May 2014

[Fergal]

I would snatch a fecking arm off if you offered me 14th...

[Toronto Villa]

There's a million ways to end up in a certain position. Finishing 6th when we should have been 4th felt like bollocks. Finishing 9th having beaten Arsenal and Liverpool gave hope that things were coming together. I want this year to be steady progress culminating in a really solid run in to see us to a cup or a European position via the league. I think we are capable of that.

[The Left Side]

Nope

[Matt Collins]

I'm hoping for top ten. I can't see higher than 7th, though I do think that's achievable but only if we improve defensively. Realistically if we're in and around the bottom of the top half all season, playing some good football, that'd be real progress. I we finish ninth to twelfth in a similar way to we did under houllier I'll be really disappointed.

After t a fairly predictable top six I'd say Swansea might be the best of the rest. I suspect Everton will drop off a bit. We can certainly compete with these sides I think and should be looking to finish above the likes of west ham. I think Southampton will have a good season too.

For what it's worth my realistic but optimistic guess at a final table is:

Man City
Chelsea
Man U
(Gap)
Arsenal
Spurs
Liverpool
(Gap)
Villa
Swansea
Southampton
Everton
(Small gap)
West Ham
Newcastle
Fulham
West Brom
(Small gap)
Norwich
Cardiff
Sunderland
Stoke
(Gap)
Hull
Palace

[Matt Collins]

But oh for the days when at this stage, you knew that if everything clicked villa would challenge for the title or even the top four. I wonder if we'll ever see that again? I suspect not. Unless we get bought out by a sheikh

[MoetVillan]

No.  We are going to do better than that, I think surprising a lot of experts, and thrilling the fans.  I think its going to be down the avenue of "scoring more than you", which will certainly make it an exciting place to be next year. 

[PaulTheVillan]

All day long

[PaulTheVillan]

Doesn't happen often when all the teams that come up go straight back down

[rob_bridge]

I think losts on here are a little over optimistic. Finishing last season well does not automatically equate to starting the next season well.
Some of the new signings may take a while to bed in.

I think high 40's / low 50's is realstic figure although hard to predict where that leaves us positionally 9th - 13th I suppose.

[LeeB]

We have a plan and everyone knows their jobs.

We're in a better place in that regard than almost every other team in the league this summer.

It will serve us well. We'll cram two seasons worth of development into one, and Europe will beckon.

[Toronto Villa]

We have a plan and everyone knows their jobs.

We're in a better place in that regard than almost every other team in the league this summer.

It will serve us well. We'll cram two seasons worth of development into one, and Europe will beckon.

Yep, well put. Compare how we will go into this season to last. Lambert just came in not knowing what his best team/formation/system is. All of that is pretty much in place now and there is a very different mood about the club. Pre-season has gone almost exactly how it should. Players in early, key players signed to long term deals, team playing better with every game, our top scorer banging them in. Not saying we're going to tear it up or anything but we'll be a lot better and consistent than last season.

[Damo70]

I agree with all the teams below us but think we could finish above any of the five placed immediately higher than us in that table. Which means our best case scenario in my opinion is seventh. In my own little prediction league I have us ninth.

[*shellac*]

I still think, between 7th and 10th.

[olaftab]

There is no way Gap should be allowed to field five teams in the premier league.

[Dante Lavelli]

But oh for the days when at this stage, you knew that if everything clicked villa would challenge for the title or even the top four. I wonder if we'll ever see that again? I suspect not. Unless we get bought out by a sheikh

When would you say this was a realistic period?  I'll admit that the nature of the chump league have made things more of a closed shop but I don't remember ever feeling that villa were a genuine contender (I'm 36) except maybe a short spell under BFR and maybe Little.  But these seasons were the exception rather than the norm.