Ayatollah Hermione 12767 Posted September 11, 2016 Share Posted September 11, 2016 All together now. Ritchie's fucking magic... At no point in that game did we look like conceding. An away win without getting out of 2nd gear, that'll do me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew 4218 Posted September 11, 2016 Share Posted September 11, 2016 I think they're quite into the idea that they do have a good squad but to be honest, I think it's mostly based on the idea that 'they're a big club'. I saw a few mentioning that they'll be able to spend their way to promotion in January as well. There's a good few on there who think we'll win the whole thing as well mind (for some reason, none of them are talking about Huddersfield), but they also seem to think they have a genuine chance of putting us back in our box, so to speak. They thought Derby would take us but after that they'll be counting on themselves and Norwich for the next few games. Well, I'm watching their game today so I'll report back. All that's happened since I turned on is a man getting volleyed in the ribs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew 4218 Posted September 11, 2016 Share Posted September 11, 2016 Well, I'm watching their game today so I'll report back. All that's happened since I turned on is a man getting volleyed in the ribs. And now mcormack has hit the post from 3 yards out and then injured himself running into it. I can see what they mean, they're far more entertaining than yesterdays game was! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howay 12452 Posted September 11, 2016 Share Posted September 11, 2016 Villa are shit, I said somewhere before the season started they would need a complete and total overhaul and a far better transfer window than us, neither happened. They have an average at best manager and a squad that finished 20 points worse off than us in the Premier League, if there are people among them that actually think they will be above us in 3 weeks time they are complete fucking idiots I still don't think they'll get out the division this season. Shit club, shit fans, where they belong nowadays. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howmanheyman 26814 Posted September 11, 2016 Share Posted September 11, 2016 Aye, villa park not exactly bouncing for an all midlands European cup winners clash. Still, biggest club in this league, no doubt about it according to the sky commentator which is good news for us as the rest will ignore us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Kelly 1117 Posted September 11, 2016 Share Posted September 11, 2016 They created quite a bit today mind from what I saw. Forest are pretty poor though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Gloom 19822 Posted September 11, 2016 Share Posted September 11, 2016 And they could only draw at home to them. Not the best start for the biggest club in the division #merson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howay 12452 Posted September 11, 2016 Share Posted September 11, 2016 They're shit. They were 20 points lesser than us last season, have a pretty poor manager and haven't bought a whole lot of quality. They'll be a championship side next season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayvin 4964 Posted September 11, 2016 Share Posted September 11, 2016 (edited) Merson must fucking hate us, seriously. And Villa sound just as bad as last year. Edited September 11, 2016 by Rayvin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howay 12452 Posted September 11, 2016 Share Posted September 11, 2016 Well he played for Villa didn't he, it's just so he can feel a bit better about himself because he was too much of a fucking pisshead to be a proper pro. He's an insignificant tramp and can barely stay literate during his soccer Saturday rambles. Villa are irrelevant to us imo, points wise we were miles ahead of them last year and we will be again this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayvin 4964 Posted September 11, 2016 Share Posted September 11, 2016 True enough. Agree on villa too. Not a threat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fish 8989 Posted September 12, 2016 Share Posted September 12, 2016 Sounds like Xia is turning on the team; Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayvin 4964 Posted September 12, 2016 Share Posted September 12, 2016 That's a classic Chinese motivational technique. Criticise remorselessly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fish 8989 Posted September 12, 2016 Share Posted September 12, 2016 That's a classic Chinese motivational technique. Criticise remorselessly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Kelly 1117 Posted September 12, 2016 Share Posted September 12, 2016 With McCormack, Gestede, Kodjia, Ayew, Adomah and Graelish, they have a pretty threatening attack. Those players will score goals against anyone in this division. Like us they are on the back of two or three horrendous seasons (tbh they have been shit for a lot longer than us) so their confidence is going to be low. And they don't have a manager as good as Rafa to get things organised