Sitting looking at the table after the Liverpool game, I felt like there was some zen-type paradox going on.

“If a team scores half a goal per game, how many games can they win?”

The answer, perhaps somewhat illogically, is five. Despite having scored less goals than the top six have won games, Aston Villa seem to be hovering in 14th position.

The question that springs to mind is “Just how is that possible?”. How, despite such a poor and anaemic scoring record, can Villa not be rooted to the foot of the table?

Of course, in pure statistical terms, a team can win the league having scored 38 goals, assuming they win every game 1-0. In fact, it is a possibility a team could win the league having scored less than 30 goals though possibilities and realities are two completely different things.

So, given all the above, what gives? Is Paul Lambert some magician who manages to defy the laws of physics to get the team closer to the middle than the bottom? Or is there some logic behind it all?

The reality is that Villa are based on a very solid defence. Despite their inability to score, the Villans have the equal fifth best defence in the league, on par with both Arsenal and West Ham United – a fact that can’t be scoffed at.

However, if the cost of such a tight defence is a continuation of the current circumstances – a team with no real end product managing a similar amount of goals for the entire team as a single striker can achieve – there may well be no fans left by the end of the season.

This is, obviously, a rather crude exaggeration but entertainment value is lacking at Villa Park. After twenty years of regular attendance, I’m faced with the serious thought that I might not renew next season. Not because of some irrational hatred of the manager or the owner, but because games are so, well, dull.

Don’t get me wrong. I know from my lifetime of supporting the club that Villa are – at best – irregularly good. Despite approaching my 36th birthday next month, Villa have not won a single trophy in my adult life – not a single one given their last League Cup success occurred when I was 17 and still at sixth form.

Yes, Villa have won the league and the European Cup whilst I’ve been alive, but these were never built upon. Likewise, they ran Manchester United close in the inaugural season of the Premier League, only to stumble under a lack of investment under then chairman Doug Ellis.

Beyond that though? Nothing.

That said, the sixth placed finishes under Martin O’Neill were interesting because we were at the right end of the table. No, the team were not fluid or particularly exciting – and there were months where I felt we were outright lucky – but they did seem to have an ability to at least counter attack well.

Perhaps it isn’t fair to judge O’Neill’s team against the somewhat rag-tag group that Lambert has assembled since arriving as manager, given the somewhat disproportionate amounts of money afforded to the respective managers. However, is it too much to ask for more than, you know, a half a goal a game?

As stated previously, there’s nothing wrong with a good defence. In fact, many fans of sports – especially Stateside – will say that you can be a brilliant team off the back of being defensively able to shut out the opposition.

The issue for Villa is that they are not, by any stretch, a brilliant team. They’re functional, sure, and that’s got to be worth something, though they’ve driven me – and many others – to the point where we consider that time spent at games to be better invested in other activities.

So, with Villa three points above the drop zone, the club appear to be a continuing paradox in the eyes of many. Unable to score, seemingly lacking a dynamic ability to penetrate teams, but still able to say they are better than six other teams.

If Villa can build on this platform and score goals, things could change. However, and this is key, there may well be less than 20,000 people attending regularly come next season if things stay unashamedly functional.

Are Villa dead? No, but the club are in danger of losing a generation of fans as the team continues to do little to inspire young fans seeking entertainment.

Comments 470

  1. Matt,

    “…but still able to say they are better than six other teams”

    Are they though? The fact that Villa are in 14th doesn’t in fact mean that those below won’t catch up. e.g. Pardew at CP has shown his ‘new manager in’ mettle being successful to date.

    It *is* very possible that 3 teams would finish the season worse off, but Villa will have to go a long way from their present form to keep above 6.

  2. There are not 6 worse teams than us, we will be lucky if there are 3, after the next couple of league games we will be firmly entrenched in the bottom 3, and unless there is signifant change we will stay there, you cannot survive scoring .5 goals per game for an entire season.
    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

  3. Good to see a new leader on a Monday Matt.
    The last paragraph was the most significant in my eyes.

    I was wondering is the lack of a new AM to replace Keane another financially motivated decision or are the club actively seeking an assistant for Lambert.?

  4. John,

    In answer to a recent question on John Gregory, he is on sick leave at Crawley Town to have heart surgery and Dean Saunders is in temporary charge, always had a lot of time for JG so I wish him well in his recovery.

    AVFC RIP

  5. I agree with John Matt; the teams below us like QPR and Leicester are playing more attractive football and at times are unlucky to lose, whereas Villa has been lucky to draw or survive due to the losses of the teams below. I can’t see this continuing through the next few fixtures.
    Palace has climbed up the table and Hull will not stay down there once all their injured players are back; Burnley, Sunderland and WBA are all playing better football than Villa.
    The only spark seems to be Gil and maybe he will create a partnership with Benteke to our advantage – injuries and suspensions permitting of course; we have no strength in depth and cannot rely on 2 players t get us clear.

  6. Matt,

    A good Monday morning leader, do I think there are three worse teams than us the unequivocal answer is no, Lambert has been found yet again he has tried to change styles of play to no effect because all he has done is put the same players into a different format but without the necessary direction, basically because he is tactically inept, as B62 points out his signings have been nothing short of a disaster.
    After the next two league games I fear we will be in the bottom three and there to stay, I still go with us Burnley and Leicester for the drop, Palace have improved and I expect WBA to go the same way, the coincidence is two new managers, fresh ideas and a new voice to listen to something we desperately need.
    Even though the FA cup does not bother me it will still be embarrassing to go out to Bournemouth, but at least we can then concentrate on the main job at hand.

    AVFC RIP

  7. lerner is a big problem but main problem is LAMBERT
    lambert has picked same core of players for last 20matches even breaking up okore and clark to get vlar back in .the defence bar 6 game run which conceded 15 in 6have only conceded 10 in 17 but its stubborn of lambert to play cleverly westwood gabby wiemen every week when its plainly not working gabby wiemen i goal in 20 matches,sanchez one class player is been shunted left right to fit in ,richardson is another most fans don t want to see yet the likes bacuna robinson grealish bent get 5 mins and if dont produce are dropped ,robinson was called back from loan never got a chance lambert even let him get cup tied how stupid ,lambert has no number 2 now for second time in less than 6 months why can no one work with him

  8. Looking at the teams below us, Leicester are bang in trouble, and I’m not sure they will escape, although they did beat us. QPR are decent at home but terrible on the road, if they don’t start picking up points away they too will drop, Hull, they will be ok once their injured players return, should have put West Ham away in the first half, paid for it the second, but I think they will scrape over the line. Burnley have a decent gaffer, a goal scorer and a togetherness and belief, Sunderland are a strange one that could go either way, but I think we Defoe if replicates his scoring at Spurs they will be ok, backed by 40k every week, WBA under Pulis will rise up the table and will do the double over us this season, others like Palace have shown what a new gaffer can bring, they will also be safe, Villa can’t score in a brothel, don’t win and are now leaking at the back, the opposition know one goal wins them the game. Looking at our remains fixtures I believe we are done for, can’t see where our next win will come, and I think the cherries will turn us over showing us how to play football

  9. Hi Matt n all

    Only a fool would not relalise that we are in serious danger of going down this time

    All the signs say we are not good enough for the premiership – and as merson said on sky – they way the club is being run we are better off going down and rebiulding

    We don’t derseve to stay up as we have shown the least ambition in the lge and our board and fan’s are willing to except our fate — We have a good side but hanging on too the worst performing manager in all 4 divisions means we are likely to get what we deserve

  10. We played really well on Saturday but the bin dippers were just more clinical. I have to give them credit as it was the best away performance from anyone at Villa Park this season. There was plenty to be encouraged by, especially the debut of the youngster Gil.

    Results have to turn soon however but for the first time in weeks, I was encouraged by what I saw on Saturday.

