Realistic Perspective

[LJS]

12 minutes ago, HankMarvin said:

But the ( other clubs) didn' just win the league and have the sort of investment we have.

when we are bringing on a 30million pound sub striker and 17 million pound winger after finishing first by 10 points, I think our expectations should be greater than our current position shows.

 

your making points that would be valid if it was 2014/15

We finished first by ten points and deserved to do so. That's not the same as saying we are a better team/squad than those who we finished above. Only that we were better for that period of time. I think most would find it difficult to argue that we had better squad in terms of raw ability than Man City, Spurs, Arsenal, Liverpool, Man Utd or Chelsea. So using our finishing top of the league is a bit of an artificial base.

 

If we accept (and I know that some won't) that our squad, again in terms of raw talent) was less able than those clubs named above, then consider that we spent less than any of those clubs it's understandable that we have fallen behind. Of course we have fallen behind other clubs as well. And there are a number of factors. Loss of desire, more games, older players, no Kante to name a few. With all that evidence to hand our drop off looks very understandable to me.

 

On investment, we didn't spend that much. £68m or whatever it was isn't a lot these days. It probably works out as less than the £28m that Peter Taylor spent ruining Martin O'Neill's work fifteen-odd years ago. Consider also that we sold players and our net spend was about £24m. The issue was recruitment wasn't that we signed poor players but that recruited to the wrong areas and it has left us with an unbalanced squad. 

[foxy boxing]

we have been concentrating on the Champions League and that has been our priority this season and to get to the knockout stages in our first season is remarkable, hopefully the league form will pick up from now til the end of the season and if we finish mid table that would be a good season for us. I know lots of fans expected us to be challenging for the title again but that realistically was never going to happen with all the big clubs back on form and everyone out to shoot us down. we are in a healthy position both on and off the field and as long as we fend of relegation and regroup and sustain a place in the Premier League for many years to come and have a platform to build on and get better and better

[HankMarvin]

37 minutes ago, LJS said:

We finished first by ten points and deserved to do so. That's not the same as saying we are a better team/squad than those who we finished above. Only that we were better for that period of time. I think most would find it difficult to argue that we had better squad in terms of raw ability than Man City, Spurs, Arsenal, Liverpool, Man Utd or Chelsea. So using our finishing top of the league is a bit of an artificial base.

 

If we accept (and I know that some won't) that our squad, again in terms of raw talent) was less able than those clubs named above, then consider that we spent less than any of those clubs it's understandable that we have fallen behind. Of course we have fallen behind other clubs as well. And there are a number of factors. Loss of desire, more games, older players, no Kante to name a few. With all that evidence to hand our drop off looks very understandable to me.

 

On investment, we didn't spend that much. £68m or whatever it was isn't a lot these days. It probably works out as less than the £28m that Peter Taylor spent ruining Martin O'Neill's work fifteen-odd years ago. Consider also that we sold players and our net spend was about £24m. The issue was recruitment wasn't that we signed poor players but that recruited to the wrong areas and it has left us with an unbalanced squad. 

I'm not replying to you again as you say the same stuff about the top teams that no one has mentioned apart from yourself.

 

 

What ever way you try to dress it up, the club is underachieving given the ability, last years investment and the wages paid to the team.

 

fans have a right to voice their discontent, every fan could go on about 100 year cycles.

 

we are the 14th worst team from the 17 that played top flight football last year, and with the fixtures coming up it's likely to be worse in the following weeks.

 

if your content with that then great.

 

 

[SpacedX]

2 hours ago, LJS said:

I like central Birmingham, it is much better than it was before it was redeveloped and I understand that there are plans to redevelop further. But people with money (footballers) don't want to live there. London and Manchester are the two premier cities in the country and the latter is now, culturally at least, widely regarded as being the second city. I think it's a shame and hope it changes but I think that's where we are at the moment. Manchester got some help from the IRA (I'm not trying to be glib, the bomb in '96 allowed them to start again) whereas Birmingham has to change more slowly. It does have an impressive city centre and has the feel of a major European city these days, but it still lags behind London and Manchester.

"People with money (footballers) don't want to live there.

 

Are you seriously suggesting that an international player signing for Villa would immediately go house hunting in Lozells or Perry Bar or be deterred from inking a contract because Handsworth's just up the road and he doesn't like the look of it? Of course London and Manchester have greater allure - as do the top clubs in both urban areas. In the case of the latter many opt to purchase homes in Cheshire (Rafa still has his from his Liverpool days). Birmingham is nonetheless the second City and is an economic dynamo. As I understand it, it was fashionable for Villa and Blues players to acquire property in Four Oaks - and I can assure you people with money do want to live there - whilst Solihull was recently identified as the the most desirable place to live in the country, which has sent house prices in the region soaring. Parts of rural Warwickshire are similarly coveted. 

 

3 hours ago, LJS said:

Villa's city is in  perhaps terminal decline as a cultural and economic centre. 

No it isn't and even if that was remotely true it would have very little to do with the farcical fortunes of Aston Villa Football Club. 

[murphy]

8 hours ago, Barky said:

I think some people need to remember last season was an anomaly. It's like earning £20k per year for your whole life and then one year winning the lottery. You'd be foolish to then raise your expectations so much that you're then disappointed if you don't win the lottery again the next year. The important thing is that we've made progress over a longer time period, and we have. We're still in one of the best positions we've been in during the modern football era. Only last season and the MON season's top it.

Rubbish.  Winning the lottery is pure chance.  We won the league on merit and you can't 'accidentally' win the league.

 

That is what is so frustrating.  We know this team is capable of so much more but the team is broken and no one knows how to fix it.

[fuchsntf]

9 hours ago, Fox92 said:

It's not just the results it's performances too. Performances have been very very poor, lack of effort, lazy at times and no commitment. 

 

I agree with your sentiments..but!!

I dont believe there is a lack of effort, nor lazy performances.I just believe they have simply imploded, and just simply burnt out.

They well and Truely gave their all, as team, in spirit they are totally drained .Fit yes but that intensity and spirit has deserted them as a team, and individuals.They have nothing more to give, not out of lack of want, or desire....whatever that special thing was....its gone.