We may still be Aston Villa, but we're currently in the bottom half of division 2, spent the summer signing cheap or free players as we can't spend much money and just pulled 11k for the first time in over a quarter of a century. It's in part thinking that just being Aston Villa is enough that's led us to this shite situation that we're struggling to get ourselves out of. Just as the same thinking led to the mess we found ourselves back in the late 60s. And it was the cup runs as a lower league side in 70/71 and 74/75 that helped us achieve what we did in 77-83. If we didn't have that cup run in 74/75 then there's a decent chance we wouldn't have signed at least 1 of Mortimer or Gray. If we don't sign one of those there may well have been no '77 and/or 80-82. I very much doubt any of us like the reality of where we are at the moment, doesn't mean we can just ignore it either.
Quote from: PeterWithesShin on September 20, 2017, 03:55:01 PMWe may still be Aston Villa, but we're currently in the bottom half of division 2, spent the summer signing cheap or free players as we can't spend much money and just pulled 11k for the first time in over a quarter of a century. It's in part thinking that just being Aston Villa is enough that's led us to this shite situation that we're struggling to get ourselves out of. Just as the same thinking led to the mess we found ourselves back in the late 60s. And it was the cup runs as a lower league side in 70/71 and 74/75 that helped us achieve what we did in 77-83. If we didn't have that cup run in 74/75 then there's a decent chance we wouldn't have signed at least 1 of Mortimer or Gray. If we don't sign one of those there may well have been no '77 and/or 80-82. I very much doubt any of us like the reality of where we are at the moment, doesn't mean we can just ignore it either. Quote from: PeterWithesShin on September 20, 2017, 03:55:01 PMWe may still be Aston Villa, but we're currently in the bottom half of division 2, spent the summer signing cheap or free players as we can't spend much money and just pulled 11k for the first time in over a quarter of a century. It's in part thinking that just being Aston Villa is enough that's led us to this shite situation that we're struggling to get ourselves out of. Just as the same thinking led to the mess we found ourselves back in the late 60s. And it was the cup runs as a lower league side in 70/71 and 74/75 that helped us achieve what we did in 77-83. If we didn't have that cup run in 74/75 then there's a decent chance we wouldn't have signed at least 1 of Mortimer or Gray. If we don't sign one of those there may well have been no '77 and/or 80-82. I very much doubt any of us like the reality of where we are at the moment, doesn't mean we can just ignore it either. Well said. I wonder if Ads will tear you apart! Just think we could have drawn Spurs at Wembley in the last 16 with a win last night. No doubt more than 11k would have gone to that and, as you say, it could have been the springboard we needed.
There's difference between pining for it and seeing the benefits of it. If we'd have got through i'd have wanted a home draw against the shittest team left in it, same as I always do.
Quote from: Clampy on September 20, 2017, 01:37:15 PMQuote from: Lobsterboy on September 20, 2017, 01:36:15 PMQuote from: Clampy on September 20, 2017, 01:33:25 PMQuote from: Lobsterboy on September 20, 2017, 01:28:54 PMI'm all in favour of blooding a few youngsters in these games but see no reason why Bruce felt the need to rest the entire first team with Saturday's game in mind. This merely creates the same pressure on him to get a result as M'ON did when he took the opportunity to play a reserve side v Moscow with the Stoke game coming up.The only difference being we were challenging for the Champions League places then and now we aren't challenging for anything!Saw the Bruce interview post match and he didn't seem overly bothered - whether he looks so relaxed post match Saturday evening will depend entirely on the result I think. He's almost made the game must win with these changesIf you don't think we're challenging for anything, why is the game a must win?I don't believe we are challenging for anything but Bruce clearly does; that's why I believe he has made the game must winOf course he does, why wouldn't he?I'm struggling to get your point - I believe the next game is almost a must win because of Bruce's team selection last night - he decided to write off the cup because we 'need' those players for Saturday - fail to win the game on Saturday now and he will be under even more pressure.
Quote from: Lobsterboy on September 20, 2017, 01:36:15 PMQuote from: Clampy on September 20, 2017, 01:33:25 PMQuote from: Lobsterboy on September 20, 2017, 01:28:54 PMI'm all in favour of blooding a few youngsters in these games but see no reason why Bruce felt the need to rest the entire first team with Saturday's game in mind. This merely creates the same pressure on him to get a result as M'ON did when he took the opportunity to play a reserve side v Moscow with the Stoke game coming up.The only difference being we were challenging for the Champions League places then and now we aren't challenging for anything!Saw the Bruce interview post match and he didn't seem overly bothered - whether he looks so relaxed post match Saturday evening will depend entirely on the result I think. He's almost made the game must win with these changesIf you don't think we're challenging for anything, why is the game a must win?I don't believe we are challenging for anything but Bruce clearly does; that's why I believe he has made the game must winOf course he does, why wouldn't he?
Quote from: Clampy on September 20, 2017, 01:33:25 PMQuote from: Lobsterboy on September 20, 2017, 01:28:54 PMI'm all in favour of blooding a few youngsters in these games but see no reason why Bruce felt the need to rest the entire first team with Saturday's game in mind. This merely creates the same pressure on him to get a result as M'ON did when he took the opportunity to play a reserve side v Moscow with the Stoke game coming up.The only difference being we were challenging for the Champions League places then and now we aren't challenging for anything!Saw the Bruce interview post match and he didn't seem overly bothered - whether he looks so relaxed post match Saturday evening will depend entirely on the result I think. He's almost made the game must win with these changesIf you don't think we're challenging for anything, why is the game a must win?I don't believe we are challenging for anything but Bruce clearly does; that's why I believe he has made the game must win
Quote from: Lobsterboy on September 20, 2017, 01:28:54 PMI'm all in favour of blooding a few youngsters in these games but see no reason why Bruce felt the need to rest the entire first team with Saturday's game in mind. This merely creates the same pressure on him to get a result as M'ON did when he took the opportunity to play a reserve side v Moscow with the Stoke game coming up.The only difference being we were challenging for the Champions League places then and now we aren't challenging for anything!Saw the Bruce interview post match and he didn't seem overly bothered - whether he looks so relaxed post match Saturday evening will depend entirely on the result I think. He's almost made the game must win with these changesIf you don't think we're challenging for anything, why is the game a must win?
I'm all in favour of blooding a few youngsters in these games but see no reason why Bruce felt the need to rest the entire first team with Saturday's game in mind. This merely creates the same pressure on him to get a result as M'ON did when he took the opportunity to play a reserve side v Moscow with the Stoke game coming up.The only difference being we were challenging for the Champions League places then and now we aren't challenging for anything!Saw the Bruce interview post match and he didn't seem overly bothered - whether he looks so relaxed post match Saturday evening will depend entirely on the result I think. He's almost made the game must win with these changes
We can't play ourselves, though.
Last time we were in the second division we played Liverpool at home in the cup and it was a massive occasion. Live on telly, full house, fantastic atmosphere, fantastic manager. Back in the days when the Cup meant something and every team went out to win every game. Nobody thought about a cup run affecting our promotion, everyone just wanted to win something. Feel sorry for people who never got to enjoy such experiences
Quote from: Chico Hamilton III on September 20, 2017, 04:56:42 PMLast time we were in the second division we played Liverpool at home in the cup and it was a massive occasion. Live on telly, full house, fantastic atmosphere, fantastic manager. Back in the days when the Cup meant something and every team went out to win every game. Nobody thought about a cup run affecting our promotion, everyone just wanted to win something. Feel sorry for people who never got to enjoy such experiences That was the last time we had 46K for a game.