Aston Villa News 24/7Writer: avfc48 
Date:Friday August 10 2007
Time: 1:05PM
UK time is: 23:05:16
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The Villa Trend Is Still Up
I'm well known for my less than positive views on O'Neill, and while I gain encouragement that many have over the last season seen the light where he is concerned I think it only fair to say that with the new
season about to kick off tomorrow, I'm a more relaxed Villan than I have been for many, many a season start.
The loss of Ellis and his list of managers, his ever changing team, his jam tomorrow, never achieved promises are all gone. In its place is an ever improving club with a great owner and reliable manager.
Last season start Ellis' influence still affected the club as did the previous two managers tactics and teams. O'Neill just about managed, thanks to some spectacular backing from Lerner in January, to stabilise
the ship enough for us to stave off a relegation fight and enable a startling finish up to 11th.
Whilst I'm not at all happy with the transfer situation through this summer, O'Neill has virtually achieved his objectives, I'd guess. He has removed those he does not feel will do a good enough job for him. The jokers from the past are all gone along with some I'd have kept, players he felt he couldn't motivate, nevertheless.
Again we are left with a paper thin squad, but one which is better than its been for 5 even 7 seasons, and one which has shown using negative tactics can survive if nothing else. Whilst I'm sure every other clubs fans are confident their squads have been improved for them to be 'safer' next season, few will be thinking they have improved enough to make huge moves upwards either.
I know our squad isn't as well prepared as it could be, its not as good as it could be, its most certainly not as big as it needs to be yet and I have doubts even when these oft promised signings do arrive it will still be large enough. But, last season the team coped with players like Agathe, Sutton, then Bardsley, without Laursen from day 1, with Kiraly for several games, and with Bouma, McCann, Hughes, and Mellberg often on the injury table.
This season the table is one of the best in the Premiership,it will need to be, but the team that kicks off tomorrow is better than the one that finished in May, and it will get better soon. Its not what I expected, its far, far poorer than I'd wanted, but its good enough and its not stagnating, the trend is still up. How high depends on the next 3 weeks and how quickly new players fit in.
We'll see.
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Your Comments
An interesting article and several good points made
notthedougellisstand
Totally agree its gonna be an interesting season, wonder what players will come in if we beat all the teams in August and sit on top of the table? They will all be clambering to us near midnight on the 31st August - lets wait and see though.
KSarge1
Slightly more even handed then his usual attempts at subtle "I told you so" slights against our club's management.
The Usual Suspect
Completely agree with all of that, and if this continues over the next few years as has been promised then we should have plenty to look foward to.
andrew144
"along with some I'd have kept, players he felt he couldn't motivate, nevertheless." - Just how do you plan to keep players at the club who aren't happy with not playing? MON said from day one he wouldn't stand in their way if they wanted to leave and sadly Ridge and Davis didn't want to fight for their place, when they can walk into the starting 11 of an inferior team .
Onemadvillafan
I don't plan to do anything I'm not the manager.
I didn't say O'Neill is a toss pot for not keeping them, I didn't say any manager that didn't keep players until he had viable replacements should be sacked.
I just suggested an opinion that I would have preferred to keep a few players just in case.
The team would look better with Hughes at right back against Liverpool, than some unknown kid, an out of position Mellberg or a last minute signing, which now with a few hours to go doesn't look likely
so why the attempted point score onemad ?
avfc48
Very interesting article. Good points made. Share your view about lack of transfer signings, frustrating I know, but PUT YOUR TRUST IN MON...
RANDYLERNERFAN
avfc40
48 you sure are an enigma, you've confused the hell outta me with your ever changing views.
DeanoVilla
AVFC48, Would rather have Gardener or any of our centre backs at RB, at least they would be up for it and give 100%, Hughes could not pass atall and Ulysses DeLa Cruz would have been better. And at last you have realised that you are not the manager. Some good points but MON wants a squad who are all pulling in the same direction and are hungry not self obsessed wanabees. Patience is needed. At least he is not panic buying!!!!
