LondonLax Posted June 19, 2013 Share Posted June 19, 2013 I agree that August is tougher than we would have liked. But I'm looking at it like this: if we do pick up some points from those games (which is not unheard of, I'd say we're more than capable of getting 4 points from those first three), that will be a huge confidence booster for our young team. If the worst happens and we get 0 points from 3 games, I don't think that's as damaging a blow as would be picking up only, say, 2 points from 3 against teams like Hull, Newcastle and Sunderland, for example. And whatever happens in those first three games, we have the international break after that to regroup and make a fresh start in September. The table doesn't matter at that early stage of the season. I like the look of the December fixtures and the late season run. I think those games will be more important to our season. Yep this is where i'm at as well. In fact I'd go so far as to say I wouldn't have prepared a very different fixture list if I'd picked them myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villa-revolution Posted June 19, 2013 Share Posted June 19, 2013 You would be surprised how long 1pt on the opening day of the season can keep you out of the bottom 3 for. Plus we only had 1pt from our 1st 3 games last season IIRC. Hopefully we will surprise a few & come out of the blocks firing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodytom Posted June 19, 2013 Share Posted June 19, 2013 We should probably open a Relegation thread now, to cater for the demand. Or maybe we should just continue to debate how the fixtures might impact on our season. After all, I am pretty sure that is why the thread was made. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villa-revolution Posted June 19, 2013 Share Posted June 19, 2013 Please can someone start a Champions League thread before we play at Arsenal? Thank You. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatman Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 another disgrace from Premier League. All founding teams are playing each other in lower leagues and we should have been set up with Everton opening game Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LondonLax Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 another disgrace from Premier League. All founding teams are playing each other in lower leagues and we should have been set up with Everton opening game Or West Brom or Stoke 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
briny_ear Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 Playing the tough teams throughout the year can stop you in your tracks, and can effect your confidence when you're hoping to get into a run of good form. Get them out of the way while teams are still building in the tranfer window/ gelling together, and whilst the season can be a bit of a lottery. The idea that we get the "tough teams" "out of the way" at the start of the season is a bit far fetched when you look at that fixture list: September, Man C October, Spurs, Everton January, Arsenal, Liverpool February, Everton March, Man C,Chelsea, Man U May, Spurs It goes on throughout the season as you might expect, and I didn't even bother to throw in the Swanseas, West Broms, and West hams who can be expected to be difficult opposition, and a couple of unexpected improvers. Yes you do have to play ALL the teams. That's the way a league works The debate is whether it's better to have the best teams clumped together or spread them out. And the point I was making is that they ARE spread out. Please help ,me understand how I could have made that any clearer so you wouldn' t have misunderstood? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villa-revolution Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 Norwich City had better make sure they are safe from relegation by end of game 34 at Fulham. After that they face Liverpool, Man Utd, Chelsea & Arsenal...............Scary! Would rather have the fixtures we have to start with than have this nightmare scenario potentially hanging over us for the whole season. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mantis Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 They're hardly spread out. The fact that the hardest teams we play from October right through until January are Everton and Spurs says it all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted June 20, 2013 Moderator Share Posted June 20, 2013 I think Norwich will be fine. Similar to us they were (or rather Hughton was) finding their feet last seaason. They'll be better this time around especially with all the turmoil elsewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biskitt Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 It could be worse, Sunderland's first 8 home games are against Fulham, Arsenal, Liverpool, Man Utd, Man City, Newcastle, Chelsea and Spurs. Their away fixtures aren't too bad to start with but they weren't great away from home last year ( 4 wins ) so could easily see a PDC implosion Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Condimentalist Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 It could be worse, Sunderland's first 8 home games are against Fulham, Arsenal, Liverpool, Man Utd, Man City, Newcastle, Chelsea and Spurs. Their away fixtures aren't too bad to start with but they weren't great away from home last year ( 4 wins ) so could easily see a PDC implosion He'll be gone before Christmas, I'm sure of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Condimentalist Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 It could be worse, Sunderland's first 8 home games are against Fulham, Arsenal, Liverpool, Man Utd, Man City, Newcastle, Chelsea and Spurs. Their away fixtures aren't too bad to start with but they weren't great away from home last year ( 4 wins ) so could easily see a PDC implosion He'll be gone before Christmas, I'm sure of it. Just looked and you can get 18/1 on him being next manager to leave. Situation with Pardew and Laudrup makes that less of a safe bet though. Interestingly, Lambert is 50/1, making him the 5th most secure manager in the league according to the bookies (after Mourinho, Wenger, Moyes and Pellegrini) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coda Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 Two of the Mirror's (I know) pundits have us as League Cup winners in their predictions. Such a change from last summer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richp999 Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 Looks good to me.. A tough start but it always takes everyone 3 or 4 games to get going at the start of the season ; we could easily get some unexpected points there. We might have a decent xmas for a change as well, instead of the usual battering we take.. The run in looks good as well... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Condimentalist Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 Two of the Mirror's (I know) pundits have us as League Cup winners in their predictions. Such a change from last summer. Depends who we come up against really but I think there might be a fire in the belly to avenge what happened last season. Besides, we need a cup run so we can use our enormous squad! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatman Posted June 21, 2013 Share Posted June 21, 2013 I think Norwich will be fine. Similar to us they were (or rather Hughton was) finding their feet last seaason. They'll be better this time around especially with all the turmoil elsewhere. Cant agree they were pretty awful for 2nd part of season and I think if WBA didnt take a dive they were in trouble. I like hughton but except a centre half partnership their is not that much quality in team. will need Van Wolfswinkel to fire quickly Planning to sign a waster in Ola Toivonen isnt going to help their cause Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted June 24, 2013 Moderator Share Posted June 24, 2013 Can someone check my work please? http://www.villatalk.com/index.php/forum/262-season-201314/ Dont we play Newport away end of July?Do you have a link? The friendlies I put up a few weeks back, I'd not heard any more announced.OS just put up ticket details. We play @ Newport (Rodney Parade) on Sunday July 28th @ 3pm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MagicMushroom Posted June 24, 2013 Share Posted June 24, 2013 another disgrace from Premier League. All founding teams are playing each other in lower leagues and we should have been set up with Everton opening game I think Arsenal away could set us up for the season confidence wise. We have a decent record down there and since its the first game, things will be equal. Point there followed by a win against Liverpool at home and we are flying. Loose both and its only to be expected, so little harm done. Im happy with the start. Imagine life on here if we played Hull and Norwich first two games and lost both! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BleedClaretAndBlue Posted July 25, 2013 Share Posted July 25, 2013 Just seen the Chelsea game has been braught forward to the 21st of August to cater their Super Cup fixture. Awful opening 3 games unless we click straight away! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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