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Author Topic: Realistic Expectations  (Read 112428 times)

Offline Mister E

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Re: Realistic Expectations
« Reply #555 on: March 07, 2021, 04:16:39 PM »
It depends on whether Luiz, Nakamba and Sanson can improve a bit next season. If they can we'd probably be looking at an upgrade on McGinn, a winger and another striker, then a couple of squad defenders. 
We have to have good cover at CB. So far, we've been very lucky with injury. Another LB will be required to compete with Targett.
We should be giving Kesler, Ramsey and Chukwuemeka some game time this season. Another striker is also necessary.

Offline Daley’s dreads

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Re: Realistic Expectations
« Reply #556 on: March 07, 2021, 04:19:58 PM »
In terms of the squad for next season, there are a few at Fulham that I wouldn’t mind. Aina  can play both full back positions and Andersen would be a good centre half to replace Engels. Throw in Lookman as well to replace Trez.
A right winger like Neto or Jota (you know which one) and a good striker and we should be looking at top 6. I really am not sure with way about our centre mid options atm though. Especially the holding position.
Surely the owners and we as fans won’t be looking at top 4 though?! Maybe the season after at a push for me.

Online AV82EC

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Re: Realistic Expectations
« Reply #557 on: March 07, 2021, 04:24:17 PM »
I’d be all over that Neto after seeing him last night, real top quality, gave Matt Targett a really tough evening. As Dean insists on playing 2 wide forwards I’d be looking to upgrade AEG and Trez and Bertie to be a squad option.

Offline john e

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Re: Realistic Expectations
« Reply #558 on: March 07, 2021, 05:10:38 PM »
we are three points of 7th place which could well be European football
that is where we should be aiming especially knowing how we can perform as we have seen in the first half of the season

Villa need European football to be able to attract better quality players
to Keep our are better quality players
and to push the club forward to where we want to be

a 10th place finish with a well it’s positive progression narrative
Would be a disappointment for me now

I want some more as someone famously once said




Online algy

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Re: Realistic Expectations
« Reply #559 on: March 07, 2021, 05:44:42 PM »
I'm happy with this season, we've outperformed what I expected so far (11th-15th), and I'm fairly confident that we'll continue to.

In the summer, with the exceptions of Neil Taylor & Ross Barkley, I don't think there's any players that *desperately* need to be replaced. Freddy can come in for Elmo if needs be. For me, I think it'll be more about seeing which players are available at a decent price that'll improve our first 11. It's the first time in ages that I've felt relaxed enough about our squad options that it wouldn't bother me to see them still knocking about next season.

Offline ChicagoLion

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Re: Realistic Expectations
« Reply #560 on: March 07, 2021, 09:30:55 PM »
I thought we would be mid table but I did not expect us to be flirting with a top 6 place. The recent run of form has put paid to that. We still manage to look like last seasons team at times. A realistic expectation Is to get past some of the rotten performances we still manage turn out, the most recent was The Blades.
We are a long way behind the established Top 6 to 8 clubs who have years of accumulated TV money.
The big challenge we will continue to face is losing Jack because I think that would be a huge blow to our aspirations of challenging at the top of the league.

Offline brontebilly

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Re: Realistic Expectations
« Reply #561 on: March 08, 2021, 12:01:34 PM »
I thought we would be mid table but I did not expect us to be flirting with a top 6 place. The recent run of form has put paid to that. We still manage to look like last seasons team at times. A realistic expectation Is to get past some of the rotten performances we still manage turn out, the most recent was The Blades.
We are a long way behind the established Top 6 to 8 clubs who have years of accumulated TV money.
The big challenge we will continue to face is losing Jack because I think that would be a huge blow to our aspirations of challenging at the top of the league.

Agreed mate, lose Jack and we are right back to square one really. If this season continues to taper out then that is a real risk. So a strong finish, top 8 or so would be where we should be aiming I think.

I think for next season (assuming Jack stays), Smith will need to be a lot more flexible in terms of rotating players and using his subs. There aren't many decent strikers who will come to us if Watkins continues to play every minute for example. Even Ferguson used play the likes of Fletcher, O'Shea and Park regularly. Id be open to letting the likes of Nakamba and maybe even AEG leave as likely to get decent money for them. Likes of Trez, Elmo, Engels, Davis, Taylor will all move on.

I think Tuanzebe wouldn't be a bad shout, he is very good bringing the ball out from the back (also helps a tactical shift to 3 if required at times). An experienced partner next to Luiz is still a must for me. Thomas Delaney the Irish sounding Dane at Dortmund would be ideal and has about 18 months left on his deal (similar player to Gareth Barry).

