This weekend will see Aston Villa go in search of their first win in seven league games and are at home to a dangerous Liverpool side, but the Villans will come into the game with confidence having already beaten Liverpool this season. Villa will need to improve in attack and convert their chances in to goals, but having only conceded three times in their last five Premier League games, they will be hard to break down.

One man who has helped to keep that defensive record intact is American shot stopper Brad Guzan. The EA SPORTS Player Performance Index, he has made 66 saves already this season, at an average of 2.9 saves per goal conceded. He will need to be on top form to keep his third clean sheet in four games this Saturday.

In front of him, Alan Hutton has proved to be a crucial part of the defensive, as illustrated by the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index. He has already covered 172.7km so far this term, hitting a top speed of 33.9km/h. He has also won 39 tackles this year, winning 81.25% of his overall tackles, and that combination of fitness and tenacity will prove a challenge to break down.

Up top, the responsibility of putting the ball in the back of the net falls on the shoulders of Gabriel Agbonlahor. According to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index, he has hit a top speed of 34.8km/h and will look to use that pace to his advantage and find his fourth goal of the season. He has converted 37.5% of his eight shots on target, and he is 37/10 to score anytime with 888sport.com.

This weekend’s visitors to Villa Park are Liverpool, who’s form in somewhat of a contrast to that of the Villans. Liverpool are now unbeaten in five, winning three of those matches and a win this weekend could see them climb two places to sixth.

What has been most impressive is their fluidity in midfield, with such a number of prodigious talents. In particular, Jordan Henderson, as demonstrated by the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index as he is the only Liverpool player to cover over 200km, clocking a total 216.1km. He has also racked up a squad best 525 passes in the opposition half, leading to his squad best six assists. If he gets on the ball in the opposition half, he will pose a threat.

If Henderson provides a threat with his passing, then Sterling is the direct running equivalent. The EA SPORTS Player Performance Index reveals that he has completed more dribbles than any other Liverpool player, with 65 in total, leading to his four goals this season. He has been clocked at a top speed of 35km/h, which is a squad best, and will prove a major threat to the Villa back line. He is 2/1 to score anytime with 888sport.com.

The third man who has been extremely impressive of late in midfield is Philippe Coutinho. The Brazilian midfielder, according to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index has completed 443 passes in the opposition half and completed 53 dribbles as well. He will provide both the passing of Henderson and the direct running style of Sterling, and could prove a threat with his vision or direct style.

Comments 213

  1. Without Suarez and with an aging Gerrard Liverpool are distinctly average. That said they can always pop up with a goal, usually scored by Gerrard against us.

    The reverse fixture showed a compact, disciplined an well organised villa contain Liverpool and win the midfield battle. Can we expect a repeat performance, possibly with Delph back and Sanchez concentrating for 90 mins. I still can’t see us scoring though, maybe Gil will be the answer.

  2. I’ll predict 0-3 with Gerrard diving for a couple of penalties as usual.
    Don’t expect much of a demo, the modern Villan is all wind and piss and Lerner can’t take criticism, he’ll be even more vindictive now.

  3. I agree with steamer, I expect an easy win for self pity city, we will be lucky to score yet again which means we can’t win ( unless they do it on our behalf)
    As for the protest, I’ll have an extra beer and go in late, last night Rangers fans protested against their board and proposals of loaning /hocking out Ibrox and training ground for the loan of mike Ashley, and how their great club is being ruined by self satisfying pricks in the boardroom.
    Our protest will be a washout and has the potential to be a bit embarassing as we have to many fans that are easily appeased, no bottle and don’t really care.
    We will get relegated under these wankers, if Lambert remains I’m not renewing my ST next season, I hate the man and all he stands for, every time I see him in the media my hate grows , a loss today won’t make any difference as he has better job security than prince Phillip .
    Superbox ,
    Liverpool aren’t the team they were last season, but I think they are or can be decent, if they are distinctly average, WTF does that make us??? But your right mate we should have areal go at them, but we all know we won’t , we don’t attack, we don’t create and we don’t score goals, Lambert coaches our forwards, I must have missed he was a free scoring attacking midfielder in his playing days!!!

  4. One goal in the last six games is a shocking stat if it was not for our defence we would be rock bottom.
    Perhaps all the talk of the demo will shake the players up although I agree with Steamer i think it will come to nothing, but who knows it’s like waiting for a bus one doesn’t come for ages and then four comes at once, oh there goes the alarm.
    Never liked the red scouse after bloose and untied they are third on my hate list, everyone would say oh anfields a lovely place to go their fans have got a great sense of humour, Bollox its a shit hole we always had trouble every time we went there, remember the bloose went there years ago and one scum fan got beaten up and had his shoes nicked.
    Can only wish for a win bit cannot see it happening, although a win will take the pressure off Lambert who i want gone tomorrow i never ever want us to suffer the humiliation of relegation.
    AVFC RIP

  5. I’d take a 3-0 battering and Lamberk sacked then a lucky 1-0 and him staying in the job. Then if that doesn’t cut him, then I’d take Bournemouth to beat us, the Chelsea, then arsenal. Anything to get the wanker out if this club

    I’ll be in the Holte as usual today joint in with the protests off course. I hope they go well and we sing Lamberk out of our club today

  6. morning folks- I think a lot hinges on baker fitting in with Okore neither are pacey and Baker generally needs a wise head next to him. on the plus side we have a performing Sanchez this time and benteke who usually shows up against
    the top teams ( possibly because he gets more room). delphs back which is a bonus so expecting 413 2. will he play Gil maybe but assuming he doesn’t drop cleverly it would mean dropping captain tubboat to fit him in. this game could give us a result but its the first time the Lambert passing machine has come up against a top side with pace up front. result feck knows

    guzan
    huts okore baker sissy
    sanchez
    cleverly/gil westwood delph

    benteke weimann/gabby/gil?

  7. B62 – I’d agree, Liverpool can turn in a performance but are also capable of pretty lacklustre displays also. I am surprised by Ballotelli. I thought he was a good buy, turns out I was wrong.

    I was genuinely impressed by our performance against Liverpool first time round, but we haven’t built from there. We looked distinctly clueless going forward and Benteke cuts a frustrated figure. Gil is the type of buy we need but he ain’t gonna do it on his own.

    Not sure what the protest is expecting to achieve. That fans are 10% unhappy with the Villa and can only watch 82 of the 90 mins? I am sure the dwindling attendances are clearly showing the dissatisfaction of the fans far clearer. I am sure the club are aware of that.

  8. Mark- Lamberk will want to fit Gabby Benteke Wiemann Westy Sanchez Delph and Cleverly in all today and he probably will.

    No need for Westy to play DM with Sanchez, he can do that on his own. No need for Cleverley to start full stop, or shabby, or Wiemann.

  9. Heard that he may pick –
    Guzan
    Hutton, Okore, Baker, Sissy:
    Westwood, Cleverley, Sanchez, Herd, Delph.
    Scraggy.
    He thinks an attacking line up will get the fans onside.

    In my world i think he’ll go
    Guzan
    Hutton, Okore, Baker, Sissy:
    Cleverley, Westwood, Sanchez, Delph.
    Benteke, Crabby.

  10. Steamer your brilliant

    Wouldn’t surprise me if he played four centre mids in midfield today one bit.

    5-0. I’d take that.

