Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: Legion on September 20, 2020, 08:37:33 PM
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Hoping for 12th but would settle for 16th.
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Hoping for top 4, but will settle for a relaxing 16th
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I reckon around 15th with some green shoots for the season after. I think we will still concede too many silly goals.
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13th. That would be acceptable progress for me.
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10th I reckon
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Really? We haven't finished arguing about transfers yet!
Any way. In true Glenn McGrath style. First.
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14th.
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12th
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Villa should always expect to finish above Albion, Fulham, Wet spam, Brighton, Sheff Utd, Leeds, Palace, Southampton, Newcastle, Wolves, Leicester and the rest of them next season.[/s]
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14th
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14th or 15th. Progress is going to be incremental I think.
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Really? We haven't finished arguing about transfers yet!
Any way. In true Glenn McGrath style. First.
Yes, really.
Optimism admired.
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7-11
Which means 9-10th
Could be higher if we get the right mix of final pieces players
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12th
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15th
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15th - we’re a bit better, but not that much.
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If we can't finish above half a dozen of the showers we've seen so far we don't deserve to finish above any of them.
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If we can't finish above half a dozen of the showers we've seen sop far we don't deserve to finish above any of them.
Agreed. Some of the defending has been woeful, and adding a bit of pace up top should, if kept fit, see us 14th ish.
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We're already twelfth, and we've given most of the rest a two game head start. Be nice to stay somewhere around there.
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Would be nice to have a season for once where we massively outperform our XG or whatever the kids on twitter use for football analysis now. Even then it would probably still only be 9th or 10th which would've been underwhelming a decade ago.
Will go for 13th and 10 points clear of 18th.
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10th
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16th
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I’d love to think we can finish bottom of the top half
But would settle for top of the bottom half.
I also can’t believe I think this, but it is what it is. Slow progress , looking forward to the return of the good old days.
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Another vote for 14th.
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15th - still gonna be hard slog in some respects. LB and CM are both problem areas and need Watkins and Wes to score a fair few. Also lot of stock on new GK being a worldie and he has played 100 games in total at age of 28.
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16th
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14th
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I would take 17th again if offered it now, but I think that if the new players gel and the defence is as tight as the last 10 games we will be better than that.
15th place, but only 6 points clear of the drop.
We will be better than last season but not that much better.
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14th
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14th
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1st
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1st. I've had a bet at 1,000/1, though I did back us E/W as 2nd would be decent progress. ;)
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10th
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14th, which i'd judge as good progress from last season. That said, i think the measure of success will be the point if/when we reach 38pts.
I'd like to think we'd have a shot at one of the cups, maybe the league cup. Can see a few teams putting it on lower priority this season with the fixture congestion, so it might provide a route in to Europe to fast-track our progress.
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I'm hoping 12-14th but without ever really feeling threatened by a relegation battle - that would be real progress for me.
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Other than Watkins I still don't feel we've improved the starting 11 that much from the start of last season. The key differences will be him and the new improved Luiz. I'm still leaning towards 15-18 at the moment. That may sound negative, but it's a competitive league.
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1st. I've had a bet at 1,000/1, though I did back us E/W as 2nd would be decent progress. ;)
EACH WAY?! Bluenose!
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Assuming we don't go into full covid lockdown again, and assuming Trump doesn't impose marshall law declaring the US presidential election null and void which coupled with total breakdown in Europe as a result of no deal brexit leading to world war 3 and the abandonment of the season altogether then I really think we have an excellent chance of making top half as I'm by nature an optimist.
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Assuming we don't go into full covid lockdown again, and assuming Trump doesn't impose marshall law declaring the US presidential election null and void which coupled with total breakdown in Europe as a result of no deal brexit leading to world war 3 and the abandonment of the season altogether then I really think we have an excellent chance of making top half as I'm by nature an optimist.
Don't forget the rise of the machines, could lose Jack for months thanks to a vengeful cross training machine. 11th to 17th would be acceptable on that outcome.
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Theres not been many seasons of late where we haven't gone into the last few games without our fate hanging in the balance one way or another. We're due one of those.
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1-6 Want
7-11 Hope
12-17 Think
18-20 Don't want to contemplate.
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Think we'll stay up. May have stayed up anyway without any transfers. Will be in 12th-17th area whether our signings come off or not. 12th-14th if they do. If they don't then 15th-17th with the club dumping Smith in November. That's the main question for me this season - whether Smith survives
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Think we'll stay up. May have stayed up anyway without any transfers. Will be in 12th-17th area whether our signings come off or not. 12th-14th if they do. If they don't then 15th-17th with the club dumping Smith in November. That's the main question for me this season - whether Smith survives
Nah, it's whether England come in for him with us top of the league, when they boot Southgate for defying Covid restrictions and going on a 4 day bender in Alicante.
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Think we'll stay up. May have stayed up anyway without any transfers. Will be in 12th-17th area whether our signings come off or not. 12th-14th if they do. If they don't then 15th-17th with the club dumping Smith in November. That's the main question for me this season - whether Smith survives
Nah, it's whether England come in for him with us top of the league, when they boot Southgate for defying Covid restrictions and going on a 4 day bender in Alicante.
nah Smith has already been too successful to replace Southgate. The FA will be looking at some guy with one season's experience in the premiership before getting relegated.
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Think we'll stay up. May have stayed up anyway without any transfers. Will be in 12th-17th area whether our signings come off or not. 12th-14th if they do. If they don't then 15th-17th with the club dumping Smith in November. That's the main question for me this season - whether Smith survives
Nah, it's whether England come in for him with us top of the league, when they boot Southgate for defying Covid restrictions and going on a 4 day bender in Alicante.
nah Smith has already been too successful to replace Southgate. The FA will be looking at some guy with one season's experience in the premiership before getting relegated.
They'll promote someone from within the 'system' at Burton, so Phil in catering is next in line. That's if he's not called into the playing squad before Jack.
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I'm trying to think of an ex-England international with no visible ability as a manager apart from failure...……….Gary Nev?
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Aidy Boothroyd surely....
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Aidy Boothroyd surely....
Winner.
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Anything below 12th and I'll be disappointed as I expect would be the owners having ploughed in close to a quarter of a billion quid just on transfers in the last 12 or so months.
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Had a Ladbrokes bet on 10th about 4 weeks ago at (rather poor) odds of 7/1, so 10th it is, but no higher.
UTV
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Mings and Konsa are a bottom half defence based on most of last season, and we have little in reserve there if either get injured. Add in terrible left backs, a rookie right back and a very lightweight midfield and I think we will ship a lot of goals.
Up front we look better, but are still starting the season with one inexperienced striker and hoping they stay fit and hit the ground running. Fortunately I think Watkins will do.
If everything clicks, we have better luck with injuries and sign a couple more I think we are capable of surprising a few and finishing at the top end of the table. This is Villa though so predicting 14th but comfortably away from relegation.
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I can't believe I am the only miserable pessimistic so and so that sees relegation.
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I can't believe I am the only miserable pessimistic so and so that sees relegation.
Dunno. After seeing Fulham and wba, there's 2 teams we're better than even based on last season's form
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I think anywhere between 9th and 14th is likely as can’t see more than a handful of points covering the mid table teams this year, who I think we will join. Can see West Brom and Fulham being a way behind the rest, then a group including West Ham, Leeds, Newcastle and possibly Burnley fighting to stay up.
