Manchester City v Aston Villa Post-Match Thread

[Chris Smith]

I saw a lad in Martley (Worcs) in a Reading shirt this morning. It's neither here nor there to this debate but DB's pst just reminded me of it.

[pauliewalnuts]

I don't really know how anyone thinks yesterday is a valid result to have a go at McLeish over. If we lose next weekend, yes, those are the matches we should be winning, but not what is the second toughest away trip of the season. The measure of McLeish is not what we did yesterday, it will be how he lifts usfor  next weekend.

As for not challenging the top four, *of course* we are not going to.

The club have made it quite clear we have to become self sufficient. The last time they told us was at the SCG meeting.

Some of us seem to be walking around with our fingers in our ears, refusing to listen, refusing to face facts.

We are being set up to coast along, under our own steam. How anyone thinks you can challenge under those conditions is beyond me.

[old man villa fan]

Until yesterday we've been strong defensively and the argument about us not playing anyone doesn't really hold water as anyone coukd score against us last season.

But we still finished 9th with 48 points.  At our current rate of points per game, we would only just exceed last season's points.

I will say it again, we have had an easy start to the season and we only have 11 points.  This concerns me greatly.

We have been strong defensively you say but at the expense of an attacking side to the game.  At least last season there were times when we played some good football and won with attacking play.

The one good thing this season is that we have not been hit with the appalling injuries we had in the first half of last season.

The improvement with the defence could be put down to many things:
Weaker opposition
More settled team
Players being in the right frame of mind and of the required fitness at the start of the season
More professional attitude
A better goalkeeper
etc etc.

Only time will tell.

[Villanation]

The time to be concerned is not losing to Man City, its when we play a team like WBA and lose, then is the time to go super analytical mode.

So far we have been holding our own versus the lesser sides, so we have set our stall out there, in that we are rightly placed in the Premiership with perhaps a view to up our position to maybe 7th or 8th at the final, yesterday was a good test, it screams one thing, we can't compete at that level and that's that, and we struggle to defend against quality but this point we should be able to improve on.

[Chris Smith]

But that's a different argument, omvf. We finished last season well but were dreadful up until January. This season we're doing the basics right. There are plenty of valid criticisms but a lack of fight isn't one of them. Getting Bent more involved, the right balance in centre mid, the struggle of N'Zogbia to find any form and the decline of Marc Albrighton are more pressing concerns.

I was encouraged by the second half at Loftus Road and the Wigan game and even the first half yesterday. I think we're a comfortably a mid table side and if we get the things above sorted perhaps a bit higher. As Paulie says, that's where the club are choosing to operate at present, expecting anything else is both unfair and unrealistic.

[Villanation]

But that's a different argument, omvf. We finished last season well but were dreadful up until January. This season we're doing the basics right. There are plenty of valid criticisms but a lack of fight isn't one of them. Getting Bent more involved, the right balance in centre mid, the struggle of N'Zogbia to find any form and the decline of Marc Albrighton are more pressing concerns.

I was encouraged by the second half at Loftus Road and the Wigan game and even the first half yesterday. I think we're a comfortably a mid table side and if we get the things above sorted perhaps a bit higher. As Paulie says, that's where the club are choosing to operate at present, expecting anything else is both unfair and unrealistic.

Well this say's one thing, we've got a good 45 in us.....

[pauliewalnuts]

The time to be concerned is not losing to Man City, its when we play a team like WBA and lose, then is the time to go super analytical mode.

So far we have been holding our own versus the lesser sides, so we have set our stall out there, in that we are rightly placed in the Premiership with perhaps a view to up our position to maybe 7th or 8th at the final, yesterday was a good test, it screams one thing, we can't compete at that level and that's that, and we struggle to defend against quality but this point we should be able to improve on.

That's pretty much it.

[pauliewalnuts]

I was just wondering, where is the continuity in planning in spending somewhere between 18 and 24 million pounds on one player in January and then throwing ourselves at self sufficiency so whole heartedly a few months later.

Lots of things about Villa in recent months make no sense at all.

