Burnley won for the second time this season as Danny Ings struck twice in quick
succession early in the first half to give Sean Dyche’s side all three points again Stoke
in a 1-2 win at The Britannia.
Striker Danny Ings has been at the centre of Burnely’s recent results, the frontman
discovering the kind of form that could help propel his side further up the table. He’s
scored three goals from his 19 attempts on goal and if he can get into good positions
this weekend you wouldn’t bet against him adding to that total. Ings is 17/11 with
888sport.com to score at any time this weekend.
George Boyd is known for his workrate and stamina but he took this reputation to
new levels against Stoke last weekend. During this game he covered a remarkable
13.3km according to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index, the highest total
from an individual in a single game in the Barclays Premier League this season.
When teams are adapting to the attacking talents of some of the best in the Barclays
Premier League, a willingness to physically defend is often a must. No one has
epitomised this more for Burnley this season that Michael Duff, who’s completed a
squad-best 15 blocks, a figure which also places him 3rd in the Barclays Premier
League in this category.
An error from opposition ‘keeper Fraser Forster gifted Aston Villa the lead against
Southampton as Gabriel Agbonlahor pounced, however they were unable to hold
onto their lead eventually leaving with a point in a 1-1 draw.
Tom Cleverley clearly has a point to prove this season, with the midfielder, who is
normally known more for his passing skills, hunting down defensive work as often as
he can. He has attempted more challenges than any other Villa player this season
with 40, winning 67.5% of them according to the EA SPORTS Player Performance
Index. Cleverley is an industry best 10/1 with 888sport.com to score at any time this
weekend.
Fabian Delph is known to be something of an all-round midfielder but he has
particularly impressed when going forward for Villa this season. His 18 dribbles is the
highest total in the Villa squad and marks him out as someone in Paul Lambert’s side
who is certainly not afraid to take the game to the opposition.
Defender Alan Hutton has appeared rejuvenated this season and that new
confidence has bred similar results on the pitch. He’s won a remarkable 95.2% of his
21 attempted challenges this season, conceding just six fouls. This makes him the
most effective tackler in the Barclays Premier League this term.
The Author
Matt Turvey
Matt is the owner of, and chief writer for, Aston Villa Life. He is also a columnist for the Wolverhampton Express & Star, appearing in the Kick Off pullout on Saturdays and the Final Whistle pullout the Monday after Aston Villa play, as well as every Thursday as a blogger on their website. He has previously been featured as a writer on Football365 and Life's A Pitch, and was a regular pundit for Sports Tonight TV on Sky.Comments 199
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Think the games got 1-1 written on it, can’t see us losing to be honest but if we do then Lambert should head North. Every time i see that knob interviewed i expect him to break down in tears and not just because of the tripe he talks, bigger liar than anything in the Tory Party.
A must win situation – all summed up in a recent tweet
Aston Villa FC @AVFCOfficial 53m53 minutes ago
We are currently experiencing technical issues with our club website, which we are working to correct.
Of course if they had omitted the word club we would all have agreed but questioned their work rate.
I will not be sinking Claret but Sauvignon this evening, if I am in a fit state to watch at 2200 Thai time I will do so. otherwise it will be sometime on Sunday before I read the news!
Glad you are back in the saddle Matt – the sparsity of submissions meant that there were upwards of 150 comments on each all saying the same thing!
I just wish PL would try a little something different today in the midfield area; we need to stifle Ings and Boyd yet get around the back and into the box. Crosses will do no good without a target man – no Benteke, no Bent. It’s got to be entry via the ground floor today.
Steamer blimey that’s ambitious scoring two goals in a week unfortunately I can’t tip the Villa to win I just have no confidence in Lambert and our players I think Burnley will beat us and we will be in the bottom three tonight.
Lambert saying in the BM that he thinks Delph might leave in January– really Einstein.
AVFC RIP
Good on you Frem for going with the other 3,999 villa supporters to Burnley. Please report back – you are our man on the case!
I agree with Steamer – it’s got draw written all over it – as we don’t go to win games – we play not to lose .
Following on from the GT debate last night – here is extract from Paul McGrath’s book.
“I had liked Graham TAylor from the first time we spoke. He had a quirky way about him. He’dbounce up and down out of his chair, all energyand business. Even those chats in his office, they weren’t all doom and gloom. He had a lovley way of lightening things “Ah big man, step into my clinic”
The thing that struck me above all else was that he was interested in me. I mean he had every reason to be furious. One of his big summer signings had turned out to be a walking mess. I couldn’t have arguedif he was obnxious, if he’d turned on me saying “What the fuck are you like, you dozy twat?”
But he was open and caring. I always felt welcome in his office. He’d say to me “Look, ifyou need somehting come to me. We’re all here to help you. THat was his attitude. He gave me his home number. I felt I could talk to him on a level I had probably never talked on with anyone else in football.
He even said to me that if I ever felt things getting on top of me again, I would be welcome to come and stay with him and his wife RIta. I don’t think I’m bieng melodramatic when I say that he literally rescued me from a bad bad scene…..
Under another manager, I suspect my career would have been over. BUt Graham Taylor’s sensitivity worked wonders.
This was during a dark dark period for PM, and with his depression and alcoholism it is a miracle – down to both him and the current management at AV – that he got through this and went on that year to be player of the year. Given that he couldn’t train – he would have been put out to grass like he was at MAn U. With the help of a genuis of a phsio in Jim Walker, who “protected me more than I should have.. Ive not hesitation in sayting that. I’d say that at times he put his own job on the line”.
Win, Lose or draw I want the 4,200 villa fans heading to Burnley to give Lambert absolute pelters, I want him to know in no uncertain terms how we feel and we want him out.
I don’t think we will win today, we will play for a draw straight from the off, a sad indictment of how far we have fallen, I predict both clubs will get relegated, so both should go for the win to put distance against direct rivals, however we know only one team in claret and blue will go for it, !!!!!
We are a circus , rotten from the top
Jenny (other thread): GT was a very special man
A Villa fan wrote to me yesterday and talked about GT whom she met and got to know reasonably well in a business transaction…
She said: “[He’s] a lovely man, and a gentleman to deal with.”
There you are. When you take Paul M’s testimony into account you get what was my impression … a man who stands by his word and will do everything he can to get things right.
GT
I think the point I’ve been making is that we need people on board who really know about the Villa, and people with character to carry through what’s needed to reform the disastrous running down of the club that’s been going on these last 12 years or so.
It’s not just “nice” that we have such people on board, but to bring back a connection with what was there before and at that same time to lead the club into the new age.
I think if we had GT as football director and an appropriate football manager with genuine credentials, we’d soon see a difference.
Out of hibernation,briefly.I feel that a lot of diinterest in AVFC,and the numbness and lack of anger at our predicament,is due to the fact that some/most of us just don`t recognise the club that we fell in love with,or were brought up with.It feels like this is all happening to someone else,or rather to another club.
Expect to lose today,would be pleased with a win.Lambert will approach the game as if it is Athletico Madrid away,negative,reactive,play not to lose.
Have a good weekend all,because that shower at Turf Moor,will not allow another bad performance stop them from enjoying their weekend-I`m referring to the players and staff of course,not the marvellous away support.
Anyway, to today’s enjoyment of claret and blue football – and by that I mean Burnley! 😉
It could go any way today, but the fact that Burnley have picked up wins of late could mean they’ve got their tales up.
On the other hand, Villa’s defence did look solid for nearly all the match on Monday, and in which case one breakaway and one shot on goal could win it for Villa. A draw is more likely though.
I don’t think we can afford to be drawing these games so I don’t agree that we will try not to lose, it just might look like it 🙂 i’ll go for 2-1
one thing I don’t understand is how come the away support are looked at as villa through and through and the folks that go to villa park as idiots? surely the majority of them attend home games as well. ok its not money in lerners pocket but it costs more to see the same shite. if we had no away support surely that would be more damning than 20,000 in villa park? if they sang Lamberts a wanker for 90 mins it would stand out but they rarely do, they back the team. smacks of double standards. away games are more fun but its still the same shite football
JL- GT seems a logical choice on his love for villa but its the decision making around appointments I want to see gotten right. We may never challenge for anything again but I want us to be given the best possible chance and to stop disgracing ourselves.
Mark,
Then your aspiration and mine must be the same. I simply argue that it’s NOT simply GT’s love of Villa that I am campaigning about but the fact that of his character, his experience and that he can relate to the Villa fans. He knows well our history for the last 25 years and more and that’s a heck of an advantage to see through where we are now.
To me, his qualifications would outweigh anyone who comes from outside for a post on the board. The situation should be that GT selects what needs to be done and to bring in the appropriate expertise.