well. But I think they will come good and be a threat. It just might take them a bit too long to really be in the promotion hunt this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayvin 4964 Posted September 12, 2016 Share Posted September 12, 2016 (edited) Good analysis. The signs are there for sure but they really seem to crumble under pressure. Mentally, they might be the weakest team I've seen. Edit - although Arsenal probably still hold that honour. Edited September 12, 2016 by Rayvin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Kelly 1117 Posted September 12, 2016 Share Posted September 12, 2016 That's why I mention the confidence. We had the same problem to an extent earlier this season. We weren't crumbling so much but we were letting in poor goals at bad times. I always felt Rafa could turn that around though and for me, we turned a corner against Bristol imo. I don't have the same confidence in RDM for them as I had/have in Rafa for us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fish 8989 Posted September 12, 2016 Share Posted September 12, 2016 Good analysis. The signs are there for sure but they really seem to crumble under pressure. Mentally, they might be the weakest team I've seen. Edit - although Arsenal probably still hold that honour. Di Matteo doesn't strike me as the man to foster a sense of togetherness when one isn't already apparent, either. The longer the slow start lingers, the greater effort it's going to take to get going, no? Who're their next games? Brentford at home. The Bees have 3 wins and a draw, they've done ok against traditionally fancied sides too. Ipswich away. McCarthy's sides are usually well drilled but look softer this year. Mind you they're unbeaten at home. Newcastle at home. We're comfortably the best side in the division thus far, but we still set up to grind out a result and with their strike force, we may invite more pressure than we can handle? Barnsley away - Tykes going great guns at the moment, but haven't had the toughest start. Point is, I can't see them winning 4 on the bounce to rapidly climb the table and with each passing fixture the ascent becomes steeper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Kelly 1117 Posted September 12, 2016 Share Posted September 12, 2016 Di Matteo doesn't strike me as the man to foster a sense of togetherness when one isn't already apparent, either. The longer the slow start lingers, the greater effort it's going to take to get going, no? Who're their next games? Brentford at home. The Bees have 3 wins and a draw, they've done ok against traditionally fancied sides too. Ipswich away. McCarthy's sides are usually well drilled but look softer this year. Mind you they're unbeaten at home. Newcastle at home. We're comfortably the best side in the division thus far, but we still set up to grind out a result and with their strike force, we may invite more pressure than we can handle? Barnsley away - Tykes going great guns at the moment, but haven't had the toughest start. Point is, I can't see them winning 4 on the bounce to rapidly climb the table and with each passing fixture the ascent becomes steeper. Huddersfield might argue about us being comfortably the best side in the division when they're sitting nicely in first place four points better off than us. Totally agree about RDM though. He did well at Chelsea when he inherited an excellent side and was basically just a caretaker. But hasn't done a lot to suggest he can build his own team or turn a team around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StoneColdStephenIreland 74 Posted September 12, 2016 Share Posted September 12, 2016 They've spent 30 million on two strikers who have only been prolific in this league and they've got a midfield that have been softer than we were with Anita and Colback there. They will struggle to cope with the division as they genuinely are a soft touch and are playing McCormack out wide as they're top heavy in strikers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Kelly 1117 Posted September 12, 2016 Share Posted September 12, 2016 Aye they need to work out how to make best use of their attackers but they have three strikers who have scored well in this division. They've signed that Aussie from Palace for centre mid. Not sure if he's played yet but he should be a bigger presence for them in the middle in this division. