daggy_333 Posted March 17, 2019 Share Posted March 17, 2019 5 minutes ago, AXD said: I don’t think we would need a massive overhaul. It would a matter of making loans permanent signings (Abraham, mings, hause). With grealish, chester, kalinic and McGinn we have a few others that can compete in the PL. A few wingers would help though. let’s hope the club doesn’t go on a shopping spree just for the fun of it. IF we signed the players you mentioned and kept the others, we could arguably get away with just going for a new starting LB ,DM and either 1 or 2 new wingers. Any other new signings would be to build a competitive squad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VillaChris Posted March 17, 2019 Share Posted March 17, 2019 I think we would. Kalinic hasn't looked too great in this league so far, we looked far more steady with Steer in. Also Nyland will be fit for August so we again have issues with keepers. At the back our full back options would be brutally exposed. Not sure how good the new French RB is but his team is probably going to get relegated from French league. CM has potential if we find a deep lying DM as obviously Grealish and McGinn are probably top half standard prem players. Upfront Tammy struggled to score much for Swansea and well our wide options at this level veer from world class to sunday league often during 45 minutes (El Ghazi). We also have many players over 30. As DS said in January our average age of the squad is far too higher for this division. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Posted March 17, 2019 Share Posted March 17, 2019 3 hours ago, Nigel said: Wonder if its possible to arrange us to play Derby and Boro more next season! I rather hope that the only way that we might play either would be in a cup tie. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villalad21 Posted March 17, 2019 Share Posted March 17, 2019 (edited) 2 hours ago, LancsVillan said: Only a couple of weeks ago read on here that we would end up nearer the relegation zone and the DS should go. Now most people are looking at playoffs and Wembley. In there is a reason why we might fail in that charge, our -THE FANS - expectations. How we react to conceding, to a loss, even to a misplaced pass or two. From the top everyone has said how our support recently has helped, let's not go back to the nervousness, the audible sighing for a misplaced pass, the boo-ing! Together we can do this... The losses by themselves weren't the problem, it was the manner. Players didn't look like they cared or even tried. I can take a loss, ut i won't accept teams outworking us and wanting it more, that is unacceptable. Edited March 17, 2019 by villalad21 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spoony Posted March 17, 2019 Share Posted March 17, 2019 We are going up 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pintpotvilla Posted March 17, 2019 Share Posted March 17, 2019 I think the team spirit and camaraderie is back and Jack being captain may have a lot to do with it. A settled defence, a midfield where players are performing in their preferred areas, it's all fallen together quickly. No excuses now. If you look at everyones fixtures we should finish 5th and play Albion. The match at the Hawthorns was a much better indicator of those two teams capabilities than the one at VP. Prepare for Wembley!!!!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim Posted March 17, 2019 Share Posted March 17, 2019 33 minutes ago, Spoony said: We are going up One day... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post screwdriver Posted March 17, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted March 17, 2019 2 hours ago, LancsVillan said: Now most people are looking at playoffs and Wembley. In there is a reason why we might fail in that charge, our -THE FANS - expectations. The fans who got on Smiths back deserve the credit if the team reach Wembley. To a man they were not prepared to put up with mid table mediocrity. They demanded a play off charge as a minimum. Smith had to react. Smith must have thought he had a free hit this season. But the fans reaction gave him a **** big kick up the arse. you can tell this by the bollocks he was talking in his interviews. These were the words of a man who's balls were on a fork. and the players. most of them were booked up on marbs beach as early as Jan. turn up, go thru the motions, go home shag the wag, get paid... **** off in the summer no hassles. But the fans demanded we don't let the season slip away without giving it a bloody nose. If you expect something it will happen unless you're half arsed about it. I bet the "leave it till the summer brigade" are wearing denim dungarees 1 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinker Posted March 17, 2019 VT Supporter Share Posted March 17, 2019 3 hours ago, kiltorken said: If we do make the playoffs which I think we have a great chance of doing so I would hope Leeds won't also be in the playoffs. Had the same feeling about Fulham last season although in saying that I think we're better equipped to deal with Leeds than we were with fulham. We should have beaten Leeds without our most influential player, Grealish. I respect but do not fear anyone n this league with our full squad I'm sure we are the team they all want to avoid, when we click we can outplay them all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiltorken Posted March 17, 2019 Share Posted March 17, 2019 Just now, tinker said: We should have beaten Leeds without our most influential player, Grealish. I respect but do not fear anyone n this league with our full squad I'm sure we are the team they all want to avoid, when we click we can outplay them all. With all due respect Leeds dominated us from start to finish in that game, we fortunately led by two at the break but they eventually got a deserved win. Given the return of Grealish and the introduction of Hause/Mings we centainly will be feared even by Leeds I agree with you on that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post JAMAICAN-VILLAN Posted March 17, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted March 17, 2019 2 