The English Football Thread

[Unknown Soldier]

Didn't see the match, but how much of a fluke was 3-1 away from home against Fulham who clearly have a better squad?

[Big Ears]

Originally Posted by Unknown Soldier

But they won well yesterday!!! What's the problem?

Nothing, IF it lasts. Otherwise, beating QPR and sending them back to the bottom will be a hollow victory (bearing in mind our MASSIVE goal difference).

[Newkie]

Originally Posted by Unknown Soldier

Didn't see the match, but how much of a fluke was 3-1 away from home against Fulham who clearly have a better squad?

Clearly you don't know the mind of a disgruntled mag, Sunderland "fluking" results while we lose is all I have to fall back on....

They did deserve the win to be fair, the Hangeland sending off clearly helped them though and I'm not really a fan of the card frenzy around the game these days, but rules are rules.

[Mojo]

I think to say we were shocking is ridiculous, but there were still plenty of negatives. I think the red card was harsh, I thought we were awful in the first half and I think we were quite fortunate in many ways. However, the main thing I have wanted to see all season is more positivity going forward as we simply havent been a threat. I thought our second half performance was good, we got three goals, Sessegnon looked more positive while still being far from the player he was last season, and we carried a threat. Had Fletcher held his run a little better we would have got a fourth.

I'm relieved to have our first three points, I'm encouraged by our second half performance, an away win (our first since February), a couple of different goalscorers (rather than just Fletcher) and the fact we looked more of a threat infront of goal than we have at any point this season. There are still plenty of problems though.

[Unknown Soldier]

Originally Posted by mojopinuk

I think to say we were shocking is ridiculous, but there were still plenty of negatives. I think the red card was harsh, I thought we were awful in the first half and I think we were quite fortunate in many ways. However, the main thing I have wanted to see all season is more positivity going forward as we simply havent been a threat. I thought our second half performance was good, we got three goals, Sessegnon looked more positive while still being far from the player he was last season, and we carried a threat. Had Fletcher held his run a little better we would have got a fourth.

I'm relieved to have our first three points, I'm encouraged by our second half performance, an away win (our first since February), a couple of different goalscorers (rather than just Fletcher) and the fact we looked more of a threat infront of goal than we have at any point this season. There are still plenty of problems though.

So are they going down or staying up?

[Mojo]

We'll stay up, but we can't afford to assume that at all at this stage. Currently we are in real threat of slipping into the bottom three and I'd rather see that light a fire under them than ignore it and assume we will be safe.

Another three points from QPR would make me feel much better but we'll see what happens.

[Trollheart]

Yeah well at least you're not in the relegation slots now, unlike us. We've been slowly slipping down all season really; can't go much further. If something doesn't happen soon I'm going to have to watch our matches on "The Football League Show", and listen to Claridge or Rossiner talk about how "this is why they couldn't stay in the Premiership". God help us.

[Newkie]

Originally Posted by Trollheart

Yeah well at least you're not in the relegation slots now, unlike us. We've been slowly slipping down all season really; can't go much further. If something doesn't happen soon I'm going to have to watch our matches on "The Football League Show", and listen to Claridge or Rossiner talk about how "this is why they couldn't stay in the Premiership". God help us.

Who do you support Trollheart, Villa?

I would offer you condolences on maybe having to listen to Steve Claridge for a year or more, but with my own side doing so badly pity is hard to come by and I'd rather not tempt fate....

[Trollheart]

Originally Posted by Newkie

Who do you support Trollheart, Villa?

I would offer you condolences on maybe having to listen to Steve Claridge for a year or more, but with my own side doing so badly pity is hard to come by and I'd rather not tempt fate....

Yeah, Villa, wouldn't you know? I don't mind Claridge really; he makes sense most of the time. Unfortunately I almost always fall asleep during FLS, I really don't know why: I typically wake to see the league tables or hear Manish say "we're on the red button all week"...

I actually believe that we deserve to go down; we've been pretty abysmal this season, and with the exception of Benteke have shown very little promise. Bent being out/not selected has not helped our cause, but as usual with Villa we continue to be the architects of our own downfall. Maybe a season or two in the lower leagues will teach us that your place in the Premiership isn't guaranteed, and it has to be earned, then hung on to.

But probably not.

[Newkie]

Originally Posted by Trollheart

Maybe a season or two in the lower leagues will teach us that your place in the Premiership isn't guaranteed,

Well, I'd be lying if I didn't think some of your fans deserved a lesson in humility after their antics after we got relegated at your place, but i'm sure you weren't one of them

I have a bit of a soft spot for Villa though, I have family in Brum and my grandad played for them, although only really at youth level...so the 6-0 win was karma enough for me!

In all honesty I think you'll be alright though. There is real quality in the side-Bent, Insomnia, Ireland, Agbonlahor and Benteke, if you can get them all fit and firing you'll have a great options up front and subs that could change a game, which is more than we have at the moment! Plus a youth system that always seems to produce good players. I rate Lambert as a manager as well, for me he was the only one that ran Pardew close last year (not that it seems to be doing either of them good this year...)