Mr. Claret and Blue Sky
Hello, all. Been a while…Hope everyone’s well enough. I’ve enjoyed reading even if I haven’t been able to contribute. Things have been dark, but the AVL lot have been steadfast, and just maybe seeing rays of hope.
I have to admit, my first favorite band was ELO. I think Jeff Lynne is brilliant (and I’ve never wanted to find out whether he’s a bluenose). Many an evening with friends has ended up with a boozy and terribly sincere ELO sing-along.
Which, of course, is my remarkably smooth and poorly thought-out tie-in to the matter at hand: Tim Sherwood.
I know a lot of us had our trepidations. Me, I basically thought, “What the hell, if you’re going to roll the dice…”
I was a little worried about how much of a foregone conclusion the decision seemed to be, but it seems as if Tim just might possess what Villa have needed—a bit of self-belief that isn’t entirely unfounded.
You always learn a lot when you see someone new walk into the exact same situation as the one who left: no transfer window, same players, same standing in the table. And Hey Presto! All of a sudden we’re seeing the same side look so much better, seemingly improving week by week.
I didn’t think Lerner would pull the plug on Lambert. And in the end it was obviously Fox who did, Fox who was brought in to do exactly what he has done: make the calls to pull out Villa out of a desperate situation and give Lerner something to sell. Thank god someone called time and made a decisive move. Randy, in the end, was as dispirited as anyone else, and that seemed to have spread through the whole club.
Sherwood, as opposed to Lambert or Lerner, relishes the limelight and the challenge. He’s relishing the chance to come in and save a big club like Villa with cameras in his face. I’m sure he’d been doing his homework and thought there was enough at Villa to work with, enough to vindicate his reputation and make his mark.
It appears he may have been right, and that everyone who thought the current side were underachieving was most certainly right.
The Cup semi-final was magnificent… A devil-may-care performance that saw Villa play some of their best football in years. Players were transformed, playing on the big stage against a big side, the media, and the Stevie Me show and looking like they belonged. They passed and moved and showed touch and ambition and belief. Supporters cried tears of joy. I haven’t been as happy for the Villa family in I don’t know how long. The Spurs win was a fantastic relief, but ousting Liverpool a week later in an FA Cup semi? The faces of fans and players alike said it all.
Of course Villa aren’t safe yet. The whole trick is to build on that display, see the club through and perhaps finally launch it on a new trajectory.
I know… I’m not alone in believing that “Aston Villa” is Latin for “False Hope”.
But from what I’ve seen, new owners would be mad to sack Sherwood unless Villa do succumb. He’ll have earned a fair run and backing. He may be brash, but he’s fun to watch, good for a quote and has started getting the side playing to their potential. He’s put a smile on faces all round. Is it a long-term marriage? Who can ever say?
Right now, though, it’s a fun affair, and blue skies (maybe, pretty please) seem to beckon.
The Author
John Clark
John is co-owner of AVL, and has followed the Villa since the '70s. A journalist by trade, he is, by most accounts, a very nice person. You can follow me on Twitter @JClarkKohoutek. It's an astonishing experience. Or a complete waste of time.Comments 78
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Hello John,
Another positive article! … There must be a Villanous Virus going the rounds! 🙂
Yes, Sherwood is a very +ve guy, no doubt. But I actually don’t think he is brash really – I think he’s just a naturally exuberant feller whose approach is to generate forward looking thoughts by the way he puts himself about. It’s a way of uplifting others that’s natural to him – and as skipper of Blackburn’s league championship side he knows his approach works. Exuberance is a lovely form of personality i.m.o. It’s a natural expression of personality that I’d like to see more of.
And as was said on a Vital Villa interview with Parks, Sherwood is a genuine manager rather than a coach. He appears to have an ingrained toughness to be able to make objective decisions – decisions for the sake of the club, not for the benefit of himself or other individuals. Hence he can take an unpopular decision about Gil yet still be accommodating enough to bring him back if he feels he’s right.
