Fans affinity with the team

[not3bad]

Gabby seems to be enjoying his football again.
It's as if a mountain of pressure has been lifted off his shoulders.

It's a far cry from last year.  Then, by his own admission, he couldn't wait for the season to be over.  Now he'll probably be disappointed when it finishes!

[onje_villa]

Great thread and couldn't agree more.

I feel great affinity with this team and the manager and it's clear many others do too. I also agree that Lambert has consistently said the right things since coming here.

We want to play the right way with players who feel privileged to play for the club.

I think Andi Weimann epitomises everything that I like about the club at the moment.

[Rancid custard]

I think I'm just in love with the possibility of this team, If we could work on the defence we'd be a very attractive team.

[ozzjim]

I think I'm just in love with the possibility of this team, If we could work on the defence we'd be a very attractive team.

I thought we did well at the back with the exception of Bennett. He covered the centre backs brilliantly 2-3 times denying Holt easy chances, but against his man he just kept getting too bloody tight. Time to learn.


But today showed how much they are maturing. Won from being pegged back, under big pressure, again.

[SoccerHQ]

I think I'm just in love with the possibility of this team, If we could work on the defence we'd be a very attractive team.

I thought we did well at the back with the exception of Bennett. He covered the centre backs brilliantly 2-3 times denying Holt easy chances, but against his man he just kept getting too bloody tight. Time to learn.


But today showed how much they are maturing. Won from being pegged back, under big pressure, again.

We need two new defenders but even then I don't think a Lambert team will magically start keeping clean sheets on an annual basis.

That doesn't mean you can't do well though as last season Norwich finished top 10 with about 5 clean sheets and in 07/08 we finished 6th despite conceding a shedload of goals.

Big difference is we have a real cutting edge now going forward which was the big problem 1st half of the season. That and I much prefer Baker at CB than Clark.

[Phil from the upper holte]

What a difference a few victories make, we all seem to be pulling in right direction, long may it continue

[Monty]

Funnily enough, I first thought that I identified a lot with this team after the 8-0 Chelsea game. Following on from the scarcely credible exuberance of the performance at Anfield, to lose so crushingly for such a young team must have felt horrible, and I realised that I didn't just feel shit because my beloved Villa had been humiliated, but because I felt for these guys, for their professional pride and for all their hard work gleefully tossed away by those grinning, vindictive Chelsea sadists. If these players can stay up, we will have a team who we won't just support for the colours of the shirt, but because of the personalities who are wearing them - and we might be the only team in the division who'd be able to honestly say that.

[Rancid custard]

Funnily enough, I first thought that I identified a lot with this team after the 8-0 Chelsea game. Following on from the scarcely credible exuberance of the performance at Anfield, to lose so crushingly for such a young team must have felt horrible, and I realised that I didn't just feel shit because my beloved Villa had been humiliated, but because I felt for these guys, for their professional pride and for all their hard work gleefully tossed away by those grinning, vindictive Chelsea sadists. If these players can stay up, we will have a team who we won't just support for the colours of the shirt, but because of the personalities who are wearing them - and we might be the only team in the division who'd be able to honestly say that.

Nailed it.

It could be something about the underdog nature of the team. To see the kids come out stronger after a horrible festive period.

[nigel]

Funnily enough, I first thought that I identified a lot with this team after the 8-0 Chelsea game. Following on from the scarcely credible exuberance of the performance at Anfield, to lose so crushingly for such a young team must have felt horrible, and I realised that I didn't just feel shit because my beloved Villa had been humiliated, but because I felt for these guys, for their professional pride and for all their hard work gleefully tossed away by those grinning, vindictive Chelsea sadists. If these players can stay up, we will have a team who we won't just support for the colours of the shirt, but because of the personalities who are wearing them - and we might be the only team in the division who'd be able to honestly say that.

Excellent post

[caster troy]

Any pride I had from us beating Sunderland was x100 because it was a young team growing up before our eyes. I was wondering what they were thinking as the fans got louder and louder. Had any of them experienced an atmosphere like that before? Plus they have every reason to have an affinity with the club too.

