Is this what transition looks like?

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I've been hearing a lot of people saying like for like results are better this year so we must be improving

A loss is still a loss people ... claiming some improvement because we've still lost but not by some many is really scraping the barrel IMHO

An improvement would be turning a loss into something valuable like a point or 3 surely ?

This seasons defeat at Chelsea was the same as last seasons defeat at Chelsea?

How about losing 2-1 to Arsenal last season and beating them 3-1 this season. How about losing 1-0 to Man City last season and beating them 3-2 this season. How about actually keeping a clean sheet away at Norwich, while still winning the game. How about losing 1-0 at West Ham last season and getting a point this time around.

Are these improvements?

[London Villan]

5 year strategies are fine until someone comes in for your best player(s) after 18 months and you have to start again.

[Concrete John]

I've been hearing a lot of people saying like for like results are better this year so we must be improving

A loss is still a loss people ... claiming some improvement because we've still lost but not by some many is really scraping the barrel IMHO

An improvement would be turning a loss into something valuable like a point or 3 surely ?

Uhm..............you do realise we have, don't you?

[eastie]

The next 3 games will show us a lot about where we are - 7 points and we will be comfortably placed in the top 10 whereas 2 out of 9 and we will be hovering around the relegation zone .

We really need a decent run of results to build confidence as we did late last season.

[dekko]

I've been hearing a lot of people saying like for like results are better this year so we must be improving

A loss is still a loss people ... claiming some improvement because we've still lost but not by some many is really scraping the barrel IMHO

An improvement would be turning a loss into something valuable like a point or 3 surely ?

If only we'd won games this season that we'd lost last time round.....

[Ads]

5 year strategies are fine until someone comes in for your best player(s) after 18 months and you have to start again.

I think the sale of Benteke is now part of the strategy. I would expect more money to be spent next summer on a smaller group of players and for us to be better off for it.

That isn't me saying we planned to buy the best out and out centre forward in Europe, but it can work both ways.

[Concrete John]

5 year strategies are fine until someone comes in for your best player(s) after 18 months and you have to start again.

Not if you re-invest the money well.  Spurs losing Bale hasn't effected them, because they did this.  We lost Young and Milner and got N'Zogbia and Ireland.

[not3bad]

5 year strategies are fine until someone comes in for your best player(s) after 18 months and you have to start again.

Unless you're daft you'll realise this is an inherent risk anyway and figure it into your strategy.  It's about finding and devloping young players and also, potentially, their replacements.  Hopefully with a nice profit in your back pocket.

[dave.woodhall]

Good piece by Kendrick, M.

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-comment-mat-kendrick-6271412

[sirlordbaltimore]

I've been hearing a lot of people saying like for like results are better this year so we must be improving

A loss is still a loss people ... claiming some improvement because we've still lost but not by some many is really scraping the barrel IMHO

An improvement would be turning a loss into something valuable like a point or 3 surely ?

This seasons defeat at Chelsea was the same as last seasons defeat at Chelsea?

well it was a loss yes. obviously not by the same margin but then Chelsea weren't up to full speed either.

i mean, are we really starting to claim losses as progress just based on the number of goals conceded year on year in the same fixture (because if so i don't think that adds up to much when the table ends in May)?. by this new weird logic, Lambert was going backwards from Eck against Chelsea and so on and so on

we aren't progressing as a football side at all as far as i can see, its either 8 at the back and defend to death or lump it up front and hope for a goal on the counter

a midfield would be a good start to rectifying the problem

[not3bad]

I've been hearing a lot of people saying like for like results are better this year so we must be improving

A loss is still a loss people ... claiming some improvement because we've still lost but not by some many is really scraping the barrel IMHO

An improvement would be turning a loss into something valuable like a point or 3 surely ?

This seasons defeat at Chelsea was the same as last seasons defeat at Chelsea?

well it was a loss yes. obviously not by the same margin but then Chelsea weren't up to full speed either.

i mean, are we really starting to claim losses as progress just based on the number of goals conceded year on year in the same fixture (because if so i don't think that adds up to much when the table ends in May)?. by this new weird logic, Lambert was going backwards from Eck against Chelsea and so on and so on

This is rubbish though isn't it?  Yes they're both defeats but anyone can see a deperately unlucky, referee assisted 2-1 defeat is completely different to an 8-0 trouncing.  Chelsea weren't up to speed yet?  It was the same stage of the season for both teams and their start to the season wasn't nearly as tough as ours.  Of course next season if we lose 2-1 again then your point may be valid but at the minute it sounds a bit desperate.

[Clampy]

You could argue we were the better team against Chelsea. Well I thought so anyway.

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If you cannot see an improvement in being humiliated 8-0 and being cheated by Kevin Friend then I am not sure it’s a debate worth having if you’re so dogmatic.

But even if we ignore the above, how are the other points garnered this season over last explained away?

[dekko]

I just had a look over at some other Villa forums to see whether we were being optimistic or pessimistic compared to other fans.

People are losing their shit!  Look at some of the threads on vital villa, you'd think we'd just been relegated to league 1 the way some of them are going on.  Is this representative of general opinion?

Me and most of my mates aren't happy with the way things have gone for the last few weeks, but I reckon we can all see enough signs to be cautiously optimistic (given time and the odd signing).  What sort of views have you all encountered away from these forums?  I want to know if im living in a delusional bubble.

[supertom]

Good piece by Kendrick, M.

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-comment-mat-kendrick-6271412

Well put by Kendrick. Couldn't agree more.