Transition or "We are where we are"?

[MarkM]

The words transitional season have been mentioned allot on this site over the past 2 seasons!

But I don't think we are in transition, I think we are at our final destination and the transition has already happened.

If you look at our league position, we are hovering around 8th, which is more or less as high as we can expect to finish.

The following teams will [unless it gets a bit chilly in hell] finish above us most seasons...

Man Utd
Man City
Chelsea
Arsenal
Liverpool
Spurs

Then we have another two teams who will finish around us:

Newcastle
Everton

That puts us in the positions 7th - 9th so our current 8th is about right.

Managers will come and go, as will players but unless a massive amount of cash is injected into Villa, the top four or five bugger off to a European League or God miracles us to the top, we are just about where we are going to be for the foreseable future.

So we are not in transition, that has already happened. The transition was froma  potential top four club to a 7th - 9th club

[dave.woodhall]

What law says the teams above us (or below, for that matter) always will be?

[pauliewalnuts]

Spurs don't finish above us most seasons. In fact, since football was invented in 1992, I believe we've actually finished above them more often than the other way around.

One thing I do think is true, is that if we are being set up to live within our means, then we're never going to be able to compete, as the funding just will not be there.

[Chris Smith]

 We've lost the creative heart of our team over the past 18 months plus several others, there are more players coming to the end of their contracts and we're on our 3rd manager in a season and a third. What other clubs are or aren't doing is irrelevant, we as a team are changing and the accepted term for that in football is transition.

[Colhint]

What law says the teams above us (or below, for that matter) always will be?

I agree with this. Football has always been a bit up and down. If you had asked me about 5 or 6 years ago I would have said the title would be between Arsenal and ManU. now arsenal havent won anything for 5 years. If you had asked me about 8 years ago I would have said Chelsea have no chance. This year I think Man City will win it. And I hope they do. See the thing is too much money comes from the European cup and I think if either Arsenal, Chelsea or Manu dont qualify one year, the money, well the city, will start putting their money elsewhere. Thats when things can change

[MarkM]

What law says the teams above us (or below, for that matter) always will be?

Thier is no law that says that, but looking at the current situation that we find ourselves in you can't argue the fact that we have fallen away from the top six or seven

If you can honestly say that in the next few seasons we will catch up with the likes of Chelsea, Man City, Man Utd, Arsenal, Liverpool and yes even Spurs who are currently far and away a better side than we are, then you must have access to some information that I don't!

Being realistic that would put is at most 7th, and you are right that we are not assured of finishing above any of the teams below us. We have to hope that we are better than the Wolves, Blackburns and Boltons of the league. But if the way we play at the moment continues then we may not even be good enough to finish around 8th.

The money in the PL has skewed the chances of success in favour of a few, and unfortunately we are not one of the few, we are one of the many

I don't support Villa to follow success [if I did I would have given up a long time ago] I follow them because my dad did, and his dad did, because I have enjoyed comming to Villa Park and watching my team.

I can deal with being one of the also rans but unfortunately for me, the way we play and the way that makes my feel about my club, not to mention the cost! is fast making me turn my back on football and I seriously doubt I will commit to a seson ticket next year.

[Colhint]

I must pinch myself, I find I'm agreeing with Paul,Dave and Chris smith on pretty much everything here

[Simba]

True Chris.  But this 'transition' is taking too long in the true definition of the word. It has also been blited by incorrect/unlucky Manager and coaching staff changes. In fact who is to say it won't happen again in the near future.

We don't actually need any more transition -we need an overhaul. Bring in the kids who have the real potential, inculcate a playing style and tactical blueprint for all our teams, youth to First.

Sell, loan players beyond their sell by date.

It really is time for some brave, decisive moves and I am only sad that we made the choice of AMC to oversee it.

If we don't then we will 'transition' into a mid table team at best instead of following erstwhile competitors Spuds into the big time.  Or worse of course.

