jayEm Posted December 12, 2023 Share Posted December 12, 2023 (edited) 39 minutes ago, Powehi said: Getting rid of the huge chip on our shoulder about our perception in the media would be a good start. This. It's the one thing that bothers me about Villa discourse online these days, the obsessing over who said what about us. Sure, people like Garth Crooks or that guy on the Guardian football podcast say stupid, dismissive things about Villa. But (a) who cares and (b) plenty of pundits have been very happy to praise Villa and give us credit for the wins last week. For instance every article about the City game pointed out that, though Bailey's goal was a fortunate deflection, the lead was entirely deserved. But us fans are so good at picking out the smallest comment or omission and taking offence. Honestly, we should be glad Villa aren't media darlings or flavour of the month because that kind of reactionary obsessing over the latest thing just annoys everyone else. We don't want to be liked or hyped up. We want to be revered. The performance against City provoked that latter sort of response from the media, and I think we can expect more of it. Edited December 12, 2023 by jayEm 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vive_La_Villa Posted December 13, 2023 Share Posted December 13, 2023 6 hours ago, Powehi said: Getting rid of the huge chip on our shoulder about our perception in the media would be a good start. Agree but I know fans of United, Liverpool and Arsenal that all seem to have this same chip on their shoulder about media perception. So I don’t think this one is a Villa fan thing. It’s more a football fan thing. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen_Evans Posted December 13, 2023 Share Posted December 13, 2023 The players seem to be managing 90 minutes + performances. I’d love to see all fans staying until the final whistle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mic09 Posted December 13, 2023 Share Posted December 13, 2023 I noticed a change in my approach to games, and it's not a good one. The expectations are, we will win this game. And rather than being positively surprised by the positive result against a West Ham or a Tottenham, that is my expectation now. So the highs are lower, and the (granted, rare) lows are even lower. The bar has been set high, and while I wouldn't change it, it is not as enjoyable on game to game basis. I desperately need a cup to get me my high back! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skarroki Posted December 13, 2023 Share Posted December 13, 2023 8 hours ago, Powehi said: Getting rid of the huge chip on our shoulder about our perception in the media would be a good start. Whilst I agree with this, I do think there's a weird self-fulfilling loop with this stuff. I am definitely a fan with a chip on their shoulder. I think a big problem is that we don't seem to be discussed as much as some other teams, which I think you just have to accept as it's always been that way, for example when Leicester were running towards the title the best coverage of it before it looked like it was genuinely happening was from fan outlets imo. But of course even then you've got a massive TV personality within football of Linekar drawing attention to it. When Newcastle got all the money you've got the likes of Shearer and Jenas all over it. It feels like most ex-villa players avoid mentioning that they played for the club. I think Dublin would say he's ex Coventry before he'd also talk of his time at Villa, Crouch covers our European games with Joe Cole but when they're not on that sofa talking specifically about our game you'd be forgiven as a casual fan for having no idea either of them played for us. The biggest ex Villa players in media are probably Merson and Agbonlahor who are both widely looked on as morons which doesn't help. I do like seeing Martin ONeill talk about us though so I'm hoping the more he's involved with media, the more they get his take on the club. TIFO football have only done three videos of us in over a year. One was basically explaining we have bad underlying numbers and we'll stop winning soon, that was back in like February. The next was an actual Villa fan saying that players like Diaby and Torres could make the team worse. Then they finally do one where they generally agree we might not have enough to get into the champions league, and also we'll have to give up on the league or the cup in March if we're doing well in both. Proper MON throw the towel in tissue scar there. The Athletic seem to be at pains to avoid talking about Villa even after amazing wins. They had a dedicated podcast to the Man City loss (not us winning) and even had a Spanish football expert on ahead of anyone remotely linked to Villa so that they could talk about Rodri being absent and how Guardiola reacts to losing. You think Villa fans would be used to it by now but it's infuriating if you follow English football generally across a range of football podcasts and radio shows and TV and finally we're the big talking point but no-one is talking much about us. So yeah thats roughly the size of the chip I have and that's very condensed, it's a wonder I can lift myself out of bed in the morning. