Post season thread

[brian green]

And I would fine Amavi two weeks wages for that cuddle in front of the Holte.  It's a game of football not singles' night at B6.

[kippaxvilla2]

Next season is the most important in the history of the club.  It wouldn't have been so bad if I thought we were ending the season on a high and with momentum.  But it's almost the opposite.  We look as far away from a top six team as ever.  An utterly underwhelming season.

[oswald funkletrumpet]

Next season is the most important in the history of the club.  It wouldn't have been so bad if I thought we were ending the season on a high and with momentum.  But it's almost the opposite.  We look as far away from a top six team as ever.  An utterly underwhelming season.

Definitely

If we dont go up i hope the dr is willing to spunk invest further shitloads of cash

[Meanwood Villa]

Rubbish.

[nick harper]

I've enjoyed the fact that Villa Park has become a difficult place to come to again - after years of being a soft touch at home.

But the overall lack of goals and the timid way we've played away from home has been embarrassing at times.

Bruce must spend the summer working out how to set up his front six and who to supplement Kodija, Hourihane, Jedinak and Lansbury. Pace out wide is the key for me.

Goodbye to Bacuna, Elphick, Richards, McCormack and Agbonlahor hopefully.

[nigel]

he's right though, Brian. In order to get back to the PL we have to become a force in the Chumps - an irresistible force who gain  promotion .

We could have just decided to do it in twelve months like Newcastle did.

We were a million miles behind both Newcastle and Norwich, who came down with us. Both those two were expected to bounce back. Plus I had us behind several steady, settled championship teams.
We had heck of a lot of catching up to do.
I thought we might sneak a play off shot, then we had that awful run.

[garyfouroaks]

And so our last game of the season has gone, leaving us thirteenth, 32 points behind the leaders. A good game against a good side in the sunshine, with a last- minute equaliser sending the title to the Toon. Our only satisfaction coming from spoiling the Seagull’s party in front of just under 33,000. What a shame that we didn’t give Brighton extra tickets with almost ten thousand spare seats.
 
We didn’t come down as swaggering braggarts, full of belief that the title was ours for the taking. Instead there was a widespread fear, and belief, that we could go out of the trapdoor into the third tier. The Di Matteo appointment felt wrong, but the Steve Clarke appointment as his sidekick gave us hope. But for whatever the reason they were not up to the task of rescuing a club plummeting like a stone, a process which started with Martin O Neil’s departure just under seven years ago. A mixture of poor ownership, bad management, bad judgement and bad luck have held the club  in a vice like grip ever since.

Steve Bruce was a universally accepted, if not acclaimed, choice  as the latest man to reverse the ever steepening downward trajectory. Thirteenth in the second tier is hardly a measure of the club’s ambition, but set against the past seven years, it will do. Under MON we stubbornly stuttered as better than most, but not good enough for the top four, then we were grateful for a win, any win. Last year we won three, this year we won sixteen, scoring forty seven, not twenty seven. As a fan, that feels better.

We have enjoyed the Champ this season, new grounds, big away followings, virtually no crowd trouble, different teams and players. I think the Champ has enjoyed us too. A big scalp to take, big attendances home and away, an evens chance of beating us. Not that I would like to make a habit of this.

Of the play off sides, Fulham look to have momentum. I like the fact that it will be a north ( Wednesday/Huddersfield) v south ( Fulham/Reading) final. But everyone has a chance. Of the relegated sides Sunderland look to have no chance of making a quick return, Boro look strong, but Palace , Hull or Swansea will surely have the stuffing knocked out of them whoever comes down. I think there will be some room at the top next season with Leeds, Derby and maybe Birmingham in contention ( depends what happens with the Redknapp/ Cotterill combination, I rate the latter very highly).

Villa next season? I anticipate a huge churn in players as the deadwood disappears. I expect an improvement on this season, that is all.

[West Derby Villan]

And so our last game of the season has gone, leaving us thirteenth, 32 points behind the leaders. A good game against a good side in the sunshine, with a last- minute equaliser sending the title to the Toon. Our only satisfaction coming from spoiling the Seagull’s party in front of just under 33,000. What a shame that we didn’t give Brighton extra tickets with almost ten thousand spare seats.
 
We didn’t come down as swaggering braggarts, full of belief that the title was ours for the taking. Instead there was a widespread fear, and belief, that we could go out of the trapdoor into the third tier. The Di Matteo appointment felt wrong, but the Steve Clarke appointment as his sidekick gave us hope. But for whatever the reason they were not up to the task of rescuing a club plummeting like a stone, a process which started with Martin O Neil’s departure just under seven years ago. A mixture of poor ownership, bad management, bad judgement and bad luck have held the club  in a vice like grip ever since.