Villan444
A well structured piece avfc48, with which I largely agree. As you know I just wish all of your posts were as constructive. Some posters can only rant and rave - you don't need to.......... so keep up the good work.
pongo wearing
We only rant and rave because of posters either, writing an article on what we already know or negative criticism of our club and board after only being in charge for 12 months. How about propper discussions on our youth policy ? backroom staff ? new training ground ? the Holte Hotel (to be fair Fear did a good article on that), the new season ticket card ? ........but no......lets criticise a decent manager and fantastic board, talk about signing SWP and Defoe all season again and again........I'll do my judging from the terraces every game, and if we mess up sometimes .....fine thats football......but if people think that we are going to struggle this season......then they are very wrong.
astonmilan
astonmilan, I do cover all topics, holte, tickets, reserves, did one on the villa ladies recently, have interviewed directors, former players etc even the ticket exchange thing done today. part of the site is covering quotes etc, same as any other football news site and to be fair, this site is open to all, got something you want published, send it along, I'd be only too happy to print it, I like all opinions and views. At the moment the transfer window is the big issue and it is a bit negative, if we were making loads of signings, there would be other things to talk about. As said, the site is open for people to suggest polls and submit articles, feel free dude!
The Fear
oh forgot, also comprehensively covered the Bodymoor Heath re-launch, the badge, the new kit (even had a competition with the money out of my pocket to buy it) etc etc. :0)
The Fear
Sorry Fear, my post wasn't aimed at this site in general, I know you yourself cover almost everything you can get info on, and brilliant, because without you, this site would be dead !!! ...my point was aimed at avfc48, and how he should write about other issues rather than the 'glass is half empty' c**p he keeps posting, it really is getting boring now, and to us season ticket holders we can see improvements, slowly happening, some of us want it now, some of us are prepared to wait, but 99% of the fans are happy how things are going. The transfer market is a minefield, and is best left to the professionals, and if people think for one minute that MON hasn't been trying to bolster then they are gravely mistaken. We cannot compete with Man Utd, Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal and Spurs, no matter how much money we have £30m, £50m, £100m, full stop. It is about attracting established players or getting the right players at the right value, and that is so difficult. In time it will come, not now, maybe tomorrow, but it will come.
astonmilan
Thats more like it 48, much more optimistic than usual. Some good points there......We have a quality looking back bone to the team now, all we need to do now is add a couple gems over the next couple of season and we'll be pushing for a top 4 place.
son_of_cher
Sorry astonmilan, I write about what I want to write about not what will placate fans like yourself.
I'm not here to express opinions to placate the odd fan or even the majority of fans, I post to put over a point of view I see as relevant, if its about something you wish not to face up to so be it.
I don't calss myself as being any betetr a fan than any other, be they in Aston or Canada, be they season ticket holders or have never been to a game.
We all have views, we should all be allowed to express them, if you see them as negative offer counter views which you may think positive, why waste 2 posts having a go at me and doing a bad job of it anyway, your criticism bear no resemblance to anything in that article above.
avfc48
and if we adopt your suggestions of wait and be patient, do you feel the present team that kicks off against Liverpool tomorrow will survive a season in the Premiership.
O'neill doesn't he's already disgracefully I think, suggested we can cope for the 3 matches until the window closes as there are 35 games left.
His mind set is mid table, mid table Martin strieks again
avfc48
Enjoyed reading that piece avfc48, and your responses to the replies your article drummed up. You're as positive and upbeat as I feel supporters can justifiably be right now. Anything more is just false optimism.
glensider
Can`t wait for that thread on the " new season ticket card " whooooooo - i honestly haven`t a clue what this team will do next season,gonna be a strange one i reck?
ASPINALL
Just looked at the Spurs squad. Something like 3000 players in their list: http://www.spurs.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=77616
The Fear
Astonmilan this article isn't doom and gloom. Its a well written piece on our situation at the moment
notthedougellisstand
bring back Graham Taylor then!
merlin
avfc48 - agree with the article but your response is strange - "His mind set is mid table, mid table Martin strieks again" - what do you base this belief on? Apart from Harewood, which I believe was on impulse, I think the signings so far have been very encouraging. To think we have the nucleus of the under 21's at the club, you have to be excited about that. You say we are a club on the up and yet you do not believe this, else you wouldn't have made this statement about MON. Ellis was happy with midtable mediocracy - Lerner isn't. Are you?
myleftfoot
ps -Don't encourage too many people over to your point of view - being an devils advocat is only fun whilst you are alone in what you are saying. Good Luck and UTV
myleftfoot
The new campaign promises much. We have an exciting young side, well capable of provident the entertainment that has long been missing from Villa Park teams. MON will additionally strengthen before the window closes, he knows full well what he's doing, and who he wants in at the club. Progress was made last season, and will again this time around. With MON and RL at the helm, the future looks very exciting and promising.
glensider
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