Final League Position

[Moonraker]

Two turning points this season which affect our final position. One, not playing Man City first up, gave the newbies another week to settle in and had we lost, say 2-0, which most of us would have expected, suspect we wouldn't have approached the next game with the same attitude or confidence. Two, Martinez saving the pen. What would have happened last season if Heaton had saved that pen 16 seconds in? We will never know, but the save gave us so much confidence to press on.

[stevo_st]

Sending off of Egan
Allison and Mane being out for Liverpool
Vardy injured for Leicester

We’ve had a fair bit of luck so far, long May it continue!!

[Footy-Vill]

The lowest that a team has finished after beginning a top-flight English league season with 4 wins from 4 games is 15th. This has been done three times, including by Aston Villa in 1900/01.

If we beat Leeds we'll be one of only 12 sides to have won five (or more) of their first Premier League games. Of the other eight, Newcastle finished sixth (94/95), all the others top four.

That's a great stat!
I think I'm right in saying no team has won more than first 9 matches at start of a Prem season. Chelsea in 05/06

In Leicester Prem title winning season they had 8pts from first 4 matches and 11pts from first 5 matches

I also have seen that in last 10 season the average  top Four finish: 71.3 points
With the lowest: 66pts Chelsea last season and Manchester City in 2015/16.

Last season Chelsea had 8pts from first 5 matches finishing 4th

[ADVILLAFAN]

The lowest that a team has finished after beginning a top-flight English league season with 4 wins from 4 games is 15th. This has been done three times, including by Aston Villa in 1900/01.

If we beat Leeds we'll be one of only 12 sides to have won five (or more) of their first Premier League games. Of the other eight, Newcastle finished sixth (94/95), all the others top four.

Would probably settle for finishing 6th this season and then being runners-up next season to be fair

[N'ZMAV]

I'll settle for top ten, as long as it's not a dramatic fall from grace....
I imagine results will bottom out and we'll start dropping points, which is expected obviously.
So a steady season of improvement and a top half finish would be fantastic.

[PGW]

Sending off of Egan
Allison and Mane being out for Liverpool
Vardy injured for Leicester

We’ve had a fair bit of luck so far, long May it continue!!

Now Calvin Phillips plus their centre half

[Footy-Vill]

Sending off of Egan
Allison and Mane being out for Liverpool
Vardy injured for Leicester

We’ve had a fair bit of luck so far, long May it continue!!

And to add:

Man City: match postponed !!

Sheff Utd : Extra weeks prep/rest. Martinez penalty save no Targett sending off

Fulham: Bobby Decordova-Reid goal disallowed after a VAR mitrovic foul. Martinez only Blunder this season!

Liverpool: No Thiago to run the midfield and no penalty Vs McGinn on Salah

Leicester: No Vardy , Söyüncü, Ndidi.

Leeds: shorter turnaround for match having played Monday night and No Phillips. Defender to play out of position as midfieder.

And a fantastic run of fixtures till after boxing day.

Villa are 16/1 to be top at Xmas

[Footy-Vill]

I'll settle for top ten, as long as it's not a dramatic fall from grace....
I imagine results will bottom out and we'll start dropping points, which is expected obviously.
So a steady season of improvement and a top half finish would be fantastic.

Have you seen the 10 Villa fixtures up to Boxing day though?
6 at home 4 Away
Many winnable , no top 4 opposition. Only Arsenal and Wolves away as the most challenging of matches.
6 home matches all winnable Leeds, Soton, Brighton, Newcastle, Burnley and Palace on boxing Day.
Certainly could remain undefeated at home very least.
Can really consolidate a healthy 1st half season points tally just from home form

Away West Ham , WBA

[TonyD]

I'll settle for top ten, as long as it's not a dramatic fall from grace....
I imagine results will bottom out and we'll start dropping points, which is expected obviously.
So a steady season of improvement and a top half finish would be fantastic.

Have you seen the 10 Villa fixtures up to Boxing day though?
6 at home 4 Away
Many winnable , no top 4 opposition. Only Arsenal and Wolves away as the most challenging of matches.
6 home matches all winnable Leeds, Soton, Brighton, Newcastle, Burnley and Palace on boxing Day.
Certainly could remain undefeated at home very least.
Can really consolidate a healthy 1st half season points tally just from home form

Away West Ham , WBA

Sending off of Egan
Allison and Mane being out for Liverpool
Vardy injured for Leicester

We’ve had a fair bit of luck so far, long May it continue!!

And to add:

Man City: match postponed !!

Sheff Utd : Extra weeks prep/rest. Martinez penalty save no Targett sending off

Fulham: Bobby Decordova-Reid goal disallowed after a VAR mitrovic foul. Martinez only Blunder this season!

Liverpool: No Thiago to run the midfield and no penalty Vs McGinn on Salah

Leicester: No Vardy , Söyüncü, Ndidi.