Oh … as a postscript I understand Paul Faulkner has just been given the job as head of the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce. Thought you would d like to know! 🙁
Hello JC,
Great to see you writing again. We’re fortunate to have yourself and the likes of JL and company here on AVL.
Most of us are well aware of “false hope” and Villa, but you also mention the “a bit of self-belief that isn’t entirely unfounded”. I think that’s true. Things are looking up a bit.
Nice to see you writing again Mr Clark
Well for the last 3yrs it has got progressivly more frustating and embarressing being a villa supporter and the hardcore of AVL crew have continued to communicate though the dross and pain of being a villan
We are certainly due better times that are more fitting of the clubs history and fan base
If we stay up which i am pretty sure we will and the chinese guys mentioned buy the club maybe my we can make champs lge take won’t make me sound like a duluded crack head as was suggested 🙂
onwards and upwards the pain could finally be over
talk
Welcome home John.
Mr. Blue Sky, please tell us why
You had to hide away for so long, so long
Where did we go wrong?
How appropriate you chose that song at the time of Dion’s birthday – OK he was Mr Sky Blue for a time.
Let’s hope we don’t go down the road of Mr. Blue you did it right
But soon comes Mr. Night
Creepin’ over, now his hand is on your shoulder
Never mind, I’ll remember you this, I’ll remember you this way
As your Mr Lynne would say to Mr Sherwood
Been beat up and battered ’round
Been sent up, and I’ve been shot down
You’re the best thing that I’ve ever found
Handle me with care
So let’s hope the walls don’t come down and we sing Congratulations at the end of the day.
UTV
JL-
I think exuberant is fair…I’ve really enjoyed him, a true breath of fresh air. And I think you’re also right about the objectivity. Seems a shrewd character when it comes to players. You never know whether a player can make the transition to manager, but he seems well cut out for it.
Cheers, Trinity.
I have to say, it has got me checking the Newsnow feed again. In our previous scraps, I hadn’t thought we’d go down. After the Hull defeat, I really did think we were finally doomed. I’d managed to write up some thoughts, a plea for Randy to replace Lambert, finally, but it was just too depressing, and everyone was saying it loudly anyway.
Fingers crossed.
Runtings-
Deluded crackhead, eh? Well, I’d had hopes Lambert could turn things around. I think everyone could see the lack of confidence and it seems it was beyond him to repair that…indeed, it seems he was only making it worse.
Nice, Clive…better than what I wrote!
And for what it’s worth, I’ll likely go into the Lambert era after we’re safe. It’s only fair since I’d been wrong about him. But right now, I figured it’s better to focus on the positive, actually enjoy watching Villa play, and do the mea culpas later.
Hah Mr.Clark,
We meet again this time I will leave no room for error you have become an irritation in my quest to rule Aston.
Welcome back you bloody glory hunter, we saw the rats leaving the ship but back they come with a final on the horizon.
Good article though but I am sure that the track Mr.Bluesky was written for Trevor Francis”s dog.
AVFC ITWT
John,
Faulkner at the BCC, I think I can find a better use for that acronym, what about Big Chubby —- I will let Steamer fill the blank in.
AVFC ITWT
Southwest…
Glory hunting, indeed, eh? Writing now, well, finally getting some work-life balance back. I’ve been unable to form a thought, work on the book, or do much of anything for the last 1.5 years.
What I am glad about is that long-suffering fans who’ve been in the stands finally have something to cheer about again. And that watching all the matches is no longer an act of masochism. It’s good that Villa are, for the moment, anyway, no longer compounding my misery. 😉
Hello John,
Delighted to see your writing for us again, i always enjoyed your balanced views when we were all ready for the nut farm.