    I think we will win this weekend. Delph and Gil made a big difference but unfortunately so did the loss of Clark. They are all available for Sunday. One more signing like Scott Sinclair would make the difference required. We really aren’t far away.

    The big cock up has been the Xmas and early Jan form against the poor teams. We could do with some luck because added to the performance level of Saturday we will be absolutely fine. We have had no luck at all. Last season we were unlucky with injuries and this season we are getting unjustified red cards.

    3 points above relegation zone however is trouble. Results have to turn quickly. We need Sinclair in and a new assistant manager.

  11. Droyd,

    *Please* don’t be another one with this “we played well Saturday” monologue!

    15 minutes worthy of praiseworthy stuff doesn’t mean that we should say that. At least it was a better performance than against Leicester, but apart from that 15 minutes spell, where were the shots on goal that might have got a win?

  12. Droyd,

    I should say that I’m happy to support your +ve tone about what might happen once certain players are brought back together, but it is a bit risky to say that you have to have your best 11 playing to ensure that the wins will come. We are a bit threadbare, are we not, and all it takes is 1 or 2 players to be injured for a couple of games to upset the applecart again.

    We certainly need another couple of quality players in this month.

  13. think most will agree we have average team with shite manager but it shows with pal wba blues you change shite manager and get someone in players get a lift favourites of old manager get dropped think thats all we need and start put out team of
    guzan
    hutton
    sisssko
    clark
    okore
    bacuna
    sanchez
    delph
    grealish
    benteke
    gil

    442 with gil of benteke
    subs
    given
    lowton
    baker/senderos/vlar
    westwood/who else
    new player
    gabby new manager pull upsocks
    wiemen same as gabby

    omit
    cleverly completly useless

  14. Good morning Matt and a very relevant article which the “15 mins of good play ” ignores : we can’t score goals . 9 hours must be edging towards a premiership record surely .

    I was interested in your description of “rag tag” as it reminded me of a poem my Mom used to read to me when I was very young called the raggle taggle gypsies . I thought “rag tag” came from that poem (turned out to be Scottish ballad circa 1700s) but dictionary has it defined as meeting of the common people and puts it with “rag tag and bob tail ” which apparently us a children’s programme from 1950s about rabbits . My nan used the phrase . I wonder where it really did originate from .It’s very confusing – I need my medication as I am rambling 🙂 I’m sure John will help me 🙂

  15. I cannot work it out according to Lambert we were excellent on Saturday again, we talk about players that were missing from our team but they had Sturridge and Gerrard out, the last time Borini scored Gods dog was a puppy.

    According to every write up at the weekend we were second best so how have we played so well, or was it an improvement on what has gone before which to be fair was not a lot.

    The rot has set in and the players need a new direction but I think we all agree that this is not going to happen, Lerner and Fox have set their stall out by giving Lambert a new deal so we are now stuck with him for the unforeseeable future, even defeats in our next three games will not see him shifted of this I am fairly confident.

    AVFC RIP

  16. “Droyd,

    *Please* don’t be another one with this “we played well Saturday” monologue!”

    John – I always call it as I see it. Were you at the game? I was. We played well, so I will state that we played well.

    SWV – Borini was on loan at Sunderland last season. He did very well there and scored an excellent goal on Saturday. Liverpool’s goals were very good on Saturday. I thought Brendan Rogers set them up superbly. The quality of the whole match was such an upgrade to the crap we have seen recently.

    I will criticise the team when we are genuinely shit (like the Palace and Blackpool games) but I can’t criticise them for Saturday’s effort.

    “Droyd,
    we will be absolutely fine.

    Remind me, who else uses this catchphrase.”

    Point taken, Steamer. There were stipulations to my statement – keep performing like we did on Saturday (not a given) and make another signing of the quality of Gil (also not a given).

    We will be fine if that happens. I honestly believe that.

  17. Lambert is not going anywhere….even if we was adrift at the bottom he would remain.

    The only thing to do is to hope 3 teams are worse than us and someone will buy off randy.

    Until then it going to be shit shit and more shit.

  18. How about Droyd for Assistant Manager, that’s the sort of attitude we need in the dressing room, you even predict a win this weekend which for a team that cannot score goals will be a bit of a stretch, anyway you get my vote you can”t be any worse than the nutters who held the post previously.

    On a lighter note I just saw a picture of VP with massive goalposts at one end with the caption ” Aston Villa asks premier league permission to use larger goalposts”, made me chuckle anyway.

    AVFC RIP

  19. A lot of folk have been impressed by the Southampton Academy model which has produced quite a few decent players in recent years, the bloke who ran it for five years, Jason Dodd, was booted last year, just wondering if the club had heard of him and seen our recent abysmal record in youth football over the last couple of years ( barring the next-gen ). I understand that the Academy has been slightly altered recently but the addition of proven quality like Dodd would surely be an upgrade.

  20. SWV – Yeah, I saw that. Made me chuckle too.

    I have put £250 on us to win at 7-5 with Boylesports. Am very confident. We are desperate for a win, the run of not scoring has to end at some stage and with Bournemouth going for promotion, I can’t see them treating this as a priority.

    I think it’s a cracking bet.

  21. Andrew,
    Someone on twatter apparently mentioned that Gilan and another mob had approached Lerner and Gilan had actually made a bid which Lerner was considering, who knows ? so many false dawns.

  22. More lies –

    “I’m fortunate, I’ve been at the top level playing in European Cup finals and things like that, so pressure is part and parcel of my nature. It’s part and parcel of the game of football.

    One European Cup Final
    St Mirren & Celtic – Top level ???????

  23. Droyd,

    I cannot get to matches but saw it on TV.

    Better than vs Leicester, yes (I’ve already said that), but we did *not* play well enough to score any goals apart from in that 15-minute spell.

    You do have to score to win matches! 😉

  24. Steamer,

    Fascinating,

    I am in complete agreement on your last posts on Droyd’s positive approach being good enough for AM, and getting the Soton guy for our Youth, and finally the absolutely ludicrous statement from PL about his experience of pressure at the top level……I have felt more pressure from the little Irish sh**, who was my area manager, and a Bindipper supporter, who I had to eventually put in his place, since which he has held me with the utmost respect….Perhaps PL should do the same with randy…LOl..!!

  25. Hohum, same situation as the past two seasons or is that 3, I’ve lost track, it’s become a ritual now, Look at the fixture list and imagine us getting 5 more wins and a few draws to get close to or at 40 points. What the lot of the Villan has become, sad really!
    UTV

  26. The key to pressure/stress is to be able to use it to one’s advantage without developing heart disease. Villa’s putting pressure on itself, a bit like an unmotivated student, who crams just before tests and writes essays the night before they’re due, and just does enough to survive. It works for a while, but not for ever. Time catches up. We’ve been doing it for 4-5 years now.
    Lambert is stressed, but he’s only got himself to blame while he tows the line for Lerner. We’re all aware of the facts.
    I don’t think the likes of Gabby are responding well to stress, not positively. The forwards had their chances on Saturday. They’re not taking them.
    Cleverley should go to Everton. Good luck to him.
    All the best to John Gregory with his surgery.

  27. l’v had 4 texts this morning off nose and albion fans , seems they’re having a relegation party together on the 25th may in victoria square , if this cunting bastard is still manager l think l may join them , fucking joke whats happened down there , and people still backing the cunt ,

    Sww , Dewar walked out sat as he was about to knock some sense into a twat sitting by him , wish l was there as l would have caught the twats head for him ,

    bad fucking mood today

  28. Lots of links suggestion a few very rich people are very interested in buying the club — well done to Andy Gray for touting the club around to the rich people he has contact with — top man vtid

  29. ST75,

    I just wonder if that eejit realises how lucky he was in fact he should have gone straight out of the ground and bought a lottery ticket, Alan is not one to be messed with, but just goes to show how the fans have changed our old lot must be tearing their hair out ( or whats left ) with the new generation, I hope Geoff isn”t looking down on this lot it would make him weep, now there was a proud Villan if ever there was one.