We aren’t good enough to be any higher than mid table yet, but have enough not to struggle this year from what I’ve seen of other teams so far. Plus, I’ve got a feeling we’ll have another cup final to look forward to this year.
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I'm trying to think of an ex-England international with no visible ability as a manager apart from failure...……….Gary Nev?
Gareth Southgate
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I can't believe I am the only miserable pessimistic so and so that sees relegation.
I still think it will be tight, and we are only a couple of injuries from a full on relegation fight to the last (or worse)
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I can't believe I am the only miserable pessimistic so and so that sees relegation.
I still think it will be tight, and we are only a couple of injuries from a full on relegation fight to the last (or worse)
That's where we were last season. McGinn, Mings Grealish, Heaton and Wesley all picked up injuries and we just about survived. If that lot all did the same this season we also have Watkins, Traore, and Martinez so we do have more depth and quality available up front and in goal at least - hence I reckon we will be safer this time around. If we do not strengthen in central defence, and shore up a very lightweight midfield I can't see us doing very well, but do think we will less close to relegation.
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1st. I've had a bet at 1,000/1, though I did back us E/W as 2nd would be decent progress. ;)
EACH WAY?! Bluenose!
Blimey, what an incredible spot. 54 years and counting and even I hadn't realised! UTV (maybe ...)
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Yes, we're potentially frail in defence if we pick up injuries.
Tonight's game is really important: we need to start off where we finished the mini-league and push on from there. Any poor performance tonight leading to a loss will not give the squad the confidence it badly needs to push on.
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I can't believe I am the only miserable pessimistic so and so that sees relegation.
Give it 5 hours..
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I think we'll hit the low 40 points mark. That'll put us probably 13-16th. We'll make a little progress because we've made good signings but to an extent, you have to make signings to stay still in the Premier League. A lot of the clubs around us are having a bit of a go. If we can continue defending a bit more resolutely as we did after project restart, then I fancy that we'll score enough to win more games. If you look at the promoted clubs coming up, they're all very suspect defensively. A lot of the other bottom half clubs are too (Newcastle have issues). So I do think a lot of games will boil down to who can score 3-4 to win. In all honesty I don't think any side in this division is much cop defensively and even Liverpool look shaky by the standards the set earlier last season.
Keeping Grealish, signing Watkins, McGinn back, and Traore to compete with AEG and Trezeguet, Wesley when he's back. There should be goals in our side. Hourihane will hopefully maintain his end of season form too, because he's always a threat.
So yeah, we'll score more and we'll concede less. I don't think we've got enough to push top 10, but maybe next year. Comfort is the key for this season. In particular, we've got to be winning more against top 10 sides. Is there a side in this league we shouldn't fancy beating on a given day? I don't think so, particularly anyone outside of Liverpool. Spurs, Utd, Arsenal and Chelsea all look beatable, so getting some points off that lot here and there will be key. From around 8th and below anyone can beat anyone. Again though, we have Grealish and he's the class of player who can turn a game. Not every side around us is that fortunate.
Sheffield Utd did exceptionally well last season but I suspect they'll struggle this time. Expect Brighton and Burnley to be scrapping with us too. Southampton will have difficulties as well. The promoted sides will be in a battle. I can't really see any of them being a surprise package. At least two of the three go down for me.
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I would take 14th right now
UTV
The Doc
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I think we'll hit the low 40 points mark. That'll put us probably 13-16th. We'll make a little progress because we've made good signings but to an extent, you have to make signings to stay still in the Premier League. A lot of the clubs around us are having a bit of a go. If we can continue defending a bit more resolutely as we did after project restart, then I fancy that we'll score enough to win more games. If you look at the promoted clubs coming up, they're all very suspect defensively. A lot of the other bottom half clubs are too (Newcastle have issues). So I do think a lot of games will boil down to who can score 3-4 to win. In all honesty I don't think any side in this division is much cop defensively and even Liverpool look shaky by the standards the set earlier last season.
Keeping Grealish, signing Watkins, McGinn back, and Traore to compete with AEG and Trezeguet, Wesley when he's back. There should be goals in our side. Hourihane will hopefully maintain his end of season form too, because he's always a threat.
So yeah, we'll score more and we'll concede less. I don't think we've got enough to push top 10, but maybe next year. Comfort is the key for this season. In particular, we've got to be winning more against top 10 sides. Is there a side in this league we shouldn't fancy beating on a given day? I don't think so, particularly anyone outside of Liverpool. Spurs, Utd, Arsenal and Chelsea all look beatable, so getting some points off that lot here and there will be key. From around 8th and below anyone can beat anyone. Again though, we have Grealish and he's the class of player who can turn a game. Not every side around us is that fortunate.
Sheffield Utd did exceptionally well last season but I suspect they'll struggle this time. Expect Brighton and Burnley to be scrapping with us too. Southampton will have difficulties as well. The promoted sides will be in a battle. I can't really see any of them being a surprise package. At least two of the three go down for me.
Win 9-10 games against the clubs we believe will be around us in the table, and take more draws than last season and we should be okay.
Avoid the drubbings we got from Citeh and Leicester last time out.
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Research and historical data says : As unpredictable as the relegation battle is, it is possible to ensure your Premier League status inside the first 10 matches.
No team with 15 or more points after 10 games has ever gone down, while teams with between 12 and 14 points have a better than 90 per cent chance of survival.
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11th
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At the absolute minimum we’ll finish top.
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52 points at least. Enough to finish 11th. :)
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Optimism abounds, changed vote to 7-11th.
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Sorry if you've all seen this but it made me laugh.
https://twitter.com/AHC_Vlogs/status/1306190296447889411 (https://twitter.com/AHC_Vlogs/status/1306190296447889411)
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12th, for some reason.
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14th.
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Optimism abounds, changed vote to 7-11th.
Pessimism abounds, changed vote to 12-17th.
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13th
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The last time we won our first 3 games was 1962/63 when Everton won their first 4 that season as well. They won the league (as they did when they replicated that feat in 1969/70), we finished 15th.
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Yeah I remember it, the 2nd half of that season we had a spell of losing 11 on the bounce.
Back to this season after yesterdays performance looking at a top 4 position, but trying to be realistic feel we can certainly make top half, will have a much better idea after the end of this month, after we've played Leicester, Leeds and Southampton.
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Yep, next three will be telling.
A draw and a win from the next two and I'd be happy and confident going into the Southampton game.
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If we can beat Liverpool 7-2 then we can win the league.
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Yeah I remember it, the 2nd half of that season we had a spell of losing 11 on the bounce.
Back to this season after yesterdays performance looking at a top 4 position, but trying to be realistic feel we can certainly make top half, will have a much better idea after the end of this month, after we've played Leicester, Leeds and Southampton.
We've got to be looking at a minimum of 9 points from those 3 games. Minimum.
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Yeah I remember it, the 2nd half of that season we had a spell of losing 11 on the bounce.
Back to this season after yesterdays performance looking at a top 4 position, but trying to be realistic feel we can certainly make top half, will have a much better idea after the end of this month, after we've played Leicester, Leeds and Southampton.
We've got to be looking at a minimum of 9 points from those 3 games. Minimum.
Totally unrealistic, we should be looking at a minimum of 8 points though.
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We're already nine points clear of the relegation zone. Long may that continue (at the very least).
