Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: Hookeysmith on July 20, 2015, 08:33:57 AM
-
We had just got promoted on the final day of the season back into the 1st division and our two leading lights were a centre half, Martin Keown and a striker Alan McNally. Optimism was high at the start of the season yet it was one of struggle and we staved off relegation with again those two being our stand out players. During the following close season both were sold to Everton and Bayern Munich respectively and most Villa fans thought the world was going to end (can you see where I am going with this yet!) A shrewd manager and some even shrewder purchases, although at the time the names of Ormandroyd - who? and a washed out Paul McGrath was hardly inspiring made almost everyone feel that relegation was inevitable. We all remember what happened next.
The point being that although we are staring at a potential abyss its not new and we can and will recover from the loss of our star striker and a judas cnut - we have to have faith that the Chairman gives us the funds to compete to find replacements and the Manager has our trust to buy the right players - even if they are not as sexy as some would like
Think this season will be entertaining and interesting in equal measures
Bring it on
-
I like your thinking..
-
Is McInally coming back to replace Christian?
-
We had just got promoted on the final day of the season back into the 1st division and our two leading lights were a centre half, Martin Keown and a striker Alan McNally. Optimism was high at the start of the season yet it was one of struggle and we staved off relegation with again those two being our stand out players. During the following close season both were sold to Everton and Bayern Munich respectively and most Villa fans thought the world was going to end (can you see where I am going with this yet!) A shrewd manager and some even shrewder purchases, although at the time the names of Ormandroyd - who? and a washed out Paul McGrath was hardly inspiring made almost everyone feel that relegation was inevitable. We all remember what happened next.
The point being that although we are staring at a potential abyss its not new and we can and will recover from the loss of our star striker and a judas cnut - we have to have faith that the Chairman gives us the funds to compete to find replacements and the Manager has our trust to buy the right players - even if they are not as sexy as some would like
Think this season will be entertaining and interesting in equal measures
Bring it on
In terms of optimism, this is up there with me winning a large sum on the lottery.
We have an unproven manager who seems to be a one trick pony, totally different to 1989 where we had a proven manager at top level.
We have no-one anywhere near, and I mean nowhere near, the quality of McGrath joining to supplement Cowans and Platt.
We finished 36 points behind Arsenal in 1989 and we finished 49 points behind Chelsea last season.
-
That's my hopes pissed all over then - cheers :'(
-
Yes, coming here with your optimism. Shame on you
-
Ormondroyd would certainly bring some much needed laughter back to the Villa
-
We had just got promoted on the final day of the season back into the 1st division and our two leading lights were a centre half, Martin Keown and a striker Alan McNally. Optimism was high at the start of the season yet it was one of struggle and we staved off relegation with again those two being our stand out players. During the following close season both were sold to Everton and Bayern Munich respectively and most Villa fans thought the world was going to end (can you see where I am going with this yet!) A shrewd manager and some even shrewder purchases, although at the time the names of Ormandroyd - who? and a washed out Paul McGrath was hardly inspiring made almost everyone feel that relegation was inevitable. We all remember what happened next.
The point being that although we are staring at a potential abyss its not new and we can and will recover from the loss of our star striker and a judas cnut - we have to have faith that the Chairman gives us the funds to compete to find replacements and the Manager has our trust to buy the right players - even if they are not as sexy as some would like
Think this season will be entertaining and interesting in equal measures
Bring it on
just some entertainment would be nice. Particularly at home
-
It was for the last few games since TS has been here
Bitters x 2
Everton
QPR
Sunderland
Man City
Were all entertaining if nothing else
-
Just been reading McGraths book actually where he talks about that time when he first joined and the great chemistry between him, Neilson and Mountfield. If we managed to get the defence as good as it was then now, I actually think the rest of the team is shaping up quite well, although we'll need to replace Benteke of course.
-
The one trick pony who kept us up when we were certanties to go down, got us to the FA Cup after easily beating Liverpool in the semis and saw us play the best football we've played in years along the way.
Hmmmm
Hope we get to see more of that one trick. He's learning and will get better imo.
I for one am optimistic despite the gloom by some.
UTV
-
If there's been one common theme throughout my thirty odd years at Villa Park its that the years we expect do to well we don't and the years we don't expect to do well we do. 😎
-
I am moderately confident that less bad times lie ahead for us. The basics are being attended to and the structure that so many of us were crying out for for the last four years is being put in place. The problem with comparing Villa now with 1988 is that football is very different now. A couple of years back I was in the Barton's putting forward the opinion that Ron Saunders would not stand for such and such. I was corrected very necessarily by a regular poster in this forum to the effect that if Ron Saunders spoke to a current player in critical terms he would be ignored and told to go and talk to the player's agent. The first signs of this post Sky power shift were when JG commented that David Ginola was "carrying too much timber" and very nearly finished in court for saying it.