    AVFC RIP

  30. runtings,

    Yes, funny guy Andy Gray. He made himself unpopular with Villa fans when he went to Wolves and said that Villa would never win the championship … and then we went and won the championship … and Wolves slid downhill!

    The way Gray spoke in those days he didn’t seem too happy with Villa – maybe because he ran into a brick wall with Ron Saunders. But since he seems to have shown a soft spot.

  31. S75,

    Morning! Hope all is well.

    You know I was thinking that when Villa were the country’s best performing club (over 100 years ago), Villa fans used to go into a lament when their team lost an important match or two. Poems would be written talking about the fall of the club and how bad things were. But within a few weeks Villa would have bounced back up and things would be back to normal.

    I wonder what those old fans would be writing now given what’s been happening these last 4 years…

  32. “I think Darren has got to be honest with himself. If you ask anyone here, or any of his team-mates, they’d tell you it’s nothing personal,” said Lambert. “I never stood in his way to go to any other club. The only clubs that came in for him were Championship clubs – not one Premier League club. That says a lot, so it was never personal.

    When you consider that some/most of the players that Lambert has selected aren’t good enough then it only shows that he DID have a problem with Bent and a big one at that. When you select a lower division no talent squad player like Bowery over an England international then i think its pretty obvious. Yet another clunk on the lie-ometer, Lambert, your’e not really intelligent enough to get away with them.

  33. Just finishing Johns Superclub book, which is excellent by the way, he picks up on the little things that show up when a club is in decline as were Villa in the 40’s – 60’s, same now.I remember reading an article by Denis Shaw ( remember him ? ) in the 70’s and he picked up on things like old training kit not being replaced and other little things, not singularly important but representative of how the clubs standards had declined, unfortunately we don’t have standards anymore.

  34. morning folks- well, what do we do now? there is absolutely no chance Lambert will be sacked for losing to 3 top clubs if he hasn’t been sacked for the previous losses and lack of goals. stayed out of robbogate as it was my birthday 🙂 I will now make a vain attempt to talk about the team and a few things I’d like to see happen.

    first thing we have to move the ball quicker, against liverpool we got caught in possession a lot which I thought we would against top teams as we are not smart enough, we tried our sideways passing but liverpool hunted in packs and made it difficult to carry on with our crab passing, mainly through lack of movement.

    second Gabby needs to both sit on the bench and push himself away from the table. next game I would give clarke the arm band no question.

    third, Benteke needs to shed his concrete boots and discover other areas of the pitch unless we suddenly become the most accurate crossers of the ball in the world. he needs to develop his movement to benefit the team and create space for shots runs into the box etc. he is not the centre of the universe, but I suspect he’s told stay in the box.

    fourth, weimann needs a run up top or dropping completely, he’s busy and does make runs so would help tekkers in that way and is more likely to be seen by Gil who hasn’t had his villa blinkers fitted yet. failing that try Nzogbia either behind tekkers in a free role or interchanging with Gil on the right. having another footballer on the pitch might revive him. I haven’t mentioned grealish as Lambert thinks the lad is still sleeping in a cot.

    Guzan
    hutton okore Clarke (c) sissy
    sanchez
    Gil westwood delph
    weimen or nzogbia
    tekkers

    against Bournemouth would try this or move Delph central and grealish out wide but not much chance of that.

  35. Steamer,

    Denis Shaw wrote for the BEM if I am not mistaken good journo and knew his football.

    Another question did Keith write ” Holtenders in the Sky”, that guy used to spend hours and hours writing songs for us to sing and try out on the coach on the way to a game, did he work at the landrover, me fecking memories going.

    AVFC RIP

  36. There’s a guy on TBAR who seems to have a bit of inside knowledge at VP, he is stating he has been told Lambert will NOT be sacked this season!!
    Unbelievable Jeff, no pressure to get it right, we are heading into the championship, and it seems most couldn’t give a fuck or still think Lambert will keep us up, stating he didn’t get us relegated with a worse squad, so he won’t with this. Burying your head and avoiding the fact we are a in the bottom 2 for every stat and bottom of the form table, can’t score, don’t create much and aren’t keeping clean sheets, the manager IS THE PROBLEM as why these ‘better’ players aren’t getting the results or playing like they could.
    Lamberts treatment of Bent has been despicable, he pretty much trashed a good strikers career, it’s not Bents fault Lerner gave him a massive contract and then threw his toys out, Lambert would have more of a case that Bent didn’t fit in with his systems, if we were winning games and scoring for fun, but we aren’t and never have been under him, with shite like Holt , Bowery, Gabby, Weimann all getting in ahead of him and still not scoring. Will he treat Benteke the same, because at the minute he is strolling around doing feck all, very lazy outside the box and nor doing the business in it????
    If he isn’t going to be sacked, I pray he resigns, I wouldn’t even give two shits if it was due to health reasons, but even the plague or a nuclear war prob wouldn’t see him moving on.
    Sad Times, I can hear it now from the Sandwell town wankers, pride of the Midlands, only premier league club in town, as well as the noses chirping on about being the only team in town to win a trophy this century!!!!!!!

  37. ton Villa owner Randy Lerner, after trying to offload the club, is said to be energised about taking the team forward having brought in former Arsenal commercial director Tom Fox as CEO.

    Nevertheless, there is speculation billionaire Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, the richest owner in the NFL whose Seattle Seahawks have reached back-to-back Superbowls, could be interested in buying Villa.

    Allen, who was in talks to buy Southampton in 2007, part-owns MLS side Seattle Sounder…s. Villa are sceptical about any bid but a source involved with Allen’s investment vehicle Vulcan said: ‘This is Americans talking to Americans.’

    Taken from the Daily Mail

  38. also another link about saying an arab billionare that has already broght 5 other clubs around the world is also interested – apprently the use the clubs as a means of advertising there many buisiness interests in different territories

  39. At least there are links, but who will want us if we go down, if these rumours have legs, then surely we need a couple more players this window, Ings can leave Burnley on a free this summer, contact talks have faltered , width and creativity required urgently.

  40. B62- don’t think relegation will hurt a sale. The Microsoft bloke was in for Southampton while they were out the prem. also doesn’t it say that they not afraid of a challenge and are not looking for the tv cash entirely?

    Steamer I knew you like the Russians didn’t know you were fluent 🙂

  41. ni shagy nazod – not one step back – thats it.

    Just use translate.
    They seem to think its virtually a done deal, they don’t have any axes to grind or to kiss arses like our media so i think its more than a possibility.
    I used to follow Soviet footy ( Dynamo Moscow ) Azerbaijan had some decent clubs, Neftchi Baku and produced some good players, very oil wealthy country.

  42. Steamer,

    I know Shaw was a gypo but he knew the game, that’s right Keith worked at Parkinsons never did a bloody stroke always composing songs what a character used to stand up the front of the coach and say right lads I got a belter just for Brian Little and he would take us through it verse by verse god help you if you got it wrong, proper days with proper fans who genuinely lived and breathed the club.

    AVFC RIP.

  43. Neftchi Baku are you having a laugh you are making it up, oil rich country until the price dropped below $50 a barrel now they haven’t got a rouble to scratch their arse with, mind you cant be any worse than Lerner.

    AVFC RIP.

  44. That’s fecked it just tried to do an online translate for that article and ended up buying myself a Russian bride, no problem whacked her straight on ebay.

    Sorry Jen .

    AVFC RIP

  45. Remember it well, think it was the last gargle had in the old Holte pub before the philistine Herbert allowed it to decline almost irreparably. We actually had fans who gave a bollox in those days, PRIDE IN THE CLUB was what we had, how can you have pride in this crepe.
    Reading Frems posts over the last few years you can feel sympathy for him missing out on those big games where the atmosphere was ear splitting and passionate, Soton in the FA Cup, Guildford Untied in the LC, Tranmere, Inter Milan even the mealies game ( 1-0 ) in JL’s book. I know i’ll never forget them.