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spiezels Posted December 13, 2023 Share Posted December 13, 2023 15 hours ago, Marka Ragnos said: Kind of a weird topic I've been thinking about a lot this autumn into winter, although I don't really have a name for it: How do we keep up with Villa's improvements, as supporters? I was saying to a mate the other day that I wasn't sure Villa supporters have really "kept up" with the team's successes. I may be speaking mostly for myself, I realise. But I've wonderecd whether there are some aspects of my usual Villa fan attitudes that I'm starting to question more. An example would be the knee-jerk negativity, thinking, "Oh, classic Villa." It doesn't really make sense any more. I haven't always been that way with Villa, but I'm so used to waiting for the other shoe to drop before and during matches, I think I need to re-evaluate myself a bit. Do you think Villa fans need to grow, too? Do we have a responsibility to mature and embrace change right along with our squad? I’d point out that VT in general is a very negative place compared to the real world. Assume seeing your location you’ve not been to a game? Cant tell you the amount of times ive taken breaks from using VT as the match threads and individual player threads are so unnecessarily doom mongering. Its a great resource for all thing villa, but its absolutely not a representation of villa park. Waaaay more knee jerk. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
It's Your Round Posted December 13, 2023 Share Posted December 13, 2023 Usually I’d agree with you @skarroki, and I still do when it comes to MOTD and some of the other more watered down media outlets, but I’d have to say there has been a huge wave of complementary content about Aston Villa lately. The Athletic did a podcast on us this week that was really good, Tifo have changed their tune now, and then there are loads of smaller content creators putting good appraisals together. FourFourTwo have done a few too, this being the latest: The respect is there, you’ve just got to go beyond the mainstream. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo985 Posted December 13, 2023 VT Supporter Share Posted December 13, 2023 We've had 25 years of being, mostly, completely shit It's going to take more than 12 months of us being good to get rid of that fear of defeat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPAngel Posted December 13, 2023 VT Supporter Share Posted December 13, 2023 Our fans in the ground have definitely grown and embraced the way Emery plays and those rumbles of nervousness when playing around the back seem to have dissipated massively which is great. That nervousness within the crowd definitely makes it's way onto the pitch and doesn't help the team. My only gripe with some fans, and this may just be me, is screaming at certain players the first time they do something "wrong". I sat by the touchline a few weeks back and a few lads in particular were absolutely battering Bailey with insults about his work rate and I just can't imagine how that could be helpful to anyone. This, coupled with brain dead comments like "switch on!", "wake up Villa!", and "get it forward!" always annoy me. At 34, this is the best I've ever felt about a Villa team and, while no team is beyond criticism, I'd love it if more fans could just enjoy the moment without hammering certain players like we're back in the Remi Garde era. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwivillan Posted December 13, 2023 Share Posted December 13, 2023 1 hour ago, skarroki said: I do like seeing Martin ONeill talk about us though so I'm hoping the more he's involved with media, the more they get his take on the club. Can't stand that **** loser that threw his toys and was complete failure everywhere after Robertson retired from football 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwivillan Posted December 13, 2023 Share Posted December 13, 2023 1 hour ago, skarroki said: You think Villa fans would be used to it by now but it's infuriating if you follow English football generally across a range of football podcasts and radio shows and TV and finally we're the big talking point but no-one is talking much about us. It's been absolute glut of content this week talking about us as title contenders and being the real deal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demitri_C Posted December 13, 2023 Share Posted December 13, 2023 1 hour ago, Kiwivillan said: Can't stand that **** loser that threw his toys and was complete failure everywhere after Robertson retired from football Im over it now. He admits he was wrong apologised to the fans but in a way i kind of understand it. Lerner was shafting him. But he shouldnt have resigned right before season started. Scoundrel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodders0223 Posted December 13, 2023 Share Posted December 13, 2023 I got