Rolta

Yet for how lovely and amazingly planned this exact current situation is, the club seemed pretty keen on getting JWP and or ESR. It's almost as if the club wanted to invest more but missed out on targets. So in that case, they're not happy with what we've got. If we fail to push on this season, you could well imagine Martinez being the next to leave us next summer. The club aren't screaming ambition to me at least.

Well, Cheltenham Villa missed out losing Jack, which was my main point. But you're right—let's hope Bailey is OK with playing on the left, and he would hopefully be an improvement on AEG. Still, the injuries at the moment are not encouraging in themselves. Then losing the Emis for a game—maybe more in the future (I don't know the situation here). It's not our fault, but it's there.

Don't forget to include losing our best player for decades! We haven't really improved on AEG when he's started the last three games. He couldn't even get into the squad for the first few months of last season.

I'm not having a go at the owners. But I very much feel as if we've missed out on our targets and lost by far our best player, and I genuinely think we are more at risk of struggling because of it. We'll see how important Grealish was to us. I've said it before, but I acknowledge this is my subjective fear. I have been optimistic at the start of most seasons, except probably Bruce's last summer and I am absolutely not optimistic for this season. Let's see anyway.

There are lots of convenient excuses on this thread.

Hopefully we can incorporate Ings and Watkins into a Liverpool style front three with one of the others. I'd like that. I just worry it won't happen. Anyway, we do all just have to wait and see. I think fears and optimism have been logged on here. We all just want the best.

I think our strongest team last season was much better than our strongest team this season. I rate Traore, so building up more right wingers doesn't seem like a massive improvement to me. Grealish is nigh on irreplaceable and Watkins is great up front, appreciating the improvement it is that we now also have Ings too. How we fit Ings and Watkins in a team may surprise me, but I said it earlier, I've only seen one unconvincing change of formation in pre season as evidence on that front so far. I don't feel we have a coherent plan. Buendia and Young playing in 2/3 different positions so far doesn't convince me otherwise.

We're not finishing anywhere near 8th.

What if is the key part of this imaginary argument, and I don't think it's mad to be a little concerned about where we are right now. Sure, it may all turn our rosey, but there are a lot of what ifs right now. I have been so optimistic about Villa since Smith took over but this is the first time I've been a little unsure. I'm definitely not feeling it.

Then Smith and Purslow need to stop bigging it up.

Smith said when Jack left that we were eighteen months away from where we needed to be. He comes across as living in a dreamland at the moment.

Then Dean Smith, Purslow and everyone needs to adjust the narrative they keep giving us. I haven't invented the expectations I have, or impression I have about their ambition. It's been a pretty constant narrative for a while that is repeated by every new signing too. But right now, the narrative that we aim to compete for the European positions is looking false.

We won't be challenging for the top 9 let alone the top 4 for a long time. The club have churned out the pr about our ambition for the last few years. They have created the higher expectations themselves. Being a bit bemused after the window was talked up so much, by Smith himself, and when we're coming out of it with arguably a worse team, but improved squad, is not entitled. Other teams around above us are strengthening. Sure, a lot depends on how Watkins and Ings fit in the team together, but we've seen one unconvincing formation so far in the one pre season game they played together. I have a sense that square pegs and round holes is the only way we'll be able to play our best players. That's a worry. Our non improved midfield is a worry too.

Or he does well for them in the Championship because they have a lot stronger team than everyone else. Then he gets promoted to the Prem, plays for them and like them shows the massive gap between the Premier League and Championship and nobody really pays any attention.

We've done enough to stand still at best so far. Considering the income we've had, this window has been a disappointment.

We are in a mess. It's for many different reasons, but we are! If the youth step up they can certainly help alleviate some of these problems. It's a significant if though.

I mean, we lost by far our best player who inspired all our best performances. There are a few other things (JT and so on), but Jack is the main one. We needed to push on with Jack, but now we have his input to make up while also trying to progress? I might feel better when Bailey/Traore/Watkins/Sanson are fit, and I hope I'm just reacting badly to how bare bones we seem to be right now, but our opening two games don't inspire me. Newcastle are dire and I am in full worry mode.

If Wes and Watkins are both out this weekend (Wes because he's leaving) then Cameron will surely get on the bench. I can imagine him coming on for a Prem debut. The thing I like about him, aside from those great finishes, is that he has actual raw pace. It's so essential at this level.

Tbh, over the last few years we've all been sold a great and inspiring bit of PR from the club about how ambitious the owners are and how their aim is the Champions League. I appreciate that they have invested heavily so far, and that they've been a miracle to the club pretty much, but this transfer window for me, and I expect for a few others, feels like we might have stood still at best—and the real worry is that we've taken a massive step back. A negative outlay in terms of player investments when we were such a one man team in the first place and when we've lost Jack just doesn't feel good for me. It's more than just that though—I just don't get the impression we're in that great a shape, and certainly not in a state that is going to bring us closer this season towards the level of ambition that's been talked up for the last few years. A step backwards now, while losing our best player, and having such an unbalanced squad feels a bit dangerous. That's my subjective feeling on where we're at. I hope I'm wrong. I understand we're in a period of transition, but I am more fearful for the team this season than I've been since the dark days. Hopefully the youth really step up.

Yeah I know they're different things. But his ability isn't really that useful if he has the Villa 'slight knock' curse. I think Villa need to do a burning tokens ceremony in the treatment room like in Ted Lasso.

When's he going be fit though. He's inherited whatever Grealish got.

I'm worried we might fall back to the top of this relegation-fighting pack. It's not just losing Jack...if Bailey and Traore have bad hamstrings they could be out for a fair few games. El Ghazi is no replacement for Jack on the left and I see us struggling. I'm normally half glass full, but losing Jack and the lack of positional balance between our signings (we now have 3 right sided attackers, no exceptional DM, poor options at left wing, and two strikers who both want to play as the main man, possibly tempting us into faffing about with formations to fit everyone in), plus, in a weird way, the godawful kit is giving me bad vibes!

Agreed. I'm not convinced we're in such good shape. We were clearly after another midfielder and we've missed out for whatever reason. I feel pretty lacking in optimism for this season tbh, and I fear that Smith might pay for this summer's window with his job. We've not done enough considering what we've lost.

No, I was just expressing how unimpressed I was with the home kit. It's so ugly. After the last two seasons it's such a step in a weird direction.

I can't get used to these stupid sleeves. Imo, this is our worst kit for a very long time.