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So, so happy tonight. I feel like we've seen it in flashes so far but today it clicked for the majority of the match for the first time and this is how UE and his coaching staff want us to play. I couldn't make it to VP today but it's pleasing to hear the crowd might finally be starting to get it and show more patience with the way we're trying to play football and watching on TV gave me the chance to analyse (and enjoy) our play and tactics more than when I'm in the stands and these were a few things I noticed. Our first goal and Watkins's chance that he should have buried in the first half both moves started from Emi Martinez (our goals at home to Arsenal finished by Coutinho and the Palace OG did as well) and it was a joy to watch today for the overwhelming majority of the 90 minutes, we moved the ball quickly and looked dangerous in attack and controlled and assured in defence and midfield. Our decision-making has let us down and cost us a few times since Unai took over and have led to us giving the ball away cheaply and conceding goals but it was miles better today, I love it that we're trying to play good football from the back and dominate the ball/control the game but sometimes you do need to play a longer ball and we got this balance spot on today and we were creating goalscoring chances from both, we got rid of it when we needed to and I love the clipped passes from Martinez out to Cash and/or Moreno who take it in their stride and we're away on the attack. Watkins had a shot from a narrow angle that Neto saved at the start of the second half and the move preceding it was amazing, we almost went forward, then back again as the chance didn't open up but we didn't do anything rash or silly and kept the ball, then forward again and had a good chance, we need to accept that when we go backwards it's actually an attacking move more often than not and we've confidently kept possession whilst trying to probe down the other flank for example. Jacob Ramsey and Douglas Luiz (Kamara will be again when fit and back in the starting XI) were integral to this as - JJ in particular - was crucial at upping the tempo when receiving the ball from the defence and driving forward, some of the runs they along with Buendia and McGinn went on and the inter-changing passing moves were great to watch and after the second goal my goodness Bournemouth couldn't live with us as we went up another gear, the speed at which we were winning the ball back and attacking again when they were trying to counter was incredible. We won't win every game - nor do I expect us to - but if this is the way we're going to be trying to play football under UE - then sign me right up, I don't think we've had a manager of his calibre at Villa Park for a long, long time (possibly ever when you consider his CV vs previous Villa gaffers) so let's just enjoy it whilst we've got him. How many times I've thought 'we've played well against a top team (but still more than often lost the game) why can't we play like that against the likes of Bournemouth at home' well today we did and Unai's tactics and the way the players executed it were the perfect formula to break down a relegation-threatened team at home in which we've seen us struggle impotently so many times in the past. I'm buzzing to see where we go under Unai.

It's a real shame we've got to wait a fortnight for this. I'll always go into every game Villa play with feelings of anxiety and trepidation but nowadays I have a small reassurance at the back of my mind that Unai might well figure out a way to get us a result. They will be the favourites of course and aside from a couple of good results it's somewhere we mostly seem to have a torrid time!

They've just tweeted to say they've raised £1000 (I donated amongst many other Villans) to fund some flags for the Holte End, looking forward to seeing them on display and any further plans!

I stand corrected. I must have imagined that there was some BS health and safety rule that prevented home supporters being placed directly above away fans and vice versa!

There are four single seats left on the official ticket site if you're quick. What annoys me is that it looks like the upper tier of the away section is greyed out so I assume this means they haven't sold out the full allocation and therefore there will be a completely empty section. For what reason seemingly can we no longer open this section up for Villa fans?

Christ, what a complete s***-show that really was. It's about time we beat this lot!

A note to sympathise with those who have a different view from myself as I always try and see it from the opposing stance. Villa have an intensely passionate support - i.e. the fortunes of the club affect those who follow it so deeply that I understand many find it so painful and horrid when things aren't going well that it's understandably impossible for them to pretend otherwise and this comes out in frustration and tension which sometimes grips Villa Park and more than likely transmits to the players. Its something that the likes of Fulham and Bournemouth don't have because I won't hear that (talking generally of course not on an individual basis) they're as dementedly passionate as say the supporters of Villa, Everton, Leeds etc. We've winessed recently how Everton fans have been vocally recently although perversely when it looked like there was no escape for them last season they collectively got behind the team and ultimately their results at Goodison effectively kept them up.

