Realistic Expectations

[SoccerHQ]

We have players like Trez and El Ghazi that can fill a position but neither are the quality we need to compete at the top. I suppose we will see how ambitious our owners are in the summer break.

We'll sell one of them in the summer, both got two years left on their contract and been regulars in top half team so that maintains their value.

[LeeB]

To be perfectly honest, I would say that where we are currently is at the absolute upper limit of any reasonable expectations we might have had when Smith took charge, and he has earned the right to keep his job for the whole of next season as a minimum regardless of any blips we go through. 

We can already point to two or three occasions in the time he's been here where we've been told he has reached his limit (the run just before the 10 game winning streak in the Championship, early last season and again in the first few games after lockdown), and yet each time we have gone on to get better.  He is still learning the ropes at the top level, but he has still tactically out-thought a number of supposedly world-class coaches, and with relatively limited resources at his disposal.  Now we are finally getting a squad together that is worthy of the top-half of the Premier League he absolutely deserves the right to get a proper go of it, in a normal season where the crowds are back.

In all businesses, but especially football, you want to get someone who's on the way up rather than the way down.  There is nothing in Dean Smith's trajectory that says he has reached his limit yet, and whilst it may be one year too soon this time round, I reckon next year we have a shot at European qualification and/or winning a trophy.

I'm am fully in this camp.

He also carries himself, and therefore the club with great dignity, and he earns the loyalty of players and staff through hard work and honesty and dedication, which they then give back.

It leads to a great culture at the club, one that allows the miracle of last season to actually happen. The players listening, taking onboard the coaching and producing the goods doesn't happen when you're not working together.

Long may he reign.

[Drummond]

To be perfectly honest, I would say that where we are currently is at the absolute upper limit of any reasonable expectations we might have had when Smith took charge, and he has earned the right to keep his job for the whole of next season as a minimum regardless of any blips we go through. 

We can already point to two or three occasions in the time he's been here where we've been told he has reached his limit (the run just before the 10 game winning streak in the Championship, early last season and again in the first few games after lockdown), and yet each time we have gone on to get better.  He is still learning the ropes at the top level, but he has still tactically out-thought a number of supposedly world-class coaches, and with relatively limited resources at his disposal.  Now we are finally getting a squad together that is worthy of the top-half of the Premier League he absolutely deserves the right to get a proper go of it, in a normal season where the crowds are back.

In all businesses, but especially football, you want to get someone who's on the way up rather than the way down.  There is nothing in Dean Smith's trajectory that says he has reached his limit yet, and whilst it may be one year too soon this time round, I reckon next year we have a shot at European qualification and/or winning a trophy.

I'm am fully in this camp.

He also carries himself, and therefore the club with great dignity, and he earns the loyalty of players and staff through hard work and honesty and dedication, which they then give back.

It leads to a great culture at the club, one that allows the miracle of last season to actually happen. The players listening, taking onboard the coaching and producing the goods doesn't happen when you're not working together.

Long may he reign.

Count me in too.

We sometimes plateau, occasionally falter, but generally the direction is upwards.

Smith is a good man, doing good things and his record is pretty good so far. The only sign of any petulance we've seen from anyone towards him are the perceived antics of Barkley (who's been benched) and Grealish's grumpy response to being taken off 5 minutes before the end of a match (which was quickly shown to not be an issue).

[Sexual Ealing]

Thirded.

[West Derby Villan]

And me

[KevinGage]

To be perfectly honest, I would say that where we are currently is at the absolute upper limit of any reasonable expectations we might have had when Smith took charge, and he has earned the right to keep his job for the whole of next season as a minimum regardless of any blips we go through. 

We can already point to two or three occasions in the time he's been here where we've been told he has reached his limit (the run just before the 10 game winning streak in the Championship, early last season and again in the first few games after lockdown), and yet each time we have gone on to get better.  He is still learning the ropes at the top level, but he has still tactically out-thought a number of supposedly world-class coaches, and with relatively limited resources at his disposal.  Now we are finally getting a squad together that is worthy of the top-half of the Premier League he absolutely deserves the right to get a proper go of it, in a normal season where the crowds are back.

In all businesses, but especially football, you want to get someone who's on the way up rather than the way down.  There is nothing in Dean Smith's trajectory that says he has reached his limit yet, and whilst it may be one year too soon this time round, I reckon next year we have a shot at European qualification and/or winning a trophy.

Was open to a change (depending on the calibre of the replacement) in the summer.

But would agree with most of that.

If our form of the last five or six games is this season's wobble we're not doing too bad.  Smudger also said last year that his teams typically get stronger in the final stages of the season. It was certainly true for us in 18/19 and 19/20.

If that plays out again this year we'll still be in the running for European qualification.

[eamonn]

Our last six to nine games are bloody difficult though. We play most of the teams above us (twice in the case of Everton - also twice against Spurs if you count all of our remaining matches).

[Sexual Ealing]

It's sometimes better to play those games towards the end in case the good teams are still in Europe and often they're pretty sure whether they're in or out of he top 4. Well that's my straw and I'll clutch at it anyway.

[eamonn]

No, it's a good point. The games against the Mancs might be dead rubbers for them if they have the top two spots more or less sealed. And who wouldn't want to face Liverpool in the coming weeks...

[ROBBO]

To be free of relegation worries at this stage is what we all hoped for, it's still a great effort. The hope that i have is that the owners see this as an opportunity to kick on and buy quality in the summer, the worry that i have is that we continue to buy promise more than proven.
We have one of the most if not the most influential players in the league who loves playing for Villa, love of club only goes so far and if we don't continue the improvement then he will start looking elsewhere. Over the decades we have built good sides only to sell top players or players seeing the lack of ambition wanting to leave. This summer is that important.

[Damo70]

I am happy with 40 points and 9th place after 26 games. I am also happy we are jostling for positions with
Everton, Spurs, Liverpool and Arsenal.

[ChicagoLion]

Over the decades we have built good sides only to sell top players or players seeing the lack of ambition wanting to leave. This summer is that important.

Agree


The only time I can recall getting away with selling our best player was Andy Gray to Wolves.

[LeeB]

Over the decades we have built good sides only to sell top players or players seeing the lack of ambition wanting to leave. This summer is that important.

Agree


The only time I can recall getting away with selling our best player was Andy Gray to Wolves.

We did alright out of the Platt sale.

[Baldy]

To be free of relegation worries at this stage is what we all hoped for, it's still a great effort. The hope that i have is that the owners see this as an opportunity to kick on and buy quality in the summer, the worry that i have is that we continue to buy promise more than proven.
We have one of the most if not the most influential players in the league who loves playing for Villa, love of club only goes so far and if we don't continue the improvement then he will start looking elsewhere. Over the decades we have built good sides only to sell top players or players seeing the lack of ambition wanting to leave. This summer is that important.

The Emi Martinez purchase gives me great hope. It was completely out the blue and gave us an upgrade on what we currently have. 

[Chris Smith]

Looking at the poll I went for 13th to 17th so we’re almost certainly going to exceed that so I have to be happy with progress. On top of that it’s clear that the players we have signed have all improved us and that we now have the core of a very good side. There are obviously still a couple of areas where we can improve the team and strengthen the squad but I can only see us going one way.