sidcow Posted December 1, 2018 VT Supporter Share Posted December 1, 2018 Don't understand anybody saying top 2 is impossible. The gap is in the scheme of things small, there are loads and loads of points to play for, we have to play all the teams above us once and some twice yet, and they all have to play each other once and some twice yet. It's all to play for. Nothing is set in stone yet or even clay. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulC Posted December 1, 2018 Share Posted December 1, 2018 1 hour ago, ender4 said: its a shame we started so badly, we're doing so well with Smith and yet still not closing the gap to second. Its going to be a massive challenge to close that gap. Theres plenty of time left to close the gap. Hopefully Smith will bring in a couple of players in January and we will be stronger second half of the season. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
briny_ear Posted December 1, 2018 Share Posted December 1, 2018 3 hours ago, villalad21 said: I don't think we will finish top 2, Bruce **** it up too badly to recover. But top 6 is absolutely certain with this squad. It’s utterly ridiculous to say this early in the season that we can't make the top 2. Maybe shows a lack of confidence in the new manager? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villalad21 Posted December 1, 2018 Share Posted December 1, 2018 1 minute ago, briny_ear said: It’s utterly ridiculous to say this early in the season that we can't make the top 2. Maybe shows a lack of confidence in the new manager? Not at all but Leeds and Norwich are looking very consistent and we are already 8 points behind Leeds. I'm not saying it's impossible but it's gonna be a big, big task. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCJonah Posted December 1, 2018 Share Posted December 1, 2018 God, bruce really **** us up. Imagine being someone who felt he needed more time, or that this squad wasn't good enough. Brilliant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don_Simon Posted December 1, 2018 Share Posted December 1, 2018 22 minutes ago, villalad21 said: A thought just crossed my head. Birmingham is doing very well, so are we. Both of us ending up in the playoff spots is not unlikely as it stands. Imagine a play off final between Villa and scum, imagine if we lost it. I don't know if i could go on living in that scenario. Of all the things to think of right now, you think of losing to SHA in a playoff final. You are absolutely mental. And probably a bluenose. Imagine a cup that is at minimum half full, rather than so empty your gasping for water in the Sahara. Optimism is your friend, I promise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villalad21 Posted December 1, 2018 Share Posted December 1, 2018 (edited) The league is starting to fear us, this is from the Leeds forum. "villa will be a big danger. look a big strong unit." "Dean Smith has Improved them very quickly in the short time he’s been there.If anyone finishes above them come the end of the season then I think they’ll be going up." "Getting concerned about free-scoring Vile. Another tough away trip coming up there." Edited December 1, 2018 by villalad21 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
briny_ear Posted December 1, 2018 Share Posted December 1, 2018 5 minutes ago, villalad21 said: Not at all but Leeds and Norwich are looking very consistent and we are already 8 points behind Leeds. I'm not saying it's impossible but it's gonna be a big, big task. Norwich are on a good run but do they have the squad to make it last? Leeds not really looking too consistent in my book. It’s not like last season and if we build our own run we can certainly put pressure on at least one of them. I’m certainly not giving up yet. I suspect the whole point of changing managers so early in the season was to give the new manager a chance to get us automatic promotion. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villalad21 Posted December 1, 2018 Share Posted December 1, 2018 2 minutes ago, briny_ear said: Norwich are on a good run but do they have the squad to make it last? Leeds not really looking too consistent in my book. It’s not like last season and if we build our own run we can certainly put pressure on at least one of them. I’m certainly not giving up yet. I suspect the whole point of changing managers so early in the season was to give the new manager a chance to get us automatic promotion. I haven't given up, but i am in no way expecting Mr Smith automatic promotion given the circumstances when he took over. He has done a fantastic job so far, and is yet to have a transfer window to get his own players in. The next few years is when i will fully judge him. But anyways, what we can all agree on is, happy times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vive_La_Villa Posted December 1, 2018 Share Posted December 1, 2018 8 points is peanuts. If that’s still the gap by the time we get a new keeper then I fancy us to finish there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
briny_ear Posted December 1, 2018 Share Posted December 1, 2018 3 minutes ago, villalad21 said: I haven't given up, but i am in no way expecting Mr Smith automatic promotion given the circumstances when he took over. He has done a fantastic job so far, and is yet to have a transfer window to get his own players in. The next few years is when i will fully judge him. But anyways, what we can all agree on is, happy times. The circumstances when he took over were really not that bad.A squad that contains Grealish, Abrahams, Bolasie, El Ghazi, Kodjia, McGinn is not that bad. Bruce had only achieved mediocre results with them and that is why he was sacked. But all this talk I see on here of “disastrous” start to the season etc. Is nonsense. It wasn’t as good as it should have been but if Smith is up to the job there is no reason why we can’t push for automatic promotion. It feels a bit as if people are getting their excuses in early! