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Author Topic: The turning point  (Read 8204 times)

Offline andyh

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The turning point
« on: April 18, 2019, 10:51:51 PM »
We are on an incredible run and long may it continue.
Loads of interviews with Deano and players have asked about why and when things turned and the consensus seems to be the return of Jack, the introduction of Mings and other players returning from injury.

I have been thinking about this and I think the turn around stems more from Deano himself than anything else.

Remember the game at Stoke and the awful, awful first half. The manager himself said that at half time he had to lay into the players and tell some truths and that resulted in a better second half and the launch pad for the run we are on.

I reckon (for no reason other than its what I think) that that half time team talk is when he became the Villa manager ( head coach) and the players realised it.
Maybe, after the new manager bounce, they were all a bit too comfortable and he let them, and in letting them they got complacent and then lost form.
The Stoke game is when he thought fuck it, enough is enough, laid into them and the rest is history.

That’s what I reckon anyway.

Offline Des Little

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Re: The turning point
« Reply #1 on: April 18, 2019, 10:56:18 PM »
Definitely Stoke away, but after five mins when Elmo came on for Hutton we were one down. We haven’t looked back since. All hail the Egyptian King!

Offline robbo1874

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Re: The turning point
« Reply #2 on: April 18, 2019, 11:44:43 PM »
Much as I respect Steve Bruce, I’d say the turning point was his sacking, the collective sigh of relief around the club, and Smith’s appointment. The shackles seem to have come off the whole squad/ team since.

Offline murfee

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Re: The turning point
« Reply #3 on: April 19, 2019, 01:02:31 AM »
I heard from a good source that it was Tommy  elphick  that laid into them at half time at stoke

Offline Risso

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Re: The turning point
« Reply #4 on: April 19, 2019, 01:04:27 AM »
The Stoke half time team talk will have helped, but I don't think we'd have improved as dramatically as we have without the return of Jack.  That and Mings getting up to speed have been the launch pad for the improvement.

Offline adrenachrome

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Re: The turning point
« Reply #5 on: April 19, 2019, 01:22:43 AM »
As I said at the time, I think we ran out of the required energy to play DS's type of game. JG is obviously a massive factor as well, as was the effect Bruce's close season activity.

Now we are in this position, we have every chance to go up. It won't be straight-forward, there will be setbacks on the way.

Offline KevinGage

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Re: The turning point
« Reply #6 on: April 19, 2019, 02:27:33 AM »
Getting shot of Bolasie.

Not that it resulted in an immediate upturn in fortunes, granted.

But everyone on the books now (even the loan lads like Tammy and Tuanzebe) are buying into the idea of getting us up and getting us up pronto. No passengers.

Offline PeterWithesShin

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Re: The turning point
« Reply #7 on: April 19, 2019, 03:27:12 AM »
Jack coming back, without him there is no chance we're top 6. Some of the other things mentioned have helped keep it going but it's blatantly obvious the catalyst is Jack. If Jack was still out where do you think we'd be in the league.

Offline Bad English

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Re: The turning point
« Reply #8 on: April 19, 2019, 05:26:57 AM »
"It was clearly when I decided to wear my skidmarked crusties backwards for the Stoke game."

Offline TheMalandro

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Re: The turning point
« Reply #9 on: April 19, 2019, 06:06:33 AM »
"It was clearly when I decided to wear my skidmarked crusties backwards for the Stoke game."

 That, or when you live streamed your saucisson.

Offline brian green

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Re: The turning point
« Reply #10 on: April 19, 2019, 06:33:03 AM »
None of the above.  It was instantaneous when my son and I took the Wembley scarves from round our necks and threw them in the litter bin in Aston Park.  I have completely thrown off the mob of hobgoblins making us lose by wearing an FC Cologne scarf.

Online ChicagoLion

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Re: The turning point
« Reply #11 on: April 19, 2019, 07:00:35 AM »
Jack coming back, without him there is no chance we're top 6. Some of the other things mentioned have helped keep it going but it's blatantly obvious the catalyst is Jack. If Jack was still out where do you think we'd be in the league.
Just look at the results when he was out and since.
As PWS says a number of other things have helped but the catalyst is undoubtedly Jack.

Offline Brassneck

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Re: The turning point
« Reply #12 on: April 19, 2019, 07:13:35 AM »
I think that Stoke was  a turning point.  I went there with an "end of season/on the beach" type of attitude as I'd given up on the play offs (and I'm usually one of the most optimistic).  Trailing at half time, the crowd shouting encouragement to the players as they walked off and the second half fightback.  It was the type of game we could easily have lost in that 3 month run we had since WBA away.

That said, as others have stated, without Jack, we wouldn't have won all of these games and would not be in the top 6.  It was exactly the same last year when he returned from injury just before Xmas.  Everyone was attributing the upsurge in our form/attacking play to Steve Agnew's appointment.  In hindsight, we now know that the real reason was the return of Jack.  He is simply irreplaceable and we are a completely different team with him in it.

Offline Baldy

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Re: The turning point
« Reply #13 on: April 19, 2019, 09:22:45 AM »
Just looked back at the league table after 34 games. We have gained 28 points on Birmingham City in the last 8 matches. That has to be a record!!!

Jack and his captaincy has made a major difference. Plus the 'never say die' attitude of McGinn and Mings is contagious.

Dean Smith has knocked the 'Butlins Holiday Camp' mentality out of this club. It took a real Villa supporter to do it.  :D
« Last Edit: April 19, 2019, 09:34:08 AM by Baldy »

Offline Legion

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Re: The turning point
« Reply #14 on: April 19, 2019, 09:24:41 AM »
Grealish + McGinn + Abraham + Mings + Smith - Bruce = BANG!

 


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