Dean Smith has already said that we’re going to play every game to win, with the attitude that if the opposition score three goals, we’ll score four.
I’ve never been able to get the basic aim of football out of my head;
To win a game you simply score more goals than the opposition.
And that is the bottom line.
But of course, we all know it’s not quite that simple and there are various ways of winning a game, whether it’s by a war of attrition or just a blatant outclassing or even trying to frustrate the opposition by parking the bus.
And we all know it’s equally easy to lose a game by having the wrong tactics and going all out to score against very good sides who will punish you if you leave yourselves open.
And it’s this latter part that concerns me.
While many of us are licking our lips at the thought of playing Spurs in their nice shiney ground on the first day of our season, how confident would we be of actually getting any kind of result if we go at them?
Not that I’m downbeat before we even play them.
Spurs play nice, fast paced footy and I’m expecting a cracking game, whatever the result.
But that’s for nearer the game, where incidently, I’ve had the editor of a Spurs website contact me, to see if we’re interested in an article offering a preview of the game from their side.
I’ve taken them up on this and they’ve said we can post an article on their site giving our prior thoughts on the game.
I’m interested in that too, but as it stands, I don’t have a clue what to think about how we’ll do against them.
If anyone feels they could offer an opinion and write an article nearer the game, feel free to let me know.
Anyway, going back to the point, I think Dean Smith is approaching things in the right way.
But what worries me, is that I can see cases where if we go all out, we might well get thrashed on more than a few occasions and us fans will become despondent.
Or do you think we will stick with Smith through thick and thin, as long as we see a plan coming together and the team improving?
I know the answers seem immediately obvious, in that “yes, we play entertaining attacking footy, win, lose or draw”.
But I want you to think a little more deeply and consider how you might think if we’ve lost 5,6 or 7 on the trot, we’re in the middle of winter and the squad has been depleted through injuries because we’ve worked them to death and things are looking bleak.
A worst case scenario, I know, but a serious possibility all the same.
I know. It’s far too pessimistic an approach to even consider before we’ve even started the season.
But I’m a realist and want your views on if we’re approaching things in the right way.
Hence the poll.
Heh, I’ve voted to go all out, albeit with reservations.
I just love good footy.
Don’t forget, if anyone fancies writing a preview post for Spurs, let me know.
I know there are many of you who have very good opinions.
I can sort any editing, if that’s a concern.
If you play cagey against the top teams, they’ll beat you anyway, so may as well have go and enjoy a proper game of football!
Your hard winter scenario happened last season, Badger. Fans did get despondent. I recall a chap named Ted on here calling for Smith’s head. But every team (apart from City and Liverpool) will have a bad patch! Coincidentally, look at Spurs; they had an awful spell last season – several defeats in a short period saw them fall away badly. So, yes, always play to win; maintain the mentality and methodology. And when (not if) the rough patch comes, ride it out, then go and win 10 in a row! š
Which is exactly why I mentioned it, BFR.
I like your style š
We either have faith in Smith or we don’t.
And I think he’s the best bet/hope for us at this time.
I’m also of a mind where i’ve seen some really strange results in the first games of the season, so anything is possible.
Let’s think positively Badger, both teams won’t have a clue how the games going to go, if you go on to play with the thought we’ve not a cat in hell chance you’ll loose, ever club has to find out how good are the opposition , we are now a club that going forwards in Name and abilities, we are not the club of 30 years ago, we are Aston Villa..
You mean 3 years ago?
I should add Bill, that I think we’re going to really surprise some teams and we will catch them out.
For me, it’s if we can outdo the bad results.
TBH I’m hoping that we’ll have a defence that will give us a fighting chance to win most games. While Smith may want to win every game I don’t think that necessarily means being gung-ho all the time, just at the right times.
Wolves last season had games where they had around 35% of the ball but their attacks were far more clinical that many of the teams they played and that’s how they earned their points. I see no reason why we can’t do something along those lines too.
With regards to Spurs I’d be a bit worried if I were a Spurs fan. Trippier has gone and Rose looks like he’s going to follow him and so far they’ve signed Alvaro, a mid-fielder, and a couple of strikers from the lower leagues. At times last season their defence looked clueless so that must be a priority for Pochettino but time is going by. It may be that he will get the players he wants eventually but that might help us as they won’t have had time to integrate into the team.
