Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine

Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: madirishvillain on February 26, 2011, 11:06:14 PM

Title: Expectations For The Future
Post by: madirishvillain on February 26, 2011, 11:06:14 PM
after 3 years of finishing 6th under MON and not being happy

what are we expecting next year under GH?

would 6th next year be great? 

or what has been the point?
Title: Re: just thinking (no drink involved tonight)
Post by: olaftab on February 26, 2011, 11:12:10 PM
4th.
Title: Re: just thinking (no drink involved tonight)
Post by: damon loves JT on February 26, 2011, 11:14:28 PM
Now is the time to be bold and appoint John Galliano as Villa manager.
Title: Re: just thinking (no drink involved tonight)
Post by: VillaAlways on February 26, 2011, 11:19:34 PM
4th.
this
Title: Re: just thinking (no drink involved tonight)
Post by: TheSandman on February 26, 2011, 11:21:30 PM
I think we should reasonably expect to get up to the level we attained before with regular European competition at the least.

Maybe with time there is potential to finally break the champions league glass ceiling we kept hitting under MoN. 
Title: Re: just thinking (no drink involved tonight)
Post by: olaftab on February 26, 2011, 11:22:01 PM
 A very fashionable suggestion Damon but he may not feel comfortable with the racial diversity in our club!
Title: Re: just thinking (no drink involved tonight)
Post by: Dave on February 26, 2011, 11:24:28 PM
If you're going to start a new thread each evening, please make it something with a relevant title.
Title: Re: just thinking (no drink involved tonight)
Post by: damon loves JT on February 26, 2011, 11:26:04 PM
Yes but the kit would be deliciously avant-garde. Yves St Laurent will snap him up if we don't move now
Title: Re: just thinking (no drink involved tonight)
Post by: madirishvillain on February 26, 2011, 11:28:16 PM
If you're going to start a new thread each evening, please make it something with a relevant title.


ok Dave

i wouldnt have used that ;D
Title: Re: Expectations For The Future
Post by: Dave on February 26, 2011, 11:30:36 PM
Feel free to change it to something you'd prefer then.

As long as it gives people a bit more of a clue to it's contents rather than just what you've been doing with your Saturday night.
Title: will it be as good under Gerard as it was under MON?
Post by: madirishvillain on February 26, 2011, 11:33:53 PM
ok dave?
Title: Re: just thinking (no drink involved tonight)
Post by: Dante Lavelli on February 26, 2011, 11:40:49 PM
I'd be happy if we could achieve what we did under MON but in a more sustainable fashion. Thereby not losing £30ish million each season. Hopefully this will also mean more home grown players and a better style of football.

To answer your question, what was the point? In my opinion we could not have sustained our 6th places without either going bust or more funding from Randy, so arguably "the point" was to safeguard our future.
Title: Re: just thinking (no drink involved tonight)
Post by: madirishvillain on February 27, 2011, 12:01:45 AM
I'd be happy if we could achieve what we did under MON but in a more sustainable fashion. Thereby not losing £30ish million each season. Hopefully this will also mean more home grown players and a better style of football.

To answer your question, what was the point? In my opinion we could not have sustained our 6th places without either going bust or more funding from Randy, so arguably "the point" was to safeguard our future.

so relegation battles is our future then?

from what i have seen in the media and on the net

our 6th place finishes have bust us for quite a while


back to the normal for us then
Title: Re: Expectations For The Future
Post by: Dave Cooper please on February 27, 2011, 12:02:10 AM
No expectations really, we're effectively starting from scratch, so let's just have good football, an improvement on where we finish this season and hopefully a trophy.
The good thing is that this season has proved that the top four is there to be cracked if any team can find some consistency, and I see no reason why it couldn't be us given some luck and another decent transfer window.
Title: Re: Expectations For The Future
Post by: pauliewalnuts on February 27, 2011, 12:07:48 AM
I'd be happy if we could achieve what we did under MON but in a more sustainable fashion. Thereby not losing £30ish million each season. Hopefully this will also mean more home grown players and a better style of football.

To answer your question, what was the point? In my opinion we could not have sustained our 6th places without either going bust or more funding from Randy, so arguably "the point" was to safeguard our future.

so relegation battles is our future then?

from what i have seen in the media and on the net

our 6th place finishes have bust us for quite a while


back to the normal for us then

What's the normal for us?

Since Sky invented football in 1992, we've finished in the top six in 9 of the 18 seasons. In 13 of those seasons, we've finished 8th or higher.

