Mid Season reflection - Where do we go from here?

[geordiesteve710]

Not voting on this until Wednesday evening. Feels massive.

[r0cafella]

I expect more of the same, I don't see the magic bullet and we've been worked out unfortunately. 

 

I think we will have a big decision to make this summer, unfortunately we've hired a no mark as sporting director and have built a squad for a style of play we no longer play.

 

The club is lacking in competency across the board. The medical team is a shambles how many tiles have we sent players back on the pitch whilst actually have serious injuries? Eddie is probably a combination of burnt out and exhausted, he was in the hospital at the end of the season let's not forget and our recruitment team ... You've seen Elanga try and play i don't need to elaborate here. 

 

Ultimately our owners love to talk big but have absolutely no plan on how to achieve what they say, it's clear things just left to drift and that's why we are here, starring down the barrell. 

[Heron]

In Eddie I trust.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Always. All fucking ways.

[Jonas]

Said after the Villa game, were going nowhere, got told off by someone, plenty agreed with them. Seen nothing to change my mind since except for 'going nowhere' representing a success now.

Were serving too many masters, always one eye on the match after the one before us.

[Heron]

2 minutes ago, Jonas said:

Said after the Villa game, were going nowhere, got told off by someone, plenty agreed with them. Seen nothing to change my mind since except for 'going nowhere' representing a success now.

Were serving too many masters, always one eye on the match after the one before us.

So what's your solution?

[Wolfcastle]

2 hours ago, Mr Misery said:

Drifting into the arena of the unwell.

 

1 hour ago, Mr Misery said:

Making an enemy of our own future.

Dead down the drain!!

 

or is that just Isak?

[Jonas]

9 minutes ago, Heron said:

So what's your solution?

There isn't one. Except a personal choice to accept it or bay for blood. That's what we are stuck to being generally whilst we might out-perform or under-perform in any given season our general level is set to compete for the minor European cup places.

 

Cant strengthen how we'd like and replacing the manager solves nothing in the long run. Were extended by the CL which stretches us like it did the last time. Were trying to manage it because not doing that lead to a ridiculous injury crisis then but were not giving any one game our max - which few can get away with.

 

 

Edited December 15, 2025 by Jonas

[madras]

Where do we go ? My crystal bollock says once we get settled and have a bit time to properly work on the training pitch and we arent "game ..2 days off...game" we'll look fantakka but it may come too late and that could lead into another Summer of upheval.

 

4,9,17,28,43

7,12

 

For anyone thats interested.

[Heron]

5 minutes ago, Jonas said:

There isn't one. Except a personal choice to accept it or bay for blood. That's what we are stuck to being generally whilst we might out-perform or under-perform in any given season our general level is set to compete for the minor European cup places.

 

Cant strengthen how we'd like and replacing the manager solves nothing in the long run. Were extended by the CL which stretches us like it did the last time. Were trying to manage it because not doing that lead to a ridiculous injury crisis then but were not giving any one game our max - which few can get away with.

 

 

 

 

Modern football...

[toon25]

In the days of PSR, the like of us and Villa will be going through this cycle - likely ad infinitum. The billy big bollocks cunt sides like Cuntsea and Liverpool can spend a kings ransom year upon year - likely without any dips in performance and/or lack of silverware/European football affecting them.

 

For aspirational clubs, the ceiling is well and truly in place. This is us in the current iteration of European football.

[toon25]

Should also add....

 

One reason why Villa have been able to pick up their PL form and sustain a European campaign is in no small part thanks to the clubs they've been playing. 

 

Whilst we've played Barcelona, Leverkusen and Marseilles, they've played fucking Bologna, Young Boys, Macabi Tel Aviv and Go Ahead Eagles

[Pata]

Up the Premier League

[Menace]

This whole "we have too many games a week and don't have time for proper training" excuse does not wash with me I'm sorry.

[r0cafella]

4 minutes ago, Menace said:

This whole "we have too many games a week and don't have time for proper training" excuse does not wash with me I'm sorry.

It shouldn't wash with anyone, I've got no idea why it's even a thing. We understood when we had that injury crisis last time we were in the CL but this time around that isnt the case ane the CL has far less jeopardy and we've invested in the squad. 

 

As I said a week ago, it's yet another unacceptable performance from us, no excuses to serve up that load of shit. 

[Sibierski]

5 hours ago, toon25 said:

Should also add....

 

One reason why Villa have been able to pick up their PL form and sustain a European campaign is in no small part thanks to the clubs they've been playing. 