[Chris Smith]

But that's a different argument, omvf. We finished last season well but were dreadful up until January. This season we're doing the basics right. There are plenty of valid criticisms but a lack of fight isn't one of them. Getting Bent more involved, the right balance in centre mid, the struggle of N'Zogbia to find any form and the decline of Marc Albrighton are more pressing concerns.

I was encouraged by the second half at Loftus Road and the Wigan game and even the first half yesterday. I think we're a comfortably a mid table side and if we get the things above sorted perhaps a bit higher. As Paulie says, that's where the club are choosing to operate at present, expecting anything else is both unfair and unrealistic.

Well this say's one thing, we've got a good 45 in us.....

The stars on 45 keep on turning in your mind...

[MarkM]

The trouble is, with the cost of watching football increasing all the time...

Ticket: £20-£45
Travel (fuel, fares, parking): £20
Food/drink: £10+
Other: £10

This gives a total of between £65 and £85 per game x 19 games = £1,235 to £1,615 per person (not including cup games)

This is a large cost especially in the current climate.

Couple that with uninspiring performances, the likely hood of finishing 8th - 10th and a very small chance of a cup win will only mean one thing...

Lower attendance, worse finances and the club stagnating further.

Some keep saying we cant use this result to judge us by and to wait till we play teams like the baggies, the problem is we already have (Wigan, Backburn, QPR) and we have not exactly been inspiring.

I am very concerned about the club and it's direction

[Villanation]

The one thing that does concern me is Darren Bent, it is without question he is one of the best goalscorers in the Premiership, a natural goal poacher, did more than is fair share to keep us up for the business end of last season.

So where is he now, thus far we have been playing mostly average sides this season and he just hasn't figured, its against these sides you would think he would be doing it for fun and on auto.

[Villanation]

The trouble is, with the cost of watching football increasing all the time...

Ticket: £20-£45
Travel (fuel, fares, parking): £20
Food/drink: £10+
Other: £10

This gives a total of between £65 and £85 per game x 19 games = £1,235 to £1,615 per person (not including cup games)

This is a large cost especially in the current climate.

Couple that with uninspiring performances, the likely hood of finishing 8th - 10th and a very small chance of a cup win will only mean one thing...

Lower attendance, worse finances and the club stagnating further.

Some keep saying we cant use this result to judge us by and to wait till we play teams like the baggies, the problem is we already have (Wigan, Backburn, QPR) and we have not exactly been inspiring.

I am very concerned about the club and it's direction

Personally I think its scary...

[Lobsterboy]

I am very concerned about the club and it's direction

Substitute 'the club' with 'football' and you are on the money...

[DB]

The trouble is, with the cost of watching football increasing all the time...

Ticket: £20-£45
Travel (fuel, fares, parking): £20
Food/drink: £10+
Other: £10

This gives a total of between £65 and £85 per game x 19 games = £1,235 to £1,615 per person (not including cup games)

This is a large cost especially in the current climate.

Couple that with uninspiring performances, the likely hood of finishing 8th - 10th and a very small chance of a cup win will only mean one thing...

Lower attendance, worse finances and the club stagnating further.

Some keep saying we cant use this result to judge us by and to wait till we play teams like the baggies, the problem is we already have (Wigan, Backburn, QPR) and we have not exactly been inspiring.

I am very concerned about the club and it's direction

Personally I think its scary...

I was called by the club last week to see if I wanted a 1/2 season ticket as I didn't renew this season after 18yrs. It's not bad, 250 quid in lower Holte for 10 games, 11 if I order before Nov 5th and get the Norwich game as a bonus. However, the point above is a valid one....we have no chance of competeing with the top 5, due to the finances that clubs like Citeh, Chelsea can boast, it's like buying a lottery ticket knowing all you can win is a 100 quid.

[old man villa fan]

The one thing that does concern me is Darren Bent, it is without question he is one of the best goalscorers in the Premiership, a natural goal poacher, did more than is fair share to keep us up for the business end of last season.

So where is he now, thus far we have been playing mostly average sides this season and he just hasn't figured, its against these sides you would think he would be doing it for fun and on auto.

Go back and look at where Bent's assists came from last season.  You could have the best striker in the world but if he is not getting the service he will not score goals.  Perhaps not quite true as Messi doesn't seem to need help from anybody.