Not sure whether you were at either the play-off semi vs WBA in 2019 or the European Cup winning anniversary game against Palace last season at Villa Park but stone me when the tifos dropped from the Holte End (which was kept under wraps so we didn't know about it) the noise levels quadrupled, they were proper goosebumps moments. Admittedly the more they happen the less effect they'd have, but I thought they were fantastic.

I'm under the age of 35, I have more than a clue of what they are on about. I also know about many other things that happened before I arrived into this complex yet beautiful world of ours, wasn't that Adolf bloke a nutter!!

In fairness you could say the same about us if Wet Spam fans were in the home end at VP, and most club's fans. If you're going incognito just be sensible would be my advice.

Some of the tifo ideas PB6 have posted today give me goosebumps. I know it's illegal at the moment but imagine these on a big European night at VP with claret and blue smoke filling the air! I've donated again, the more fan-funded displays the better in my opinion! Project B6 website for fan donations

I bought my old man the stadium tour recently for his 65th birthday and the club member of staff who conducted the excellent hour and a half tour for our group (Arthur - proper Villa and a credit to the club) said that 'when the Holte goes quiet it transmits to the players' which was quite telling and the fact a club employee acknowledges that maybe indicates it's a widely-held view.

This is stolen (from myself) from the Project B6 thread in this forum but it pretty much sums up where I'm at and my response to the 'I'm only going to vocally support the team inside the stadium if they do things to get me off my seat etc' mentality: We're all Villa fans, and when we go to Villa Park we go to support the team (I assume), do we only offer vocal support when things are going well then? I'd argue the team needs its supporters more when things aren't going well! It's easier to be loud and vocally supportive when things are going swell, but I do believe that a fervent crowd can spur a losing team on, I hear talk of how the Holte (when a gigantic standing terrace in the 70s and 80s) at times almost seemed to suck the ball into the net by itself when Villa were attacking it! The usual counter-argument to this is that 'professional footballers on £XYX per week shouldn't need a loud stadium to perform' which I minorly understand but I think almost completely misses the point. Maybe I'm a deluded idiot but at the end of the day whether we win the day's game 5-0 or lose it 5-0 I'm still going to wake up the following day a Villa fan, I'm not going to go and support PSG or Bayern Munich or Real Madrid so when I'm inside the stadium on a Villa matchday I'm going to burst my lungs in support of the Villa, maybe because there's a childish part of my DNA that realises it's the only bloody thing I can do to help. In addition, I know they're playing away tonight (but it would be the same at one of their home games) but Dortmund have just gone 2-1 down on aggregate from a leading position and still all that can be heard at Stamford Bridge is their fans, different geographical footballing fan culture I know to us in England but ion mainland Europe it's almost like what's happening on the pitch is irrelevant they're just going to sing and bounce and have fun in the stadium for 90 minutes regardless!

I understand some of your points, but I'd like to explore this part of your post a tad more. We're all Villa fans, and when we go to Villa Park we go to support the team (I assume), do we only offer vocal support when things are going well then? I'd argue the team needs its supporters more when things aren't going well! It's easier to be loud and vocally supportive when things are going swell, but I do believe that a fervent crowd can spur a losing team on, I hear talk of how the Holte (when a gigantic standing terrace in the 70s and 80s) at times almost seemed to suck the ball into the net by itself when Villa were attacking it! The usual counter-argument to this is that 'professional footballers on £XYX per week shouldn't need a loud stadium to perform' which I minorly understand but I think almost completely misses the point. Maybe I'm a deluded idiot but at the end of the day whether we win the day's game 5-0 or lose it 5-0 I'm still going to wake up the following day a Villa fan, I'm not going to go and support PSG or Bayern Munich or Real Madrid so when I'm inside the stadium on a Villa matchday I'm going to burst my lungs in support of the Villa, maybe because there's a childish part of my DNA that realises it's the only bloody thing I can do to help. In addition, I know they're playing away tonight (but it would be the same at one of their home games) but Dortmund have just gone 2-1 down on aggregate from a leading position and still all that can be heard at Stamford Bridge is their fans, different geographical footballing fan culture I know to us in England but ion mainland Europe it's almost like what's happening on the pitch is irrelevant they're just going to sing and bounce and have fun in the stadium for 90 minutes regardless!

