Raver50032

This was why I gave him MotM last night... A very accomplished performance from Fred. Rapidly establishing himself as one of my favourite Villa players at the moment. Keep it going Monsieur Guilbert!

Couldn't fault his effort and endeavour last night. He was as committed as anyone... but it was frustrating to watch. Not his finest hour by any means. He even says as much in his post match interview. Not the first time this season his passing has been lacking, and affording the opposition a chance to counter. This time, we weren't punished for it, unlike Spurs for example. I like the guy, but he can be frustrating to watch. Time will tell if he can elevate his performances to consistent Premier League level.

An incredible and hard fought point against West Ham... an established Premier League team who we can only hope to emulate in years to come. Well done. Absolutely stoked. Right, that's appeased the 'beta-people,' now I'll say what I really think. Guilbert was my man of the match - one particular track back in the second half after had lost the ball showed wonderful resilience and determination to right a wrong. As much as I have come to dislike Mr Dean, I thought he did good. The cynical part of me thought he might have been on the wave of 'look after Aston Villa, but don't make it obvious' FA intent following the Palace debacle. Looking at the BBC stats, it seemed to be a reasonably even game, both teams seeing the ball, both teams having chances, although its arguable that Villa actually had the better chances (the on target stat). Our passing second half was very wayward and we conceded possession cheaply far too often. Into this, I have to call Grealish - a frustrating performance from him I have to say. He can't be here, there and everywhere for the whole game. It's not sustainable. If we are relying on him to do that all game, every game, we're doing something wrong somewhere else on the pitch that I can't quite put my finger on just now. Taylor, sorry to say, seemed quite ineffective, and in combination with El Ghazi having a dicey game, left us pretty toothless down the left. I can understand why Mighty Mings took him to task. When we had the ball, our approach play was okay, however our lack of quality across the front three did tell. Whether it was being muscled off the ball, questionable/misplaced passing/crossing etc, it looks like it's going to be a proper toil to score a goal. Some of it is 'gelling,' some it is finding their feet, and I'm sure some of it is confidence. But it does look like being proper hard work for them this season. Time will tell. West Ham went down to ten players with about 25 minutes to play. That's a long time and a lot of potential to create a winning moment. We toiled... we panicked... and made very hard work of it, very nearly conceding a goal/penalty on the break in the process. We didn't take control and we fluffed our lines - passing straight to the opposition several times. It was frustrating to watch. In truth, I thought we looked tired from around 70 minutes. Maybe that tiredness resulted in the ramshackle nature of our passing and decision making going forward? I just don't know. Anyway, I said before the game, I would take a point... but we had chances to win. So another 'could have, would have, should have' game. Especially with that one player advantage with 20 minutes to go. Just wasn't meant to be, or we just weren't good enough. Shout out to Fabianski, who showed that committing physical assault in the box, intentional or not, can go unpunished. Just my opinion folks, if you don't agree, that's your prerogative. On to Arsenal... another established Premier League team. As some allude to, we should feel lucky to be back in the Premier League, and we have no rights to points at the Emirates. Feels like a dead rubber. Our wonderful defence will be key.

It's important that the crowd stick with the team, come what may, and give the referee a roasting, come what may. Consider it a dirty protest against the officials. Make it difficult for the ref... make it difficult for the opposition. Hopeful of a win... happy (ish) with a draw... would be disappointed with a bumming. Hopefully that is realistic enough to keep the thought police off my back.

Just to be clear here - I don't expect my club to waltz into any stadium and play the opposition off the park and claim a win/three points every time. My point was, Palace have been goal shy for a while at Selhurst Park, and our early season jingoistic momentum should have seen us aiming for some sort of result... Didn't expect anything... just believed that we should be aiming for it in that particular fixture. It's Smith's narrative. It's the noise coming from the Club. 'Some sort of result' isn't me expecting/demanding a win. Away from home, anything better than a defeat will generally a bonus as I think our home form will be critical this season. Look, the 'established premier club' trope is exactly what it is. An opportunity to build up the opposition and diminish our chances. Explain Blades point at Chelsea? Norwich's thumping win against the Toon? Our win against Everton? It's nothing from me about being arrogant. Results are possible for minnows like us - they don't all have to be wins either. Other than refereeing prattery away at Palace, and at home to Bournemouth (a game we had plenty of chances to fully turn round - or even lose more heavily), we could easily be on 7 or 8 points. But so far, it hasn't meant to be. I do not believe I have overreacted to a result yet either. So my conscience is clear. I'm still behind the Club, the manager and the team. One can be disappointed, realistic and hopeful in equal measure without being 'called out' for being on one side of the fence or the other. This board is starting to form its black and white alliances again like in the 'Lamberk' and 'Brouter' days.

