Positivity

[tomd2103]

It was a bad one last night, but it’s still been a fantastic first half of the season. We need to battle hard and get 3 points against Burnley, but most of the sides near the top have had a shaky run - we’ve got injuries and suspensions to key players, although that seems to go under the radar from outside commentators. We’ll bounce back.

Agree, it's been a great first half to the season.  Currently sit 3rd in the league and through to the knockout stages of the European competition with the FA Cup coming up. 

After Saturday, we will.have reached a point of the season where we will mostly only have one game a week for a couple of months and can regroup somewhat, add a few reinforcements and push again. 

[SoccerHQ]

Every single person on this board would've taken the points leads we have against Newcastle, Man. United and Brighton after the trauma of the opening day.

[Steve67]

Unai giving it all a sense of perspective with his '39 points at the halfway stage' being absolutely brilliant.  Rightly so.  Although it didn't feel like that last night.

[Neil Hawkes]

I see the "Press" are now saying that M.City are keeping pace with L.Pool & Arse, no mention of AVFC.

I see that as a positive, let them write us off at their peril.

[Risso]

I see the "Press" are now saying that M.City are keeping pace with L.Pool & Arse, no mention of AVFC.

I see that as a positive, let them write us off at their peril.

It's really not that surprising after that completely gutless performance against Man U. If we want to be taken seriously we can't putting on displays like that.

[stevo_st]

Having calmed down, and watched the highlights, if we had a bit of luck and taken either of the SJM or the Bailey chances I think we would have won that game.
Fine margins that will average out over a season

[Nunkin1965]

This is the positivity thread so to be in the conversation at the top of the League after 50% of the games is insane.

[AV82EC]

We’re in a very good place. With half the season gone we’ve maybe lost 1 too many games but haven’t drawn too many so that balances out and are in the mix for Champs League with an outside chance of a title shot. The last few weeks have really stretched the squad which can be rectified in the next few weeks. With the 2 week mini winter break coming up after the Everton game I’m feeling positive about a reset and further progress in the second half of the season.

[Clampy]

I'm delighted with the first half of the season. I thought we'd be better than last season.but didn't expect it to have gone as well as it as so far. There's been a few mis-steps which is inevitable and there's room for improvement but overall, I'm happy with it so far.

[Tony Daleys Shorts]

Having finally calmed down after Boxing Day result, it really is remarkable we have 39 points at the halfway stage.

For perspective that total beats 5 seasons where the total points achieved was less than 39 through the whole season!

If we get 78 points, i.e. repeat the first half season performance, that will comfortably beat our previous highest PL total of 74 points achieved in 92/93.

[Smirker]

Back in after tonight's results 

[SaddVillan]

I see the "Press" are now saying that M.City are keeping pace with L.Pool & Arse, no mention of AVFC.

I see that as a positive, let them write us off at their peril.

To echo what Neil said:

BBC Sport online coverage of Arse v Spam, after Spam had taken the lead:

"It's suddenly quiet inside   The Emirates. But that you can be sure that goal was celebrated loudly all the way back in Liverpool and Manchester."

Err, what about Brum?

Fucking Big6 centric tossers.

[SaddVillan]

Thought I'd  post this here  l. Feel free to move it to another topic.

From The Athletic

ASTON VILLA’S 2023: VILLA PARK FORTIFIED, A RECORD BROKEN AND "SUPER JOHN McGINN"


The year 2023: not bad, eh?

To the naked eye and the data, too, Aston Villa have performed among the elite throughout the past 12 months, with Unai Emery threatening to break the glass ceiling of the ‘Big Six’.

Feathers are in danger of being truly ruffled as Villa have become the model of consistency and excellence. Only three Premier League teams (Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool) have a better record since Emery’s arrival, with 2023 being a year of sustained progress for Villa.

This is a team who have broken records — winning 15 straight league games at Villa Park — and, after being lower-end Premier League nomads, are now eagerly awaiting what 2024 brings.

The Athletic dissects a hope-fulfilling, upwardly improving year at Aston Villa.

The high point:

My word, there are a lot. It depends on your preference. If you want something tangible, last season’s final-day victory over Brighton secured qualification for the Europa Conference League.

December’s win against Arsenal shattered a club record with a 15-match, 10-month winning home run in the league. The victory against Newcastle United at home deserves an honourable mention, too.

For shock and awe, however, the high point was Villa’s performance against Manchester City in December — it was considered their magnum opus since returning to the Premier League and probably for decades.

They outplayed, out-matched and outsmarted the champions of Europe and dominated in a 1-0 victory. City had just two shots — the fewest of any Pep Guardiola side — and conceded 22, the joint-highest of any Guardiola side. Villa Park was thunderous that night; Emery’s Villa had become a serious team to play.