  46. Wonder where birmingemtsev is ? can you imagine birmingemtsev city, what is Azerbaijani for skip ? or pile of shite or does blues universally translate to that ?

  47. Saw the 6-0 at Oldham, Juggling Jimmy Cumbes first game, peed down, another Villa vs Oldham game was when Andy Lochead returned with them ( Think 5-1, Little scored 3 and missed a pen ) when Andy walked out the entire crowd stood and cheered him, very emotional day

  48. Liking the take over talk but we have to stay up first and that isn’t going to happen.

    Lamberk wont be getting the sack?mmmmm

    lets see what happens after Bournemouth batter us. Then Arsenal. then Chelsea, then Hull.

    Wonder what the Berk will say after Bournemouth

  49. frem- if we go down we will be cheaper or Lerner has to invest to get us up. as much as I would rather not it wont mean the end. if the price drops it may allow a local consortium to bid.

  50. Grealish has apparently told someone he plays better in training than players who keep getting picked but don’t perform . we all know who they are

    Lamberk says he wants fans to be entertained. Hahha. Twat

  51. frem- I really like grealish and unfortunately he hasn’t made the impact I’d hope he would of. personally I think its because the players around him are not on his wave length and he tends to look slow on the pitch. Lambert won’t give him the time on the pitch as he feels he doesn’t defend well enough. I do think if he’d shown more zip about him he’d get games, if you compare him to Gil’s debut he hasn’t shown up like that, Gil changed the game Jack needs to do the same. Ironically gill would be a great player to get the best of jack. Its feckin annoying when gabby and weimann get started because they track back but don’t get dropped for poor performances.

  52. Mark the odd sub apperrance is not what i would call giving jack a chance — playing for a whole season like clark and baker is being gven a chance to develop at this level — jack imo would be our best player with a 12 game run , he hjas that much ability

    Frem – lambo will not be sacked — if randy is going to sell in the summer it woud make no sense at all too sack him due too costs , getting someone else on a half season contract — which would be difficult — if we go down it sounds like it wouldnt actually put rhe buyers off from what i read

    If however a sale is unlikely then surley pl will get the boot in the not too distant future — just my thoughts of course and could be way off the mark

  53. runtingz- I don’t disagree but with Lambert playing fear football he’s seen as a luxury . If he doesn’t get loaned out he may yet get a chance, I just hope he makes himself undroppable. unfortunately we know how that turned out for albrighton

  54. Well Lifers I can tell ya straight from the heart that I felt on me own on Saturday.
    I was in the lounge at the social before the game and not one person stayed behind to sit out the protest period, I thought my luck was in when Professor Chinn walked in with his daughter. But God Bless Him he said he was having his usual late one and that he would not protest.
    I could not believe my eyes when I got in the Holte, after my couple of late pints it was rammed didn’t hear that many scouse accents so the majority must be obviously happy with what they witness every week.
    I’m not and was once again disgusted with that mans starting line up.
    Only positive is Benny Gil who might just save us if Gabby, Cleverley & Wiemann are replaced.

  55. villanto
    sums the villa fans up , did you hear the fans singing to Carl Chinn , “your getting sacked in the morning” he took it well , the uni he worked at have sacked him, . pity these same fans cant see beyond there own nose the shit lamberk is turning out ,

  56. Runtings- I see it a bit the other way round. If he was going to sell, I would of thought he would have been happy to sack the Berk knowing he will get 100 mill plus in the summer. What’s 3/4 mill to sack Lamberk ?
    If he knows there isn’t a sale close, then him spending 4 mill to sack The Berk is a lot for him.
    Like you though, just my opinion

    Mark- I don’t think Lamberk is all there. ” a lot will depend on the healing process ”

    NO SHIT !!!!!

    I will find it funny when Bournemouth beat us on Sunday and we don’t score again. Will be over 10 hours with out a goal, then comes arsenal and Chelsea so that’s going to hit 13 hours.

    At least he’s said he looking for 1 or two other players. Hopefully to replace Wiemann and gabby. Just look at conference level players and you will see improvement

  57. frem, Lamberts statements are the worst I’ve ever heard. when I looked at foxs recent article about the improvements
    at BMH in accessing players needs, fitness, nutrition, stress levels I was both appalled and happy. appalled because we have some of the best facilities but have been using old school methods, happy because it says we are trying to head in a Southampton type direction. fox is talking 3-5 years plan to win something, which just goes to show the previous 5 year plan was purely financial and not built on progression on the field.

  58. Bourn beating Villa could be a great result for the club, they won’t sack Lambert but even the thick idiots that have supported him may just realise how bad he is and stay away from VP until Lerner and Fox actually do their jobs and boot him.
    Tom Fox ? whats the point ? Just another hanger on filling his boots while achieving nothing and lying through his teeth.

  59. Mark,
    It just goes to show what a disaster Lambert is, fitness and nutrition have been gradually improved virtually everywhere for years, why not at VP ? is Lambert feeding them on deep fried Mars bars ? One of our players (???) should keep out of the KFC in Sutton, he gets a 70 pound order most Sats and by God doesn’t it show.

  60. steamer- its not just a Lambert problem this a has gone on since mons time. poor recovery and running out of steam in matches are more a sign of poor nutrition than fitness/stamina problems.

  61. Frem,
    I think even his supporters would admit that Lambert is more than slightly thick, he’s a typical product of 80’s Scottish football, he couldn’t even get away with it at Livingstone but has been fortunate to find employers who are even dumber at VP.
    Its strange that every time he opens his trap all you hear about is his European Cup medal and his year in Germany, why doesn’t he enlighten us about his sacking at Livvy ? while we’re talking about the truth, what about the Culverarse and Karsa episode, the bomb squad and numerous other events that have disgraced the clubs name, we DESERVE to know but then the clubs new motto is Turn up, Pay up and Shut up.

  62. Lambert is going nowhere, losing to Bournemouth, Chelsea and Arsenal won’t make any difference. Steve Frogatt has done an interview on WM, stating he spent an hour and half interviewing Fox, who constantly stated how much faith he and Randy had in Lambert and the job he is doing, and is going nowhere.
    There are takeover rumours, but I’m not sure if there is any real substance or fact linked to them, I hope there is and all this is heading towards a big summer of change, I just hope our impending relegation doesn’t scupper any deal.
    Unless we see real change soon, next year we will be the new Leeds Utd, a poor team on and off the pitch, without the ability or financial clout to escape a very harsh and competitive league.

  63. No excuse Mark, Nutrition is part of every coaching course, the problem with most coaching courses, especially UEFA ones, is that you can’t actually fail them, its a guaranteed pass which surely defeats the point of taking them. Paul Ince only got the Blackburn job, despite no qualifications, because he said he’d get them done within 12 months, he didn’t and has had two jobs since and still hasn’t got them.

  64. B62,
    That shows not only how deluded and stupid they are given all the evidence but why Americans should stay out of something they know fuck all about.

  65. By the looks of it Lambert is being given even more responsibility ie selecting his media man, he’s gonna be here until he retires.
    What exactly does Tom Fox do ? he’s employing more staff and delegating jobs here and there but what does he do apart from picking up double what he earned at Arsenal. The wage bill goes up by millions each year so relegation would really drop us in the mire. We need to get this scum out of VP badly.

  66. It really is getting sad when a 20 second video of Carles Gil undergoing his initiation ceremony is the most exciting thing on the official site.

    The more concerning thing that is happening, is that Villa have done absolutely nothing for the fans, while West Midlands Council carry out roadworks which are causing chaos around VP, especially after matches. The last two home games, it has been impossible to get away from VP due to the closure of the MD slip road, the enforcement of bus lanes,and poor police control. Apparently this is only set to get worse, and will continue until the end of May. This should ensure far more fans staying away from VP, than even PL has managed to achieve. I cannot believe that a club our size has not made special arrangements for fans on match days to ensure that fans can get to and from the ground. This shows the complete disregard for us.