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Missed this thread, 9-12 was my prediction before looking at the choices so I've gone 7-11 because that has the most overlap. I think we'll get somewhere around 50 points this year because I think we look a lot fitter and that alone will make a big difference to the amount of points we drop late in games. Add in the bit of extra quality we have now and, hopefully, a bit more luck with injuries and I think we'll get 4-5 more wins and a few more draws to never look in any danger.
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I've gone for 1-6, not because I think it, but because if I can't today then when will I?
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I've gone for 1-6, not because I think it, but because if I can't today then when will I?
I agree with Monty.
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I'm sticking at 12-17, but very happy so far.
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I'm sticking at 12-17, but very happy so far.
Me too. I'm hoping to be nearer 12th now than when I voted, though.
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I reckon 12th-14th myself. Hopefully comfortably clear of any relegation scrap.
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When's the title decider between us and Everton?
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When's the title decider between us and Everton?
It never takes place. Sky don't allow it and the season is abandoned saving Manchester United from relegation.
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Think it'll be 7-9 but a few injuries and we could be 11-14.
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We are 'restricted' in Greece from getting the UK Betting Odds online.
Did I hear correctly that in the last 2/3 weeks Paddy Powers have reduced Villa's odds from 150/1 to 9/1 to finish in the top 6?
Cheers
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The bookie I use has us in to 10/1 for top 6, but that still puts us at 11th favourites in that market. Everton are one of 7 odds-on sides, then there's Leicester, Wolves and Leeds ahead of us. The book on relegation also has us upper bottom half were everyone to finish in odds order, but that's a bit of an improvement from being odds-on a few weeks back. We're still odds-against to finish in the top half.
The missus has a fiver each way on us to win the League, and I know that's come in from 1000/1 when she placed it to 125/1 now. Free money that, I reckon...
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Many thanks Lastfootstamper, money in the Bank. :)
I was listening to some Podcast and a rep from Paddy Powers was highly impressed with Villa's transfer market and recognised McGinn was back on form, Konsa emerging and Jack on fire etc.
Hell of a jump but you don't see many poor bookies!! :)
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Many thanks Lastfootstamper, money in the Bank. :)
I was listening to some Podcast and a rep from Paddy Powers was highly impressed with Villa's transfer market and recognised McGinn was back on form, Konsa emerging and Jack on fire etc.
Hell of a jump but you don't see many poor bookies!! :)
still 125/1, tho'
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12th I had at start of season but 9th I reckon now
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The lowest that a team has finished after beginning a top-flight English league season with 4 wins from 4 games is 15th. This has been done three times, including by Aston Villa in 1900/01.
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I think we’ve got a top 6 team but, at the moment, a 15th placed squad. I’m thinking 12th possibly 10th
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UTV indeed, Footy!
As a much more short-term gambler than you, I've got a lucky dip on tonight's lottery and a losing scratchcard. We're on the up!
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I think we need to have Wolves type luck with injuries, as obviously more of a drop off in quality for us compared to the top teams.
Nice to feel like we can beat anyone on our day though.
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I said 15th so will edge to the top of the range at 12th
A couple of decent reinforcements in Jan coupled with Wes and Heaton back (assuming both fully recover)
The key is midfield to avoid injuries and suspensions
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Win tomorrow, and we'll be 6 points clear of dropping out of the top 4, with a massively superior goal difference. I think we've seen we don't need to fear anybody, my only worry is that we don't really have much in the way of quality replacements for what is a very good first team. If we keep all the key players fit, I think we'll be top 6 with a realistic chance of top 4.
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Win tomorrow, and we'll be 6 points clear of dropping out of the top 4, with a massively superior goal difference. I think we've seen we don't need to fear anybody, my only worry is that we don't really have much in the way of quality replacements for what is a very good first team. If we keep all the key players fit, I think we'll be top 6 with a realistic chance of top 4.
Injuries and suspensions are inevitable, just hope that the injuries are not too frequent or severe.
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I predicted 13th at the start of the season. I’d probably still take it now in all honesty, but it would feel like a disappointment after this start of ours. We’ve smashed one of the best teams in the world and edged out a very good Leicester side in what I thought might be our come-uppance match. Dare to dream. A bit.
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Top half....will require about 20 points more than last year but think we are capable. Like most sides, a serious enough injury or two to any of our core players (McGinn, Jack, Luiz, Mings and Watkins) and we could struggle. With the fixture schedule (including internationals), I do think we are going to have to rotate players more.
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Win tomorrow, and we'll be 6 points clear of dropping out of the top 4, with a massively superior goal difference. I think we've seen we don't need to fear anybody, my only worry is that we don't really have much in the way of quality replacements for what is a very good first team. If we keep all the key players fit, I think we'll be top 6 with a realistic chance of top 4.
Although you're getting ahead of yourself on the date, I hope you're right about the outcome.
My concerns are exactly the same; maybe I have forgotten how poor we were last season but I was hoping for one or two additional good squad players to back up the great start. I guess January isn't so far away if we can keep it going.
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We'll be top ten at least, but we'll have a Gregory-style (1998?) collapse at some point and finish lower than we're promising right now.
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The lowest that a team has finished after beginning a top-flight English league season with 4 wins from 4 games is 15th. This has been done three times, including by Aston Villa in 1900/01.
Fun fact, Billy Garraty was in that Villa team.
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The lowest that a team has finished after beginning a top-flight English league season with 4 wins from 4 games is 15th. This has been done three times, including by Aston Villa in 1900/01.
Fun fact, Billy Garraty was in that Villa team.
His great great grandson has a family duty to improve that.
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Win tomorrow, and we'll be 6 points clear of dropping out of the top 4, with a massively superior goal difference. I think we've seen we don't need to fear anybody, my only worry is that we don't really have much in the way of quality replacements for what is a very good first team. If we keep all the key players fit, I think we'll be top 6 with a realistic chance of top 4.
Get the feeling January is going to be pretty interested if we can keep up this form for another 10 games.
Would imagine the owners will see this season as unique opportunity and sanction money for 2-3 more good players to come in even if one or two are loan deals.
That's something we didn't take full advantage of in some of the MON seasons when we were in top 4 mid season. Little spending in January and then our players who were playing every week due to little on the bench hit the wall physically around March while rivals used their squad far more and the results reflected this.
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We'll be top ten at least, but we'll have a Gregory-style (1998?) collapse at some point and finish lower than we're promising right now.
That was some collapse btw. Pretty sure we were top of the league still into early February. By final game we finished 6th and behind West Ham which was a bit embarrassing. 12 points off Leeds in 4th although think it was only top 3 who went into CL in those days.
08/09 next worst given how strong we were looking at the time. 3 wins from our final 15 league games.
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The lowest that a team has finished after beginning a top-flight English league season with 4 wins from 4 games is 15th. This has been done three times, including by Aston Villa in 1900/01.
Fun fact, Billy Garraty was in that Villa team.
His great great grandson has a family duty to improve that.
That's a great fact.
Was Garrity also a forward and skilled player like Jack ? It's hardly ever mentioned in any media coverage of matches just small mention his relative of a villa player
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He was in the Villa side which won the FA Cup in 1905 but Jack already has twice as many England caps.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Garraty?wprov=sfla1
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He was in the Villa side which won the FA Cup in 1905 but Jack already has twice as many England caps.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Garraty?wprov=sfla1
MOTM in that cup final too. (I had it in my head he’d captained us but that was the Prince of Full Backs himself. Not a FairPlay title Matty Cash will be earning after his ‘debagging’ antics. (Yes, we’ve been to nice etc, not disagreeing...)
