Well the season starts.... TODAY! You happy where we stand?

[Grant(aka_eddy)]

But regardless of all that .. O'Neill said himself squad was too small last season...boring i know but ; 4 - 4 + 4 = 0

Fact - as you might say ... O'Neill would acknowledge that.

Although i get your point, technically that would equal 4! Fact! :winkold:

[NowDoINotLikeThat]

But regardless of all that .. O'Neill said himself squad was too small last season...boring i know but ; 4 - 4 + 4 = 0

Fact - as you might say ... O'Neill would acknowledge that.

Although i get your point, technically that would equal 4! Fact! :winkold:

Doh! - so it would!

[Ghost_of_Pongo_Waring]

boring i know but ; 4 - 4 + 4 = 0

Fact - as you might say ... O'Neill would acknowledge that.

I just thought given O'Neills comments on the tail end of last season and early part of summer we wouldnt be lacking numbers yet again.

we have currently have 2 senior center backs... :oops:

I was purely pointing out that the O/P was incorrect that the squad was smaller. 0 - 4 + 4 = 0 fact , :winkold:

Yes like everyone else I'd have liked to see more players come in before the kick off, but the window isn't closed.

I think MON is well aware of what we need and will have been doing all he could to get the players he wanted to the club and will continue until the window closes. Personally I think we should reserve judgement until it is but I understand why some may disagree.

[briny_ear]

O'Neill said himself squad was too small last season...boring i know but ; 4 - 4 + 4 = 0

Fact - as you might say ... O'Neill would acknowledge that.

I know you didn't mean this but the equation you give here actually works out as +4, not 0. Have a closer look at it.

Maybe you were trying to be a bit too clever?

[NowDoINotLikeThat]

Already been metioned above ^^^

Yeh my maths + few drinks = wrongness

Don't get me wrong im not negative and not many clubs have done that much this window so far ...

but at same time i do scratch my head as why we keep having such small squad - i thought O'Neill would sort that out this window unlike the last few which fair enough was about getting rid of dead wood etc..but this window i thought wed be up in squadsize and whilst still weeks left i just maybe wrongly presumed wed add players earlier rather than later.

Same old topic on these boards im sure but anyhow ...still stick by my original post on Pg.1 of this thread.

[Grant(aka_eddy)]

Did enough of us rag your maths or should some more folks have a go?

With 2 weeks to go before the window closes and on even numbers, i think it is safe to assume we will end up on positive numbers.

I also dont think i agree with the 4.

I would include Albrighton as i think he will step up and make the grade. Clark possibly will too, we may only know how O'Neill feels about that depending on whether he buys 1 or 2 centre backs....but whether it's a 2nd purchase or Clark, its another number. Bannan is also in with an outside shout but i'll leave him for now as i think he may end up steping up to replace Gardner if he leaves.

Out: Knight, Laursen, Barry, Taylor

In: Marshall, Delph, Downing, Beye, Albrighton, Clark (or 2nd CB purchased)

Sub Total = + 2

Likely: 1 x CD, 1 x AM.

Total = +4

[CBGB]

Somewhere between the middle two options.

At the moment, I'm really excited for tomorrow; hopefully Delph and Albrighton playing; Gabby, Ashley and Milner running defences ragged; Carew dominating...

Over the season, I have my doubts we can last the stretch - but some good additions could still change that.

[Phumfeinz]

Genuinely surprises that MON hasn't brought in a Cb or two in time for the first game.

But I'm really excited about Delph and Albrighton. I hope they play some part against Wigan. They need PL experience now.

[tanveer1968]

How is the squad smaller?

Four out : Barry, Laursen, Knight, Taylor

Four In : Downing, Delph, Beye, Marshall

When you consider that Albrighton & Clarke have progressed to where they are viable first team players we're actually up on numbers. At the very least we've the same size squad.

We'll be up there challenging again, imo of course.

We may be the same in numbers but we have lost two major players who have not been replace to anything like the same level. Unless we are pleasantly surprised by the younger players coming through we will be weaker this season than last whilst the oppossition will be stronger.

On our day we can beat any team but consistency is required and a sufficient squad to carry us through the season. If MON's transfer dealing to date are representative of his approach and success the I don't expect any major signings in the next few weeks. We only hear words and not enough action.

