The push for the Play offs ?

[Dave J]

1 hour ago, dont_do_it_doug. said:

It demonstrably is 'near' is it not? 

I think we need to improve in the window, but we're hardly a million miles away. 

I would agree that fine margins may ultimately come into play - however much as it pains me to say this Doug I remain of the view that we are not good enough to go up this year :-(

[dont_do_it_doug.]

7 minutes ago, Dave J said:

I would agree that fine margins may ultimately come into play - however much as it pains me to say this Doug I remain of the view that we are not good enough to go up this year :-(

Transfer window is still open Dave. 

[dn1982]

We are good enough at present to finish in the top 6. By the end of the window I think we will be in a position to say we are good enough to go up. I can't see us getting automatic so it'll come down to the Playoffs and we've all seen what a lottery they can be as it's just a mini cup competition. I think we will get to Wembley regardless of who we get and then it'll be the biggest game in years. 

[Grasshopper]

16 hours ago, TRO said:

I remember Alex Cropley coming in and within a few weeks other players were playing above themselves.

good players can have that effect......players you may have mentally written off in such circumstances may pleasantly surprise you.

@TRO

SIR Alex Cropley please

[Dave J]

7 hours ago, dont_do_it_doug. said:

Transfer window is still open Dave. 

That's why I say fine margins Doug- I don't think this squad can gain promotion - but clearly it's possible that we purchase players in this window that could change this and we do become a squad capable of winning promotion, fingers crossed 

[TRO]

18 hours ago, dont_do_it_doug. said:

FYI I was being sarcastic. People are generally thinking waaaay too far ahead. 

sorry, Dave for not picking that up....I agree.

I think some fans, say they know how low we had gone....but didn't really appreciate how bad it had got.

[TRO]

4 hours ago, Grasshopper said:

@TRO

SIR Alex Cropley please

Being a mate of AG's .....I used to go out on occasions and Alex was in the company.

AG used to laugh at how taken I was with AC on the pitch as a player.....He used to say act normal, its shows.

Edited January 2, 2017 by TRO

[TRO]

12 hours ago, PaulC said:

Same with Dean Saunders.

bang on

[TRO]

I am not opposed to spending money, if the right players are bought and that has proved to be not as easy as it looks.

However, I see many players in the Championship doing very well ( strong durable, industrious, robust,grafters) but  I ask myself would we have signed them.I still think we have our heads, unintentionally in the clouds.

They are crucial for where we are....its a battle.

It sometimes seems that in some eyes unless a player can emulate Paul Merson or Nobby Solano's skills they are not labelled as a good player or an average tag is applied.

In our position its going to be very difficult to get a schemer with those attributes.

 

 

[sne]

Really is a balance in finding players with the right mentality, and the right mentality is crucial.

I've felt for a number of years we've signed too many players who'd thought they'd "made it" when coming here and have been content and not hungry enough. Or just picking up one final payday 

But effort and mentality is not enough, just look at someone like Hutton or even Westwood who run their a***s off but has no ability.

At the same point I'm OK with players treating us as a stepping stone, but only as long as they work hard and don't act like they're too good for us while trey're here.

We are never going to build a team out of players who's dream it is to live in Birmingham and play for Aston Villa for the rest of their career.

Really is tricky for a club like us finding the right sort of players, and this window is going to be as important as it get's.

Get it right and we just might sneak up through the play off's.

Get it wrong and we're screwed.

Edited January 2, 2017 by sne

[brommy]

1 hour ago, TRO said:

sorry, Dave for not picking that up....I agree.

I think some fans, say they know how low we had gone....but didn't really appreciate how bad it had got.

It puzzles me how many of the fans who were saying the club was at an all time low, was a complete shambles from top to bottom and could easily fall through the Championship to Divison One, are often the same ones who express disappointment at Bruce's inability to instantly turn our squad in to a team that wins virtually every game whilst playing great football.

[vreitti]

I believe we have almost zero chance of promotion through the playoffs. Nothing I've seen during the first half of the season suggest we would be wholeheartedly 'up for it', when push comes to shove. Leeds for instance is good example of a team with so much higher determination and spirit than us. Sure we might sign a few players now, which may or may not give us an additional boost, still it's really a tall order regardless. 

