"I thought those days were behind us."

[SoccerHQ]

I've seen this comment a few times crop up in the match threads this season today and at Newcastle.

Now while I don't want to just dismiss or sugar-coat bad defeats I'm genuinely curious why people think we're apparently so good now that we were never going to lose by 3 or 4 goal margin ever again seemingly at clubs who have actually qualified for better european competitions than us.

Newcastle was a bad defeat but in mitigation we lose our leader at the back at 2-1 and actually created a decent amount of chances but got found out in basketball match.

Today we were second best from the first whistle and very bad idea to concede early away to Liverpool as it's near impossible to get a foothold on the match.

It was pretty identical to Man. City away last season other than not scoring a consolation.

We have our best manager for decades and some really good players but people do realise teams who actually finish top 4 at this level have a few games like this per season aswell?

Newcastle got battered by us at VP as badly as we did up there but they just brushed it off as a one off (until the same happened v Brighton).

Think back to 12 months ago when we had an expensive squad playing rubbish football under a  fraud of a manager. That's the context and hopefully those days are behind us with the decision making at the top now.

[gpbarr]

Spot on. I also saw a few “reality check” comments - maybe for those who got ahead of themselves.

We got well beaten at Anfield, with a makeshift defence still bedding in, by a team that most expect to push City all the way this year. It’s not unexpected.

We are a million miles better than we have been for so, so long. You don’t have to look in the rear view mirror for too long before you see the 3-0 embarrassment at Craven Cottage less than a year ago.

I get the passion, the hope but some of the commentary is unreal.

[PeterWithesShin]

Every side in the PL bar Man City have a few shit days and results. We spent years doing it most weeks, now that it happens a lot less the reaction is a bit more dramatic. It's what football fans do, create unrealistic expectations and overreact when it goes wrong.

[Exeter 77]

I think comments such as those are frustration that we aren't moving forward quite as fast as some would like. We live in a pretty much instant world and Villa being a dominant force will not happen instantly. Even Man City took two or three years before starting to win thing regularly and we, thankfully, aren't working to their model.

[Risso]

It’s just a worry that last season under Emery we were competitive in more or less every game and had a really mean defence. Now we’ve lost 2/4 and been absolutely thrashed in the defeats with no answer in those matches to even look remotely competitive.

[Monty]

I don't think it's a case of saying 'those days are behind us' or not. As has been pointed out, Man Utd got smacked into oblivion in their equivalent fixture last year and finished third (and, incidentally, have had a very similar start to us this year). Newcastle themselves had an only marginally better showing than we did at Brighton yesterday - indeed, our 3-0 against them at VP last year was similar to today's total control.

It happens. They're better than us and even so, any of the teams in this top nine can do this to each other. It's just concerning that certain players Emery's clearly bet a lot on do not look reliable at that very top level, and that he's got his tactics wrong twice in exactly the same way - or at least that the players failed to execute in exactly the same way.

These are issues, but let's be very very real, they're nice issues to have compared to what we've had in the recent past!

[PaulTheVillan]

Every team has those days.

[SoccerHQ]

I think comments such as those are frustration that we aren't moving forward quite as fast as some would like. We live in a pretty much instant world and Villa being a dominant force will not happen instantly. Even Man City took two or three years before starting to win thing regularly and we, thankfully, aren't working to their model.

We are moving forward though. In three years we went from surviving relegation by the skin of our teeth to qualifying for europe.

With more logical thinking post Smith we could've done it a season earlier aswell.

If we beat Palace and get something at Chelsea we'll have at least 10 points from first 6 games so on course for another 60 point season which will have us in the mix for top 6.

If people think we're good enough now for 70-75 point range I just think that's too early especially with the disruptive injuries we've already suffered.

[SoccerHQ]

It’s just a worry that last season under Emery we were competitive in more or less every game and had a really mean defence. Now we’ve lost 2/4 and been absolutely thrashed in the defeats with no answer in those matches to even look remotely competitive.