-
Whilst I don’t subscribe to the doom and gloom following the departure of Hodge Mrk II, Balsawood Ron and Benteke, my biggest concern remains about leaders. On paper the squad looks young, full of potential and could surprise a few, but where are the leaders on the field? It’s looking likely now that Gabby will be captain, which just fills me with dread.
I suspect that this season will be one very big roller-coaster ride for us fans, which will be a huge change from the last few years, but might will test the nerves of many a fan that has got used to mediocrity and lethargy.
-
I am moderately confident that less bad times lie ahead for us. The basics are being attended to and the structure that so many of us were crying out for for the last four years is being put in place. The problem with comparing Villa now with 1988 is that football is very different now. A couple of years back I was in the Barton's putting forward the opinion that Ron Saunders would not stand for such and such. I was corrected very necessarily by a regular poster in this forum to the effect that if Ron Saunders spoke to a current player in critical terms he would be ignored and told to go and talk to the player's agent. The first signs of this post Sky power shift were when JG commented that David Ginola was "carrying too much timber" and very nearly finished in court for saying it.
Thats the kind of unequivocal optimism I like to see.
-
...It’s looking likely now that Gabby will be captain, which just fills me with dread...
Last night at Swindon, Richards was captain so I'm not so sure
-
All talk in the media is that of doom
Are they seriously thinking we are worse than:
Sunderland
Leicester - whom I think will be certs to go down
All 3 of the newly promoted teams
Baggies - with total anti football
Even if we do not buy a single new player from this point cannot see us being as shit as previous couple of years - unless we have the dreaded injury crisis we always seem to have :o
-
I'm hoping it's similar to 1995-6, which followed on from a season when:
We finished one place above the relegation zone
We changed managers mid-season
We lost 4-0 to Arsenal (admittedly in a league game that time)
The home shirt had narrow blue vertical stripes
We changed shirt sponsors after the previous incumbents had been there for two years
Ummm... Palace didn't beat us in the league
...all we need to do next is sign the equivalents of Southgate (Richards?), Draper (Gueye?) and Savo (ummm... Tonev returning?) and we can look forward to winning the first home game of the season against Manchester United. Over to you, Tim.
-
All talk in the media is that of doom
Are they seriously thinking we are worse than:
Sunderland
Leicester - whom I think will be certs to go down
All 3 of the newly promoted teams
Baggies - with total anti football
Even if we do not buy a single new player from this point cannot see us being as shit as previous couple of years - unless we have the dreaded injury crisis we always seem to have :o
As it stands, I think we are worse (or on a par) with most of that lot.
We had one of the best strikers in the division (and easily THE best in the bottom 6) an England regular in midfield and -when he could shuffle onto the pitch- Ron Vlaar.
Even with that triumvirate, we have managed to stink out the division for the last two years.
Now either that three weren't all they were cracked up to be (one theory).
Or the supporting cast were so putrid that having three players of that calibre on the books made little odds.
Of the promoted sides, I'd say we're better than Norwich. Watford have already signed a few players I would have been more than happy to see at VP and Bournemouth -on paper the weakest out of the lot- seem to have a playing style and ethos that goes beyond the names on the teamsheet.
Aside from Norwich, I wouldn't put money on us finishing ahead of any of them.
-
1988 is one year I never want to see again. Not that I can remember much of it. I was ill and it's all a bit hazy
-
All talk in the media is that of doom
Are they seriously thinking we are worse than:
Sunderland
Leicester - whom I think will be certs to go down
All 3 of the newly promoted teams
Baggies - with total anti football
Even if we do not buy a single new player from this point cannot see us being as shit as previous couple of years - unless we have the dreaded injury crisis we always seem to have :o
As it stands, I think we are worse (or on a par) with most of that lot.
We had one of the best strikers in the division (and easily THE best in the bottom 6) an England regular in midfield and -when he could shuffle onto the pitch- Ron Vlaar.
Even with that triumvirate, we have managed to stink out the division for the last two years.
Now either that three weren't all they were cracked up to be (one theory).
Or the supporting cast were so putrid that having three players of that calibre on the books made little odds.
Of the promoted sides, I'd say we're better than Norwich. Watford have already signed a few players I would have been more than happy to see at VP and Bournemouth -on paper the weakest out of the lot- seem to have a playing style and ethos that goes beyond the names on the teamsheet.
Aside from Norwich, I wouldn't put money on us finishing ahead of any of them.
Aside from Benteke and Vlaar missing some of the season through injury, I think it is forgotten that Delph missed quite a few games when he dislocated his shoulder in October.
-
It sort of reminds me of 98/99.
Yorkie had gone, the first home game saw VP with loads of empty seats and we had Riccardo Scimeca playing up front.
-
Why is Sherwood a one trick pony ?
And what is his one trick ?
-
...It’s looking likely now that Gabby will be captain, which just fills me with dread...
Last night at Swindon, Richards was captain so I'm not so sure
I really hope that Gabby is not captain. The main problem would be that he'd probably be in the team.