    Grealish will now disappear out on loan, following his recent tweet. Rumour of Villa bidding for a Spanish striker, but all in all, as a lifelong supporter, I have almost no interest at all now. The last two matches at home, I took an extra two hours to escape from the first, and an hour extra after the Liverpool game, and I left shortly after they scored the second.This is just the straw which is going to break the camel’s back, and I can see a lot of other fans who travel long distances, using the M5/M6 motorways, making the same sort of decision. I know the guy who sits next to me comes from Cheltenham, and he feels the same.
    So many of us may be signing off, whether Lambert goes or stays, just because , getting to and from the ground is going to be an impossible task……well done Villa…!!!!

  67. Interesting comments from Sylla, and that is doing well in Turkey……another player shut out after falling from Lambert’s favour…….

    Grealish to go to Forest on loan, if Villa sign Sinclair….and probably a secret deal over Grealish, if Villa agree to sell him in the future..

    Time to move to Scunthorpe…..

  68. steamer- no disrespect but most people’s idea of a diet is cut out the beer and chips. Our doctors are taught about 15 hours of nutrition in 7 years, uefa badges ? Don’t make me laugh, the sophistication of sports nutrition is astounding these days.

  69. PP,
    The club gave up any pretense about caring about its supporters years ago unless they could make a buck,
    i thought that turning the tv’s off on Saturday was beyond pathetic, the sort of thing a five year old would do. Make no mistake about it these people don’t give a ff about the club or its supporters they’ll contact you when they sell the ST’s or for an unattractive game where they can’y sell tickets. Whoever takes over ought to do some research on the admin and boot them.

  70. just one game on tv march
    fox has some job on his hands will be least times on tv sincestarted all livematches
    crowds down by average 10 thousand a match
    shirt sales are supposed to be record low
    suppose how can you sell shite produce only happy clappers you can fool

  71. Lambert wants Grealish out, he avoided an outcry by giving him a contract but unless Lamberts booted he’ll be a peripheral figure and a waste of talent.

  72. James,
    Would you watch Villa on TV or possibly otherwise ?
    These morons will start moaning when we get relegated, they still haven’t twigged.

  73. neil holloway ‏
    @joegkvilla I worked there for 2 years. The sons are keen on getting their hands on a UK team and Villa seems to be the one.

  74. TBAR
    Have a couple of interested but unsubstantiated rumours/leads/thoughts on a possible takeover.
    Paul Allen who is the owner of NFL team the Seattle Seahawks( Super Bowl finalists this year), and Gillan Holdings who are backed by the Azerbaijan govt.
    Both mega rich, both on paper would appear much better than Lerner, Allen actually seems to like sport and cares about the fan base( novel for a yank owner I know)!!.
    There are also rumours flying around RL has slashed the price to £100m to offload us, prob bollox but who knows.
    The cherries are bringing over 4000 for the cup game, obviously confident of a win.

  75. Steamer is the conversation you’re referring to?
    Established villa fan on Twitter seems convinced on Azeris – conversation below –

    neil holloway ‏
    Don’t want to sound like an ITK, but have spoken to someone in Baku at Gilan Holding and there seems to be some truth in the takeover #AVFC

    Jareth ‏@JarethAVFC
    @nfholloway_neil What did they say exactly and how do you know them? Any chance they’re just repeating what Jonny Gould started? #avfc

    neil holloway ‏
    @joegkvilla I worked there for 2 years. The sons are keen on getting their hands on a UK team and Villa seems to be the one.

  76. I’ve only seen bits of Grealish. Sub appearances and most of the game V Blackpool but I seriously don’t understand why people think he is that good. He can do whatever in Championship, League 1, Reserve or Youth team but it counts for nothing until he does it in the first team.

    Every time I have seen him play in our first team he hasn’t looked up to it. He doesn’t look quick, he doesn’t look strong but at his age, I’m prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt and have him go on loan in The Championship. If he cuts the mustard there then he may have a chance of having a go at a higher level.

    Bennett and Gardner have gone on loan to The Championship and have been found wanting. I have seen far more potential in them in our first team than I have with Grealish. I have no idea what this love in is based on because all he has done to date is perform quite well for Notts County in League 1.

    I can’t however see anything wrong with what he tweeted. Fans are giving him grief for the most innocuous tweet. They need to get a life.

  77. Droyd,

    I’m with you on that. I see a lot of potential, but anyone wearing those silly shinpads makes me wonder whether he’s in the game for insurance money for starters! 😉

    Under the right management he could well be very good.

  78. Yes, he seems too interested in his hairstyle, shinpads and boots. Got a lot to prove. Everyone is right behind him but he needs to go on loan to The Championship, as he doesn’t look quite up to it yet. When youngsters are thrown in and found wanting, they actually go backwards. That’s the last thing we want.

    On the other hand, I am very excited by Carles Gil. Genuinely exciting player.

  79. Grealish can do things that no other player on the books can do, most of them have been dimal so why not give him a run, he can’t do any worse can he ? its a bit harsh on him when most of his game time has been 5-10 minutes, i just think because of his talent that Lambert is envious.

  80. When McLeish was our manager he was hated not only because of his relationship with the Blues but also because of his negative football. It was always claimed that he was more interested in defending than attacking.

    So I decided to look up his record as Villa manager after 22 matches and compare it with Lambert’s this season after the same amount of games.

    And what did I find, not only had Villa obtained 5 more points under McLeish but also they had scored 26 goals against the 11 of this season. Although supposedly playing defensively they had conceded 27 as to 25, however his goal difference was better being -3 as against -14.
    I remember the howls of anger and loathing and the calling for McLeish’s ginger head because of the negative style played by his side.

    I find it unbelievable that there are those that called for McLeish’s head that still support the worse manager in Aston Villa’s history? If you are still one of those that wanted McLeish out and still want Lambert to remain as Villa’s manager I would love an explanation as I do not understand your reasoning in defence of the indefensible.
    11th Aston Villa P22/W6/D9/L7/GF26/GA27/GD-3 Pts 27 Under McLeish
    15th Aston Villa P22/W5/D7/L10/GF11/GA25/GD-14 Pts 22 Under Lambert

  81. steamer
    just thinking on money side less times on less money
    less fans at matches less money
    less fans at matches less merchandise bought
    lose all round
    as for grealish yes bit early to say how good he ll be but for heavens sake lambert has kept in team gabby wiemen delph cleverly westwood no matter how bad they are then as balls to put zog richardson on ahead of grealish and robinson why

  82. B62 – yes the acceptance of Lambert when McLeish received death threats for better results is something that irks be too . And the record striker that PL said “just wasn’t good enough ” scored a good few of those 26 goals , but then again , at that point , he hadn’t been told to train with the kids , thrown out of the first team dressing room , stripped of his no 9 shirt , and given zero playing time for a season as Lambert hadn’t had chance to destroy his career. Haha – what a fool “Darren wasn’t good enough ” and tell me again , how many goals have our prolific strikers scored this season .

    Have just read the latest drivel comjng out of VP in the BM ‘hunt for DOF” article. Is it April Fools day ? Things are improving following Fox’s new measures in the last five months “. Are they ? We don’t need an Assistant Manager – no of course we don’t – we’ve scored exactly how many goals since RK left ? ‘PL will have a say in the new appointments’ that’s good as he’s chosen and managed his back room staff so well hasn’t he . And finally , ‘the DOF will not undercut PL , PL will still be responsible for team selection and tactics’ In that case, in the words of the scots fella in Dad’s Army “we are doomed I tell you”. !!

  83. B62,

    You’re right, but in the fans eyes at that time we thought we had sunk to our lowest. No-one believed it could get worse and we felt the fault had to lie with McLeish. It’s his relationship with Blews that really spoilt it for him on top of that.