I am worried about getting past Rapid Vienna to get to the group stages of the Europa Cup, we need a convincing victory against Wigan to take us into that game.

Comeon MOn actions speak louder than words

[4Serious]

I'm neutral. We should have more than enough to beat Wigan tomorrow - wait, today!! - but unless we get a really capable CB in I can see our defence being a disaster. Laursen was immense, how will we replace the leadership he provided? Barry was also a calming influence on the whole side, but in terms of talent he's far more replaceable. We won't know the outcome of the transfers till the end of August, so I guess I'll choose to think the best until then.

[leviramsey]

Regardless of sport, I strive to be perfectly optimistic before a ball is [kicked, thrown, etc.] in anger.

So therefore I'm going for an undefeated and undrawn league season with wins in three more cups.

Hope springs eternal and all that.

[nz_villa]

I had hoped for more siginings but am confident we can be up there again this year. We have a couple of weeks left of the transfer window and i hope like hell we buy at least 2 more players and 1 has to be a defender.

[ThunderPower_14]

I think, without a few more players in, we'll slip a bit. We've lost probably our best two players, and we haven't replaced them at all.

I was hoping this window would take us forward, i'm now clinging onto the hope that we will finish the window with close to the quality we started with.

I'm predicting 7th-9th, which would be a slip and would be disappointing considering how far we've come.

[sled]

No doubt some base their optimism or pessimism on signings we have(n't) made or are(n't) going to make. I base my optimism on the youngsters coming through. One or two will not be ready in two years' time - they are ready NOW.

[Juju]

We bought a kid, a crock, a keeper who wont ever play and a defender who's only just met his teammates on the opening day from a team who couldnt defent.

We lost an England international, and a Danish International.

This is poor Mr O'Neill.

The season starts today, not in 3 weeks when the transfer window closes. I expected better. We are worse off. Remember the last 15 games of the season.

That continues today.

[DUNTONVILLA]

We bought a kid, a crock, a keeper who wont ever play and a defender who's only just met his teammates on the opening day from a team who couldnt defent.

We lost an England international, and a Danish International.

This is poor Mr O'Neill.

The season starts today, not in 3 weeks when the transfer window closes. I expected better. We are worse off. Remember the last 15 games of the season.

That continues today.

We have a team good enough to beat anyone today.

The squad is needed in the future so I dont think we need these extra players today.

We can wait..

Villa to win 2/3-0

[piav_k4]

Actually until we bring in another first choice centre half we are in the shit. Davies for what ever reason has been really out of sorts imo.

Obviously MON will bring 1 or 2 in but overall i'm saying neutral.

[Gavin@villatalk]

As usual, we are ok. Our starting 11 is strong and we have two or three very good replacements on the sideline... HOWEVER, like the previous seasons under MON, we just havent got the depth in critical positions. This year its in defence.

We need to sign at least another CB and IMO I think we need to bring in that extra bit of class in midfield i.e. VDV

So... at the moment, I'm ok but will be watching out for further signing before deadline day

[onmeedson]

Was hoping we would be in better shape than we are for the start, we need central defence to be strengthened and a playmaker. The waiting game for downing is a risk and the kid's could burn out after a few appearance's, could do with some experience being brought in.

[reddwarf]

Well this was touted as a massive window for O Neil - no more accussed the squad strength would be addressed . Even around a week ago he was talking of five more players arriving. I didn't believe him them - like I didn't believe him in April may. I wouldn't say he is dishonest - but when he says signings are on there way - does anybody really believe him anymore.

He has set Heskey a target of 10 goals - which I don't even think he managed at Liverpool - his typical strike rate is 1 in 7 - this will be some transformation.

Basically Im not optimistic - even if you say the squad is the same size - we haven't replaced Laursen , and Delph looks a fine prospect - but doesn't have the premier experience of Barry. Luke Young and Curtis Davis are still carrying last seasons injuries.

The 11 that goes out v wigan today - I don't see in any department is better than the team we were putting out last winter - at best an unconvincing 1-0 victory is the best I can see.

While it is to painful to ponder, whats gnawing away at most villa fans, is the stark reality that MON, whilst a decent manager, isn't the great manager once billed, he's not a Clough, Ron saunders, - i will be kind an put him in the Ron Atkinson, Brian Little class. - they both acheived silverware under Ellis. Hope Lerner has his eyes on a replacement around christmas time