We weren't competitive Man. City away. Bar consolation goal it panned out exactly the same as today did and there were loads of comments after that game saying there wasn't enough progress.

We then played really well a week later v Arsenal but lost and again there were plenty of negative comments after that but we used that as a springboard and went on the glorious 10 match unbeaten run.

[PeterWithesShin]

Last season Liverpool lost at home to Leeds, lost to Forest and Bournemouth and got dicked by Brentford, Wolves, Brighton and Man City.

Man Utd got dicked by Brentford, Man City, us and Liverpool.

Look at the car crash of Chelsea most of the season )and hopefully still), and Spurs the last part of it. It happens.

Enjoy that it doesn't happen to us very often and instead we often dish them out, rather than worrying when it does happen to us.

[pauliewalnuts]

Spot on. I also saw a few “reality check” comments - maybe for those who got ahead of themselves.

We got well beaten at Anfield, with a makeshift defence still bedding in, by a team that most expect to push City all the way this year. It’s not unexpected.

We are a million miles better than we have been for so, so long. You don’t have to look in the rear view mirror for too long before you see the 3-0 embarrassment at Craven Cottage less than a year ago.

I get the passion, the hope but some of the commentary is unreal.

It is a reality check, though, isn't it? Following the logic of the rest of your post, which is all fair.

Not sure why you'd pick up on the reality check thing as something unusual?

It's surely what you go on to say.

Unless I am missing something, and I probably am.

[Monty]

Spot on. I also saw a few “reality check” comments - maybe for those who got ahead of themselves.

We got well beaten at Anfield, with a makeshift defence still bedding in, by a team that most expect to push City all the way this year. It’s not unexpected.

We are a million miles better than we have been for so, so long. You don’t have to look in the rear view mirror for too long before you see the 3-0 embarrassment at Craven Cottage less than a year ago.

I get the passion, the hope but some of the commentary is unreal.

It is a reality check, though, isn't it? Following the logic of the rest of your post, which is all fair.

Not sure why you'd pick up on the reality check thing as something unusual?

It's surely what you go on to say.

Unless I am missing something, and I probably am.

Reality checks happened for Man Utd and Newcastle this weekend too. We're above both! It's fine, they happen, team needs to adapt. Nobody's really wailing or gnashing their teeth on this, it's just how it is.

[PaulWinch again]

It is a reality check in the sense that we cannot go to teams that finished in the top 5 and not be at it. Emery knows the Newcastle and Liverpool games are well below we need to be. I’m confident he’ll sort it and I’m also confident that come the end of the season we’ll be pondering why we ever questioned Torres.

[LeeB]

It is how it is, but I'm a Villa fan and I'm starting to worry that when we try to make a good thing great, we end up making it worse.

[gpbarr]

Spot on. I also saw a few “reality check” comments - maybe for those who got ahead of themselves.

We got well beaten at Anfield, with a makeshift defence still bedding in, by a team that most expect to push City all the way this year. It’s not unexpected.

We are a million miles better than we have been for so, so long. You don’t have to look in the rear view mirror for too long before you see the 3-0 embarrassment at Craven Cottage less than a year ago.

I get the passion, the hope but some of the commentary is unreal.

It is a reality check, though, isn't it? Following the logic of the rest of your post, which is all fair.

Not sure why you'd pick up on the reality check thing as something unusual?

It's surely what you go on to say.

Unless I am missing something, and I probably am.

Thats fair. I guess it's the context of the phrase used. Before the game, despite the tremendous improvement we have seen since Unai arrived, and our improved squad, I thought we'd do very well to get a draw. I think they are a better side than us, the Mings injury is a big miss, and at Anfield it would be a formidable challenge. So my hope / expectation was based on that. It doesn't feel like a 'reality check' to me that we lost - and as SoccerHQ says, a 'bad' defeat can happen to any side in the PL.

Maybe those who see it differently can explain their rationale?