It's bewildering to see Villa fans moaning about the way the media talk us down when we're so good at doing it ourselves.
Title: Re: Expectations For The Future
Post by: TheSandman on February 27, 2011, 12:21:02 AM
I'd be happy if we could achieve what we did under MON but in a more sustainable fashion. Thereby not losing £30ish million each season. Hopefully this will also mean more home grown players and a better style of football.

To answer your question, what was the point? In my opinion we could not have sustained our 6th places without either going bust or more funding from Randy, so arguably "the point" was to safeguard our future.

so relegation battles is our future then?

from what i have seen in the media and on the net

our 6th place finishes have bust us for quite a while


back to the normal for us then

Perhaps, if we had been more sensible then we could have achieved to the same level as we did before? If you think the money wasted on Steve Sidwell, Habib Beye, Curtis Davies and countless other pieces of ballast was the difference between a relegation battle and sixth place then the answer to the question I pose is no. However, these guys made no difference to us, we have a young side (a few players aside) most of whom are yet to meet their peak and beyond that we have a collection of talented players coming through who can supplement that. If we can hang on to the vast majority of these players then there is reason we can't be back in the top six. If we can supplement that with a few decent acquisitions in the transfer windows then we will be able to do more with less.
Title: Re: Expectations For The Future
Post by: madirishvillain on February 27, 2011, 12:21:28 AM
I'd be happy if we could achieve what we did under MON but in a more sustainable fashion. Thereby not losing £30ish million each season. Hopefully this will also mean more home grown players and a better style of football.

To answer your question, what was the point? In my opinion we could not have sustained our 6th places without either going bust or more funding from Randy, so arguably "the point" was to safeguard our future.

so relegation battles is our future then?

from what i have seen in the media and on the net

our 6th place finishes have bust us for quite a while


back to the normal for us then

What's the normal for us?

Since Sky invented football in 1992, we've finished in the top six in 9 of the 18 seasons. In 13 of those seasons, we've finished 8th or higher.

It's bewildering to see Villa fans moaning about the way the media talk us down when we're so good at doing it ourselves.

fair point paulie

so the papers saying we have basically flucked ourselves under MON isnt true?

thank fluck for that

Title: Re: Expectations For The Future
Post by: Gazza1982 on February 27, 2011, 12:33:36 AM
Surely the next level for us is what Spuds are currently achieving. We are bigger than them and they are enjoying trips to the San Siro as well as regularly being in the top 5.
No-one expects us to break the top 4, certainly not me but the Europa cup is certainly worth a shot and we should be looking to win one of the 2 domestic cups.
The most encouraging thing for me is the crop of home grown talent we have nurtured and to get nearly 35K for boring Blackburn is also a healthy sign.
Title: Re: Expectations For The Future
Post by: dave.woodhall on February 27, 2011, 12:35:16 AM

fair point paulie

so the papers saying we have basically flucked ourselves under MON isnt true?

thank fluck for that



The papers were saying we were skint and Randy wouldn't stump up any more money right until the time Darren Bent arrived.
Title: Re: Expectations For The Future
Post by: madirishvillain on February 27, 2011, 12:44:01 AM

fair point paulie

so the papers saying we have basically flucked ourselves under MON isnt true?

thank fluck for that



The papers were saying we were skint and Randy wouldn't stump up any more money right until the time Darren Bent arrived.

very true but they also said that was a panic buy to save us from relegation

24 million now or go the same way as everyone bar west brom?

how much would have relegation cost us compared to 24 million?

so next season we can expect to splash the cash then to save us from a repeat of this season?

think the papers might have got this right to be honest Dave
Title: Re: Expectations For The Future
Post by: TheSandman on February 27, 2011, 12:45:18 AM
We shall see about that.
Title: Re: Expectations For The Future
Post by: Michel Sibble on February 27, 2011, 12:47:16 AM
No. Relegation looms.

Then Randy sells.

Then administration.

Then non-league.

