Relegation Watch

[dave.woodhall]

I don't think it is too strange to be pessimistic when we have been mostly shit for a decade, haven't won at home to Arsenal this century and have watched them lose countless matches we wanted them to win against mediocre opposition in the meantime. Expecting the worst while hoping to be pleasantly surprised is a good way of dealing with things for some of us.

There seems to be an odd mindset creeping onto here lately that you're somehow not a proper fan or, ridiculously, "want us to lose" if you have any less than blind optimism.

Perhaps if some posters were't so keen to shout down anyone who looks even vaguely supportive it might not happen.

Which of course hasn't happened.

It's been happening for years. Further details on request.

[chrisw1]

I tend to try to look for the positives where Villa are concerned but I just can't see us doing it.  It feels like we've blown so many 'must wins' and I can't see that changing against Arsenal who have hit some real form.  Blowing the lead at Everton could haunt us for a long time.  All so frustrating. 

[spartacuss]

Best psychological approach in my view?  Accept that we're in the Championship already and that we have 2 cup games left to win a place in the Premier League.
Works for me.

[hilts_coolerking]

I don't think it is too strange to be pessimistic when we have been mostly shit for a decade, haven't won at home to Arsenal this century and have watched them lose countless matches we wanted them to win against mediocre opposition in the meantime. Expecting the worst while hoping to be pleasantly surprised is a good way of dealing with things for some of us.

There seems to be an odd mindset creeping onto here lately that you're somehow not a proper fan or, ridiculously, "want us to lose" if you have any less than blind optimism.

Perhaps if some posters were't so keen to shout down anyone who looks even vaguely supportive it might not happen.

Which of course hasn't happened.

It's been happening for years. Further details on request.

"Anyone who looks even vaguely supportive"?  Really?  You might equally say there are at least a couple on here who are ready to pile on to anyone who says anything even vaguely critical or pessimistic. 

[dave.woodhall]

I don't think it is too strange to be pessimistic when we have been mostly shit for a decade, haven't won at home to Arsenal this century and have watched them lose countless matches we wanted them to win against mediocre opposition in the meantime. Expecting the worst while hoping to be pleasantly surprised is a good way of dealing with things for some of us.

There seems to be an odd mindset creeping onto here lately that you're somehow not a proper fan or, ridiculously, "want us to lose" if you have any less than blind optimism.

Perhaps if some posters were't so keen to shout down anyone who looks even vaguely supportive it might not happen.

Which of course hasn't happened.

It's been happening for years. Further details on request.

"Anyone who looks even vaguely supportive"?  Really?  You might equally say there are at least a couple on here who are ready to pile on to anyone who says anything even vaguely critical or pessimistic. 

Or as it's otherwise known, disagree.

[Ad@m]

Us staying up is possible but unlikely. Is there much more to say until after the Arsenal game?

[hilts_coolerking]

I don't think it is too strange to be pessimistic when we have been mostly shit for a decade, haven't won at home to Arsenal this century and have watched them lose countless matches we wanted them to win against mediocre opposition in the meantime. Expecting the worst while hoping to be pleasantly surprised is a good way of dealing with things for some of us.

There seems to be an odd mindset creeping onto here lately that you're somehow not a proper fan or, ridiculously, "want us to lose" if you have any less than blind optimism.

Perhaps if some posters were't so keen to shout down anyone who looks even vaguely supportive it might not happen.

Which of course hasn't happened.

It's been happening for years. Further details on request.

"Anyone who looks even vaguely supportive"?  Really?  You might equally say there are at least a couple on here who are ready to pile on to anyone who says anything even vaguely critical or pessimistic. 

Or as it's otherwise known, disagree.

Yep, and that cuts both ways.  I think the point is that yes there are always a couple of extreme views at either end of the spectrum but why concentrate on them?  The vast majority are on a more sensible sliding scale in between, depending on how the team is generally performing at the time.

[Sexual Ealing]

We’re definitely staying up and anyone who disagrees is not entitled to celebrate our next European Cup.

[dave.woodhall]

I don't think it is too strange to be pessimistic when we have been mostly shit for a decade, haven't won at home to Arsenal this century and have watched them lose countless matches we wanted them to win against mediocre opposition in the meantime. Expecting the worst while hoping to be pleasantly surprised is a good way of dealing with things for some of us.

There seems to be an odd mindset creeping onto here lately that you're somehow not a proper fan or, ridiculously, "want us to lose" if you have any less than blind optimism.

Perhaps if some posters were't so keen to shout down anyone who looks even vaguely supportive it might not happen.

Which of course hasn't happened.

It's been happening for years. Further details on request.

"Anyone who looks even vaguely supportive"?  Really?  You might equally say there are at least a couple on here who are ready to pile on to anyone who says anything even vaguely critical or pessimistic. 

Or as it's otherwise known, disagree.

Yep, and that cuts both ways.  I think the point is that yes there are always a couple of extreme views at either end of the spectrum but why concentrate on them?  The vast majority are on a more sensible sliding scale in between, depending on how the team is generally performing at the time.

Because the people who are the most miserable are always the quickest to moan that everyone's picking on them, and it's a strange world where being optimistic about your team's chances is cause for criticism.

[Damo70]

I don't think it is too strange to be pessimistic when we have been mostly shit for a decade, haven't won at home to Arsenal this century and have watched them lose countless matches we wanted them to win against mediocre opposition in the meantime. Expecting the worst while hoping to be pleasantly surprised is a good way of dealing with things for some of us.

There seems to be an odd mindset creeping onto here lately that you're somehow not a proper fan or, ridiculously, "want us to lose" if you have any less than blind optimism.

Perhaps if some posters were't so keen to shout down anyone who looks even vaguely supportive it might not happen.

Which of course hasn't happened.

It's been happening for years. Further details on request.

"Anyone who looks even vaguely supportive"?  Really?  You might equally say there are at least a couple on here who are ready to pile on to anyone who says anything even vaguely critical or pessimistic. 

Or as it's otherwise known, disagree.

I reminds me of journeys back from away games in the eighties and nineties. Usually a car full of us.. If Villa won we would be having a right laugh amongst ourselves and the banter carried on when we ended up in our local pub. If Villa lost the post-mortem lasted all the way home and carried on long and loud in the pub. Five young blokes who were good mates and massive Villa fans regularly falling out over how and why Villa had lost.

[hilts_coolerking]

Because the people who are the most miserable are always the quickest to moan that everyone's picking on them, and it's a strange world where being optimistic about your team's chances is cause for criticism.

It's a strange world too where not sharing that optimism is also grounds for criticism. 

[JJ-AV]

What will be, will be. Up the bloomin' Villa!

[themossman]

We’re definitely staying up and anyone who disagrees is not entitled to celebrate our next European Cup.

Haha, so true.

In the eternal happy clappers vs doom mongers war, I always feel like both extremes live only in the imagination of the opposing side.

Surely there is an underlying acceptance that we all (since we’re sad enough to spend a large chunk of our waking hours arguing about villa on the internet) want the team to do well. Does anyone really, really not think that?

[dave.woodhall]

I once had a bit of a disagreement coming out of the ground with somebody over whether we should sell David Platt. He didn't speak to me again until we found ourselves locked in at the Black Eagle nearly twenty years later.

[dave.woodhall]

Because the people who are the most miserable are always the quickest to moan that everyone's picking on them, and it's a strange world where being optimistic about your team's chances is cause for criticism.

It's a strange world too where not sharing that optimism is also grounds for criticism. 

Not sharing it is one thing - criticising someone for being optimistic is quite another.