MATCHWATCH : Aston Villa (a) sponsored by hoping it's 1959/1960 all over again

[RoyalJones]

Villa are annoying me. They’re meant to be facing a tough financial situation but there doesn’t seem to be too much affecting the squad they have and Yannick Bolaise is the latest name expected to be joining them on loan before Saturday.

This is exactly what I was thinking about over the past few days, in some ways it's unfair that they're even allowed to sign these players after their financial difficulties over the summer, they thought they could buy the league under Xia, they're doing exactly the same under their new owners now. I know Bolasie is only a loan but the same point applies.

[Hound]

have to admit I don't understand what is going on there. Apparently they needed to save 50m this season to fit in with FFP

Instead they have sold no one and replaced their expensive loans with more expensive loans. Will be fuming if they manage to get hold of Tammy Abraham as well, who should not be playing in this division

[Coppells Lost Coat]

have to admit I don't understand what is going on there. Apparently they needed to save 50m this season to fit in with FFP

Instead they have sold no one and replaced their expensive loans with more expensive loans. Will be fuming if they manage to get hold of Tammy Abraham as well, who should not be playing in this division

If they gain promotion though, will the prize money not wipe out the 50m they need to comply with FFP and potentially be 50m up??

[Hound]

I don't actually know. But it sounded like they gambled on that last year. This is their third season in the second tier, so maybe they would actually be punished if they broke FFP rules this year not he 3 year cycle thing

[strap]

If Liam Moore starts tomorrow it will be his 100th start for RFC. Paul McShane needs 3 more starts to make his 100 - wonder if he'll manage it given his "performance" on Wednesday? Funnily enough Jordan Obita only needs 3 starts to make his 150th. Surprisngly he is our 3rd highest starting apps of the current players.

[strap]

Steve Bruce's managerial record v RFC is P12 W5 D3 L4 F17 A15, so he just holds the edge over us. As Villa manager is 2 wins apiece with Villa scoring 7 to our 6.

[JoeyJoeJoeJnrShabadoo]

thanks

[Millsy]

Don't know what will happen.

The truth is the reason there are so many views on here as to whether or not we've played good teams or shit teams and who's better that who is because we're just so early in the season. We've either done well and could be high up the table was it not for bad luck and freak cockups or we are genuinely shit. We genuinely won't know until we play more games.

Perhaps Bod will turn out to be an absolute gem as his goal ratio is already suggesting. Baldock and McNulty will click with how we play. Barrow continues to terrorise, swift returns to form, bacuna finds the brilliant form we know he's capable of, Aluko suddenly decides to take his finger out his arse and live up to his price tag, Gunter comes in for an enviable fullback pairing of him and the impressive yiadom,.. Illori returns, walker turns out good or mannone solidifies.

The above is very possible and we could be looking at a team of playoff candidates we just don't know. It only took one player to turn things around when Roberts joined us and I think anything could happen here. A good win against villa honestly wouldn't surprise me. It's too early to tell.

[@sonkimarsson]

http://www.readingchronicle.co.uk/sport ... e/?ref=rss

"Top stats:

Villa have won 10 of their last 11 fixtures against Reading in all competitions."

Poor, poor reporting given we've won 2 of the last 3 meetings

[Zip]

http://www.readingchronicle.co.uk/sport/16597902.reading-fc-paul-mcshane-or-tiago-ilori-who-would-you-choose/?ref=rss

"Top stats:

Villa have won 10 of their last 11 fixtures against Reading in all competitions."

Poor, poor reporting given we've won 2 of the last 3 meetings

Agreed basic stuff and inexcusable given these have been recent wins too

[Snowflake Royal]

Don't know what will happen.

The truth is the reason there are so many views on here as to whether or not we've played good teams or shit teams and who's better that who is because we're just so early in the season. We've either done well and could be high up the table was it not for bad luck and freak cockups or we are genuinely shit. We genuinely won't know until we play more games.

