The last all English Premier League starting 11

[Scratchins]

An interesting article.
https://www.theanalyst.com/eu/2022/02/english-players-premier-league/

[N'ZMAV]

that team was poor - no wonder we lost 4-1.

[rougegorge]

that team was poor - no wonder we lost 4-1.

That remains our only ever home league defeat to them.

Mind you, even it wasn't the best line up (Barry and Collymore came on as subs), it should still have done better on the day against this team:

M Hedman,
R Nilsson, D Burrows, P Williams, R Shaw
G McAllister, S Froggatt, G Boateng,
P Telfer, D Huckerby, J Aloisi

[Goldie.7]

I was at this match and I didn't fancy our chances one bit. We were pretty much what we are like currently...  A squad of some very good and very average players on a dismal run of form. I recall we didn't win our previous 4 or 5 before we played them at home and we didn't win the 4 or 5 after.

Our season tanked as soon as the 1999 year begun. It was like someone flipped a switch from "qualifying for Champions League" to "complete shit" - a literal carbon copy of last season.

[LeeB]

I was at this match and I didn't fancy our chances one bit. We were pretty much what we are like currently...  A squad of some very good and very average players on a dismal run of form. I recall we didn't win our previous 4 or 5 before we played them at home and we didn't win the 4 or 5 after.

Our season tanked as soon as the 1999 year begun. It was like someone flipped a switch from "qualifying for Champions League" to "complete shit" - a literal carbon copy of last season.

Complete with the failure to sign Juninho

[eamonn]

We were top of the table as late as mid-January that season after a 3-0 win over Everton on a Monday night at VP. Five days later Kevin Keegan's Fulham knocked us out of the Cup at home which seemed to knock our confidence for six  (that and Collymore going missing before his depression announcement) and Ugo nearly lost his eye another week or two on at Newcastle.

We had gone unbeaten for the first 12 league games leading to a team photo on the pitch after winning 4-1 at Southampton in November. Between late Jan and March we lost 8 games and drew 1. A stunning, awful turn-around in fortunes that saw the careers peak of a bright young manager, John Gregory and young player, Lee Hendrie. Neither of them had the same swagger again after those torrid few months.

[bilsim]

My first season regularly going to games, my recollection is that it was that cup game against Fulham where the wheels really came off.

[algy]

We were top of the table as late as mid-January that season after a 3-0 win over Everton on a Monday night at VP. Five days later Kevin Keegan's Fulham knocked us out of the Cup at home which seemed to knock our confidence for six  (that and Collymore going missing before his depression announcement) and Ugo nearly lost his eye another week or two on at Newcastle.

We had gone unbeaten for the first 12 league games leading to a team photo on the pitch after winning 4-1 at Southampton in November. Between late Jan and March we lost 8 games and drew 1. A stunning, awful turn-around in fortunes that saw the careers peak of a bright young manager, John Gregory and young player, Lee Hendrie. Neither of them had the same swagger again after those torrid few months.

It was probably my favourite few months as a Build supporter, the UEFA Cup run the season before, then going up to December (?) with Villa looking completely unbeatable. Can remember thinking "so this is what it feels like when you support a team that's going to win the league".

I do wonder if we've got it very lucky as football supporters. We can dream of winning the League, FA Cup or European Cup, but don't ruin it by actually winning the damn thing.

I see it that, firstly, the anticipation of something is always far better than the thing itself, kind of like how the weeks running up to Christmas Eve always end up being more exciting than anything after about midday on Christmas Day. But also that part of you enjoys the misery. Not being shit, but being able to moan about things and, more importantly, imagine how they'd be better.

I also wonder if that world view is entirely shaped by being convinced that Aston Villa are the only club worth supporting, and therefore any experiences you have as a to Villa supporter are automatically 'the ideal' in my mind. Maybe if I supported Rochdale I'd revel in how League 1/2 football is the ultimate in football experience.