Relegation Battle - 22/23

[VillaChris]

1 hour ago, HanoiVillan said:

We're going to be in the bottom 3 come January. That's going to make it hard to improve the squad. And given the fixtures, most of the games in January will be 6 pointers, so we'll either be clear or pretty much dead by the end of the month I would expect. 

We've appointed a top class manager and we're going to get no new managerial bounce whatsoever?! Last season Gerrard inherited a side who'd just lost five games in a row and then won four of his first six league games.

Under Emery I'm expecting us to be drilled defensively very well so I don't see why we can't draw two out of Brighton, Liverpool and Man. United games. Beat Wolves and that would be 17 points going into 3-4 more winnable games in a month.

We're a bog standard mid table team. Second half today was terrible but it also was second half at Fulham and then 60 hours later we wiped the floor with Brentford.

Even Garde in his first game drew 0-0 with Man. City so wouldn't shock me if we got a similar result next week as we've actually done o.k v Man. United since coming back up and most of the games we've played have been very tight.

[VillaParkAvenue]

50 minutes ago, VillaChris said:

We've appointed a top class manager and we're going to get no new managerial bounce whatsoever?! Last season Gerrard inherited a side who'd just lost five games in a row and then won four of his first six league games.

Under Emery I'm expecting us to be drilled defensively very well so I don't see why we can't draw two out of Brighton, Liverpool and Man. United games. Beat Wolves and that would be 17 points going into 3-4 more winnable games in a month.

We're a bog standard mid table team. Second half today was terrible but it also was second half at Fulham and then 60 hours later we wiped the floor with Brentford.

Even Garde in his first game drew 0-0 with Man. City so wouldn't shock me if we got a similar result next week as we've actually done o.k v Man. United since coming back up and most of the games we've played have been very tight.

Emery’s new manager bounce will be cut in half (or cut short) by the World Cup and takes place against an improved Man U, Brighton, Liverpool and Spurs. But why not, even better to surprise against a couple of big clubs. 

[tomsky_11]

2 hours ago, The Fun Factory said:

I will be staggered if we get relegated. We might not have a good season but come 38 games there should be at least 3 clubs worse than us.

If we go down it will be only down to Conservative Party   levels of incompetence.

Said it before and will say it again. Emery could literally have the worst 25 game run of his entire, nearly 20 year managerial career and still have us clear of relegation.

The squad is basically the same as the one Gerrard fairly comfortably kept us up with last season after a similarly poor start, and better once Kamara and Carlos are back. 

[VillaChris]

3 minutes ago, VillaParkAvenue said:

Emery’s new manager bounce will be cut in half (or cut short) by the World Cup and takes place against an improved Man U, Brighton, Liverpool and Spurs. But why not, even better to surprise against a couple of big clubs. 

Unless I've missed something Liverpool is a very winnable game. They've lost to Forest and Leeds in last 7 days and many of their squad will go deep in world cup so I don't get why that's some automatic write off or why people are claiming they'll stick 4 or 5 past us, since promotion they've only beaten us by more than one goal once.

Same record v Man. United who we took 4 points off last season.

We have 1 defeat v Brighton since coming up aswell. It all clicked for them today v Chelsea but before that they were drawing with Forest and losing to Brentford.

Only one I'm writing off either side of world cup break is Spurs away as we just don't match up at all well to them. They'll outmuscle us in midfield as usual and Kane/Son will score when they have space to run into.

It's a rare season why we're actually decent at VP. 3 wins out of first six is solid especially when you add in a point v Man. City. And first half v Chelsea was best we've played since season 20/21.

[VillaParkAvenue]

11 minutes ago, VillaChris said:

Unless I've missed something Liverpool is a very winnable game. They've lost to Forest and Leeds in last 7 days and many of their squad will go deep in world cup so I don't get why that's some automatic write off or why people are claiming they'll stick 4 or 5 past us, since promotion they've only beaten us by more than one goal once.

Same record v Man. United who we took 4 points off last season.

We have 1 defeat v Brighton since coming up aswell. It all clicked for them today v Chelsea but before that they were drawing with Forest and losing to Brentford.

