One For The Road Posted June 8, 2017 Share Posted June 8, 2017 (edited) How on earth can we be favourites. That's just mental. Nobody who watched the Villa last season can seriously believe we are anything like the best team in the league. As @Grasshopper said, it's surely just a way of attracting money as opposed to being any kind of true indicator of the final outcome. Edited June 8, 2017 by One For The Road Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrentVilla Posted June 8, 2017 Author Moderator Share Posted June 8, 2017 Odds reflect the money bookies are taking or expect to take not the probability of something happening. As a fan of say... I don't know.... Spurs who doesn't watch the Championship but wants to put a bet on, you are going to look at us and think we are a good bet. Obviously we know different sadly. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VillaChris Posted June 8, 2017 Share Posted June 8, 2017 As I've said before it's generally teams considered too big for that level by neutrals or the assumption they'll get up sooner or later so people lump on e.g. Newcastle last season. I wouldn't have us as favourites either as we don't exactly look like we're going to churn out 90 odd points which you need to win the league but I can understand the logic as I really don't think the relegated clubs coming down will challenge that much so that weakens the field and gives the existing championship clubs a chance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grasshopper Posted June 8, 2017 Share Posted June 8, 2017 So whilst Boro are contemplating who is the better option........... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demitri_C Posted June 9, 2017 Share Posted June 9, 2017 Monks going Boro, I have them now as league favourites Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PieFacE Posted June 9, 2017 VT Supporter Share Posted June 9, 2017 1 minute ago, Demitri_C said: Monks going Boro, I have them now as league favourites Not sure about that one, not sure on Monk myself. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted June 9, 2017 Moderator Share Posted June 9, 2017 20 minutes ago, PieFacE said: 21 minutes ago, Demitri_C said: Monks going Boro, I have them now as league favourites Not sure about that one, not sure on Monk myself. Yeah I need to see more from him. He does seem to have progressed as a manager during his time at Leeds. But his failures at Swansea and his subsequent collapse at Leeds leave plenty of room for doubt. It also remains to be seen how much of that Boro side hang around. We've seen before that too much upheaval results in a very difficult first campaign. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HanoiVillan Posted June 9, 2017 Share Posted June 9, 2017 Are they planning on trying to score a goal next season? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VillaChris Posted June 10, 2017 Share Posted June 10, 2017 They'll be up there but I don't see them dominating in the manner Newcastle did. Everyone said they'd go straight back up last time they went down, it took them 7 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markavfc40 Posted June 12, 2017 Share Posted June 12, 2017 On 2017-6-9 at 13:30, PieFacE said: Not sure about that one, not sure on Monk myself. I agree. He has a very limited CV and whilst he did well at Swansea and initially did well at Leeds they really blew up at the back end of last season when they were 11 points clear of 7th spot with 8 games to go and then went on to win one of their last 8 games and missed out on a play off spot. Boro certainly haven't made an appointment that now makes me fear them anymore than I did previously. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted June 12, 2017 Moderator Share Posted June 12, 2017 9 minutes ago, markavfc40 said: I agree. He has a very limited CV and whilst he did well at Swansea and initially did well at Leeds they really blew up at the back end of last season when they were 11 points clear of 7th spot with 8 games to go and then went on to win one of their last 8 games and missed out on a play off spot. Boro certainly haven't made an appointment that now makes me fear them anymore than I did previously. I think his Swansea success should have an 'initially' as well. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markavfc40 Posted June 12, 2017 Share Posted June 12, 2017 2 minutes ago, BOF said: I think his Swansea success should have an 'initially' as well. Possibly. When he took over they were in a relegation battle and they survived. In his only full season he led them to 8th which is very good going. He was then sacked with under half a season gone after a dire run but they were not in the relegation places. I think he fact he got them to 8th the previous season should have earned him a bit more grace and realistically they were never going to maintain anything like top 8 finishes. He certainly lacks experience having only managed for around 3 years and it has been a mixed bag for him. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted June 12, 2017 Moderator Share Posted June 12, 2017 Just now, markavfc40 said: Possibly. When he took over they were in a relegation battle and they survived. In his only full season he led them to 8th which is very good going. He was then sacked with under half a season gone after a dire run but they were not in the relegation places. I think he fact he got them to 8th the previous season should have earned him a bit more grace and realistically they were never going to maintain anything like top 8 finishes. He certainly lacks experience having only managed for around 3 years and it has been a mixed bag for him. Without checking, IIRC they were in total freefall the season they sacked him. He did well with his new manager bounce combined with knowing the club's DNA the season before, but as with many #2s he struggled to re-kindle the momentum when there was no fire being lit under them and then failed at what I would regard as being a normal manager as opposed to being a Red Adair. I didn't rate him pre-Leeds and I was in the process of holding my hands up when I saw what he was doing at Leeds, and then they went and did that. So for me he's largely back to where he was post-Swansea but with a little more credit because I didn't think he had that early Leeds tenure in him, so maybe he has more about him than I thought. Maybe. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VillaChris Posted June 12, 2017 Share Posted June 12, 2017 Leeds last season were starting at a much lower base than what he now has at Boro. The last time Leeds seriously challenged for play offs at this level was 10/11, you had the Cellino factor whereas Gibson is more stable owner to put it mildly and the Boro squad is much better than Leeds aswell. Gestede will probably score close to what Chris Wood did now he's back at this level. I think he's a decent manager and would've been happy to have him here this time last season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrentVilla Posted June 13, 2017 Author Moderator Share Posted June 13, 2017 I'm surprised at people's views on Monk, I think he's a decent manager who has done well with the resources available at Swansea and Leeds. I quite fancied him here last summer to be honest and still wish we had gone for him rather than RDM or Bruce. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demitri_C Posted June 13, 2017 Share Posted June 13, 2017 35 minutes ago, TrentVilla said: I'm surprised at people's views on Monk, I think he's a decent manager who has done well with the resources available at Swansea and Leeds. I quite fancied him here last summer to be honest and still wish we had gone for him rather than RDM or Bruce. Over Bruce? Not a chance maybe over RDM 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demitri_C Posted June 14, 2017 Share Posted June 14, 2017 Have to say i like the look of derby this season. Rowett is amking some shrewd signings. Wisdom is a goid signing at this level i feel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Czechlad Posted June 14, 2017 Share Posted June 14, 2017 This season is going to be tough. There are just so many clubs I can see being in and around the promotion/playoff area. Half the clubs in the championship seems like they can make top 6, then there might be some surprise clubs like Huddersfield were this past season. I don't like this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VillaChris Posted June 14, 2017 Share Posted June 14, 2017 8 hours ago, Demitri_C said: Have to say i like the look of derby this season. Rowett is amking some shrewd signings. Wisdom is a goid signing at this level i feel. Derby will go close for automatic promotion. Their defence has been dodgy last few years but they've added Curtis Davies who should settle them down a bit. In midfield you've got midfield maestro Will Hughes who's errr still playing championship football but is obviously a good if slightly overrated player at this level and solid other players. Upfront Ince will always chip in with goals, they've got experience in Nugent and Darren Bent and also got Chris Martin back from Fulham which fits Rowett's style of play as he used Donaldson to good effect as targetman at SHA. Derby always tend to bottle it around March time though. Pretty much the championship Arsenal but lots of quality and experience in their squad. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulC Posted June 14, 2017 Share Posted June 14, 2017 If Will Hughes stays but I feel he may go the same way as Jeff Hendrick. Maybe sign for a club like Brighton Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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