I know this is REALLY fucking stupid, however...

[Chris Smith]

I agree that things look really positive at the moment and we have a team that at their best are thrilling to watch. For me though I have got so used to us finding ways to fuck up over the past decade that I’m just waiting for things to go wrong. I’m expecting to wake up one day to headlines saying both our owners have covid, Dean Smith has retired and Jack is signing for Barcelona.

[Brend'Watkins]

Yes Chris, I know exactly where you are coming from. Fucking things up is in our DNA.  The only way out of it is to have much better players.

We've improved a lot for sure but Jack apart I feel no swagger.

[dave.woodhall]

It strikes me that our players, team and squad either have to be top six or else they're shite. There's nothing in between when in reality most of the players we should get rid of are perfectly capable of mid-table and that in itself would represent a massive improvement. In January we could do with another central defender and a striker if Wesley's not back but everything else seems fine.

[Nunkin1965]

Why is it fucking stupid? We're playing exciting football on a consistent basis. After a decade of dreck, it's great to be beck.

It’s not stupid and certainly not fucking stupid.
Having watched Villa achieve nothing positive in so many games over so many years we’re making progress.
Some people will NEVER possess patience or recognize progress.

[Brend'Watkins]

if we won last night we'd be top six.  We should have won even with the players we had playing last night.  Our propensity for making mistakes at the back or up top is well ingrained.  I know all teams make mistakes we just make more and more often.  I will believe we will be getting towards some form of a swagger as a team when we actually can play the ball out from a goal kick rather than pretending to as we did.

[Walmley_Villa]

Agree, it is exciting and when at it we look pretty decent, quick, exciting etc. Worry is squad depth, Cash will hit 5 yellows soon, we are still too dependent on Jack, not much on the bench. Good first 11 but average after that.

[SoccerHQ]

Someone should write a book about that. Dave.

As I've said many times before, there's nothing more than can be written on the subject. It's been done to death.

Lerner and Xia? (wink)

[SoccerHQ]

We'll finish top half I reckon.

Last year Sheffield United ended up 9th on 54 points and I reckon we're capable of that as long as we can back to winning 2-3 games before new year. Then it's a case of just playing out similar points haul second half of the season hopefully with 2-3 more added in January.

Completely different scenario to last January when we were established in relegation zone so I reckon we can get another Barkley type player in on loan at least upfront and hopefully add another CB.

Small steps but it's important to remember we haven't finished in top half of premier league since May 2011 so that would be a pretty good achievement this year.

Top 7 we're too inconsistant for but Everton are probably seen as good bets for that and they're in exactly the same form as us, four defeats out of last 5.

Leicester also lost at home to Fulham so it's just going to be one of those seasons with odd results particularly for home teams.

[eamonn]

One thing that strikes me is that the general level of the Premier League is getting higher all the time. Mid-table is associated with mediocrity as a footballing cliché and in certain cases (Newcastle, Burnley) warranted. But generally speaking, teams not part of the "top six" like Villa, Everton, West Ham, Leeds, Southampton; all play exciting, front-foot football or at least try to (apart from WHam last night). Inconsistency comes with having players that are not always on it but there is far less grinding out results these days.

We're incredibly comfortable with the ball at our feet across the team, we play out from the back as a matter of course. Add in the empty stadiums and it's like watching a bunch of skilful mates playing in a park with much of the football being played on the ground and quickly into feet. I'd rake this approach over the old MON counter-attacks and set-pieces strategy of playing even if it means we get turned over a bit more. We don't draw anymore! Under O'Neill, a point was often more likely than not at home.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

We should be looking to finish this season in the top 8.

[Meanwood Villa]

Our points per game ratio is very healthy a quarter of the way into the season. Bit disconcerting that I don't think any of our defeats in the last few games have been against top sides. Doesn't matter as much when we've picked up unexpected wins as well but it would be great to go unbeaten over the next five matches which are easier on paper. Two wins minimum for me. That would put us over 20 points well before half way point and very strongly placed.

[Rudy65]

We should be looking to finish this season in the top 8.

Agreed. As we have said for years the quality outside the top 6 is rubbish. So galling on the recent 4 defeats.

[kippaxvilla2]

The amount of times I stop during the week well maybe the month and think one of our owners is going to sell us or walk away or something happens to them is too many for comfort or sanity.  Likewise, every single game I am thinking Jack is going to get a serious injury.  I wince everytime he gets fouled and doesn't dive. And, does anyone still have this sick feeling when the opposition are going forward?  That has been ingrained for a lot of years.  It is hard to shake.

[pauliewalnuts]

Some people will NEVER possess patience or recognize progress.

Why don't you read the original post before whining on about this. It was full of positivity and recognising of progress. The stupid bit was the eternal optimism of thinking we might be on the verge of something big.

[pauliewalnuts]

Our points per game ratio is very healthy a quarter of the way into the season. Bit disconcerting that I don't think any of our defeats in the last few games have been against top sides.

Think you need to look at the wider context of how insanely unpredictable this season has been so far.

Stuff like Fulham beating Leicester last night, for example. So many unforeseen results around. I don't know if it's been the empty grounds and altogether weird atmosphere around at the moment but it's been fascinating to watch.