    ” Sack Lamberk my lord, sack Lamberk “

  11. trinity ( from yesterday) I agree china don’t want to kill their best customers. the fact Russia are pulling out of the petro dollar and squeezing Europe shows how desperate they are.
    after the discussions on ww2 and how it started its difficult to not see similarities and it also shows the true state of affairs today., smoke and mirrors.

    JL- the carbon issue has been a political football for some time and yes it effects the environment and maybe not in a good way for us. For me the poisoning of the world is a far worse issue. glyphosate (roundup) kills the soil biome nullifying the soils carbon capturing properties. herds of cattle, deer and herbivore in general fix this problem, mono crop technology releasing tons of carbon. its a complicated subject as earth’s magnetic field is shifting about too, do we really understand the complex relationships that exist?

  12. Herbert –
    It had to be cash. After 35 years I was not willing to sell to anybody who would rape the club. He paid £65 million and promised he would make significant funds available for new players.

    Not after i’d done it for 25 years anyway.

    Lerners a good owner
    Lamberts a good manager and so was Ginger
    This nutters on another planet

  13. >b>Mark: … its a complicated subject as earth’s magnetic field is shifting about too, do we really understand the complex relationships that exist?

    Of course not! 😉

    We have said before that we understand little and are milling around in the dark.

    As it says on my website http://www.lerwill-life.org.uk/index.htm:

    In the Philosophy and Wisdom Teaching of all ancient civilizations, human beings and the Universe were seen as being interconnected and inseparable. In contrast, Modern Empirical Science is only a net of observations that permit the development of a smoggy outlook of the reality, a tiny window to the Universe, always incomplete in this vast endless search for the meaning of existence. … …(More).

  14. JL- when man puts himself at the centre of the universe as the ultimate creation or expression of god/nature, with the earth given to us to do as we will, we will continue to miss the point that all is connected all is god/nature, we only hurt ourselves.

  15. Probably be a draw today.

    Hitler was a vegetarian, the kind that liked to eat a lot of beans, which led to chronic flatulence. Maybe, we should have an extra emissions tax for vegetarians:). It’ll help slow global warming.

    If Gil is as good as Lambert says, he should just play him, can’t do worse than our forwards have been doing, and as many on AVL have stated, our middys are too similar, so we need something different.

  16. Mark: when man puts himself at the centre of the universe as the ultimate creation or expression of god/nature, with the earth given to us to do as we will, we will continue to miss the point that all is connected all is god/nature, we only hurt ourselves.

    Yep .. I always liked the 3 Musketeers’ expression, “All for one and one for all!”

  17. Trin,

    On a matter of fact (sorry!) it’s been proven that Hitler was not *always* vegetarian!

    But better to issue methane from beans I would have thought than to make cows face the execution chamber (and after exuding so much methane).

  18. Steamer

    I leave for the U.S. on 16th of Feb. I’m still looking forward to seeing Niagra Falls, the Celtics and Bruins etc.

    JL
    I don’t think anyone has always been vegetarian, have they:)?
    Seriously, they were going to impose a “fart tax” on cattle farmers in NZ depending on the size of their herds. It had to do with carbon emission. It fell through.

  19. JL- trouble with beans is they are a horrendous food for people, full of toxins and poorly digested same goes for grains. grass fed meat has a completely different effect in the body than grain fed which causes inflammation. vegetarianism is not that healthy I’m afraid for the majority, especially when based on grains and legumes. people lived happily with massive herds of animals to hunt for thousands of years so the methane is a poor argument.

  20. charlie nicolas mcinally 2 knobs fair play to stelling merson thommo
    no money just nearly 50 m
    let albrighton go on free yet sign sicknote cole for 2 years fit for 1 match in 6 bit like vlar

  21. No purpose,pace,or point to our passing,slow passes,slow thought,no movement.Passing for the sake of it.Players marking space not players,hence the goal.Westwood still can`t take a corner that beats the 1st man.
    If anyone ,and this is a serious question,knows what they do at BMH in the week,please enlighten meSod it back to the varnishing.I`ll check in in 2 hours to see the inevitable bad news.

  22. Popped in to get a cold one from the fridge,and saw yet another wasted FK from Villa/Westwood.
    Our MF need to move up the field 15 yards,Pool MF,too much time and room.Villa players too many touches ,pass the bloody thing quicker.Wild challenge from Delph,does he ever learn?Moaning mode switched off now

  23. well done happy clappers
    anyone went backed lambert
    westwood was shite 2 years ago still is
    cleverly is lambert love child poorest exciuse for footballer ever
    delph westwood cleverly cannot hit dead ball seemed to remember grealish putting in couple in cameo role
    LAMBERT OUT LAMBERT OUT

  24. “Not a terrible first half”… Fuck my old boots…can you please describe what you think a terrible half looks like then? Apart from Sanchez this is an incompetent shambles, as it is every single fucking week!

  25. Paul

    You make me giigle!I haven`t heard the expression ” frack my old boots” for many a year.
    Cleverly,Flabby and the soon to be introduced Weimaan,not a footballer between `em.
    What does he see in Weimann,not an anti Lambert speech,but just what?
    We are an atrocious football team(yes my moaning mode is off ,just stating the obvious mode is switched on.

    Happy Birthday Steamer.

  26. James,
    How dare you say that about Westwood, England player you know. It shows that the national team is picked solely from certain clubs when a League 1 player like Cleverley gets capped.

  27. All too easy for Pool.

    2 wins in 18 etc,etc,well ,at least we have” stabilty”,ha,ha.Thanks Randy.That is akin to the ownwers of the Titanic “well,at least we nearly got there”.

  28. 2-0…How can you concede to fucking Ricky Lambert? Paul Lambert is a complete phucking khunt…and Villa are the only team I know who have not dismissed a manager like him…and no, he gets a 4 yr deal

  29. You can bet the same arseholes who wouldn’t miss a poxy eight minutes for their club are the loudest booers at the end. A Waste of 55 years and a fortune following these winkers.

  30. Well now we really do have crisis.

    We haven’t scored in 5 games and the next two league games are Arsenal away and then Chelsea at home.

    Does anyone have any ideas about what we should do?

  31. steamer
    couldnt print what i think about westwood cleverly gabby wiemen zog
    you no what if we lined up without them 4 in 18 we probably wouldnt be that bad
    guzan
    hutton
    cissko
    clark turned into best ch at club by mile
    okore
    sanchez in front back 4
    bacuna bit of energy
    delph by skin of teeth
    grealish some body give him chance
    gil
    benteke
    subs
    given lowton baker
    cole richardson have no one else
    robinson struggling now

  32. Mark,

    What I said about methane is not an argument – it’s a point to dwell on.

    There’s a hidden statement I make in pretty well most things I write about non-football.

  33. To be fair we all expected that result so not shocked we would have been if we had scored, and a big well done to the lads in the holte you are as much to blame, what’s the point of booing at the end of the game when we have lost again, in the bottom three after the next two games, we are going down without a fight.
    AVFC RIP

  34. Yes James we do have talent but they’re either not being played or played in an alien system, we all know who to blame. When we’ve got the tools and don’t know how to use them it makes it even worse.
    I don’t

  35. Steamer: we do have talent but they’re either not being played or played in an alien system

    It was noticeable (to me at least) that the Villa upped their game when Gil came on as thought to say “at last we have someone who can drive us forward”. That all the previous matches were played in machine-like fashion as they didn’t have anyone creative to pass to.

    But, alas, I fear this young guy is not enough by himself. Despite Delph now being available, we still need width i.m.o.