But it’s all a pipe-dream as I can’t see Lerner taking that route.
I completely agree about GT John . He provides the footballing knowledge and background plus he has an attachment to AV . That us what is lacking at VP.
Mark – you are missing the point . Ppl staying away from VP will get into the media and RLs attention . Since when did anyone care about how many attended an away game . It is only after the low gate on Monday that the media are finally waking up to the fact that AV is in serious decline .
As for going out to win the game , maybe they just might seeing as it is bottom of the table Burnley, but last seasons Chrystal Palace game comes to mind when we threw away a lead because we went into defence auto pilot and ended up losing .
Mark
you need to be there ,
there is a coach that has only AWAY DAY fans on it ,(of which about 11 are mates ) and just like l do sometimes they go for the day out and band together in the pubs and at the ground , the coach l have told Frem to use in future is run by one of us (he who was accused of gbh last year at the train staion, and it got thrown out of court) well that coach gets all the tickets so even in the ground were all together , and to be honest unless you get an arse who wants his seat he paid for , most stand aside so you and your mates can stand/sit together , and that is why there is this band who go , when l go though since lamberks been here , l stay in the pub and l can tell you after about 3 games in l had about 5 staying with me ,
st75 I get it mate its an away day jolly with your friends, I would feel the same and have. i’ve sat in a few grounds watching villa in with the oppositions end, not so much fun 🙂 its just at this instant we want an end to this management. the people in villa park getting called happy clappers probably have similar views, a day out with friends and family. I just think its strange to raise one above the other when i’d guess on the whole they are the same people wanting the same thing, belonging. I know with some its like explaining the offside rule, they don’t get it but its the atmosphere there after even if they know knaff all about the game
Jen- i think a massive gap where the away support should be shown on sky would speak volumes coupled with an empty villa park , don’t care if they all went on the coaches and stayed in barnsley pubs, away day is more tribal than a home match so i know why fans love it .
they were discussing villa on talksport this morning didn’t hear much of it but Keane leaving has sparked more media attention than the lack of support, although that has had some minor press. roys departure has probably done us more good than a demonstration would. newcastle fans have been at it for ages and the press see it as disgruntled fans not much more. the bullying case should of made big headlines it didn’t as it wasn’t at a top 6 club. yes we need to reduce lerners income but media coverage will damage the brand and every little bit will help.
as for trying to win we tried at QPR yes we got sucker punched but we did attack and 1 point against those around us won’t do
jen- forgot to mention the press don’t see Lambert as a problem, they have sympathy for him as he’s not had much money etc don’t forget that a lot of them are ex pro’s and like us band together.
Well…
Cole for England! 🙂
Jl- not one celebration. He”s doing ok isn’t he 🙂
Love to see grealish now, and maybe Robinson for weimann
As if by magic 🙂
Dam sit down robinson
Fcuk
Still not scoring are we? … unless we think that scoring one against a bottom-3 team is fine…
I liked Villa’s movement in the first half, but that was because they allowed us the space, I think. We should have taken better advantage of that.
Mmmm… A revived CP on Tuesday. Still, CB will be back and will score a hat-trick … (?)
A point is a bad result , we stay 16th but fuck me it’s now 78 days since we won a game, we haven’t scored in the second half since Stoke , and haven’t scored in front of the Holte since April( Grant Holt in off his arse).
Lambert deserved what he got from today, taking the lead then barricades up, hoping to get thru to the end. We basically sat back for 45 mins and did FA, I hate his tactics, I hate Lambert and I hate Lerner, they are all a waste of oxygen
B62,
I’m not sure about “barricades up” today. I felt as though it was purely Burnley had been told to put more pressure on Villa and cover more tightly second half.
But it was certainly not a good enough performance against a side that, frankly, looks like a championship outfit I think.
just me and you john 🙂 yes as usual we fail to make our superiority count 😉 will be interesting to see cole with benteke. cole set up both fullbacks for umpteen crosses that benteke just might thrive on, and he is sharp around the box too something we lack. just need a clinical finish, shame grealish couldn’t find the back of the net. we seriously need to cut the niggly side of our game out it always ends up costing us. thats 6 points dropped from good positions, but at least we are getting into those positions I suppose. didn’t see any cases by Lamberts seat so I guess he’s staying
B62- I think you have anger issues around Lambert 😉 we had 18 shots 7 on target
53% possession. we controlled a lot of the game whether you like lambert or not we have played much worse
christ alight lambert in close to truth shocker!!
http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/11635279._/?
Wow so Lambert actually played someone else from the squad and amazingly he did well… good to see Old Man Cole has still got a bit of magic up his sleeve as we so desperately need someone like him with Westerley not creating much of anything. How was Grealish today? Again shocked that Lambert actually played him… What’s going on with this chap?!?!?
ronnie- grealish did ok could of won it in the last minute but shot at the keeper
sometimes he looks like he’s strolling and I suspect thats why he doesn’t see more time on the pitch
mark
we might had a few efforts on target cleverly gabby grealish shots wouldnt trouble an under 12 keeper couple efforts from early corners,not one decent effort second halvesubs today again bring robinson back playing reguarly put on grealish ,richardson what is the point zog has played regular not to get on bent today with all early pressure might have got on to sum chance cole got the ball look up gabby wiemen closer to own goal. cole not good enough for 15/20 mins monday starts today .westwood and cleverly what do they do or provide,sure sanchez does give it away from time to time but if you watch it back most of time he is under pressure when getting the ball. keeper and back 4 doing allright only 4 goals conceded last 4 matches one a pen one a fluke freekick two when gabby a striker didnt pick up his man.think gabby and wiemen are bit like clark and baker one withsomebody else alright but two together disaster
A goal up in 3 of the last 4 games inside the last ten minutes and we haven’t won any of them.
It might be a combination of fitness and concentration but more likely the attitude of the manager. We’re not good enough to shut up shop so why not go for more goals to kill the opposition off? But that isn’t Lambert’s style. Well, at least it isn’t at Aston Villa.
Grealish
As with Cole on the field, it was good to see someone who had the confidence to turn and change the direction of play.
But someone needs to tell Grealish to get his shinpads on! It’s a league requirement I believe!!!
Looking at the team and especially the bench i think Lambert is choosing a more populist approach by giving the fans what / who they want., Grealish and Robinson, pity we can’t do anything about his barmy substitutions. Sky Sports Centre suggested that Grealish will be a future star, so it makes Lamebert’s reluctance to select him even stranger. Another example of Lamebert’s bs was Zog being dropped after PL praised his performance in our last game. Apparently the fans gave the knob some right welly during the final minutes, good, he totally deserves it and more.
Graham Taylor still hasn’t admitted that the philosophy he employed during his career was long ball, never mind this cobblers about never telling his players to hoof it, he made sure the majority of his team were hoofers, when BFR took over he had to sell Platt to replace the rubbish Taylor signed. The season we luckily finished RU, we were in a terrible run and Herbert made it clear that if we didn’t beat Derby he would be booted, Dean Saunders missed about five p – easy tap ins and Villa won and went on a good run where they won most of their games. I think there are dozens of people more suited to do the DoF job including John Gregory, Brian Little, David Platt to name three, in fact i’d have almost anyone but Taylor.
A draw wS predicted and a draw was what we got against the mighty Burnley.
Marc – I don’t know why you say the media are all pro Lambert – they aren’t. Pete Colley’s interview , Adrian Durham , Goughie , Andy Gray , Kendrick , Mat Lawson DT, just to name a few have all criticised PL , his style of football , his refusal to try different things and most recently his favouritism of certain players. He’s had 40 minion to spend so the no money excuse doesn’t hold water any more . As we are 20th in every stat going , they could hardly ignore his dreadful record any longer.
As for the drop in gate , yes it did make the headlines . It made the headlines on Tuesday . Talk Sport Drive started the programme with it and invited Villa fans on . Clearly by Friday it was old news and Keane’s departure made the headline on Friday . But Keane’s departure is a one off headline , Aston Villas gate will be getting attention every fortnight so yes it is far more important than Keane. Of course it’s more important than the fall in away support . How often do the cameras go in the away support – hardly ever. Is there an announcement for away attendance – no. They couldn’t care less about away support – it’s the villa gate that is relevant and if it continues to decline we may hopefully see an end to Paul Lambert.
james i agree are shooting is far from clinical but 4 games ago we couldn’t buy a shot on goal, today 1/2 the team had one. question is who gets dropped for palace?
for me its gabby as i think weimann will work better with cole and benteke. close though as gabbys done ok. if i had my way i would try cole and grealish together with benteke they looked ok to together in the reserves, a good understanding. westwood and cleverly are there as work horses mate, they both had shots today though
steve w, i would of liked to have seen robinson for weiman or gabby too, don’t think we stopped trying to score though
Steamer: I think there are dozens of people more suited to do the DoF job including John Gregory, Brian Little, David Platt to name three, in fact i’d have almost anyone but Taylor.
