TRO Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 We've danced with relegation almost every season since MON left. The stats from our last three seasons aren't exactly promising, last time we played this badly, conceded as many goals and created as few per game was 87. We've been really lucky to avoid the drop recently, only helped by the failings of the teams around us at the bottom. I don't think that's really the case this season. In fairness we did start picking up results from March onwards. It's hard to underestimate just how shit we were though from September to March though. That's a fair comment. The run in March helped us greatly, But we still only finished 3pts above hull, behind on GD. If they had scraped a single win more during their season it would have spelt disaster for ours. Yeah but equally if we hadn't won a couple of those key games towards the end we would've been the ones going down. For me, this season was almost the opposite of the last. Whereas last season we built up our points reasonably well throughout the first two thirds of the season (we had 34 points after the Chelsea victory in mid March) before collapsing spectacularly at the end, this season we were in deep trouble going into the last couple of months and then pulled ourselves out of it with almost half a dozen important wins. It seems like every season we alternate between doing ok in the beginning and then collapsing at the end or doing shit in the beginning and pulling ourselves out at the end. 2010/11 - Very poor first half of the season followed by a decent end to get us up to 9th 2011/12 - Ok start, collapsed towards the end and didn't win a game after March 2012/13 - Very poor start, amazing run of form from about March onwards 2013/14 - Ok for the first two thirds, collapsed after March 2014/15 - Aside from the first 4 games we were unbelievably shit up until March when we started winning a lot more We've danced with relegation almost every season since MON left. The stats from our last three seasons aren't exactly promising, last time we played this badly, conceded as many goals and created as few per game was 87. We've been really lucky to avoid the drop recently, only helped by the failings of the teams around us at the bottom. I don't think that's really the case this season. In fairness we did start picking up results from March onwards. It's hard to underestimate just how shit we were though from September to March though. That's a fair comment. The run in March helped us greatly, But we still only finished 3pts above hull, behind on GD. If they had scraped a single win more during their season it would have spelt disaster for ours. Yeah but equally if we hadn't won a couple of those key games towards the end we would've been the ones going down. For me, this season was almost the opposite of the last. Whereas last season we built up our points reasonably well throughout the first two thirds of the season (we had 34 points after the Chelsea victory in mid March) before collapsing spectacularly at the end, this season we were in deep trouble going into the last couple of months and then pulled ourselves out of it with almost half a dozen important wins. It seems like every season we alternate between doing ok in the beginning and then collapsing at the end or doing shit in the beginning and pulling ourselves out at the end. 2010/11 - Very poor first half of the season followed by a decent end to get us up to 9th 2011/12 - Ok start, collapsed towards the end and didn't win a game after March 2012/13 - Very poor start, amazing run of form from about March onwards 2013/14 - Ok for the first two thirds, collapsed after March 2014/15 - Aside from the first 4 games we were unbelievably shit up until March when we started winning a lot more The words "collapse" "humiliating" "didn't turn up" "woeful" " turgid" these are words associated with losers....but are synomynous with many of our performances. The team are not durable and seem to go from the sublime to the ridiculous in such a short space of time. We need some durable players that give us some backbone....we have too many shrinking violets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiegoD Posted June 5, 2015 Share Posted June 5, 2015 We were losers under MON because we didn't achieve what we should have. We were comfortably 3rd with not long of the season to go and we threw it away because we didn't have the belief that we would actually do it. More because we lost the biggest winner we've had in our side since Paul McGrath. You can date our decline to the minute: Laursen's injury. Fwiw I agree that the world isn't divided into winners and losers, but Laursen was a very special player to have, and not just because he could defend. I think this is a great point. I know the Joe Cole gamble didn't pay off but we need to also look for experienced winners. Cambiasso at Leicester is a great example, he may not be the player he once was but having that kind of player in your spine makes such a big difference. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Posted June 5, 2015 Share Posted June 5, 2015 I'd say aspiring to be like Swansea City, is indicative of a losing mentality. I think the way the club is at the moment to be like Swansea would be a major step forward. The play attractive and positive football with the fans behind them. Maybe its a measure of how far we have fallen but its certainly true. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexicon Posted June 5, 2015 Share Posted June 5, 2015 Blaming an abstract concept like a losing mentality is completely and utterly pointless. Get on, dig in and fight ffs. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ozvillafan Posted June 5, 2015 VT Supporter Share Posted June 5, 2015 Blaming an abstract concept like a losing mentality is completely and utterly pointless. Get on, dig in and fight ffs. Get on, dig in and fight? How many times have you seen that from Villa lately? Actually, forget lately, try the last decade. That concept still looking abstract? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexicon Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 The only other option is give up and have a little cry in the corner. I'd rather we didn't wallow in self pity and just tried to move forward with a positive attitude. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVTuco Posted June 6, 2015 VT Supporter Share Posted June 6, 2015 I believe there is some truth to this winning mentality thing, but I just can't see any real answer to it than start winning! Trying to sign proven winners, who have been winning lately, is not going to work since they don't want to come here right now. We have to win first to attract them. Having said that one or two experienced tough players would be good to have. I'd like them to be CB's. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexicon Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 Mentally strong players is a must for me, Clive. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest av1 Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 There's only one man for the job. Ya nah the score Joey son, cripple the slaaagggg. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theboyangel Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 There's only one man for the job. Ya nah the score Joey son, cripple the slaaagggg. I am seriously worried we'll end up with Barton. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingman Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 I would rather sign the Captain of the crib team at the Barton Arms! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest av1 Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 Me too theboyangel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avfc96 Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 Barton belongs in a prison cell, not a football club. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imavillan Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 There's only one man for the job. Ya nah the score Joey son, cripple the slaaagggg. I am seriously worried we'll end up with Barton. Why???? Its not going to happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theboyangel Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 There's only one man for the job. Ya nah the score Joey son, cripple the slaaagggg. I am seriously worried we'll end up with Barton. Why???? Its not going to happen. I can just see Ts going in for him due to his 'winning' attitude.... Who knows what we're going to do this window, however I don't expect us to have much money to bring players in and I believe Barton has been released from qpr. I would hate it if we signed him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mantis Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 (edited) I think Sherwood's smart enough to tell the difference between a winning attitude and a word removed attitude. Edited June 6, 2015 by Mantis 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theboyangel Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 I think Sherwood's smart enough to tell the difference between a winning attitude and a word removed attitude. Fingers crossed eh? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRO Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 I believe there is some truth to this winning mentality thing, but I just can't see any real answer to it than start winning! Trying to sign proven winners, who have been winning lately, is not going to work since they don't want to come here right now. We have to win first to attract them. Having said that one or two experienced tough players would be good to have. I'd like them to be CB's. Andy Gray was a winner.....and he was a winner at an early age. It's in the players DNA We need to do more research in to who we are buying. Shankly used to say it's not just the player, it's also the character. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRO Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 I would rather sign the Captain of the crib team at the Barton Arms! I understand he shaves with a broken bottle.....sign him up.lol 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVTuco Posted June 6, 2015 VT Supporter Share Posted June 6, 2015 (edited) I believe there is some truth to this winning mentality thing, but I just can't see any real answer to it than start winning! Trying to sign proven winners, who have been winning lately, is not going to work since they don't want to come here right now. We have to win first to attract them. Having said that one or two experienced tough players would be good to have. I'd like them to be CB's. Andy Gray was a winner.....and he was a winner at an early age. It's in the players DNA We need to do more research in to who we are buying. Shankly used to say it's not just the player, it's also the character. I agree with that, however I seriously doubt if a winner wants to come to us at the moment? Edited June 6, 2015 by AVTuco Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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