    Albri!! – please come back!

  36. I’m trying not to let Villa get to me. On the positive side it is easy keeping track of the scoring and assists. 🙂
    At least all the teams that needed to lose did.—So far today.

  37. how long is it now since keane walked all the big yahoos when he left god we beat pal leicster couple draws
    at this stage every body players staff fans need new boss dump pets out gabby westwood cleverly wiemen
    we do have some good players
    now2 full months without a goal must be another new record

  38. We need at least one if not two more players with some creativity in before the window shuts. Still would like to see Grealish given a start with some free reign against one of the weaker clubs to see what he can do if given a chance in the big time to shine… will it happen under this manager most likely not!
    We need 5 more wins and without some more flair in the side it’s going to be really dicey getting those victories under our belts.
    UTV

  39. It looks as if lambert has found another gem for not a lot of money. You could sense the excitement in the ground whenever he was on the ball and there we’re times today when it felt good to be at Villa park again.
    Such a shame Mignolet made that save from Benteke. We were all over them and the ground was really rocking at that point and I reckon we’d have gone on to at least get the point that performance deserved.

  40. I’ve come to accept that some people will boo after a bad performance but today the booing felt childishly self indulgent as the team had played hard and played well.

  41. Proxopera. Why even ask who we want as a new manager. Unless a team can have two managers it’s a redundant question because the current one is going nowhere.

  42. Steamer
    Happy Birthday you old ride !!! you left your card on the table , ps got that band playing at the conclub chelmsley 4th july .

    Hiya prox . think Cacky McCack is the forerunner at the moment .according to steamer . any more beer recommends .

  43. Robbo,
    Wouldn’t bet on it mate, have a feeling that critical mass has been achieved and exceeded.

    Hey S75 , hows tricks

    Trying to get my hands on a stout by oharas which has been ‘cooked’ in a whiskey barrell. Will update you on results.

  44. Proxopera, didn’t feel like that at Villa park today. The online warriors give the impression that “99% of fans are against Lambert” (I quite) but the real life fans at villa Park (the ones who pay real money to support heir team) suggested otherwise. I’d say that fewer than 5% joined the online inspired protest today.
    Whether you agree with them or not, the protest did not give the impression that Villa fans are against Lambert.

  45. I don’t believe that most of the fans there believe that Lambert is the man, but they still want to support their team through difficult times. More than anyone else, these loyal fans deserve for the good times to come again.

  46. I know i’ll have to bathe in disinfectant after going into a Con club but they really are a good band, 10 piece Average White Band type, horns the full whack, seen them three times and got to say outstanding.
    JD,
    Your old mate Forte plays bingo there.
    Prox,
    Anyone but this clown.
    Robbo,
    Whatever happened to “judge me on my results”. Absolute disgrace that he’s still in the job and you ought to hang your head for supporting the idiot who’s taking us down.

  47. I don’t believe that most of the fans there believe that Lambert is the man, but they still want to support their team through difficult times. More than anyone else, these loyal fans deserve for the good times to come again.

    What a load of old knackers, they’re gonna get exactly what they deserve…relegation.

  48. Steamer,
    Happy birthday you old bastard you know the oldest living woman in the UK died yesterday 114 your younger sister.
    Yeah looks like a day in Bristol next year i will take you and ST75 for a trip down the cider mines bring the lads but no tools.
    Robbo,
    I am off the booze at the moment but when I start again I will have a few pints of what you are drinking, this knobhead is taking us down and most Villa fans are going to stand by and let it happen.
    AVFC RIP

  49. Cheers Prox , dont forget to let us know when your over mate , that beer sounds a good un ,

    steamer , think l got Dewar over here monday mate , drop over tomorrow afternoon if you fancy Jessie got auditions , bring bella . theres bound to be some bacon and sauses left ,

    funny thing , l was having a conversation with one of the old steamers and we were on about last time we went down out the old div1 and what a crack we had at the away games, was on the phone for a good 2 hours having a laff at some of the things we got upto , and swindon away stopping in weston for the weekend ,(never slept in our hotel room and got back just in time for breakfast) actually we stayed away most away games , feeling a bit better now were on our way down ,

    sww glad you like the book , let me know if you need any more crayons .

    Hope frems ok , really feel for that kid , a lot of the steamers kids have told their dads they aint wasting money on the shit down there anymore , and these are kids who have been going since they 6/7 years old,
    off for more beer methinks

    have good weekend all

    jenny hows Ted the dredd xxxx

  50. r0bb0 … the team had played hard and played well.”

    I have difficulty in coming to terms with that view.

    For a 15-minute patch in the second half, after Gil came on, it was almost as though a new team had been instantly born. But, unfortunately, short of wing polish.

    The rest of the match was perhaps better than of late but they were still getting bogged down and not threatening anywhere near enough.

    It’s the wings where we’re going to fall down methinks. Otherwise there’s a makings of a reasonable side.

    I’m hoping that something (with Gil playing) can come together against Bournemouth. An early goal then might get ’em moving and remembering how to score goals. A few against ’em and there’s hope…

  51. John,
    That’s a fair assessment of today. It wasn’t great but for a lot of the game it was good. There were times when it felt as if we had our Villa back and the whole ground could feel it. . . . . maybe you needed to be there.
    There haven’t been too many false dawns in the last three years, it’s been unrelentingly dark, but today really did feel as if things could get better.

  52. What was so much better today was that we didn’t lose because we didn’t try to win.
    There was a mix of passing and long ball (a bit too much long ball for a spell in the second half) and the introduction of Gil raised the crowd and seemed to enliven Benteke too. . . . Dammit, if only that shot had gone in.

  53. Robbo – i disagree about the protest – it looked like less than 1% joined the protest from what i could see from the LH. Arrived bang on 3pm myself and thought it may be a struggle to get through the masses protesting outside but no, even in the concourse managed to get straight to the counter to buy me bovril because everyone was inside watching KO.
    The only protester i saw arriving at 8 mins past was Andrew P.
    It was a good performance in the second half certainly, silenced the self pity she-ity fans who it has to be said were the quietest away fans i have seen at VP for a long time. Mind you i am always surprised how quiet they are at their place – they really are the country’s most deluded supporters.
    We even had times in the first half to say it was an even contest by half time with the teams separated by a keeper having a good day along with more woeful finishing from us, all Baker had to do at one point was kick the ball and we would have been away with at least a point. There was a 20 minute period of the second half where the fans were fully behind the team and the atmosphere was almost back to average.
    Why when Carl came on and we finally had a midfield looking to pass the ball forwards did Guzan start hoofing it over them and giving possession straight back to the granny shaggers?
    At the end it was clear we were not going to score even if they added another 60 minutes to the match and for the third time in 10 years i legged it on 90 minutes to get back to Bromsgrove hills 90210 and grab a pint in the little ale house to celebrate how close we came to actually scoring for the first time in 5 matches and playing a little football again.
    Am i as pessimistic about the villa as i was before the match – No
    Will i be surprised to hear that Carl has broken his leg in an training ground accident involving Nathan Baker on feb 2nd – No
    Still extremely concerned we will rue the missed points from the last five matches. This was an extremely average team we played against today with some luck we would’ve ran out easy winners but in sport you do make your own luck, Mr Lambert needs to realize we are not excellent we are losing.
    UTV!

  54. r0bb0 … maybe you needed to be there.

