Woody1000

The problem I have is not just in the manager thread, but other threads in general when it comes to negativity about our players. Maybe it’s because I’m 40 now and I’ve become a father in the last couple of years, but I see so much negativity everywhere. I love Aston Villa and I find that they bring me a lot of joy, even more since I decided to just get behind the team. I used to spend the whole time watching them cussing every missed pass, every missed tackle, but I try to just enjoy it all now. It’s not that there is anything wrong with constructive criticism, or pointing out that a player had a poor game or made a mistake, but it’s the OTT, vitriolic stuff which just blows my mind. I read a lads Twitter feed the other day and counted 94 consecutive tweets about Villa, all negative, another guy had over 60 consecutively negative tweets about us, It’s a similar story on here with certain really negative posters. Im starting to think that maybe this forum isn’t for me anymore, maybe I am a happy clapper but I would just rather be positive about the club. In the last 5 years we’ve had championship football, and almost no football! I’m just trying to enjoy the ride now, wherever it goes.

This. I don’t think he’s perfect, and I’m sure neither do any of the other posters who generally post positively about our manager. We have moved forward as a team every season, and it looks like this season could be yet another forward step but let’s keep it balanced for the posters who will always find something to moan about.

I think we got away with it with VAR due to it being outside the box, and not dangerous play (or whatever term they use). We definitely rode our luck!

That has definitely been the vibe on Twitter. I don’t think the rise is extortionate, I appreciate that ticket income only accounts for a relatively small part of our income in the grand scheme of things, but this all helps towards FFP.

It was.

As good as a cup win would be for the moment in itself, I feel that qualifying for Europe through the league better sets you up as a club to have a proper go in the competition while still being able to maintain your league form.

It’s interesting that we beat a ‘depleted’ Everton side at the weekend, yet I feel we now have a squad capable of coping with a few injuries and still being able to win games like that one. You would argue that it’s only the GK position where we are significantly weaker.

You’re not wrong Phil.

It was a bit tongue in cheek about the breaking of hearts, but good for you.

I know what you’re saying, it’s just a really big ask for us to progress that much. If I’m not wrong then Butler specifically said CL football which is a massive ask for us.

This guys going to break our hearts isn’t he?

I agree, they also seemed to have a little more zip on them too.

Fair play to the boys!

I’ve got an underwhelming feeling this is ending in a draw. Im willing to give the 3-5-2 a chance, but I would’ve liked to see Bailey from the start in a 4-3-3

Doesn’t it show how stacked England are that Man United’s regular starting RB can’t even get a call-up? International football will only help Matty to improve IMO.

I think he should take the Poland call-up if it comes, unfortunately he’s never going to play for England with the amount of good English RB’s there are.

I wonder if Buendia is going to find himself in a catch 22 situation in his quest for international selection with Argentina. He won’t get a chance if he turns down a call-up due to Covid regulations/quarantining, but if he does go along he risks losing his place in the Villa team (as he looks to have done for tomorrow’s game) which would then hinder his chances of selection anyway.

That’s what I would go with.

Sorry, I was more referring to the ability to nullify a full backs ability to go forward just through their fear of being caught out of position.

I feel Cash has definitely got the higher ceiling as a player. Perhaps playing as a midfielder before reverting to RB the season before joining us has something to do with him being a more rounded footballer?

You make a really great point there that I hadn’t really considered before. Questions are always asked about wingers/wide attackers about their ability to track back, but I’d never considered their ability to nullify the opponents full back just by their presence.

See I’m fairly happy with them defensively, and they do support our attacks from out wide, but I’m not sure that they are good enough going forward to be THE wide attacking threat if that makes sense, which I feel a 3-5-2/5-3-2 would require.

We may well match them up, my only concern would be where you draw the line over the quality of your opponents - it’s totally understandable to do it away at a top team like Chelsea, but I’d be very concerned if we were constantly changing our formation to match our opposition, especially an opponent we should be trying to take the game to.

I’m not so sure as with us being at home I would like to see us take the initiative, let them worry about us.

I think we will go back to a 4-3-3 Saturday, I feel the 5-3-2/3-5-2 was more about matching Chelsea up. I’m unsure that Targett and Cash have quite got enough going forward for it to become our new go to formation.