VillaFaninLondon Posted August 12, 2021 Share Posted August 12, 2021 28 minutes ago, tinker said: So much rests on the first game and I don't feel we are ready ( players not available and the disruptive pre season) and Watford most definitely will be ready . Watford loss, Newcastle a draw. Brentford a win Chelsea a loss Everton a draw. 5 points , fingers crossed I'm wrong and we beat Watford , if we do that then we stand a good chance of beating Newcastle. If that happens Smith will be in trouble. That’s relegation form in a very kind start. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VillaFaninLondon Posted August 12, 2021 Share Posted August 12, 2021 1 hour ago, Keyblade said: Why should we be targeting 12? We got title aspirations? Because those fixtures are not that hard (other than Chelsea) and 3 of them against teams who will likely finish near the relegation places. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
It's Your Round Posted August 12, 2021 Share Posted August 12, 2021 It’s impossible to predict how many points we’ll get when there’s so much unknown already. We’ve not had the best of preseasons, we don’t know who will be fit, who will play, and how the new players will bed in. On paper, the first three games look winnable, but as we know that’s not always the case. We could come out of the blocks and win the first three, just as much as we could struggle to find form and win/lose/draw them. The Watford game is effectively our final pre-season game, the first chance to see how Smith will want to set the team up this season. If we have Buendia back, I’m hopeful we’ll win it. But I’m not making any predictions yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VillaFaninLondon Posted August 12, 2021 Share Posted August 12, 2021 (edited) Everyone saying we’ve had a disruptive preseason, that’s fair, but so have most teams. Watford’s preseason hasn’t been good at all and they lost 3-1 to Palace. It’s very frustrating some of the injuries we have and got no idea if buendia will be fit, or if Bailey will play, against Watford but we have a bigger squad this season and quite capable of grinding out results early doors. We can’t get off to a bad start simply because our next 5 after Everton are very tough. Have to start well, at least in terms of grinding out results. Edited August 12, 2021 by VillaFaninLondon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hong0311 Posted August 12, 2021 Share Posted August 12, 2021 (edited) I don’t understand why noone thinks we are going to lose against Brentford and win Chelsea. This is the typical Villa as far as I understand. Edited August 12, 2021 by hong0311 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomav84 Posted August 12, 2021 VT Supporter Share Posted August 12, 2021 less than 8 i think would be disappointing. something tells me we're going to lose one of those first 3...dunno why stamford bridge and vicarage road haven't been happy hunting grounds for us in the past. stopping at least one of those rots would be nice too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WakefieldVillan Posted August 12, 2021 Share Posted August 12, 2021 At the moment we can't look past Watford, (standard boring comment I know) but I think Saturday's result (& performance) will shape the first 5... So 3 possible outcomes for me, hopefully it's the first one... Watford - W D L Newcastle - W D D Brentford - W W D Chelsea - L L L Everton - W D L (12) (6) (2) Definitely need to be aiming for 12, I think even the most optimistic Villa fans wont see us picking up anything against Chelsea (though hopefully we go there brimming with confidence). I would be delighted with 12, happy with 10 and satisfied with 9. My concern is the disruptive pre-season and doubts over whom could be key personnel or otherwise I would feel a lot more confident Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villalad21 Posted August 12, 2021 Share Posted August 12, 2021 15 points You've got to aim high Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinker Posted August 12, 2021 VT Supporter Share Posted August 12, 2021 1 hour ago, VillaFaninLondon said: If that happens Smith will be in trouble. That’s relegation form in a very kind start. Under the circumstances it should be expected. No easy games in this league and playing promoted teams early isn't necessarily good, might have been better to play them latter once their confidence is dented from some defeats. Our midfield is a major concern for me (I know the points been laboured elsewhere) as it was last season. I hope Sansom finds his feet and Nakamba starts well. Relying on Ramsey is a major risk so early in his development. I hope I'm wrong and we beat Watford and with a forward line like ours it's highly possible. 5-4 to the villa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rubberman Posted August 12, 2021 Share Posted August 12, 2021 Could be anything really, but 8-10 would be good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Icarium Posted August 12, 2021 Share Posted August 12, 2021 4 hours ago, Keyblade said: Why should we be targeting 12? We got title aspirations? No, but if we want to improve on last season we need to beat teams that finished below us last season (Watford, Brentford, Newcastle) and in and around us (everton) plus factor in our traditional post Xmas form slump we need to get out of the gate strongly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VillaChris Posted August 12, 2021 Share Posted August 12, 2021 (edited) Are people thinking our defence will just go really rubbish or something? We'll have the usual back 4 and Martinez playing v likes of Watford and Newcastle so can surely keep a clean sheet or two to keep us ticking over. All of Konsa, Cash, Targett have had the summer off so will be very fresh and also got Axel back in the mix now if Mings picks up a knock. Also calls for Young to start at LB so we're stacked there now. Yet it's conceding 2 or 3 goals v Brentford/Watford? You'd think given the money invested we could score a goal or two at the other end even if it isn't a cohesive style of play, I'd like to think the fans would be patient in that regard. I think the plan will be the same as start of last season, try to pinch a couple of 1-0 wins early on and build up from there. Edited August 12, 2021 by VillaChris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gompedyret Posted August 12, 2021 Share Posted August 12, 2021 Usually I tend to go for a particular brand of headless, wild optimism, but ahead of these first matches I really have absolutely no idea what to feel or expect. I'm absolutely certain that as a team, despite losing Grealish and not counting any potential incoming players, we're already in a better place with a higher ceiling now than the end of last season. However, even a team like Watford are able to punish sides not up for it, and we have had a really messy pre-season with central players away or in jured and not being able to bed new players properly yet. It's fair to claim that we wont play our best football in the first matches, but then again, that can be said about most teams. So as far as I'm concerned, anything can happen. There's a certain charm to that, so I'll just enjoy the ride. 10 points to Villa after 5 games. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PussEKatt Posted August 12, 2021 Share Posted August 12, 2021 Totally agree with what you say,except that I am looking at 12 points. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Villaphil Posted August 12, 2021 Share Posted August 12, 2021 15 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ender4 Posted August 12, 2021 Share Posted August 12, 2021 9 hours ago, Keyblade said: Why should we be targeting 12? We got title aspirations? Well I’m sure we’re actually targeting 15. But yes, it’s an easy start with the games after that getting more difficult, so a realistic target of 12 seems reasonable. In theory we are stronger than 3 of those teams, on par with 1 and much weaker than 1. IMO, we’ll probably end up with 9. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keyblade Posted August 12, 2021 Share Posted August 12, 2021 1 minute ago, ender4 said: Well I’m sure we’re actually targeting 15. But yes, it’s an easy start with the games after that getting more difficult, so a realistic target of 12 seems reasonable. In theory we are stronger than 3 of those teams, on par with 1 and much weaker than 1. IMO, we’ll probably end up with 9. Going by this, we should be "expecting" 10 points then no? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rodders Posted August 12, 2021 Share Posted August 12, 2021 these threads are never accurate, but I'll be blunt, I think even 7 from the first 9 would disappoint me. It's a great set of 3 to get up and running. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vive_La_Villa Posted August 12, 2021 Share Posted August 12, 2021 10 or more would be nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ender4 Posted August 12, 2021 Share Posted August 12, 2021 33 minutes ago, Keyblade said: Going by this, we should be "expecting" 10 points then no? I guess so if there was a "expected points" measure like "expected goals". That measure would assume beating those with worse teams and losing to those with better teams. Of course, we'll probably end up losing to Brentford and beating Chelsea in real life. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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