    In one sense yes, but when you’re not there you can be detached from the emotion to some extent and actually looking at what is really taking place. I only saw a small improvement over last week with the exception of the 10-15 minutes when Gil came on.

    It is worrying that a manager can say “we were brilliant” virtually every game when we have only scored 11 in 22 games. Gil by himself will not save the situation. we may need Albrighton back, because we certainly need a decent winger in my view.

  55. I don`t regard myself as a person inclined toward jealousy very much,not Chavskis roubles or Citehs lorry loads of ££££$$$$$£$£$£ but……………..I am green with envy when I see S`ton play.In fact the day they got Koeman the envy set in.A structure,a philosophy,1 and 2 touch quick passing and movement,the foundatios are in place for years to come,while we have wasted the last 7 tears chasing a pot of gold,when we can`t even find the rainbow.

  56. John, Its a shame that the Sinclair rumours seem to be coming to nothing because that could have been the extra spark that we need. It feels as if we have enough good players in the squad now and it just needs that extra catalyst to get them to ignite. It looked today as if Gil might be it but I agree that a quality winger would make it more likely.
    I was sorry to see Albrighton go too but he was too inconsistent for me.

  57. robbo
    think any one would be an upgrade on gabby wiemen cleverly westwood
    its why lambert gets every one back up its crying out for grealish robinson even bacuna
    last week over half lecsster ran more than gabby even cole who was subbed with 18 mins plus injury time only ran 1/4 mile less throw away gloves gabby show a bit sweat

  58. Has he gone yet or will we have wait for Bournmouth to beat us? Then Arsenal ? Then Chelsea? The Stoke? Then Hull etc. we are trying to break Derby’s record low of gaols scored in a season and we are right on target to do it

    Started with 4 central midfielders and a donkey up front. 2 donkeys if you count Cleverley then bought another donkey on in Wiemann.

    We were our usual shower of shite until Gil came on who should have started anyway. He improved us a bit, we huffed and puffed but know one actually thought we would score.

    Sarcastic cheers every shot on target we had which as usual were hardly any. I went down for a piss before the end and the Lambert out songs started. Shame it wasn’t before that. There weren’t any protests. 40 thousand there today. Great support baring in mind we are one of the worst teams in world football.

    Sissy is crap. He must be right footed cus he certainly don’t have a left foot. Shabby crappy wearing the arm band is a disgrace to this club. Awful footballer and an awful leader. Cleverley, call of his loan FFS!!!!!! At least stop playing him. Westwood, no need for him unless Sanchez gets injured. Delph, looks like he wants to be out, as does the Beast.

    Wingers, we need wingers.

  59. Oh and when we don’t score against arsenal, it will be over 10 hours with out a goal

    Not the first time this has happened under Lamberk

  60. Frem, I felt the same about Delph in the last game he played but I though he put in a shift today.
    Benteke worries me but I think he desperately needs another goal to lift him. He did at least get chances today. In fact we created a lot of chances today (including that 35m shot from Sanchez which oh so nearly. . . .)

  61. frem
    sissko is full back only in lamberts world do expect fullbacks to defend plus get forwad not much wrong with defence but we need wide men that can take on players get to byeline cross the ball maybe then the beast will want to play
    we have spine with keeper back 4 sanchez has holding mid need 2 wide men maybe delph beside sanchez benteke up front as long as no
    CLEVERLY WESTWOOD GABBY WIEMEN

  62. James, you misse out Gil. . . he looks like a player from what we’ve seen today.
    I’ve been a long time supporter of Gabby but he’s making it difficult now. There was one moment in the second half that he only needed to make a small effort to get up and get onside and we’d have had a chance on goal but he was still casually strolling back. . . not good enough.
    I’d keep him as an impact sub because he’s capable of still making a difference, but it’s not frequent enough right now.

  63. went to see the stephen hawkings film tonight, before it started the Mrs said, we know the end, he’s still alive and kicking 😉

    JL- I thought Bentekes movement was non existent which doesn’t help stretch the opposition. why this has happened I’m not sure but as a centre half its easy to mark him. decent wing play might help but not if he’s stationary, he needs to be coming on to the ball. you were all worried about Gil being up to speed? well i’m worried whether we have players that can react to his speed of thought, this lad has talent, Grealish will love him. unfortunately Baker wasn’t quite up to the standards of Clarke, he does his best but he is not in the same class, saying that Okore was caught line and ball watching for the first.

  64. no team has scored this few goals and stayed up, today was shit, shit protest shit performance, I hate what Villa have become and the cunts that defend our current status/where we have fallen.
    RIP AVFC

  65. 2 stone overweight scabby is a disgrace 45 k a week captain wearing gloves he looks like 2 lb of sh ite in a 1 lb bag strolling around we played today with 8 players as cleverly is not even a pub player same as westwood scabby and weiman
    ii have a good bet on us to go down at 25 to 1 and it looks a certainty i will collect so a good summer holiday to look forward to a 3 week cruise or something like that but would rather Lambert gets sack and we stay up if not it looks like happy holidays and it aint even Christmas

  66. Mark,

    That what you say about CB I’ve been muttering about for the last few games … he’s shown very little of anything outside the box. Inside he’s scored 3 class goals and forced at least as many good saves since he came back, but for me I’m wondering if his injury has done something to him as he offers so little in the field.

    Perhaps Gil might get him wound up again, but we need better service from the wings.

  67. John and Mark, I think we’re all seeing the same problem in Benteke and questioning the reason. Right now he’s acting like a poor man’s Darren Bent and we all know he can be so much more than that. I think it’s motivation rather than residual injury because when we really got going as a team and a crowd he started coming to life again. He was moving out of the box trying to make things happen and even based a player back to the halfway line to try and win the ball back at one time. I reckon John’s right though, an out and out winger to improve the supply would help his motivation no end.

  68. JL- you might be right or might just be instructions from Lambert ie don’t block the fullbacks channels, trouble is we are crossing into a congested box. against CP he was much more mobile in his approach as he hardly saw the ball.

    I think westwood will play well with Gil as he is always looking to pass but the runs are always square or behind him , Gil will provide movement. cleverly was caught continually and hutton couldn’t cross a border. anyone who moans about Guzan needs to get a grip he’s kept the last 2 games scores down on his own.

    would be tempted to play
    guzan
    hutton okore clarke sissy
    sanchez
    lowton westwood delph/grealish
    benteke Gil

    delph could also play central with grealish out left and gil could go on the right and Robinson up top with tekkers

  69. Just an observation, if it upsets anyone, tough.
    When they knocked down the old Holte End they must have destroyed the soul of Villa Park because the current inhabitants can only be classed as enemies of Aston Villa. If they think so little of AVFC that they can’t spare EIGHT minutes of their time to protest then, imo, the forfeit the right to call themselves Holte Enders, they may sit in that hallowed stand but basically have no connection or passion to its historical roots.
    I don’t believe that the protest failed because the fans believe Lambert is an asset, FFS look at the negative records that he’s broken, the negative rubbish that his teams play and the lies that he’s told. Do they have any admiration for the way Lerner is running ( down ) the club with the inevitability of relegation, the destruction of any future with his removal of funds for the academy and the sheer madness of the financial chaos created by his ego and ignorance.
    Please don’t describe yourselves as Holtenders, real Holtenders have backbone, they used to suffer for their club, this shower just sit there clapping the worst football seen in the clubs 141 year existence, its not called supporting the club its known as aiding and abetting the destruction of a footballing institution.

