Popular Post Spoony Posted September 1, 2016 Popular Post Posted September 1, 2016 ...as Take That once said. So we have spent a fair ol' whack of money on decent players and therefore many fans are going to inevitably expect instant results, promotion and an entitlement to success. Although I would say that promotion absolutely has to be the target given what we have spent, I am not personally expecting instant results and I don't think other fans should either. We have completely overhauled the team, the management, the backroom and the boardroom and the whole dynamic of the club has changed very suddenly. All of these new players have to get to know each other, get used to each other, get used to RDM's tactics and instructions, get used to the culture of the club, get used to the city of Birmingham, get used to playing at Villa Park, etc. If any of us moved jobs or our work had a total overhaul, we would expect to have a month or so at least in order to settle, get to know the environment, get to know our colleagues and how the ethos of the office works and how to work with different people and I do think people have to realise it is the same for footballers and staff at football clubs. I'm just conscious that if we don't get a result against Nottingham Forrest at the weekend we will immediately get comments like "same old ****", "xyz was a waste of money", "**** team is still a **** team", etc. which I think is very disheartening for everyone. Let's give the New Villa a chance to gel and get behind them? We have a good squad here and a good manager but it isn't going to happen over night. It is going to take months. I honestly believe if we can have a little bit of patience and ride the waves for a bit, we will have a very solid team here that will be difficult to beat and VP can be a fortress again. It will just take time, effort, patience and unyielding support from the fans. No "RDM out" nonsense after quarter of a season or booing players for making mistakes. That'll just take us back to the poisonous atmosphere we had last season and, ultimately, back to square one. I think our attitudes and expectations have to change with the club... 36
jimcohen Posted September 1, 2016 Posted September 1, 2016 I agree, but this is a results business and we have spent massively. We are a massive club and we need to turn the fortunes of our club around now. We dont have time to muck about, or bed players in or wait for new guys to gel. Look at Watford last season and all the new players they bought and how quickly that worked for them. We wont win every game. We may not win the league or get promoted even. But we need to show fight. We need to stop collapsing when we concede and we need to eliminate stupid errors at the back. That has to start at the next game.
It's Your Round Posted September 1, 2016 Posted September 1, 2016 What if it doesn't start in the next game though? What do we do then?
jimcohen Posted September 1, 2016 Posted September 1, 2016 Hope it starts soon. I am not condoning panic or slagging them all off as per the norm, but we do need to change our expectations. We have been terrible for so long, but in the prem. We are now a massive spending side in the championship and things needs to change. If we lose the next few games, I will be gutted but ok with it if we fight, show signs of improvement and no more collapsing when we concede. 2
ender4 Posted September 1, 2016 Posted September 1, 2016 (edited) The trouble is that after the next game, 13% of the season will have finished. We need to start keeping pace with the top 6, and especially Newcastle. but i do agree that we need some patience. Edited September 1, 2016 by ender4 1
Popular Post Dr_Pangloss Posted September 1, 2016 Popular Post Posted September 1, 2016 I expect promotion this season, nothing else is good enough. Results have been poor so far and need to improve dramatically. 11
jimcohen Posted September 1, 2016 Posted September 1, 2016 The issue is there are about 10 teams who want to go up and about 8 who are good enough. But as long as we are up there with them and not losing to the likes of Bristol City when they have dropped their best player as he is about to come to us then I am ok.
hippo Posted September 1, 2016 Posted September 1, 2016 Very little patience from me. If this squad assembled - even while they are 'gelling' there should be enough there to beat Bristol City. Don't get the 'it takes time' - we don't have time.
markavfc40 Posted September 1, 2016 Posted September 1, 2016 Expectations have obviously been raised given the huge investment and I don't think we should hide from that or play it down. I actually think we have a number of players now who will thrive in it and feed off it. As a club we should now be expecting promotion and I think from the owner down that will be the case. One win in five is a poor return so far but in fairness performances have deserved more. I am happy to be patient but results have to come over the next couple of months and I think they will. This whole club is now geared up for promotion and we as fans alongside the players, manager and coaching staff should embrace that and not fear that level of expectation. At a club like ours high expectations should be a given. 4
Mammoth10 Posted September 1, 2016 Posted September 1, 2016 I think that the ideal balance in these early days is that we need to gain an ability to grind out results whilst in the 'gelling' period.