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We'll be top ten at least, but we'll have a Gregory-style (1998?) collapse at some point and finish lower than we're promising right now.
That was some collapse btw. Pretty sure we were top of the league still into early February. By final game we finished 6th and behind West Ham which was a bit embarrassing. 12 points off Leeds in 4th although think it was only top 3 who went into CL in those days.
08/09 next worst given how strong we were looking at the time. 3 wins from our final 15 league games.
Think 4 teams did qualify for the Champions League then, as I have a feeling that Villa were the last team to finish 4th (in 1996) and not qualify for it.
We were also the last Runner-up not to qualify for it 🙄
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Win tomorrow, and we'll be 6 points clear of dropping out of the top 4, with a massively superior goal difference. I think we've seen we don't need to fear anybody, my only worry is that we don't really have much in the way of quality replacements for what is a very good first team. If we keep all the key players fit, I think we'll be top 6 with a realistic chance of top 4.
Yeah I think that’s it. The first 11 is really strong, but there’s a big drop off to most of the replacements.
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We'll be top ten at least, but we'll have a Gregory-style (1998?) collapse at some point and finish lower than we're promising right now.
That was some collapse btw. Pretty sure we were top of the league still into early February. By final game we finished 6th and behind West Ham which was a bit embarrassing. 12 points off Leeds in 4th although think it was only top 3 who went into CL in those days.
08/09 next worst given how strong we were looking at the time. 3 wins from our final 15 league games.
Think 4 teams did qualify for the Champions League then, as I have a feeling that Villa were the last team to finish 4th (in 1996) and not qualify for it.
We were also the last Runner-up not to qualify for it 🙄
A slight tangent, but weren't we also the first team that couldn't qualify for Europe via finishing runners-up in The Cup in 2015?
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Yeah, Hull qualified in exactly the same circumstances the year before.
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The lowest that a team has finished after beginning a top-flight English league season with 4 wins from 4 games is 15th. This has been done three times, including by Aston Villa in 1900/01.
If we beat Leeds we'll be one of only 12 sides to have won five (or more) of their first Premier League games. Of the other eight, Newcastle finished sixth (94/95), all the others top four.
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We'll be top ten at least, but we'll have a Gregory-style (1998?) collapse at some point and finish lower than we're promising right now.
That was some collapse btw. Pretty sure we were top of the league still into early February. By final game we finished 6th and behind West Ham which was a bit embarrassing. 12 points off Leeds in 4th although think it was only top 3 who went into CL in those days.
08/09 next worst given how strong we were looking at the time. 3 wins from our final 15 league games.
Think 4 teams did qualify for the Champions League then, as I have a feeling that Villa were the last team to finish 4th (in 1996) and not qualify for it.
We were also the last Runner-up not to qualify for it 🙄
Neither of these facts is true, last fourth placed team not to qualify was Tottenham in 2012, last runner-up not to qualify was Newcastle in 1996.
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Two turning points this season which affect our final position. One, not playing Man City first up, gave the newbies another week to settle in and had we lost, say 2-0, which most of us would have expected, suspect we wouldn't have approached the next game with the same attitude or confidence. Two, Martinez saving the pen. What would have happened last season if Heaton had saved that pen 16 seconds in? We will never know, but the save gave us so much confidence to press on.
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Sending off of Egan
Allison and Mane being out for Liverpool
Vardy injured for Leicester
We’ve had a fair bit of luck so far, long May it continue!!
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The lowest that a team has finished after beginning a top-flight English league season with 4 wins from 4 games is 15th. This has been done three times, including by Aston Villa in 1900/01.
If we beat Leeds we'll be one of only 12 sides to have won five (or more) of their first Premier League games. Of the other eight, Newcastle finished sixth (94/95), all the others top four.
That's a great stat!
I think I'm right in saying no team has won more than first 9 matches at start of a Prem season. Chelsea in 05/06
In Leicester Prem title winning season they had 8pts from first 4 matches and 11pts from first 5 matches
I also have seen that in last 10 season the average top Four finish: 71.3 points
With the lowest: 66pts Chelsea last season and Manchester City in 2015/16.
Last season Chelsea had 8pts from first 5 matches finishing 4th
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The lowest that a team has finished after beginning a top-flight English league season with 4 wins from 4 games is 15th. This has been done three times, including by Aston Villa in 1900/01.
If we beat Leeds we'll be one of only 12 sides to have won five (or more) of their first Premier League games. Of the other eight, Newcastle finished sixth (94/95), all the others top four.
Would probably settle for finishing 6th this season and then being runners-up next season to be fair
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I'll settle for top ten, as long as it's not a dramatic fall from grace....
I imagine results will bottom out and we'll start dropping points, which is expected obviously.
So a steady season of improvement and a top half finish would be fantastic.
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Sending off of Egan
Allison and Mane being out for Liverpool
Vardy injured for Leicester
We’ve had a fair bit of luck so far, long May it continue!!
Now Calvin Phillips plus their centre half
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I'll settle for top ten, as long as it's not a dramatic fall from grace....
I imagine results will bottom out and we'll start dropping points, which is expected obviously.
So a steady season of improvement and a top half finish would be fantastic.
Have you seen the 10 Villa fixtures up to Boxing day though?
6 at home 4 Away
Many winnable , no top 4 opposition. Only Arsenal and Wolves away as the most challenging of matches.
6 home matches all winnable Leeds, Soton, Brighton, Newcastle, Burnley and Palace on boxing Day.
Certainly could remain undefeated at home very least.
Can really consolidate a healthy 1st half season points tally just from home form
Away West Ham , WBA
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I'll settle for top ten, as long as it's not a dramatic fall from grace....
I imagine results will bottom out and we'll start dropping points, which is expected obviously.
So a steady season of improvement and a top half finish would be fantastic.
Have you seen the 10 Villa fixtures up to Boxing day though?
6 at home 4 Away
Many winnable , no top 4 opposition. Only Arsenal and Wolves away as the most challenging of matches.
6 home matches all winnable Leeds, Soton, Brighton, Newcastle, Burnley and Palace on boxing Day.
Certainly could remain undefeated at home very least.
Can really consolidate a healthy 1st half season points tally just from home form
Away West Ham , WBA
Sending off of Egan
Allison and Mane being out for Liverpool
Vardy injured for Leicester
We’ve had a fair bit of luck so far, long May it continue!!
And to add:
Man City: match postponed !!
Sheff Utd : Extra weeks prep/rest. Martinez penalty save no Targett sending off
Fulham: Bobby Decordova-Reid goal disallowed after a VAR mitrovic foul. Martinez only Blunder this season!
Liverpool: No Thiago to run the midfield and no penalty Vs McGinn on Salah
Leicester: No Vardy , Söyüncü, Ndidi.
Leeds: shorter turnaround for match having played Monday night and No Phillips. Defender to play out of position as midfieder.
And a fantastic run of fixtures till after boxing day.
Villa are 16/1 to be top at Xmas
16/1 at Xmas. That has to worth a punt as Covid could also temporarily halt games with up on top....?!
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I'll settle for top ten, as long as it's not a dramatic fall from grace....
