Well, there’s very little news coming out at the moment, although we do have a bit of speculation that says Ross McCormack wants a move to Sunderland.
It looks like it’s going to be a loan, which annoys me, but at least we’ll be rid of him.
For what it’s worth, I really do hope he gets his head right and comes back invigorated and banging the goals in.
Two hopes though, in my opinion.
Grealish suffered a bleed on his kidney, which means he might be out for the rest of this calendar year, which is a big blow.
Except I very much doubt the story.
Yes, a bleed is bad, but there’s no way he’ll be out for that long.
Kidneys, while not infallible, are very resilient.
They must be, when I consider the way I’ve abused mine for the last forty years!
That’s not being flippant, but he’s a young, very fit lad, so I just don’t see it being the case.
And I’m sorry, Grealish fans, but I don’t think this is any great shakes anyway. I’ve already said that I don’t think he’s suited at the Villa as we are and he should move on, for his own good.
Onto this prediction thing then.
I’ve had a think about how we should play this and it seems to me you either have to call a particular position or you’re allowed a bit of leeway in choosing something like 3 places Eg 4th to 7th.
Which, as it happens, is exactly what I’m thinking.
I know, it’s a bit of a cop-out, as it allows me to craftily say we will or won’t get promoted at the same time.
So, I’ve decided that we should allow a 3 place band, but I’d also ask that you put your neck on the block and emphasise one particular position, hopefully with your reason why.
Which means I’m going to plump for fifth.
The reason being that I think the competition is really strong and I just don’t see us bossing the league the way our squad on paper ought to.
Interestingly, or maybe not, Talksport had an article where a super-computer predicted the final placings and I think Villa were predicted to be fourth.
That’s that guaranteed to be wrong then.
But not too dissimilar to my prediction.
It’s only a bit of fun, as no-one has a crystal ball and anything could happen, but it’ll be interesting to see some of the answers when we look back at the end of the season.
Go on then, place your bets!
Comments
62 responses to “Come on then; Let’s hear your predictions for where we’ll finish.”
There you go; neck on block = 5th.
3rd. I do not see any of the relegated teams have improved their attack sufficiently to be promotion contenders. So I expect Villa’s rival to be the usual suspects from last season. In all cases they seem to have shallow squads so the ones that get the least injuries will bag the top two spots. Any two of Norwich, Wednesday, Leeds, Cardiff, Wolves, Derby and Fulham. If Villa could dodge the injuries themselves, they might be higher, but we seem to be a team which collects more than the average collection of knocks.
OLL, d’you know that’s very similar to what I’m thinking.
We have the squad, but it just seems to fall apart at exactly the wrong time, which is why I mentioned our luck, a couple of comments back.
I can’t say I see Cardiff, or Norwich either, but you never know.
All the others though, I totally agree. They’re all very serious competitors, which is why I don’t think for one minute we’ll be champions.
This league is a total lottery, which I suppose makes it better than the Prem in some ways.
I’ve seen three predictions from super computers to spread betting with Villa placed between 1st and 4th.
Ooh, I forgot.
The predicted champions were Boro.
It’s interesting that you didn’t consider them OLL.
Or did you just forget?
Of the three relegated teams I think Middlesbrough are in position to ‘do a Newcastle’. Looking back at the EFL there isn’t another Brighton so I think one of the automatic spots is up for grabs. Agree therecare a number of teams in the mix with a couple of good young managers in Monk and Rowett. Wolves have taken a big gamble (their new expensive mid has done a ‘Benteke’ and said he’s signed to get noticed by the Prem teams!) and I’m not convinced by Cardiff / Norwich.
I’m going to stick my neck on the block and go for Villa to get automatic promotion alongside Middlesbrough.
UTV
I’d go along with Boro, Hitch.
i have a sneaky feeling for Derby too, fwiw.
You’ve got to ask yourself who really can dominate the league? And while we might not have our strikers banging them in for fun yet, as long as we get our midfield sorted before August is out, I can see is winning enough goals by having a stronger defense until Kodja is back to do well.