    Not that McLeish was a good appointment – he wasn’t – but these last 3 years have certainly proved to be something else. What puzzles me is that at the end of Lambert’s first season there was a sign of progress (6-1 v Sunderland plus other reasonable results, remember that?!), but since then the results department has got progressively worse it would seem.

  84. Jenny,

    So, what’s new … if PL can lower the flag of Aston Villa to such an extent then he must also have the power to move April Fool’s Day to a new date!! 🙂

  85. morning folks,
    I cannot believe we are wheeling out the lamberts worse than mcleish thing again. mcleishs squad was more experienced in general and he generally played defensively and turned belly up against the top teams, he even played 7 defenders in one match. his win ratio is villas worst ever. during his tenure our income dropped by £10mil
    and the wages were around £82mil. he brought in players on long contracts for big wages.
    contrast this to what Lambert had to do with a completely revamped squad on £10 mil less wages still containing the very expensive bomb squad.
    In no way am I saying Lambert is a great manager but the circumstances were that dire at villa financially there is no comparison. instead of easing the problem mcleish made it worse whilst still being shit. Its easy to forget how bad a lot of the players we had were. while Lambert protects the players too much Mcleish distanced himself at every opportunity

  86. What was it Fox said “Randy and i have the utmost faith in Paul,” Just look at his stats, they tell you everything, this isn’t about football its about ego’s, Fox and Lerner will deny until their dying days that Lambert wasn’t a mistake, same with Ginger and Houllier, same with the lack of footy knowledge in the boardroom. No sane person could ever accept that Lambert is doing a decent job, even when we’re in the Championship these idiots will keep churning out the “utmost faith” bollox.

  87. Apparently Lerner turned down Gilan before they made a bid, can’t imagine it being a human rights issue considering the USA’s record in that department, so why ?

  88. i find it amazing when i see all these comments on jack grealish and questioning weather he should be played at villa — for someone that has such obvious natural skill it is a crime he cant play and develop at the club

    Steve McMananam is a good example as i think they have simular attributes — he got knocked off the ball for 18months but the pool management and fans could see that he had skills so it was vital for him to play and develop — and not on loan

    Stirling who i know a number on here dont rate was the same and was running down blind alley’s a lot in his first year at pool but they are now starting to reep the benifits — skillful players dont become stars unless they are developed correctly and at a high level — kids at villa have no chance under the current manager –but it is a shock when fans back PL.s actions were Jack is concerned

  89. runtingz- if Gil changes the way we play as he looks likely, and we get a few wins, I hope more than think that Jack will get a run. especially if we don’t get the left sided wide player Lamberts after. the problem is jack has been played in a defensive team with little movement up to this point. he needs better players around him to make space and effective runs. for me having him delph and Gil gives us three players who can beat a man and with better movement thats a whole different look to our play.

    clive- I’ve been saying we lack movement for two seasons now

  90. Mark
    AM was a blight on our football club , and was rightly hounded out, with his poor results, man management, defensive style.
    Yet it amazes me Lambert still gets a free pass from some( not necessarily on here), and excuses/mitigating circumstances found for him on a regular basis.
    Paul Lambert is a failure, his record is truly dire, we all know he has broken every negative record going, we are the worst in the premier league in every stat bar the league table, where by some miracle w e are not in the bottom 3, but this is only a matter of time.
    I hope Paul Allen does buy the club or else we are truly fucked, Tom Fox has proven himself to have been yet another spineless yes man, yet the media and fans fawn over him because he came from Arsenal , I trust nothing that comes out of the mouths of anyone in power at VP, not RL, TF or PL.
    We are a joke, Lambert has now been tasked to find a new head of media!! You couldn’t make it up, the clown that no one can really understand due to him being a mumbling fuckwit, who lies on camera every time he opens his gob, who has a very prickly relationship with the local/national media is going to sort out a new man for this role, whatever next!!!

  91. Droyd i watch Jack win next gen – and for notts countyand our reserves and he is no slowch — with the skill and vision he has the only thing that worries me is that we are doing our best to ruin the most skillful player at the club

  92. B62- yes I agree in normal circumstance but by the time Lambert arrived we had paid off at least 4 lots of comp for managers!!! needed extreme measures to sort the money side out and it appears he was the only one willing to give it a go. It appears we are still running in damage limitation mode. last stated tax year 12/13 we paid out £54mil above earnings, we are now supposed to be running within our means not rolling in cash. will be interesting to see the latest books submitted for 13/14 to truly see where we are.

  93. B62 I will say this in true randy knee jerk style Lambert got a 4 year contract because we were doing ok regardless of the style in early season. another reason why he wont sack him

  94. B62- with the tv money that sounds about right. When you consider its probably the first profit the clubs made under randy it’s hard to support the milking the club stance isn’t it? Especially as we are for sale. If he’s truly off then he won’t spend. We’ve lost £162 mil over 4years that’s a sixth of his fortune. I long for the days when the fate of the club was solely in the hands of the players and manager, unfortunately I don’t think you can separate them from the money/politics at present. How many of our better players would be looking to stay if the money/ambition were there?
    They do look like they’re putting things in order except the main point the team.

  95. On the JG argument, I hope the lad has a future at VP as he is undoubtly a great talent, Raw but talented. I don’t believe pace is a major issue, it’s not like he has the turning circle of HMS Ark Royal. However he needs to sort those shin pads out, sort out his Barnet and take any opportunity with both hands. I would give him the full 90 against the Cherries and start Gil on the opposite wing with Tekkers up top, we need to see if this can work, a lot of pressure on Gil already, a bit too early, but let’s hope he can kickstart our season.
    If we were doing far better and were creating and attacking more, and way off a relegation battle a loan might be sensible, but simply playing GA and AW, every week is like smashing your head against a brick wall and expecting a different result.

  96. B62- I agree mate but he will shoehorn cleverly or Westwood in and gabby is captain a major fuk up. I think Gil isn’t the sort to let shit get to him and the fact he will struggle to understand lambert will help

  97. espite announcing in May that he was putting Villa up for sale, American entrepreneur Lerner – who took over in 2006 – remains in control.

    His compatriot Tom Fox was appointed as Villa’s new chief executive earlier this week and it has been suggested Lerner may reconsider his decision to sell.

    Asked about the owner’s thinking and if Lerner was falling back in love with Villa, Lambert said: “He always has loved the football club.

    “The situation is that the club is for sale and that is the same, but he has been great since the players came back for pre-season.

    “He has always been great with me and, since we came back, the feelgood factor has been due a lot to him.
    CRAWLING, LYING BASTARD.
    “The football club, for all that doom and gloom that was out there before a ball was kicked, is in a really good place at the moment.”
    YEAH, ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL.
    Asked if appointing a new chief executive indicated long-term planning, Lambert said: “I’m not so sure.

    “The football club still has to go on, anyway, regardless of what happens.
    IT WON’T GO ON FOR LONG IF LERNER & LAMBERT STAY.
    “It is a fabulous football club. It has to be run right, whoever is in charge.”
    NOT BY YOU THOUGH.

  98. B62,
    The club is a cesspit of chancers, name one person in admin who has the club at heart. Truth is a rare commodity at VP now, as you said, Fox is well versed in BS, Lambert is just a thick twat and Lerner continues to be ‘the most insignificant billionaire in the world.’
    When Crappy is captain and an automatic choice despite his pathetic displays then you realise the crepe we’re in. I’d boot Steer, Bennett, Luna, Westwood, Cleverley, Tonev, Scabby & Weimann if i could find clubs daft enough to sign them and with the 3m or so we got i’d pay Lambert off.