To clear up Mr Blue Sky, Jeff Lynn went to the same school as myself and Noel Blake, ironically on Tuesday i was burning a disc for Jenny of ELO at Hyde Park and JL was explaining the reason why he made certain records, He did make a record that was later linked to Francis and strangely it wasn’t called ‘ A Bucket of Shite” it was ‘Strange Magic’ Francis followed ELO and became a pal, JL wasn’t a particular fan of the mealies and never kicked a ball in his life.
The entire concert, ELO at Hyde Park, is on YouTube and is brilliant both sound wise and visually, well worth downloading. Another great one is ELO the Zoom Tour, again perfect.
Hello John. Nice to see you back. Sweet Talkin’ Woman was my favourite, and, yes it’s true, Jeff Lynne is one of them unfortunately.
Steamer, he wasn’t a fan of the dirties or wasn’t a particular fan. It matters to me.
Alright chaps,
Some legend on youtube has uploaded every touch from JG40 at Wembley, all in glorious HD too, have a goosey!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ID6UuMHFS5Y
He was always into music Andrew P, Ron Toss and Francis attached themselves to him like the leeches they are. I would say that he’s definitely more Blose than Villa but when you live in LA for 20 odd years yer marlies are going to suffer somewhat. However, he’s been voted the third best music producer in the World, personally i’m proud that he comes from my city and IMO he can be considered a musical genius.
Thanks for clarifying Steamer. OK I’ll allow it this time, but it’s a slippery slope if we start praising the dirties and their associates. Thin end of the wedge and all that.
Thank you, Steamer…I’ve truly been impressed by you and the usual suspects.
Thanks for the insight on Jeff. I’ve seen the Zoom one, it is fantastic. Haven’t yet seen the Hyde Park show. I was thrilled to hear he had enough fun that he was thinking about touring, but it seems he enjoys the quiet life, and I can’t begrudge him that.
I’d thought up an idea, since symphonies are really struggling in the states, that perhaps JL could do an ELO SOS tour, teaming up with local symphonies, as those sorts of combos have brought in good revenue for the orchestras, and obviously the ELO songbook would be the perfect material.
Anyway, time to scurry off to the salt mines…
Rags,
That’s great, believe it or not there are still some doubters, what do these people want ? probably the same mob that clapped mcKnob and Lamebert.
Chubby, whats happening to Brum ? how can anyone employ this muppet, are you sure it isn’t as a roadsweeper ?
ELO —- One of the most creative , uplifting and orginal bands of all time — heavenly music
I don’t understand either Steamer the Liverpool game wasn’t a one off, he was superb against QPR too, they’ll have to STFU; soon enough everyone will be hailing Villa home grown Eden Hazard. In fact maybe we’ll stick an Eden Hazard mask on him and tell Benteke we’ve signed him from Chelsea!
I’m getting bloomin’ confused … I kept on picking up on this ‘JL’ and had to go back to the start to read all the way through to make sure it isn’t me you’re on about! 🙂
I’m simply an Ian Campbell fan. And, yeah, a bit of the Moody Blues…
ELO !! sound like a bloody northern greeting . similar to that other famed group , E by gum !
Wizard ….lads , roy wood , local here ,
oh gawd , sww going to bring Liquid Gold up now , thank fuck he cant put a link on here off youtube for “dance yourself dizzy ” jeeez l can still see him now at the Laccarno club on mondays . he could have been used as an elephants vibrator when he started dancing ,
JL,
Had all the Moodies LP’s at one time…..ah Days of Future Past.
Vlaar apparently has signed a new contract. Hope so
Evening
Just beginning to sober up, so have cracked open some becks. Huge thank you to all fans lucky enough to attend on Sunday – great build up and outsang the granny shaggers all afternoon. How good to see villa at wembley and finally witness the opposing fans streaming out of the ground after.
Interesting to see what terrible music taste we all have, however – anyone know what the score was on Sunday?
We got stuck among a load of cheeky chirpy scouse winkers at the match but that’s what you get for accepting corporate sleaze before thinking properly about the ramifications of sitting with the finest sleaze bags of europes most deluded city.