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fish 8989 Posted September 12, 2016 Share Posted September 12, 2016 Huddersfield might argue about us being comfortably the best side in the division when they're sitting nicely in first place four points better off than us. Totally agree about RDM though. He did well at Chelsea when he inherited an excellent side and was basically just a caretaker. But hasn't done a lot to suggest he can build his own team or turn a team around. Huddersfield are playing well, but man for man, we're the best side. The energy levels required for that style of play are incredible and I'm not sure if they'll be able to maintain it, especially when teams get wise to it and deliberately wear them out in the first half with possession across the defensive lines and ranging passes down the flanks. Another point on RDM, I don't think he's operated under this amount of pressure before. As has been said, the Chelsea team picked (and managed) itself, and the expectations at West Brom were go for promotion, but at Villa... Xia doesn't just want to win the league, he wants to do it in style and isn't afraid of going online to voice his displeasure, the fans expect the title and good football because they're Villa. They've made a couple of big signings and a couple of good signings, but marquee players don't win you the Championship, a team does and Aston Villa are not a team at the minute. They've spent 30 million on two strikers who have only been prolific in this league and they've got a midfield that have been softer than we were with Anita and Colback there. They will struggle to cope with the division as they genuinely are a soft touch and are playing McCormack out wide as they're top heavy in strikers. Mental isn't it, they should have bought strength in depth throughout their squad, instead they've spunked a fortune on a couple of strikers and centre backs. £23m on two championship strikers, neither of whom are up and coming. In fact, only 2 of the players they've bought are under 26, so when the season is over, up or not, their squad's average age will be 27 and the majority aren't going to be good enough for the Premier League and so another overhaul will surely be required, will Xia really be happy putting his hand in his pocket to the tune of £50m again? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Kelly 1117 Posted September 12, 2016 Share Posted September 12, 2016 Huddersfield are playing well, but man for man, we're the best side. The energy levels required for that style of play are incredible and I'm not sure if they'll be able to maintain it, especially when teams get wise to it and deliberately wear them out in the first half with possession across the defensive lines and ranging passes down the flanks. Another point on RDM, I don't think he's operated under this amount of pressure before. As has been said, the Chelsea team picked (and managed) itself, and the expectations at West Brom were go for promotion, but at Villa... Xia doesn't just want to win the league, he wants to do it in style and isn't afraid of going online to voice his displeasure, the fans expect the title and good football because they're Villa. They've made a couple of big signings and a couple of good signings, but marquee players don't win you the Championship, a team does and Aston Villa are not a team at the minute. Mental isn't it, they should have bought strength in depth throughout their squad, instead they've spunked a fortune on a couple of strikers and centre backs. £23m on two championship strikers, neither of whom are up and coming. In fact, only 2 of the players they've bought are under 26, so when the season is over, up or not, their squad's average age will be 27 and the majority aren't going to be good enough for the Premier League and so another overhaul will surely be required, will Xia really be happy putting his hand in his pocket to the tune of £50m again? I'm certainly not saying Huddersfield are the best team in the division or that they will be where they are come the end of the season. But they beat us and are four points ahead of us. I don't really think you can say we have been comfortably better than them so far. I think even their fans would say we have a better side but they have made a great start. I think Villa look like they have a much better side than last season but they need to get over the hangover and the longer it lasts they more difficult that will be. At the moment they don't look like a threat but I think they have the ability to change that. Should they turn things round and go up, I'd say they're not close to having a competitive premier league though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayvin 4964 Posted September 12, 2016 Share Posted September 12, 2016 I read on their forum that they're very much of the view that it has to be this year that they go up. Apparently if they don't (same for us obviously) they suddenly have to deal with another 3 flush PL sides vying for promotion. It's a fair point tbf, it'd be much harder to escape on the second attempt when you consider that we might not be the big guns in the division next year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fish 8989 Posted September 12, 2016 Share Posted September 12, 2016 I read on their forum that they're very much of the view that it has to be this year that they go up. Apparently if they don't (same for us obviously) they suddenly have to deal with another 3 flush PL sides vying for promotion. It's a fair point tbf, it'd be much harder to escape on the second attempt when you consider that we might not be the big guns in the division next year. Yeah, even if the promoted sides go back down, they go down with all that lovely TV money plus whomever they managed to secure on deals for this season. Viktor Fischer in the Championship? Jesus... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now