This is the season...

[Des Little]

I know it's very early in the season but next Saturday has all the hallmarks of a 'must win' game

[KRS]

My worry is that we only just stopped up with Benteke and Delph in the side and we've now lost both of them (plus Cleverley/Vlaar and Given) which can only mean one thing for me I'm afraid. The raft of players we signed with the money had no premiership experience - with the exception of Lescott, who quite frankly looks past it now, that spending spree smacked of desperation, and desperate is what we are.

Do you genuinely believe the team and squad are worse than last season? Benteke and Delph were our best players last season but we still finished 17th with them.

[silhillvilla]

We are now 10/11 to be relegated , Sunderland are 2/9 , Watford 3/1

[brontebilly]

My worry is that we only just stopped up with Benteke and Delph in the side and we've now lost both of them (plus Cleverley/Vlaar and Given) which can only mean one thing for me I'm afraid. The raft of players we signed with the money had no premiership experience - with the exception of Lescott, who quite frankly looks past it now, that spending spree smacked of desperation, and desperate is what we are.

Given and Vlaar are finished while Gueye is much better than Cleverley. Benteke and Delph are for sure top players, albeit injury prone, but think we look a lot more dangerous going forward this term without Benteke. 

Premiership experience is over played - a lot of the current bomb squad in our club have hundreds of appearances in the top division. Lescott was an awful signing admittedly, completely unnecessary too. The other one we signed with Premiership experience, Richards, hasnt been anywhere near as bad as I expected but has very worrying habits for a central defender.

In terms of ranking the performances of our new signings so far, Id go with

Gueye, Amavi, Richards, Gestede, Sinclair, Traore, Ayew, Veretout, Lescott

[martin o`who??]

My worry is that we only just stopped up with Benteke and Delph in the side and we've now lost both of them (plus Cleverley/Vlaar and Given) which can only mean one thing for me I'm afraid. The raft of players we signed with the money had no premiership experience - with the exception of Lescott, who quite frankly looks past it now, that spending spree smacked of desperation, and desperate is what we are.

Do you genuinely believe the team and squad are worse than last season? Benteke and Delph were our best players last season but we still finished 17th with them.

six points less than after 7 games last season does tell its own story.

[Toronto Villa]

My worry is that we only just stopped up with Benteke and Delph in the side and we've now lost both of them (plus Cleverley/Vlaar and Given) which can only mean one thing for me I'm afraid. The raft of players we signed with the money had no premiership experience - with the exception of Lescott, who quite frankly looks past it now, that spending spree smacked of desperation, and desperate is what we are.

Do you genuinely believe the team and squad are worse than last season? Benteke and Delph were our best players last season but we still finished 17th with them.

six points less than after 7 games last season does tell its own story.

It doesn't tell us anything other than we had a better start. Nobody thought we would go from that start to surviving by the skin of our teeth. At this stage of the season a couple of wins puts you in a very different and more positive position. The question is can or will we do that any time soon?

[NeilH]

You know there was once a time when I was never off this site, but over the last 5 years or so I have found myself gazing less at less at it, never mind contributing my opinions on it. I have oft wondered about the main reasons why a site that was the first thing I opened on my browser and my most visited site has become a side show; this weekend I think I got it. The simple fact of the matter is that Villa are my team and supporting them is my hobby. Over the last five years or so I have just not enjoyed my hobby any more; don’t get me wrong I still love football and have a season ticket (albeit at my local team), but the slow steady, grinding, decline of my club has just led me to fulfil my hobby in other quarters. Don’t get me wrong, I'm not making this comment to jump on the oft-trodden bandwagon of ‘reasons why it’s all sh** these days’ I'm just realizing why it is that our constant circling of the drain has led me to shrug my shoulders once more as we slide into the bottom three.
So as regards the question in hand, do I think this year will be the year, well it bloody well shouldn’t be, as in my opinion we’ve assembled the most exciting team I’ve seen in years. However the losing mentality is embedded deep in the club and I fear that this, combining with the absent owner, battle-weary fan base and air of apathy could finally be our downfall. It’s especially galling as I firmly believe that this side has real potential, but if I am honest the only thing that could re-spark my enthusiasm for my hobby once more would be to see my team winning again and an air of optimism to waft over the club. Going down would be a disaster (catastrophic I always maintained), but perhaps this is the only way to reset the club and reignite the passion of the hobby that many of us simply don’t enjoy much anymore.

