This is the season...

[FranzBiberkopf]

I still am not sure how good our signings are - I believe they probably have potential, but collectively they have done little to impress. Pre-season I was unnerved by how little I knew about our sigings, and the meh reaction from my French mates.

I was in that very camp. I took the view that if any French players were half-decent, they would already have been plying their trade at Arsenal or Newcastle. 

[sirlordbaltimore]

Although i'm still convinced our current squad is full of talent and potential, i fear not many of them have the required desire

Remi has a HUGE task and if i'm honest, i'm already resigned to us going down. Possibly with the record low points. It's that bad

[Kingthing]

It looked like it was being addressed by Houllier.

I don't think that's quite right.

Some of the most feeble performances I have ever witnessed from a Villa side happened on his watch. They have become the norm now, sadly. But they started with him.

Our return to form at the end of the 2010/11 season also seemed to coincide with the senior pros he'd previously ostracised coming back and Gary Mac taking charge, rather than any Total Football philosophy on his part finally bedding down. 

Agree with the rest though.

I don't know, I think beating West Ham, Arsenal and Liverpool to stay up were pretty exciting (to be honest thats all I can remember from Houllier being in charge)

[ez]

It looked like it was being addressed by Houllier.

I don't think that's quite right.

Some of the most feeble performances I have ever witnessed from a Villa side happened on his watch. They have become the norm now, sadly. But they started with him.

Our return to form at the end of the 2010/11 season also seemed to coincide with the senior pros he'd previously ostracised coming back and Gary Mac taking charge, rather than any Total Football philosophy on his part finally bedding down. 

Agree with the rest though.

I don't know, I think beating West Ham, Arsenal and Liverpool to stay up were pretty exciting (to be honest thats all I can remember from Houllier being in charge)

I always think the Houllier season is when Lerner lost interest. O'Neil went and Lerner probably thought all the new manager had to do was a bit of fine tuning and we'd be in the champions league. When Houllier took us backwards i reckon that's when Lerner thought 'ah sod it'.

[PaulWinch again]

That result tonight isn't great. Remi has such a massive job on, I really hope this isn't beyond us. Problem is we're going to have to hit form we haven't hit for years.

[Nastylee]

8 points at 4.50 on Saturday would give me hope. Anything less and the gap is becoming huge so early in the season.

[PaulWinch again]

Thing is we're getting to the must win stage already and it's only late November. I know it's not must win against Watford mathematically, but in realistic terms it is. Plus that would only be the start, it is a really big ask.

[olaftab]

The result tonight has got nothing to do with us accumulating 36 points. It doesn't make that target harder or easier.

[Nastylee]

For the record, we haven't won more than 10 games in a season since Houllier. McLeish managed to survive with 7 wins and 17 draws. I don't what any of this means.

[PaulWinch again]

Of course it doesn't mathematically, but it does increase the pressure on us.

[Marlon From Bearwood]

The result tonight has got nothing to do with us accumulating 36 points. It doesn't make that target harder or easier.

True, but it could have an impact upon whether or not 36 points would be enough to keep us up.

[Meanwood Villa]

Leicester won 6 out of 8 at the end of last season and are now top. Mental things happen in football, we just don't know.

[myf]

8 points at 4.50 on Saturday would give me hope. Anything less and the gap is becoming huge so early in the season.

rooted to the bottom even if we win!

[Dave]

The result tonight has got nothing to do with us accumulating 36 points. It doesn't make that target harder or easier.

What does 36 points have to do with anything?

If we finish with 25 points and Norwich, Bournemouth and Sunderland all finish with 24 then is that a problem?

[olaftab]

Yes ok but I suggest that 36 would keep us up and 30 or below would mean certain relegation as its been proved since 3 points per game started.