This is the season...

[NeilH]

I have heard a few times on here of late that we once more need to spend big on a striker in January, but given our plight and the seemingly hopeless task that Garde has on his hands you really do have to wonder if to spend any more would be to throw more money at an unsolvable problem. We were incapable of even doing the basics right last night and whatever is said of the lineup, there was enough experience in the first 11 to at least be able to organize themselves. It was once said to me that one of the biggest problems at Villa is that players who play for us know that they can eke out a good career without really raising their game above cruising speed; it’s a nice living for non-ambitious Premiership footballers. The culture is so ingrained at the club that I wonder if only a seismic event will remove it, like relegation for instance. So I ask myself if Fox (let’s not even pretend Lerner cares) has already worked out the risk and is planning for a relegation scenario and an opportunity to move on a large chunk of our team, who are happy to cruise along. If this indeed the case, there is no way in hell we will spend any money in January and as long as we don’t emulate Derby’s infamous low points total, Garde will be the man who will rebuild the club next season from the Championship.

For pity's sake man, we're 4 points adrift with 23 games remaining, and a new manager at the helm.

We have an ingrained culture of mediocrity that pervades throughout the club from our non-interested owner down to key players. Since O'Neill, successive managers have wrestled with this with differing, but ultimately inevitable results. We have been on a slow decline ever since O'Neill nearly bankrupted us.

If Garde can organise us a little better and get us doing the basics right then we have a chance, but by god he's got a job on his hands based on last night and given our recent run of form and play, its hardly a surprise that so many of us require some serious convincing.

If you were a betting man, would you put a big chunk of your money on us staying up?

[tim]

I have heard a few times on here of late that we once more need to spend big on a striker in January, but given our plight and the seemingly hopeless task that Garde has on his hands you really do have to wonder if to spend any more would be to throw more money at an unsolvable problem. We were incapable of even doing the basics right last night and whatever is said of the lineup, there was enough experience in the first 11 to at least be able to organize themselves. It was once said to me that one of the biggest problems at Villa is that players who play for us know that they can eke out a good career without really raising their game above cruising speed; it’s a nice living for non-ambitious Premiership footballers. The culture is so ingrained at the club that I wonder if only a seismic event will remove it, like relegation for instance. So I ask myself if Fox (let’s not even pretend Lerner cares) has already worked out the risk and is planning for a relegation scenario and an opportunity to move on a large chunk of our team, who are happy to cruise along. If this indeed the case, there is no way in hell we will spend any money in January and as long as we don’t emulate Derby’s infamous low points total, Garde will be the man who will rebuild the club next season from the Championship.

For pity's sake man, we're 4 points adrift with 23 games remaining, and a new manager at the helm.

We may be only 4 points adrift, but it's taken 11 games to get them! After what I've been watching for the past couple of months it could be another 11 before we get some more.
I genuinely don't see a way back from where we are. 

[brian green]

Duverne's arrival is a key factor. We have been disgracefully unfit for months. Getting the players fit is something that can start to reap benefits immediately.  The technical stuff will take more time. I hope never to see another Villa player gasping for breath after an hour.

[oldtimernow]

is the fact that we concede late goals (in both periods) down to the fact that the players run out of stamina and  so their concentration and ability fails?

[KevinGage]

4 points adrift, but with a fair chunk of our easier games pissed away.

If we'd had an opening run of fixtures like Newcastle, it would be reasonable to argue that results would improve when we have a kinder set of games.

We don't have that consolation.

Also, a feature of previous campaigns has been losing to shite teams but then picking up unlikely (and often against the run of play) wins against some of the top 4/5.

Now, we lose to the good sides and the bad sides. We are the closest thing to a soft touch in the league.

I'd say doubts about us staying up are perfectly justified at this point.

[Nelson Lodge]

Might be worth the expense of taking the First team squad and the best of the U21s away to a training camp abroad for a "mini pre-season" in decent weather during the international break that is coming up.

This would allow Garde, Duverne, and any other new support staff to assess players, provide  intensive training and fitness regimes, together with tactics and formations. A lot of work for Garde and his assistants in that break.

Short term objective must be to stay in touch with the pack at the bottom of the table until the New Year. Then, hopefully with a settled team and a couple of quality signings kick on from there to get out of trouble.

[Chico Hamilton III]

Might be worth the expense of taking the First team squad and the best of the U21s away to a training camp abroad for a "mini pre-season" in decent weather during the international break that is coming up.

This would allow Garde, Duverne, and any other new support staff to assess players, provide  intensive training and fitness regimes, together with tactics and formations. A lot of work for Garde and his assistants in that break.

Short term objective must be to stay in touch with the pack at the bottom of the table until the New Year. Then, hopefully with a settled team and a couple of quality signings kick on from there to get out of trouble.

Warm weather training in La Manga. I can already see the Sun Headlines after the drunken punch ups

[richtheholtender]

Penny dropped this morning that we need to win nearly 50% of remaining games to get to 40 pts.

[Toronto Villa]

I have heard a few times on here of late that we once more need to spend big on a striker in January, but given our plight and the seemingly hopeless task that Garde has on his hands you really do have to wonder if to spend any more would be to throw more money at an unsolvable problem. We were incapable of even doing the basics right last night and whatever is said of the lineup, there was enough experience in the first 11 to at least be able to organize themselves. It was once said to me that one of the biggest problems at Villa is that players who play for us know that they can eke out a good career without really raising their game above cruising speed; it’s a nice living for non-ambitious Premiership footballers. The culture is so ingrained at the club that I wonder if only a seismic event will remove it, like relegation for instance. So I ask myself if Fox (let’s not even pretend Lerner cares) has already worked out the risk and is planning for a relegation scenario and an opportunity to move on a large chunk of our team, who are happy to cruise along. If this indeed the case, there is no way in hell we will spend any money in January and as long as we don’t emulate Derby’s infamous low points total, Garde will be the man who will rebuild the club next season from the Championship.

For pity's sake man, we're 4 points adrift with 23 gamees remaining, and a new manager at the helm.

Good news. We actually have 27 games remaining. 81 points to play for.

[Toronto Villa]

Penny dropped this morning that we need to win nearly 50% of remaining games to get to 40 pts.

We need to get more points than 3 teams in the division to survive. Whatever that amounts to.

[walsall villain]

Penny dropped this morning that we need to win nearly 50% of remaining games to get to 40 pts.

Surely win 9, draw 9 and lose 9 would do it?
What we need is solid mid table form from here, a mighty ask but don't go all KMac on us!

[martin o`who??]

"Anybody wanna bet against it" (Sorry Ron)

[themossman]

The talk about points totals and averages per game is misleading. We simply need to get ahead of three teams then match their results and that doesn't look unachievable from where we are.

[hipkiss92]

To get to 40 points from here we basically need a run that is equivalent to gaining 48 points from a 38 game season. I doubt anybody thought that was beyond us from this point.

However, you should be able to lose at most 18 games over the season and be safe, and we've lost that number already.

So I think it comes down to whether we are actually massively underperforming, or if the results we've had so far reflects our actual level.

[russon]

Let's face it we're going down with knobs on, no question.