I don’t know why everyone is making Boro as favourites for the league – I personally think they’re going to be top half but not top 3. I put us, Derby, Leeds top 3.
But will we get the midfield sorted, johnnyuk?
I’m not convinced.
It’s about consistency for me, which is where I believe Bruce is the man.
Although I really think it’s going to be a torrid season.
If we do get promoted, which I’m not convinced about, it could prove to be one of our best seasons in a very long time.
Here’s one major prediction though.
We’ll make a slow start, where Xia needs to hold his nerve.
That’s the hope isn’t it? You could argue we have the personnel already to make that happen – just not settled on the formation and the combo that sorts it. I think Whelan/Jedinak can play in the same team and give 2-3 flair attacking players like Elmo, Green, Bjarnasson the freedom to roam a little more. I think everyone’s getting a little pessimistic but the truth is, if we’d had this team now at the start of last season, I think we’d have made play-offs, and I don’t think there are as many teams to challenge at the top against us as last season, which is why I’m optimistic of a top 3 finish.
We need to get rid of Bruce but unfortunately there is no one else
Earlier i said we were rubbish having watched a couple of friendlies…..but after the last 1/4 of the Walsall one and the Cup win along with Watford match we are playing a better style of footie…..BUT just cannot see us scoring enough.
Hopefully JK will carry on from last season but think it will need a magic fix in January to get anywhere……earlier I said around 10th (think)….and only going for a sneak into playoff with 6th.
Depends largely on if we add a couple more attacking players. We need a winger, attacking mid and a center mid (more of an all around player though) to win the Championship. Currently, 6th-10th, largely dependent on how quickly Kodjia gets back and when we go to 2 up front with him and Hogan that won’t work again.
aston villa 1ST Middlesbrough 2nd
darkhorses norwich i expect will be thereabouts
villa and derby flopped last year. i expect wolves will be a coupon killer. they have assembled a foreign legion outfits, fancy dans might be able to play in the sun. but how about a cold windy rainy tuesday night at bolton. i reckon they will be no value / risky bet
We’ll definitely finish in the top 24
Ha ha not necessarily if we break ffp rules will could get demoted lol
2nd. What Bruce has done that I quite like is he’s built from the back, that always gives you a platform. I think Middlesbrough will run away with the league, Monk for me is the best manager currently in the championship and if they can keep that lad Assombalonga they will blow teams away.
I reckon likes of Wednesday, Reading and Cardiff could be up there as well.
One hope for me is Hogan gets the start ahead of Gabby. The man can finish and was linking well with the likes of Green and Elmo toward the end of pre season. Gabby missed 2 chances against Watford that he really should have buried.
Also I’m not sure if it was mentioned here but did anyone else read Terry’s interview where he simply said anything other than automatic promotion for us would simply be a failure? Say what you will about him personally but we’ve needed a bullish player like this for years, let alone our captain.
Bring on the new season! UTV
I wouldn’t write of Derby as a top 2 team as Rowett is arguably the best manager in the league. Blues may have scraped top 6 last year if they had kept him.
Its hard to see better than about 8th or 9th, defensively I expect us to be okay should Terry and Chester stay fit and play the majority of matches,
Upfront however there is a huge reliance on Kodija. If he is out or doesnt turn up, there’s too little goal scoring threat and creativity, particularly with Bruce’s insistence on ultra defensive and cautious football. This in my view will lead to a lot of frustrating draws.
As a result of that, I’m also certain we’ll end the season with a different manager as I expect another poor Bruce winless run at some point early to mid season will see him sacked
I don’t think we will lose many games this season but we won’t win many either. We may sneak into top ten and will be marginally better than last year but I expect us to be in this division next season. No idea why bookies have us as favourites tbh
i don’t want to hear, later say on the 45 th game i said this would happen, lmao i want to see in in this thread. what about the top goalscorer. scott hogan is definitely a decent price 16/1 if he can stay injury free, i reckon he will score goals. been wrote off too quickly at villa. he loves playing on the last shoulders, he is a real handful IF he has service. dark horse is bamford 25/1 worth a each way
I see some fans still haven’t received their season tickets.
