Midseason Review

[MarkM]

As we are just over half way through the season, and with all the discussions around the manager and direction of the club, I thought it might be worthwhile having a midseason review.

This will only relate to the League games played thus far.

Games Played: 20
Won: 5
Drawn: 8
Lost: 7

Points: 23

Points won at home: 11
Average points per home game: 1.1

Points won away: 12
Average points per away game: 1.2

Average points won per game home and away:   1.15

Goals scored at home: 11 average of 1.1 per game
Goals conceded at home: 13 average of 1.3 per game

Goals scored away: 11 average of 1.1 per game
Goals conceded away: 13 average of 1.3 per game

A question that needs to be asked is: are we improving?

Points for the first 10 games: 12
Points for the last 10 games: 11
Points for the last 5 games: 4

Points for the last 5 home games:  3 [none in the last four]
Points for the last 5 away games:  8

If things continue in the second half as they have in first half of the season, [the evidence does not show that there will be much of a change] then we can expect to finish on about 44 points.

This points total should [emphasising’ should’] keep us up. However as we know the clubs at the bottom can be expected to be scrapping for their lives, and we have to ask ourselves does AVFC under the current leadership have the fight and desire to fight as hard?

Please feel free to correct any of my maths!!

[Concrete John]

The last 5 games thing is a bit misleading considering who we've played in that run.

Other than that, it's pretty much as you'd expect.  A samll improvement could see us comfortably in the top half and a small dip in form could see us dangerously close to the relegation places.  Thus is the lot in life of a mid table side. 

[LeeB]

Your maths is good, it's your politics I'm concerned about

As it is, I think our results will be better over the second half of the season than the first, and we'll finish on over 50 points.

[OzVilla]

Started solidly enough which I can understand as AM couldn't afford to lose many. 

However, we don't create anywhere near enough chances and thus don't score enough goals. 

We don't seem to know what our best team is or what is our best system is for that team, whatever it is.  It's said that 'Good teams pick themselves' so I suppose that says it all.

We cannot seem to defend routine set pieces and our early season defensive improvments have largely reverted back to the good old days under GH.  This is the most surprising aspect of our play under AM.

On the plus side AM has got Gabby playing in a far better position for us and I think Ireland is starting to look like he's interested at last. We show flashes of having something that can be built on if we iron out the defensive frailties buy buying another Centre Back - one of real quality.

My worry is if we get dragged into a real relegation battle we'll struggle to survive as we have few natural leaders and a Manager that has a track record of failing to get out of them.

Also, we cannot afford to sell Darren Bent.

Overall a C - from me.

[steffo]

What will be worrying is if we get some injuries all at once. Take our defence early March last season. Bolton away: Walker, Young, Clark & Baker. Then Wolves at home: Walker, Cuellar, Herd & Baker.

[not3bad]

Pretty nasty first half of the season - for the me the least enjoyable since 2005/06.  However the green shoots of recovery can be seen (if you look hard).  Think we will improve marginally in the second half but will not make 50 points.  12th - 15th place awaits.

[Dave]

No better or worse than I was expecting.

[Legion]

Could do better.

[Concrete John]

That pretty much covers it.

[PaulWinch again]

As expected, underwhelming.

[SheffieldVillain]

Started solidly enough which I can understand as AM couldn't afford to lose many. 

However, we don't create anywhere near enough chances and thus don't score enough goals. 

We don't seem to know what our best team is or what is our best system is for that team, whatever it is.  It's said that 'Good teams pick themselves' so I suppose that says it all.

We cannot seem to defend routine set pieces and our early season defensive improvments have largely reverted back to the good old days under GH.  This is the most surprising aspect of our play under AM.

On the plus side AM has got Gabby playing in a far better position for us and I think Ireland is starting to look like he's interested at last. We show flashes of having something that can be built on if we iron out the defensive frailties buy buying another Centre Back - one of real quality.

My worry is if we get dragged into a real relegation battle we'll struggle to survive as we have few natural leaders and a Manager that has a track record of failing to get out of them.

Also, we cannot afford to sell Darren Bent.

Overall a C - from me.

Agree with all of that. Another plus I'd add is Shay Given, who I think was a great signing, and to be fair Brad Guzan, who hasn't done a lot wrong while filling in for him.

Hopes for the second half of the season
- Clark stays in the team.
- We sell at least one of Dunne or Collins.
- Cuellar signs a new contract and is given a decent run in the team in his proper position.
- Enda Stevens turns out to be a gem and displaces Warnock who disappears never to be seen again.
- The end of Heskey as a Villa player.
- We find a way to accomodate both Gabby and Bent.

[N'ZMAV]

Very uninspiring, limited direction, very inconsistant, lack of flair. 5/10

[taylorsworkrate]

Yep, exactly as expected.

Dull and uninspiring for the majority.

On occasions atrocious, other occasions good.

The Swansea game aside, there have been some promising points of recent. The recent excellent form of Stephen Ireland being the most important of these.

[The Left Side]

Lots of room for improvement.

[old man villa fan]

Yep, exactly as expected.

Dull and uninspiring for the majority.

On occasions atrocious, other occasions good.

My thoughts too.

The way we picked up in the 2nd half of last season we should not be in the position we are now but as stated above, exactly as expected.