I imagine results will bottom out and we'll start dropping points, which is expected obviously.
So a steady season of improvement and a top half finish would be fantastic.
Have you seen the 10 Villa fixtures up to Boxing day though?
6 at home 4 Away
Many winnable , no top 4 opposition. Only Arsenal and Wolves away as the most challenging of matches.
6 home matches all winnable Leeds, Soton, Brighton, Newcastle, Burnley and Palace on boxing Day.
Certainly could remain undefeated at home very least.
Can really consolidate a healthy 1st half season points tally just from home form
Away West Ham , WBA
Let's not get carried away.
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I'll settle for top ten, as long as it's not a dramatic fall from grace....
I imagine results will bottom out and we'll start dropping points, which is expected obviously.
So a steady season of improvement and a top half finish would be fantastic.
Have you seen the 10 Villa fixtures up to Boxing day though?
6 at home 4 Away
Many winnable , no top 4 opposition. Only Arsenal and Wolves away as the most challenging of matches.
6 home matches all winnable Leeds, Soton, Brighton, Newcastle, Burnley and Palace on boxing Day.
Certainly could remain undefeated at home very least.
Can really consolidate a healthy 1st half season points tally just from home form
Away West Ham , WBA
Sending off of Egan
Allison and Mane being out for Liverpool
Vardy injured for Leicester
We’ve had a fair bit of luck so far, long May it continue!!
And to add:
Man City: match postponed !!
Sheff Utd : Extra weeks prep/rest. Martinez penalty save no Targett sending off
Fulham: Bobby Decordova-Reid goal disallowed after a VAR mitrovic foul. Martinez only Blunder this season!
Liverpool: No Thiago to run the midfield and no penalty Vs McGinn on Salah
Leicester: No Vardy , Söyüncü, Ndidi.
Leeds: shorter turnaround for match having played Monday night and No Phillips. Defender to play out of position as midfieder.
And a fantastic run of fixtures till after boxing day.
Villa are 16/1 to be top at Xmas
16/1 at Xmas. That has to worth a punt as Covid could also temporarily halt games with up on top....?!
That is a very interesting point. I am very tempted.
I am not generally a betting person, although I did try to get some money on Villa to be promoted at 45/1 half wat through the Derby game. ****** internet.
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The lowest that a team has finished after beginning a top-flight English league season with 4 wins from 4 games is 15th. This has been done three times, including by Aston Villa in 1900/01.
If we beat Leeds we'll be one of only 12 sides to have won five (or more) of their first Premier League games. Of the other eight, Newcastle finished sixth (94/95), all the others top four.
That's a great stat!
I think I'm right in saying no team has won more than first 9 matches at start of a Prem season. Chelsea in 05/06
In Leicester Prem title winning season they had 8pts from first 4 matches and 11pts from first 5 matches
I also have seen that in last 10 season the average top Four finish: 71.3 points
With the lowest: 66pts Chelsea last season and Manchester City in 2015/16.
Last season Chelsea had 8pts from first 5 matches finishing 4th
So nothing startling at any point, at 1.6ppg they'd have finished on 61. Keeping out any one of Leicester's goals against them during the season would have then seen them finish above Leicester anyway. I think if we can avoid a lengthy barren run this side of Christmas and can add a couple of players in January where we can recruit from a position of strength, who knows what we can achieve. And I'd fkn love it if we're joined in our storm up the table by at least one of the other upstarts who don't know their place. I'd bear seeing wolves finish top three as long as it's below us.
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Yes, I'd love to see the panic if it was say, us, Everton and Wolves taking three of the four Champions League spots going into the New Year. The usual suspects would be holding all night Covid parties.
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The Big Three ;D
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I think, especially with Dean Smith as manager, we might have to get used to the idea that Villa are going to be a bit 'streaky', and so we can probably "look forward" to a long run of defeats later in the season.
As of such, I'm keeping my hopes from the start of the season:
Satisfied with: 13th-16th, finishing 6pts+ above 18th
Pretty good season: 9th-12th
Very good season:: 6th-8th -- I think we'd need to get lucky with (a lack of) injuries, but challenging for a Europa League spot, having been in a relegation battle for half of last season, would be an incredible achievement.
Anything above 6th ... that'd be dreamland.
Couldn't give a shit what Wolves or Albion do, they're irrelevant.
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The lowest that a team has finished after beginning a top-flight English league season with 4 wins from 4 games is 15th. This has been done three times, including by Aston Villa in 1900/01.
If we beat Leeds we'll be one of only 12 sides to have won five (or more) of their first Premier League games. Of the other eight, Newcastle finished sixth (94/95), all the others top four.
Yeah that was Newcastle being the real original pretenders until they turned up at Old Trafford and got totally spanked
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I think, especially with Dean Smith as manager, we might have to get used to the idea that Villa are going to be a bit 'streaky', and so we can probably "look forward" to a long run of defeats later in the season.
As of such, I'm keeping my hopes from the start of the season:
Satisfied with: 13th-16th, finishing 6pts+ above 18th
Pretty good season: 9th-12th
Very good season:: 6th-8th -- I think we'd need to get lucky with (a lack of) injuries, but challenging for a Europa League spot, having been in a relegation battle for half of last season, would be an incredible achievement.
Anything above 6th ... that'd be dreamland.
Couldn't give a shit what Wolves or Albion do, they're irrelevant.
Agree with this. Except I'd like to be more than six points ahead of 18th so we can enjoy the end of the season.
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Sending off of Egan
Allison and Mane being out for Liverpool
Vardy injured for Leicester
We’ve had a fair bit of luck so far, long May it continue!!
And to add:
Man City: match postponed !!
Sheff Utd : Extra weeks prep/rest. Martinez penalty save no Targett sending off
Fulham: Bobby Decordova-Reid goal disallowed after a VAR mitrovic foul. Martinez only Blunder this season!
Liverpool: No Thiago to run the midfield and no penalty Vs McGinn on Salah
Leicester: No Vardy , Söyüncü, Ndidi.
Leeds: shorter turnaround for match having played Monday night and No Phillips. Defender to play out of position as midfieder.
And a fantastic run of fixtures till after boxing day.
Villa are 16/1 to be top at Xmas
No Soyuncu probably did them a favour. He looked very slow against WHU. I was looking forward to Watkins being up against him.
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Have a listen to this. It makes a lot of sense when you look at last season, substitute Sheff Utd for Newcastle and then compare last year and this year.
https://url6.mailanyone.net/v1/?m=1kVXip-0006KJ-4n&i=57e1b682&c=bM9rasQklnM-qveksUPaXdABTfGnU9kAIhuv1fGLCAUoYhBGq1rXa5MS7euvsyNmT4EdkwsEnJsS0LyNRxSn74mGbXH3p67k_S-Y5U2V4mUCXa-jpgyNl0X8ymziL16dLTf0XJ8SDypZlJFJr3ulXxKWy9LXvz3D4-Hpjm-trPsWtM6aIm1SaQI0BDZIgQ6uGYPPs3POkqz0XtsYMtry6OEs-2F23dLbYCg-YXBwz4s
Looking at last season:
Club........ W D L GF GA Pts
Sheff U 14 12 12 39 39 54
A Villa 9 8 21 42 67 35
Looking at the two clubs and taking into account what the bloke says about Newcastle, you can see that Sheff Utd last season were almost a mirror image of Newcastle:
Their super tight defence compensated for being shot shy and consequently they over achieved.