But it’s ok, you can go down VP on Saturday and queue to get a paper ticket as long as you have your ID number.
What a joke.
Seriously, how difficult is it to do something they’ve been doing for donkey’s years?
The club definitely don’t help themselves sometimes.
Agree the club is still a shambles. If they can’t get basics like this right what hope have we got of a successful team
In better news, if you bought a shirt with a name on, but with the wrong squad number, the club will exchange it at no cost.
If the goals come from the midfield this year then we will be top 3. If they dont we will be same again and around 10th. Gabby top goalscorer.
That’s pretty much my view Adam.
Until you said Gabby top scorer,
Thanks for the laugh it gave me 🙂
None of our midfielders are capable of getting many goals. We’ve only got Kodja and he’s injured. Plus he won’t score every week and may need a good 10 or so games to get his sharpness back. Who’s going to score in the meantime
We will finish 1st – Terry will not have joined for second place, its his final swan song and the bloke is a proven winner…. No excuses this season 🙂
I like it, Saddened.
You can’t beat a bit of bullish 🙂
Im very optimistic for this season !!!
Dosnt matter how good Terry is if he’s surrounded by dross it won’t make any difference. Terry will have a huge influence on us defensively but is helpless in what goes on upfront. Terry is dangerous at set pieces though and could probably score 6 goals this season. That’s what Bruce will want a good defence and nick one from a set piece. That’s all he knows
Hello, what does this mean then?
(Xia’s latest tweet)
🕹🔜📢🕛.#UTV
Looks like player out to be announced today, to me.
McCormack?
if we could find a way to crack these codes we could be millionaires lol
i think your right midday mCcormack out and maybe snograss in lol
No good loaning him though we are better if selling him even if it’s for less money
could we capture snograss from hammers ??? he could play that role behind the striker. you have to wonder why under ste bruce we have been pursuing top players and in some cases actually signing them. i would like to argue that the current squad is miles better than the one relegated. we have a great chance of promotion. 1day to go and it all starts again
They’re talking £10 mill Nath, so I can’t see it myself.
I’d take him though.
we are looking to loan him. hammers have done a villa mistake paid way over the top. they are looking to recruit and need him out. so they will loan him
i have just looked at betting our odds have slashed on this. you could be right then again you never know lol
3/1 fav to sign villa. and all other clubs are championship. which means it will be loan and we have a chance. brighton are the top priced premiership thats 16’s
snograss today neymar tomorrow
Maybe Nath but looks like we’ve agreed a loan deal with Spurs for Onomah 20 years old box to box midfielder and apparently highly rated. More likely than £10m for Snodgrass – FFP
Why are we still a finishing school for sky 4 teams ffs
i was guess blindly lol hitch. their was movements on snograss in betting but i said it would be loan. this kid you mention he sounds like a decent player who can play in a few positions. cheers for info
http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-lose-top-players-13427153
I think this answers the question over Villa buying players such as Snodgrass – not going to happen. It’s more likely we might sell one of our better players.
It says it all that Bruce would like to keep Bacuna ffs. This ffp is total crap clubs should be allowed to spend whatever they want it’s ridiculous. It’s just a con so no one else can challenge the top 4
any ideas who we might have to sell to balance the books ??
What about a cheeky bid to loan Diego Costa until January? He wants to join Atletico Madrid, but they have a transfer ban until January 1st 😁
Ha ha
i think in the real world we will finish between 6 ans 8 if we do finish in the play offs we will not come up i hope i am wrong but i don’t think i will be as far as automatic no chance
I agree anywhere from 6th – 12th is where we will be. I think we will simply draw too many games. We won’t lose many but won’t win many either