18/19 Race for Promotion

[mikeyjavfc]

16 hours ago, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said:

DId you also think we could catch  Wolves after we beat them 4 - 1?

Because that's how alot of you are coming off to me these days.

Most people never have any moderate/realistic expectancies that's why we usually get so bitterly disappointed.

We have a long way to go. Let's just take it game by game.

The 12 or so teams above us don't stop playing and wait for us to pick up points before they "go again".

I agree. Villa fans should be looking no further than 6th place at the moment with the start we have had. That is just as good as 3rd place in terms of making play-offs after all, so it should be the benchmark we strive for whilst we find our feet. If you make it up to 6th place with plenty of games to play then you can start looking upwards again to 5th, 4th etc. To look immediately look up to automatic promotion now is a recipe for disappointment. 

[Vive_La_Villa]

3 minutes ago, mikeyjavfc said:

I agree. Villa fans should be looking no further than 6th place at the moment with the start we have had. That is just as good as 3rd place in terms of making play-offs after all, so it should be the benchmark we strive for whilst we find our feet. If you make it up to 6th place with plenty of games to play then you can start looking upwards again to 5th, 4th etc. To look immediately look up to automatic promotion now is a recipe for disappointment. 

Thinking we had one of the best squads in the league was also a recipe for disappointment.

Play offs this season is a bonus. 

[JAMAICAN-VILLAN]

10 minutes ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

Thinking we had one of the best squads in the league was also a recipe for disappointment.

Play offs this season is a bonus. 

Probably true, but I genuinely feel when this squad gets up to speed (Plus the glaring imbalances are sorted) we run anybody at the top close at the very least.

[Vive_La_Villa]

33 minutes ago, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said:

Probably true, but I genuinely feel when this squad gets up to speed (Plus the glaring imbalances are sorted) we run anybody at the top close at the very least.

Yeh fix the glaring imbalances and we can seriously challenge. It won’t be easy. I’m excited to see what the new setup can achieve. 

[DevonIsAPlaceOnEarth]

I still cannot believe that we are still in with a chance of winning this league despite our early form.

[Dave J]

4 hours ago, DevonIsAPlaceOnEarth said:

I still cannot believe that we are still in with a chance of winning this league despite our early form.

I don't feel we can tbh with you - given what Bruce left us to do, I would snatch your hands off for sixth if offered now 

[villan-scott]

4 minutes ago, Dave J said:

I don't feel we can tbh with you - given what Bruce left us to do, I would snatch your hands off for sixth if offered now 

I agree. We need to focus on getting into the top 6, then take it from there. Chances are a couple of those teams in and around the top will hit form and leave us no chance of catching them due to the gap we need to make up. 

[A'Villan]

On 06/11/2018 at 00:07, Vive_La_Villa said:

Thinking we had one of the best squads in the league was also a recipe for disappointment.

Play offs this season is a bonus. 

I don't know, mate. We have had one of the best squads in the league in terms of individual talent, regardless of any disappointment with performance. I'd say we still do.

Hard work beats talent when talent fails to work hard. It's just as much about character as it is ability.

In Smith we might have a manager who believes in taking the game to the opposition and imposing our will on the game, which requires the players to invest effort beyond that of our opponent. At the end of the day it's whichever team that shows up and uses the talent at its disposal effectively and outworks the opposition that usually reaps the rewards and takes the victory.

Personally, I think that with the talent we have, if we're working efficiently and effectively, we should be aspiring towards winning every fixture, certainly working to turn that possibility into a probability and then on match day hoping our efforts make it a reality. With exactly 90 points to play for and 9 points between us and top place, 5 points from 6th, we should absolutely be aspiring toward automatic promotion.

You mention it as a recipe for disappointment. I think dealing with disappointment sensibly and setting expectations that are achievable is an important part of the process, as is asking the question of why the disappointment and expectation took place. That said, no way should we let potential disappointment hold us back from striving for our best and making the most of our opportunities. You miss every shot you don't take. No way should we be adopting a mentality that we're here to make up the numbers while Smith settles in. Smith should be coming in so we can realise our ambition.

It's great that people want to be patient and accommodating while Smith takes the time he needs to turn us into the kind of side we want to be. But that work starts now. Not next season.

Me personally, if we don't end up making a 5 point gap up and achieving a playoff place this season, considering there's 90 points to play for still, I think Smith will have to answer the question, how long do you need? What prevented us from occupying one of the top 6 spots? Can you rectify any flaws and then go one further and improve the side to gain promotion?

[Vive_La_Villa]

6 hours ago, A'Villan said:

I don't know, mate. We have had one of the best squads in the league in terms of individual talent, regardless of any disappointment with performance. I'd say we still do.

Hard work beats talent when talent fails to work hard. It's just as much about character as it is ability.

In Smith we might have a manager who believes in taking the game to the opposition and imposing our will on the game, which requires the players to invest effort beyond that of our opponent. At the end of the day it's whichever team that shows up and uses the talent at its disposal effectively and outworks the opposition that usually reaps the rewards and takes the victory.

Personally, I think that with the talent we have, if we're working efficiently and effectively, we should be aspiring towards winning every fixture, certainly working to turn that possibility into a probability and then on match day hoping our efforts make it a reality. With exactly 90 points to play for and 9 points between us and top place, 5 points from 6th, we should absolutely be aspiring toward automatic promotion.

