[Miyazaki]

I have been an Aston Villa supporter since the age of 6 and have seen my share of ups and downs.

I think O'Neill is the best manager we've had certainly since Brian Little and possibly since Ron Saunders/ Tony Barton.

We are building a squad of quality, and most importantly, hard working players and seem to be capable of sustaining form.

I just wondered what the neutral really thinks about Villa's chances?

Personally, and I might be going out on a limb, I think we can finish 2nd. Whether we will or not is another story.

[Miyazaki]

Should really have beaten Blackburn 5-0 and that makes it 10 away wins this season.

I must admit I never expected Villa to perform this well this season.

[Greg]

Definitely yes. Arsenal have just not got it together this year as a team.

[Steven]

To be fair, between Scolari heading for the sack and drawing today and Rafa's bizarre team selection I think Liverpool and Chelsea need to look out. On the way things are going Arsenal will overtake Chelsea soon enough

[montybaber]

Like you have been a supporter for many years (24 to be exact) and I cant remember being so happy with the Villa (maybe 89-90 under Graham Taylor with David Platt and Tony Daly etc)

Actually met Graham Taylor at Villa park this season and he was very complimentary of the side

seems like the balance is right in the squad and with the youth it lokks good for the future, really impressed with O'neil

Cant help worrying that it could possibly go sour, Villa havent had the best record when they do this well in the first half of the season

[Miyazaki]

Must admit the last time I felt this confident of Villa was under Little.

Can remember Big Ron and Graham Taylor as well.

I've been following the villa for 22 years.

Must admit I haven't been to a game this season though!

[Miyazaki]

Originally Posted by montybaber

Cant help worrying that it could possibly go sour, Villa havent had the best record when they do this well in the first half of the season

Carew is back and looking dangerous.

Bouma is back soon, so we'll have our defenders playing in position for the first time this season!

If anything, Villa should improve mate.

[montybaber]

Should

Dont want to get too cocky though lol

I dont get up as much as I used to (live down in Dorset)

[kopchoir]

Originally Posted by LFC_SL

To be fair, between Scolari heading for the sack and drawing today and Rafa's bizarre team selection I think Liverpool and Chelsea need to look out. On the way things are going Arsenal will overtake Chelsea soon enough

You think
arsenal will not finish in the top 4

I have said for a while now that anyone can win the league its one of those seasons as is anyone can go down as well

I do hope villa finish in the top4 it would be a great achievement and your manager is playing some good football with young english players

If there is one person would take out of your team would be your manager rated him for a very long time and i think he will challenge mourinho for the man u job

[montybaber]

Hes going nowhere

[mabo]

I've been very impressed with Villa and the amount of young English talent they're nurturing.

I don't mind admitting i was initially surprised when O'Neill took the job as i thought it was a little beneath him (apologies to Villa fans) given their position at the time, but it has just shown what can be achieved when a manager has the support of those running/owning the club.

Sound owner, good investment, top quality manager, enthusiastic young squad - what's not to like. They've reinvigorated my enthusiasm for the league as a whole with their push for the top four.

It all makes the Barry saga in the summer seem a long time ago.

[Steven]

Originally Posted by kopchoir

You think
arsenal will not finish in the top 4

I already have a £10 bet with a forum member West Brom are down (for charity naturally)

Now this is not so much of a sure thing... but Man Utd, Liverpool, Villa, Arsenal

I'm going there

[kopchoir]

Originally Posted by LFC_SL

I already have a £10 bet with a forum member West Brom are down (for charity naturally)

Now this is not so much of a sure thing... but Man Utd, Liverpool, Villa, Arsenal

I'm going there

wanna have another bet if i win you change your username via admin for a week

details can be found in the man united social group
all for charity naturally

[pixelpixel]

My brother is a die hard Villa supporter......He sticks £10 every year for Villa to win the league. But this year he added a top 4 finish....... Maybe its time he got his money back

[avinitski]

Originally Posted by Miyazaki

Should really have beaten Blackburn 5-0.....

so you didn't see the game then. 5 my arse

rovers were really poor today but to be honest even 2 flattered villa.

[Miyazaki]

Originally Posted by mabo

I don't mind admitting i was initially surprised when O'Neill took the job as i thought it was a little beneath him (apologies to Villa fans) given their position at the time, but it has just shown what can be achieved when a manager has the support of those running/owning the club.

That just goes to show how long villa have been in the doldrums I suppose.