Well, we all have our own favourites, Gary, and I was never really a fan of John Gregory. His heart is in the right place though.
Yes, Brian Little might be a contender but he’s sunning himself in Jersey now.
For me, GT has the gravitas necessary to gain greater respect. Though you talk about hoof-ball from him I have to point to you the fact that he re-signed Graham Cowans and helped him back into playing the form he played in Villa’s greatest years … so where’s the hoof in that?
With players like McGrath, Daley and Platt also in his team I didn’t see it that way.
Whoops … GORDON Cowans, of course!!!!
jen- have you ever been to a game with no away support? the atmosphere is dead. fans fire off each other. the media are critical of wenger, potechinni etc but I haven’t heard them say they should sack them except when two hosts are trying to be controversial for a phone in. I heard the exact same excuses realed out today for lamberts poor team. when the low gates become the norm the media will forget it and move on i agree lerner won’t. I was highlighting the lovein with the away fans vs the hatred of the home fans not which is more effective anyhow 😉
as for the money we will never agree on that, 40m over 5 windows is nothing when spread over 20 players, 5 of them took up the bulk of that. what’s more worrying is the virtual zero amount from at least the same amount of players going out, we will get nothing for bent a 25m player, who scored today incidentally 🙂
Steamer,
And GT was a bloomin’ tight budget … he did remarkably well to sign the players he did though I agree there were a couple of duffers.
… and BL got rid of BFRs lot, so I’m not sure of the point! 😉
jen- also the away fans would be easier to organise than 20,000 plus random people
Mark: when the low gates become the norm the media will forget it
Not the West Midlands media, Mark. Especially that if the gates do keep low or go lower it will mean that Villa’s on its way to relegation.
JL- thats if they do, it was on sky, in the evening, and bloody cold. as much as i would like it to be a walkout i think the truth will come out at the next home game . villas gate fluctuate with the opposition. next 2 games leicester a local derby and manure whose games usually sell out regardless despite the fact we always lose.
maybe against the less popular teams but seeing is believing, fingers crossed
Mark – the media won’t forget it . Not when there are televised games and not when there are tables of attendance for the league . And as you rightly point out , it’s RL who will remove Lambert and it’s he who will feel it most , particularly as club is up for sale . Buyers want a thriving club if they are to pay top dollar , not one whose ground is half empty. The gates are dropping at VP – they haven’t been organised – there is no need . There is a hard core of away fans – many of whom go for the “away day experience of beers , banter and escaping the Mrs and shopping “. I know quite a few of these ! It’s a totally different experience and I don’t agree that boycotting the away games will be more demonstrative than boycotting VP. Even the radio commentators and sky pundits go round the ground for every game . You’re not telling me they’re not going to comment on VP being half empty week in week out .
And before we get carried away about a Burnley draw – I’ve never heard of any of their players – you look at our team – we should be takjng three points off them no trouble . Even Sunderland managed a draw against Chelsea !
Yes, Mark, Jenny has got my vote on that matter! 😉
Mark,
In fact I would be very surprised if Villa’s attendance is more than 35,000 against Man U. And that’s with 5k Man U supporters present!
The only way it would be any higher is the fan’s expectation was suddenly raised over the next few games. And don’t forget that match will be on Chrstmas shopping day..
jen to be fair I hadn’t heard of most of southamptons players or west hams. this is the point I just made above the top teams will probably be the ones with a half decent crowd, come to see rooney etc, and are more likely to be televised. as for we should be beating them there are no gimmes and are you having a laugh when you say look at our players? how many would other teams rush in for then? some of them would of been playing burnley not long ago in another league 😉 top players cost £20m plus these days where are ours?
JL you and that jenny thick as thieves 😉
are you kidding JL, erm shopping or football???
if we play like today with tekkers back then probably john, we are fickle you know 😉 by the way 35,000 doesn’t look as bad as 19,000
off for a beer have a good evening all 🙂
Most of you were right about the 1-1. Villa needed to do better, though Lambert will publicly seem happy with an away draw. I think Villa will stay where they are for the rest of the season.
Good to see Cole score a goal.
We can all look at this match in isolation and draw some good ,some bad,from it.But however you dress it up.we have 3 points from the last 27 available.
I have been reading reading for the last 4 years “we have a batch of winable games coming up”.
Thing is we don`t win `em.
Agree with Steamer,I would not welcome GT back to VP,not a good idea IMO,for all his many virtues ,not for me.
bloody hell poor turn out, oy brasil get a grip we are 4 points behind spurs in tenth. theres 7 points between us and 5th and a whole lot of teams are in the same boat. you’re in brasil!!! if you can’t be happy what hope have we got??? hope alls well 🙂
B6/Steamer
Can’t think what you lot have got against GT. I’m sure he’d buy you a pint if you met him! 🙂
Mark 35,000 doesn’t look as bad as 19,000
Yeah, well 35k is the very max I’m expecting. And when you compare that against the *minimum* 39k that Man U would normally get it’s a fairly substantial difference (12%).
Mark are you kidding JL, erm shopping or football???
Christmas shopping, Mark. And it does happen, particularly when fans are fed up with Villa.
JL you old fox with your 12%, you know 35,000 won’t look that bad on tv. and how about this ” I know love you go shopping and i’ll take the kids to villa park out of your way” 😉
seriously mate I do think these kind of games will draw a crowd, i’ll be happy if they don’t but we could of done with palace at home and maybe wet spam or qpr
Morning all,
GT has just had a stand named after him at Watford, so in not sure we are his first love, and I don’t think he is progressive enough he is a throwback .
On attendances, let’s not worry to much about UTD’s Visit, Sunday Leicester visit, and despite them selling more tickets than Saints, we are set to beat our lowest attendance this century, by getting less than 25k. It is costing more and more in lost revenue, which will be topped off by relegation.
Palace will beat us tues, then it’s a massive 6 pointer against The Foxes, but the fans have lost the will and are staying away in the thousands, this won’t change until Lambert/Lerner and co leave.
To top it al Blues are on a roll, just shows what a change of manager can do!!!!!!
B62
The Watford fans love GT of course! He didn’t ask for it…!
Sorry, when someone who has the diplomatic and organisational skills that GT has is considered a “throwback”, something is wrong somewhere.
I’m the same age as GT and know that I can still perform in such a function, so why can’t he?
I’m not asking him to come and direct day-to-day coaching. He would recognise that’s someone else’s role.
On Tuesday, CB is back don’t forget. He’ll score 6. … Won’t he?
b62- your right it will be money not media that gets rid of Lambert. thats all its been about for 4-5 seasons. Palace will be a tough game but its winnable and bentekes back, if cole can have a similar game will be interesting, he made the journos team of the day.
steamer- you might be right about Lambert trying get the fans back on side, maybe someones told him what’s being said. in his interview on sky he was actually coherent and didn’t come out with his normal bullshine. didn’t nzogbia have as knock when he came off last monday?
http://www1.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/football/9586772/lambert—we-should-have-won?
http://www.myoldmansaid.com/five-reasons-cheerful-villa-fans-after-letting-burnley-off-hook/?
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/roy-keanes-shock-aston-villa-4719930?
Oh Villa. Still can’t win can we.
From where I sat yesterday, the first 45 mins wasn’t our Villa. We actually played football a bit. Still didn’t create enough, but we played a bit. Joe Cole you can tell is on a different planet to any of our bunch. Not just because of his goal ( Couldn’t actually tell who scored from my angle) but his link play, his passing was very good. It was exciting in a way for once. Type of player we have needed for about 5 seasons
Then came the second half. We played our good half so we knew the second wasn’t going to be good, and it wasn’t. It was our usual dire standards and it cost 3 points yet again. We panicked, gave the ball away with ease and created nothing. Wiemann was a disgrace yet again playing right mid, he doesn’t move and fans were screaming for him to get taken off. Gabby, another disgrace to the shirt. didn’t win a single thing in the air, doesn’t move to the ball and was at fault for there goal trying to dribble though three players. It didn’t show it on MOTD. Gabby has been at fault for 3 of our last 4 goals conceded now.
Then came the Lamberk out chants and Lamberk trying to hide away after the final whistle because he had to walk right across the away section to get down the tunnel. He kept his head down, walked as far right as possible behind a Villa player. Twat. He said after the game he herd the chants so hopefully he will feck off out this club
The away fans, 4,100, were epic. A Burnley fan on the radio on the way back said how great we were. Grealish on Twitter said the same. We sold out the whole stand and din’t stop singing all game. Its a shame the players and manager don’t give a feck as much as the fans do
Palace next, we will lose if Lamberk is still manager. Wish I wish going to that to, the stick he will get will be unreal. Then if hes still manager by Sunday against LCFC and we don’t beat bottom of the league, that will have to be that wont it?