You mention it as a recipe for disappointment. I think dealing with disappointment sensibly and setting expectations that are achievable is an important part of the process, as is asking the question of why the disappointment and expectation took place. That said, no way should we let potential disappointment hold us back from striving for our best and making the most of our opportunities. You miss every shot you don't take. No way should we be adopting a mentality that we're here to make up the numbers while Smith settles in. Smith should be coming in so we can realise our ambition.

It's great that people want to be patient and accommodating while Smith takes the time he needs to turn us into the kind of side we want to be. But that work starts now. Not next season.

Me personally, if we don't end up making a 5 point gap up and achieving a playoff place this season, considering there's 90 points to play for still, I think Smith will have to answer the question, how long do you need? What prevented us from occupying one of the top 6 spots? Can you rectify any flaws and then go one further and improve the side to gain promotion?

Good post mate. I just think it’s fine margins in this league and one glaring weakness will cost you too many points to succeed. In our case it’s the goal keeper. Whilst he is in goal I can see us dropping way too many points. I’m not even talking about his errors, it’s his whole presence and the affect it’s having on our defence as a whole. Sounds harsh but I honestly believe the longer he stays in goal the weaker our chances of making playoffs remain. 

[A'Villan]

55 minutes ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

Good post mate. I just think it’s fine margins in this league and one glaring weakness will cost you too many points to succeed. In our case it’s the goal keeper. Whilst he is in goal I can see us dropping way too many points. I’m not even talking about his errors, it’s his whole presence and the affect it’s having on our defence as a whole. Sounds harsh but I honestly believe the longer he stays in goal the weaker our chances of making playoffs remain. 

Agreed for sure that the margins are fine. Promotion will require adequacy in all areas and excellence in at least one department.

I watched the interview from Cutler and that gives me hope that Nyland will come good. I agree his presence is hardly confident or commanding right now. I'm hoping that it's a mental hurdle that can be overcome pronto.

I'm sure standing between posts that are 7metres apart and 2.5 tall can seem like it's a lot more space to protect when you're anxious to impress and in a rut of form as a goalie.

I don't see it as harsh to make comment of someones inability at a certain level of competition, Nyland himself has stated that he hasn't started well.

[Vive_La_Villa]

12 minutes ago, A'Villan said:

Agreed for sure that the margins are fine. Promotion will require adequacy in all areas and excellence in at least one department.

I watched the interview from Cutler and that gives me hope that Nyland will come good. I agree his presence is hardly confident or commanding right now. I'm hoping that it's a mental hurdle that can be overcome pronto.

I'm sure standing between posts that are 7metres apart and 2.5 tall can seem like it's a lot more space to protect when you're anxious to impress and in a rut of form as a goalie.

I don't see it as harsh to make comment of someones inability at a certain level of competition, Nyland himself has stated that he hasn't started well.

I thought it may have sounded harsh to talk about the difference between playoffs or not being one man. But it’s such a key role. 

I think weaknesses in other areas we can get away it.  

I still think he’ll be replaced in January. 

[Merson08]

After the Bolton game Aston Villa have 21 points out of a possible 48. The final projected points total will currently be 60 points that is points after 46 games. Basing this off last seasons final table will put us between 12th and 14th.

There is still 90 points to play for giving us a maximum potential points haul of 111 points.

 

I take no credit for the above, a previous poster that I cannot remember used to do this a few years ago and I enjoyed seeing the update after each. I will continue to do this after each game for the foreseeable. 

[Tomaszk]

All about if we can keep believing in new playing style through this very hard run of fixtures.

Sacked Bruce too late. I mean, obviously it was about 18 months too late, but if he'd have **** off in the first international break instead of the second one, we'd be hitting these fixtures in better form.

[AvfcRigo82]

13 minutes ago, Merson08 said:

After the Bolton game Aston Villa have 21 points out of a possible 48. The final projected points total will currently be 60 points that is points after 46 games. Basing this off last seasons final table will put us between 12th and 14th.

There is still 90 points to play for giving us a maximum potential points haul of 111 points.

 

I take no credit for the above, a previous poster that I cannot remember used to do this a few years ago and I enjoyed seeing the update after each. I will continue to do this after each game for the foreseeable. 

Cheers Paul, welcome to VillaTalk.

Say hello to Charlie & the boys. 

[AvfcRigo82]

Accidently posted this in the Dean Smith thread and probably best here.

Our next 9 games are: Rams(a), SHA(h), Forest(h), Boro(a), Baggies(a), Stoke(h), Leeds(h), Swans(a), PNE(a).

If we are to mount a challenge for promotion on any level this season then we ideally want to be aiming to collect 21pts from the potential 27pts available in these fixtures. They are by no means easy games in this run so we will need to be on song.

[Merson08]

1 minute ago, AvfcRigo82 said:

Cheers Paul, welcome to VillaTalk.

Say hello to Charlie & the boys. 

Thank you. The Charlie statement confused me as I had 2 Labradors called Charlie and Merson and it took me a while for the Charlie connection...its been a long Morning!

[Vive_La_Villa]

Sheff United look class.

[WakefieldVillan]

1 hour ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

Sheff United look class.

I agree, they knock it about well and good to watch, done a cracking job Wilder, only won one in five though!

#wilderout

[fightoffyour]

[villalad21]

20 hours ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

Sheff United look class.

Aston Villa look class.