18/19 Race for Promotion

[GingerCollins29]

Wembley (new one) is not our happy place

[terrytini]

28 minutes ago, VillaChris said:

Bring that on. Boro in a play off final would be the most confident I'd ever be of us beating a team at Wembley.

Interesting how we all see things differently.

To beat Boro would mean three times in a season. Over the years I’ve found that doesn’t happen much, regardless of the relative standards of the two teams.

So I’m actually more comfortable with games against Leeds, Sheffield, the Baggies, and Bristol, than I would be with Derby or Boro...despite watching us destroy that latter two each time.

But it doesn’t matter, it will be what it will be 

 

[Only2McInallys]

I am more concerned about West Brom.

There squad is full of premier league players.The year before they were relegated they finished 10 th .They have added Gayle and Johnstone to that squad.They have been inconsistent this season otherwise and that’s why they have not achieved automatic promotion.

Beating them over 2 legs is going to be more difficult than Leeds or Sheffield in my opinion.

Maybe it would be better to finish 6th.

[Guest av1]

In his post match interview here commenting on some of the one touch football in the second half, Smith said something along the lines of:

'I don't care who we play if we play like that'

I agree. We are going up. 

[JAMAICAN-VILLAN]

Tim Sherwood has said we are going up.

Just announce it now.

*** I do still have love for Timmy.

[LakotaDakota]

3 hours ago, Spoony said:

It would be a crim against football if we didn’t go up. We are the best team in the league and if we got to start the season with Smith we’d be running away with it at the top.

We were also pretty much the worst team in the league less than 2 months ago...

[thunderball]

14 minutes ago, LakotaDakota said:

We were also pretty much the worst team in the league less than 2 months ago...

Booo

[Taxahunter]

On 17/04/2019 at 18:45, villalad21 said:

We will find it hard to play as we have done when they press as high as they do, i think you need to watch them more, Leeds doesn't give you any time on the ball.

As well as we have been playing as of late i do not fancy us against Leeds.

What you nede to know is that, if Leeds will press up high up field, they will leave themselves with open spaces and be vulnerable in defence, because Grealish, McGinnis, El Ghazi will explore that much free space and create chance after chance. 

[thunderball]

12 hours ago, ciggiesnbeer said:

This is my desired outcome. Push the Blades till the end then Leeds get second. A stressed out and knackered Sheffield will do me.

Bielsa is the only manager I am afraid of in the playoffs and its going to be about the coach/manager. Our squad is as good as anyone in this league.

It will be tight, both deserve to go up, and without any bias, I think we are now a better team. We are best playing at high tempo and this fixture will demand it, we also have a strong team ethic and desire, as long as Dean has them fired up we have a very good chance, but Leeds and Villa have match winners in the first 11, so it’s on a knife edge. I know Leeds won’t want to face us.

[LakotaDakota]

There is also the slight chance that Norwich could balls this up and need to get something from us on the final day to go up automatically. The pressure does seem to be getting to them a bit and while they are still picking up points they have drawn their last 3 games against Reading, Wigan & Sheff Weds. In all 3 games they were losing with 80+ minutes gone and against reading they managed to throw away a lead despite scoring in the 86th & 88th minutes to go ahead.

[thunderball]

2 hours ago, VillaChris said:

They'll only be two games left. Last season we had 4-5 games when we were in top 6.

I'd actually play a very strong side at Leeds. If they are to drop in the play offs we need to go there and give a performance that gives them lots to think about. Would leave out McGinn if he's on 14 yellows though e.g. gets booked v Millwall.

Give them all a rest v Norwich.

No complacency. Assure ourselves of playoffs then look at rotating squad. Actually excited to see Davis and/or Kodjia upfront, we may need them this season yet. What will be will be in the playoffs, the semi is equally as tough as Wembley.

[Nigel]

6 hours ago, av1 said:

In his post match interview here commenting on some of the one touch football in the second half, Smith said something along the lines of:

'I don't care who we play if we play like that'

I agree. We are going up. 

I kind of remember a quote from Jokanovic before last years final against us. He spoke about them having to have the 'bravery to actually play' (in that kind of occasion).

At the time, with Bruce in charge, i was thinking how much easier it would be for us; Put your boots on the right way round and eat some porridge, and you were half way there.

Its no wonder we were schooled!

Now I understand what he was on about. Its easy to play expansive football when the pressure is off, the play offs will be a different situation!

Edited April 20, 2019 by Nigel

[alreadyexists]

2 hours ago, GingerCollins29 said:

Wembley (new one) is not our happy place

2015, 2018 ... Third time lucky?