And with Benteke back. i take it Cole will get dropped and not Gabby o Wiemann
and even if we draw our next two, it’s not good enough
frem- glad you had a good day mate, praying cole stays fit because i think he will gel with benteke. wish we had delph fit as cleverly could play on the right delph left cole up the middle. if we weren’t so flakey i’d start grealish on the left cleverly right. you can see its getting to lambert he gave a good interview but looked really unhappy
Mark- Delph is going in Jan mate, as will Vlaar.
I hope Grealish starts, the away fans loved it when he came on. Would have loved him to score at the end.
His interview, he said we could have lost of It which we could have. He said it would have been travesty if we did. Why, because you would have been sacked ? That wouldn’t have been a travesty
He’s also speaking his crap though. He keeps saying expectation levels are huge, like the fans not being happy after a 9th game without a win is wrong in away. Not once has he apologised for what he’s done to this club. I’m pretty sure Wednesday will be 10 games without a win
I hope Cole stays fit to but won’t he move Gabby on the other wing and drop Sanchez for Clev to move in? Can you imagine Gabby and Wiemann tasked to crate things. Jesus
Frem i am not suprised we looked good against such lowely opposition — as Jen said in a eariler post we have a far superior sqaud and should be able to look good v burnley and the likes
Villa away support has been more entertainng that our team for a while now
Really frustraiting still havng lambert as manager and dispite the recklessness of two of our best 3 players being left to run out there contracts we still have the makings of a good enough squad to be much better than this
PL wont get the sack as tekkers will come back we wll scramble a few results and the lerner lambert dream will role on
Let’s not get too carried away here, a good 45 against, what is in effect a championship team, and in the end we were hanging on for a point.
Lambert is a disgrace, we sat back the entire second half on a 1-0 lead, fair enough on a 2/3 goal lead but at 1-0 it is a very dangerous game, and yet again his tactic failed, he knows no other way, it’s never going to work, not these days, it’s not like we are the Arsenal side under George graham.
JL
By throwback I simply mean he is entrenched in his ways, I didn’t think he was a particularly great manager, as for his personality, iv never met him, but he seems like a nice enough guy, perhaps too nice . I wouldn’t be against him on the board, but I would like to see someone with new fresh ideas, someone who will stand up to Lerner and explain the error of his ways, Ian Taylor springs to mind, Brian Little or BFR, along with GT, a Cortese would be great, but all Lerner employs are twats prepared to do everything he says , nodding dogs, happy to kiss his arse.
It’s getting to the point where we may never come back from this regime.
I am not sure how you can say that our team is on a par with Burnly Mark. Here is their team yesterday.
01 Heaton
02 Trippier
25 Keane
05 Shackell
23 Ward
21 Boyd
08 Marney Booked
14 Jones (Wallace – 83′ )
11 Kightly Booked (Arfield – 65′ )
30 Barnes Booked (Jutkiewicz – 65′ )
10 Ings
Substitutes
06 Mee
07 Wallace
17 Sordell
19 Jutkiewicz
22 Gilks
28 Long
37 Arfield
Aston Villa
01 Guzan
21 Hutton Booked
05 Okore Booked
06 Clark Booked (Lowton – 96′ )
23 Cissokho
08 Cleverley Booked
15 Westwood
24 Sánchez
12 Cole (Grealish – 67′ )
11 Agbonlahor
10 Weimann (Richardson – 78′ )
Substitutes
07 Bacuna
18 Richardson
28 N’Zogbia
31 Given
34 Lowton
37 Robinson
40 Grealish
Compare theirs with ours. We have players who have played in the Premiership League for minimum of 3 seasons – most of them have played internationally, Clark, Hutton, Gabby, Guzan, Cole, Sanchez, Cleverley. Compare this to Burnley – Championships players – they spent 3 million in the summner and save for Inge – who has heard of the rest. WIth the players we have, we should be wiping the floor with this lot.
B62- A guy behind me kept saying how poor Burnley are all game, and he was right. Worrying thing is, we still couldn’t win
Jenny-That team should be walking all over them, and we did first 45 mins. We have a coward of a manager though, who changed mentality at half time and we gave up
here are the facts about kean leaving from sid cowans 1 he told gabby he needs to lose at least a stone maby 2 to get his pace back and to stay out of the gym and the sh ite hit the fan
2, he told lambert that grelish at any other club would be played and the team built around him he also said that jack was the best young player he had ever seen and should be played every week ,so the ****e hit the fan again
Gabby went to Lambert and said that he was being bullied by kean about him losing weight lambert responded as gabby threw his toys out of the pram before when culverhouse told him the same thing .
so gabby is lamberts love child hens he plays every week even though he can not hit a barn door and is 2 stone overweight .
so lambert has lost half the dressing room and is only bothered about his arse lickers that is why we are so crap so wind of change and the rest who go on about us 70 s lovers grow up and get some balls we want this twat out now and the only way is to stay away completely until Poxy Foxy gets the message
B62: By throwback I simply mean he is entrenched in his ways, I didn’t think he was a particularly great manager
We don’t know that he is though, do we? He is still practising coach and is regarded as an elder statesman. To my mind he becomes the ideal interface between the chairman and football development.
As a manager, well (as I said before) he did miracles in 1987-90. All some seem to remember is hoof-football.
He turned the club upside down from being a shambles (and with limited cash) finished his term there with a squad that included a revived Gordon Cowans, David Platt, Dwight Yorke AND Paul McGrath. Plus Tony Daley who he inherited but who he put into the team as a regular.
For a guy who’s done what he did, he can do the same thing again (in terms of refreshing the approach and putting meaning into the club again), just as he did in his first 3 years.
So Keane left for telling the truth. Gabby is fat and Grealish is class
No surprise, Lamberk has had is fuck buddy’s since day one. Gabby and Wiemann he will never stop playing
Surprised it’s only half the dressing room he’s lot.
Did he say anything about him getting the sack anytime soon ?
I don’t think we did sit back in the second particularly we controlled the game but looked more dangerous to ourselves with stray passes than burnley did. They looked beaten until one hopeful punt wasn’t dealt with, that got their tales up and we instead of tightening up went to pot in the last 10 it happens . Burnley have been on a good run but we should of buried them in the first 15 mins. our problem is goals Robinson would of been worth a punt in the last 20. Cole tired in the second after running the show, we also had an extra player in midfield first half .I’m no lambert lover but I did think we played well and improvement has to start somewhere. The last few games suggests there may be a decent team in there somewhere. We need to stop shooting ourselves in the foot and be clinical
B632,
Common now, mate. Burnley were told off by their manager and they came out second-half spoiling for a fight. That was the difference. Villa were so bright first half because they let us.
The second-half shows that we still have the same problems but that the induction of a ball-playing forward IS a need. With CB back the two together should work well … if Cole/Grealish is picked. But since Cole scored and played so well I don’t see how he can be left out.
Build the team around Grealish Lamberk. No point in giving him 2 mins here and there
Mark- we did nothing second half. Just hoofed it up to Gabby who won nothing or just hoofed it up to know one. Our first half display went out the window
You would think Lamberk would realise this is a team who can’t defend by now so attack instead
JD,
Is this the same Crappy who touched the ball 17 times yesterday and gave it away 13 times ? you know, the legend ? the one who scores 5 goals per season max and gets a new four year contract for 50,000 squid a week for only getting a sweat on in the Summer months.
JL,
Couldn’t stand Taylors R & R footy, when we went down in 198? i remember going to Watford ( 3-0 ) and during a sustained period of their hoofing, our car load looked at each other and virtually at the same time said ‘I couldn’t watch this shite every week,’ bloody awful, thats why Watford attracted (??) every teams lowest home attendance.
As for being a nice guy, the great Brian Glanville often mentioned that he’d criticised Taylor,s alehouse footy and while watching a game at QPR, Taylor spotted him and became aggressive, now to a 70 odd year old bloke that’s not right is it ? especially one with BG’s unrivalled knowledge of the World game, reason enough to dislike ?
Frem,
You won’t be missing much at Palace, them and Charlton are terrible places to reach, fancy Palace to open us up.
How many points have been lost from winning positions by Lamebert attempting to defend a lead ?