Then death.
Title: Re: Expectations For The Future
Post by: dave.woodhall on February 27, 2011, 12:48:49 AM
very true but they also said that was a panic buy to save us from relegation

24 million now or go the same way as everyone bar west brom?

how much would have relegation cost us compared to 24 million?

so next season we can expect to splash the cash then to save us from a repeat of this season?

think the papers might have got this right to be honest Dave

Know for a fact the papers got this wrong.
Title: Re: Expectations For The Future
Post by: madirishvillain on February 27, 2011, 12:58:47 AM
very true but they also said that was a panic buy to save us from relegation

24 million now or go the same way as everyone bar west brom?

how much would have relegation cost us compared to 24 million?

so next season we can expect to splash the cash then to save us from a repeat of this season?

think the papers might have got this right to be honest Dave

Know for a fact the papers got this wrong.

ok i hope you are right Dave

i really really hope you are right mate

i couldnt have another season like this

we are ok now arent we?

from relegation?
Title: Re: Expectations For The Future
Post by: dave.woodhall on February 27, 2011, 12:59:56 AM
Maybe it would be better if you took the rest of the night off.
Title: Re: Expectations For The Future
Post by: madirishvillain on February 27, 2011, 01:04:03 AM
Maybe it would be better if you took the rest of the night off.

no bother Dave

but since its morning time

i will ask...why?

Title: Re: Expectations For The Future
Post by: Dave Cooper please on February 27, 2011, 01:56:22 AM
Maybe it would be better if you took the rest of the night off.

no bother Dave

but since its morning time

i will ask...why?



Oh fuck off.

Can I say fuck off, you know, and claim it's late and I've had beer? If so, fuck off.
Title: Re: Expectations For The Future
Post by: KevinGage on February 27, 2011, 02:38:29 AM
Now is the time to be bold and appoint John Galliano as Villa manager.

If we could pull that off, and have someone other than Ash winning the trifecta next season we'd be set. Incisive, offensive football and really smashing shirts.

Plenty of slenders being cupped in the Bartons after every home match. Guaranteed.
Title: Re: Expectations For The Future
Post by: Sexual Ealing on February 27, 2011, 03:04:00 AM
Surely the next level for us is what Spuds are currently achieving. We are bigger than them and they are enjoying trips to the San Siro as well as regularly being in the top 5.
No-one expects us to break the top 4, certainly not me but the Europa cup is certainly worth a shot and we should be looking to win one of the 2 domestic cups.
The most encouraging thing for me is the crop of home grown talent we have nurtured and to get nearly 35K for boring Blackburn is also a healthy sign.

I hate the 'bigger' arguments - so I'm not sure why I'm doing this, I guess I'm just a tit - but are we really 'bigger' than Spurs? We're morally and historically their masters, but 'bigger'? They've got more fans, a better team, and they caught the Champions League bus just in time so I think they've got more potential to grow and be more successful.

But 'big' is a shit argument in football.

Real Madrid, Manchester United, AC Milan, Juventus, Celtic, Rangers, Galatassaray, Bayern Munich, PSV Eindhoven, Liverpool - all 'big' clubs. I'd still rather watch Shrewsbury.
Title: Re: Expectations For The Future
Post by: KevinGage on February 27, 2011, 03:13:39 AM
I'd rather spoon my own eyeballs out and eat them than watch any of that lot.
Title: Re: Expectations For The Future
Post by: darren woolley on February 27, 2011, 06:04:29 AM
I reckon a cup final win and try to finnish top 5 that would be good expectations for me.
Title: Re: Expectations For The Future
Post by: Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air on February 27, 2011, 09:05:45 AM
My expectations are the same as they have always been for the last 40 plus years.

I expect an improvement next season, onward and upward until we breakthrough and dominate English football followed by a golden period of near European domination not disimiliar to those achieved at various periods in history by the likes of Liverpool, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Ajax.
Title: Re: Expectations For The Future
Post by: Chris Smith on February 27, 2011, 10:00:04 AM
Jet boots and holidays on the moon.
Title: Re: Expectations For The Future
Post by: Rancid custard on February 27, 2011, 10:08:30 AM
A tightly oiled machine. A team comprised of a lot of our youth and people who want to play for our club, Baker and Clark, Bannan, Delph, albrighton, Fonz etc. A sustainable business that's not losing money just to try and make up ground which will still be around and on top of the pile after football and money have destroyed the game. Throw in a trophy every once in a while and I'd be happy with that.
Title: Re: Expectations For The Future
Post by: ktvillan on February 27, 2011, 10:30:20 AM
Given the advances made by Citeh and Spurs in the last year or two, slightly offset by Liverpool going backwards a bit, I think 6th would be more than acceptable for Houllier's second season.  Especially if it comes with some good football, entertainment and and a sense that we are moving in the right direction.   
Title: Re: Expectations For The Future
Post by: Ads on February 27, 2011, 11:23:01 AM
6th is par for the course with Villa. It’s around about where we've always been.