  99. could not agree more gaz whats that song i miss the hungry years those where the days just can you settle something talking to wardie other day discussing old Boots god rest his soul was on about when he went away i said it was to Gainsborough he said not where was it mate

  100. JD
    it was Gainsboro and he bought back , his brother in law Mad Fucking Max , jeez every time we went out for a drink it ended in fisticuffs , mind he was a bloody big bloke , and for some reason one of the lads in the High Stool Cafe on Watery Lane (road based around Peaky Blinders)he could’nt stand him and used to find any excuse to slap him ,( he was a nose so he probably deserved it ) Max was a good bloke otherwise ,
    Also JD,
    on peaky blinders , in the first shots , you see Sam Neil looking at a folder and it says 11 watery lane , 2 doors away from shoffs house , think he was around in them days as well ,

    had a text last night and you better pray we get bought out as it would seem Lamberks here for the duration of his contract , thats me done for a few years then, steamer it looks like saturday days out mate . sort that sat-nat out , lv only got a sat-nag ,( the wife with an A2Z )

  101. ST75,

    Remember Max what a loon shame he was a nose because he would have fitted right in with our lot, be interested to see who sent that text how can Lambert keep losing games week in week out and still keep his job, even got that Wanker Savage putting his two penneth worth, still cannot forgive Dublin for holding that headbutt back he should have put the knobs lights out for good, been crap at everything he has done and the BBC give him a job theres no justice.

    AVFC RIP

  102. B62
    You’re dead right, playing GA & AW everyweek is like banging yer head against a brick wall and expecting something to change. I like your team picks, too.
    I agree with just about everything that Lifers have said on this thread.
    It’s sad when even Dion Dublin expects Villa to lose against Bournemouth. Bournemouth is probably widely regarded
    as the favourite to win the match. In a way that might help Villa, who is the underdog.

  103. Referring back to Matts final comment on his leader, the percentage of Villa shirts sold to location this season is –

    Dublin 24.46 per cent
    London 18.71 per cent
    Birmingham 15.843 per cent
    Coventry 7.91 per cent
    Preston 7.91 per cent
    Alcester 5.04 per cent
    Barnstaple 5.04 per cent
    High Wycombe 5.04 per cent
    Southend 5.04 per cent
    Wolverhampton 5.04 per cent

    The club was warned that this would happen years ago.

  104. Morning Steamer.

    I see that nothing has happened to lift the doom and gloom, and that Eddie Howe believes he could put a team of gibbons out and they would beat Villa.

    I am so glad to know that I have to work this Sunday, so I don’t even have to think about the awful traffic chaos and the frustrating 90 minutes of passing the buck around the field until Bournemouth steal it and stick it in the Villa net.

    I wish I could be more positive, but nothing coming out of the club, is making me do that. I see also that Lerner has already turned down Mark Gillan’s offer, but that may in the end be a blessing in disguise.

    Just noted John Gidman’s comments in the Liverpool programme about Ron Saunders pushing him and Andy Gray out……

  105. Mark
    I kinda feel sorry for the kid in that picture at VP. He must get a hard time at school.
    Savages savaging of Villa mentions that Lambert needs to beat Bournemouth, then get the fans on side. Well, the only way to do that is win matches. It’s going to come down to a few games towards the end.

  106. so the papers are saying that’s it for our spending, if so I could really see us going down this time, definitely worried, Grealish had better get a look in starting with the Cup…

    UTV

  107. PL saying the Sinclair deal I’d dead and no more transfers. Well that has pretty much sealed our fate then, Owner/CEO/Manager all cunts, and the less said about a lot of squad the better.
    Cambridge giving Man Utd a better game than we did

  108. No more in ,but can`t we move some of the cack OUT,Flabby,Weimann,Craberly,Vlaar,
    I see Daniel J, has signed for Preston,another Next Gen winner gone.
    Why let KEA go,yet sign an identical anonymous player like Cleverly on more money,no goals,assists?
    Have a good weekend all.

  109. Their three main midfielders – Ashley Westwood, Tom Cleverley and Carlos Sanchez, have only managed one assist between them. And Chelsea’s Cesc Fabregas has created more chances on his own than those three have put together.

    Gil – 2 assists in 32 games .

    Given our shooting accuracy is the worst in the league – the manager has to give Grealish and Robinson a chance .
    I’m not sure which game it was , but the neutral commentator said that Grealish in 5 mins had created more than the others put together .

  110. Their shooting accuracy (36.6%), shot conversion figures (6.7%) and number of shots on target (56) are the worst in the top flight.
    A big part of that is down to Christian Benteke’s loss of form.
    It is hard to think of another player who is so crucial to any other Premier League team because, if he does not score, it seems nobody else does.
    So this is a bad time for Benteke to be having his worst run in front of goal since he arrived at Villa Park in 2012. He is having more shots than ever before but his accuracy is poor compared to his usual standards.
    Christian Benteke in the Premier League
    Season 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15
    Stats: Opta

    How can Fox say we have improved Ince he came in – these stats speak for themselves .

  111. sww
    think you got the wrong Max . he hated noses , he knocked the fuck out of 4 of them in the old crown digbeth in 73 . and that was with an horrific leg injury while playing for Gainsboro trinity ,

    was talking to this villa fan in petrol station , he decorates a lot of villa staff and players (steamer its not Fat Bastard ) and he said he wont be going down again after bournemouth as he heard in the week that theres no more signings and lamberks here for the forseeable

    well were at a 21st tomorrow , will show these young guns how to throw a few moves , as long as steamers hip holds out , mind wizza and jb going as well so should be fun ,

    hiya Jenny xxxxx

  112. I’m resigned to us being a poor championship team next year, prob with this clueless waste of oxygen still the manager, and the White collar criminal thieving every last penny until he off loads us to the venison poor cousins.
    Besides losing to both Blues and Wolves, are there any decent away days to look forward to?? Bournemouth are ruining one by getting promoted, Bristol City may go up, which means Weston-Super-Mare or one of SWV local boozers, Forest, Leicester, Derby( prob go up tho) are close by, any others that spring to mind, Norwich/Ipswich for a re visit of gt Yarmouth. Looks fucking bleak, bright future my arse, please sell up and take your pet monkeys with you.
    Lerner Out Lambert Out

  113. I see Grealish has been fined by Lambert for a comment on Twitter it seems you speak out of turn against this regime and you get caned, all the lad said was he wanted to play football I remember Hutton saying exactly the same thing when he was out of the team but he got a new contract cannot remember him being fined, Lamberts a typical bully just like Culverhouse.
    Wankers the lot of them.
    AVFC RIP

  114. lamberk is’nt a bully , he hasnt got the bollox to be one he’s just your typical shit who got made up to manager but has’nt got a fucking clue , notice its one of he kids he’s picked on , he has’nt got culvershit to do his dirty work to the older players , where does this cunt live ? he’s just a bumbling fucking ejit and bossed by a fucking bigger ejit , Tom Fox …. my arse ……………..

    found out the wife was going to get me a box down there for my 60th , think she knows now not to bother .
    mind she could be a evil sod as she’s a norwich fan, and how they’re loving it at the moment .

    here’s a thought , remember we called the sty “The Temple Of Doom” coming back to bite our arse methinks .
    aint got a dog and the cats are to quick for me , think l’ll go find a nose to fucking kick , or a lamberk lover .

    see you later steamer , lv told some of the lads its beach wear tonight ,

    jenny xxxxx
    have a good saturday all .

  115. I read yesterday that Villa have scored the least number of goals out of all the top divisions down to level 6, six hundred and forty odd clubs, thats some achievement, take a bow Lambert could be a contract extension.
    Of course Loser and Fox are convinced by he’s abilities.
    Being positive, tomorrows game will give Lambert an opportunity to devise some tactics for next seasons Championship, i fancy us to do well in it, 10th place is just about within our range.
    Lambert is a jellyfish, he wouldn’t treat a first teamer like he treated Grealish,thats what Karsa, Culverarse and Keane were for – backbone.
    Fancy us for a smash and grab tomorrow, Bournemouth playing all the footy and then a big boot and 1-0 to Villa. Would really love it it Bourne won by 4 or 5, it wouldn’t get Lambert the sack but may turn a few of the lunkheads at the artificial Holte End away from the Lambert love in.
    To be honest, Villa have turned into the type of club i used to hate, unattractive to watch, contributing nothing to football, run by the types that you wouldn’t invite into your house and dummy fans, blimey, we’re now Small Heath with soap.