hours ago, screwdriver said: The fans who got on Smiths back deserve the credit if the team reach Wembley. To a man they were not prepared to put up with mid table mediocrity. They demanded a play off charge as a minimum. Smith had to react. Smith must have thought he had a free hit this season. But the fans reaction gave him a **** big kick up the arse. you can tell this by the bollocks he was talking in his interviews. These were the words of a man who's balls were on a fork. and the players. most of them were booked up on marbs beach as early as Jan. turn up, go thru the motions, go home shag the wag, get paid... **** off in the summer no hassles. But the fans demanded we don't let the season slip away without giving it a bloody nose. If you expect something it will happen unless you're half arsed about it. I bet the "leave it till the summer brigade" are wearing denim dungarees 3 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Only2McInallys Posted March 17, 2019 Share Posted March 17, 2019 We have been here before with raised expectations. The current run has been helped by not assuming we are going to win before the game has started.Whenever we start to take games for granted we come unstuck.Just because you beat a top 6 side 3-0 doesn't mean you are guarenteed to beat to beat relegation threatened teams. The combination of complacency from players and raised expectancy from fans is a dangerous combination. We need to concentrate on 1 game at a time and pray Grealish and Mings don't get injured. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMelvillan Posted March 17, 2019 Share Posted March 17, 2019 So the question is who wins in a one off game between this year's team and the team that got beat in the playoff final last year? This year's team for me - much more attacking and positive Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VillaChris Posted March 17, 2019 Share Posted March 17, 2019 23 minutes ago, TheMelvillan said: So the question is who wins in a one off game between this year's team and the team that got beat in the playoff final last year? This year's team for me - much more attacking and positive If we had last season's team we'd be top 2 imo, division far weaker than last year. With play offs it's all about match ups imo. We saw that last year, comfortably held off Boro and then played same way v Fulham and barely created a chance. I'd be more than happy playing West Brom over two legs. At full strength we're more than a match for them as we showed at The Hawthorns. However Sheffield United have always troubled us since we've been down here so I'd rather they go up top 2. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keyblade Posted March 17, 2019 Share Posted March 17, 2019 I rather face West Brom in the semis, then one of Sheffield United or Derby/Boro in the final if we get there. I would avoid Leeds like the plague, hopefully the go up automatically. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villalad21 Posted March 17, 2019 Share Posted March 17, 2019 3 minutes ago, Keyblade said: I rather face West Brom in the semis, then one of Sheffield United or Derby/Boro in the final if we get there. I would avoid Leeds like the plague, hopefully the go up automatically. Agreed. Remember the Leeds game at Villa Park. Their pressing, energy and high spirit is not fun to play against. Even when 2-0 down they just kept coming at us. Teams like that is horrible to play against. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mazrim Posted March 17, 2019 Share Posted March 17, 2019 I think Smiths motivation to do better was because its his job and he wants to succeed, rather than degree of fan pressure. I think thats a bizarre notion to be honest. So if we do go up, absolutely all credit will go to Smith and his team. On the point of Leeds, well, I agree that I would rather not face them. However, if they fall short of the automatics after looking lije shoe ins all season, it will be very demotivating and they could be more vulnerable. I also agree that, playing like we are now, we should fear nobody and could in fact be the best, most complete team in the division. If we keep everybody fit. Its the perfect time to get everything right. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Albrighton Posted March 17, 2019 VT Supporter Share Posted March 17, 2019 (edited) On balance I think we’d probably fair better against Sheffield United, but it’s too close to call (if it’s an eventuality we find ourselves facing). Since they beat us, Leeds have lost 6 times. (Pl 15 W 9 D 1 L 6). That’s 3 defeats more than us over the same period. Sheff United appear to be a bit more consistent currently. They have lost once in the same period (Pl 15 W 11 D 3 L 1). Regardless IF we do end up facing either of them, I believe we’ll give a much better account of ourselves. I reckon there will be a few fans of the team finishing third that are hoping we finish fifth rather than sixth (or miss out completely). Edited March 17, 2019 by Shropshire Lad 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ciggiesnbeer Posted March 17, 2019 Share Posted March 17, 2019 (edited) We may not make the playoffs, but if we do, Bielsa is the one manager I want us to avoid having to go up against again. He is a class above everyone else, its incredible he is managing in this division at all. Edited March 17, 2019 by ciggiesnbeer 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vive_La_Villa Posted March 17, 2019 Share Posted March 17, 2019 1 hour ago, villalad21 said: Agreed. Remember the Leeds game at Villa Park. Their pressing, energy and high spirit is not fun to play against. Even when 2-0 down they just kept coming at us. Teams like that is horrible to play against. The current team for me. We press higher, move the ball much quicker, have much better off the ball movement, more energy and control games much better. Last seasons team was more about being solid and nicking goals on the break which was great when we took the lead. But we really struggled when went behind. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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