Frem no one wants to buy the club lerner will take whatever is offered thats why lambert was given a new deal he dont care a toss and is only bothered at getting one point a game 38 0 0 he would be happy as a pig in s hite but there have been no offers at all for the club no one wants it
steamer sid uses the cock at wishaw as he only lives around the corner 5 minuets from bodymore some of the tails you would not believe but the one about gabby is fact thats the same reason culverhouse went as well
Steamer – I know about Palace mate, went there last season. Awful game, awful stadium. Just love being in the away section
John- Why does knowone want us? Lovely stadium, great training ground.
I know Lamberk doesn’t give a toss, you can tell that by interviews. I think he’d be over the moon of he gets sacked to get his ££££
So you think there is no chance of the sack anytime soon unless come the near the end of the season we are heading down ?
Frem i am the same as you but if the home gate collapsed i think and only then would poxy Foxy alarm Lerner dont think lerner cares what happens on the pitch or how we play as long as the dough comes through the door if that drops that would be his only reason for concern as according to Sid he dont bother about the press
Steamer
You are speaking of second division days and the first season after GT took over and found that the club was mouldy all the way through. You don’t expect silky football when he’s scraping from the bottom of the barrel for goodness sake.
What GT achieved in turning the club around should be enshrined somewhere because he achieved that much.
It’s very sad that you (and others) remember him in such terms. And as far as Glanville is concerned, even he can be wrong sometimes – or at least exaggerate. If GT got upset about something … well we’re all entitled to be human I think. 😉 … Me included.
Steamer,
Sorry, I mis-read you … when you said “went down” I thought you meant relegated. 😉
The thing is, though, Taylor probably felt that he could only play a tactic according to the kind of players that were at his disposal. And I think the important thing is to remember that when he came to Villa he did get the team playing reasonable stuff by 1990 … and (importantly) made some cracking signings. Although Taylor had gone by then, I recall that European match against Inter-Milan when GT’s team played some cracking stuff to win that day.
And, as I said before, the fact that GT turned the club around in 1987-90 sticks out with me as his crowning achievement. In my eyes he should have been knighted.
I find it strange that with simular clubs like spurs everton ect if they have even a slight dip in fotunes the press are all over it , examining ever aspect of the club i, but with villa they seem to just brush the failings off and hardly mention us
is this because randy is from an elite enough circle the means he doesnt get much in the way of bad press
JL i understand your admiration for GT and maybe he could be a cogg in the boardroom to give the club structure and direction but there are other people mentioned before – taylor , laursen . mcgrath and the list goes on how could help to do somethng simular
as for GT style of play as a manager ,it was pretty aweful
Taylor did a great job 87-90. His appointment in 2002 was a bad move but at least he heaped criticism on Ellis when he left. I wouldn’t mind having any of the names mentioned on the board but while Lerner is still there I think it would only be a token appointment.
Getting rid of Lerner is still my priority. Because any new owner would sack Lambert in the first five minutes.
JD- if what you say is true and I think it sounds about right I hope it finds its way to learners door and you’re right nothing but staying away will do.
runtingz- its been happening that long its no big deal and almost expected. I also think villa park is run like a gulag with blanket media filtering 24/7
jen- so should of stoke with their team but football ain’t that simple. so what you’re saying is the more expensive/experienced team should win all the time? you know that isn’t true, it’s a strong possibility thats all. most teams should wipe the floor with us are players get constantly put down on here as they make more amateurish mistakes than any team i’ve ever seen.
Runtings: there are other people mentioned before – taylor , laursen . mcgrath and the list goes on how could help to do somethng similar
Well, no, I don’t think they could … because those you list know about playing and some aspects of coaching … period. These are not men with broad experience, which is what I see is needed. As said before, I agree that maybe Brian Little might be another candidate.
The fellers you nominate are excellent ambassadors for the club, though, and should be utilised wherever possible.
fairplay John point taken although i thinl lausen may have what it takes to do that inda role ,as he talk exsteamly well about football
its all hypathetical anyway randy is in charge so i am not expecting to much positive structual changes anytime soon
Runtings,
Yes, I agree about Lerner’s attitude … it is a bit of a pipe-dream of mine.
But it’s possible that a new owner (when/if!) might see the matter differently.
the trouble is the gates will always be shown as over 22k as thats how many season ticket holders we have last week we actually had just under 20k but they show the season tickets as there even if they are not you only had to open your eyes on monday to see there where not 25 k there they fudge the numbers because they have been paid in advance by the season ticket holders even if every stayed away and they where all empty seats they would say 22k
Mark – I’m well awRe it’s not that simple – but you are now contradicting yourself . This is what you posted
“look at our players? how many would other teams rush in for then? some of them would of been playing burnley not long ago in another league
You wrote that Mark in which you implied that our team is as bad as Burnleys. Well no they are not as I have proved just on cost , premier league and international experience . Who would you rather have Guzan or the Burnley keeper
From our team yesterday just how many would have been playing for Burnley
The point is that the players we have could do better under different management .
jenny spot on the players we have would be far better is the ball and chains where undone after they cross the ha;f way line good players do become bad if managed the wrong way and we have the greatest wrong way men in the world look how good Lowten was 12 months ago when he scored goal of the season he was briil a fall out with lambert then dropped confidence shot look at him now its only the arse lickers who get played now
We will obviously be more potent up front with CB’s return but for how long ? Lerner’s desperate to get the $$ so he can get away and i reckon 15m would be accepted by Fox, especially if Arsenal made the bid. If Benteke does go, we’re finished.
steamer,
I think we could be finished even if Benteke stays, unless management changes are made ASAP.
http://youtu.be/ldV2uvxhUsY
Love it. Hope the Holte get it going
Villa needs radical change and that can only start with the chairman. While he’s there, any new manager will need to do his bidding, so we’re stuck with PL until a buyer comes along.
JD
What you were saying about RK is along the right lines, as there was a big fallout after the QPR game and RK laid into several players for their poor performance, and since then things have been very tense all round, and in the end RK was p*ssed off and decided to walk, and when the players heard that he had walked, they all started cheering at BMH. This was all reported today in The People by Neil Moxey. So Lambert is out on a limb once again…
Once again, he probably lost out with his substitutions once again……Weimann should have come off much sooner and been replaced by Grealish, and maybe Bacuna could have come on for Okore with Sanchez dropping further back, as apparently Okore was awful, and a disaster waiting to happen.
jen- wrong i didn’t imply are squad was at the same level as burnleys merely you can’t just turn up and show them a price tag and they fall over. burnley drew with man utd and a lot of the other teams in the lower parts of the league are they miraculously gaining points? or are they a team that were good enough to make it into this league? southampton came up last season with a team none of us knew much about, some are now england internationals and play for manure arsenal etc. this year they picked up more players I at least had never heard of, they are third. palace were doomed and stayed up with an unknown team. qpr were full of known players and got relegated
our squad is not particularly expensive and we have 3/4 players of value tops. by that i mean more than £5m benteke is the exception. westwood came from crewe, hutton hardly played for us or spurs, okore champ level team, sissoko less than champ level after failing with liverpool,
cleverly manure failure, cole west ham failure, gabby 5 goal a year, weimann cows arse banjo.
to top that they are in their 3rd year of struggle for some 5 hardly a team to be scared of.
JD- lowton has always been a useless defender but he can cross a ball and scored a couple of decent goals. he got injured and went through a bad patch and got deservedly dropped. he also picked up the habit of getting niggly as he got caught for pace regularly.
Paul Okore was awful, and a disaster waiting to happen.
I didn’t see that – who said that he was awful?
He wasn’t as good this match as in his return match, certainly, but apart from the penalty giveaway he was doing a good job i.m.o. He’s certainly a footballer and just needs games under his belt i.m.o.
I can’t understand why he and Cole haven’t been brought into the side earlier this season.
Mark,
I just don’t get your arguments, effectively suggesting that Villa’s squad has little value.
Of course the squad is not as good as we want it to be, but Hutton, Okore, Vlaar, Cole and Cleverley have good footballing ability in them (and well-known ability in the case of Vlaar, Cole and Cleverley) and stand out when placed against, say, the Burnley team. And I didn’t even mention Benteke in that list.
Weimann is a funny one. In the season before last season I thought he was doing alright and scoring some good goals. Since then he’s certainly not been so effective, but maybe he can get back into his former form.
In contrast I feel that Burnley are just a bunch of great tiers, but essentially still look like a championship team. Villa’s main drawback is that we have just not demonstrated any sort of fire-power so far this season. This – of course – will be corrected tomorrow night! 😉
Frem.
This bloke is a star, hilarious, ta for posting, i needed a good laugh, good luck in the job and don’t lose any time for these winkers.
http://youtu.be/ldV2uvxhUsY
paul p- I watched the match, okore was steady IMO and even the commentators said when the penalty was given it was his first mistake of the day although I would say second. clarke played well again. we were committing players forward all game at least 8 players had attempts at goal.