I’m actually mildly optimistic that we might get something at WHL.
Thought hard about how to respond but, in the end, went for the all out option on the basis it means always playing to win a game – as Wolves did – rather than playing purely gung ho attacking football which would, in all likelihood, lead to heavy losses.
So your poll option is specific by linking the option to Wolves performances last season where they played to win but were also tactically astute, a reflection on the quality of their manager.
Itās going to be a challenge for Smith as well as the players but I really feel he has the tactical awareness, coaching ability and all round nouse to be a successful Prem manager as Eddie Howe has been at Bournemouth.
No doubt about it, Spurs away on the first day of season is better than spurs away last day or mid season. We could surprise them, they could be slow of the mark, champions league hang overs blah blah blah, you know the story. But realistically we know full well the quality of spurs over ours.
We wouldnāt beat Liverpool or City away on the first day and I would say the toughest opponents after them genuinely is spurs. With that in mind, yes celebrate the first day back, take the result with a pinch of salt but for me, there is potential to get a seriously valuable point, that most of our competition just will not get.
I answered cagey against tougher teams and attack the lesser. In my mind it isnāt as black and white as that. I get those who say if we park a bus against the likes of citeh and plop we will still get a battering anyway. But what if we get a point or dare I say a win by doing that? Just the once against a top 5 side away from home?
I fully believe in attacking football. But this season is a little different. Every game should be viewed with a level of caution. There would be nothing worse than Brighton catching us on the counter at home on the 89th minute because we went hell for leather or āall outā. As Iāve said before we will have to take some unflattering draws to survive this season. Do not put the weight of the world on these guys shoulders and expect a top 6 finish. We will have our games Iām sure and we all know what teams we should be getting all 4/6 points from this season but do not think for a second it will come easy. That said the owners and management are doing everything they can in terms of business and are gearing us up for a good fight. UTV
A trip down (White Hart) Memory Lane. if you are old enough, you may remember the last time Villa were the visitors for the first game of the season. Argentina had just won the World cup – Spurs had pulled off a stunning coup and signed world champions Ossie Ardiles and Ricky Villa. The ground was awash with pale blue and white ticker tape. We were there for the whipping.
The last person I wanted to see in the seats behind me was who I did see. Andy Gray, our injured talisman. Getting any result seemed to evaporate at that moment – John Gregory at #9? OMG!
Villa won 4-1. The headline in the back page the next day “Will the real Villa please stand up!” So yes, bet the 10/1 odds – it could happen again! The Bomb Squad has gone so if I can get a ticket i will be there.
Some very considered replies already.
Good stuff, as it was always a tricky question, that can’t be answered simply, imo.
Keep those opinions coming, but it’s nice to know it doesn’t seem we’re expecting the world on a plate.
As much as I quite often offer up the dark side of things (all part of the balance), I do think we’ll be ok this season š
We will be Ok with the editions of CDM and another out and out striker. I do also fancy Kodija to have a part to play this season.
Bring back Grant Holte loan and Tonev!
Does anyone else see the league like me … I think Man Cty and Liverpool have kicked on a level with Spurs hanging on there coat tails for dear life trying to keep up, the other big 3 ManU Chelsea and Arsenal are all in transition and i see them losing a lot more games this season than usual, as for the rest i think the new villa can beat any of them on there day so i am very optimistic for the new season.
I voted for going all out, for 2 reasons, that’s what its all about “Entertainment”
and even if we lose more than we win i dont think we will go down, so why not just enjoy the ride.
According to the Mail – ‘Aston Villa have made a ā¬12m bid for Galatasaray star Christian Luyindama, according to reports in Turkey.’
https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/aston-villa-submit-12m-offer-16629509
Another CB? Either this is nuts or maybe Chester is going to Leeds after all?
I totally support Smith playing attacking football.
I believe that the boxing clever by playing for draws will result in defeats. The following is obvious but cannot be underestimated. 3 wins in 10 games is 9 points. Yet it takes 9 draws out of 10 to amass the same number of points. May be the attacking style would be the 3 wins and 2 draws in 10, which means 11 points. Over 38 games this should result in safety and a chance to be even better the flowing year.