  70. The bloke who wrote Holtenders in the Sky was one of our crew, he’d be sicked by these tossers singing it and a lot of the old boys ARE in the sky, they’d be disgusted that the song had been hijacked by imposters.

  71. Steamer- its a massive possibility that any call for protest on the net will be get completely hijacked by those who want him out. you have to see the actual number who voted as percentages don’t tell the story. could be most of the holte didn’t vote or even see the on-line protest, Christ even I signed it and I haven’t been for 3 years. the media were sat on sky waiting for it to happen and they all had a little smirk when nothing did, I’m also amazed at the attendance. its hard but not worth a coronary

  72. Steamer,

    You can’t be far wrong in your view.

    I get the impression that 80% or more Villa supporters are sleeping through this dire era , as though Big Brother in 1984 has got through to them not to protest. Same for the rest of the UK population I suppose.

    Perhaps it’s being too much addicted to gadgets and gaming that’s causing all this sleep-walking. Villa’s play has been of the sleep-walking variety in the past 3 or 4 years so it seems to fit into the life that many people live these days.

    If Gil wakens ’em up, they’ll realise what they’ve been missing, having forgotten what it was like before! 😉

  73. I’ve got to say I agree with Steamer, fan apathy is killing this club, the protest yesterday was pathetic, no wonder Lerner and Lambert do what they want without any pressure, they are literally taking the piss out of us and taking the fans for mugs.
    Compare our protest to the one at Ibrox, where has all the pride and passion gone, we will be swapping places with blues at this rate.
    Boycotts don’t work, proper protests inside and outside the ground seem to, and get maximum media coverage.
    Mcleish eventually lost his job through poor results and ultimately falling ST sales, however since then we have sold thousands less and next year will prob struggle to sell 8k if Lambert remains or we are relegated

  74. I went to the game. We didn’t deserve to lose 2-0 and we were the better team in the 2nd half. The difference between the 2 sides was clinical finishing. We can’t buy a goal at present.

    It was one of those games when you have to give credit to the opposition. The bin dippers were very well organised and stood up well to our pressure. This was the first team since Man U that came to Villa Park without trying to defend with 11 men behind the ball. This created space for both teams, so for once it was w good game to watch. I’m another day we could easily have won that.

    I have come away from Villa Park totally despondent the past few times but not yesterday. There was plenty to be encouraged by.

    Gil looks like an excellent signing snd should start next week. Everyone played well on both teams except for Baker who looked extremely rusty after 9 weeks out. He was all over the place in defence and missed a sitter. Clark was a big miss.

  75. Can’t believe that useless manager started with a 4 man square central midfield! where was the width going to come from? sissoko? hutton? PL is an utter tool. he uses weimann and gabby(who should be providing width in theory) as defensive cover for the full backs and the FBs as our main goal threat from wide. It truly boggles the mind that this useless fraud is still manager. As for having a great 2nd half yesterday. Sorry but that simply a a good 15 minute spell which is what usually happens when a home side brings on substitutes to chase the game-it simply invigorates the players/fans for a few minutes. Liverpool should have been out of sight by the 60th minute and were very comfortable for the last 15. Villa fans should be realistic-we missed a few chances but only Baker’s can be classed as guilt-edged. The fact is even a Ronaldo or Messi require 3 decent efforts to put one away so to state that we should have scored a few is complete rubbish.

    PS- Gil is quality though.

  76. Droyd
    We improved a bit in the second half and Gil looked bright and lively, but Liverpool should have been out of sight in the first half, I’m far from encouraged at yet another home defeat without scoring.

  77. droyd
    what ever you are taking send some to all
    1 half pool should have been 3/4 up
    we had attempt by benteke shot from sanchez
    cleverly delph westwood running round hiding and with them 3 playing lambert pushes our only one decent mf sanchez out wide you couldnt make it up
    gabby was in his own box more than pools what the need for gloves by the way he s a disgrace last week at leicster sicknote cole played 18 mins plus injury time yet only covered1/4 mile less than gabby
    second half we do whats normal come out and try when a GOAL DOWN NOT WHEN ITS NIL ALL
    even so only for good baker tackle pool would scored
    yes we had chances but guzan made 2 saves again pool keeper made one good save from benteke
    two subs ONLY TOOK LAMBERT AN HOUR BUT PUT WIEMEN ON SO BACK TO 10 MEN AGAIN
    why not use bacuna grealish robinson
    kozak is out over a year now and no word from villa 13 MATCHES OUT 25 NO GOALS AND STILL NO ROOM FOR BENT JUST USE SAME PLAYERS IN EACH AND EVERY GAME LAMBERT OUT AND IF IT DOES NOT HAPPEN NEVER MIND ONE RELEGATION WE WILL DO A WOLVES 2 RELEGATIONS

  78. Droyd,

    The 15-minute spell Villa had (not the whole second half by any means!) did give enough to give some heart … but there’s still one or two things that need attention even if you start Gil next match.

    We need to score a few against Bournemouth to get some confidence back.,

  79. Happy Birthday Steamer : it’s a beautiful day outside and I bet you and the growler enjoyed your walk and the Conservative Club ( have to smile at that one :-))

    We lost yesterday – but for all the pointless ” we deserved more”, these apparent bad luck games even themselves out through the season . There have been games we have won but didn’t deserve to. It’s a ridiculous comment when we haven’t scored a goal for 8 and a half hours ! I’m sick to death of this deluded “coulda , shoulda ” mentality and “we were excellent ” when we lose 0-2 at home to a lack lustre bin dippers team.

    We might have had a flurry of good football when the subs came on and Gil made his debut – but don’t get too excited on that one as no doubt Lambert will soon coach any spark out of him . He is young and needs good players around him, and we haven’t got any ., remember the other new recruits eg Bacuna, Bertrand (on loan ) Luna, Kozak – even Sylla – all looked promising to a degree AND Benteke. I don’t think for one minute Benteke is lazy or disinterested as some have said . He’s being stifled and mismanaged by a manager who can’t set up a winning team and has a “don’t lose ” mentality . Compared with when he arrived , he is a shadow of his former self , because of Paul Lambert’s tactics and team selections. But not to worry , we were excellent and maybe next time we will lose by one not two.

    St 75 – how are you angel . Ted is doing better on the rice and fresh chicken thank you xxxxxx.

  80. Also Flabby allowed a header for one of their goals. The fat gits worse than useless a total liability, will someone explain what he actual does.

  81. JL,
    Can’t see us avoiding defeat next week, BFC have a good football ethic, we’ve had 15 minutes this season.
    Looking at these fixtures we’re gone –
    chelsea h
    man utd a
    man c a
    spurs a
    southampton a
    Arsenal a
    Can’t see the knob playing Gil in the majority because he’ll be trying to keep the scores down with a four man holding MF. Wonderful times to be a Villan.

  82. Leicester, QPR and Villa for the drop.
    I don’t think we will significantly strengthen this window, it’s almost as if they are getting the wages in order for the championship

  83. John,
    Saw both those games, in the 0-3 their CH David Jones kicked chunks out of Lochhead and must have thought he’d do the same at VP, Andy butchered him, i bet every bone was scarred.
    Went to see Villa play at Hereford one night for the opening of a stand, we had a trialist striker, a young lad who our Irish contingent would know very well, Paul Kirk, after the game in the clubhouse we got talking and he couldn’t believe what a good player AL was, he raved about him. Despite having a great game Kirk wasn’t signed, his son Andy had a good career at Hearts and became an international.