This season (so far), their goals have dried up a bit, but the defence is struggling - hence wins become draws and draws turn into losses
In comparison, our defence is much improved and we're more varied and effective up front, so in terms of numbers, we've picked up at both ends of the pitch, resulting in extra points.
Early days yet, but the numbers are looking good.
Onwards and upwards!
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Cheers that’s a really good watch. Is it any wonder why Brentford continue to over perform whoever is the manager. And it feels like the hiring of Lange is very much in line with that analytical thinking.
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I hope Damo watched that video
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We'll be top ten at least, but we'll have a Gregory-style (1998?) collapse at some point and finish lower than we're promising right now.
That was some collapse btw. Pretty sure we were top of the league still into early February. By final game we finished 6th and behind West Ham which was a bit embarrassing. 12 points off Leeds in 4th although think it was only top 3 who went into CL in those days.
08/09 next worst given how strong we were looking at the time. 3 wins from our final 15 league games.
Think 4 teams did qualify for the Champions League then, as I have a feeling that Villa were the last team to finish 4th (in 1996) and not qualify for it.
We were also the last Runner-up not to qualify for it 🙄
Leeds were in Uefa cup the following season.
Just checked and 4 teams go into CL from 2001/02 season.
Good point on the FA cup though, we were unlucky in that respect although can you imagine our 2015/16 vintage in europe?! Would've probably lost to Total Network Solutions over two legs.
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Thanks goodness we never qualified. It might have affected our league form.
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Thanks goodness we never qualified. It might have affected our league form.
Joking aside. There were actually some decent players in that team. They may have gelled for a cup run, and carried the form into the league.
And maybe not.
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Thanks goodness we never qualified. It might have affected our league form.
Joking aside. There were actually some decent players in that team. They may have gelled for a cup run, and carried the form into the league.
And maybe not.
Not with that bellend in charge. Take your pick as to which of the three I'm referring to.
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Have a listen to this. It makes a lot of sense when you look at last season, substitute Sheff Utd for Newcastle and then compare last year and this year.
https://url6.mailanyone.net/v1/?m=1kVXip-0006KJ-4n&i=57e1b682&c=bM9rasQklnM-qveksUPaXdABTfGnU9kAIhuv1fGLCAUoYhBGq1rXa5MS7euvsyNmT4EdkwsEnJsS0LyNRxSn74mGbXH3p67k_S-Y5U2V4mUCXa-jpgyNl0X8ymziL16dLTf0XJ8SDypZlJFJr3ulXxKWy9LXvz3D4-Hpjm-trPsWtM6aIm1SaQI0BDZIgQ6uGYPPs3POkqz0XtsYMtry6OEs-2F23dLbYCg-YXBwz4s (https://url6.mailanyone.net/v1/?m=1kVXip-0006KJ-4n&i=57e1b682&c=bM9rasQklnM-qveksUPaXdABTfGnU9kAIhuv1fGLCAUoYhBGq1rXa5MS7euvsyNmT4EdkwsEnJsS0LyNRxSn74mGbXH3p67k_S-Y5U2V4mUCXa-jpgyNl0X8ymziL16dLTf0XJ8SDypZlJFJr3ulXxKWy9LXvz3D4-Hpjm-trPsWtM6aIm1SaQI0BDZIgQ6uGYPPs3POkqz0XtsYMtry6OEs-2F23dLbYCg-YXBwz4s)
...
Thanks for sharing - really good.
Question is: how is scoring differential (as opposed to goal difference) calculated?
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I reckon we will finish 13th or 14th but hope we keep our good run going and finish higher.
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Have a listen to this. It makes a lot of sense when you look at last season, substitute Sheff Utd for Newcastle and then compare last year and this year.
https://url6.mailanyone.net/v1/?m=1kVXip-0006KJ-4n&i=57e1b682&c=bM9rasQklnM-qveksUPaXdABTfGnU9kAIhuv1fGLCAUoYhBGq1rXa5MS7euvsyNmT4EdkwsEnJsS0LyNRxSn74mGbXH3p67k_S-Y5U2V4mUCXa-jpgyNl0X8ymziL16dLTf0XJ8SDypZlJFJr3ulXxKWy9LXvz3D4-Hpjm-trPsWtM6aIm1SaQI0BDZIgQ6uGYPPs3POkqz0XtsYMtry6OEs-2F23dLbYCg-YXBwz4s (https://url6.mailanyone.net/v1/?m=1kVXip-0006KJ-4n&i=57e1b682&c=bM9rasQklnM-qveksUPaXdABTfGnU9kAIhuv1fGLCAUoYhBGq1rXa5MS7euvsyNmT4EdkwsEnJsS0LyNRxSn74mGbXH3p67k_S-Y5U2V4mUCXa-jpgyNl0X8ymziL16dLTf0XJ8SDypZlJFJr3ulXxKWy9LXvz3D4-Hpjm-trPsWtM6aIm1SaQI0BDZIgQ6uGYPPs3POkqz0XtsYMtry6OEs-2F23dLbYCg-YXBwz4s)
...
Thanks for sharing - really good.
Question is: how is scoring differential (as opposed to goal difference) calculated?
Could some one clever do the sums for Aston Villa over the past two years and prove we really are on the up and that this is nothing to do with luck?
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I do remember Deano talking about the number of shots we had created compared to the opposition last season. Think it was after the Chelsea game.
He was saying that our chances of winning had gone up, as we had a higher differential, or something like that. So we must be looking at statistics like this
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The point in the Ted talk was that Newcastle were fucking jammy as shit in their wins over the course of the season and their GD after 38 games was only +5 whereas everyone else was +20 or more. And that Cisse converted 33% of his shots which never happens and even Messi was only 20%. And as it turned out Cisse turned into Scott Hogan the next season. They essentially tried to point out that the best bookies correlate what behaviour is repeatable and sustainable and what isn't. And that what Newcastle did over a full season (which they referred to as a small sample size) was lucky more than talent. So far I would say given our GD, efficiency, defensive stability, conversion rate of chances that ours is more sustainable than luck. But it's only 4 games
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Have a listen to this. It makes a lot of sense when you look at last season, substitute Sheff Utd for Newcastle and then compare last year and this year.
https://url6.mailanyone.net/v1/?m=1kVXip-0006KJ-4n&i=57e1b682&c=bM9rasQklnM-qveksUPaXdABTfGnU9kAIhuv1fGLCAUoYhBGq1rXa5MS7euvsyNmT4EdkwsEnJsS0LyNRxSn74mGbXH3p67k_S-Y5U2V4mUCXa-jpgyNl0X8ymziL16dLTf0XJ8SDypZlJFJr3ulXxKWy9LXvz3D4-Hpjm-trPsWtM6aIm1SaQI0BDZIgQ6uGYPPs3POkqz0XtsYMtry6OEs-2F23dLbYCg-YXBwz4s (https://url6.mailanyone.net/v1/?m=1kVXip-0006KJ-4n&i=57e1b682&c=bM9rasQklnM-qveksUPaXdABTfGnU9kAIhuv1fGLCAUoYhBGq1rXa5MS7euvsyNmT4EdkwsEnJsS0LyNRxSn74mGbXH3p67k_S-Y5U2V4mUCXa-jpgyNl0X8ymziL16dLTf0XJ8SDypZlJFJr3ulXxKWy9LXvz3D4-Hpjm-trPsWtM6aIm1SaQI0BDZIgQ6uGYPPs3POkqz0XtsYMtry6OEs-2F23dLbYCg-YXBwz4s)
...