Leeds: shorter turnaround for match having played Monday night and No Phillips. Defender to play out of position as midfieder.

And a fantastic run of fixtures till after boxing day.

Villa are 16/1 to be top at Xmas

16/1 at Xmas.  That has to worth a punt as Covid could also temporarily halt games with up on top....?!

[Clampy]

I'll settle for top ten, as long as it's not a dramatic fall from grace....
I imagine results will bottom out and we'll start dropping points, which is expected obviously.
So a steady season of improvement and a top half finish would be fantastic.

Have you seen the 10 Villa fixtures up to Boxing day though?
6 at home 4 Away
Many winnable , no top 4 opposition. Only Arsenal and Wolves away as the most challenging of matches.
6 home matches all winnable Leeds, Soton, Brighton, Newcastle, Burnley and Palace on boxing Day.
Certainly could remain undefeated at home very least.
Can really consolidate a healthy 1st half season points tally just from home form

Away West Ham , WBA

Let's not get carried away.

[maidstonevillain]

I'll settle for top ten, as long as it's not a dramatic fall from grace....
I imagine results will bottom out and we'll start dropping points, which is expected obviously.
So a steady season of improvement and a top half finish would be fantastic.

Have you seen the 10 Villa fixtures up to Boxing day though?
6 at home 4 Away
Many winnable , no top 4 opposition. Only Arsenal and Wolves away as the most challenging of matches.
6 home matches all winnable Leeds, Soton, Brighton, Newcastle, Burnley and Palace on boxing Day.
Certainly could remain undefeated at home very least.
Can really consolidate a healthy 1st half season points tally just from home form

Away West Ham , WBA

Sending off of Egan
Allison and Mane being out for Liverpool
Vardy injured for Leicester

We’ve had a fair bit of luck so far, long May it continue!!

And to add:

Man City: match postponed !!

Sheff Utd : Extra weeks prep/rest. Martinez penalty save no Targett sending off

Fulham: Bobby Decordova-Reid goal disallowed after a VAR mitrovic foul. Martinez only Blunder this season!

Liverpool: No Thiago to run the midfield and no penalty Vs McGinn on Salah

Leicester: No Vardy , Söyüncü, Ndidi.

Leeds: shorter turnaround for match having played Monday night and No Phillips. Defender to play out of position as midfieder.

And a fantastic run of fixtures till after boxing day.

Villa are 16/1 to be top at Xmas

16/1 at Xmas.  That has to worth a punt as Covid could also temporarily halt games with up on top....?!

That is a very interesting point. I am very tempted.
I am not generally a betting person, although I did try to get some money on Villa to be promoted at 45/1 half wat through the Derby game. ****** internet.

[Lastfootstamper]

The lowest that a team has finished after beginning a top-flight English league season with 4 wins from 4 games is 15th. This has been done three times, including by Aston Villa in 1900/01.

If we beat Leeds we'll be one of only 12 sides to have won five (or more) of their first Premier League games. Of the other eight, Newcastle finished sixth (94/95), all the others top four.

That's a great stat!
I think I'm right in saying no team has won more than first 9 matches at start of a Prem season. Chelsea in 05/06

In Leicester Prem title winning season they had 8pts from first 4 matches and 11pts from first 5 matches

I also have seen that in last 10 season the average  top Four finish: 71.3 points
With the lowest: 66pts Chelsea last season and Manchester City in 2015/16.

Last season Chelsea had 8pts from first 5 matches finishing 4th

So nothing startling at any point, at 1.6ppg they'd have finished on 61.  Keeping out any one of Leicester's goals against them during the season would have then seen them finish above Leicester anyway.  I think if we can avoid a lengthy barren run this side of Christmas and can add a couple of players in January where we can recruit from a position of strength, who knows what we can achieve.  And I'd fkn love it if we're joined in our storm up the table by at least one of the other upstarts who don't know their place.  I'd bear seeing wolves finish top three as long as it's below us. 

[Risso]

Yes,  I'd love to see the panic if it was say, us, Everton and Wolves taking three of the four Champions League spots going into the New Year.  The usual suspects would be holding all night Covid parties.

[DennisHodgetts]

The Big Three 

[algy]

I think, especially with Dean Smith as manager, we might have to get used to the idea that Villa are going to be a bit 'streaky', and so we can probably "look forward" to a long run of defeats later in the season.

As of such, I'm keeping my hopes from the start of the season:

Satisfied with: 13th-16th, finishing 6pts+ above 18th
Pretty good season: 9th-12th
Very good season:: 6th-8th -- I think we'd need to get lucky with (a lack of) injuries, but challenging for a Europa League spot, having been in a relegation battle for half of last season, would be an incredible achievement.

Anything above 6th ... that'd be dreamland.

Couldn't give a shit what Wolves or Albion do, they're irrelevant.