  84. Steamer, considering you’re not shy of calling people liars you have a pretty tenuous relationship with the truth yourself don’t you. Basically you’re happy to make up whatever nonsense you want in order to support your vision of the truth.
    I’ll grant you that Leicester deserved their win and We lost both games but to say that QPR ‘outclassed’ us is another figment of the Steamer imagination.
    Try looking at the stats and try reading some game reports.

  85. Yesterday’s lack of protest was surprising if you live in the online bubble. There have been people confidently quoting 99% of fans wanting Lambert out but when I talk to other Villa fans I hear something very different. What I hear more I that Lambert has done well to keep us up and bought good players considering the limited resources available to rebuild the squad.
    Nobody is happy with our position but I just don’t hear the bile in the real world that I hear on here.

  86. Even though the protest fizzled out I reckon it still did some good in letting the world know that all isn’t well at Villa Park. The fact that the fans chose to stay in the ground and support the team sent a strong signal to he team that despite the really poor performances and results, the fans badly still want the team to do well and deserve better from their team.
    The team stayed for some time applauding the fans at the end of the game and hopefully the ‘non protest’ will have done some small good in helping players and fans to reconnect.

  87. I don’t know ONE person who doesn’t want Lambert and Lerner out of VP, FFS you suggested that i look up stats in your post, look at Lamberts stats, if he was a horse they’d shoot him, if he had any respect for the club and its fans he’d bugger off back to Scotland, he’s waiting for his pay off because he certainly won’t be getting a decent job again unless he’s into IT.

  88. Steamer. That’s nonsense and I reckon that you know it really but just can’t bring yourself to say it. . . . or more likely, just enjoy trying to be provocative.

  89. Steamer, I don’t know any fans who are happy with the position at villa park either. It’s a question of where the blame is placed and how you react to that that’s different.

  90. Iv’e wasted a sodding fortune following these twats home & away since 1962, i don’t have much of an ego so don’t need to be provocative, i just pass on lessons learned on my journey’s, if you don’t want to listen, don’t, simple as that. I’d love to shout from the rooftops how good we are, unfortunately we’re a pitiful shambolic excuse of a club, no getting away from it, what do you want me to do, follow Lambert’s example and lie ?
    Can you recognise a lie, have a squint at this from Lambert when he arrived –

    ‘We’ll definitely try [to play a more entertaining brand of football],’ the former Norwich manager said. ‘We’ll go and try and win every game we can. I’m not going to try and sit back, I’ve not been used to that. We’ll go and try and win. If we can do that with style, then great. If you nick the odd one by doing it the other way, then great, we’ll take it.

    And amazingly adds….. ‘Norwich were like that [playing entertaining football] for three years. It wasn’t just the Premier League that they did that, they’d done that in League One and the Championship. There’s too many people who come and watch you — especially here where you get 40,000 at your ground. I’m pretty sure they’re not going to sit there and wait for you to take 40 minutes to get into the game and have your first shot at goal. They won’t accept it, so you have to get the crowd going.That’s what we’ll try to do.’

    Now that’s a porky of gargantuan proportions if i’m not mistaken.

  91. Robbo
    I don’t know anyone who thinks Lambert has done a decent or ok job, most ST holders that I go with and speak to at the game/pubs are having a real struggle of whether to renew or not, they ALL want Lambert gone and the club sold.
    Hull losing and doing us a favour.

  92. Was it Lerner who picked four sitters in MF yesterday a few days after saying we need more creativity ? Is it Lerner who picks an overweight waste of space and even makes him captain ?

  93. Going along and chanting loudly for your team is not ‘doing nothing’. The management and team know how unhappy the fans. The players are far more likely to respond to fans loudly supporting them despite these problems than they are to them staying away.
    We have enough good players now to get the results we need. We could do with a bit of luck going our way too though and there’s not been a lot of that around lately.

  94. R0bb0 it makes no difference we have no real fans any more there is no passion left and you are happy to watch Lambert destroy the club along with the rest of the happy clappers sorry mate unless you and the rest do something about it Aston villa will be back to the div 3 days and how any sane person can possibly say that Lambert has done well is a sheer lunatic ,we have good players and should be at least 15 points higher than we are but because we are run with a gestapo type manager who refuses to try to win games or put out a team that can try to win games we will be regulated and it is thanks to the likes of yourself and the rest who think he is doing a good job .
    in foot ball you make your own luck and the simple facts are that we deserve non whatsoever with the style and way the team is put on the pitch .
    Steamer is dead right about the bottom teams slaughtering us i went to Leicester with friends from there and it was the worst performance i have witnessed from a villa side in over 2,200 games i have seen live we should have been beat 4 or 5 and where completely outplayed in every department .
    yesterday Liverpool where there to be beaten is we had attacked them from the start the same as palace where and WBA and Sunderland those lost points will take us down as there is no hope under Lambert turning it around as the guy is just so far out of his depth and you happy clappers just put up with it. and will be the death of the club .
    and do not care how any person who says they are a fan of Aston Villa can constantly take this dross shows they do not care sorry R0bb0 but you fall into this group and unless you and the Droyd wake up and do something about it as i said we will be back to the old 3 div days but this time we will stay there

  95. r0bb0 I’ll grant you that we lost a game we needed to win and in the end that what matters though

    It’s just very clear that you and the likes of Steamer and myself have different expectations. Yes, I want the team to win – the thought of Villa going into oblivion apalls me.

    But – as Steamer so often says in no uncertain terms – the last 4 years have just not been good enough and NOT in the tradition of this once great club. As I have said before, after the raising of the phoenix in the 70s and those wonderful exploits followed by almost seeing us back at the top in the 90s, the though of us going back to where they were in the late 60s seemed impossible. *Especially* when this “owner” conned everyone with his “Bright Future”…

  96. B62. Everyone I know also believes that there are better managers out there but don’t have a lot of faith that our executive or owner will find them. In the meantime I hear fans giving Lambert credit for the players he’s found with the money available.

  97. Apparently Lambert is doing the CEO’s job and going to Scotland to interview a new head of communications, the club has also engaged a head hunting company to find a DoF, does anyone in the club know anything about football ?

  98. Steamer. There’s a difference between lying and not recognising whats reality. I think lambert probably believed what he said when he said it. . . . and let’s face it most Villa fans seemed to believe it too, despite evidence to the contrary.
    I didn’t believe it. I’d seen how Norwich played. I didn’t want Lambert and said so at the time. Can you, B62, Frem etc say the same?

  99. He’s signed about 25 the only one who would have got in MoNs team is Benteke, Vlaar is passable the rest range from mediocre to non-league standard.

  100. The chanting at Norwich was a piss take telling them that we could take their manager if we wanted him, unfortunately Lerners pet monkey believed them.

  101. Absolutely, i wanted Rijkaard, i don’t rate anything about British football.
    Norwich hit more long balls than any team in the PL in Lamberts one season in the PL, usually to the legend that was Grant Holt.

  102. John, I hope I haven’t given the impression that I’m happy with our current state? I can’t imagine any Villa fan is happy. It’s the best response to the unhappiness we’re talking about.

  103. Steamer, yes, Norwich were the long ball team. So why were most Villa fans so pleased to see him come.
    You say now that the chanting at Norwich was a ‘piss take’ and suggest Villa fans didn’t really want lambert. . . . Hey, you’re not really Alistair Campbell are you? I’ve heard he likes teams playing in claret and blue.

