to concede so easily from set pieces?

Given seems to have just one weakness - commanding his box on crosses .

Gabby's scored 4 goals, so hardly "totally wasted".

Until last week I don't think we'd conceded from a set piece all season, so again I don't think it's a fair criticism. I'm not saying it's perfect but in general we've been strong at the back.