Steve Bruce was a universally accepted, if not acclaimed, choice  as the latest man to reverse the ever steepening downward trajectory. Thirteenth in the second tier is hardly a measure of the club’s ambition, but set against the past seven years, it will do. Under MON we stubbornly stuttered as better than most, but not good enough for the top four, then we were grateful for a win, any win. Last year we won three, this year we won sixteen, scoring forty seven, not twenty seven. As a fan, that feels better.

We have enjoyed the Champ this season, new grounds, big away followings, virtually no crowd trouble, different teams and players. I think the Champ has enjoyed us too. A big scalp to take, big attendances home and away, an evens chance of beating us. Not that I would like to make a habit of this.

Of the play off sides, Fulham look to have momentum. I like the fact that it will be a north ( Wednesday/Huddersfield) v south ( Fulham/Reading) final. But everyone has a chance. Of the relegated sides Sunderland look to have no chance of making a quick return, Boro look strong, but Palace , Hull or Swansea will surely have the stuffing knocked out of them whoever comes down. I think there will be some room at the top next season with Leeds, Derby and maybe Birmingham in contention ( depends what happens with the Redknapp/ Cotterill combination, I rate the latter very highly).

Villa next season? I anticipate a huge churn in players as the deadwood disappears. I expect an improvement on this season, that is all.

Totally agree with this

[SoccerHQ]

I said to Mr Woodhall before the game that I had found this season  even more painful than last season.  I find mid Championship mediocrity even more humiliating than relegation.  Last year we had the comfort blanket that the owner's money would enable us to bounce straight back.  That fantasy has evaporated and we are staring at more mediocrity next season.  Even Bruce's words to the crowd after the game limited him to saying they were going make us "a force in the Championship".  Talk about setting the bar low.

Did he actually speak to the crowd after the game, I thought we stopped that years ago when SGT got abused for it.

Must admit I'm a bit baffled they actually still did a lap thingy after the final whistle. Did good numbers actually stay for it, a little bizarre given what we've witnessed over the season.

[Legion]

Consistently inconsistent.

[Deano's Mullet]

I said to Mr Woodhall before the game that I had found this season  even more painful than last season.  I find mid Championship mediocrity even more humiliating than relegation.  Last year we had the comfort blanket that the owner's money would enable us to bounce straight back.  That fantasy has evaporated and we are staring at more mediocrity next season.  Even Bruce's words to the crowd after the game limited him to saying they were going make us "a force in the Championship".  Talk about setting the bar low.

Did he actually speak to the crowd after the game, I thought we stopped that years ago when SGT got abused for it.

Must admit I'm a bit baffled they actually still did a lap thingy after the final whistle. Did good numbers actually stay for it, a little bizarre given what we've witnessed over the season.

poor


Yes a fair proportion stayed including us. Had we not equalised I think the ground would have emptied super quick, especially if Brighton were going to lift the trophy too.

[Des Little]

I've been to every game (bar Luton) and am delighted the season is over. Whilst I've been to some new grounds and had some great days out, the standard of football has been diabolical. Add to this we have won 4 games on the road, finished 18 points off the play offs and finished below fucking Cardiff and you have a record to be ashamed of. Bruce has an absolutely huge job on his hands and if he hasn't got us top 3 by November I'd expect him to be on his bike.

Have a great summer everyone.

[Ads]

The away form needs to improve. At home we've been largely solid; a few too many draws we ought to have picked up maximum points from, but the away form is atrocious.

[walsall villain]

I said to Mr Woodhall before the game that I had found this season  even more painful than last season.  I find mid Championship mediocrity even more humiliating than relegation.  Last year we had the comfort blanket that the owner's money would enable us to bounce straight back.  That fantasy has evaporated and we are staring at more mediocrity next season.  Even Bruce's words to the crowd after the game limited him to saying they were going make us "a force in the Championship".  Talk about setting the bar low.

Last year was far worse for me. Weekly public humiliation, routinely watching delirious away supporters celebrating a win. I anticipated we would be well short of promotion this time around, my guess was 9th. At least we have steadied the ship. Yes the football has been dull mostly but I think we will improve considerably next season. I would have liked to have seen more of Green, shame injury curtailed his season, what I did she of him looks very promising.

[Ads]

Last year was by far and away the worst season in the clubs history and a complete humiliation.