  104. r0bb0,

    Response? There’s absolutely nothing that can be done now I suspect except (a) go along with what’s developing or (b) staying away from VP.

    Neither is a very satisfactory response. And at present there are too many who will not stay away unless this run doesn’t stop.

  105. Robbo
    l was there when the villa fans started singing about lamberk , and me and another steamer , jb , started singing . fuck off lambert and l had about 5 lads looking at me asking why l dont want him , because he’s shit l told them , after the game l met my wifes mates who are norwich fans and they said to me hurry up and take him , we have had enough of him , l still get the phone calls and texts off them , taking the piss and yes steamer did agree with me at the time , and for the last couple of seasons l still banged on in the social telling the others he’s not for us , l feel smug now , we have one who comes out with the same comments as you , but l tell him to go sit in the corner and play candy crush on his phone because one day someone might just get pissed off and give him a slap , it would seem the lads l know are on about getting the coach sorted if we get relegated and re-live our old steamer days again just like we did in the 80s , thing is if we still have that ejit , we wont be coming straight up , l think we will be re-living our old 3rd div days ,

  106. robbo
    was qpr game not when it all kicked off with keane when he told a few of them home truth gabby being one of them gabby has played well since keane left and cleverly

  107. John, there is another option is for fan to go along and support their team as loudly as they can. Right now I reckon that’s the one thing that we can do that can make a genuine difference.

  108. James Gill, I don’t remember just when that happened by you may be right. Not sure everyone would agree with you about Gabby and Cleverley playing well sauce then.

  109. r0bb0 there is another option is for fan to go along and support their team as loudly as they can

    Yes, of course – silly me 😉

    No, mate, if this was an issue that had only been running a little while then that’s one thing … but FOUR years (nearly 3 under PL)?

    That’s not really an option since the manager doesn’t know what he’s doing and he needs to be replaced before the team can start doing anything that will come close to real entertainment.

    We need a winger or two and he gets rid of Albri. Now Albri was not perfect but do you recall the West Ham match last season? He was the only one really trying up front and Hammers supporters were wondering why he hadn’t come on earlier!

    And other players who looked possibles he turns into misfits.

    We have a manager who is one-dimensional I’m afraid.

  110. Robbo
    After the disaster that was Mcleish, I think it was a case of anyone must be better, he was the best of a bad bunch we were linked with.
    It’s not the mistake of appointing him, it’s compounding that mistake by persevering with the idiot despite it clearly not working and giving him a new 4 year deal, so effectively making him unshakable unless they have inserted a pay off clause into his new deal.
    Yes we all acknowledge Lerner is raping the club, but Lambert buys the players, picks the team and chooses the tactics, therefore is culpable when HIS team fails miserably every week.
    We should see some goals next week Afc Bournemouth are in town and they have scored more goals in Brum than the villa

  111. I remember Exactly when Lambert said the “we are going to play attacking football ” because it was at Alex McLeish’s expense . It wasn’t just a “this is what I can do ” it was a “I can do it better than your last manager ” and the way Faulkener hung AM out to dry was gutless and hypocritical . The fact us that if McLeish had served up this anti football and had broken the records Lambert has he’d have been ran out if town months ago .

    It was also after the pathetic performance against QPR that Keane laid into the team and reputedly said “if I gave you 10 thousand you lot couldn’t score in a brothel”.

    Currently on TS they are discussing Aston Villa and their precarious position re relegation . Villa fans I have heard on the show have said Lambert Out .

    Whilst I believe the fans can make a difference and be the 12th man Robbo , no amount of fan support is gojng to make a poor manager good. Do you really think that the players believe in his leadership . We are the laughing stock with our Aston Villa Nilla – nearly nine hours since we last scored a goal . He’s been given too long and we are getting worse . I hope people vote with their feet so that the powers that be realise that expecting fans to pay £40 a ticket and wait 9 hours to score a goal is down right disgraceful .

  112. We don’t deserve to be in the Premiership playing like we do and a 15 minute burst every now and then is like putting clove oil on an aching tooth – it just prolongs the agony .

  113. Fortunately for Villa there’s more than enough other clubs that can go down. I still think Villa will survive, but it’ll be the same srappy struggle next year unless there’s serious investment. No investment in real quality will eventually result in relegation. It’s just a matter of time. Lerner needs to rethink his philosophy. That’s where rejuvenation of the club will begin.

  114. Jenny, I wasn’t at the QPR game but all the reports I’ve seen say things like “QPR scored against the run of play”.” Villa continued their attacking impetus after the break”
    Not a single one of the reports suggests it was anything like a ‘pathetic performance’, quite the opposite, but if you were there, that may well be how you saw it and I can’t argue with your perception of it.

  115. Jenny, I too remember feeling uncomfortable at his dig at Mcleish which I thought at the time was unworthy and gratuitous. Right now I’m sure he’d feel uncomfortable to be reminded of it.

  116. The apathy at Aston Villa is such that even the fans can’t get angry.

    Aston Villa lived up to the billing of dullest team in the country.

    Failure to score against Bournemouth will see Aston Villa cancel their goal of the month for the second time this season.

    Just some of the things written in today’s press to say we are an embarrassment to those famous colours is putting it mildly, how anyone can condone the damage these people are doing to our great club just beggars belief, we are a shambles and even the fans have no fight left in them, we are going out of the premier in less than a whimper, our place amongst the elite will be taken by AFC Bournemouth.
    AVFC RIP

  117. Jenny, it’s not surprising that people on ‘Talk shit’ are anti Lambert. Attention seekers who spout off on blogs or radio programmes(yeah yeah. . . . me too) are not necessarily typical of the real men women and gulden who support Villa and go to watch them at Villa Park.

  118. robbo
    it was monday night live on sky
    we where a complete joke
    keane lost the plot with gabby few others
    gabby ran 1time all season to lambert keanes bullying me telling me the truth that i am 2 stone overweight what are you going to do boss LAMBERT dont worry gabby keanes going

  119. ……I just read down through the posts and was going to make a few comments but whats the point . People can make all the excuses and eloquent contrarion polemics they want , but if something smells like shit and looks like shit then its most probably shit. We’re not in a good place and it may take a mass clear-out of all sorts of personnel from the club to put villa back in the entertainment business which is what football is . Gabby likes to wax lyrical about how he bleeds claret & blue but to me he’s just a one dimensional , overpaid , undermotivated salad dodger. Our best players are are really only squad players at best for the top 5 teams.
    Lambert has become a caricature of himself and tbh I feel talented when i see him talking on the TV .

    Based on the current ability to win games which is actually scoring more goals than the opposition , the only conclusion a logical mind can come to is that villa will eventually be overtaken and will be relegated this season . The players and manager dont seem to care why should we?

  120. Prox, I’m guessing you were referring to me, but I’m not being deliberately contrarian, and I don’t think there’s much I’ve said that anyone could logically argue with. I’ve said:
    The club’s in a bad place
    That Lambert has done well to find the players he has with the money he’s had available
    That he has always played a brand of football that I don’t like and that’s why I didn’t want him at the club
    That I’m doubtful that the current managers would find the right replacement manager
    That we’ll probably stay up again this year but it won’t be pretty
    That most villa fans are less vitriolic about the team, club and even manager than the people who write on blogs or phone into the radio.
    In contrast, here are people on here who make up nonsense and deliver it as fact.
    Who routinely exaggerate and try to bully others into the same point of view.
    Is there now only one ‘true’ view of the club on here?