Thanks for sharing - really good.
Question is: how is scoring differential (as opposed to goal difference) calculated?
Could some one clever do the sums for Aston Villa over the past two years and prove we really are on the up and that this is nothing to do with luck?
On the basis of last season, WBA and Fulham, and either us or Newcastle are going to be relegated.
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After tonight I think we might have to settle for 4th
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Finishing above Leeds will be a good season given what we saw tonight. They certainly aren't finishing in the bottom 6.
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14th.
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14th.
Bit harsh.
It's one bad game and premier league has shown already every single team is capable of this sort of defeat.
It's how you react that's the key. Wolves lost 4-0 at West Ham and have won the next two 1-0 so that's the sort of mentality you need to be a proper top half team in premier league.
Next week will tell us plenty if we're capable of that yet.
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Danny Ings will have watched that tonight and will be rubbing his hands.
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We've just got to show some bottle and grind up an ugly 1-0. Wolves actually done that, were abysmal at West Ham losing 4 nil and plenty thought they were in crisis and two 1-0 wins later they're right behind us again.
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After last night we might have to settle for only winning the title by 10-15 points rather than 20+.
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When did Leicester lose their first game in their PL winning season? That’s the barometer.
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Lost their seventh game 2-5 to Arsenal at home. Three draws and three wins
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Blimey we’ve got our work cut out then! The alternative way to look at it is we are probably only 25 points away from safety with 33 to okay. Less than a point a game. I would’ve taken that after five.
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Lost their seventh game 2-5 to Arsenal at home. Three draws and three wins
They actually didn't have that great a start to a season (for a title winning team). Even after beating us they only won 1 of their next 4 and overall 4 wins from their first 9 games so barring a disaster over next month we should do better than their start.
They then went on mass winning run from November onwards and didn't really stop.
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I’ve gone for 7-11 which I’d take gladly now, but just feel we’re an injury to Watkins&Grealish away from easily being the level below.
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Watching Everton's movement right now vs Southampton you can see that they are a few very signings ahead of us. And that over the course of ther season will apply to a number of sides who over a number of years have been buying just overall better players. I think as superb as our start has been it's inevitable we will fall back into mid table. We need to find a way to overcome defeats quickly, turn losing positions into points, maintain winning positions are at minimum not lose all 3. Things that we triggled to do last season. That would be progress. And then next summer build with 2 or 3 more Barkley level players, maybe even one Jack level to just improve the first XI and strengthen/deepen the options off the bench. So for me after 5 games I can see us finishing worst 11th, at best 7th, so I'll go for 9th this season.
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Watching Everton's movement right now vs Southampton you can see that they are a few very signings ahead of us. And that over the course of ther season will apply to a number of sides who over a number of years have been buying just overall better players. I think as superb as our start has been it's inevitable we will fall back into mid table. We need to find a way to overcome defeats quickly, turn losing positions into points, maintain winning positions are at minimum not lose all 3. Things that we triggled to do last season. That would be progress. And then next summer build with 2 or 3 more Barkley level players, maybe even one Jack level to just improve the first XI and strengthen/deepen the options off the bench. So for me after 5 games I can see us finishing worst 11th, at best 7th, so I'll go for 9th this season.
I agree with pretty much all of that, but would be a bit more pessimistic on finishing position. I would say most likely is 10th-12th or so. Think the self-styled big 6, Everton, Leicester, Wolves, possibly West Ham, possibly Southampton and annoyingly possibly Leeds have a bit more depth than us. With a favourable run of form and injuries we could get top 8 maybe but that would be a very good outcome.
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Watching Everton's movement right now vs Southampton you can see that they are a few very signings ahead of us. And that over the course of ther season will apply to a number of sides who over a number of years have been buying just overall better players. I think as superb as our start has been it's inevitable we will fall back into mid table. We need to find a way to overcome defeats quickly, turn losing positions into points, maintain winning positions are at minimum not lose all 3. Things that we triggled to do last season. That would be progress. And then next summer build with 2 or 3 more Barkley level players, maybe even one Jack level to just improve the first XI and strengthen/deepen the options off the bench. So for me after 5 games I can see us finishing worst 11th, at best 7th, so I'll go for 9th this season.
Even a squad stacked like Everton struggles when they get injuries, the young kid at RB has been mullered this half with Coleman out.
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I think Leeds will slip back as they usually do in the second half of the season. But going forward they also will become stronger and deeper and buy players for the entire campaign that allow them to keep their energy level high and maintain that style. And they need to keep Bielsa obviously who I can see ending up at Barcelona. I reckon they will finish just behind us.
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Watching Everton's movement right now vs Southampton you can see that they are a few very signings ahead of us. And that over the course of ther season will apply to a number of sides who over a number of years have been buying just overall better players. I think as superb as our start has been it's inevitable we will fall back into mid table. We need to find a way to overcome defeats quickly, turn losing positions into points, maintain winning positions are at minimum not lose all 3. Things that we triggled to do last season. That would be progress. And then next summer build with 2 or 3 more Barkley level players, maybe even one Jack level to just improve the first XI and strengthen/deepen the options off the bench. So for me after 5 games I can see us finishing worst 11th, at best 7th, so I'll go for 9th this season.
Even a squad stacked like Everton struggles when they get injuries, the young kid at RB has been mullered this half with Coleman out.
No doubt. That why I think the much deeper squads will prevail. What is also very different this season is just how compressed and taxing cup competitions will be especially for those in Europe. Even the big squads will be tested so it might allow for a more even league campaign or as we have seen a number of very unlikely results every week.
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Well I’ve plotted our way to 46 points from our current position which I would be very happy with.
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Given we seem to be going along the win one lose one, sort of season, we’re looking at averaging around 1.5 points a game, which would give us 57ish.
57 would be enough to see us 7th or 8th over the last 4 seasons
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Given we seem to be going along the win one lose one, sort of season, we’re looking at averaging around 1.5 points a game, which would give us 57ish.
57 would be enough to see us 7th or 8th over the last 4 seasons
A meagre 8 points on top of that would give us our best haul since finishing runners-up under BFR.
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I love the way the villa players and Deano are learning from mistakes in previous matches. You can see the gradual improvement.
Against Brighton, Traore didn't track back and an unmarked March got Brighton's winner. Boss shows him the video, then against WBA his tracking back was fantastic.
Last season against 10 men, Luiz dropped back to collect the ball from our defenders. Waste of an extra man. Against WBA, our defenders made the passes and Luiz moved higher up the field. We took advantage of that extra man.
Against WBA, on a number of occasions Targett ended up just outside their penalty box in a central position. This gave Jack and El Ghazi more space to do their trickery down the left and also forced a WBA defender from the goal mouth area. Good thinking.
Mings is releasing the ball faster and when possible McGinn is starting to get into shooting positions again. There are many more examples of this team learning.
At the moment, we are playing fantastic football, very willing to learn and our back up players are stepping up to the plate. We should fear no one in this league and I mean no one. Not even the mighty Liverpool. :)
In this unusual season, I see no reason why we should not set the top 6 as our target. Wouldn't be surprised if our owners are thinking the same.
