The Opposite View: Liverpool

[Troglodyte]

I should have been doing some work this morning, so found a way to distract myself.

 

As fans of other clubs have done from time to time on here, I thought it would be interesting to sign up for one or two Liverpool fan forums and gauge their thoughts on the game, as well as Villa and their own club in general.  I may do this on a regular basis, for each fixture we play - but we'll see how this goes first.  Obviously all clubs will have fans with mixed views and I'll try to offer a balance, at the same time trying to determine what the consensus is regarding certain issues.

 

I've posed the following questions (see quote box below), but will also take snippets of their general discussions.  I'll post examples of answers that I think are interesting in the thread, but also give an overview of responses in this post (and update it if necessary).

 

 

 

What will the score be today?

What about Liverpool should Villa be particularly wary of?

Overall, who do you rate highly of the Villa squad? Anyone you’d take at Anfield, given the chance?

What are your views on Luis Suárez?  Will he stay?  Should he stay?

What do you think of Paul Lambert?

Where do you think Liverpool will finish this season?  Similarly, what would you consider a successful campaign?

Where do you think Villa will finish this season? What do you think Villa should consider a successful campaign?

How would you rate your personal feelings about Villa, from 1-10 (1 being detest, 10 being love them as your second club)?  What do you like and/or dislike about them?

 

So, after a couple of hours, most Liverpool fans seem to think they will get the win today, which will give them a huge boost in confidence given our first two games this season.  Still seems to be a nervous excitement, much like what we are feeling here - they are aware that they will need to take their chances.  Many are worried about Benteke and aware that Gabby is in form, although several fans are banking on Touré using his intelligence (rather than simple strength) to keep Benteke quiet, as he did against Stoke.  Some fancy Enrique to keep Gabby quiet, others aren't so sure, and a few are suggesting that 3 at the back will be the best way to play against us.  Cissokho could start, but most think he won't.

 

Mixed views on some players, such as Lowton, who many praise but others have singled out as a potential weak link at the back, particularly if he's targeted by Coutinho.  They feel that although our own attack will be difficult to handle, their own speed trickery going forward will be too much for our defence (Coutinho, Aspas, Sturridge all posing threats in this respect).  'Tight game' is a common view.

 

Most are hoping Henderson starts ahead of Allen, as he's quicker and more energetic, which they realise will be important against Villa as they'll need to press and work hard against us.  However, the fact that we played in midweek leads most Reds fans to believe that they'll come out on top in this regard over the ninety minutes.

 

Lambert is generally popular and they like what he's doing with the side.  Compliments made about VP when rocking, but others stating that it can also be very dull when things aren't going our way.

 

They see fourth and a good cup run as a successful season for them, and generally top half as one for us, which they see as entirely achievable.

 

Most common scores out of 10 for how much they like us seem to be 6/7, owing much to the Lambert effect and the fact that many see us as an established club who they didn't want to go down last year.

[Troglodyte]

Obviously there are always some idiots, but maybe look out for this:

 

 

smoke bombs are a must for this game.

Jaffa boxes better not be inspected!

 

 

Must be loads of Pyro going today, local Tescoe has sold out of Jaffa cakes.

 

 

 

 

And further morons:

 

 

all you have to know about is where y'all gonna be drowning your sorrows after the game.

 

 

However, some examples of more reasoned views:

 

What will the score be today?

1-2

 

What about Liverpool should Villa be particularly wary of?
Coutinho!

Overall, who do you rate highly of the Villa squad?
Lowton, Weimann, Benteke

Anyone you’d take at Anfield, given the chance?

See above

What are your views on Luis Suárez?
He's acting like a spoilt child and that's why Brendan treated him like one. Sit in the naughty corner till you're ready to apologise and then you can play with the group. 

 

Will he stay?

If Real offer 40m and players or 50m ... no. 

Should he stay?
No, for me it's just a case of getting a fair price for him.

What do you think of Paul Lambert?
Excellent manager who I respected as a player, really liked at Norwich and have been impressed with at Villa.

