DCJonah Posted August 3, 2014 Share Posted August 3, 2014 I'm looking forward to the season starting however I fully expect us to struggle straight away. It's going to be another bottom half finish and another season that damages the long term outlook for the club. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sonic_bouma Posted August 3, 2014 Share Posted August 3, 2014 I'm absolutely dreading this season to start. It's just gonna be a series of disappointments and game after game of shit football. We are one of the joke teams of the league now with our awful brand of football. I would give my left bollock to finish 17th so we remain attractive for buyers. God knows when we are gonna find one of them. But sadly i think this is our year to go and nobody can say we didn't deserve it coz we have behaved like a championship club for years now. I so hope in wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshVilla Posted August 3, 2014 Share Posted August 3, 2014 It's difficult to tell at the moment. The 4-1 defeat yesterday hasn't really done any favours. I know it's a preseason game and it's all about fitness, but one of my criticisms of last year's preseason was that I thought that the opposition wasn't quite tough enough in order to prepare us for PL opposition. Until the Malaga game, we were just facing lower league teams (although yes, we do need to practice playing those pesky league 1 & 2 sides!). This year, we've faced a tougher team a little earlier on and got completely taken apart. It's all about getting match fit, of course, but with the season a couple of weeks away, it should be around now that we start to play a little more like we're hoping to when our season starts. That said, it's still preseason and I refuse to start panicking uncontrollably because of this result. I'll wait and see how we play at Stoke, or at least against Parma. Our full strength squad, on paper, doesn't look too bad. But that's the thing, having a full strength squad isn't really something that we've been treated to too often. If we can keep key players fit, and Benteke comes back strong, then we could be pleasantly surprised this season. Last year, there was a lot of hope and optimism, ultimately ending in disappointment, so it's about time the opposite happened and we do better than we expect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradarmstrong_ Posted August 3, 2014 Share Posted August 3, 2014 17-20. Only so long you can avoid the inevitable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flamingsombrero Posted August 3, 2014 Share Posted August 3, 2014 Normally pretty positive when it comes to things Villa but I just can't see past the absolute state we are in at the moment, I think barring a last ditch escape job this the season we drop. If we end up losing the likes of Vlaar before the window closes as well I doubt we'll even take it to the last game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob182 Posted August 3, 2014 Share Posted August 3, 2014 I think we'll have a similar season to last year. Avoiding relegation, but being amongst the 5 or 6 clubs battling it all year. I think our first team is okay, but if we get any injuries, our backups are fairly poor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PieFacE Posted August 3, 2014 VT Supporter Share Posted August 3, 2014 Went for 13-16. Think we will play absolutely awful football for another season but manage to win a few games along the way. Chose pessimistic because it will be the same as last season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ciggiesnbeer Posted August 3, 2014 Share Posted August 3, 2014 Pretty low. I was genuinely looking forward to this summer when I assumed (laughably) that after balancing the books Lerner would start investing in the club again. In fact we have spent less, not more and Lerner has just shrugged his shoulders and admitted he just is not interested any more. Sadly nobody else wants us either. Lambert is going to have to struggle by, with the added pressure of zero leeway from a vocal section of fans. That will make our life even harder. If he gets hounded out then we are in even worse shape as Lerner will hire no replacement, who would come with no money? Very low optimism. To be honest another season of being one of the constant relegation candidates who will go down this season or next is souring me on football in general. Whats the point? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVTuco Posted August 3, 2014 VT Supporter Share Posted August 3, 2014 Just stay up please. That'll do this year, I'd be happy. I think we can do it, but I sincerely think Vlaar makes the difference. If he stays, we'll stay up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
briny_ear Posted August 3, 2014 Share Posted August 3, 2014 This wasn't necessarily the best moment to open this thread. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VillaChris Posted August 3, 2014 Share Posted August 3, 2014 2/10. Joe Cole is already injured, no chance he's playing 30 games this season. Senderos is in a defence that is still shipping goals and Vlaar's future is uncertain. And Bizzarely we are playing Richardson in midfield seemingly which means shocking options at lb. Just don't see presently how we're a) not going to concede goals and actually going to score enough to win games. As things stand I don't see three worse teams in the league tbh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bickster Posted August 3, 2014 Moderator Share Posted August 3, 2014 Some people appear to be thinking that N'zogbia coming back is good…Have you never seen him play for us? He's bloody dreadful!Safest bet of the season, Villa to be bottom after 6 games Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heid3ster Posted August 3, 2014 Share Posted August 3, 2014 This wasn't necessarily the best moment to open this thread. It's August. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bunnski Posted August 3, 2014 Share Posted August 3, 2014 I voted for 9-12. As it stands we have a decent enough squad when you consider Vlaar is still here and we have Benteke to come back. If we add a quality midfielder and a decent winger/second striker to the squad then we will be in a good position. I'd also like to see a decent left back added to the squad unless Richardson is gonna play there but he seems to be getting used in a more advanced role. 4-3-3 Guzan Hutton - Okore - Vlaar - Richardson(new LB) Westwood (new CM) - Delph N'zogbia Gabby(new winger) Benteke SUBS: Given, Senderos, Bacuna, El Ahmadi, Cole, Weimann, Kozak ______________________________________________________ 4-4-2 Guzan Hutton - Okore - Vlaar - Ricahardson(new LB) Westwood (new CM) - Delph N'zogbia Benteke - Gabby _________________________________________ 3-5-2 Guzan Okore - Vlaar - Senderos Hutton Richardson(new LB) (new CM) - Westwood - Delph Benteke - Gabby Add to that Bent, Grealish, Gardner, Clark, Baker and Robinson and we would have a decent squad. We will be fine! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GarethRDR Posted August 3, 2014 Share Posted August 3, 2014 We're boned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
useless Posted August 3, 2014 Share Posted August 3, 2014 I think we'll finish tenth but I'm sad that that would be seen as a good season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaw_nuff Posted August 3, 2014 Share Posted August 3, 2014 Just stay up please. That'll do this year, I'd be happy. I think we can do it, but I sincerely think Vlaar makes the difference. If he stays, we'll stay up. And if he stays fit, which is a big if. I think the same with Joe Cole... these two will be key. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swerbs Posted August 3, 2014 Share Posted August 3, 2014 We'll be fine, dull and uninspiring but fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vandaq Posted August 3, 2014 Share Posted August 3, 2014 I was quite optimistic last year as I thought we might have had something good but as it stands now, I am quite worried. Took 13-16 but going down seems possible this year. Hopefully we will catch some momentum on a couple of games this year because there will be a lot of losses coming. We need some luck and we need someone to truly break through, either be it zog, bacuna or whatever, it doesn't matter. If we get someone for a our midfield and keep vlaar then we can go much further. Our attack will be weak from the beginning, Kozak and Benteke needs to kick on fast when they get back. Really hope I am wrong on this Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robbie09 Posted August 3, 2014 Share Posted August 3, 2014 We'll be fine as long as our key players stay fit. I'm looking forward to the season as we're stronger than last year and think we'll start the campaign with a victory at Stoke. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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