OK, we’re all frustrated - and since the COVID break we’ve been a pale imitation of our pre-New Years selves. But we need to calm down a bit here. Let’s skip the promotion at the first attempt. It’s well documented what we came up with. But suffice to say it wasn’t a lot. #avfc

Since then we’ve built an entirely new team, got to a cup final, managed to stay up when we were already buried, improved the team, had an electric start to the season, and are now in mid-table. Last season we got pumped regularly - Watford 0-3, Leicester 1-4, City 1-6.... #avfc

Two absolutely abject performances against Southampton. The away game was embarrassingly bad. We’ve been in every game this time around....

Yes, we’re flat. Yes we miss Jack.

But we have come MILES. #avfc

Don’t forget Bielsa didn’t get Leeds up first time. It was possibly a blessing. They built a side, and have come up better for it. We could barely put a team out.

We wrote these players off last year. Most have improved. Some will improve again. We’ll sign better again. #avfc

If you flipped this season, we’d all be giddy now.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m disappointed too. I hate losing. And we are lacking a spark. I want the improvement to keep coming week after week after week. But it doesn’t work like that. It takes time. #avfc

The higher you get, the harder it is to improve. I’ll be a much harsher critic next year, but every time they’ve needed to kick on, they have. Championship, Premier League, Stayed Up, Mid Table. Why are we assuming we won’t again? #avfc

There are legitimate criticisms and worries, of course there are. No one is flawless. But some of the stuff about us not improving is bonkers to me.

Up the Villa. #avfc