JD- I don’t buy the it’s all lamberts fault line, yes i want him out as his tactics over 3 seasons have been dire but the responsibility is the players once on the pitch. no player I know of purposely plays badly, i certainly never did and i’ve fallen out with managers and players. this team generally puts the effort in but are short on quality don’t you think? when a 34 year old injury prone joe cole comes on and looks like messi in comparison a light bulb went on in my head thats for sure. managing a group of people in any walk of life is a complex thing and not all players are angels.
hutton has more reason than many to hate lambert but is playing well, okore has had a moan but he’s playing alright, clarke is 4th choice yet he’s come in and played better than ever. lets face it no-one likes personal criticism even if it’s warranted and a losing dressing room is going to be tense. has GC ever mentioned what his personal feelings on Lambert are? that i’d like to know 😉
Comments on Okore came from the reporter in the People. I have not seen the match, only the MOTD highlights, but he quoted several incidents in the game and other times, that Okore tends to panic, and risk fouls where they are unnecessary. This is something Sanchez was guilty of, and is this the influence of Keane?
I see the dressing room celebrations on his departure are now on all the sites. I see also that Bent has said that you can only take so many slaps in the face…..LIKE A LOT ON HERE, STILL THINK HE HAS BEEN BADLY TREATED AND COULD HAVE DONE A LOT FOR US…but Lambert didn’t need someone who could score goals….they don’t win matches…..but of course Weimann’s industry will…..
Tomorrow night will be Lambert’s last chance to save his job, I hope….Failure, and Sid should be given the job for the Leicester game.
JL- no offense intended to jen but its the inference that somehow a squad that hasn’t finished in the top half for 4 years and has been relegation fodder for 5 years should automatically beat a championship level team like burnley. this is the same team of internationals and expensive players that have been knocked out of all cup competitions by lower league opposition I presume. people have stated on here Lamberts transfers have been awful and that if relegated would go straight through the championship to div1, can’t have it all ways.
After watching a half decent performance yesterday, “we should be beating them because we cost XYZ” was used IMO as another stick to beat Lambert. I want Lambert out but lets give the team some credit when it’s warranted. If this wasn’t your intention jen I apologise.
paul p- can only say what I saw, and he was pretty anonymous, ie just did his job. we were more stretched yesterday than usual and hutton was pushing on a lot. maybe he was feeling leggy its hard when you haven’t played much. i’m hoping this doesn’t happen to cole on tuesday as he was class
🙂 Mark you do make me giggle on her sometimes Jen is 100% correct in all she has said re burbley – villa sqauds but you seem more intent on winning an argument rather than constructive debate — i am with you Jen on this all day
on here – not on her 🙂
Mark is right of course, not everything can be put on Lambert. But I think people recognise that and I don’t think it is.
Could another manager get more out of these players? Unquestionably so in my opinion though others may have a different view.
runtingz- and jen doesn’t want to win 😉
if the argument is does villa have more internationals and a better squad on paper than burnley of course they do. if the argument is does that somehow give us the right to beat them? (which my point is) no it doesn’t. jen being the clever lady she is did the old lawyer switcheroo 🙂
steve w- thats just me and you then mate 😉
Mark people that post on here are fairly intelligent excluding me of course – i don’t think anyone with the slight bit of sense thinks any club is going to win all the games that you should win with a better team/players –jen never once said that but you swerve her points to make yours more valid — again she is completely correct in all she has said on the matter imo
I
runtingz- these are Jens words mate which suggest we should beat them on the basis of a better squad, what have I twisted? I think you’ve got your love goggles on 😉
Jen said
“And before we get carried away about a Burnley draw – I’ve never heard of any of their players – you look at our team – we should be taking three points off them no trouble . Even Sunderland managed a draw against Chelsea !”
Mark 🙂 she is 100% correct in what you just reposted
i always have my love goggles on gezza — if we are not expecting to beat burnley we should not expect to win any prem game — so how you make an argument out of that is beyound me — nothing wrong with being wrong mark -it’s not cool to twist things try try and make out that you are right -=on this point you are just pointing out the obvious when there is no need too — hey hoe thou
runtingz- she suggests that villas performance is somehow downgraded because we should beat them, and yet we have been found out continually by lower opposition. I give up mate love conquers all 🙂
Burnley are crap mate and will be in the championship next season — if we don’t shape up and beat these sides of unknowns this could well be the season we get relegated
What is your point mark – we get knocked out of cups by rubbish lower sides so we should expect to lose to the likes of burnley ?# just trying to make sense of what your actually tryiung to say re this
I think the point is with our squad we should be beating the likes of Burnley.. now shocks happen.. small teams beat the bigger teams.. Cradiff beat Man City last season.. so there is no given right..
BUT.. we seem to continuously drop points to teams fighting relegation..
With the squad we have we should be doing and playing better and all boils down to PL.. which is why he needs to go..
Looking back my judgement after the Bradford farce was right.. he is clueless..!
Not sure where this argument is going but I think people should look at the facts:
P13 W3 D4 L6
From the last nine games with 27 points on offer we have taken just 3 points, we have failed to beat two sides around us QPR and Burnley, now to me that little lot shouts relegation form.
Did we see the introduction of Cole and Grealish on Saturday because Lambert may have thought Burnley were crap and were there for the taking, with Benteke back will we revert back to type with what looks like a 4-3-3 but with Grabby and Wiemann making up a midfield five.
AVFC RIP
Morning Lifers
Mark can speak for himself,maybe he is saying that we don`t have the right to turn up and beat Burnley,we have to earn that right,which we didn`t.Anyhow apart from that I`ll stay out of the Mark v Jen debate.
Off topic,I believe Delph and Vlaar are bulletproof on here,They have been as culpable as most players and been on the field and participated in many woeful results and performances.In islation they are both decent but I don`t see them as some tremendous loss.Both are injury prone,and personally I would take what I can for them in January.With better squads around them they may shine when they move on but neither player is, or has been good value IMO.Far too many sick note days,Delph in particular as a MF player,his body takes a battering in that area of the field,as he ages ,I believe his games missed total will increase.
Don`t put words in my mouth,yes I would like to keep both ,but it`s not the end of the world when they go.Eventually, both will do what is best for them ,not what is best for AVFC.
Have a good week all.Mark and Jen,I like the way you 2 are keeping your cool in this debate,you are a credit to the site.
runtingz- I take your point but will still argue my view or there is no debate, if all we do is make statements and expect all to agree this might aswell be twitter and a back slapping session not a blog. i’m cool with not being cool too and mean no offence to anyone with my comments and take none if you don’t agree.
runtingz- the point is there’s no easy games as we are not that good
SWV
I wrote about 3 from 27 the other day,appalling.If we score 1st we draw,if we concede 1st we lose.People see the return of CB as the solution,but he will not be match fit and may well be getting injury prone.I hope he does the business for us,but let`s face it we are AVFC,and if we can find a way to feck anything up we will.
I also wrote that Cole would help with our ball retention,I hope he plays at Place,but can he manage another game,so soon?
Under normal circumstances a draw at CP is creditable,but we need the 3 points,COYVB.
SWV- i hope we stick to the 4231 and cole behind benteke, it works way better for us than 433
Mark i don’t get personal i was just trying to understand your point after jens point yesterday and was and still am confused — we all have opinions and while i rarely agree with you i don’t take offence – as hopefully you will find out for yourself at some point duing a avl meet 🙂
losing vlaar and delph is not good in any shape or form for me , luckily clark and okore look ready to step up and fight for us
i think we will stay up as i believe we have more quality than most of the stugglers around us and 2 or 3 of are player are top class – vlaar will be playing for a top 4 club soon — it wont be pretty but we are used to that but we will stay up imo — so were stuck with lambert –
What Lionheart said: With the squad we have we should be doing and playing better and all boils down to PL.. which is why he needs to go.. about says it all for me. End of issue as far as I am concerned.
B62B,
You are right it is a decent debate and people are keeping their cool, take a glance at TVB and there is a geezer on there threatening everyone.
AVFC RIP
Runtings,
Yes, other players do (despite PL) step up and make up for the deficiency of Vlaar and Delph being out. I just think PL has been too slow in using Cole/Grealish more … in any case Delph doesn’t offer enough for me though I can’t say I dislike him.
Interesting thoughts from B6 on Vlaar and Delph.
I’ve never bought into the love of Vlaar, on what he’s shown for us. He had a good World Cup, but I’m not sure anyone was really expecting that. To my critical eye, he hasn’t shown leadership, he isn’t mobile, he isn’t commanding and any minimal forward movement leaves him floundering. His injury record is shocking and I’d go as far to say that he’s continually unfit to play because he is fundamentally unfit. He needs to lose some weight. The ‘Concrete Ron’ tag is laughable.