This clip sums up the semi final experience from where we were sat. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMoo2JjIO80
My 7 year old wore his socks rolled down to football training last night and wants some really small shin pads…….
UTV !
PS for the record a friend of mine saw a scouser “in gloves” stealing from the outdoor after the match – he tod me that before i read Andrew P’s post.
Nice to have you back JC, ELO was one of my after the pub headphone sessions in the 80’s ( my dads album, along with the moody blues and occasionally my moms rod Stewart Album gasoline alley ).
Rags- I always said the lad needed to start, coming on late is not enough time for him to work his magic. the rest of the team needed to adjust to him and let him run things as the U21’s did. I was thinking how to describe his style and all I can think of is “Unhurried”
TS came out and said we are going to city to win and we will, I love his attitude, I don’t find him arrogant at all just refreshingly honest and full of self belief. His ability with youngsters is a god send to Villa, at last we may get some return from the Academy.
Mark,
To be honest you’ve always had championed our youth, can’t knock you there!
the*
One other thing on Grealish , you don’t see him playing 30-40 yard balls, he keeps it simple and unhurried giving others time to make runs, he then rolls the ball in front of them. Under Lambert there were no runs, just side to side passing and hopeful punts. No wonder Lambert thought he wasn’t ready he had no-one to play with.
perhaps JG is trying to add speed to his repartee 😉
http://www.edmontonsun.com/2015/04/23/aston-villas-grealish-told-to-act-responsibly-by-manager?
Mark,
Have to say, I’ve been very impressed by Grealish…like everyone else. However, not having seen him play much, his earlier appearances yielded the odd hint of magic, but not necessarily real insight to how he’d do when given starts. I wondered perhaps, based on those minutes, if he wasn’t being over-hyped.
Now that we’ve seen him start, and start on a side that’s throwing more numbers forward, he is showing class. As you say he keeps it simple, but is full of confidence and shows real intelligence and quality on the ball. With players available and making runs, and looking to do it all quicker and more decisively, he absolutely looks at home in the first team.
JC- it must have been so alien to him playing with a team lacking in confidence, the lad is as upbeat as TS. I’d go as far as to say with him in the side we have stepped up a notch in the last three matches. It will be interesting to see what TS does if Gabby is available? I thought the inclusion of another ball carrying/intelligent player like Nzogbia made a difference to our game. Ok he wasn’t as influential as Grealish but he made the forward three more fluid. I remember a pre-season game with him, Grealish and Bent together and the result was a lot of chances and I think a couple of goals for Bent.
I must admit I’m dying to see Gil get a run in that role with Grealish and Tekkers, Gils a quick direct and clever player and maybe an upgrade on Nzogbia who can play with his head down to much. I suspect we may see Gabby though in that right sided role.
ST75,
Blimey mate thanks for the reminder I have just been up in the loft and found my Liquid Gold greatest hits its a classic I tell you, those nights in the Locarno ( that’s how you spell it you eejit ) drinking Watneys red barrel and getting pissed on three pints and leaving with a bird that looked like John Merricks daughter.
AVFC ITWT
The only thing I would knock about grealish is he’s not taking shots on when the chance arises, he is more than capable but at the moment is giving a pass where it isn’t warranted. I’m sure with a few more matches under his belt it will happen.