Guzan - gave him his chance in a top league
Lowton - gave him his chance in a top league
Vlaar - experienced player but made captain almost straight away
Baker - signed as a 13 year old, born in Worcester
Bennett - gave him his chance in a top league
Delph - gave him his chance in a top league
Sylla - gave him his chance in a top league
Westwood - gave him his chance in a top league
Weimann - signed at just 16, given chance now
Agbonlahor - Villa fan and youth product
Benteke - gave him his chance in a top league

We are the biggest club any of these guys have ever played for. Compare and contrast with the likes of Given, Hutton, Warnock, Dunne, Collins, Ireland, N'Zogbia, Bent. To them we were just another club to pick up £30000 a week or more at. For these young lads we've given them a chance of achieving their dream, and it shows. Look at how Weimann celebrates every goal we score!

[PeterWithe]

Brian Clough always used to say he would only ever sign players for whom Forest was a step up. Maybe has was pissed when he resigned Garry Birtles.

[Toronto Villa]

What's enjoyable is that we are watching this side mature in front of our eyes. I get the impression they've felt the pain of the defeats as much as we have. You don't hear stories of disgruntled employees as we did in the past two or three seasons, and like the ones coming out of Newcastle now. There is a real sense of togetherness and as much as we identify with them, the players appear to be close to us. This lot have made mistakes, will make mistakes but have learned from many of them. I think they'd concede that they need help in certain areas and that compeition is good. There is so much to look forward to, not least of which a manager who embodies so much of what we as fans have wanted for a very long time. Young, hungry and determined applies very much to him too.

[Damo70]

Any pride I had from us beating Sunderland was x100 because it was a young team growing up before our eyes. I was wondering what they were thinking as the fans got louder and louder. Had any of them experienced an atmosphere like that before? Plus they have every reason to have an affinity with the club too.

Guzan - gave him his chance in a top league
Lowton - gave him his chance in a top league
Vlaar - experienced player but made captain almost straight away
Baker - signed as a 13 year old, born in Worcester
Bennett - gave him his chance in a top league
Delph - gave him his chance in a top league
Sylla - gave him his chance in a top league
Westwood - gave him his chance in a top league
Weimann - signed at just 16, given chance now
Agbonlahor - Villa fan and youth product
Benteke - gave him his chance in a top league

We are the biggest club any of these guys have ever played for. Compare and contrast with the likes of Given, Hutton, Warnock, Dunne, Collins, Ireland, N'Zogbia, Bent. To them we were just another club to pick up £30000 a week or more at. For these young lads we've given them a chance of achieving their dream, and it shows. Look at how Weimann celebrates every goal we score!

Spot on with Weimann. I noticed him when we got the winner yesterday. He couldn't have celebrated more if he had stuck one in the top corner himself or if he had been a fan in the stands.

[nigel]

What's enjoyable is that we are watching this side mature in front of our eyes. I get the impression they've felt the pain of the defeats as much as we have. You don't hear stories of disgruntled employees as we did in the past two or three seasons, and like the ones coming out of Newcastle now. There is a real sense of togetherness and as much as we identify with them, the players appear to be close to us. This lot have made mistakes, will make mistakes but have learned from many of them. I think they'd concede that they need help in certain areas and that compeition is good. There is so much to look forward to, not least of which a manager who embodies so much of what we as fans have wanted for a very long time. Young, hungry and determined applies very much to him too.

I noticed this. The players looked absolutley gutted when we lost games, or were pegged back (Swansea, Everton, Albion)
Contrast this with QPR players when they lost at Villa Park. They just turned around and walked off the pitch (apart from one player, can't remember name) I sit by the tunnel, I watched their faces, they couldn't have given a toss.

[Tom_Mc9?]

Probably Clint Hill, he's the only one who seems to care at QPR.

I really enjoy watching this team, far more than many of the other Villa teams in recent years. I'm looking forward to this summer's additions too!