 

Where do you think Liverpool will finish this season? 5th

 

Similarly, what would you consider a successful campaign?
4th and an encouraging cup run

Where do you think Villa will finish this season?
7th/8th

 

What do you think Villa should consider a successful campaign?
Top half

How would you rate your personal feelings about Villa, from 1-10 (1 being detest, 10 being love them as your second club)?
No idea about numbers wise but I do like Villa and have friends who are Villa fans and they're a side I'm glad to have in the league and I respect what Lambert has done. Okay let's say 7-8

 

What do you like and/or dislike about them?
Like the history, the tradition, the fans (that i've met) and the new style they've adopted.

 

 

 

What will the score be today?
1-2
What about Liverpool should Villa be particularly wary of?
Kolo Toure from corners

Overall, who do you rate highly of the Villa squad?
Weimann, Benteke, Guzan - I would like to see how Helenius will work out....
Anyone you’d take at Anfield, given the chance?
If we could have anyone Benteke then Guzan, Gabby & Delph for the bench.

What are your views on Luis Suárez?
He is a quality player.
Will he stay?
Long term no.
Should he stay?
If we are able to match his ambition yes.

What do you think of Paul Lambert?
Quality manager. I wanted him or AVB ahead of Rodgers at the time.
Where do you think Liverpool will finish this season? 5th
Similarly, what would you consider a successful campaign?
4th & semifinal of fa cup.

Where do you think Villa will finish this season?
8-12
What do you think Villa should consider a successful campaign?
Top half would be a major improvement. A lot of teams around you are weaker this year tho.

How would you rate your personal feelings about Villa, from 1-10 (1 being detest, 10 being love them as your second club)?
7 I always check on them two of my cousins are villa supporters.
What do you like and/or dislike about them?
I love when Villa park is rocking. I hate when its not.
Cheers!

 

 

What will the score be today?

I think we might nick it 2-1. I think we will have trouble keeping Agbonlahor and Benteke quiet, but I also think our attack might be too much for you.
 

What about Liverpool should Villa be particulary vary of?

The speed, movement and trickery of our attack. Aspas seems very trickery and energetic, constantly working the oppositions centrebacks. Sturridge has a lot og pace and a very good shot on him - Even from a standstill position. Coutinho is just pure magic. You did manage to only concede 2 goals against Chelsea, so I could be wrong, but I do think our attack will be too much for your defence.

 

Overall, who do you rate highly of the Villa squad? Anyone you'd take at Anfield, given the chance?

Benteke is a given, so I won't go on about him. Weimann looks like he could become a good Premier League player.
 

What are your view on Luis Suárez? Will he stay? Should he Stay?

I think he's had some absolutely horrible advice from his agent. I think he will stay, now that Henry and Rodgers has laid down the law. I also think that he should stay, since he still has 3 years left on his contract. I think he will go either in January, when we know which teams have made it through the CL groups, or next summer.
 

What do you think about Paul Lambert?

I can't say that I've heard too much about him, but he seems an interesting manager. He's pulled some transfer-rabbits out of the hat so far and seems to have the balls to go for players previously unheard of. Since I' from Denmark, I can't say I'm surprised that he picked up Okore from Nordsjælland, he's been a very good defender for them and helped them win the league the season before last. Helenius has a very good scoring record for a striker in his age, but I did not imagine that he'd be going out of the country this summer, let alone to the premier league. I'd have thought it would make better sense to pick up Cornelius from Copenhagen, who looks like a better prospect. But then again it can be quite difficult to judge these types of tall, big strikers when they are still this young. And while Cornelius has won the league with Copenhagen, Helenius has a lot more experience in the Danish top flight. In any case it will be very interesting to see what Lambert is building with Aston Villa, and if he can succeed with it and make these relatively unknown players into a good team.

 

Where do you think Liverpool will finish this season? Similarly, what would you considder a successful campaign?

I'm more focused on the points total, than on the finishing position come may. The league is much stronger this year with three teams vying for the top four, and maybe even three teams competing for the title, although I can't see manure put in a sustained and proper challenge in moyes first season. And a lot of other teams have become stronger over the summer. My target for a successful season is to get 70 points and push on from there, if that is enough for the top 4 then that's a bonus. But I think it will be a tough challenge for us to finish in the top 4 and if we finish fifth with 70 points I'll consider it a success, since that gives us a much stronger sense of momentum and therefore a better platform to build (and recruit) from and  - Although I will be bitterly disappointed on the final day of the season.