He has stated he will dedicate his first senior goal for villa to his brother who died at nine months old. He got 5 for notts county this being his first senior goal.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2ig4j8yfGo
mark yes great first goal but have you see the one he scored in the hongkong 7s when he beats about 6 he is class as i have been saying for the last 12 months and to be fair did not keno say he was the best young footballer he had ever seen and told Lambert he should play you can now see why when he signed all the top clubs where after him there was one moment last week when the ball came down down on the right hand side from a great height and he just brought it down and carried on running it was sheer class and only the very best could do this skill but it all just comes natural to him he has the first touch of an angel and as tim says the ball is a friend to him
Mark,
JG40 took multiple shots vs QPR. I reckon he got a bollocking from Tekkers a couple of times, hence his reluctance vs Liverpool. I don’t think it’s an inherent flaw in his game, but I agree he should have shot more on Sunday. Check the link below for a JG40 vs QPR highlight reel!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmJs0iVNO4E
The crafty free kick was brilliant. I think he likes to stroke his shots rather than just hit them. I said it months ago that he should be in the full Engerland team, Wiltshire & Henderson = zero creativity, not just jumping on the Grealish bandwagon, he has ten times the ability of that pair put together, will Hodgson select him for the Ireland game ? unless he moves to Laandaan, no chance. I reckon his best bet would be ireland, neither country is top class but there always seems an enjoyable spirit in the Irish camp and i think JG needs to enjoy his footy to play well.
Steamer,
From a Villa perspective I really want him to play for Ireland. We’ve already seen the red top mob try and assassinate his character (BTW if you haven’t seen it check from Matt Kendrick’s defence of him in the mail). Also, the minute he plays for England the SKY FOUR will be in for him, turning his head and what not. It would be great for Villa’s Irish fan base/reputation too, both in terms of keeping the oldguard interested and gaining new, younger followers. There’s always been something quite special about Villa’s Irish connections- it would be excellent to see that continue.
Villa about to become the first team to win the FA Cup in three different centuries.
Totally agree Rags, the Irish lads on here are great, there’s a video on youtube about the game in Dublin a couple of years ago, well actually about the p-up before and after and i’ve heard St75’s story about McGraths testimonial about a thousand times, it was crepe the first time.
Remember going down the Villa as a dot, the Witton End must have been 50% Irish and everywhere i worked there was an Irish contingent of Villans.
Jd yes mate its a classic and anotber goal for county was similar quality.
Rags- yep he had quite few shots against qpr but notice the lack of options from midfield runners. Theres a lot of watching him do his stuff very similar to when nzogbia is our sole creative source. I reckon ts took one look and said get around him give him options. that was his first senior start and i think the whole team were not expecting it, some players really come alive on matchday v training.
You have to laugh don’t you, the Mail describing 5th rater Paul Tait as a ‘Blues legend’ On top of their Legends board with the great Martin Grainger.
With impeccable timing aka lunch, i’m on AVL just read some very nice comments about us Paddy’s, you’d be surprised to find out it’s not just Manu, bindippers and celtic/rangers on the island of Ireland. the Irish Villans facebook page as over 2000 members.
Clearly things changed support wise in the 90s from an Irish perspective and but we’ve drip fed AVFC down the years prior to that with Irish players and based on migrations down the years that managed to include Birmingham as a destination, some of my wife’s family still live on the Holte Road and are all Villan’s has meant a strong Irish following always existed.
Interesting comments about JG and Ireland, I’m biased so would love to see that kind of creativity in the Irish ranks, it’s the old argument of being a small country with competing sports interests GAA, rugby etc that has meant we don’t produce that many players. In addition our best go to English clubs and it’s dog eat dog nevermind being 15/16 and homesick, to make it you really need to be determined, many of the lads who don’t make it give up or play League of Ireland and incorrectly deemed failures.
So when a talent like JG comes along and given we’ve identified that talent at underage level, England while well within their rights have only come knocking on a few occasions and now the media have latched onto it which will put pressure on a young man that can only lead to disappointment for one nation. Either way he’s a Villan and hopefully remains so for the rest of his career (meaning we provide him with the platform for his talents).
To all my Villa comrades have a great weekend, let’s do mancs.
UTV
England produces many more players and therefore a better chance to get quality, I just feel Grealish would be better served by playing many internationals as opposed to being a bit part for England given their usual preference for Sky 4 and while England does qualify for more tournaments, the media focus and expectation is unreal compared to Ireland, it isn’t a case of turning up for the party but we know we can’t win so we enjoy the experience outside of any pressure to win
Yeah and I know a few of the Irish pubs in Brum arranged trips down to Wembley too. It’s a bit of a strange one though, why we have so many Irish fans, particularly those living in Ireland. I know we’ve always had a core of Irish internationals from the late 80’s to the present day but so have many other clubs.
