May 2014

[The Villan On The Wirral]

I`d be quite happy with 12th considering where we`ve finished for the last 2 years.

[Steve R]

I'd be a bit disappointed. If nothing else we are less reliant on newcomers than most other teams, and have the same manager. We are a fairly safe bet to do much better than last season.

I am surprised at the number of predicted end of season tables that I have seen that have variously West Ham, Smethwick and Newcastle doing comparatively well.

I did the BBC predictor earlier, which is known to be 100% accurate. We won the league with two games to spare. It is hardly worth the others turning up next season.

[Richard E]

I did the BBC predictor earlier, which is known to be 100% accurate. We won the league with two games to spare. It is hardly worth the others turning up next season.

You're being completely unrealistic there! No way will the others run us anything like that close!

[saunders_heroes]

No. Since when have the Villa been happy with a bottom half finish? What's happened to the fans' ambition?

[richard moore]

I'd be a bit disappointed. If nothing else we are less reliant on newcomers than most other teams, and have the same manager. We are a fairly safe bet to do much better than last season.

I am surprised at the number of predicted end of season tables that I have seen that have variously West Ham, Smethwick and Newcastle doing comparatively well.

I did the BBC predictor earlier, which is known to be 100% accurate. We won the league with two games to spare. It is hardly worth the others turning up next season.

I agree Steve, I'd have those three clubs down as the ones to do much worse than people generally expect this season, along with Sunderland where it is bound to implode at some point. I've always said it is relatively easy to get up to about 6th or 7th in the league, just think about who finished there last season and it really isn't any great shakes. I don't even rate Everton that highly, for me they were just a very competent team managed by a very competent manager which is enough in our very mediocre league to get you up around 5th or 6th. I'd be pretty much putting Liverpool in the same bracket. What does seem almost impossible due entirely to money is to break the top four as we found out though we flirted with it on occasions without every really convincing (me) that we could do it and make it sustainable over a season

[supertom]

No not at all. Not just the placing but the points tally and goals for tally. 45 (rounded up) points IMO isn't enough. Absolute bare minimum we should be settling for is 50 points. If we don't get that then IMO Paul Lambert hasn't done enough and would be on very thin ice. Our goal cannot simply be survival every season.

I expect us to score more than 47-48 goals this season too, as this mock table suggests. I'd be looking for comfortably in the 50's region and above for goals.
As for conceded, we need to improve this figure a lot, and I'd expect us to hopefully concede under 60.

With the attacking talent at our disposal and some promising additions in defence and midfield, I think we need to be improving by a bare minimum of 10 points and a GD close to, or into the positive.

[richard moore]

I`d be quite happy with 12th considering where we`ve finished for the last 2 years.

Really? Gosh! I'd never ever be quite happy with 12th regardless of the previous season. I think this is the problem these days, that our whole mentality seems to have changed to what I grew up with in the late 70s, 80s and 90s. The media seem to perceive us in exactly the same way which invariably has me reaching for the 'off' button on my radio and which is one of the prime reasons I cancelled Sky Sports some time ago. The likes of Cascarino, Nicholas, Quinn et al spouting equally patronising comments about us being pleased to finish top half...

[not3bad]

I would find that finish acceptable but kind of dissapointing.  With so much upheavel going on in other teams I'd view it as a missed opportunity.

[Concrete John]

I don't think it's a case of being happy with 12th, but rather accepting it as an interim point in our progression under Lambert back to where we should be.

[richard moore]

I don't think it's a case of being happy with 12th, but rather accepting it as an interim point in our progression under Lambert back to where we should be.

That's a very fair point CJ and of course it's probably the most reasonable and realistic way to think, but I just think the league is so mediocre from positions 6 down to 12 that we really ought to be aiming higher. It's also down to the fact that my old git mentality has me thinking Villa should never ever be out of the top 6 regardless which is how I was brought up to think by my dad and grandfather (and all their friends)

[paul_e]

Points and goal difference are the key for me.  50 points and a positive goal difference are my targets.  I also believe both achieved would sit us 7-8th in the league.

[Dante Lavelli]

Points and goal difference are the key for me.  50 points and a positive goal difference are my targets.  I also believe both achieved would sit us 7-8th in the league.

Agreed on the targets but does that really get 7th or 8th historically?

[SoccerHQ]

I think 9th or 10th is doable this season so yes I would be disappointed.

[avfc_1874]

I don't think there's a massive gap in quality between 6th & 16th place so teams can end up anywhere with a league predictor.

There will always be teams who will over or underachieve aswell.

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

Well thats that sorted.
When do our season tickets for 2014/15 go on sale and do we still have to pay a £2 transaction fee ?