nick76 Posted July 25, 2022 Author Share Posted July 25, 2022 11 minutes ago, avfc1982am said: I was screwing in the match thread 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talldarkandransome Posted July 25, 2022 Share Posted July 25, 2022 Higher than last season would be a good start, a few more draws should help with that. Try and keep the stupid mistakes to a minimum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calcifer Posted July 25, 2022 Share Posted July 25, 2022 27 minutes ago, avfc1982am said: I was screwing in the match thread first half Sat. BUT, what was really evident in the second half is that our squad depth is now looking deep. Even the kids are looking accomplished and not far off ready to step up full time. I think we have a better squad and possibly starting 11 than Leicester, Wolves, Southampton, Palace, Brighton and any of the others looking to break the top 8-10. I think for the first time in a long long time I felt we had a better 11 and bench than Utd on Sat. It's arguable I suppose but the gap isn't that big on paper and looking at the personnel. One thing is for certain. Gerrard is not going get much sympathy from the fans or powers that be if we aren't pushing into the top half this season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desensitized43 Posted July 25, 2022 Share Posted July 25, 2022 Anything below 10th is failure this season. 8-10 is decent 6-8 is very good. Above that and I think we're in dreamland. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vive_La_Villa Posted July 25, 2022 Share Posted July 25, 2022 1 minute ago, desensitized43 said: Anything below 10th is failure this season. 8-10 is decent 6-8 is very good. Above that and I think we're in dreamland. Gerrard said that himself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VillaChris Posted July 25, 2022 Share Posted July 25, 2022 2 hours ago, nick76 said: Yep, this is where I am at. Hopefully still some more quality incomings to help us. I have a feeling this is going to be long frustrating season. Last season was the long frustrating season hopefully. Was always going to be the case post Grealish and with all the injuries to new signings. This season I'm so so but 6 points off Bournemouth and Everton and will be a different vibe on here for sure. That is realistic and we can get points off Palace and even West Ham aswell. To be on 9-10 points by end of August should be a target and that would settle everyone down regardless of further signings. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fun Factory Posted July 25, 2022 Share Posted July 25, 2022 3 hours ago, nick76 said: I have a feeling this is going to be long frustrating season. plus ça change Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulMcGrath_5 Posted July 26, 2022 Share Posted July 26, 2022 Feeling very positive about having a good season. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick76 Posted July 26, 2022 Author Share Posted July 26, 2022 1 minute ago, PaulMcGrath_5 said: Feeling very positive about having a good season. Can I ask what makes you feel that? I’m on the opposite side feeling slightly pessimistic so could do with some positives vibes/things to cling onto. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post PaulMcGrath_5 Posted July 26, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted July 26, 2022 Just now, nick76 said: Can I ask what makes you feel that? I’m on the opposite side feeling slightly pessimistic so could do with some positives vibes/things to cling onto. I just think we have improved the team, massively. I think we will improve it again with one or two more additions. I have faith in Gerrard and his team--I like the way we play. I think this pre-season has been a really positive one. 4 3 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick76 Posted July 26, 2022 Author Share Posted July 26, 2022 Just now, PaulMcGrath_5 said: I just think we have improved the team, massively. I think we will improve it again with one or two more additions. I have faith in Gerrard and his team--I like the way we play. I think this pre-season has been a really positive one. Thanks. I hope we do but I don’t have the level of confidence or view the same as you. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatman Posted July 26, 2022 Share Posted July 26, 2022 3 minutes ago, nick76 said: Can I ask what makes you feel that? I’m on the opposite side feeling slightly pessimistic so could do with some positives vibes/things to cling onto. I have a feeling this will be another season of missed opportunity especially with a top 6 team looking all over the place in Chelsea 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vive_La_Villa Posted July 26, 2022 Share Posted July 26, 2022 2 minutes ago, PaulMcGrath_5 said: I just think we have improved the team, massively. I think we will improve it again with one or two more additions. I have faith in Gerrard and his team--I like the way we play. I think this pre-season has been a really positive one. Agree. I think it was a good pre-season too. First half was disappointing against United but second half more than made up for that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulMcGrath_5 Posted July 26, 2022 Share Posted July 26, 2022 1 minute ago, Vive_La_Villa said: Agree. I think it was a good pre-season too. First half was disappointing against United but second half more than made up for that. Some of the changes in attitudes in players, i.e. Bailey and Sanson are good indicators that the players are buying into it too. Seems to be a real togetherness to me. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick76 Posted July 26, 2022 Author Share Posted July 26, 2022 (edited) 11 minutes ago, Vive_La_Villa said: Agree. I think it was a good pre-season too. First half was disappointing against United but second half more than made up for that. I think it’s been an indifferent preseason as we still look blunt as an attacking threat. Thankfully magic by Bailey in the Man U game helped but cohesion of Watkins, Ings and the likes of Coutinho still looks as bad as last season, just to name a few issues of preseason. It’s only preseason but I can’t agree it’s been a good preseason, it’s been ok, the results have been ok but the underlying play and issues still remain especially in an attack but thankfully we finally have a quality No.6. Asides from that it’s the same issues from last season so far, I hope we don’t see them going into the competitive games. Edited July 26, 2022 by nick76 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ender4 Posted July 26, 2022 Share Posted July 26, 2022 18 minutes ago, nick76 said: Can I ask what makes you feel that? I’m on the opposite side feeling slightly pessimistic so could do with some positives vibes/things to cling onto. I'm on the fence myself, but the main positive for me is that we were pretty close to 8th position last season... someone pointed out that if we just didn't crumble in games where we were winning by at least 2 goals, we would have finished 8th. Or another way to look at it, if we had just beaten the teams that got relegated we would have also finished 8th. Or that if you took Gerrard's reign as the season, then we finished 9th. And on top of that, we've added 2 new first teamers, more squad depth, we have Bailey back like a new player, Sanson actually fit as squad player, & Gerrard has now had enough time with the players tactically. In theory, all that should propel us to around 8th (though of course other teams might have been doing similar). 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrBlack Posted July 26, 2022 Share Posted July 26, 2022 4 minutes ago, ender4 said: I'm on the fence myself, but the main positive for me is that we were pretty close to 8th position last season... someone pointed out that if we just didn't crumble in games where we were winning by at least 2 goals, we would have finished 8th. Or another way to look at it, if we had just beaten the teams that got relegated we would have also finished 8th. Or that if you took Gerrard's reign as the season, then we finished 9th. And on top of that, we've added 2 new first teamers, more squad depth, we have Bailey back like a new player, Sanson actually fit as squad player, & Gerrard has now had enough time with the players tactically. In theory, all that should propel us to around 8th (though of course other teams might have been doing similar). Great summary. Even if you factor in Watkins / Ings not being any any better than last season, it should still be enough for 8th. Hopefully they also get their act together... and Ings' goal contributions weren't that bad anyway. As Gerrard said before, no excuses. This season has to be 8th or above or would feel like a wasted year. 9th/10th and a cup final I'd take. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hippo Posted July 26, 2022 Share Posted July 26, 2022 (edited) 36 minutes ago, ender4 said: I'm on the fence myself, but the main positive for me is that we were pretty close to 8th position last season... someone pointed out that if we just didn't crumble in games where we were winning by at least 2 goals, we would have finished 8th. Or another way to look at it, if we had just beaten the teams that got relegated we would have also finished 8th. Or that if you took Gerrard's reign as the season, then we finished 9th. And on top of that, we've added 2 new first teamers, more squad depth, we have Bailey back like a new player, Sanson actually fit as squad player, & Gerrard has now had enough time with the players tactically. In theory, all that should propel us to around 8th (though of course other teams might have been doing similar). When we're crumbling after 2 goal Leads ? Can only think of Man City ? Edited July 26, 2022 by hippo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vive_La_Villa Posted July 26, 2022 Share Posted July 26, 2022 2 minutes ago, hippo said: When we're crumbling after 2 goal Leeds ? Can only think of Man City ? This game too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick76 Posted July 26, 2022 Author Share Posted July 26, 2022 4 minutes ago, ender4 said: I'm on the fence myself, but the main positive for me is that we were pretty close to 8th position last season... someone pointed out that if we just didn't crumble in games where we were winning by at least 2 goals, we would have finished 8th. Or another way to look at it, if we had just beaten the teams that got relegated we would have also finished 8th. Or that if you took Gerrard's reign as the season, then we finished 9th. And on top of that, we've added 2 new first teamers, more squad depth, we have Bailey back like a new player, Sanson actually fit as squad player, & Gerrard has now had enough time with the players tactically. In theory, all that should propel us to around 8th (though of course other teams might have been doing similar). See that’s where the 9th argument has been talked about to death, the pros and cons including how the ppg started well but fell off a cliff and the 2022 form was really poor and 9 points in the last 11 games shows the final form going into close season but I know plenty have arguments against that but it’s been done to death in this thread. I have to say it’s a massive positive spin you’re trying to put on being close to 8th. The fact is we were 14th and had 45 points. Taking away the 14th, we had 45 points which any season would be thought about as just clear of the 40 point relegation threshold that most promoted teams aspire to achieve at the beginning of the season. Achieving 45 points is nothing to be proud and to view it that we’re weren’t far away from 8th is highly optimistic. Also 5 other teams above us probably had what ifs that are closer to 8th position f only they had done certain things. I don’t think we are good enough for 8th, if everything goes our way we might scramble it but if we can get 9th or 10th, that’s probably our limit. We are too inconsistent, a manager still learning and also has favourites, we aren’t mentally strong enough, we still have individual errors more than most and we have no cohesion as an attacking force. Sure we are closer with Kamara and maybe Carlos, hopefully Bailey will be a shining light this season. I’m not convinced Gerrard will give much more time to Sanson given his love for his current midfielders and wanting another CM. As you say, then add in what other clubs are doing. I don’t think we’ve done enough yet to believe that the likes of 8th are within our grasp. I think it might be a long frustrating season and I hope we don’t get any key injuries because that could really harm us. Depth we have but quality I’m not sure we are there yet for an 8th place or higher push. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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