Friend - the new Dowd. Friend - a proper misnomer. We were crap against Palace, and Heaton was my MOTM. On balance, we deserved to get beat, but fate can play tricks and intervene. We had a glorious chance to equalise, the ball even went in the Palace net. But Palace had a Friend in Jesus. Absolute word removed. A point of note I have seen spouted in here several times in 20 pages... Palace, an 'established Premier League Club.' Apart from us, Sheffield Blades and Norwich City, are they not all now established Premier League sides? Everyone else has been here longer consistently than us new three. I don't get this 'they're an established PL side' narrative to justify some sort of sense of fear going into a game. Palace, away, with their lack of goals at home lately should be reason enough for us to ride our momentum to be hopeful of getting some sort of result. And, but for Friend, we would have had a draw. Another could have, would have and should have. On to West Ham... let me guess... another established Premier League club that we should be fearful of. Those fixtures will just keep coming. We'll either be good enough, or we won't. Stature has little to do with it. Palace got their first win against United in what, 19 or 20 attempts if I heard MoTD correctly. Considering how established they are, that was their first ever win in the Premier League at Old Trafford. Respect West Ham... but don't fear them. We won't do anything good if we fear every one. I mean, if we're setting all our hope on beating just Norwich and Sheffield Blades this season, look at our results against them last season.

Well, that’s a great result. The performance was decent... and despite Everton blowing two fantastic chances, we held on, and even scored a bonus Fergie Time winner. Very happy for Wes and for Dean Smith... Was a little nervous when Guilbert got carded so early, but he did okay and made a great tackle in the second half. Jota was my MOTM before being taken off. No real controversy in the game and it was a cracking atmosphere. Very pleased with the result. Still room to improve... but we’re up and running with two goals and a clean sheet. This will be a good weekend... 8/10

TWO WEEKS...

Disappointing result last night for Luton Town... who have stuttered a little since being promoted from League 1. Was a cracking game on opening night against Middlebrough a couple of weeks ago and they were unlucky in the end not to get a point at Cardiff... Lost from a winning position against the Tescos too... Hope they can survive as they are 'my team' in the Championship this season. Lived there for three years whilst studying and saw some good games down there back in the day. Watched APOEL v Ajax last night in the first leg of a Champions League qualifier... How can last season's semi-finalist have to go through the qualifiers? Anyway, Ajax really seemed to struggle in the game and had three very early bookings. They ended the night at 0-0 and with ten men. Home leg to come though so we'll see what happens.

That bit in bold... I kind of alluded to the same thing at home to Bournemouth and in a round about way was considered to have been arrogant. I still think we should have been confident of getting a win at home to Bournemouth as we rode the remainder of the positive vibe, but I am less sure about Everton. You're right, it isn't about necessarily dismissing any team per se... but it's not sustainable to get all panicky over every team that visits Villa Park. At some point, the team has to have some confidence. Us fans too... we can't watch every game through the gaps in our fingers like a horror film. We're not here for a horror film and the narrative of the Club right now is that we shouldn't be experiencing a horror film. A point against Everton will be hard fought and I'd take it now.

MaVilla - the OP asked a good question. Depends on how 'alpha' or 'beta' one is and the expectations carried into the season. At full time against Everton, we will have played just over 10% of our home games (I'm crap at maths)... Even in our relegation season, I would have imagined that before the season started, Sherwood and us as fans would have confidence in the target of beating Bournemouth at home (we won away there) and would look to earn a point at Goodison and maybe a win at Villa Park in the respective Toffee fixtures. Some have said we have a better squad now... a better, more positive team... (even though football has moved on in the following years) So it is arguable that it wouldn't be unreasonable to suggest that, with the wave of positivity that we have surfed as Playoff Promotion Winners that we could have/should have/would have anywhere between 1 and 4 points after three games with the teams we will have played. Some seem to think we will be winless/pointless for ages this season - which could be damaging for player morale and some of the fanbase. I'm sure the players would have expected better from themselves. I look at Smith and Grealish's post match interviews. Looked like they were disappointed. So they should be... but still lots to play for. It's been the narrative of the club, we're not here to make up the numbers. At the moment though, that is kind of exactly what has happened... we've been 'plucky,' and kind of 'had a go.' Ultimately however, we're winless and pointless. And could still be after Everton at home. And that explains (I guess) some of the comments we've seen about disappointment and writing off players after two games. As others have said, its going to be hard. It will require patience. But being all 'beta' about it is only going to last for so long. At some point, the honeymoon ends, and we may well have to face facts that we just aren't going to be good enough. C'est la vie. I expect nothing anymore, any point is a bonus. If we go down, we go down. If we stay up, we stay up. I'm sure the 'give your head a wobble' comments will follow either way after Friday's games and the 'what on earth were you expecting' rhetoric to prevail. We're very much a split fanbase at the moment with regards to our hopes for the season. A bit like the Star Wars fanbase after The Last Jedi.

Braced for a defeat, but hoping for a point. A lot for me depends on who scores first. A lot depends on how many of the lessons both Spurs and Bournemuff have handed to us are heeded. Needless to say, whatever the result, short of an 89-0 drubbing, in Smith and the team I trust. Good to have a proper Premier League fixture at Villa Park.

