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4 hours ago, One For The Road said:

We are not getting relegated and we aren't getting top 6 so why the hell would we not want to win the FA Cup!?

Even if we did miraculously finish 6th, that gets a place in the same European competition that winning the FA Cup does. Except without a trophy.

Lots of people care. Me included.

Go for it Villa!

100% agree

We have never had a better chance to go for the cup, we aren't going down and despite what people think its very unlikely we will finish in the top 6 so why not go for it and take full advantage of the fact a lot of teams, Liverpool included will rest people with the league/champions league fixture congestions that they have - if we go full strength on Friday vs what they will put out then we will beat them.

Good post/debate

I have to say I've had this line of thinking myself and been quite staggered at the amount of chuck the cup type comments ive read on various things over the last few days as we have our CL/EL finish to preserve - It has to me came across as entitlement as for the first time in probably 10 years we have been anywhere near the top 10 of the prem and suddenly Villa are back.

We have had a good start but there is a long way to go, and although you can say there is nothing between us and top3 there is also not a fat lot between us and Leeds (3 points) either and although we do have games in hand the away game at City is getting more difficult by the week as they go through the gears and Newcastle at the home should be 3 points but we have seen other home games go the other way.

In my opinion any top 10 finish will be success this year and so i cant see why we wouldn't go all out for the cup alongside it - Don't forget Liverpool/United/City/Chelsea/Spurs/Leicester will likely be the 6 battling for top 4 spaces and then behind that you have Arsenal/Everton/Southampton/West Ham/Leeds/Wolves will also have similar thoughts of finishing in the 6-10th spaces.

Sorry if im sounding pessimistic but ive seen this before, we will drop off and finish 10th and there will be outrage from fans who only 12 months before were praying we stayed in the division - A funny facebook post said the cup can wait lol we haven't won jack all for 25 years, i would take it in a heartbeat over finishing 5th/6th in the league

2-1 Villa, im usually a pessimist but I think with the boost of Barkley back and the run we are on we will have just enough to beat them 

9 minutes ago, MentalM said:

I think his off ball movement and runs are amazing. The movement towards right wing on Traores goal creates the space thats needed for the finish. 

And he headed it down to Traore for the cross for the first goal

I did notice on Cash's insta photo after sundays game Konsa in the background with ice on his thigh and wondered what he had done

Hause may work out well v Burnley with Ariel power

Overall though it just shows our squad depth and why we probbally need to add in Jan 

Im nervous about this one, if Barkley is still out alongside Trez, Cash and Luiz then I do worry as the side looks very much as it was at the start of last season - Also as per post above you can see Targett and Mcginn missing games shortly having 4 yellows and im sure the cut off being 19 games - No way they will survive for 9 games and you would have to say Luiz & Jack on 3 also are a worry.

Burnley are a bit of a bogey side at Villa park and their up and at them style seems to unsettle as dot teams that settle in at the back.

Hope im wrong but can see a draw - 1-1 

21 hours ago, Delphinho123 said:

He was poor last night and this isn't the first time.

I'm a fan, but these performances will see him benched if he doesn't improve. 

He was however.....He should have had at least 1 goal and an assist

Thoughts.....

Jack was great but has to stop this throwing himself to the floor, the problem is its become the norm in the league eg Aloski last week with Pepe that if you get kicked you try it on

The offside is offside on the basis of the rules now, the rules are all wrong though it totally ruins that moment in football and you argue over toenails/armpits - Should be daylight between them for offside

Missed penalty & point blank chance - Trez has to score as does Watkins, i was really surprised we didn't delay the sub and let conor have it 

Goals - Need to sort out this Zonal marking and funny how we lay into CB when Cash made very little effort to block the cross in the first instance - That doesn't suit the Mings agenda though

Overall - Played well, we will win more than we lose playing like that - Just need to cut out the mistakes

Marine at home

38 minutes ago, jimmygreaves said:

Has anyone suggested putting Nakamba alongside Luiz and pushing McGinn into the position vacated by Barkley?

Marvelous to start deeper and Luiz & Mcginn further forward, Jack and Trez out wide causing problems

Villa to sneak it 2-1/3-2 - I think these types of games suit us

8 hours ago, TRO said:

Can you explain?......what has the position in the league, which is great, got to do with amaterish defending.

the two are completely different......what we did in the Liverpool or Arsenal games, have no relevance to the last 3 Homes games.....they are all individual games, with their own personalities.

We are all over the moon with the start......but we are discussing why such basic defensive faults are undoing all the good work we have worked hard for......is that so bad.

Its not criticisms, its observations of how we can improve, even more........its also a reminder that overall, we are still not quite as good as some think we are.

The good games have been more than brilliant, totally blown away with some of our play.....but the vulnerabilities still lurk......thats all I am saying.

Yes I can explain....

League position is false and so we defend like an inconsistent mid table team, unfortunately you will get games like that and as I said before I think saints will finish above Arsenal anyway

I have to say firstly that I was pretty disappointed with the overall reaction on social media etc to Sunday, I know people don't like to lose but there needs to be a bit more perspective to things in my opinion.

Im talking about the way people have expressed it, calling Mings shit, Trez is shit, Dean Smith has no plan B etc etc it was a total overaction. We are aiming to be a mid table side and we lost to a mid table side, pick the bones out of the goals by all means but that overall Saturday was not the worst performance and we could easily have taken something out the game.

