This is the season...

[dave.woodhall]

We have lost one out of the last four and to the team that will come 2nd or 1st. We have actually started to play well, show increased fitness to press as a unit and to sow character and salvage a point from a goal down. Its small but purposeful steps.

We have some confidence, we have a striker in good fom and we have an opportunity to beat two sides to bring us within a result of Newcastle and Norwich, whom we play again in February and May. Its far from over.

I agree with the thrust of that but walking out of the ground yesterday I could not escape the thought that despite our best performance of the season and dominating possession we still only had a point to show for it. It is as though the Gods have decided we are going down and there is nothing that we can do to stop it. Perhaps when the fog of 2 days worth of alcohol induced melancholia clears I will regain some rational perspective but at the moment I think we are being punished for the combined idiocy of our recent managerial appointments and our Saviour has arrived too late.

Same. Which is a shame as in another season this team & manager could have been rather exciting. But I just cant see any way out of this one.

Same again. Fair play to Garde for getting that performance out of them but it feels more like a defeat. I think by the end of the season he could make us an average premier league team but it'll be too late to save us.

As a couple of us have said, yesterday would have been an acceptable "Shows promise, needs a few more additions" performance in August, but we're too far behind now.

[villan from luton]

I think we will get points in the second half of the season, but agree it looks too much. Such a shame as some of these players look as if they could be good. Such a shame re Amavi as he was excellent, Veretout is showing he is a player as is Ayew.

[Steve67]

I think we will get points in the second half of the season, but agree it looks too much. Such a shame as some of these players look as if they could be good. Such a shame re Amavi as he was excellent, Veretout is showing he is a player as is Ayew.

In terms of naming players, every one positive we name, we have a negative. Hopefully, after a good window, hopefully Remi will have a more solid squad with fewer negatives.

[Des Little]

The fear is that we finally knit as a team in time for relegation, then have to start it all over again in the summer. And on that cheery thought I'll bid you all goodnight

[ciggiesnbeer]

The fear is that we finally knit as a team in time for relegation, then have to start it all over again in the summer. And on that cheery thought I'll bid you all goodnight

Yeah thats the final insult. Relegated teams do not keep their good players and lose their overpaid useless ones, it is the opposite.

I fear we are in for a large rebuild over the summer replacing some of the new blood while keeping those who are past it, indifferent and useless.

[Toronto Villa]

The fear is that we finally knit as a team in time for relegation, then have to start it all over again in the summer. And on that cheery thought I'll bid you all goodnight

Yeah thats the final insult. Relegated teams do not keep their good players and lose their overpaid useless ones, it is the opposite.

I fear we are in for a large rebuild over the summer replacing some of the new blood while keeping those who are past it, indifferent and useless.

In the season that Newcastle went down and then proceeded to walk the division with Chris "Pep" Hughton as manager, who were the big players they lost? It doesn't have to work in the manner you have described.

[PeterWithesShin]

And who are we going to be stuck with in Division 2 apart from possibly Gabby? Who else isn't going to be of use down there? And Zog, Cole, Richardson and Senderos will all be out of contract so will leave and be off the wage bill. I'm struggling to think who else will be here that are past it or useless in that league. Lescott maybe.

[ChicagoLion]

We have lost one out of the last four and to the team that will come 2nd or 1st. We have actually started to play well, show increased fitness to press as a unit and to sow character and salvage a point from a goal down. Its small but purposeful steps.

We have some confidence, we have a striker in good fom and we have an opportunity to beat two sides to bring us within a result of Newcastle and Norwich, whom we play again in February and May. Its far from over.

I agree with the thrust of that but walking out of the ground yesterday I could not escape the thought that despite our best performance of the season and dominating possession we still only had a point to show for it. It is as though the Gods have decided we are going down and there is nothing that we can do to stop it. Perhaps when the fog of 2 days worth of alcohol induced melancholia clears I will regain some rational perspective but at the moment I think we are being punished for the combined idiocy of our recent managerial appointments and our Saviour has arrived too late.

Same. Which is a shame as in another season this team & manager could have been rather exciting. But I just cant see any way out of this one.

Same again. Fair play to Garde for getting that performance out of them but it feels more like a defeat. I think by the end of the season he could make us an average premier league team but it'll be too late to save us.

As a couple of us have said, yesterday would have been an acceptable "Shows promise, needs a few more additions" performance in August, but we're too far behind now.

Another way of looking at it, think what he could have done with last seasons squad.

[ciggiesnbeer]

TV & PWS , fair points.

[footyskillz]

With all the unpredictability going on in regards to teams winning somewhat unexpectedly this season there can be a shade of optimism. I say that as villa could win unexpected games and I think the media could address that. All I hear is' they need a miracle ' and ' no chance'.  Garde goes about his business intelligently and knows that 10 wins is what's needed. Garde is also saying a Win v Sunderland or Norwich today is needed to have a chance. I do think the media should recognize amount of effort villa put in. And also that anything could happen in football. Southampton won 4-0 v arsenal. For one recent eg when form went out the window.
What villa showed in last match , desire , spirit  needs to be shown in EVERY match whoever the opposition.

[PeterWithesShin]

Norwich is our 38th league game in the 2015 calendar year. Our record in the first 37 is W6 D7 L24 Pts 25.

[kieron]

Norwich is our 38th league game in the 2015 calendar year. Our record in the first 37 is W6 D7 L24 Pts 25.

An extremely depressing statistic.

[PaulWinch again]

To be honest when you're a team having to play Hutton, Bacuna, Richardson, Clark and Westwood you know you're buried.

[LTA]

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/sir-doug-ellis-sad-aston-10649731

[Toronto Villa]

In answer to the original question, yes 100% we are going down this season.