Feeling strangely positive

[picasso]

When it comes to Villa I'm normally a glass half empty man and usually for good reason. However, I'm feeling quite positive about this coming season despite the fact that much of the team is the same as finished mid table last season. We seem to have better players than most of our rivals, JT should inspire a bit of confidence and Bruce has done it before. The only fly in the ointment would be the purchase of Crouch. Not because he's a bad player but merely a statement of intent on how we would play.

[freer]

The real impetus for a successful promotion campaign must come from Steve Bruce !

Last term Bruce set us out not to loose & consequently we witnessed an exceedingly timid Villa side

We need creativity, initiative, & to be positive, display some genuine desire & aggression (granted this doesn't guarantee maximum points each game) but for Christ's sake lets go down fighting

Villa paid top dollar for three strikers last season, only Kodjia gets amongst the goals. We need a pair of goalscorers, either Scott Hogan or Ross McCormack (if he sticks around) to finally come good- Peter Crouch isn't the solution, Davies is far more aggressive & would noise up far more defenders

Its make or break for Jack Grealish, cameo performances ain't enough- Jack must become a big influence this season, failure could result with him heading for the revolving door

We can win promotion the question is..... Can Bruce do it?

If we haven't made a sustained improvement by November, Tony Xia’s patience will have been maxed out & some serious questions will asked by “The Boss”

Lastly

Is it coincidental Villa never progress, with the likes of Gabby Agbonlahor, Leandro Bacuna, and Alan Hutton around , I have heard enough excuses why we should keep playing/reintroduce them, what evidence is there to support their involvement, the end result is always the same.


Right soap box away “Come on you Lions”

[TrianonDave]

Totally agree with all said but we are football fans typically we are all optimistic at the start of every season this is what makes this game so beautiful. Did Leicester think that they would win the league and play in the CL? no, did Huddersfield fans actually think they would get promoted? no. Did the man utd fans think the special one would win the league last season Yes but they did not!

What we can say is the all the big money men like Citeh, Chelski and Arsenal will be near the top....Boring! but in the Championship, who knows, the teams who get off to a flyer, tend to stay there, we all thought Huddersfield would fall away but they didn't, we drew and lost too many early games and could recover!

A settled team with the players believing in themselves and a couple more additions and I honestly think, yes we will have a very good season, I don't know why but I smell Wembley.

I just wish the likes of Richards, Siissoko, Gil, Vertout and a couple more would go!

[freer]

Good points T D

I remain staggeringly optimistic until Zero Hour

See Link *

https://www.timeanddate.com/countdow...y&font=cursive

[bongosdad]

I think Dr X has squashed the Crouch roumor on Twitter so it's probably not happening. It wouldn't matter if it's true either, we need a team to get us out of the division and another one to stay up.
My only concern is the poor way we ended the season. I'm optimistic though.

[picasso]

Bugger. Optimism gone.

[TrianonDave]

Bugger. Optimism gone.

DARE I say it, its not the players its the manager and his assistant that need to look at themselves quickly and sort out a settled team with attacking tactics.
Just what was the point in that game yesterday? Bringing on 8 players in the 65th minute completely destroyed any understanding the players were getting. What was the point in playing players who are set to leave?
Vertout, Richards Amavi?
What was the point in playing Tshibola up front? what was the point in playing Hutton at CH?
Yes I know Bruce wants to look at all his squad but Please, Did we have a Manager on the touch line?
We need a settled team, we need to gel we need to be attacking for 90 minutes, whats the point in 'Tippy Tappy' football only to consistently pass backwards, what the hell is wrong with going forward? How many time did Amavi go a mazy run only stop check and pass the ball back 50 yards just for the defender to wack it up in the air, wasn't even aimed at one of our players!!

Yes it was a friendly but come on, do the experiments in training and play the strongest team before the season starts, we cannot be pi55ing around with formations and tactics once the season starts or we will mirror exactly what we achieved last season!
Optimism gone, no but on that display yesterday dented

[bongosdad]

He's probably putting a few players in the shop window.

[TrianonDave]

Well on that display Bongo, we are stuck with them! Non one will want any of our players.
Maybe we will have to go into the season with a big squad of disgruntled players, to save a bad dressing room I would cut my losses and have a garage sale. Just get rid!

[freer]

I'm with T D we played a strong team yet lost to Shrewsbury & were total poop you wouldn't think Villa could be that confused


Mark my words. on that display I cant see Steve Bruce lasting beyond 2nd week in October