I don't think finishing 6th three years in a row was an achievement, more meeting the minimum requirement.

This what I think we should be aiming for, at the least under Houllier. I think its achievable. If we’d have had a pre-season under him to get in new players etc, then I think we’d have strolled 6th.

What we really need is silverware. We’ve been stuck on 20 pots for far too long.
Title: Re: Expectations For The Future
Post by: Chris Smith on February 27, 2011, 11:59:12 AM
With no European football we'll have an advantage over most of the other clubs going for top 6. My worry s that we lose our best player again this summer and spend the first few months adjusting to it.
Title: Re: Expectations For The Future
Post by: Can Gana Be Bettered!?!? on February 27, 2011, 12:59:47 PM
Personally, I expect Villa, with GH in charge over the next few years, to more or less match what we did under MON, but I think we'll do it in a different way that fans will find more enjoyable.

Maybe luck will mean we can go that little bit further a win a cup.
Title: Re: Expectations For The Future
Post by: KevinGage on February 27, 2011, 03:01:11 PM
6th is par for the course with Villa. It’s around about where we've always been.

What we really need is silverware. We’ve been stuck on 20 pots for far too long.


The one downside if le Arse win today is they extend the gap between us and them vis a vis total trophies won.

Hard to believe it was a recently as 1996 that we both had the same amount.
Title: Re: Expectations For The Future
Post by: PeterWithesShin on February 27, 2011, 03:05:45 PM
Champions, FA Cup Winners, LC Winners. My expectations for us every year. Shame we never live up to them!
Title: Re: Expectations For The Future
Post by: eastie on February 27, 2011, 03:07:27 PM
I think we should be at least competing for top 6 next season, to finish higher than that would be difficult but we should be looking to at least qualify for Europe and if we do I'd expect us to take it a lot more seriously next time .
Maybe a cup win is realistic but I think we will see good quality winning football and entertainment and it will be an enjoyable season , to be really up around the top 4 would take huge investment as the rich are getting richer and it's a tough task to catch them.
Title: Re: Expectations For The Future
Post by: Ads on February 27, 2011, 03:29:32 PM
6th is par for the course with Villa. It’s around about where we've always been.

What we really need is silverware. We’ve been stuck on 20 pots for far too long.


The one downside if le Arse win today is they extend the gap between us and them vis a vis total trophies won.

Hard to believe it was a recently as 1996 that we both had the same amount.

Similar with Man United back in 92/93, only we may have been one trophy ahead!

I'll let Arsenal have this one, we'll have the FA Cup.
Title: Re: Expectations For The Future
Post by: Chipsticks on February 27, 2011, 03:47:12 PM
This year  has been the dodgy transitional period, next year will be the team starting to become his own. I believe next year we will be sniffing around the Europa league places, and will probably finish 8th or 9th - a top half placement I will be chuffed with.

I think pushing for a champions league place will be a long-term project, and Gerard will continue to add 1 or 2 players like Bent to the squad every season untill the team becomes similiar to the standard we now see of Tottenham, though that may be a tad optmistic. I'd give it 3 -5 years before I think we can seriously consider champions league contention, and I think it's very, very important for the Board, and for us as fans to realise and accept that under MON, we were massive over-achievers.
Title: Re: Expectations For The Future
Post by: eastie on February 27, 2011, 03:55:40 PM
I wouldn't agree we were massive over achievers under mon- I think we merited a top 6 place and achieved it under him and considering the money that we spent it's a tad harsh to say we over achieved- what we couldn't do was break the top but we fully merited a top 6 place.
Title: Re: Expectations For The Future
Post by: Chipsticks on February 27, 2011, 04:31:28 PM
I wouldn't agree we were massive over achievers under mon- I think we merited a top 6 place and achieved it under him and considering the money that we spent it's a tad harsh to say we over achieved- what we couldn't do was break the top but we fully merited a top 6 place.

I maitain that we over-achieved a great deal. When you look at the squad we had, I think we were very lucky to achieve the success we did. I think we have a much better overall squad now than we did under MON, despite losing key players such as Milner, Barry, Laursen etc.
Title: Re: Expectations For The Future
Post by: KevinGage on February 27, 2011, 05:02:35 PM
The players you've just mentioned there, Milner, Laursen and Barry were the backbone of that side and were as good as anything in the division - and indeed, better than anything we have in similar positions now even.

