Is Villa Park part of the problem?

[rob_bridge]

Our home fans are very passive (other than the obvious parts of the Holte End). Think the safe standing would help.

Now I am going to be controversial - singing 'Shit on the City' does not, has not and will never help our team on the pitch. It is a distasteful song which is misinterpreted by many opposing fans and those who sing it are as small minded as the Neanderthals 5km or so away. Yes they are.

Singing 'In the Bar' about the greatest player I ever seen in a Villa shirt constant battle with alcoholism does not, has not and will never ever help our team on the pitch. It could be modified slightly without reference to alcohol and could be a great song.

Singling out specific players for harsh treatment does not help - I remember Alan Wright (a solid journeyman) getting berated one season whilst Star Signing Stan Collymore was lauded for his non performances which made Wright's contribution look ok. Even Ireland who I hold in utter contempt would never be booed by myself during a game.

Booing prior to final whistle. Tom Ross used to bang on about this (he may still do I don't listen to him) so even a broken clock is right twice a day. Do it at the end of the match by all means not during or even before.

Finally the whole Stan thing. Yep we support him, yep we are 'great' for doing it but at the end the day he is well, very well looked after as is his family and I hope he continues to gets better. He is a multi million pound footballer with the best Healthcare so is in good hands.
On the pitch we have missed him the last year.  But please stop this Dianaesque tribute to him every game - he knows we are compassionate but I think at the moment it reinforces to the current crop an unfulfilled gap in the squad. It doesn't help.

Villa Park is a Great Football Stadium (previously Ground) - it always has been, it always will be. Even our nearest and not so dearest neighbours from Small Heath, Sandwell and Wolverhampton would readily admit that. Most fans I have known of other teams and outside the West Midlands be they Spurs, Hammers, Liverpool, Sheffiled clubs etc.. concur almost to a person.

We need to make it a pro Villa fortress again.  Not anti others.

[rob_bridge]

Our home record has been poor for years. We have only won over 10 home games in a season twice in the last 10 years. That is a terrible stat.

Jeeps that is terrible

[London Villan]

Posted a few weeks ago...

Season, wins and ave attendance

11/12 4 wins 33873
10/11 8 wins 37194
09/10 8 wins 38573
08/09 7 wins 39812
07/08 10 wins 40029
06/07 7 wins 36214
05/06 6 wins 34112
04/05 8 wins 37354
03/04 9 wins 36622
02/03 11 wins 34975

[not3bad]

There's a collective tension from both team and crowd at Villa Park now. We're all under a cloud.

[Des Little]

We need to make the place as nasty and hostile as we can. It's not nearly as horrible for away teams as it should be.

[rob_bridge]

We need to make the place as nasty and hostile as we can. It's not nearly as horrible for away teams as it should be.

Let's make it good for our team first and then sort out the away teams. At the moment it is neither.

I remember a game way way back in 1995 and we played Arsenal and we sung Boring boring Arsenal to them as they passed it between their back 5 and their fans cheers and clapped us in an ironic manner. Platt them scored for them. And there was a constant repetiiton of Brian Little's Claret and Blue army for 10-15 mins - the Holte End in full voice - I was sitting in the recently refurbished Lower Witton Lane near the Gunners and the noise was brilliant.

Yorkie promptly equalised.

[olaftab]

I can not remember a season since 95/96 where we have been dominate at home. Even the 3 6th place fishes  under O'Nail were based on lot of away wins with home games mostly draws. (i await someone with stats to put me right?)
So may be VP is a problem.

[Mister E]

With one of the widest pitches in the EPL we probably should be making more use of wingers at home, even if as an early substitution tactic.
but it's been a problem for several seasons.

[eastie]

We have been a better team away in recent years , we seem to struggle badly at home and this should not be the case .
It should be a fortress like goodison but we seem to get turned over far too easily.

[Doorbell]

Our home fans are very passive (other than the obvious parts of the Holte End). Think the safe standing would help.

Now I am going to be controversial - singing 'Shit on the City' does not, has not and will never help our team on the pitch. It is a distasteful song which is misinterpreted by many opposing fans and those who sing it are as small minded as the Neanderthals 5km or so away. Yes they are.

Singing 'In the Bar' about the greatest player I ever seen in a Villa shirt constant battle with alcoholism does not, has not and will never ever help our team on the pitch. It could be modified slightly without reference to alcohol and could be a great song.

Singling out specific players for harsh treatment does not help - I remember Alan Wright (a solid journeyman) getting berated one season whilst Star Signing Stan Collymore was lauded for his non performances which made Wright's contribution look ok. Even Ireland who I hold in utter contempt would never be booed by myself during a game.

Booing prior to final whistle. Tom Ross used to bang on about this (he may still do I don't listen to him) so even a broken clock is right twice a day. Do it at the end of the match by all means not during or even before.

Finally the whole Stan thing. Yep we support him, yep we are 'great' for doing it but at the end the day he is well, very well looked after as is his family and I hope he continues to gets better. He is a multi million pound footballer with the best Healthcare so is in good hands.
On the pitch we have missed him the last year.  But please stop this Dianaesque tribute to him every game - he knows we are compassionate but I think at the moment it reinforces to the current crop an unfulfilled gap in the squad. It doesn't help.

Villa Park is a Great Football Stadium (previously Ground) - it always has been, it always will be. Even our nearest and not so dearest neighbours from Small Heath, Sandwell and Wolverhampton would readily admit that. Most fans I have known of other teams and outside the West Midlands be they Spurs, Hammers, Liverpool, Sheffiled clubs etc.. concur almost to a person.

We need to make it a pro Villa fortress again.  Not anti others.

Couldn't agree more.

[Nev]

I heard back in the autumn that the manager and players didn't like playing at home due to the moaning from the crowd when players misplaced a pass and that they preferred away games.

It is true that we can moan with the best but as I said to the source of this rumour at the time, Villa isn't Norwich and if the manager can't hack it he best fuck off. Managing big clubs brings it's own problems and one of those is winning over the crowd, and the best way to do this is to get results. He isn't so we aren't.

[Stu]

I've thought for some time that it is part of the problem.
The amount of moaning and groaning and f ing and blinding at players is seriously demoralising.

Yeah, blame the supporters.

[Stu]

Without doubt for me. The atmosphere at VP is just mundane. Seldom even 90% full too. Obviously it isn't the main reason for our shocking home form, but as we saw against Manure, a good atmosphere rubs off on the team.

[/b]

And we lost that one! The team needs to raise their game. We are paying to see them, they are being paid to play in front of us!

So there!

Exactly.

[Doorbell]

I've thought for some time that it is part of the problem.
The amount of moaning and groaning and f ing and blinding at players is seriously demoralising.

Yeah, blame the supporters.

It doesn't matter how much someone earns, it doesn't stop them from being human, of course the moaning and groaning affects them.  I'm not saying the sole responsibility lies with the fans, but we do have an impact.

[supertom]

We always struggled to dominate teams here, even with a decent O Neill side. It's very rare we dictate games, even against so called lesser opposition.  We've probably been more effective away from home for the best part of 6 years, maybe more. Frankly I can't be arsed to find O Leary's stats, but I don't remember VP being a fortress by any means.
Sir Grahams second stint we were far better at home than we were away. Not exactly a fortress but it was our home form which ultimately kept us up. Ultimately it'll be that which sends us down this season.