Popular Post Spoony Posted September 1, 2016 Author Popular Post Posted September 1, 2016 Whether we "have time" or not, it does take time and that's just the way it is. I would not be surprised if we didn't get promoted although I do agree not getting promoted would be a bit of a failure. However, if things don't turn around instantly (and they won't) we cannot turn on the manager and the players like we ALWAYS do if things aren't going well. Do not forget just HOW screwed the club was a couple of months ago. The progress The Doctor has made in just a few months is very impressive but it is still in a bit of a "healing" period for me. I hate to be so clichéd, but Rome wasn't built in a day... 5
lexicon Posted September 1, 2016 Posted September 1, 2016 17 minutes ago, hippo said: Very little patience from me. If this squad assembled - even while they are 'gelling' there should be enough there to beat Bristol City. Don't get the 'it takes time' - we don't have time. Of course we have time - not going up this season isn't going to kill this football club. 3
hippo Posted September 1, 2016 Posted September 1, 2016 2 minutes ago, lexicon said: Of course we have time - not going up this season isn't going to kill this football club. No - but that is the stated aim of the owner. He hasn't pumped in £50m to be midtable in the championship. 1
jimcohen Posted September 1, 2016 Posted September 1, 2016 The longer we stay in the league the harder it will be to come out. The money the PL clubs get makes the 3 that come down this season a bigger force, and clubs that dont go up to the PL this season will go again with bigger budgets. We are currently a relegated PL team spending big and attracting some of the best talent outside the PL. If we dont go up we will be the big PL team that spent big to go up and failed and recruiting more players will get harder and harder. Also,going straight back up shows the world it was a blip and will help when we recruit next summer for our assault on the PL. Look at the players Stoke get now. Think they could of got them in their first few season in the PL. We need to get back to where we belong in one attempt. If we dont, well, i quite like the championship. 1
lexicon Posted September 1, 2016 Posted September 1, 2016 1 minute ago, hippo said: No - but that is the stated aim of the owner. He hasn't pumped in £50m to be midtable in the championship. It is and we'll probably do that this season. The point is that the concept of the ticking clock doesn't really apply in football unless you're going to go out of business if you don't stay up/go up or what have you. The club has been around since 1874 and will most likely be around after all of us are dead - I don't see the point in being impatient.
hippo Posted September 1, 2016 Posted September 1, 2016 Just now, lexicon said: It is and we'll probably do that this season. The point is that the concept of the ticking clock doesn't really apply in football unless you're going to go out of business if you don't stay up/go up or what have you. The club has been around since 1874 and will most likely be around after all of us are dead - I don't see the point in being impatient. We will have to disagree on that then. If we are not in or around the play off positions this season - I don't think Tony will accept that - and heads will roll. 1
sharkyvilla Posted September 1, 2016 Posted September 1, 2016 It will take time to gel, we need to avoid creating a poisonous atmosphere if our slow start continues. As long as we are top 6 in the end, and by that time our quality is starting to show I'd fancy us to get through the play offs. Top 2 was always going to be a tough ask considering the job that needs doing.
striker Posted September 1, 2016 Visiting Supporter Posted September 1, 2016 There's a fine line between arrogance and expectation. Some might say that expecting Villa to go straight back up again due to the historic nature of the club is being arrogant. Other teams like Leeds who also have a history of being a big club have stayed in the Championship but I don't think Leeds have ever really shown the financial muscle that Villa have this window. So my expectation is that Villa being one of the two teams I follow should be in the mix come the end of the season. Should Villa not be, then I don't know if Xia will accept that. I suppose RDM's honeymoon period will be foreshortened now considering the money spent.
rubberman Posted September 1, 2016 Posted September 1, 2016 We've already missed the first massive input of cash by being relegated at the worst time possible. Tony's mitigated against this with his backing, but as said ^^^ the next 3 relegated clubs will have a massive advantage next season and if we're down here for a third season it will become extremely hard to get back up post parachute payments. The playoffs are a lottery so while top 6 is the minimum we should target, IMO we need to get one of the top 2 places this season. Yes, we have been a basket case of a club. Yes, we have new players, management and backroom staff. But we have to start getting results. At least a draw with Forest, wins v Brentford and Ipswich, draw v Newcastle, win v Barnsley. Minimum expectation of 11 points in September for me. 1
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