Add in the likes of JC who was probably at his best between 2007-09, Ashley Young and solid 7/10 performers elsewhere, and I don't think anyone can make the legitimate argument that we overachieved by reaching the heady heights of 6th with the talent we had on the books.
Title: Re: Expectations For The Future
Post by: PeterWithesShin on February 27, 2011, 05:06:53 PM
The players you've just mentioned there, Milner, Laursen and Barry were the backbone of that side and were as good as anything in the division - and indeed, better than anything we have in similar positions now even.

Add in the likes of JC who was probably at his best between 2007-09, Ashley Young and solid 7/10 performers elsewhere, and I don't think anyone can make the legitimate argument that we overachieved by reaching the heady heights of 6th with the talent we had on the books.

I'd go as far as to say we underachieved by not getting higher than 6th or winning a trophy. That's just my opinion of course.
Title: Re: Expectations For The Future
Post by: Chipsticks on February 27, 2011, 05:15:11 PM
The players you've just mentioned there, Milner, Laursen and Barry were the backbone of that side and were as good as anything in the division - and indeed, better than anything we have in similar positions now even.

Add in the likes of JC who was probably at his best between 2007-09, Ashley Young and solid 7/10 performers elsewhere, and I don't think anyone can make the legitimate argument that we overachieved by reaching the heady heights of 6th with the talent we had on the books.

The squad had very little past those players, and when you look at teams such as Everton, Spurs, etc, the quality they have outside of their best players far surpassed ours.
Title: Re: Expectations For The Future
Post by: SoccerHQ on February 27, 2011, 10:15:48 PM
After today, domestic trophy please.
Title: Re: Expectations For The Future
Post by: itbrvilla on February 27, 2011, 10:20:20 PM
Not expecting much. We always fuck it up when I do. Bout time we actually had a go at wembley after the 3 appalling appearances
Title: Re: Expectations For The Future
Post by: SoccerHQ on February 27, 2011, 10:25:02 PM
I wouldn't agree we were massive over achievers under mon- I think we merited a top 6 place and achieved it under him and considering the money that we spent it's a tad harsh to say we over achieved- what we couldn't do was break the top but we fully merited a top 6 place.

I think we could've finished 5th in two of the seasons we finished 6th under MON.

Remember this time two years ago we were 7 points ahead of Arsenal in 4th. Infact I think this is the Stoke weekend where it all started going wrong.

And last year we were a shade unlucky that Bale hit a brilliant run of form that somehow beat Chelsea and Arsenal just after losing a cup semi to Pompey which blew ourselves and City out of the water.

So I certainly don't think we overachieved in the league.

And after watching today, we could've won the Carling cup if we'd shown a bit more self belief and also gone in 4-5-1.
Title: Re: Expectations For The Future
Post by: not3bad on February 27, 2011, 11:22:19 PM
My expectations for the future - good football, trophies, trips to Europe, a team to be proud of.
Title: Re: Expectations For The Future
Post by: Chipsticks on February 27, 2011, 11:27:09 PM
I'm genuinely pleased that we (almost definately) won't qualify for the Europa league. This season was always going to be the difficult transitional period, and next season we'll be able to concentrate more on the domestic comptetitions, which after today, clearly seem to have taken top priority.
Title: Re: Expectations For The Future
Post by: Jimbo on February 27, 2011, 11:29:26 PM
I expect to be disappointed.
Title: Re: Expectations For The Future
Post by: cdbearsfan on February 27, 2011, 11:38:00 PM
I expect to see us win the League, the FA Cup, the League Cup, the European Cup and the World Club Cup at least twenty times each before I die.

I'm 93, but still optimistic.
Title: Re: Expectations For The Future
Post by: TonyD on February 27, 2011, 11:50:10 PM
I think the squad we have is now is potentially pretty tasty.   Add a defender or two in the summer and it will be even stronger.   Lets hope GH can make us into a strong consistent winning team.  I hope he can but I reckon it be will slow and frustrating process.
Title: Re: Expectations For The Future
Post by: JJ-AV on February 28, 2011, 03:09:03 AM
Progression.
Title: Re: Expectations For The Future
Post by: Deano's Mullet on February 28, 2011, 06:44:17 AM
We can get 4th in the next couple of years with the right signings. If Spurs can do it we definitely can. More than that a trophy would be nice as at the end of the day thats what football is all about.
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