IMO Villa are one of the biggest clubs in England, and 'should' be up there competing with liverpool and man u every season.

Its been a long time coming!

[Miyazaki]

Originally Posted by avinitski

so you didn't see the game then. 5 my arse

rovers were really poor today but to be honest even 2 flattered villa.

Did see the game mate.

We had two goals disallowed that were perfectly legit.

Heskey nodded over the bar at the far post when it was easier to bury it and gabby missed a sitter.



So really should have been 6

[avinitski]

there was only one goal disallowed, im pretty sure that's right.

rovers had 7 shots off target too, so it should have been 7-6 by your reckoning?

awful defending from rovers for the first goal too, rovers used to be hard to beat under Hughes, not any more.

[Miyazaki]

Originally Posted by avinitski

rovers used to be hard to beat under Hughes, not any more.

Blackburn were ten games undefeated before yesterday.

[kopchoir]

Originally Posted by Miyazaki

That just goes to show how long villa have been in the doldrums I suppose.

IMO Villa are one of the biggest clubs in England, and 'should' be up there competing with liverpool and man u every season.

Its been a long time coming!

There are only 3 big clubs in engand and arsenal are a very shadowed second to man u and liverpool chelsea on the other hand are a small club wth money and have peter kenyon`s forward thinking
I would put you in the arsenal bracket and it is about time as i said previously its good that you are playing good football with english players

[avinitski]

Originally Posted by Miyazaki

Blackburn were ten games undefeated before yesterday.

9 games, 3 of those cup games and one of those 3 was against Blyth Spartans.

when Hughes was in charge rovers were hard to beat all season from start to finish, when Ince was in charge rovers were easy to beat, leaked goals all over the place, since big sam has taken over rovers haven't played any top half of table sides, when they played Man City they were 5th\6th from bottom from what i remember.

yesterday rovers again were beaten easily, first goal marking and awareness from Grella was poor, gave Milner far too much space. Milner did well to recognise this and take advantage of the space and time.

2nd goal was poor defending again from rovers, awful clearance from Warnock passed it straight to Agbon, great finish game over.

2 goals handed to villa.

[McFaber]

Villa will finish 2nd....and if Man U didn't have two games in hand, I'd putting a hefty wager on Villa to win the title....

Liverpool and Chelsea looking very shaky right atm and only for the pool's last gasp win against Pompey last night saved them from going down faster than the Titanic.

[Miyazaki]

Based on recent events I can't see Chelsea finishing above us, we have them at home soon and if we can win that it'll be a huge milestone. We just have to keep fighting to the end and hope the two above us drop points.

[kopchoir]

Guys Guys dont get above your stations i really hope you finish in the top 4 but please be sensible about it, your squad is a little light weight a few injuries and its squeeky bum time its like those villa fans moanng at o`neil the other week when you drew against hull

[montybaber]

Who knows shall we just wait and see and more importantly ENJOY

thats why i pay thirty-summit quid to sit in the holte any chance i get

[kopchoir]

Originally Posted by montybaber

Who knows shall we just wait and see and more importantly ENJOY

thats why i pay thirty-summit quid to sit in the holte any chance i get

hope so
but when your fellow supporters are saying if man u didnt have 2 games in hand they would win the league, chelsea who have a good team and been in the top4 for a few years now and have some experience in the mix are not finishing above us football is football enjoy it and hopefully you stay there

[Hillskill]

Heskey's signing has made them a squad to be reckoned with. The other thing that strikes me about the squad is the average age, the right mix of experience and youth. Also the one thing Villa have almost exclusively over every other team in the premiership. They WANT to play and do well for Martin O'Neil. IMHO no other premiership team has as steady a ship as Villa right now.

[Miyazaki]

Originally Posted by kopchoir

Guys Guys dont get above your stations i really hope you finish in the top 4 but please be sensible about it, your squad is a little light weight a few injuries and its squeeky bum time its like those villa fans moanng at o`neil the other week when you drew against hull

yeah, it'd be terrible if we ended up with just one striker.

Or if our best midfielder got injured and we didn't have any decent cover for him.

[kopchoir]

Originally Posted by Miyazaki

yeah, it'd be terrible if we ended up with just one striker.

Or if our best midfielder got injured and we didn't have any decent cover for him.

then you would be 5th and not top of the league

[Miyazaki]

Originally Posted by kopchoir

then you would be 5th and not top of the league

Or called liverpool.