The low point:

Villa got this out of the way early in the year. On January 8, before Villa Park became a fortress (in the league, anyway), Stevenage rocked up and dumped them out of the FA Cup.

Five of the players who started are no longer at the club, with Douglas Luiz the only guaranteed starter who plays now. Villa were awful, deeply sloppy and missed an outstanding opportunity to go far in the competition. The defeat, though surprising, followed recent trends given Villa have not won an FA Cup fixture since 2016. Middlesbrough in the third round is coming up soon.

Elsewhere, the anterior cruciate ligament injuries to Emi Buendia and Tyrone Mings within four days of the other was an awful blow and derailed opening-day preparations for the trip to Newcastle. Both were ruled out for the season before it had even begun.

Most surprising moment:

Again, take your pick. Ollie Watkins becoming the second-best striker in the Premier League? Ezri Konsa a vertical passer and pacey defensive sweeper? Leon Bailey with his new short socks and right foot?

In truth, the answer lies behind what binds them all together, the individual development of those assumed to have reached their level. John McGinn being the prime example, and, as it turned out, he was the player who broke the home record, scoring the only goal against Arsenal.

I tell you what is the least surprising: Emery’s analysis sessions are still very long and very frequent. Up to an hour and 15 minutes, sometimes. Yet they are still working an absolute treat.

Best player:

First, let’s get this out of the way — honourable mentions: Emi Martinez, Konsa, Douglas Luiz and Watkins.

But Aston Villa’s best player in 2023 has been McGinn. He is the catalyst for Villa’s acute rise, playing with the ferocious intensity, attitude and general quality that has characterised the side in the past year.

He drives Villa — literally and figuratively — in difficult moments, setting the tone with his work-rate and crucial goals. McGinn is a captain who leads by example and team-mates are compelled to follow. Those strengths are why Emery, who is usually earnest, occasionally smiles and says “Super John McGinn”.

Best goal:

Jhon Duran’s emphatic half-volley against Crystal Palace was conjured out of very little and, in retrospect, served as a crucial moment in Villa’s winning run at home having been trailing (a rare problem) in the game to that point.

Yet Emery’s Villa are epitomised by collective and sweeping team moves that are a staple of the attacking diet. McGinn’s spinning turn to beat Arsenal started with Martinez in goal and worked through the thirds, but Matty Cash’s finish to put an exclamation mark on a 19-pass move at Burnley contained everything Emery preaches and wants in training.

The stat that sums up 2023:

Aston Villa registered 25 Premier League wins in 2023, with only Manchester City registering more. It is the most top-flight wins Villa have registered in their history. For comparison, in the previous two years, Villa managed 26 wins combined.

Most memorable quote:

When Villa extended their home winning streak to 12 with their 20th win in 2023 after beating Luton own 3-1 in October, Cash came out into the mixed zone and said: “It’s going well, yeah?” Yes, it is, Matty.

The piece we most enjoyed writing:

Any deep dive into the reasons behind Villa’s continued upward trajectory has been a lot of fun, with lots of different nuggets of information contributing to the broader picture. I have also enjoyed investigating what is happening with Kortney Hause, the Villa Park rebuild and the awful scenes before the home European tie against Legia Warsaw.

My favourite piece, however, was the interview with Emery’s assistant and Villa’s director of football, Damian Vidagany. I spoke to him on the afternoon of the match away to Legia in the team hotel and he was one of the most absorbing talkers I have ever interviewed.

A wish for 2024 is…
More wins, more European trips and, come this time next year, the Champions League anthem ringing in my ears…

[Meanwood Villa]

Having finally calmed down after Boxing Day result, it really is remarkable we have 39 points at the halfway stage.

For perspective that total beats 5 seasons where the total points achieved was less than 39 through the whole season!

If we get 78 points, i.e. repeat the first half season performance, that will comfortably beat our previous highest PL total of 74 points achieved in 92/93.

We played 42 games in 92/93 as well. We got 70 from 38 in 89/90. Would be tremendous to beat that.

[Nunkin1965]

Thought I'd  post this here  l. Feel free to move it to another topic.

From The Athletic

ASTON VILLA’S 2023: VILLA PARK FORTIFIED, A RECORD BROKEN AND "SUPER JOHN McGINN"


The year 2023: not bad, eh?

To the naked eye and the data, too, Aston Villa have performed among the elite throughout the past 12 months, with Unai Emery threatening to break the glass ceiling of the ‘Big Six’.

Feathers are in danger of being truly ruffled as Villa have become the model of consistency and excellence. Only three Premier League teams (Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool) have a better record since Emery’s arrival, with 2023 being a year of sustained progress for Villa.