7 minutes ago, onmeedson said:

Most want to beat the teams around them, yes it's nice to beat the liverpools and arsenals but the brightons are more or less 6 Pointers and could make the difference at the end of the season. Survival is the aim and a mid table slot would be nice, but you have to target your rivals for that slot and that sort of game will always be a battle. Was that the new plan B saturday sub the sub?

I would not be surprised in the slightest if Southampton finish above Arsenal this season...

On Saturday it wasn't our fluent best but I think the fact we had 7 internationals vs their 1 showed and we were mentally not as fresh as normal, that said we could easily have won the game with chances we had outside of the penalty and as for a plan B we tried several players in the hole and changed the wingers and CDM - Just one of those days 

I have to say firstly that I was pretty disappointed with the overall reaction on social media etc to Sunday, I know people don't like to lose but there needs to be a bit more perspective to things in my opinion.

''We should be beating teams like Brighton'' Why? We stunk the league out last season for pretty much all of it and stayed up on the last day, why do we suddenly think we should be beating them and when we don't throw our toys out calling players names?

''We should be beating mid table teams like Southampton'' Give me strength, the game its self was a tale of 3 free kicks and stupid decisions but Southampton have been pretty much the form team in the country since lockdown, again why have we got a divine right to beat them?

Is Smith perfect? No Or the players perfect? No but the whole plan this year is to improve on last year eg be comfortable before buying another 4 good players in the summer to add depth and to move us forward, I would have bitten your hand off for 15 points and 7th position after 8 games and despite what people say as frustrating as its been to lose to the ''smaller'' names i have thoroughly enjoyed the Arsenal and Liverpool results 

We have a decent run of games coming up where if we can take another 10 points before the Chelsea 28th we will be pretty much there for this season and I think then we can look at pushing on (And maybe have a good FA Cup run!) unlike the excited few who think after a good start we are now pushing for the top 4 and lose complete realism when we lose in what was overall a 50-50 game.

Final thing as well re Conor... He played the first two games of the season and we won them both, games like Newcastle/Burnley where its tight and they sit back are when he comes into his own with set pieces - people are talking about him coming in as its me they are starting!!!

Keep the faith 

13 hours ago, Keener window-cleaner said:

I wonder if this sprints over the whole pitch is a work of Shakespeare? I've seen him carrying the ball over long distances before, but what I haven't seen before are these insane sprints he makes with the ball. I've always said that he is fast, and more important he is fast with the ball. You could see at his assist for Watkins that when he got the ball from Martinez his first instinct was to just sprint the fastest he could.

As said before we are playing more counter attacking and play more long balls on the break this season, reminding very much of Leiceter when they won the league, that is surly because of Shakespeare, perhaps these sprints Jack are doing is the same.

3 hours ago, mikeyp102 said:

I think you’re reading far too much into this. The kit man is an Albion fan and was clearly having fun with Jack because he arrived at the same time as Saka and just had a massive grin on his face.

Agree, guys name is Pat Frost and was Baggies kit man, its just banter - We can be so over sensitive at times !

53 minutes ago, KenjiOgiwara said:

I don't think we have abundance of pace no. There's no player that screams pacy either. We got a good first eleven and play some good counter-attacking football, and we especially got some very good ball carriers at speed, but I'd say we do it despite of not being very pacy. 

Trez recorded the 3rd fastest speed behind Adama and Kyle Walker last season and im pretty sure Jack was one of the quickest in early games this season

Great to see Deano doing well, I met him after the league cup final and he was an absolute pleasure to meet - Even though he would have been disappointed he spent the time to sit and chat to my son (12) and it was something he will never forget.

One thing I would like to see him do if this run continues is treat the cup seriously this year, its been a while since ive genuinely looked at us being with a proper shout but looking at how we are beating teams at the moment I feel in a one off we can cause anyone a problem so I hope we go for this year especially if we are in a strong league position

28 minutes ago, TrentVilla said:

Been having an internal mental debate with myself on this one since I woke up, I think Jack is getting seriously close to taking top spot.

I agree, two totally different players but Grealish has brought us up into the Prem, arguably kept us up I think if he can push this team on now to achieve something this year eg a surprise league finish (top 6/4)/strong FA Cup run then the gap becomes very very close in the pound for pound stakes

No better English player in the league at the moment on form, why the hell nobody even attempted to pay the money for him in the summer I will ever know especially when you look at how the prem has started - He walks into City/United/Arsenal teams and I personally believe both the Spurs & Liverpool sides I saw yesterday,

I know people say that Mcgrath was the best ever but I think you have to just sit back, watch  and enjoy Jack -  im not sure in terms of style, background (Villa fan through academy) and ability you will ever see another like him at Villa

''Holding Villa Back'' 

3-1 Arsenal

Think it will be time to regroup over internationals and then hit the upcoming fixtures up to boxing day where I would expect us to pick up some points

2-2 is my prediction

Tough game and I can see goals however both teams more than capable of winning it

Looking forward to it

I think overall its been a quality window and we have made some calculated signings who seem to be great additions on and of the pitch.

The EFL window does give us something to think about with some good players available, will be interesting to see if we move anyone else on over the next week or so to free up and additional player or 2

Personally i think a loan for Josh King would be a good move due to his versatility and bearing in mind cost

3 minutes ago, TheMightyVillans said:

This is the type of signing that Grealish would have been hoping for when he signed his new deal

Im pretty certain its the type of signing he would have known about when he signed it