Only one I'm writing off either side of world cup break is Spurs away as we just don't match up at all well to them. They'll outmuscle us in midfield as usual and Kane/Son will score when they have space to run into.

It's a rare season why we're actually decent at VP. 3 wins out of first six is solid especially when you add in a point v Man. City. And first half v Chelsea was best we've played since season 20/21.

Last time we played Spurs we did everything wrong tactically, came at them and pressed high which suited Conte perfectly. Hopefully Emery tries something different.

[ChicagoVillan1983]

Squad is fine, no need to panic. They've just been mismanaged. It's going to take a while but the world cup break is going to really help with all the guys staying behind. Really hoping Coutinho doesn't make the Brazil squad.

This next run of results is mega tough and I give Emery a total free pass until the end of Jan. Which seems like a very long time, but it's going to take that long to turn this thing around and get a few replacements in.

Trust the process. We are doing it right this time around.

I firmly believe by the end of the season we are no worse than 11.

I can see it looking like total shit, then suddenly clicking and we take down 2/3 of the points on offer between end Jan and end of season...

Edited October 29, 2022 by ChicagoVillan1983

[Lerner's Driver]

Reality is, if we go 1 nil down against any team, it's likely we will lose, or at best get a point. The stats clearly show that and it makes us vulnerable against any side that takes the game to us and doesn't let us play. We are brittle, so addressing that is Unai's top priority. If he can't, we probably will be relegated this season.

[Villarcana]

Owners need to start spending some of that money they apparently have loads of. Outspent by most the league this year. They better be saving it for a big Unai push in January. Buy big, stop buying nearly 30 year old shit. Let Unai bring his own lads in and sell all the dross, McGinn, Watkins, Baily (for me anyway I think he's crap) Ings, Digne, Cash (number one sell for me, has been garbage). Just clear em out and let him have his own squad. These boys aren't turning this around in my opinion anytime soon, 

 

those listed above would also still be sellable at this point

[ChicagoVillan1983]

1 hour ago, Villarcana said:

Owners need to start spending some of that money they apparently have loads of. Outspent by most the league this year. They better be saving it for a big Unai push in January. Buy big, stop buying nearly 30 year old shit. Let Unai bring his own lads in and sell all the dross, McGinn, Watkins, Baily (for me anyway I think he's crap) Ings, Digne, Cash (number one sell for me, has been garbage). Just clear em out and let him have his own squad. These boys aren't turning this around in my opinion anytime soon, 

 

those listed above would also still be sellable at this point

Bailey looks amazing fr 5 mins a game. I wonder if he's just missing the right coaching. 

I firmly believe this is a top 8 squad if you coach them right. 

Watkins seems limited, but is the coach just not getting the best out of him? 

I disagree strongly on Cash (who looked good enough for an England call up under Beale) and Mings. Ings just isn't being played right and our system doesn't fit him right now - he's a proven clinical finisher.

I personally don't think a complete redo is needed. I suspect Unai uses the entire budget on three pinpoint players that would be a massive upgrade.

[Villa87]

Starting to become a bit concerned. First post in this thread… Would be catastrophic. 

[MWARLEY2]

Every time there seems hope. That our players are not as bad as we see them, something happens. They are very weak mentally it seems. They can be dominated physically it seems. They are incredibly inconsistent it seems. However 12 months ago that could have been Newcastle i was describing.

Going to be another tough season in a league that has teams levelling up all the time . 

[Pinebro]

Come on Arsenal!

[Tom13]

7 hours ago, ChicagoVillan1983 said:

Bailey looks amazing fr 5 mins a game. I wonder if he's just missing the right coaching. 

I firmly believe this is a top 8 squad if you coach them right. 

Watkins seems limited, but is the coach just not getting the best out of him? 

I disagree strongly on Cash (who looked good enough for an England call up under Beale) and Mings. Ings just isn't being played right and our system doesn't fit him right now - he's a proven clinical finisher.

I personally don't think a complete redo is needed. I suspect Unai uses the entire budget on three pinpoint players that would be a massive upgrade.