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We're only five away games from staying up.
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We're only five away games from staying up.
Is exactly the way I’m thinking!
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Given we seem to be going along the win one lose one, sort of season, we’re looking at averaging around 1.5 points a game, which would give us 57ish.
57 would be enough to see us 7th or 8th over the last 4 seasons
After 12 games we're actually currently on more points than all 3 seasons when we finished 6th under MON.
We can certainly finish top half although still more likely in 8th-10th range than anything above that but we'd certainly have all taken that as amazing season in August.
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I've gone from `14th to top half , to top 8 finish. Won't be easy but we can only convert another 5% of our chances.
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1.
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Simply has to be somewhere in the top half.
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30 points from 25 games would probably put us top half. 35 Top 8 and 40 Top 6.
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1 win from last seasons tally. Ridiculous.
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Be disappointed if we don't finish at least top.
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Liverpool are currently clear at the top having lost only one game all season.
We absolutely put them to the sword.
I'm not saying we're the best team in the league but we're certainly in the top one.
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Hoping for 12th but would settle for 16th.
Currently awaiting VAR review.
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Got to say gave a difficult last month to the season
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After 12 games we're actually currently on more points than all 3 seasons when we finished 6th under MON.
From memory, we always used to be in the hunt for the CL places until the last 10 or so games back then, without really troubling the leaders. After such a positive start it would be great to avoid the kind of slump that we have experienced at some point in each of DS’s previous seasons. I don’t think we are in a false position right now, because we look so accomplished, although having the games in hand makes it a bit difficult to tell.
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Let's just remember that we would have been selling our first-born for tenth place at the start of the season and not get too upset if that's where we finish.
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Simply finishing in the top half would be a great sign of progress but by the week I’m increasingly convinced this group is capable of more.
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I'm absolutely not getting carried away with this team but let's not forget that no one expected Leicester to win the league...
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We’ll certainly have a better idea of where we are going to finish after the next four games; Chelsea, Man U, Spurs and Everton. I agree that top half would be an encouraging improvement on last season, and I certainly wouldn’t be disappointed with that. Whilst I hope we avoid a slump, I appreciate that it’s pretty impossible to perform as well as we have over a whole season - Leeds being arguably the only poor showing so far. It’s just great to be looking up rather than down.
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Let's just remember that we would have been selling our first-born for tenth place at the start of the season and not get too upset if that's where we finish.
And if we did, that would be our best Premier League finish since 2011.
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Liverpool are currently clear at the top having lost only one game all season.
We absolutely put them to the sword.
I'm not saying we're the best team in the league but we're certainly in the top one.
Nah Bielsa United are better than us. In fact they are better than everyone.
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I think it would be disappointing if we didn't finish in the top half given how we've done up to this point.
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The pessimist in me is still hoping for 4 more wins so I can relax about getting dragged down into the mix.
I'm not sure about selling our first born but those of us with 3 or more kids and a mix of boys and girls might be thinking they can spare one.
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After 12 games we're actually currently on more points than all 3 seasons when we finished 6th under MON.
From memory, we always used to be in the hunt for the CL places until the last 10 or so games back then, without really troubling the leaders. After such a positive start it would be great to avoid the kind of slump that we have experienced at some point in each of DS’s previous seasons. I don’t think we are in a false position right now, because we look so accomplished, although having the games in hand makes it a bit difficult to tell.
We're top 8 standard imo. Southampton done well also but I think we've got a stronger 11 compared to them although it's close and they always do a number on us when we play them.
Certainly should be finishing above likes of them and West Ham who have reverted to type since their flukey win v us. If we do that I'm confident that will be enough for 8th, perhaps even 7th if Everton stop winning but they're a bit stronger with a top level manager who knows how to manage a run in.
All very exciting. No idea why anyone would find a relegation scrap more exciting than this as large chunks of last season were horrendous viewing with little hope bar a good Grealish goal.
Some of the championship seasons were fun aswell but this is where Aston Villa should be.
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After 12 games we're actually currently on more points than all 3 seasons when we finished 6th under MON.
From memory, we always used to be in the hunt for the CL places until the last 10 or so games back then, without really troubling the leaders. After such a positive start it would be great to avoid the kind of slump that we have experienced at some point in each of DS’s previous seasons. I don’t think we are in a false position right now, because we look so accomplished, although having the games in hand makes it a bit difficult to tell.
We're top 8 standard imo. Southampton done well also but I think we've got a stronger 11 compared to them although it's close and they always do a number on us when we play them.
Certainly should be finishing above likes of them and West Ham who have reverted to type since their flukey win v us. If we do that I'm confident that will be enough for 8th, perhaps even 7th if Everton stop winning but they're a bit stronger with a top level manager who knows how to manage a run in.
All very exciting. No idea why anyone would find a relegation scrap more exciting than this as large chunks of last season were horrendous viewing with little hope bar a good Grealish goal.
Some of the championship seasons were fun aswell but this is where Aston Villa should be.
I think the good thing is, that the top 11-12 as it stands are all pretty competative. It might just be that there won't be a runaway group in the top 6. It's quite open, and if it stays that way it'll be exciting come the run in. We're right in it too. Hopefully we maintain it. In terms of the bottom end, it will probably be the bottom two going down. It looks done and dusted. But there will be a scrap for 6-7 sides to avoid that last place. I don't feel like there'll be a long stretch with a sagging middle where no one has much to play for.
And indeed, not being in a relegation scrap is heaven.
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We're top 8 standard imo. Southampton done well also but I think we've got a stronger 11 compared to them although it's close and they always do a number on us when we play them.
Now think we may well finish top half and the fact that even the pessimists amongst us will want Palace to beat Leicester today suggest most of us are leaning that way. The question is, would we be better off long term in 8-10th this year rather than 5-7th (and extra EL/ECL games) assuming we don't make top 4/CL?
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We're top 8 standard imo. Southampton done well also but I think we've got a stronger 11 compared to them although it's close and they always do a number on us when we play them.
Now think we may well finish top half and the fact that even the pessimists amongst us will want Palace to beat Leicester today suggest most of us are leaning that way. The question is, would we be better off long term in 8-10th this year rather than 5-7th (and extra EL/ECL games) assuming we don't make top 4/CL?
We were one game from making europa last season and that certainly would've been a bit too early. Doubt we'd have anything like the season we had with six extra games squeezed in to the schedule.
Ultimately if we want to continue keeping Jack and likes of Luiz for a few more years then european football is a must soon I think so why not this year.
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Start of the season idve been more than happy with 10 points above relegation.
How things are progressing this season now 8th/9th/10th would be respectable.
Qualifying for Euro would be too much to soon I think.
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Start of the season idve been more than happy with 10 points above relegation.
How things are progressing this season now 8th/9th/10th would be respectable.
Qualifying for Euro would be too much to soon I think.
Maybe this will be the pattern going forward:
18/19 - New owners, new management - Villa get promoted ahead of schedule and left with a very thin squad.
19/20 - Villa struggle in the premier and barely survive. Defeat to Man City in the league cup final causes pundits to reflect on state of football
20/21 - Massive improvement and qualify for Europe ahead of schedule
21/22 - Rigours of Europe take their toll and Villa go backwards in the league. Average run to last 32 of Europa causes pundits to reflect on state of football.
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I don't think Europe will help us except stop the daily stories about Jack flying off to Dippers land