 

Where do you think Villa will finish this season? What do you think Villa should consider a successful campaign?

Again, I think it will be much more instructive to focus on points total rather than finishing positions. Since you were flirting with relegation last year I'd say you should focus on getting 40 points as fast as possible and then see how far you can push on from there. If that's 8'th, 10'th or 13'th I really don't know. It seems everything we know about the league this season is in limbo. Some say manure will struggle to finish top three, others are saying tot'num are title candidates and Arsenal haven't shipped out a star name. What's become of the world?

How would you rate your personal feelings about Villa, from 1-10? What do you like and/or dislike about them?

About five. I want to give you an emphatic beating whenever we meet, but at the same time I was hoping that you'd stay up last season because I think you belong in the league.

[legov]

I actually agree with them, seems perfectly reasonable.

[StefanAVFC]

Good work Trog

[Troglodyte]

Also, a poll on what they think the outcome will be:

Away win? 56 (70%)

 

Hard fought draw? 20 (25%)

 

Sad defeat? 4 (5%)

Edited August 24, 2013 by Troglodyte

[StefanAVFC]

5%? ha

[Troglodyte]

Someone with a selective memory here:

 

 

Amusing how everyone thinks that AV is now a daunting force after their win at Arsenal. They seem to have improved, fair enough, but I'm quietly confident that if we can neutralize their forward line, while similarly playing our own brand of football, we have good chances of seeing this through. Their defence isn't the best in the league me thinks. It will anyway be a good test of how much we have improved compared with last season. We beat them quite comprehensively last season, and I see no reason why we couldn't repeat this.

 

Let's hope for the best, I'm sure we'll see a good performance from the Reds today. Fingers crossed!

[Troglodyte]

And similarly:

 

 

 

quite a lot of people worried about this one and I dont know why. We beat them last year, coming from a goal behind (by Benteke) to win. When Benteke scored everyone was like 'i told you so' etc. 

We'll do them today, by a few and Toure will make Benteke look like Heskey (post treble season ).

[StefanAVFC]

Apparently our defence relies on heart rather than ability. I'd like to see them face Okore.

[Troglodyte]

 

 

Where do you think Villa will finish this season? What do you think Villa should consider a successful campaign?

Between 10th-14th. Would hope fans haven't raised their expectations a significant amount. 

How would you rate your personal feelings about Villa, from 1-10 (1 being detest, 10 being love them as your second club)? What do you like and/or dislike about them?

Probably give a 6. Not huge feelings either way. I like the way the team plays and the stadium is one of the best in England. On the flip side I think the fans expectations are too high and that at times they get on the back of the players quicker than they should. 

 

Fair comments?

[smetrov]

Probably the club more up its own arse than any other. They consistently spend big in transfer market - yet we are always reminded of home growns have come through the ranks over the years.

 

Rodgers was recruited with much the same brief as Lambert - except when they fielded - the loveable home grown scousers - they got panned every week - so they got bored and went to plan a (heres £26m for coutinho + sturridge)

 

They have an absolutley appalling record in the transfer market,  Charlie Adam, Andy Carroll, Downing,  Joe Allen, - there's £90m down the pan - yet the press/pundits never pick up on this...

 

I loathe them with a passion that I reserve no other - and thats includes those down the road..

 

Biggest game  of the season for me today....needless to say....

[Troglodyte]

I was actually surprised that most fans on their forum seemed generally level-headed (although the vast majority of them are anticipating a win!) as many that I've met personally tend to be deluded, self aggrandising fuckwits.  That said, I do have a couple of close friends who are Liverpool fans, and they're generally more realistic.

 

Still, I loathe Steven Gerrard with a passion, and I hope that Concrete Ron smashes him into the ground.

[The Fun Factory]

Are other team fans being nice to use because we still don't seem a threat? Discuss.

[villa-revolution]

Enjoyed reading this thread - Excellent work Trog I think you have been commissioned for the rest of the season now. Well done that man.

[Electric Avenue]

So the 95% of Liverpool fans who thought they'd win were, erm, correct .

Edited August 25, 2013 by Electric Avenue