pelters for criticising players when we were absolutely crap and yet one bad half of football these same people are wetting their pants. You won't see doing much critising because we are great, even if we do go away to Forest and have a stinker. Times are good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pongo's Socks Posted December 13, 2023 Share Posted December 13, 2023 2 hours ago, JPAngel said: Our fans in the ground have definitely grown and embraced the way Emery plays and those rumbles of nervousness when playing around the back seem to have dissipated massively which is great. That nervousness within the crowd definitely makes it's way onto the pitch and doesn't help the team. My only gripe with some fans, and this may just be me, is screaming at certain players the first time they do something "wrong". I sat by the touchline a few weeks back and a few lads in particular were absolutely battering Bailey with insults about his work rate and I just can't imagine how that could be helpful to anyone. This, coupled with brain dead comments like "switch on!", "wake up Villa!", and "get it forward!" always annoy me. At 34, this is the best I've ever felt about a Villa team and, while no team is beyond criticism, I'd love it if more fans could just enjoy the moment without hammering certain players like we're back in the Remi Garde era. Agree that the expectation and desire of some fans to lump it forward has reduced drastically. Hats off to Emery for converting (most of) the fans to this style. I'm not that old, but no spring chicken either, I could see from the off that we'd have to get used to this new style, as it was here to stay. At the beginning, I'd hear lots of fans near us moaning and groaning, shouting at Mings, Konsa and Emi "stop f*****g around with it!", when it was clear they were under instruction from Emery to play that way. It's heart-attack inducing at times, and after decades of watching less cultured football I kind of understand the panic. But it's definitely better, Emery definitely has most of us on board now. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marka Ragnos Posted December 13, 2023 Author VT Supporter Share Posted December 13, 2023 7 hours ago, spiezels said: I’d point out that VT in general is a very negative place compared to the real world. Assume seeing your location you’ve not been to a game? Cant tell you the amount of times ive taken breaks from using VT as the match threads and individual player threads are so unnecessarily doom mongering. Its a great resource for all thing villa, but its absolutely not a representation of villa park. Waaaay more knee jerk. That's interesting and does make sense. It sounds like an "organic" process of fans getting generally more positive is well underway, as you suggest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A'Villan Posted December 13, 2023 Share Posted December 13, 2023 We are there at every moment and our reach goes as far as glory can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A'Villan Posted December 13, 2023 Share Posted December 13, 2023 England is home to one of the best, in my view the best, competitions for football. That is a privilege not to be taken as a given. Everyone is different and I'm not advocating that the supporters who aren't perhaps as insightful on matters surrounding their club and what makes it up, are less important than the fans who know it back to front and can speak accordingly. It's the opposite really, it's like all that separates us can just fall by the wayside as we look to celebrate athleticism, skill and teamwork in the form of football. When we want to be here for bettering the experience, that energy is undeniable. Likewise when we get caught up in prejudice and discrimination, from club rivalries through to political differences, the energy that comes with is undeniable too. I'm not saying that a blueprint for improvement is mine to speak for, but I think most people know deep down on some level what helps and what doesn't, it's just if we want to embrace that at any given moment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwivillan Posted December 13, 2023 Share Posted December 13, 2023 8 hours ago, Demitri_C said: Im over it now. He admits he was wrong apologised to the fans but in a way i kind of understand it. Lerner was shafting him. But he shouldnt have resigned right before season started. Scoundrel He shafted us and Lerner by constantly buying overpriced old players with no resale value Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demitri_C Posted December 13, 2023 Share Posted December 13, 2023 10 minutes ago, Kiwivillan said: He shafted us and Lerner by constantly buying overpriced old players with no resale value Quick term solution. It worked tbf But milner downing and ash young were resalable investments. Curt was young too. Mixed bag for me. I blame lerner more than MON MON was delivering on the pitch at the time but lerner gave up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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