Good point Mark, I think the extra body in midfield was huge in enabling the fluid movement through the midfield,there was one moment when Zog lost the ball and ran 20 yards to win it back- they are all working so hard for each other now and they all look decent players. When you look at the bomb squad and the quality there it’s clear that the only reason we couldn’t shift them was because they’d been ‘bombed’.
I reckon a few clubs would snap our hands off for Zog, Hutton, Given and Bent now.
Just as I post, Darren answers my query, thanks mate!
Rags that and they weren’t playing that well and were on big money 🙂
Grealish has aspirations of playing for Real Madrid one day. As for England or Ireland I want him in the England team, in the modern game he’s a one off, could be the Gazza of his times so I don’t see playing for Villa as a impediment. Delph is making his mark so why not Grealish, substitute Rooney and Kane for Tekkers and Nzogbia and we look tasty going forward. I have a feeling his style will suit International football where you only have to cough on someone to draw a foul, the better the quality of player the better this lad will get IMO.
Darren- we have loads of Irish lads in our academy bradley lewis, graham burke, kevin toner, rory hale. we must have a scout network out your way
Yes we do, can’t think of the lads name that does the majority of the work
Lewis Kinsella and Daniel O’Brien must have a connection with those surnames
Mark,
They’re still on big money now but they were seen as not needed by Villa (and we were crepe) so why would anyone else buy them. Now they’re playing and people can see their value. What’s everyone’s opinion on who will leave in the summer and what does everyone think we need?
Personally I’m reluctant to see too much of a squad change as they all seen to be gelling so well, both on and off the pitch. Also are the former spurs youngsters we’re being linked with going to improve the first 11/18? I feel a new left back, centre back, versatile attacking mid and a new striker will be needed with maybe Lowton leaving for his own good. That would leave us with three more first team players if Cleverly, Benteke and Vlaar stay on.
darren- strangely enough kinsella is english dont know about O’brien but sounds a shoe in.
Rags- hutton was pants at spurs then pants for us under mcleish, don’t know who the latest version of him is must be a dopple ganger. zoggy was also poo under Mcleish, poor for Lambert then injured, Given not at his best under mcknob then shoulder injury which let in Guzan. Bent injured under mcknob and sold his supply line and some questionable shenanagans. Ireland a perrenial knob only mark Hughes would sign, all on long contract 40-70 thou a week. wasn’t surprised nobody came knocking.
for me Given is the only one that I would keep and he’s too old. Nzogbia never quite does it for me although a good squad player on less money. Hutton has done well in a poor team earlier in the season but isn’t really a great full back, solid but crossing is poor, we can do better. Bent, don’t think he would be my first choice centre forward but on lower wages for 2 years a decent sub may even prove me wrong.
I don’t agree with anything you say Mark but that doesn’t change the fact that the bomb squad was a terrible idea, my actual point.
I don’t think I’d have Bent back- he seems a bit of a bellend and the type who could fuck our team spirit up.
disagree***
Rags- what, ever? 😉 the bomb squad wasn’t an idea IMO, it happened because Lambert wanted there wages gone and isolated them to prevent unrest in the squad . I don’t think he stopped to think of the consequences if they stayed at all as he’ a knob head. Some took it bad others like Given were professional despite the idiocy of it. honestly at the time not many could disagree with them not playing bar possibly Bent. we had just transformed to save our season without them and were going to push on we thought. Can’t wait to see JC dissection of Lamberts rein
haha, it wasn’t an idea? WTF was it then? Did the bomb squad just naturally form like a mountain range? I’m struggling to see your point mate. The bomb squad started a couple of games into the first season didn’t it? I liked Lambert up until we played 5 at the back against Pulis’s Crystal Palace but we can see now that under better management those players, not used under Lambert, had plenty to offer either us and another team. Completely exiling them meant we couldn’t shift them and I can’t rationalise your claim that removing them from the squad was a positive influence on team morale; they didn’t just disappear of the face of the earth, they were still at the football club. Treating professionals in such a manner can only be a bad thing for the confidence and togetherness of the group as a whole.
