danceoftheshamen Posted July 26, 2022 Share Posted July 26, 2022 I still can't see us hitting a Euro spot as things stand. Around 10th to 12th for me but of course that could change obviously dependant on further signings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keyblade Posted July 26, 2022 Share Posted July 26, 2022 1 minute ago, danceoftheshamen said: I still can't see us hitting a Euro spot as things stand. Around 10th to 12th for me but of course that could change obviously dependant on further signings. So still finishing below the likes of Brighton, Palace, Wolves etc? I don't think we need further signings to overtake them at all. Pound for pound, I think we have the better of the squads. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vive_La_Villa Posted July 26, 2022 Share Posted July 26, 2022 8 minutes ago, nick76 said: Oh I don’t know about that, if the club don’t think it’s working they will act swiftly. The owners, CEO aren’t messing about, if they feel it’s not working they will make a change. I don’t think the club are more patient than the fans, as we see a lot of fans make reasons, call for patience or blame others. I think the club, if they don’t think it’s working, a change will be made at any level so I don’t agree that the club will be more patient than the fans. They will have their own criteria and if it’s not fulfilling that a change will happen, that could be longer than fans (seen as patience by the fans) or quicker than fans (seen as ruthless by the fans). They have a plan, they won’t be as emotional as you and I, we just don’t know what that is and by when. I know what I heard from the manager mate! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatman Posted July 26, 2022 Share Posted July 26, 2022 4 minutes ago, Vive_La_Villa said: I know what I heard from the manager mate! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rustibrooks Posted July 26, 2022 Share Posted July 26, 2022 I think we need to hit the ground running ideally. On paper we have favourable games, whether we do the business is another story. I’m quite positive about the season, my main issues : - Will Gerrard drop his favourites if they are not performing? - Limiting the amount of times we use 2 up top. (Should be dependant on who we play) - Individual mistakes from players. If we can show that we have fixed those issues by November/December then I’ll feel really confident in us finishing in the top half. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick76 Posted July 26, 2022 Author Share Posted July 26, 2022 9 minutes ago, Vive_La_Villa said: I know what I heard from the manager mate! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hippo Posted July 26, 2022 Share Posted July 26, 2022 55 minutes ago, Rustibrooks said: I think we need to hit the ground running ideally. On paper we have favourable games, whether we do the business is another story. I’m quite positive about the season, my main issues : - Will Gerrard drop his favourites if they are not performing? - Limiting the amount of times we use 2 up top. (Should be dependant on who we play) - Individual mistakes from players. If we can show that we have fixed those issues by November/December then I’ll feel really confident in us finishing in the top half. I think dropping the favourites is overplayed. For the me the question (and a big one) is can he mould a group of clearly talented individuals into a team. Do that and we will be flying. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ciggiesnbeer Posted July 26, 2022 Share Posted July 26, 2022 (edited) If we figure out how to play our best 11 on form and Gerrard follows though on rewarding players who perform off the bench I think we can achieve 7th. but it will require playing our two best outfield players Coutinho & Buendia together, and I suspect changing our starting CB partnership to Chambers & Carlos. Whether Gerrard and the coaching staff have that flexibility and tactical skill within them I don't know. But player first coaches like Ancellotti or Zidane would figure it out. Edited July 26, 2022 by ciggiesnbeer 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rustibrooks Posted July 26, 2022 Share Posted July 26, 2022 19 minutes ago, hippo said: I think dropping the favourites is overplayed. For the me the question (and a big one) is can he mould a group of clearly talented individuals into a team. Do that and we will be flying. Oh definitely and even if I may post anything hyperbolic after a game about any player I probably don’t mean it much. I think I’m fine with players having stinkers I wouldn’t want them dropped right away, for me if the manager continues to play them when we have a viable option would irritate me. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marka Ragnos Posted July 26, 2022 VT Supporter Share Posted July 26, 2022 How do you spend loads and loads of zero? Well ... since I possess so little footballological cred, I can afford to spend it "all" now. I am thus declaring, here and now, for all the wide world (of Villa Talk) to witness: 6th. If we're not aggressively going for at least 6th, I just can't be bothered. If I wanted a mid-table or Championship club, I wouldn't be a Villa fan.* Consequently, I am sending To-Europe vibes right now. 6th will be so because I have willed it. Do not attempt to interrupt the process. * But seriously, yeah? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
