Are we better off than we think we are?.

[eastie]

There's much to be positive about. But if we stay up, and I think there is more than 50 per cent chance of that, than I struggle to see how we will finish top ten next season unless Lambert makes a serious attempt at shoring up our defence. That is something he has struggled to do so far in his managerial career.

Fair comment, i think a defensive coach would be a godsend, after all Wengers got one in Steve Bould, and if its good enough for him.......

We have one in ian culverhouse who has been with lambert through the years- cant see him changing that.

[Monty]

Currently, we are perhaps slightly worse off than we have thought over the last few weeks. We are by no means clear of trouble.

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

We are a team teetering on going down when so much is now on the up.

[ez]

Our recent good run has put us within touching distance of Sunderland, Norwich and Stoke. Its also put us further away from Reading and QPR. Wigan are the spanner in the works.

[saunders_heroes]

Playing our next two games on Monday nights isn't bloody well helping either. Wish we'd tell Sky to do one.

[newtonsballs]

Playing our next two games on Monday nights isn't bloody well helping either. Wish we'd tell Sky to do one.

An opportunity for all those Villa fans who subscribe to Sky, me thinks.

[martin o`who??]

Given the amount of doom and gloom that was about in January and February, should we not be far more optimistic than we are?. If we avoid the drop, which, thankfully is still in our own hands, we have a crop of young players who are definitely improving by the game, a youth team who have just been crowned kings of Europe, we play a brand of Football which is beginning to attract some very favourable attention in the press, and the financial re-structuring of the club may actually put us ahead of many other clubs in the financial markets. We have 2 Strikers in Benteke and Weimann who are worth 30 million of anybodies money. I honestly think if we beat the drop, keep Benteke and strenghthen the Defence, next season could be very interesting.

I wrote this post prior to the Sunderland game and i`m revising it slightly, keep Benteke, top six next season.

[SoccerHQ]

As it stands on 40 points we're closer to Swansea in 9th on 43 than Wigan in 18th on 35.

[OCD]

I'm just waiting for safety to be a mathematical certainty because I see this team of young players growing together before my very eyes. They're learning, improving and looking a very good side in the making. Survive, dish out new contracts and sign the right players for key positions (and get rid of the dross) and we have an exciting time ahead. I actually see parallels to what Man United have done in the past (a group of young players coming through together, getting experience, learning, becoming mentally strong, excellent at counter attacking and learning how to turn 1 point into 3).