I think we should be moving away from wingers really as both our full backs can provide width, with three from Jack, McGinn, Traore, Sanson and Ramsey supporting Watkins. An experienced striker as Watkins backup another must, Giroud type would be ideal.

I think it's a summer for a couple of canny experienced heads with something to offer rather than statement signings.

Online Drummond

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Re: Realistic Expectations
« Reply #562 on: March 08, 2021, 12:23:53 PM »
Champions League qualification will not be a requirement or an expectation next season, nor should it be. Progress will be expected I'd imagine, but right now, a top half finish next season would still be positive. We have to remember that sustained success is what we're after and we need to build it as these things always take time. Remember where we were two years ago (Championship), 5 years (bottom of Premier League) and even 10 years ago we finished 9th with 48 points. The year before 09/10 we finished 6th with 64 points, I'd like us to aim for that again this season, given the start we've had

We've been pretty crap for a decade, so now to expect us to finish Champions League already would be pushing it.

Offline Baldy

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Re: Realistic Expectations
« Reply #563 on: March 08, 2021, 12:50:01 PM »
To keep Jack we need to shop at Harrods in the next window and not Tesco.

We need to think 'big' to be 'big' and it wouldn't surprise me if our owners think the same. Money talks and apart from Man City we are not that far behind the rest.

If our owners pump in another 100m plus the monies we get for selling some players we can look at the likes of Haaland, Lookman and a good back up for left back.

I honestly believe our owners have greater ambition than many of us.  :)



« Last Edit: March 08, 2021, 01:20:50 PM by Baldy »

Offline john e

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Re: Realistic Expectations
« Reply #564 on: March 08, 2021, 05:10:34 PM »
Champions League qualification will not be a requirement or an expectation next season, nor should it be. Progress will be expected I'd imagine, but right now, a top half finish next season would still be positive. We have to remember that sustained success is what we're after and we need to build it as these things always take time. Remember where we were two years ago (Championship), 5 years (bottom of Premier League) and even 10 years ago we finished 9th with 48 points. The year before 09/10 we finished 6th with 64 points, I'd like us to aim for that again this season, given the start we've had

We've been pretty crap for a decade, so now to expect us to finish Champions League already would be pushing it.


You’re right I think it might be pushing it but I do think our owners are very very ambitious
Maybe even more than we realise

We have been where we were because we’ve had dog shit managers for a long time
The problem is for too many years we put up with average and the downright rubbish
We’ve excused it and gone along with it and accepted it

We should have been straight up out of the championship the first year in trying
we spent more money than any other club in that division by miles
but we were there for three seasons in the end which was ridiculous

we all gave ourselves pats on the back when we stayed up on the last day last season
But in reality we were piss poor for a lot of the season
I thought we underachieved and we should never have been relying on other results in the last game

But we were and we got away with it so fairplay

But now we are judging where we can go on how shit we’ve been in the past
It’s got to stop

I’ve said a million times we are the biggest team in the Midlands It’s not even debatable
We have the second richest owners in the premiership
We have one of the best players in the world who we must keep

Mid table finishes with the size of this club and the investment will not be good enough next season
and it shouldn’t be good enough

We have got to raise the bar and stop wallowing at where we’ve come from in the last few years
and start looking at where we’re going







« Last Edit: March 08, 2021, 05:20:45 PM by john e »

Offline Baldy

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Re: Realistic Expectations
« Reply #565 on: March 08, 2021, 05:32:46 PM »
Champions League qualification will not be a requirement or an expectation next season, nor should it be. Progress will be expected I'd imagine, but right now, a top half finish next season would still be positive. We have to remember that sustained success is what we're after and we need to build it as these things always take time. Remember where we were two years ago (Championship), 5 years (bottom of Premier League) and even 10 years ago we finished 9th with 48 points. The year before 09/10 we finished 6th with 64 points, I'd like us to aim for that again this season, given the start we've had

We've been pretty crap for a decade, so now to expect us to finish Champions League already would be pushing it.