Most of the names linked with us are young(ish) like Carroll, i thin that TS knows that market and will concentrate on bringing in 20-24 year olds probably from London clubs and probably from Spurs. I don’t have a high regard for Spurs, mediocre with ideas well above their station, they’ve always been like that, probably a London thing. I would look at some of Chelsea’s reserves, Bamford looks like he could be an asset.
Villa players i’d keep –
Guzan, Given, Siegrist. – ( Steer out )
Hutton ( Because of contract ), Richardson ( Versatile squad ). ( Bennett, Cissoko, Luna, Lowton out ).
Vlaar, Baker, Clark, Senderos, Donacien.
Bacuna, Grealish, Gardner, Delph. ( Zog probably out – inconsistent ).
Benteke, Burke, Robinson, Helenius Sinclair ( Just ) – ( Tonev out, Gabby ( out at all costs )
Then it would depend on how much the new owners put up, i don’t see Sherwood as a big spender which may frustrate fans and an ambitious owner. An absolute positive, the perfect foil for Benteke, IMO, would be Hernandez, great movement, i think they would be lethal.
So thats two FB’s, Milner + 1 other, Hernandez + 1 other.
Must admit Rags, Lambert treated some of the staff like dirt yet others who did FA could do no wrong, not only didn’t i rate Lambert as a manager, i didn’t like his character. We, as a club, are far better now he’s gone, you could see the enjoyment on the players faces and when a good pro like Ron Vlaar does a 100% you know TS is on the right road. At the moment i’m chuffed, looking at the fans singing and cheering gives me a buzz.
rags mate I’m not saying it was positive just a consequence of Lamberts actions rather than a premeditated action or plan on his part more a lack of any plan in that department and an inability to admit he was wrong. I expect some of the older players had words and Lambert isolated them and it snowballed, can’t remember when we started calling it the bomb squad? but with my memory not surprised. the fact it was still going on until lerner put us up for sale speaks volumes for Lamberts loss of grip on reality .
Bent was captain going into the new season but bear in mind when we beat Swansea (bentekes deput and goal) on September 15th it was our first win in 13 games a club record and Vlaar took the arm band but by the end of october we only had one more point . Even Brett Holman and Barry bannan were getting games, but by the end of october we had 6 points. Hutton never played a game except for one absolute terrible pre-season game you wouldn’t think it was the same player
Like your thinking steamer although Helenius hasn’t done much this season, think Lamberts fecked him up mentally.
steamer
agree with most of your points butfew changes
like to see new keeper guzan does nt cut it for me like stoke keeper begovic
fullbacks hutton new contract makes him unsellable another joke decision from villa board think bacuna could settle in there with a run in team cissko makes up full backs one attacking one defending
vlar not sure about if willing to sign new contract give him chance sendross out baker out to injury prone need one centre half
midfield is the main priorty need to see what sherwood likes i like sanchez delph if cleverly willing to stay for 40/50 thousand a week yes if more no
grealish big yes sinclair like him zog a possible if sherwood can keep him focused yes so one wideman
benteke please god leave him kozak willing to give him chance GABBY with new contract like hutton no resale chance so keep him but not as first choice impact sub
Ah Steamer,
If we could get Hernandez it would be a dream! When you look at the squad I think we are almost there and just need to hang on to players, more than signing new ones. Think we’ll have to agree to disagree about Gabby though!
Love the little pea talk, great shout. Another deano.
Id keep gabby as super sub.
Bracing myself for a tough game, just praying the teams below loss and give us a free hit at city.