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keyblade Posted December 1, 2018 Share Posted December 1, 2018 26 minutes ago, villalad21 said: The league is starting to fear us, this is from the Leeds forum. "villa will be a big danger. look a big strong unit." "Dean Smith has Improved them very quickly in the short time he’s been there.If anyone finishes above them come the end of the season then I think they’ll be going up." "Getting concerned about free-scoring Vile. Another tough away trip coming up there." lol why are they calling us Vile? What's their beef with us? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vive_La_Villa Posted December 2, 2018 Share Posted December 2, 2018 2 minutes ago, briny_ear said: It feels a bit as if people are getting their excuses in early! I think people are giving Smith the same time Bruce was afforded before expectations were raised. Namely a chance to get his own players in and maybe even a preseason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villalad21 Posted December 2, 2018 Share Posted December 2, 2018 Just now, Keyblade said: lol why are they calling us Vile? What's their beef with us? It's what you get for being a big club. Everyone wants to beat you and you get hate for no reason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest av1 Posted December 2, 2018 Share Posted December 2, 2018 9 minutes ago, briny_ear said: But all this talk I see on here of “disastrous” start to the season etc. Is nonsense. It wasn’t as good as it should have been but if Smith is up to the job there is no reason why we can’t push for automatic promotion. It feels a bit as if people are getting their excuses in early! 3 wins in 11 against shit opposition was disastrous. It is strange you're saying 'If Smith is up to the job there is no reason why we can’t push for automatic promotion' when you supported Bruce who didn't push for automatic promotion during his time here. It feels a bit like you are not affording Smith the same backing you gave Bruce. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
briny_ear Posted December 2, 2018 Share Posted December 2, 2018 5 minutes ago, Vive_La_Villa said: I think people are giving Smith the same time Bruce was afforded before expectations were raised. Namely a chance to get his own players in and maybe even a preseason. Don’t remember many people giving Bruce time tbh. Most were on his back as soon as he arrived. The reality is managers don’t have much time and that is increasingly the case for Villa I suspect. Bruce faltered this season with the squad he had assembled so was sacked. But it isn't a terrible squad. We have some fine players and the idea that Smith would be given time to dismantle it and recruit a whole new set of players is worrying. I’m assuming he was brought in on the basis of making this squad work better with a few tweaks in Jan. And to be fair it did look today as if he is getting there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomaszk Posted December 2, 2018 Share Posted December 2, 2018 (edited) 17 minutes ago, briny_ear said: I don't really understand this comment but maybe you are upset because I don’t just go with the herd but post about the things that are actually happening rather than the herd view? You'll get tiresome after bad results, but for now it's adding to the enjoyment of watching us tear teams apart and not have the manager tell us how lucky we are to have him. Edited December 2, 2018 by Tomaszk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
briny_ear Posted December 2, 2018 Share Posted December 2, 2018 5 minutes ago, av1 said: 3 wins in 11 against shit opposition was disastrous. It is strange you're saying 'If Smith is up to the job there is no reason why we can’t push for automatic promotion' when you supported Bruce who didn't push for automatic promotion during his time here. It feels a bit like you are not affording Smith the same backing you gave Bruce. This is opinion not fact. We were four points off the top 6 when he left which was not good enough (I.e.why he was sacked) but nothing like unrecoverable. Quite why after such a good performance today people are coming in to diss our prospects of making progress us a bit beyond me. But then apparently I’ve “lost my marbles”. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vive_La_Villa Posted December 2, 2018 Share Posted December 2, 2018 5 minutes ago, briny_ear said: Don’t remember many people giving Bruce time tbh. Most were on his back as soon as he arrived. The reality is managers don’t have much time and that is increasingly the case for Villa I suspect. Bruce faltered this season with the squad he had assembled so was sacked. But it isn't a terrible squad. We have some fine players and the idea that Smith would be given time to dismantle it and recruit a whole new set of players is worrying. I’m assuming he was brought in on the basis of making this squad work better with a few tweaks in Jan. And to be fair it did look today as if he is getting there. I remember the majority giving Bruce time if I’m being honest. Even after that dreadful run in January. I don’t think Smith is expected to dismantle the squad. But he does deserve time to get them playing his way and improving areas of weakness. So far he has massive exceeded my expectations of how fast he has turned things around. I didn’t for a second see this level of improvement so soon. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
briny_ear Posted December 2, 2018 Share Posted December 2, 2018 6 minutes ago, Tomaszk said: You'll get tiresome after bad results, but for now it's adding to the enjoyment of watching us tear teams apart and not have the manager tell us how lucky we are to have him. Didn’t understand that comment either. Sorry, maybe I’ve “lost my marbles*” * 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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