As for us fans now is the time to be no longer fickle. In the past we had owners that were deficient in a major way and I include Doug in this. Iāve never forgiven him for dismantling the European team and having us relegated within 3 years of that triumph. Our current owners are impressive, investing through increasing share capital rather than the Learner loans system.
Next we have a Villa manager who is a Villa fan. Not a journeyman manager who looks for the sack and moves on from team to team for payout after payout.
Finally we have a Villa captain who is a Villa fan. Passion, commitment to the cause and a focal point to build a team around.
Letās takes this ownership, management and captaincy and play an attacking brand of football. If it canāt work with these three critical factors aligned it never can. Me, Iām an optimist, the team assembled this summer is one with an attacking focus in mind, built in a solid defence.
I would rather we lost whilst going for the jugular than play conservative football we had to endure under McLeish and Lambert. We will get embarrassed on a number of occasions, maybe even first game but whatever happens we need to keep faith with Smith and the philosophy of his staff. Iām almost certain that there will be times when some fans will be criticising our tactics but we must be careful not to do a Fulham and hit the panic button. I think we can muster enough points at Villa Park to at least survive as long as the fans stay with the team.
The site underagaslitlamp are saying that we have signed Trezeguet and he is now officially a Villa player.
This is the only site stating this at present so not sure what to think. I hope itās true but would like to see the storing breaking further before get excited.
As I have said before, it is not doing a Wolves who are a counter-attacking side, it is doing a Bournemouth. Bournemouth have lost 6 on the trot in the past, but their crowd sticks with them. It took until the end of last season for Eddie Howe to realise that the all attacking style exposed both of his weak keepers – and if he was not going to protect them better, he needed a better keeper. I think Dean may arrive at the same conclusion, but he must run the trial first.
Villa have not been good at sitting back and defending one point, or three points with only one goal advantage. We have tended to concede. The Villa crowd also gets nervous and that transmits to the players. I think Smith realises he cannot change that, so better to try to keep the ball at the opponent’s end. We will take more pastings but we may also win a few more thrillers.
Don’t forget that we’re playing Walsall at the Bonkses Stadium tonight at 7.45 pm. and it’s live on Villa’s You Tube site.
I’ve enjoyed the first two friendlies so looking forward to this one.
Also it would seem that ‘Under a Gaslit Lamp’ might have been right about Trezeguet coming as an Egyptian news outlet has leaked a photo of him signing a contract with jesus Pitarch next to him –
https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/aston-villa-trezeguet-youm7-pitarch-16635449
Nothing on the AVFC site as yet but I’d expect something soon.
Here it is at last –
https://www.avfc.co.uk/News/2019/07/24/trezeguet-signs-for-aston-villa
Welcome to Villa Park Mahmoud!
If he has half the impact of Salah, we’ve got a player on our hands! As a side note, looks like Benrahma will have to wait another year.
Fat Sam talking out his arsehole about Villa’s transfer business. How TalkSport can pay a clueless clown like this to spout garbage us beyond me. Cushy jobs for lazy, incompetent has-beens. Do your research before offering an opinion!
His comment about wanting 3 players for 100 million is embarrassing and, frankly, stupid. Thank God he got himself sacked from the England job.
Big Sam is a has been washed up manager in the mould of OāNeill. To even think he knows better than Deano is laughable. If only half of the signings we have made come good, that will be Ā£100m in todayās market a good investment. I still wonder whether there will be a couple more signings before season starts just to wind Sam up a bit more!
I’ve just watched the clip. The guy sounds half drunk and has zero facts to hand. “I think they signed 7,8,9 players.” Which is it? Absolute bozo.TalkSport would have a better show getting well-informed fans on air.
Excuse my ignore but I did not know Egyptās population is 97 million.
Villa have a slicks media following of 1.2m
Trezeguet has 1.8m
Elmohamady 2.0m
Do you think we will start shifting a lot more merchandise in Egypt? I was looking on twitter earlier and an Egyptian fan said he would now follow Villa.
With Villa owned by a member of the wealthiest family in this country it could be a chance to tap into a large market.
Sid – as a bonus he might also be a decent player š