Going Straight Back Down?

[Dogtanian]

The dip last season wasn’t just about Grealish being out.  Abraham was having doubts about whether he should stay or move somewhere else in January because he wasn’t happy.  Chester was out of form as he was playing with an injury but we didn’t have anyone to swap him out for.

There may well be a dip or dips this season, it’s going to be an interesting season.  We know we have the core of a decent team, we know we have a manager with the right attitude and desire to play attacking football.

[themossman]

Good summary from Phil McNulty on BBC:

clicky

Spoiler alert - predicts 14th, which feels fair.

Aston Villa

Last season - promoted

This season - 14th

If you had a pound for every time you heard "doing a Fulham"…

Fulham spent more than £100m losing their identity and their Premier League status last season and Villa's similarly expensive sweep of the transfer market has brought the same accusations.

Not from here - yes it is ambitious and contains risk but manager Dean Smith has also signed players he knows in the likes of Jota, Ezri Konsa and the likes of Tyrone Mings and Anwar El Ghazi, who were on loan last season.

Plenty of eyes will be on the likes of Wesley, Trezeguet and Douglas Luiz - but Villa have also secured one of the best deals of the summer in signing an experienced goalkeeper of quality in England's Tom Heaton from Burnley for only £8m.

Jack Grealish has Premier League quality and John McGinn can make a big impact.

A season of consolidation is in prospect at one of the great old clubs.