Edited April 20, 2019 by alreadyexists

[JAMAICAN-VILLAN]

2 hours ago, terrytini said:

Interesting how we all see things differently.

To beat Boro would mean three times in a season. Over the years I’ve found that doesn’t happen much, regardless of the relative standards of the two teams.

So I’m actually more comfortable with games against Leeds, Sheffield, the Baggies, and Bristol, than I would be with Derby or Boro...despite watching us destroy that latter two each time.

But it doesn’t matter, it will be what it will be 

 

Yup I don't want to meet Boro again.

I feel like we've dispatched them so many times, last year semis included, sods law would dictate they are due a win against us.

I fear it would come at the worst time too.

[OutByEaster?]

2 hours ago, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said:

Tim Sherwood has said we are going up.

Just announce it now.

*** I do still have love for Timmy.

Christ. 

For me there are only three reasons he'll have said this - in order of my preference:

1. Someone clever has told him and he's repeating it.
2. He thinks he can take credit for it.
3. He's used all his football nous and knowledge and it's his genuine opinion, in which case the chances are we won't make the playoffs.

I don't still have any love for this womble - he's one of the biggest reasons we're here. Joke of a manager, joke of a man. The manager most responsible for our relegation.

 

 

[JAMAICAN-VILLAN]

7 minutes ago, OutByEaster? said:

Christ. 

For me there are only three reasons he'll have said this - in order of my preference:

1. Someone clever has told him and he's repeating it.
2. He thinks he can take credit for it.
3. He's used all his football nous and knowledge and it's his genuine opinion, in which case the chances are we won't make the playoffs.

I don't still have any love for this womble - he's one of the biggest reasons we're here. Joke of a manager, joke of a man. The manager most responsible for our relegation.

 

 

Didn't he actually save us from relegation?

I'm confused.

[OutByEaster?]

1 minute ago, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said:

Didn't he actually save us from relegation?

I'm confused.

He took a group of players that were hating coming into training under Lambert, that had been bullied, intimidated and harassed and had no love for football - and he let them do pretty much what they wanted - they loved it and results improved for a spell as they played the way they'd been taught without worrying they'd be screamed at for mistakes - unfortunately, when they needed him to stop being a clown and be a manager they discovered he had absolutely no capacity for that whatsoever. He was like a competition winner - a fan in charge - cheerleader in chief. I give him no credit for the end of 2014-15, his only talent was not being Paul Lambert and quite frankly you or I could have not been Paul Lambert equally well.

They should have a statue of him in Leicester for the day he won them the title with the worst substitution in footballing history. He's the worst Villa manager I can remember and I can remember some very bad managers.

[OutByEaster?]

It would appear I still have anger issues with tactics Tim. 

I think I'll have a cup of tea and a lie down before the cat gets it.

Hopefully a win at Wembley in five weeks time can offer a catharsis.

 

 

[Tommo_b]

6 minutes ago, OutByEaster? said:

He took a group of players that were hating coming into training under Lambert, that had been bullied, intimidated and harassed and had no love for football - and he let them do pretty much what they wanted - they loved it and results improved for a spell as they played the way they'd been taught without worrying they'd be screamed at for mistakes - unfortunately, when they needed him to stop being a clown and be a manager they discovered he had absolutely no capacity for that whatsoever. He was like a competition winner - a fan in charge - cheerleader in chief. I give him no credit for the end of 2014-15, his only talent was not being Paul Lambert and quite frankly you or I could have not been Paul Lambert equally well.

They should have a statue of him in Leicester for the day he won them the title with the worst substitution in footballing history. He's the worst Villa manager I can remember and I can remember some very bad managers.

Actually thought he did quite well and in hindsight the Leicester result got taken completely out of context as they ended up turning over even the best teams that year. 

[DCJonah]

51 minutes ago, OutByEaster? said:

Christ. 

For me there are only three reasons he'll have said this - in order of my preference:

1. Someone clever has told him and he's repeating it.
2. He thinks he can take credit for it.
3. He's used all his football nous and knowledge and it's his genuine opinion, in which case the chances are we won't make the playoffs.

I don't still have any love for this womble - he's one of the biggest reasons we're here. Joke of a manager, joke of a man. The manager most responsible for our relegation.

 

 

Wow. I could not disagree more. 

He ended up making his own errors, adding on to the absolute mess we'd become but to say he is most responsible is crazy. Paul Lambert embedded a losing culture and created such a negative fan base, that combined with Lerner being an abysmal owner were the main reasons. Timmy was just too shit to do anything to really stop the eventual result.