Expectations for the new season

Our pre-season campaign is now completed so thoughts now must turn to the looming Championship season. Taking a wider look at it, what do members expect from our team next season and what are they seeing as criteria for success? Will nothing less than automatic promotion be good enough? Or is their too much to do from last season's disaster to expect that? Anybody expecting a cup run?

I'm standing by what I said at the end of last season. I think that so much work is needed to be done to return this club to where it needs to be that an immediate return is a tall order. My expectation is that we need a couple of seasons to get to the level of a respectable PL club. With the competition for promotion this season from the likes of Newcastle and the risks of bedding in new players I expect automatic promotion is beyond us. As such, my expectation and bar for success will be getting into the playoffs. The playoffs are, unfortunately, a bit of a lottery as to whether they result in promotion so that's not a given.

My other expectation is that we will have a slow start to the FLC campaign. Many of our players are used to the Premier League and I would expect not be sure what to expect in the Championship. Frankly, most of them weren't tough enough for the Premiership so heaven help them in a harsher, more competitive league with a quicker turnaround between fixtures. I don't think our business is near complete either so we will be a few games in before we have a final squad. And probably a few more in before everyone is bedded in.

As for the cups. I'm not sure. Maybe a bit of a run in one? League should be the focus.

I've got to get my head around what I watched today, before I can give a reasoned answer.

Unless we ditch the tactic of using our full backs to provide all our crosses, we are going to struggle this season. Hutton and Cissokho are not good with the ball at their feet, and they are far too slow to get back in position once an attack has broken down.

The second half yesterday was a comical display of all that was wrong last season, with both full backs stranded way up the pitch.

Middlesborough attacked us with natural wingers (Adomah and Downing), That meant they kept their shape at the back at all times. Simple isn't it.

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/ian-holloways-predicted-league-table-11688120?

Ian Holloway doesn't think much of Villa's chances this season. He thinks we're more likely to get relegated than promoted.

He makes a valid point though. Why should we expect basically the same group of players to suddenly turn things around? On the evidence of Saturday's match, nothing has changed except the names of the owner and manager.

Villa players have an ingrained weak mentality and default position when they're under pressure. It won't change until the culprits have gone. The same players are still doing the same things that got us relegated, and it's only a few days until our first match.

I can only agree.... villa are looking like a very poor championship side. other teams may not have spent fortunes on players but, do have team spirit and know how in that league. Villa are basically the same team that was just awful in every department. I hate being a pessimist but there isn't enough time to bring in new players and expect them to form the sort of bond that can win us games. Why we are concentrating on building academies in India when our home team is rotten from the core ill never know. Please let me be wrong. I was last season.... I had some hope then!!

I was positive at the start of last season too. This time, I'm lurching from negativity to uncertainty. I have a bad feeling that the new season is going to go to waste because we haven't gone far enough to get to grips with our problems.

villabromsgrove wrote:http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/ian-holloways-predicted-league-table-11688120?

Ian Holloway doesn't think much of Villa's chances this season. He thinks we're more likely to get relegated than promoted.

He makes a valid point though. Why should we expect basically the same group of players to suddenly turn things around? On the evidence of Saturday's match, nothing has changed except the names of the owner and manager.

Villa players have an ingrained weak mentality and default position when they're under pressure. It won't change until the culprits have gone. The same players are still doing the same things that got us relegated, and it's only a few days until our first match.

I'm thinking back to the tweet a few days ago from Xia. He said that RDM had told him that the problem last season was more down to management than the players. He obviously must feel he can get the best out of these players (assuming this isn't an owner trying to deny tight purse strings). The problem is that I think he's somehow missed that, even if these players are good enough, they have had so many bad times at Villa Park they are going to struggle to play there with confidence. That's compounded by our unbalanced squad which lacks creativity, width and leadership. Until I see something to give me confidence I'm not sure we will be challenging at the right end of the table.

stevieg179avfc wrote:I can only agree.... villa are looking like a very poor championship side. other teams may not have spent fortunes on players but, do have team spirit and know how in that league. Villa are  basically the same team that was just awful in every department. I hate being a pessimist but there isn't enough  time to bring in new players and expect them to form the sort of bond that can win us games. Why we are concentrating on building academies in India when our home team is rotten from the core ill never know. Please let me be wrong. I was last season.... I had some hope then!!