[AVH87]

You know there was once a time when I was never off this site, but over the last 5 years or so I have found myself gazing less at less at it, never mind contributing my opinions on it. I have oft wondered about the main reasons why a site that was the first thing I opened on my browser and my most visited site has become a side show; this weekend I think I got it. The simple fact of the matter is that Villa are my team and supporting them is my hobby. Over the last five years or so I have just not enjoyed my hobby any more; don’t get me wrong I still love football and have a season ticket (albeit at my local team), but the slow steady, grinding, decline of my club has just led me to fulfil my hobby in other quarters. Don’t get me wrong, I'm not making this comment to jump on the oft-trodden bandwagon of ‘reasons why it’s all sh** these days’ I'm just realizing why it is that our constant circling of the drain has led me to shrug my shoulders once more as we slide into the bottom three.
So as regards the question in hand, do I think this year will be the year, well it bloody well shouldn’t be, as in my opinion we’ve assembled the most exciting team I’ve seen in years. However the losing mentality is embedded deep in the club and I fear that this, combining with the absent owner, battle-weary fan base and air of apathy could finally be our downfall. It’s especially galling as I firmly believe that this side has real potential, but if I am honest the only thing that could re-spark my enthusiasm for my hobby once more would be to see my team winning again and an air of optimism to waft over the club. Going down would be a disaster (catastrophic I always maintained), but perhaps this is the only way to reset the club and reignite the passion of the hobby that many of us simply don’t enjoy much anymore.

I do think the losing mentality is a big issue, which is what Richards, Lescott etc. have been brought in to help address, along with Wilkins as assistant manager. Can't agree on the other points though, would Lerner being at games really help? I'm not convinced, also the fan base is battle weary but there certainly isn't an air of apathy about the place, season ticket sales are up, away games are selling out very quickly and the atmosphere is good going in to games.

[PaulWinch again]

Althought I hate the term 'must win game', Stoke is looking to be that way. We really do desperately need to win that game.

[ChicagoLion]

Our momentum is downwards. Our Manager is clueless. Our first 11 is worse than last year and we only just survived. We have that nasty habit of defensive errors and no chance of a clean sheet.
WE are in the bottom 3 for a reason, we are a bottom 3 team. I think it is our year.

[Clampy]

Our momentum is downwards. Our Manager is clueless. Our first 11 is worse than last year and we only just survived. We have that nasty habit of defensive errors and no chance of a clean sheet.
WE are in the bottom 3 for a reason, we are a bottom 3 team. I think it is our year.

Worst 11 than last year? Really?

[ChicagoLion]

Our momentum is downwards. Our Manager is clueless. Our first 11 is worse than last year and we only just survived. We have that nasty habit of defensive errors and no chance of a clean sheet.
WE are in the bottom 3 for a reason, we are a bottom 3 team. I think it is our year.

Worst 11 than last year? Really?

Yes, absolutely.
Is Guzan any better this year? he is worse, a goal a game.
Richards has replaced Vlaar, you think Richards better than Vlaar?
I know he had injury problems, but better?
Gana better than Delph?
Gestede better than Benteke?
Lescott better than Clark?
Vertout better than Cleverley?

Amavi is the only obvious improvement, Ayew for Weiman, maybe.

[Clampy]

Our momentum is downwards. Our Manager is clueless. Our first 11 is worse than last year and we only just survived. We have that nasty habit of defensive errors and no chance of a clean sheet.
WE are in the bottom 3 for a reason, we are a bottom 3 team. I think it is our year.

Worst 11 than last year? Really?

Yes, absolutely.
Is Guzan any better this year? he is worse, a goal a game.
Richards has replaced Vlaar, you think Richards better than Vlaar?
I know he had injury problems, but better?
Gana better than Delph?
Gestede better than Benteke?
Lescott better than Clark?
Vertout better than Cleverley?

Amavi is the only obvious improvement, Ayew for Weiman, maybe.

That's your opinion after 7 games. I'm happy to give them a bit longer.

[ChicagoLion]

Our momentum is downwards. Our Manager is clueless. Our first 11 is worse than last year and we only just survived. We have that nasty habit of defensive errors and no chance of a clean sheet.
WE are in the bottom 3 for a reason, we are a bottom 3 team. I think it is our year.

Worst 11 than last year? Really?

Yes, absolutely.
Is Guzan any better this year? he is worse, a goal a game.
Richards has replaced Vlaar, you think Richards better than Vlaar?
I know he had injury problems, but better?
Gana better than Delph?
Gestede better than Benteke?
Lescott better than Clark?
Vertout better than Cleverley?

Amavi is the only obvious improvement, Ayew for Weiman, maybe.

That's you opinion after 7 games. I'm happy to give them a bit longer.

I think we have some players with potential, but I don't think we can field a better team than

Given, Richardson, Okore Vlaar Hutton/Bacuna
Cleverley, Delph Westwood/ Sanchez Grealish/Gil
Benteke
The 3 big players  Vlaar Delph Benteke have not been bettered with Guzan a real worry.

[Toronto Villa]

It would be so nice one day to post in this thread, something we have yearly it seems, and the title refers to us winning the title, getting into the CL, winning the FA Cup. You know, something fucking nice and celebratory.