Having slagged him off Roy Keane style, I’d still keep him because with the players we have he’d probably be one of my centre halves. It also gives a poor message of a struggling club to existing players and anyone thinking of joining when your captain wants to leave. But long term (under a new owner) we should be looking for better.
As for Delph, he at least has become a capable Premier League player. It took him long enough, but he got there. We miss him more than Vlaar, but the fact that he’s our best midfield player is a sad indictment of the others and how far we are falling.
Delph may join a top six team, but I can’t think of any where he would get a regular game. He isn’t good enough. The embarrassment is that he might join a mid table (or lower) team because they would be seen as a better club than Villa – remember when Gareth Barry nearly joined Portsmouth? Those in charge should hang their heads over re-creating those circumstances.
runtingz- if we do we’ll have to disagree about music instead to break the monotony up 😉
steamer- robinson is worth a go if benteke folds, the lads scored when given the chance and thats all you can ask of a striker. he’s got pace and workrate too so shouldn’t stop Lambert from throwing him in. it will be interesting to see the bench on tues
SW/JL i am guity of being a vlaar fan and said before the world cup he would show his class and be a wanted man — if it wasnt for ron last season i believe we would have been relegated .
Delph is no messi of course but he has come on leaps and bounds and i fully expect him to be a regular in the England midfield — he has more drive that any other english centre mid and fits with the national setup perfectly all imo of course
Aston Villa FC @AVFCOfficial
Our old dugouts, in situ since 2001, have now been removed. #AVFC
Clive Evans @clifric
@AVFCOfficial @OfficialFOXES Doug Out – took yer time – how long before you get rid of Lerner?
this is shocking you’d never get the SAS stooping to this
http://www.naturalnews.com/047831_seals_penguins_animal_rape.html
In is interesting that when Vlaar was out of the previous 2 seasons, Villa went into a depression. Things always improved when he came back.
Now we seem to be able to choose from about 4 different combinations of effective CBs.
no worries mark lets leave that one eh 🙂
my team vs palace
guzan
hutton clark okore sissi
robinson cleaverly sanchez grealish
cole or n’zog
tekkers
hope clarks fit he’s down as having a knock but team looks good to me
i dont pl would play that team from the start mark — far too creative – but i think if we played a side close to that regularly we would at least create some decent chances in most games
johnson out on loan covering himself in glory – another good young villan that has waited far too long for his chance – why spend 8mil on cleaverly when he have guys like him
runtingz- did johnson score again on sat? i think he’s a decent player at 22 i believe he can play the 10 role and did when he was captain of the u21
https://www.clubcall.com/crystal-palace/warnock-has-no-sympathy-for-villa-1749512.html?
Like your team Runtings, but like you I think it will be a little too attacking for Lambert.
Having seen Palace on TV they have a good work rate, a good attitude but not much ability. Which makes it all the more baffling that when playing teams like this Lambert sets up to take them on in areas where they have the advantage – work rate – rather than exploit their lack of creativity.
johnson gets 2, third goal in 3 starts
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/30275571
Mark,
Recall Johnson and sit him on the bench next to Robinson, if young Callum cannot get on the pitch last Saturday what chance has he got now Bentekes available, must be really frustrating for these kids who have done well at their loan clubs only to be brought back in to sit on their arse.
AVFC RIP
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=294857270713906&fref=nf
swv- he’s only back because bent wants a game, bents loan is only a month i believe. maybe lambert thought get rid of bent as he’s whining and callums scoring give him a go, shame for the lad if he doesn’t. thats the breaks and he has to take it if it comes. bentekes not match fit so maybe he’ll get ten tues.
to be honest i nearly fell off my chair when I saw cole on the pitch, in an away game to boot so miracles can happen. maybe Lamberts found some nuts in an old xmas stocking and thinks i’m doomed so might as well go for it.
I get the feeling even if he won every game from here till the end of the season in swashbuckling style he won’t change peoples opinion
Runtingz,
Are you going on Tuesday ? think i remember that your pals gave you some stick last time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJ9GganiQMU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGeKSiCQkPw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbYzY0wU9iI
Mark: I get the feeling even if he won every game from here till the end of the season in swashbuckling style he won’t change peoples opinion
Nah, that can’t be right … if Villa bring happiness for Christmas then miracles can happen! 😉
Mark
I won’t be happy until Learner and Lambert have gone even if we do win our next 10 games!
Did anyone watch Peter Colley give him a grilling last week….Lambert just mumbled his way through and what i did understand made no sense what so ever!
Realisticly who is going to work under learner though?! Until Learner leaves we cant move on and why the hell does no one want to buy us?!
Haggis,
My kilt munching friend thanks for sharing that with us it brings a tear to your eye and spells out clearly who we are and how far we have declined.
AVFC RIP
swv- bents loan is putting him in the shop window in case someone’s looking for a striker in jan IMO
andrew- both good questions that won’t be answered soon by villa mate.
how you doing haggis? come back for a spot of misery 🙂
Southwest. Not a Scottish bone in my body.
I agree. Had a family get together on Saturday. I have six older brothers who followed villa through thick and thin for years but none of us now have a season ticket and only one of us is a regular away supporter.
My daughter wants me to take her and a friend to the Leicester game on Sunday and I am running out of excuses of not to go.
I was one of the last to still support Lambert but watching this train crash is becoming unbearable.
That bloomin’ gas lamp again!! Ah, well, even if it’s a myth it’s a good myth! 😉
Nicely narrated, eh?
Mark.
It’s the season to be jolly and me being such a miserable bar steward needs a place to go where there’s me own kind.
haggis- nice vid but that bloke killed an entire family at a wedding didn’t he? 🙂
Mark – Well he knows Harry Potter so he could get him to Villa park to wave is wand or at least bludgeon Lambert with it.
Obviously from Daniel’s comments the training is better than at VP…
The Villa Museum that isn’t…
Had a communication today from Charlton Athletic stating they’ve got their museum up and running.
What with Wolves having had theirs going for some time Villa are being left behind by lower league sides!
I’ve just sent a prompt to Villa…
Evening all,
Seems like I stepped out of the party and missed the best bits as usual 🙂
If Runtingz wants to leave his love goggles on then that’s fine by me 🙂 I am still dancing round to the great music he sent me – hot stuff !
The RK saga continues and the DM have reported that there was a bust up in training the day before he left – which involved Villas “star players” who were upset about the intensity of training. THeir words not mine. Seems to be a weird pattern evolving here. THey didn’t like Culverhouse training and they don’t like Keane’s. Fair enough – but the majority of fans said on the appointment “why replace a hardliner with hot headed RK”. Was RK brought in because there is a problem with player power at AV as PL publicly admitted that Grant Holt had come in to sort out the dressisng room as “he is a real man”. Does PL have so little to do with the coaching that it gets to breakdown point.
I see they clapped when they got the news that he’d resigned. Was it the same ones who posted photos on twitter celebrating on the bus home after they’d just lost to spurs 3-0 on the last day of the season when we finished in the bottom six. RK may not have been coach material but it makes me wonder whether these players know how privileged they are. I used to see the Worcester City players turn up to training on a Monday night, pitch black dark in the winter at six oclock – after having done a full day’s shift at work – go into the unheated changing rooms , rain, hail freezing cold and train under the flood lights. What they would give to be coached by someone with the playing knowledge and experience that RK has.
Fair play to DB. He wasn’t content to sit on the bench and collect his wages and asked to be loaned out even to a Championship club. Why shouldn’t he ask for a move when it was clear that inspite of the “bomb squad reunion” he would never start another game for AV. There have been quite a few who have been content to bench warm and count their dosh. Interesting how both he and Gary Gardener (who tweeted he was gutted at RK’s departure) were fans of RK. There are too many signs of a division between Lambert favourites and Lambert outcasts – and that isn’t good for team morale.
Will be interesting to see who the next AM is. Players didn’t like Culverhouse so they brought in RK 🙂
AS for Chrystal Palace. This is another team we should be beating as if you can’t beat the teams around you and you are in the bottom six, you are in for a hell of a ride. With Benteke back, we have a team which is capable of getting three points provided we do not revert to hoof it up to the big man regardless .
I think they have a better team than Burnley and Bolasie was outstanding against Liverpool and is the one to watch. He has incredible strength, speed, belief and agility. If only we had more clout in the market, he is a player I would love to see at AV. I see that Dwight Gayle may be out – which is a relief for us as he and Puncheon are the other players that we need to contain as they can cause upset.