I think our only shot at promotion would be finishing first or second, which sadly ain't gonna happen this year.

[TRO]

34 minutes ago, brommy said:

It puzzles me how many of the fans who were saying the club was at an all time low, was a complete shambles from top to bottom and could easily fall through the Championship to Divison One, are often the same ones who express disappointment at Bruce's inability to instantly turn our squad in to a team that wins virtually every game whilst playing great football.

my point entirely

[Demitri_C]

7 minutes ago, vreitti said:

I believe we have almost zero chance of promotion through the playoffs. Nothing I've seen during the first half of the season suggest we would be wholeheartedly 'up for it', when push comes to shove. Leeds for instance is good example of a team with so much higher determination and spirit than us. Sure we might sign a few players now, which may or may not give us an additional boost, still it's really a tall order regardless. 

I think our only shot at promotion would be finishing first or second, which sadly ain't gonna happen this year.

One thing I will say is Leeds are on form and this recent run has been them at their best. We haven't reached our best yet, if it happens I think on our best we are better than Leeds at their best

[HanoiVillan]

50 minutes ago, brommy said:

It puzzles me how many of the fans who were saying the club was at an all time low, was a complete shambles from top to bottom and could easily fall through the Championship to Divison One, are often the same ones who express disappointment at Bruce's inability to instantly turn our squad in to a team that wins virtually every game whilst playing great football.

 

15 minutes ago, TRO said:

my point entirely

Almost as if some of our posters have a greater flair for amateur dramatics than sober analysis. 

[TRO]

52 minutes ago, sne said:

Really is a balance in finding players with the right mentality, and the right mentality is crucial.

I've felt for a number of years we've signed too many players who'd thought they'd "made it" when coming here and have been content and not hungry enough. Or just picking up one final payday 

But effort and mentality is not enough, just look at someone like Hutton or even Westwood who run their a***s off but has no ability.

At the same point I'm OK with players treating us as a stepping stone, but only as long as they work hard and don't act like they're too good for us while trey're here.

We are never going to build a team out of players who's dream it is to live in Birmingham and play for Aston Villa for the rest of their career.

Really is tricky for a club like us finding the right sort of players, and this window is going to be as important as it get's.

Get it right and we just might sneak up through the play off's.

Get it wrong and we're screwed.

you are right its not enough.

But we had so many without it, gradually getting better.

I think they do a lot of ( shadow boxing, sorry for the boxing term) they have moments when they look ok, but they are not really, they don't have enough attributes for me....sure they do some things ok, but overall....No

I see players with massive gaps between them and their opponent, but deemed as working hard.....thats hiding in my book. Idle running is not working hard.....closing down and letting your opponent know you are there, is.....intelligent running off the ball, is......muscling your opponent in the box ( like Costa v Bournemouth) thats working hard.

running around the field touching every blade of grass with little objective is not working hard, but looks good on the stats.

Beating an opponent takes many factors....Strength, speed, footwork, Muscle, Intelligence.

If you haven't got any you are on your way out, if you have some but not others you need to work on your game or you may be replaced with a player who has more, if you have them all, just wait for the call from the Prem.

 

[TRO]

1 minute ago, HanoiVillan said:

 

Almost as if some of our posters have a greater flair for amateur dramatics than sober analysis. 

I just happen to think some think turning this around is a stroll in the park.

look how long its taking Leeds

[StewieGriffin]

8 hours ago, dn1982 said:

By the end of the window I think we will be in a position to say we are good enough to go up. I can't see us getting automatic so it'll come down to the Playoffs

I dont in any way disagree with that, but I do think it's possible that with a balanced/improved squad, we could go on a 9 wins in 10 run like Derby have - that'd have us right in the mix for automatic. Brighton are 17 unbeaten - there's no reason we cant have a similar run and catch up.

Having said that, I do agree that we'll end up in the top 6 - i think we'll end up 5th 

[Rugeley Villa]

I'm 90% certain we will not make the play offs. Just not good enough.

[tonyh29]

Try again next seaso.