Re: Our hopes of promotion...

by **villabromsgrove** Thu Dec 01, 2016 11:05 am

We have to beat the teams above us each time we play them, starting with Leeds.

by **Sandie** Sat Dec 03, 2016 5:10 pm

Lots of dropped points above us so far. Newcastle losing, Brighton drawing, Reading losing heavily and Birmingham losing. Clubs like Fulham and Derby getting good results, however, so a win today could be very useful, putting us to within two points of the top six in a very bunched up part of the division.

by **villabromsgrove** Sat Dec 03, 2016 7:42 pm

We deserved what we got today .... nothing!

by **Sandie** Sat Dec 03, 2016 8:09 pm

Even accounting for today's result, we've averaged just under two points per game under Bruce. If that had been our form all season we'd be sitting in third. And that's with RDM's players. The Di Matteo clanger still holds us back but today was no show stopper. We weren't going to go the rest of the season unbeaten.

by **villabromsgrove** Sun Dec 04, 2016 12:48 pm

There are still a number of better "TEAMS" than us. Our individuals need to start playing as a total unit asap.

by **villabromsgrove** Sun Dec 04, 2016 1:02 pm

Our hopes of promotion depend on buying a new goalkeeper in January. We need a bigger, stronger more experienced keeper. Look at the stats, we hardly have teams attack us and yet we regularly concede goals. I know out field mistakes haven't helped Gollini, but in my opinion he's a long way from being ready for a promotion fight.

We need at least one midfielder of the quality of Lansbury, preferably two.

We also need to find Gestede a new home, because it's obvious that we have no intention of using him as a big target man, with regular whipped in service. Question marks remain over the rest of our strikers excluding Kodjia (who has to be played up front). Bruce said last week that we have too many strikers because he only had space for one in his team. If that's the case then we need to buy in a damn good midfield, or we will miss out on promotion.

by **Sandie** Sun Dec 04, 2016 2:04 pm

Gollini seems to struggle when Elphick is playing in front of him.

by **villabromsgrove** Sun Dec 04, 2016 2:15 pm

Sandie wrote:Gollini seems to struggle when Elphick is playing in front of him.

That's true Baker gives him greater protection, but if you look at his ratio of saves to goals conceded, it's not good enough.

by **villabromsgrove** Sat Dec 17, 2016 6:33 pm

Our hopes of promotion have been dealt a blow by team selection, tactics and a lack of guts and application recently. We are now 9 points off the playoffs and we can forget about the top two places. It's fingers out time tomorrow!

by **Sandie** Sat Dec 17, 2016 10:03 pm

20 points off automatic promotion and the season isn't even half done yet. We need to start building up momentum again.

by **villabromsgrove** Tue Dec 27, 2016 1:30 pm

I've just been having a conversation with my son about the likelihood of promotion, and he raised a sobering point. If we can beat the bottom six teams, and then fail to beat the top teams, then it's evidence that we have found our level in the middle of the Championship League. A number of other former Premier teams have found this to be true, and are still here after years of trying to get back to the PL.

We desperately need to buy a functioning mid field and an experienced dominating keeper, at the same time as removing the players who perpetuate the weaknesses and attitude of the "old Villa".

by Jim Villan Tue Dec 27, 2016 2:38 pm

Villa fans need perspective when making judgements of Villas level at the moment. We need to seperate Villa under RDM and the villa under Steve Bruce. We may not be playing good football but under Steve Bruce we have picked up two points a game and if Bruce had been in charge since the start of the season that would see us at this stage sitting 3 points behind newcastle. We are doing well now and therefore that gives me reason to look at the positives rather than the negatives. The fact that RDM was crap shouldn't be clouding peoples judgements on Villa now. The fact that were not playing great is a valid concern that we probably all share, however there is no way that villa under Steve bruce is a mid table championship side, thats totally inaccurate and the stats prove that!

by Jim Villan Tue Dec 27, 2016 3:09 pm

Just looking back at my optimistic prediction on the 30th of November of 24 points over a ten game period. well were half way through those 10 fixtures and we have 9 points meaning we have to win the next 5 games for my prediction to be accurate Embarassed

. Chances are is that we wont win the next 5 games, how many points does everybody see us getting over the next 5 fixtures?

by **Sandie** Tue Dec 27, 2016 4:02 pm

I agree Jim that we've wasted two months with RDM and the residue of RDM has also left Steve Bruce with a number of problems. I have no doubt that had Bruce been able to get his own players in we wouldn't be playing as limply as we are now. Look at Bruce on a touchline and he's as unhappy with our performances as we are. I think standards will increase once the manager has brought in his own players over the January window. We've basically had two wasted months (the RDM period) and then two months of damage limitation (the early Bruce period). The remaining half of the season should hopefully be better.

by **villabromsgrove** Tue Dec 27, 2016 4:04 pm

Jim Villan wrote:Just looking back at my optimistic prediction on the 30th of November of 24 points over a ten game period. well were half way through those 10 fixtures and we have 9 points meaning we have to win the next 5 games for my prediction to be accurate . Chances are is that we wont win the next 5 games, how many points does everybody see us getting over the next 5 fixtures?

I think we will get at least 9 points and perhaps 11.

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