Could have... would have... should have... 14 pages in three tropes. Reasons to be cheerful and positive. Reasons to be disappointed. On the subject of 'doing a Fulham,' they lost their first home game to Palace 0-2. They lost their second game away (at Wembley) to Spurs 3-1... But they won at home 4-2 against Burnley in the third game. So, Everton, watch out. (Apples and pears, I know, I know). On a different day, it is possible that we could have won that game - chances, possession, pressure. On a different day, Heaton is awake in minute 1, Billings is sent off for a second yellow (not what VAR is there for folks, so can't blame it for Billings unless any of them were straight red offences that were missed) and we would have a chance of winning the game. Definitely should have signed another striker. But we had a great summer, we cheered every signing - writing them off after two games is therefore churlish in the extreme. Disappointed by the result, of course I am... there was a chance to make a solid marker there and earn one if not three points. Wasn't to be, our Villa bus was still on jacks for the opening quarter of an hour. Let's not forget, Bournemouth still had chances to further their lead as we chased and fought. Could easily have been 3-3. Seemingly they should have had a penalty... could easily have been 3-4. Still positive... still behind Dean and the team. We need to score more goals and concede less. We can't spend all season eulogising about our team if they concede two or three goals a week and blame 'lady luck.' If we end up doing that, we will be relegated. Let's hope we can get something out of the Everton game other than an 'unlucky defeat.' New season positivity doesn't last forever.

We love a number 9 at Villa Park

It's about perspective for me rather than 'arrogance.' I would imagine that prior to the start of the season, the team and manager would have looked at the fixtures and given some sort of indication as to where points are more likely to be picked up. Pretty sure I heard Brian Little discussing this during his tenure of management - I think he even specifically mentioned Dave Bassett, the then manager of Sheffield United. I would expect that the Club are targeting this fixture to return a positive result and have some confidence going into it. If we are 'knicker wetting' over it, what would we be doing when Manchester City and Liverpool come to town. I agree, it's wrong to dismiss Bournemouth and the other teams we will be scrapping against. I'm not suggesting walking onto the pitch before kick off dressed like 'The Mask' and singing 'Cuban Pete...' At some point, we have to be brave and let a team worry about us instead. I think our first chance is against Bournemouth... at Villa Park... riding a current wave of some positivity. If the wheels come off, so be it. It will be disappointing and the team goes back to the training ground and considers something different for Everton. Whether we like it or not, there are games where we have to believe that we stand a better chance of getting something than others. There will be disappointments, things that don't go to plan, and sometimes, things that result in an unexpected bonus (Old Trafford in December 2009 for example). If you thought I was being arrogant, it's lost in textspeak. I'm just more hopeful here rather than fearful. There are plenty more times this season to be fearful. As I've said before in this very thread, in Dean I trust, come what may, short of an 89-0 reversal. For what it's worth, one of the clubs I was hoping to finish above was Brighton... and look what they did to Watford last weekend in the Hornets nest!!

That bit in bold is key... I'll be disappointed if we don't win... of course I will. But a long, long way from pitchfork territory if we lose, especially if we've put up some sort of fight. I wouldn't expect us to just roll over to defeat, that's not the Club narrative for well over 12 months now, so I'm sure we will give a good account of ourselves.

And, he used a selfie stick to film some of our play off winning trophy grab... Hope he does well... disappointed that he has received racial nastiness, especially from his own club's fans. Glad he has been part of our resurgence.

I have to hope that we win this match. If we are knicker wetting over this fixture going into it, the list of possible teams (and we need three of them) that we need to better in order to survive becomes more clouded and difficult.

Absolutely. On deadline day, when many of us were 'begging' for another forward of some sort, there were plenty of finger waggers saying we didn't need anybody, and that Kodjia was 'the man' and that we would be okay. I jumped on board that train (had no option really given no signing!), especially after Smith himself said that the Premier League suited Kodjia better... We're virtually united in our support of Smith, so Kodjia must be the man (!). Would be bonkers to sell him now, and I would be surprised if this progressed any further until January at the earliest.

Wow, I know Villalad has come in for some rightful criticism over the last twelve months, but picking on him for 'obsessing over men in suits' is not what I have come to expect from posters involved. Does it matter if he did indeed have a fetish for men in suits? For what it's worth, I agree with him. I'd prefer him to wear a suit... but it's Dean's choice and won't think anything less of him as a man or a coach if he went down the tracksuit and training top routine. Got to advertise the training wear somehow I guess.

Another thread seems to have lost its way into contrite farce. What on earth is happening to everyone? It's turning into the BBC News Facebook comments section on here.

There are no guarantees in football, no real nailed on 'certs' other than Man City scoring more than 4 at the London Stadium every time (joke, for the statisticians on the board). However, we need a confidence boosting reaction after Spurs... we're at home... not against a Top 6 troubling side... Anyone can kind of beat anyone, but we have a chance here. We shouldn't treat Bournemouth like mugs, and I'm sure we won't, but we have to go into this game with a belief that we can win this. If we can't generate that right sort of confidence, we might as well not have bothered getting promotion. UTV, and in Dean I will trust, win, lose or draw.