 

Whilst we've played Barcelona, Leverkusen and Marseilles, they've played fucking Bologna, Young Boys, Macabi Tel Aviv and Go Ahead Eagles

That’s not a reason IMO. It still requires travelling, it still requires playing at a certain level, it still results in less training and it still sees them then face sides who’ve had longer to prepare.

 

Difference for me, Emery is a seasoned pro at this level. He knows the crack with games quick and fast and expectations he demands. Howe we all said after first season he’d learn. Evidence on this season is he hasn’t. So if we didn’t get Europe again, but then qualified again in 26/27, are we to repeat this pattern and drop off again in 27/28?

 

Villa were fractionally better last season (25 points) after 16 games, which saw them in 6th. Meant they were within arms length of top 5 (2 points). We’re trending pretty much similar to last season, but it current context it will mean us needing to win like next 7 games to give us a similar chance of top 5 because of all the hard away games we’ve got to come.

 

[Mattoon]

The moment we drop out of the CL we'll see us revert to our high press, high turnover, all action selves and have a strong finish to the season, but it'll probably be too little too late and see us missing out on any meaningful European football next season, which in turn will see us have a strong season next year. PSR will see us repeating this as the short blanket ensures we can't quite take it to the cartel on a regular basis.

 

Yesterday was the nadir of this limbo of being good but not quite good enough, one game a week and we beat anyone, two and we beat no one, frustrating and depressing.

[Nucasol]

I think some January surgery to get back on the front foot is needed.

 

Sell Willock and Osula. Let Krafth go if there is that interest from FC Copenhagen. Similar Trippier to free up wage space. Controversial maybe, but his effectiveness is waning to zero at the moment, a combination of age, injuries and the off the field shenanigans he’s had going on.

 

Buy fullback cover to rotate. We may need CB cover if Botman’s back is fucked and BDB is out for any length of time after yesterday’s collision.

 

Big sticking point is what to do with the six misfiring bodies up front. Hope Wissa gets fit and into form but I think it’s more fundamental than just a player, it’s a system issue.

[Yorkie]

3 hours ago, Menace said:

This whole "we have too many games a week and don't have time for proper training" excuse does not wash with me I'm sorry.

 

I get this, but I still think it's a fair thing to raise. But you frame it honestly as a weakness rather than it being fair mitigation. He does a lot of his best work on the training ground and without that he finds it difficult to fashion a good set-up.

[r0cafella]

14 minutes ago, Yorkie said:

 

I get this, but I still think it's a fair thing to raise. But you frame it honestly as a weakness rather than it being fair mitigation. He does a lot of his best work on the training ground and without that he finds it difficult to fashion a good set-up.

In that case he has to improve his coaching methods, weather that means more video sessions or more targetted sessions I don't know but if we want to be successful and achieve those goals this schedule is what we will have to put up with. 

[Yorkie]

I agree. He just doesn't appear to have got his head around how to manage the multi-competition schedule at all. It was simpler when everyone was injured.

[Andy84]

So much to unpick with the club at the minute.  You can’t blame any one thing for the current malaise and negativity, feels like there are tonnes of issues that are contributing.  Having a positive summer window would be a start.  The last two have been fraught and January is a none event these days.  Feels to me a refresh and change of strategy is needed, the team feels stale and the money spent doesn’t seem to have made us better. 
 

 I still suspect we will improve this season as time goes on but there’s no denying it’s a massive chore and I’m not sure where it’s going to end up. 

 

 

Edited December 15, 2025 by Andy84

[Nucasol]

Just now, Andy84 said:

So much to unpick with the club at the minute.  You can’t blame any one thing for the current malaise and negativity, feels like there are tonnes of issues that are contributing.  Going through  a summer transfer window with positivity would be a start.  The last two have been fraught and January is a non event these days.  Feels to me a refresh and change of strategy is needed.  
 

 I still suspect we will improve this season as time goes on but there’s no denying this season is a chore and I’m not sure where it’s going to end up. 

Also - given negative noises and further delays around the stadium and training ground, is it any wonder players might be questioning whether the brochure matches the reality?

Hopkinson’s 5 year patter is going to be used to laugh at us by the media and other fans.

[Andy84]

Just now, Nucasol said:

Also - given negative noises and further delays around the stadium and training ground, is it any wonder players might be questioning whether the brochure matches the reality?

Hopkinson’s 5 year patter is going to be used to laugh at us by the media and other fans.

Totally agree mate, it’s all a bit bizarre and contributing to the malaise on the pitch and in the stands