Brumstopdogs Posted January 18, 2015 Share Posted January 18, 2015 Looking at the odds we're the 5th favourites to go down. Just have to scrape some more wins. They could come from a fairly decent set of home games we've got left (once we get Chelsea out of the way!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
useless Posted January 18, 2015 Share Posted January 18, 2015 I think we'll be safe this season but whilst Randy is here and uninterested, I think the threat of relegation will always be with us. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimzk5 Posted January 18, 2015 Share Posted January 18, 2015 Hulls defending was absolutely awful. We might be shit at scoring goals but we have a decent defense. Why - because we kept clean sheets against Palace and Sunderland ? Was the defence decent yesterday ? I think weve been largely decent in defense yes, certainly better than the last 2 seasons. I definitely dont think we've defended as bad as hull did today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodytom Posted January 18, 2015 Share Posted January 18, 2015 The defence isn't great by any means. It's just a lot better than it was. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smetrov Posted January 18, 2015 Share Posted January 18, 2015 The defence isn't great by any means. It's just a lot better than it was. To be honest I measure a defence in terms of clean sheets - of which we don't keep that many. A lot of teams take the foot of the gas at 2-0 up - so bumbling along loosing 1-0 , 2-0 and taking comfort that isn't 5-0,6-0 is a false comfort IMO..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodytom Posted January 18, 2015 Share Posted January 18, 2015 I'd go with that. I'd also add that some of the worst teams on the planet often can appear to be defending valiantly with 10/11 men behind the ball. Though the defensive players have improved, how much of our better defensive record is down to the fact that, more often than not, we do nothing but defend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dounavilla Posted January 18, 2015 Share Posted January 18, 2015 You will never earn more than a point if you don't score. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCJonah Posted January 18, 2015 Share Posted January 18, 2015 Defence has been better but looked awful against Leicester and if borini wasn't so shit it could have looked a lot worse against Liverpool. That's really our only solid area so I hope it doesn't start slipping. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ozvillafan Posted January 18, 2015 VT Supporter Share Posted January 18, 2015 I'd go with that. I'd also add that some of the worst teams on the planet often can appear to be defending valiantly with 10/11 men behind the ball. Though the defensive players have improved, how much of our better defensive record is down to the fact that, more often than not, we do nothing but defend. Going on our starting line up against Liverpool, I counted 2 out-and-out attackers in our run on squad. You could cycle Sanchez, Cleverly, Westwood and Delph through the same holding midfield role - and we played all 4 of them. So you are correct: Our defense is slightly improved... ... because that is all the team is sent out to do. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo985 Posted January 19, 2015 VT Supporter Share Posted January 19, 2015 I'd go with that. I'd also add that some of the worst teams on the planet often can appear to be defending valiantly with 10/11 men behind the ball. Though the defensive players have improved, how much of our better defensive record is down to the fact that, more often than not, we do nothing but defend. Going on our starting line up against Liverpool, I counted 2 out-and-out attackers in our run on squad. You could cycle Sanchez, Cleverly, Westwood and Delph through the same holding midfield role - and we played all 4 of them. So you are correct: Our defense is slightly improved... ... because that is all the team is sent out to do. I think the plan will be to play Gil. Like I've said elsewhere, I'd expect the way we finished the game against Liverpool (4-3-3 with Gil, Sanchez and Delph in midfield) to be the way we start games going forward. Maybe no in the next two, because we'll understandably be a bit more defensive against those teams. But once they're out the way I expect that to be the midfield going forward. I think Lambert just didn't want to throw Gil in after being in the country for a couple of days. Once he's up to speed (which he already looks like he is given his cameo!) then he'll be starting for sure. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
briny_ear Posted January 19, 2015 Share Posted January 19, 2015 Oh dear, more pressure on Gil. Hope someone has explained to him he just has to turn us into a footballing side, capable of effective attacking football, and create lots of goals (and maybe score them given Benteke's current dry spell). Simples. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