You’re right I think it might be pushing it but I do think our owners are very very ambitious
Maybe even more than we realise

We have been where we were because we’ve had dog shit managers for a long time
The problem is for too many years we put up with average and the downright rubbish
We’ve excused it and gone along with it and accepted it

We should have been straight up out of the championship the first year in trying
we spent more money than any other club in that division by miles
but we were there for three seasons in the end which was ridiculous

we all gave ourselves pats on the back when we stayed up on the last day last season
But in reality we were piss poor for a lot of the season
I thought we underachieved and we should never have been relying on other results in the last game

But we were and we got away with it so fairplay

But now we are judging where we can go on how shit we’ve been in the past
It’s got to stop

I’ve said a million times we are the biggest team in the Midlands It’s not even debatable
We have the second richest owners in the premiership
We have one of the best players in the world who we must keep

Mid table finishes with the size of this club and the investment will not be good enough next season
and it shouldn’t be good enough

We have got to raise the bar and stop wallowing at where we’ve come from in the last few years
and start looking at where we’re going

Agreed 100% John e.

If our owners choose to buy the league, they will.

They have spent 200m plus already. our emergence has not gone unnoticed and we are now in a position to attract top quality.  :)

Online Toronto Villa

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Re: Realistic Expectations
« Reply #566 on: March 08, 2021, 05:47:09 PM »
The challenge Dean Smith will always have with these owners is proving to them he is the right man to help them reach their ambitions for us.

So far, so good as he’s pretty checked every box. Given how this season has gone to date, and assuming things don’t fall of the cliff and we finish in the bottom half, he’s rightly earned the chance at leading us next year. But every multi million £ investment; on the team or in the club the pressure intensifies on getting the results right. Hopefully Dean keeps up with it all, but if he doesn’t I’m sure he’s only too aware that Villa fan and likeable guy or not, he’ll be gone.

Offline john e

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Re: Realistic Expectations
« Reply #567 on: March 08, 2021, 05:59:39 PM »
The challenge Dean Smith will always have with these owners is proving to them he is the right man to help them reach their ambitions for us.

So far, so good as he’s pretty checked every box. Given how this season has gone to date, and assuming things don’t fall of the cliff and we finish in the bottom half, he’s rightly earned the chance at leading us next year. But every multi million £ investment; on the team or in the club the pressure intensifies on getting the results right. Hopefully Dean keeps up with it all, but if he doesn’t I’m sure he’s only too aware that Villa fan and likeable guy or not, he’ll be gone.

Yep spot-on

we don’t know the answer to that question yet

The only way of knowing if you’re an elite manager operating at the top level
is by becoming a top manager operating at the top level

Online Toronto Villa

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Re: Realistic Expectations
« Reply #568 on: March 08, 2021, 07:54:00 PM »
We are also seeing with how quickly Thomas Tuchel has changed Chelsea just by being better than Lampard, what a top managerial appointment can do at a club. Not comparing Dean to Lampard, as I firmly believe our boss is better, and not saying that immediate impact always happens the way it has happened at Chelsea, but there will be some very good, proven managers available if Dean Smith doesn't meet expectations next season.

richtheholtender

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Re: Realistic Expectations
« Reply #569 on: March 08, 2021, 08:17:05 PM »
Champions League qualification will not be a requirement or an expectation next season, nor should it be. Progress will be expected I'd imagine, but right now, a top half finish next season would still be positive. We have to remember that sustained success is what we're after and we need to build it as these things always take time. Remember where we were two years ago (Championship), 5 years (bottom of Premier League) and even 10 years ago we finished 9th with 48 points. The year before 09/10 we finished 6th with 64 points, I'd like us to aim for that again this season, given the start we've had

We've been pretty crap for a decade, so now to expect us to finish Champions League already would be pushing it.


You’re right I think it might be pushing it but I do think our owners are very very ambitious
Maybe even more than we realise

We have been where we were because we’ve had dog shit managers for a long time
The problem is for too many years we put up with average and the downright rubbish
We’ve excused it and gone along with it and accepted it

We should have been straight up out of the championship the first year in trying
we spent more money than any other club in that division by miles
but we were there for three seasons in the end which was ridiculous

we all gave ourselves pats on the back when we stayed up on the last day last season
But in reality we were piss poor for a lot of the season
I thought we underachieved and we should never have been relying on other results in the last game

But we were and we got away with it so fairplay

But now we are judging where we can go on how shit we’ve been in the past
It’s got to stop

I’ve said a million times we are the biggest team in the Midlands It’s not even debatable
We have the second richest owners in the premiership
We have one of the best players in the world who we must keep

Mid table finishes with the size of this club and the investment will not be good enough next season
and it shouldn’t be good enough

We have got to raise the bar and stop wallowing at where we’ve come from in the last few years
and start looking at where we’re going

















Two of the best players in the world. I really think the keeper is that good. Alisson is up there and he’s been better than him

 


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