How safe are we?

[Shrek]

Whatever happens, Gabby, Bent and all the young lads will off. We have no ambition and are heading nowhere.

[TonyD]

Teams that go down tend to be either those in the bottom 3 pretty much all season or those that go into a terminal nose dive from lower mid table after christmas.   I worry that we are in the latter camp.

[Walmley_Villa]

The Noses love this picture...........

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/41/hahaur.jpg/

[Stu]

The Noses love this picture...........

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/41/hahaur.jpg/

I still find it bizarre seeing him wearing Villa colours.

[Vanilla]

Given that McLeish has basically thrown the towel in against the top teams, that's 12 defeats anticipated already. He is therefore gambling on 40 points from the remaining 26 games - or, as we are now, 21 points from 14 games.

You would hope there is enough in the side to do that but he'll need most of those points by the end of March.

Utterly depressing the way we have to think now.

When this point was made after the Spuds game, many posters did state that the result wasn't that bad as we are playing a top 4/5/6 team, at their place, who are chasing a CL spot. Perhaps fans will now realise that the managers approach to the season is: Beat the bottom 5, and that should keep us in the league.

The problems will increase when this mindset starts seeping into forthcoming seasons, when fighting off relegation then becomes the seasonal aim.

[Villafirst]

Go down, we are after Europe according to the CEO!

Yeah? ....and just think what we could achieve if ''our Manager was backed'' - quote Gen Krulak! Our Directors and CEO are completely deluded.

[Concrete John]

The problems will increase when this mindset starts seeping into forthcoming seasons, when fighting off relegation then becomes the seasonal aim.

That's a genuine concern of mine aswell.  Games like yesterday sap the confidence and I'm not convinced Mcleish has it in him to get them goinf again when a winnable game comes up.

[Stu]

Games like yesterday sap the confidence and I'm not convinced Mcleish has it in him to get them goinf again when a winnable game comes up.

We all know that he doesn't. He came with a pedigree of relegations. Couple that with a stop on spending and selling all of your best players and there's only eventually going to be one outcome.

[London Villan]

Losing to Bristol Rovers won't help the mood either...

[not3bad]

The problems will increase when this mindset starts seeping into forthcoming seasons, when fighting off relegation then becomes the seasonal aim.

That's a genuine concern of mine aswell.  Games like yesterday sap the confidence and I'm not convinced Mcleish has it in him to get them goinf again when a winnable game comes up.

He managed to get them going for the Bolton game I guess.

[Chris Smith]

The problems will increase when this mindset starts seeping into forthcoming seasons, when fighting off relegation then becomes the seasonal aim.

That's a genuine concern of mine aswell.  Games like yesterday sap the confidence and I'm not convinced Mcleish has it in him to get them goinf again when a winnable game comes up.

I think we have a confidence issue against the top 6 but other than they seem able to perform so  I'm not sure this will make much difference.

My worry is the squad depth, we are getting down to bare bones and we need a couple of additions in January to bolster things.

[Concrete John]

The problems will increase when this mindset starts seeping into forthcoming seasons, when fighting off relegation then becomes the seasonal aim.

That's a genuine concern of mine aswell.  Games like yesterday sap the confidence and I'm not convinced Mcleish has it in him to get them goinf again when a winnable game comes up.

He managed to get them going for the Bolton game I guess.

I was thinking that as I wrote that post, but in truth I think the fact that game was away would have helped.  I can see Villa Park becoming a very uncomfortable place for the manager and players as the season progresses.

[SO Villa]

However bad things are, McLeish won't take us down. Unfortunately, if he goes, I wouldn't rule out Faulkner/Lerner appointing somebody so utterly inept that we would be relegated.

[not3bad]

I can see Villa Park becoming a very uncomfortable place for the manager and players as the season progresses.

Yeah, we need to revive those "Get behind the team" campaigns that were running towards the end of last season.  Hoping we'll lose to spite the manager is not a good idea.

[JUAN PABLO]

The prem has more shite teams in it than its had in a long time . Theres like 6 good ones , 2 average ones and 11 shite ones  , we are in the shite ones .

But I cant see Bolton going on a great run or Blackburn , then there is Wigan and the like of Wolves , QPR and Swansea who will find it harder as the season goes on . 

so we will survive , just , but blimey how depressing its becoming .