Evening ST75 twinkletoesx
jen -maybe they should get jeremy kyle in or someone from weight watchers 😉
Mark – I reckon Matt Lucas in his role as the Fat Club leader from Little Britain would be just the job 🙂
jen 🙂 what about brian babonday from face jacker?
or babonde even
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLzFv0Og4w8
Maybe what the boys need is Jen as their life coach to sort them and put some desire back in them.
Frem can organise the tactical side and Steamer can take over RK’s role,and Runtings can take on team selection, while JL and I with a few others can sort out the Sponsors and financial side…..
St75 can be in charge of maintenance and development.
Paul – and they thought IC and RK were mean 🙂
I see our under 21s lost to Reading 5-1 (not sure whether it was H or A). What is happening at AV? I don’t pretend to know anything about the under 21s other than we win the next gen series , beating Chelsea a couple of years ago. Maybe Runtingz and John D can help us out here as they have more knowledge . All I can gather from the snippets I read here and there is that too many of our under 21s are out in loan so our under 21s are very young . Considering our academy has got top grade status – questions have to be asked .
great idea paul P- we could all come on here and moan and rant at each other for being useless and knowing nothing only this time we’d probably be right 🙂
Interesting points from Stan Petrov on TS just now . He said we get all these ppl coming in (about RK) they say changes will be made but nothing changes . I’d go further – they’ve changed for the worst !
Well when you get ppl like Stan Petrov saying we have lost our way then perhaps we are right Mark !
9 games without a win say we are too 🙂 not to mention Danny Inge of relegation bound Burnley has scored more goals than Aston Villa have since October says it all ! We aren’t two points from the drop zone for nothing 🙂
jen- thats about it, the next gen lads are elsewhere some like jack grealish and robinson with the first. don’t know if sid is now in charge or andrews still.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1591039-what-does-the-future-hold-for-aston-villas-nextgen-champions
jen- just goes to show with a goal scorer in the side you always have a chance of getting something no matter your teams overall quality just need to stay tight, benteke has been a prime example for us, no tekkers no edge and no goals. look at liverpool no saurez or sturridge no wins.
the only difference in results between us and burnley is one win, i think we have played more top sides just about
the problem is when we do find some form it rarely lasts,
and the same problems recur time and time again. we have been unlucky with injury there’s no doubt but its the failure of the supporting cast stepping up that has dragged us down, they never seem to improve or learn and thats down to Lambert or their lack of quality at this level
Interesting input from Petrov, eh, Jenny?
If he is saying something then it must be bad.
It would seem to me that there are a lot of old Villa players who we respect including Ian Taylor (Collymore also, but I’m not sure we remember him too kindly, but ‘may old acquaintance be forgot’) have made some kind of noise.
If all those old players could come together and make one concerted ‘noise’ then maybe that would stir the fans to greater opposition.
But I keep forgetting that CB is back tonight and with Cole’s assists will score 6.
Really Mark – we have won more games without him than with him bizarrely –
What Stan P also said was that AV haven’t got the best out of DB who is a natural goal skorer and odd given our goal scoring prowess or lack if it .
John L – add Andy Gray to list of discontented – he recently said we’d be relegated . Poor old Tayls – also has had a rough time for speaking out .
GTG – catch you later
Before I go , Mark have you taken Brian Dougan’s job ? Show of form or lucky win ? 🙂
JL- at least collymore is quite public with his views being on radio no matter his misdemeanors. I can’t believe a spiritual man like you is getting sarcastic 😉 or do you secretly harbour hope for the cole/ benteke era?
possibly because he’s had large periods of time being injured jen ? of course his 20+ goals never helped us in his first season did they, and runtingz thinks I twist things 😉
as for dougans job i’d welcome it, works slow, I have several very big jobs pending and they will all want doing by crimbo but none are ready to go yet 🙁
Mark,
Nothing “sarcastic”, We’re all Villa fans and if the situation was all magically turned round then I would be much relieved.
However, even if Villa do manage to win today and over the following 2 matches, the likelihood is that it may well be temporary (as you have suggested) and we would revert to type again.
jen- we have had some lucky wins no doubt but we have had some unlucky losses too 😉
JL- as much as i want Lambert out (disclaimer) I did enjoy seeing villa play some decent stuff on sat and you were right about cole and what he could bring, I thought he would be lost in the manic pace of our non system but he like senderos brought some sanity. I dare say if we get all our players back and try to play as saturday we will hit some form, and it might be genuine and not a blip. I do think that it will need gabby and weiman to sit down, maybe not both always but for a while. they would make decent impact subs imo
I want to see what Cole does tonight (he must be selected, right?) as Burnley gave it to us first-half but we were too weak to take advantage of the offerings. Cole might find it more difficult tonight.
I’m looking forward to seeing tonight’s match, though.
Mark – I am not twisting anything . I am also aware that Benteke can’t win games if he is out either injured or red carded. It is not as simple as which team has scored the most goals will finish top of the table either. I read last night that Benteke is not the deciding factor in whether we win or not. He may be our highest goal scorer, but are these goals coming in winning games. From memory, he wasn’t playing when we beat Man CIty (biggest shock of last season) nor was he playing when we beat Saints 3-1 (A 3-1) This stat is relevant in my eyes as it would suggest that when we put Benteke on the pitch 1. we don’t use him effectively ie we revert to hoof ball desperate football 2. the others relax because Benteke will get them out of trouble aor adapt their play so that they don’t get into goal scoring positions. I am a big Benteke fan, so my comment wasn’t to detract from his brilliance but to reiterate that our team is not organised or selected to get the best out of the talent that we have. I am not the only one to say that PL should have tried a 4-4-2 with Bent and Benteke up front – eg Andy Gray, We have seen games where we have lost arguably because we have relied on the Guzan to Benteke hoof-ball and particularly last season , other teams were prepared for this. This is a complete waste of not only Benteke’s talent but the rest of the team. I hope that Joe Cole plays tonight and every ball is not played to poor old Christian’s head.
I agree John. Burnley will give us a good game as they have players who are believers and give the max eg Bolassi. Benteke will lift the team spirit for our part so we should see an exciting game.
Yes, Jenny. And CP might give us a good game as well!!!! 😉
(Sorry!)
Jenny /JL
just been round coleshill hotel to pay for xmas day dinner and a couple of lads were there waiting for mini-bus to go to CP , they went to Burnley as well , could have gone as 3 have dropped out , but lm washing my hair tonight and l know steamer is busy writing all his xmas cards tonight (all 3 of them ) , l think its a loss tonight , sickens me to say it but if thats the only way were going to get rid of the clueless knob then so be it , its good that the fans are not allowed near the players at BMH , because the mood l’v been in for the last couple of days l could happily of put my steel toe capped boots on and gone there and kicked the fuck out of some of them players , they make me sick , l wasnt a fan of RK but to hear how some of them shits clapped when he walked just showed/proved that most of them are just happy picking up their wages and could’nt give a fuck about the club , maybe if any of them had a pair , you would think some of them would of thought , fuck what PL tactics are, lets just go for it and pay the consequences after , done it myself playing sundays ,
bollox to it .
Wonder if these nobodies would have clapped if he’d have been in the room, this is another reason why the club is in shite strasse, no knackers.
A couple of names come up regarding the AM position, Jason Dodd who ran Sotons youth system and Craig Hignett who’s just left ‘Boro. I think Marshall will get it, he’s cheap and won’t be another wage.
Tonight ? who gives a fuck ? hope they get slaughtered.
Someone on TBAR reckons Benteke’s off to Arsenal next month,thank you Mr Fox for our Crimbo gifts –
1) Lambert’s contract
2) Scabby’s contract
3) Benteke sold cheaply to your former club
So that’s it Santa, you can fuck off till next year, although the way it’s going you may not be needed.
May get 20 mil for Delph, Vlaar and CB, you can just imagine Lamebert scouring the lower divisions and wasting the lot on duds.
Come back Chubby, all is forgiven……….nearly.
jen- bent isn’t known for playing with 2 up theres a probability him and tekkers would attack the same space
but it should’ve been given at least the chance to work. we haven’t had 2 effective wingers in the Lambert era as he doesn’t play that way hence 433 and fullbacks pushing on. tekkers played 60 games and scored 29, 2 in 1 same as bent. and the final run in in his first season was a reasonable one where we won plenty. the games we lost with him playing could also be down to hideous defending a feature in our first 2 seasons. we attack more with him in the side and commit the fullbacks which included the defensively useless lowton, bennett and luna. having a goal scorer has to be a good thing, having a useless team isn’t
jen- kosak played against city. I don’t think we will see the return of the hoof unless we are desperate, god I hope not! i’m not even convinced cole will play until I see him on the pitch. wish we had benteke in mons era he would of been perfect