Next 2 home games are the only cups finals.
Mark: Some took it bad others like Given were professional despite the idiocy of it.
Understandably some took it bad, Mark. It’s not as though they did anything wrong that I’m aware except voice their opinion perhaps, which surely you’re entitled to do.
For me, the idea of accepting a situation “professionally” is probably more to do with making life easier for yourself. As they say, it “sucks” and takes away a sense of integrity. It could also mean aiding your employer to go the wrong way – as Lambert did i.m.o.
Hey, Steamer … you don’t mention Okore in your list!
Zoggy I think has been far more consistent in the last 3 or 4 matches, but I agree he lacks ‘something’. Until someone better arrives I’d say he should be kept.
Mark,
I watched an edition of ‘Head to Head’ on al-Zazeera last night. The Jewish scholar Prof. Robert S Wistrich was under the spotlight – he’s taken very seriously on the matter of Israeli/Palestine affairs (often taken too seriously in the opinion of quite a few) and as I listened to him speaking I could not help but liken him to you – he is such a slippery eel! 😉
Jl well none of us are perfect john but some of us seem to believe we are.
Mark, who is that you speak of?
Mark,
Of course you might be alluding to me. I am certainly not perfect but I simply feel that the challenges of life need to be tackled with the highest goal in mind. And that includes consistency of opinion.
I’ve certainly fallen down from time to time, but that’s mainly how we learn.
The decision on whether to keep N’Zogbia or not I think encapsulates a fair few of the dilemmas when it comes to our transfer policy in general in the close season coming. The replacement for N’Zogbia is commonly known to be Sakho from Wolves, and for me he seems a very similar player, but with perhaps a more consistent end product. If you look at his record he seems to score 10 a season and most of them are quite brilliant goals. Surely then if he was to score between 5-10 goals for us in the league that would be an improvement on Zog. The way the team his been playing recently however has got me interested in team togetherness, friendships and such. Clearly I have no idea about how well Zig fits into the group but if we do sign Sakho and we can’t shift Zog perhaps it could be detrimental. I guess what I really want to see then is players leaving the club if they aren’t in the plans this time around, particularly given the strong bond the current group seem to have forged.
If I’m being referred to Mark is quite right! I am perfect in every way and have never been wrong about nuffin! Seriously though my opinion has no more or less validity than anyone else. I will always try and make a convincing argument and maybe I go a bit far sometimes… I think it’s great we have so many well informed people on this site with different perspectives and long may it continue! It would really be boring if we all agreed now wouldn’t it!
JL really? what is my opinion? did I say personally that I think the bomb squad was a fantastic idea? if you look you will see I was exploring the way it “may” of come about. I don’t believe Lambert got up one morning and said I’ll isolate all these players as his master plan but made decisions that made it his only choice in “his eyes” not mine. liken ing me to some one who changes his opinion to suit the wind is insulting, you do come across as opinionated and a little too school master sometimes John but I don’t comment as I know your a decent bloke, others have.
rags- thats my opinion of Zog who would buy him on his performances? they just never quite reach inspiring for a player in his position vs say Grealish or Gil do or did
sorry if I seem to rub people up the wrong way but I write what I think when I’m thinking it and I dont actually see what people get so precious about 🙂
I agree that he’s not the not at the level or the potential of JG40 and Gill, I don’t think he’s ever performed well for 90 minutes in all the time he’s been here and honestly Sherwood doesn’t seem to trust him for 90 mins- and that ain’t good for a senior pro!
If we can’t shift him I guess the question is WTF do we do with him, do we replace him and stick him in the reserves or try and accommodate him in the first team to the detriment of someone like Gill?
Maybe a Middlesbrough or QPR/Hull would take a punt if they stay up, doubtful though.
rags- yes mate especially if Gil apparently cant play because he’s not fit enough, TS formed his only little bomb squad of one 😉
new post up
haha, I won’t rise to that one pal!