Perhaps Bod will turn out to be an absolute gem as his goal ratio is already suggesting. Baldock and McNulty will click with how we play. Barrow continues to terrorise, swift returns to form, bacuna finds the brilliant form we know he's capable of, Aluko suddenly decides to take his finger out his arse and live up to his price tag, Gunter comes in for an enviable fullback pairing of him and the impressive yiadom,.. Illori returns, walker turns out good or mannone solidifies.

The above is very possible and we could be looking at a team of playoff candidates we just don't know. It only took one player to turn things around when Roberts joined us and I think anything could happen here. A good win against villa honestly wouldn't surprise me. It's too early to tell.

The issue with comparisons to one player making a difference like Roberts, is back then we had a limited but exceptionally organised team who were used to going on winning streaks and toughing out harder times. They were fit, they played to the whistle, they knew their jobs, they worked as a unit. They just needed a bit more quality up top.

By contrast, this lot are disorganised, sloppy, confused, lost, used to losing and winning streaks are utterly alien to them.

Even look at the new signings (who I mostly like and approve of)
Yiadom - just got relegated so used to losing
O'Shea just fought four relegation battles losing the last two
Meyler - just fought a relegation battle and survived
Baldock - got promoted! But then barely played for a year

That's half our new signings either used to losing in the last year, or at least unfamiliar with winning in that time.

We're by no means even close to a good side. We've put in improved performances in three of our first four games this season, but we've picked up one point anyway. They don't have the mental fortitude to deal with that much longer before it destroys any hope of actual recovery. By game 10 the table has started to stabalise. By December it's pretty close to how it'll finish for most teams. If we don't pick up points soon we're forever playing catch up andfind ourselves in yet another relegation fight the players don't believe they're in.

[Jackson Corner]

Brentford made them look ordinary in the second half on Wednesday. But Brentford are much better than us and will be a top six team this season. It’s a game you know we are going to lose and just hope Villa don’t score loads and we make them work for the win rather than the feeble effort we put up last season.

[Paul Cowin]

Really hoping he does not pick McShane, he really does not deserve a starting place or even a place on the bus.

He's one of my least favorite Reading players of all time

I can't believe he's lasted as long as he has and when did he ever deserve the captain's armband?

I am confused

[JR]

Really hoping he does not pick McShane, he really does not deserve a starting place or even a place on the bus.

He's one of my least favorite Reading players of all time

I can't believe he's lasted as long as he has and when did he ever deserve the captain's armband?

I am confused

Clement is a bold manager - McShane will have got a dressing down in private and won’t even be in the squad.

[windermereROYAL]

Really hoping he does not pick McShane, he really does not deserve a starting place or even a place on the bus.

He's one of my least favorite Reading players of all time

I can't believe he's lasted as long as he has and when did he ever deserve the captain's armband?

I am confused

Clement is a bold manager - McShane will have got a dressing down in private and won’t even be in the squad.

And he isn`t, quite rightly so.

[Hound]

Spit on JR. deservedly binned altogether. Much better side

[Spud Gun]

Spit on JR.

seems a little harsh

[Steve_Upper_West]

No McShane, no Kelly - step in the right direction

[Old Man Andrews]

Spit on JR.

seems a little harsh

Yeah no need. Sure use moderate violence on him, we all would but no need for spitting.

[Snowflake Royal]

Very little to argue with in that XI. Ilori back in for McShane was nailed on and he should never have been dropped.

Barrow back is obvious.

Bacuna and Meyler give a spine to protect the powderpuff Barrow and Aluko. Baldock to run around and be a nuisance, Bod to lead the line.

Shame Meite is dropped. Aluko has a couple or three of games to prove his worth and if not it has to be Meite and Sims fighting it out for that slot.

Hopefully Kelly and Swift can get their shit together and come back stronger, one of them forcing their way into the team once we start picking up results and playing well (if that ever happens).