messi11 Posted July 26, 2022 Share Posted July 26, 2022 7th place here we come! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allani Posted July 27, 2022 Share Posted July 27, 2022 OK well my expectations for the season have just plummeted. No way that a team that has McGinn as its hub finishes in the top half. I think we will be lucky to finish 12th now. Unless we have moved to a world where club captain is mainly on off-field role. For us to progress we need to be less dependent on McGinn not more. I have to seriously question Gerrard's judgement on this. I thought he was doing quite well in terms of recruitment and strengthening the squad. But all of that has just gone out of the window. We're now stuck with McGinn running around like a headless chicken for 60 minutes trying to be our playmaker and organiser - and then standing in the middle of the pitch completely out of puff for the next 30. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick76 Posted July 27, 2022 Author Share Posted July 27, 2022 Yep I think this leads us not going for another CM now, as Kamara will play, McGinn captain will play and surely JJ is playing so our big transfer business maybe done. On that basis, a strong finish I say we get 10th but thinking it’s anywhere between 10th-12th. A likely up and down season, a lot of the sinking feeling and frustration along the way with some bright spots. Interesting to see if Gerrard lasts the season though! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wurzel Posted July 28, 2022 Share Posted July 28, 2022 If the squad stays the same as it is now, I will be surprised if we get top half. I'll say 12th. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calcifer Posted July 28, 2022 Share Posted July 28, 2022 Now with the news McGinn is captain i really do not think we will improve that much from last season, 12th is more probably. Anyone that still thinks we will get into the top 8 need to get off the meds/Weed! He is a great bloke, but the way Stevie want to play is not going to work if we have a midfield of Ramsey and Mcginn Someone put a stat on here the other day about pass completion? That was horrific reading. Cant see that improving. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vive_La_Villa Posted July 28, 2022 Share Posted July 28, 2022 I previously said 8th. But I think this masterstroke of making McGinn captain may now push us to 7th or potentially even 6th! UTV 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Segundo Posted July 28, 2022 Share Posted July 28, 2022 We've improved the spine and defensive strength with Carlos and Kamara but for me it's not enough for us to get top 8. We my have a better squad on paper than some of those that finished above us last season, but the question is who will be better coached? I wasn't a fan of the way we played last season under Gerrard, the tempo was too slow, there was too much possession for the sake of possession, it's often all too narrow down the middle and I didn't find us particularly creative despite the wealth of creative talent we have. So often in the final third we would play it sideways or backwards when someone needed to try and beat a man or play a riskier pass to open things up. Buendia and Mcginn do try but Buendia often isn't picked and McGinn can be erratic. Apart form Bailey I didn't see much in pre-season to indicate it will be much different next season, and for that reason I reckon we'll scrape into the top 10 at best. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AshVilla Posted July 28, 2022 Share Posted July 28, 2022 Anything less than top 10 would be criminal with this squad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PussEKatt Posted July 28, 2022 Share Posted July 28, 2022 Midtable,as we are or 8th if we buy a decent striker. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calcifer Posted July 28, 2022 Share Posted July 28, 2022 2 hours ago, AshVilla said: Anything less than top 10 would be criminal with this squad. I cant see it, our 2 biggest problems were ball retention in the middle of the park and sticking the ball in the net. McGinn and Ramsey are 2 of the worst for passing, Stevie likes to play possession football, Mcginn and Ramsey cant hold onto it. Then we have Watkins/Ings together they are no good. Watkins needs too many shots and Ings left his scoring boots at Southampton. We may have improved the midfield by bringing in Kamara, but we will still have the same issue as last season with McGinn blowing out of his ass after 60 mins, but still on the pitch in the 88th min! He runs around a lot, but his passing is diabolical! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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