Anyone Getting Excited?

[SoccerHQ]

I think Richards at CB will be Sherwood's blindspot just like MON buying fullbacks and then playing anyone who wasn't a fullback there.

Can't see us keeping many clean sheets but we have a lot more goals in us this season so we can still win games.

[kippaxvilla2]

After watching our defensive frailties just now ....then no i'm not excited. Just worried.

Admittedly the back 4 that finished that won't be starting next week

That's the important bit. Why get worried about a situation that once the season starts won't repeat itself. We won't make 7 changes in a game and the defence in most cases will never change. The first choice players will be much better and will improve as they get used to each other. Now, I do think we could upgrade RB but Richards and Clark should be ok.

Mind you, the first choice central defensive pairing managed to concede within 30 seconds today.

I am far from convinced by the defence. I'd ideally like us to bring in another option at centre half. It looks more and more like Sherwood isn't intending on using Senderos much, so I'd look to move him on and bring someone else in.

I know I am starting to sound like I am going on about him, but Baker scares me a bit, I am not 100 percent convinced by Okore, and Richards seems to me unconvincing in that role (and is injury prone).

Agree.  I really don't think Lescott would be a bad shout.

[villan from luton]

I think Richards at CB will be Sherwood's blindspot just like MON buying fullbacks and then playing anyone who wasn't a fullback there.

Can't see us keeping many clean sheets but we have a lot more goals in us this season so we can still win games.

Ken McNaught

[LeeB]

Concerned.Big number of players to integrate, many untried in Premiership. Very difficult season ahead I fear.

Whereas last summer we seemed to buy exclusively experienced Premier League players, some of whom had racked up hundred of matches.

And obviously that meant that last season went just fine.

Exactly *Slugs milk in scouse manor*

[villan from luton]

If it goes tits up we can all moan and say wtf has cockernee Tim done selling our lifelines in the like of Weimann and Lowton. Probably wrong those two (don't know matts wifes name) but we have had loads of players who are not quite good enough. Andi I thought may have done it but when you compare him to the 60k Charles he certainly did.

[PaulWinch again]

I think Sinclair could be a bit of a surprise package. He's slipped under the radar a bit, but I like him and I think he could reach double figures for league goals.

[villan from luton]

Sinclair seems to score goals but needs to realise he has defensive duties as well

[peter w]

Concerned.Big number of players to integrate, many untried in Premiership. Very difficult season ahead I fear.

Whereas last summer we seemed to buy exclusively experienced Premier League players, some of whom had racked up hundred of matches.

And obviously that meant that last season went just fine.

Exactly *Slugs milk in scouse manor*

How many did we buy?

[Ron Manager]

Oui, je suis excite

Je suis un rockstar

Why man?

[PGW]

Oui, je suis excite

Je suis un rockstar

Why man?

Thought we'd sold him to Derby!!

[dave shelley]

He scored yesterday too.  Bring him back quick!

[frank]

Our correspondent in today's Observer, Jonathan Pritchard, isn't getting excited. He thinks we'll finish 17th, whereas no other correspondent, including Watford, Norwich and Bournemouth, thinks his team will finish below 14th

[Proposition Joe]

Our correspondent in today's Observer, Jonathan Pritchard, isn't getting excited. He thinks we'll finish 17th, whereas no other correspondent, including Watford, Norwich and Bournemouth, thinks his team will finish below 14th

I thought it was odd, given the level of tempered optimism here. Could have been written by Robbie Savage, just the standard Benteke / Delph gloom.

I hope, for my part, that so many new faces removes some of the stench of defeatism that's been hanging over the club for so long. It'll be refreshing having players not ground down by up to 4 years of relegation battles.

[KRS]

I'm flittering between being cautiously optimistic and optimistically pessimistic.

A few concerns...

We haven't got a settled CB pairing and still look all over the place at the back, and we'll continue to be prone to conceding goals from stupid mistakes.

We haven't got a proven PL goalscorer. Gestede, Ayew and Kozak have potential but there are big question marks over who and how we will play.

We've signed so many players that need to gel and hit the ground running...a few bad results early on could really knock their confidence. The pace of the PL could really take a few of these players by surprise so they need to get up to speed quickly.

[old man villa fan]

The key to success (not struggling) this season is playing on the front foot and creating chances.  The lack of chances created last season almost killed us.