No idea mate, I remember a game at home against Man United early season (possibly the season we ended up going down) they got booted out (ridiculously) for persistent standing and that was the last I remember of them. This is based on absolutely no knowledge or fact whatsoever just complete rumour - but I think they had friction with the more established 'fan groups' (to put it mildly) such as the Villa Hardcore and the older predecessors such as the old C-Crew lot. They did some good displays and banners etc but I also feel that because they were very political in their displays and banners etc (not stating I agreed or disagreed with any political message they displayed just to be clear) they had a lot of Villa fans against them right from the start. Inevitably with any large cross-section of people such as the fanbase of a large football club you will immediately cause division with such an approach which is why Project B6 are gaining such traction as there is no political messaging or statements behind anything - it's just all about the Villa - which in my opinion is the way it should be.

There isn't a 'mob' as such I don't believe who all sit in the same section, I think you may be referring to Brigada 1874 who were a self-proclaimed 'ultras' group and did some good things but this is just Villa fans, they posted on social media yesterday to say that anyone can volunteer on matchdays to help out with displays and that there is no 'them' and 'everybody else'. PB6 are behind the Ugo Ehiogu, Martinez, Mings, Deano, Grealish etc flags and banners we have seen in both the Holte and North Stand recently.

Every time I say this we lose 4-2 or 3-1 Therefore, I'm going to say I hope we win 6-0.

I'm starting to lose my head over the utter w***-fest about these. The media (in particular the Sky Sports) coverage of them since the Saudi sportswash takeover got bludgeoned through has been nothing short of sickening. Some of the 'this is just the beginning' and 'brave' posts they've made about them after their Carabao loss on Sunday are nauseating and nothing of the like written about any other League Cup runners up before! 68 feckin' years they've gone without winning a pot!!!!

They are always looking for volunteers to help with flags/displays etc. If you search them on Twitter you will find the link to register your interest. I've done the same!

They're just a group of Villa fans who are committed to improving the VP atmosphere. I don't know if you remember the two-pole flags that used to be prevalent in the lower North Stand? That was PB6. They've also been responsible for the Emi Martinez banner this season and have assisted the club in previous hold-up card displays. The club actually acknowledged them in the pre-match information on the official AVFC website prior to the Leicester home game (they're trying to encourage the scarf-twirling when the teams come onto the pitch atm). Maybe therein lies the answer...

I think it's about time Project B6 gained their own thread on VT. The 'Villa Park Atmosphere' and 'How Toxic Is Our Fanbase' threads are regularly on the front page of the forum and PB6 have really stepped their efforts up this season in trying to get more Villa fans and the club itself on board in trying to improve the matchday atmosphere at VP. The feedback from fellow VT'ers towards Project B6 from what I've read has been overwhelmingly positive and whilst that is the case with Villa fans on social media I believe there are many VT'ers who won't be able to engage in that way simply because they post on VillaTalk and not through Twitter/Instagram etc. In my opinion - we've got such a magnificent and historic stadium that is soon to be refurbished and modernised with an increased capacity, and seemingly such a large portion of our fanbase that agrees there is much room for improvement with regards to the atmosphere at Villa Park on home matchdays that I'm surprised that we're not talking about Project B6 more. We've seen what can happen when the club themselves are on board with displays etc (the '82 anniversary display last season was a goosebumps moment for me personally which I'm sure many will agree with) and I'm really hoping that something can happen and these guys are backed and the atmosphere reaps the benefits. Would be really interested to read fellow VT'ers thoughts and feedback on PB6 for those who are familiar with their efforts and also from those who aren't.

Despite today's game, I feel we could get something out of this one if we don't gift them silly goals like we have done against Leicester and Sportswash FC and don't cack ourselves from the start to then decide to turn up once the game is beyond us. Surely some of Cash, McGinn, Coutinho, Moreno and Duran will come into the starting XI!?

"Champions of Europe, you'll never (be able to) sing that (with a clear conscience and pride even if you do win it this season having cheated for years and years)"

SOLD OUT

I'm expecting a similar first half to the Wolves game, they'll control possession (especially if Maddison starts) and we've got to hope we aren't too many goals down for the second half improvement after UE has made changes and the crowd noise goes up a notch as it did in the second half in that game to try and spur us on and get something.