I have to agree with you Stevie G. We have to address some immediate priorities before we try to sell ourselves to the rest of the world. Last season's debacle is in danger of being repeated. There's still some time left, but we've wasted too much of it so far. Dr T has said that we can't rush the repair of five bad years, but in my opinion we should at least have some strong foundations in the ground by now.

I Still think its impossible to judge how well we will fare until the transfer window has played out. If McCormack comes in, then on paper between himself Ayew and Gestede we have the strikers........can we provide for them. Well I think in Mccormack we will have somebody who will link well with Ayew and Gestede, would be great for them to play 3 up front with McCormack at the base. We need to replace Hutton and Westward and add another creative Midfield/Winger. If we can bring 3 good players in, in these areas than it will transform the team and there will be no reason why we can't compete with Norwich and Newcastle for Automatic promotion.

Jim Villan wrote:I Still think its impossible to judge how well we will fare until the transfer window has played out. If McCormack comes in, then on paper between himself Ayew and Gestede we have the strikers........can we provide for them. Well I think in Mccormack we will have somebody who will link well with Ayew and Gestede, would be great for them to play 3 up front with McCormack at the base. We need to replace Hutton and Westward and add another creative Midfield/Winger. If we can bring 3 good players in, in these areas than it will transform the team and there will be no reason why we can't compete with Norwich and Newcastle for Automatic promotion.

Who would you suggest as a creative midfielder and winger?

We have to forget playing with wing backs and play with experienced full backs and wingers in front of them. Amavi is a bit weak as a full back, but has all the technique and pace of a really good left winger. Traore has the same attributes for the right wing. I agree with you Jim that Hutton and Westwood must go as should Sanchez. If we can convince Veretout that he has a real future with Villa he could be an excellent creative midfielder, if he regains his confidence.

So for me the next thing is to sort out our full backs. It's no good scoring goals if we continue to give away a couple of stupid ones most matches!

http://www.skysports.com/football/news/15125/10518237/what-will-newcastles-starting-xi-look-like-against-fulham

I'm guilty of negativity at the moment so it's worth reminding ourselves of how clubs like Newcastle have changed. The team mentioned is shown in the same formation as RDM plays so it's easy to compare like for like.

I know Toon have some classier players not included in that line up, but that's because it's thought they may me sold. (Sissoko etc.)

They are such short odds favourites with the Bookies that it's not worth putting a bet on, but is that team really a lot better than ours?

Yes, Newcastle really are that much better than us. They have a defence that looks capable for that level, a midfield that looks very good and have brought in attacking players who have excelled at that level in the past. The problem they have is that they will probably need to replace a lot of their players if they do get promoted. It's an excellent Championship side but I'm not sure if it can deliver what Newcastle fans expect in the Premier League.

By contrast, the only part of our team I have any confidence in is our central defence (Elphick, Baker and Okore are good for this level). I'd say Gestede and Ayew could do well but only with a good supply line and a tactical plan that suits them neither I have seen yet. Other than that, Golini is a gamble but I think he'll prove a decent enough choice. He will have to put up with playing behind a defence undermined by the fullbacks and defensive midfield though and that finished Guzan off before him.

I agree that the only time to judge properly is at the end of the transfer window BUT we have six fixtures between now and then. If we get a few in at the back end of the window they will then take a few more fixtures afterwards to gel with their new team. Hence, I expect us to have a slow start with these players.

Dwight Gayle is a decent poacher but he tends to score a couple and then go missing for half a dozen games. Ritchie will be their star player if he stays fit imo.

A big factor for Newcastle is that they had valuable assets. They sold Wijnaldum for £23million and managed to get £13million for Townsend. That's bankrolled their new signings. We on the other hand don't really have valuable players and have seen Clark and Gana leave for comparatively modest fees (which were commensurate with what they are actually worth).