Sorry but Cash has never looked good enough for an England call up. Even at his best (energetic, strong mentality), he's always been extremely limited on the ball.

[Tom13]

4 hours ago, Villa87 said:

Starting to become a bit concerned. First post in this thread… Would be catastrophic. 

Yeah, same here tbh mate.

[TRO]

On 21/10/2022 at 17:06, AVTuco said:

I think our players are poor too. And I already see posts where putting everything on Gerrard continues even after he's gone, and I think it'll continue for awhile.

The danger with that of course is, we still continue with the same issues, after he has gone......I think some of our issues, were before Gerrard, or even before Dean.

I think we need to look at the team long and hard, study games and see, where many issues lie.

That, equally is not saying Gerrard was not to blame......when a fire is burning, every log contributes to the flames.

I think the culture is poor, I think the attitude is poor, and I think the mentality, thats swirls around the squad is poor....this is a lazy, lazy minded outfit, who constantly look around to see who is doing what, instead of committing themselves.

I think this mindset has consumed the last 2 managers, one a rookie, and the other a lower league manager...and they failed to change it.

Lets hope an elite manager, can rid this dastardly malaise.

[TRO]

12 hours ago, VillaChris said:

We've appointed a top class manager and we're going to get no new managerial bounce whatsoever?! Last season Gerrard inherited a side who'd just lost five games in a row and then won four of his first six league games.

Under Emery I'm expecting us to be drilled defensively very well so I don't see why we can't draw two out of Brighton, Liverpool and Man. United games. Beat Wolves and that would be 17 points going into 3-4 more winnable games in a month.

We're a bog standard mid table team. Second half today was terrible but it also was second half at Fulham and then 60 hours later we wiped the floor with Brentford.

Even Garde in his first game drew 0-0 with Man. City so wouldn't shock me if we got a similar result next week as we've actually done o.k v Man. United since coming back up and most of the games we've played have been very tight.

yes, but didn't Norwich beat Man city 3-2 and still went down.

Its what we do in general, that counts, one off games is what we are right now.

I am just hoping, he can do something with this mottley crew.

[TRO]

16 minutes ago, Tom13 said:

Sorry but Cash has never looked good enough for an England call up. Even at his best (energetic, strong mentality), he's always been extremely limited on the ball.

England, is this a joke.

The least said the better for me.

Edited October 30, 2022 by TRO

[TRO]

7 hours ago, ChicagoVillan1983 said:

Bailey looks amazing fr 5 mins a game. I wonder if he's just missing the right coaching. 

I firmly believe this is a top 8 squad if you coach them right. 

Watkins seems limited, but is the coach just not getting the best out of him? 

I disagree strongly on Cash (who looked good enough for an England call up under Beale) and Mings. Ings just isn't being played right and our system doesn't fit him right now - he's a proven clinical finisher.

I personally don't think a complete redo is needed. I suspect Unai uses the entire budget on three pinpoint players that would be a massive upgrade.

Is the alcohol still in your system?

[handsworthvilla]

9 hours ago, Villarcana said:

Owners need to start spending some of that money they apparently have loads of. Outspent by most the league this year. They better be saving it for a big Unai push in January. Buy big, stop buying nearly 30 year old shit. Let Unai bring his own lads in and sell all the dross, McGinn, Watkins, Baily (for me anyway I think he's crap) Ings, Digne, Cash (number one sell for me, has been garbage). Just clear em out and let him have his own squad. These boys aren't turning this around in my opinion anytime soon, 

 

those listed above would also still be sellable at this point

Did you think Bailey and Ings were crap last week against Brentford? 

[TRO]

10 hours ago, Lerner's Driver said:

Reality is, if we go 1 nil down against any team, it's likely we will lose, or at best get a point. The stats clearly show that and it makes us vulnerable against any side that takes the game to us and doesn't let us play. We are brittle, so addressing that is Unai's top priority. If he can't, we probably will be relegated this season.

I totally agree with that.

we need to get to the crux of our problem and its this....but we don't seem to know how to address it.

I am keeping my fingers firmly cross, that Unai can.

if he can't, I fear the worst.