This is a team who have broken records — winning 15 straight league games at Villa Park — and, after being lower-end Premier League nomads, are now eagerly awaiting what 2024 brings.

The Athletic dissects a hope-fulfilling, upwardly improving year at Aston Villa.

The high point:

My word, there are a lot. It depends on your preference. If you want something tangible, last season’s final-day victory over Brighton secured qualification for the Europa Conference League.

December’s win against Arsenal shattered a club record with a 15-match, 10-month winning home run in the league. The victory against Newcastle United at home deserves an honourable mention, too.

For shock and awe, however, the high point was Villa’s performance against Manchester City in December — it was considered their magnum opus since returning to the Premier League and probably for decades.

They outplayed, out-matched and outsmarted the champions of Europe and dominated in a 1-0 victory. City had just two shots — the fewest of any Pep Guardiola side — and conceded 22, the joint-highest of any Guardiola side. Villa Park was thunderous that night; Emery’s Villa had become a serious team to play.

The low point:

Villa got this out of the way early in the year. On January 8, before Villa Park became a fortress (in the league, anyway), Stevenage rocked up and dumped them out of the FA Cup.

Five of the players who started are no longer at the club, with Douglas Luiz the only guaranteed starter who plays now. Villa were awful, deeply sloppy and missed an outstanding opportunity to go far in the competition. The defeat, though surprising, followed recent trends given Villa have not won an FA Cup fixture since 2016. Middlesbrough in the third round is coming up soon.

Elsewhere, the anterior cruciate ligament injuries to Emi Buendia and Tyrone Mings within four days of the other was an awful blow and derailed opening-day preparations for the trip to Newcastle. Both were ruled out for the season before it had even begun.

Most surprising moment:

Again, take your pick. Ollie Watkins becoming the second-best striker in the Premier League? Ezri Konsa a vertical passer and pacey defensive sweeper? Leon Bailey with his new short socks and right foot?

In truth, the answer lies behind what binds them all together, the individual development of those assumed to have reached their level. John McGinn being the prime example, and, as it turned out, he was the player who broke the home record, scoring the only goal against Arsenal.

I tell you what is the least surprising: Emery’s analysis sessions are still very long and very frequent. Up to an hour and 15 minutes, sometimes. Yet they are still working an absolute treat.

Best player:

First, let’s get this out of the way — honourable mentions: Emi Martinez, Konsa, Douglas Luiz and Watkins.

But Aston Villa’s best player in 2023 has been McGinn. He is the catalyst for Villa’s acute rise, playing with the ferocious intensity, attitude and general quality that has characterised the side in the past year.

He drives Villa — literally and figuratively — in difficult moments, setting the tone with his work-rate and crucial goals. McGinn is a captain who leads by example and team-mates are compelled to follow. Those strengths are why Emery, who is usually earnest, occasionally smiles and says “Super John McGinn”.

Best goal:

Jhon Duran’s emphatic half-volley against Crystal Palace was conjured out of very little and, in retrospect, served as a crucial moment in Villa’s winning run at home having been trailing (a rare problem) in the game to that point.

Yet Emery’s Villa are epitomised by collective and sweeping team moves that are a staple of the attacking diet. McGinn’s spinning turn to beat Arsenal started with Martinez in goal and worked through the thirds, but Matty Cash’s finish to put an exclamation mark on a 19-pass move at Burnley contained everything Emery preaches and wants in training.

The stat that sums up 2023:

Aston Villa registered 25 Premier League wins in 2023, with only Manchester City registering more. It is the most top-flight wins Villa have registered in their history. For comparison, in the previous two years, Villa managed 26 wins combined.

Most memorable quote:

When Villa extended their home winning streak to 12 with their 20th win in 2023 after beating Luton own 3-1 in October, Cash came out into the mixed zone and said: “It’s going well, yeah?” Yes, it is, Matty.

The piece we most enjoyed writing:

Any deep dive into the reasons behind Villa’s continued upward trajectory has been a lot of fun, with lots of different nuggets of information contributing to the broader picture. I have also enjoyed investigating what is happening with Kortney Hause, the Villa Park rebuild and the awful scenes before the home European tie against Legia Warsaw.

My favourite piece, however, was the interview with Emery’s assistant and Villa’s director of football, Damian Vidagany. I spoke to him on the afternoon of the match away to Legia in the team hotel and he was one of the most absorbing talkers I have ever interviewed.

A wish for 2024 is…
More wins, more European trips and, come this time next year, the Champions League anthem ringing in my ears…

Thats a tremendous read.
Hearing the Champions League tune at VP will be a special moment when it happens.
Although we didn't turn up at the 2000 Cup Final, singing "Abide with me" with my Dad at Wembley is one of my highs, but hearing that tune on a Champions league night will be incredible.