Can't help feeling we should have gone for a younger manager  with DoF. Oh well.  Just my humble opinion.

[PaulTheVillan]

We need some direction from the top. Paul Faulkner needs to go & a 'Villa' man needs to come in along side Randy. Graham Taylor?

[Vanilla]

'Transition' is the new buzz term that means we are cutting the purse strings.

The last buzz term for this was 'Crop of Young players Coming Through'.

[MarkM]

We've lost the creative heart of our team over the past 18 months plus several others, there are more players coming to the end of their contracts and we're on our 3rd manager in a season and a third. What other clubs are or aren't doing is irrelevant, we as a team are changing and the accepted term for that in football is transition.

The question Chris is if we are in transition then...  "We are transitioning into what?"

[NeilH]

We've lost the creative heart of our team over the past 18 months plus several others, there are more players coming to the end of their contracts and we're on our 3rd manager in a season and a third. What other clubs are or aren't doing is irrelevant, we as a team are changing and the accepted term for that in football is transition.

I sincerely hope you are correct and that come the end of this season we ship out a number of these players and build a new team around Gabby, Bent, Bannan, Clark and Given, because I am finding it very difficult to muster anything other than utter apathy to many of our current squad.

As someone said on the post-Swansea thread it feels like some strangers have nicked our shirts and are now playing in them.

[Simba]

"Crop of Young players coming through" is fine by me. We have them.  After all we must also have one of the oldest core players in the Prem.

The Club/team really needs a shake up immediately instead of playing for a draw/ mid table. It is the same bloody thing.

RL and Faulkner need to take this club by the short curly stuff and define a real season by season plan to ultimately put us in line for a top five and or possible cup competitors. Not some nebulous five year plan but six months by six months and bring those kids in. Bring in up and coming coaches. Negotiate loans if necy. But start again. Joe Mercer like.  Give the crowd something to support and believe in and manage the expectations. I'd support a young team busting a gut and ending in mid table if I knew it can only get better.

Better than this turgid, no hope, WTF is it all about crap. It's like watching repeats of Dad's Army at the moment. With another Scot telling us 'we are dooooomed I tell ye".

[Ad@m]

I sincerely hope you are correct and that come the end of this season we ship out a number of these players and build a new team around Gabby, Bent, Bannan, Clark and Given, because I am finding it very difficult to muster anything other than utter apathy to many of our current squad.

I wouldn't necessarily build the team around Benty.  A season of hopelessly chasing long balls on his own like yesterday and he'll be off like a shot in the summer before his reputation is irreperably damaged.

As for transition, we must be.  We've got a manager who's been in post for less than 6 months and has hardly signed any players.  You can't say he's got us to where he wants us to be.

That said, when the transition's over I think 8th in the league plus a cup run is about the best we can hope for.  We haven't finished any higher than 6th since well before Roman Abramovich broke the Premier League.  The financial fair play rules are just going to bolt the door on the closed shop of the Champions League so short of fundamental rule changes or a catastophic financial event (Sky going bust?!) I can't see our lot get any better in the short to medium term.

[NeilH]

Give the crowd something to support and believe in and manage the expectations. I'd support a young team busting a gut and ending in mid table if I knew it can only get better.

Better than this turgid, no hope, WTF is it all about crap.

 I think for many of us that would be an acceptable situation given the current football economic circumstances. I sincerely hope that come the end of this season we have a very large culling of players and build a team around a select few because right now I see many too players in claret and blue of whom my first thought is ‘why are you besmirching the sacred colours of my team.’

I’ve heard a lot of talk about the Ajax approach with a focus on English youth and it is certainly something I would wholeheartedly endorse as long as we don’t inherit Ajax’s ability to allow the off-field politics to totally overshadow the on-field business

If this is indeed the approach we have decided to take then I guess the secondary question would always be ‘Is AMcL the right man to drive this kind of change through?’