  121. Robbo ,
    I was’nt directly referring to you though you do fit into this category . I dont care for some of the nonsense that goes on here to which you refer to above and I admire the way you stand your ground though i dont come to the same conclusion as you do when faced with the same realities. I’m certainly not as sophisticated as some on here particularly when it comes to the discussing the more technical aspects of the game but I do say what i mean and its not intended to rubbish anyone elses opinion .
    I agree with some of what you say but not all of it and i can only hope that you dont consider me in the keyboard warrior category as that would be disappointing on a personal level , but that is your call. Rudeness, is what a weak man thinks strength is .

    To answer your question , I think he cares about his reputation , i don’t see anything that would suggest he cares about the club ….its not a fact mate , just a personal perception.

  122. Proxopera, rest easy, to my mind (for the little that’s worth) you certainly don’t fall in the keyboard warrior category.
    You say you don’t come to the same conclusions as me . . . . you’re not alone in that!
    I’ve been personally involved in a number of decent sized business turnrounds and the first step is always identifying the root problems. Shouting that everything is wrong is not helpful because you’re left with nothing to work with. That seems to be the position for most on here now though. In my personal experience some of the people identified as the problem turn out to be an important part of the solution.
    this blog used to e a place where people discussed different options and welcomed alternative views but it’s become more confrontational and one dimensional and if you’re not for us you must be against us with a fair sprinkling of name calling, insults and capital letters.
    Not a great recipe for open debate.

  123. Saturday was a very interesting day in more ways than one. I can confirm that the comments on MOMS was completely accurate, with the number of fans who held out and protested until the 8th minute. The numbers were not as great as everyone hoped, for the reasons stated, like turning off the tv screens, etc. The most important thing about the planned demo, was that the press picked it up, and Aston Villa had more national press coverage, than they had received all season.This meant that no-one was under any illusion about how bad things are at Villa, and what the media, pundits, fans and everyone thinks about the present situation.

    The match during the first 45 minutes was not that much different to any other, Villa making some application, Cleverley making his usual contribution of losing the ball to the opposition, Westwood not having a clue as to how to make a dead ball situation count. Very little progress being made up the field and delivering a telling ball to Benteke. The defense doing a reasonable job and almost keeping the ‘pool at bay, until they scored with a slightly suspect goal. Once Gil and Weimann came on, there was a real buzz round the ground, which then continued until Delph gifted ‘pool their second goal, then as if the fans said enough is enough, and the ground emptied very rapidly…

    I am sure that Lambert is now under massive stress, and regrets not moving on when he was offered the chance, as I am certain, the only reason Lerner offered him the new contract, was at that time, Lambert had been made an offer elsewhere, and probably by Celtic, or a similar team.
    We are now stuck with Lambert, just as much as he is stuck with us, and I now feel that the only chance that is left is, as other sites are saying, is to get behind the team, get behind Lambert, and try and save our club from destruction.

    Interesting point just made by Ruud Gullit, that the loyalty from club to player is only when you are at the top of your game, and I am sure that this is true, after that you are just a commodity which is for sale. Perhaps it is time we look at things from the players perspective. I am sure there would be many enlightening comments from ex-Villa players.

  124. r0bb0 this blog used to e a place where people discussed different options and welcomed alternative views but it’s become more confrontational and one dimensional and if you’re not for us you must be against us with a fair sprinkling of name calling, insults and capital letters. Not a great recipe for open debate.

    I’m most disappointed in this response from you, mate. I think what you’re saying is *far* from the truth as far as the general mien of this blog is concerned. There might have been a very occasional bit of name-calling, but I’ve seen nothing that can be classed as ‘serious’ compared with some other sites.

    Generally, your opponents are simply upset with the general state of affairs. And this is to do with an entity that is emotion-generating. As Steamer has said, he enjoyed some wonderful years following the Villa, and he naturally feels that today’s situation is a pure reflection on the exploits of the club, historically.

    It’s not an entity that can easily be viewed through the cold light of day. Having said that, when I *do* look at it through the cold light of day, I’m even more horrified on how things are (and have been these last 4+ years) at Villa Park. I have seen the club slipping in a miserable way since Faulkner was placed in his exalted position starting in 2009 and it’s gone unabated ever since, with only *some* attempt at recovery this past year or so.

    Frankly, I don’t see how you could see it otherwise, but you are entitled to your view. I would suggest, however, that being involved in “some decent-size business turnaround” is not the same kind of situation as at VP … there it’s not a straight-forward business situation but one that is involved with the emotions of a lot of people … mere winning is not the reason why a great number of people have gone to Villa Park. It used to be more a case of going down expecting to see a Villa team doing their *utmost* to win – a slightly different thing. We have seen Villa losing several matches in a row before, but so long as they were *trying* then we forgave them and/or their manager.

    Villa Park was a happy meeting ground and a place of dreams. What happiness is to be found there now when most of your mates are chewing up their STs?

  125. PP: …. get behind the team, get behind Lambert, and try and save our club from destruction.

    This is a r0bb0-like view and at least it’s an attempt at being +ve.

    But you can’t force people to do this … they either want to or not … and I am certain that if Villa were to start playing again as though they mean it there WOULD be a concerted push behind the team. And for 15 minutes on Saturday I’m sure fans were in that mood.

    But if we’re going to go on seeing players put in a sad crab-like performance, then why be untrue to yourself? It just doesn’t make sense. You want to get an angina attack?

  126. r0bb0: So you really think that the manager doesn’t care? I’m damn sure he cares, he just doesn’t know how to put it right!

    The worst aspect, mate, is that he (nor Lerner) are tuned in to what Villa is all about as far as the majority of fans are concerned. They are not Villa men … they are just there because that’s the trade they’ve come into.

    PLs comments reflect no insight into Villa wahatsoever.

    Compare that with the likes of Ron Saunders, Tony Barton, BFR, Brian Little and JG. What a difference in attitude!

    I’d prefer dear old Joe Mercer back again rather than the last couple of managers: Joe DID care. He made himself ill worrying about the Villa. And he first arrived at Villa Park as a very jovial man. He left a broken man. That was a sad story – I genuinely wouldn’t want to visit that tragedy on Lambert. But to say Lambert cares compared to those managers I’ve mentioned is a travesty of truth.

    Is John Gregory still looking for a job?

  127. No Villa fan is happy with the current situation, and we would all love nothing more than backing a vibrant villa side with some quality, who give it a real go, we may not win every game but we will at least try. We haven’t had that since MoN, and like him or hate him, he packed VP every week and we gave it a real go, playing with pace and width, of course he had his limitations and had run his course, but from that moment on AVFC started to slowly die under Lerner, with the last two managers being the worst in our premiership era and possibly ever.
    The root of our problems current are Lerner overall and Lambert for the way he manages and picks the side/players etc. to effect change and start the healing Lambert simply has to go, now would be the perfect time, as we have no league game and the window is open for some wheeling and dealing until the summer, when serious change needs to happen.
    I’m not sold on this theory that Lambert has an eye for a decent player, Helenius, Tonev, Bennett, Steer, Lowton, Sylla, Holt, Dawkins, Senderos, Cole, Bowery, Cisshoko, are all poor or well past their use by date, Bacuna, Cleverly, Westwood are bang average!! Yes Benteke has been a great find, as has Sanchez and Okores, Gil
    may yet prove to be a star, too early to tell

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