romavillan Posted January 19, 2015 VT Supporter Share Posted January 19, 2015 Oh dear, more pressure on Gil. Hope someone has explained to him he just has to turn us into a footballing side, capable of effective attacking football, and create lots of goals (and maybe score them given Benteke's current dry spell). Simples. Haha. Yes. At least that's a weight off Grealish's shoulders though. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
useless Posted January 19, 2015 Share Posted January 19, 2015 (edited) There's no extra pressure on Gil unless, it's coming from the VIlla managment team themselves or Gil himself. Edited January 19, 2015 by useless Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mykeyb Posted January 19, 2015 Share Posted January 19, 2015 Call me a pessimist but the fact we are so poor at scoring goals this season will undoubtedly cost us our premiership status. Derby County has the record of scoring the fewest goals in a season which was the grand total of 20, they finished bottom and were relegated. The club who finished 19th was our neighbours who scored 46. Anybody think we will get to 20? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo985 Posted January 19, 2015 VT Supporter Share Posted January 19, 2015 Oh dear, more pressure on Gil. Hope someone has explained to him he just has to turn us into a footballing side, capable of effective attacking football, and create lots of goals (and maybe score them given Benteke's current dry spell). Simples. How is suggesting the formation might be slightly different with Gil starting putting more pressure on him? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodytom Posted January 19, 2015 Share Posted January 19, 2015 Oh dear, more pressure on Gil. Hope someone has explained to him he just has to turn us into a footballing side, capable of effective attacking football, and create lots of goals (and maybe score them given Benteke's current dry spell). Simples. To be honest, that's pretty much his job description, and hel get a very handsome wage whether he performs it or not. Hopefully, he will be one of the few villa players who fulfil his role! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grasshopper Posted January 19, 2015 Share Posted January 19, 2015 (edited) So Palace & Albion change their managers and what do you know? after a few games they are both above us. Forget the magic of the cup. next up for us, Chelsea & Arsenal. No goals and no points there then. Forget the goals, the good defence, the negative records, new signings, all the pluses & minuses. Fact is Lambert has proved he cant do the job of managing this club. When Lerner doesnt have the balls to sack him because he dont know who to replace him, then ask even Doug to find a manager if he cant be bothered. Doug would love the boast of "I saved the Club from going down" he'd probably do it for free. Our ONLY hope is that 3 of Burnley, Sunderland, Leicester, QPR & Hull are worse than us. Edited January 19, 2015 by Grasshopper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grasshopper Posted January 19, 2015 Share Posted January 19, 2015 (edited) thanx to P3te Next week's relevant fixtures: Hull v Newcastle - Toon in freefall 1-0/1-1 Palace v Everton - Everton cant score either atm 1-0/0-0 Man U v Leicester - 1/2/3/4-0 sure thing Stoke v QPR - 1/2/3-0 sure thing Sunderland v Burnley - 2-1/2-2/1-2 winner goes above us Arsenal v Villa how many?-0 no goals no points The following week's fixtures: Villa v Chelsea 0-how many? no goals no points Leicester v Palace 0-2 City v Hull how many?-0 QPR v Southampton 0-2 Swansea v Sunderland 2-1/2-2/1-2 S'land go above us? Burnley v WBA 2-1/2-2/1-2 Burnley go above us? Villa 0 points, Hull 1/3 points, Sunderland 0-6 points, Burnley 0-6 points, Leicester 0 points, QPR 0 points) the table would look like: 15. Villa 22 pts 16. Sunderland 20-26 pts/Villa 22 pts 17. Burnley 20-26 pts/Villa 22 pts 18. Hull 19-22 pts/Villa 22 pts 19. QPR 19 pts 20. Leicester 17 pts - gone Edited January 19, 2015 by Grasshopper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
useless Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 This the bottom of the table after 22 games from last year 13 West Bromwich Albion 22 4 10 8 24 29 -5 22 14 Stoke City 22 5 7 10 22 36 -14 22 15 Swansea City 22 5 6 11 27 33 -6 21 16 Crystal Palace 22 6 2 14 14 31-17 20 17 Fulham 22 6 1 15 22 48 -26 19 18 West Ham United 22 4 6 12 22 33 -11 18 19 Sunderland 22 4 6 12 21 36 -15 18 20 Cardiff 22 4 6 12 17 38 -21 18 It just goes to show how quickly things can change. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodgyknees Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 This the bottom of the table after 22 games from last year 13 West Bromwich Albion 22 4 10 8 24 29 -5 22 14 Stoke City 22 5 7 10 22 36 -14 22 15 Swansea City 22 5 6 11 27 33 -6 21 16 Crystal Palace 22 6 2 14 14 31-17 20 17 Fulham 22 6 1 15 22 48 -26 19 18 West Ham United 22 4 6 12 22 33 -11 18 19 Sunderland 22 4 6 12 21 36 -15 18 20 Cardiff 22 4 6 12 17 38 -21 18 It just goes to show how quickly things can change. Three years in charge and there has been no change. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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