  116. I see other clubs cant move players on due to wage demands or unwillingness to except less too ( as if 20,000 a week could be termed less how do they cope?) the bomb squad was created for exactly the same reasons IMO not a because of any Lambert grudge. no matter how badly it was handled a third off the wage bill would of opened up our recruitment options massively last season and solved the majority of our money problems. the difference between us shopping bargain basement and a reasonable level. To take the unpopular view I can imagine the frustration on Lamberts side when they couldn’t be moved on and the problems that this groups wages present to this day.

    http://www.manchestercity.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=549852

  117. Mark
    wish we did . l’d go back to the 60s/70s , when it was good to be a villan , at least the players tried their best , and all teams had at least one player who you would go to see even if they did play for the opposition , now l could’nt name one player who l would pay to go and see ,
    think l may start going down Handsworth and try to play for a dommi team , maybe catch up with some of my old west Indian mates from the 70s if they’re still alive , rupert pub, monte carlo club, gaylord club .time to get my old reggae singles out , and get me some barley wine , and have a weekend to enjoy , Fuck the villa

  118. We are completely unrecognisable from the club i grew up with, these parasites have done so much damage I cannot see us recovering from this carnage, it’s true we have become the team that everyone laughs at in Birmingham our fall from grace is pitiful, I remember standing in Rotterdam that night when Mortimer held the trophy aloft and feeling so proud i felt there was no one to touch us that we would take the world on and beat them all, and now i just look at what’s left of our great club and feel utter sadness, we helped build that club we invested our time and money and it’s all been pissed down the drain, i am off the drink for January which is a shame because i feel like going out and getting smashed.

    AVFC RIP

  119. how low can lambert go fining grealish for a tweet is it not the way it supposed to be happy to play football
    grealish might turn out either like barry yorke or bannan moore bros to early to say but needs more than 5mins here 10 there gabby wiemen clevrly delph westwood are played week in week out without fail god gabbys been at faultfor more goals than he has scored time togive grealish bacuna robinson chance reguarly

  120. James gill- grealish tweeted it with a notts county picture didn’t he? I’d say to an under fire management that’s a dig. Imagine what Ferguson would of done in similar circumstances? now he was a proper bully. If no more transfers come in jack is in the running especially if Lambert sees Gil change the play to our advantage.

    SWV- Life rolls on mate and its difficult when there’s more to look back on than forwards. when your young there’s so much possibility ahead, the main thing is to not give up hope or alcohol mate.

  121. If your going to tell porkies its best to get your stories right eg –
    Fox says “Two more signings on the way”, Rab C Lambert says ‘No more signings.’ Who to believe, not much of a choice.
    My old Granny used to say ‘Better a thief than a liar,’

  122. sorry Mark but who gives a fuck what fergie would have thought/done , he was a bigger fucking liar,cheat than a politician , and he recommended who! to us . ?.
    always makes me laff when he’s paraded as the best ever manager , biggest club in England , must admit l loved it when Man city got all the money , and listened to him moaning that they will buy the league , fucking hypocrite ,

    ciders calling

  123. Very nice of the smaller West Midlands clubs to display themselves in such a poor light at the rathole today, put both together and they wouldn’t be as big as Villa even allowing for our current circumstances, basically if they disappeared from the league, no-one would notice.

  124. ‘You want to progress, we will go as strong as we can. You only need five games now to get through to the final and do it. If we can have that good cup run, it will be great. If you are in something you try and win it, I have always said that.’

    Didn’t say that last year did he ?

  125. James,
    Hutton went a lot further than Grealish did when he was on loan in Spain, have a guess what Lambert did ? thats right f-all, why ? because Hutton would have written him off while Grealish is just a kid. Lambert is worse than K and C, pure trash.

  126. “A weekend of cup shocks, I wonder if we can follow suit and actually beat the cherries!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

    We might beat them, but seems most are picking a draw with the Cherries winning the replay.
    I still remember PL’s condescending comments about the domestic cups from last year , a PR faux pas, for sure. He just put more heat on himself and served to deflate Villa’s players. PL might be thinking, it’s better to lose on Sunday. That’s better than a draw, then losing in Bournemouth. That would fit in with last year’s comments. Guess his one aim is Prem League survival.
    The right attitude would be to try to win every game.
    Chelsea lost to Bradford. Their manager called losing to Bradford a disgrace. Our manager might find a loss tomorrow a relief so Villa can concentrate on the PL. We may survive in the PL. One things for certain, though. We will never win the the FA Cup with a losing mentality.

  127. just seen our average attendance is down at 32 thousand with only chelsea of big clubs to come to villa park in last 8 home matches, if we had 25 thousand season ticketsmeans not many cash payers weekly ,so fox is either full of shite or another yes man , does fox not realise that anyone who works at villa in managing role of somesort doesnt get another chance at toplevel little gregory houiller mcleish

  128. Darren Bent scored today, when interviewed he has also had a little dig at PL, Stating he(Paul Lambert), should concentrate on what he is doing, he is taking Aston Villa in the wrong direction.

  129. The Grealish tweet has made the Mirror – can the player / manager relationship survive this unnecessary public spat ?

    Darren Bent scores for Derby as he did for Brighton on his debut . More goals than our whole team put together in the same period.

    With the big clubs out from the cup it’s even more important that we put out our strongest team and we go out to win tomorrow . None of this defensive rubbish and take a leaf out of these under dogs like Bradford who went for it and scored 4 against Chelsea . Amazing watching the Bradford fans tonight on MOTD , that’s what the FA cup is all about and why we love it.

  130. Well,Villa could not have a better chance of winning the FA cup after today with so many top teams being knocked out, but unfortunately Lambert has not got a clue how to prepare a team to win one game never mind another 5 games.

    What an amazing day, and it will go down in football history, but what lessons the lesser teams have taught the big boys, about playing the beautiful game. The players had NOT had their skills coached out of them

    Randy Lerner could buy the whole Bradford Team, including the manager for less money than Tom Cleverley………..

  131. it only goes to show you what bottel and the guts to attack can do today should show Lambert the wan Ker that teams that attack win games no matter who you play look at they attacked Chelsea and won same as middelsburgh lambert open your fu ckin eyes and see attack is the best form of defense but he is just a w anker who will not learn along with the happy clappers think we will get beat tomorrow as scabby cleverly and weiman and nzog will be in team or on bench when they should be shot

  132. just put yourself in jacks position every week training with players who you know you are twice and the likes of scabby 20 times more skilfull than then having to sit and watch the shi te every week and not get a game i think his tweet should have been far stronger and said they are all fu ckin useless he is just a kid who wants to play the game the right way not the dross Lambert preaches

  133. paul p- I’ve seen them one really dodgy corner that missed the penalty area which resulted eventually in a goal and a pass that deflected off of someone into the path of a Leicester player 🙂

  134. If he wasn’t anyway i’d say Grealish is now persona non-grata at VP, another career destroyed by AVFC.

    Expecting a lucky win today 1-0 or 2-1 but would love to see us smashed like the vermin were, possibly the imposters at the Holte would realise then that they’re not actually supporting the club they’re killing it.

    I see Ciaran Cliche is the latest to be wheeled out to defend the undefensable, he really talks bollox.

  135. I expect the same boring, negative team to be selected –
    Guzan: Hutton, Okore, Clark, Sissy: Cleverley, Westwood, Sanchez, Delph: Crappy: Benteke.
    Probably Gil coming on late when we struggle again.

  136. Jen,
    I think Bent will really let rip with the criticism when his contracts up, i was hoping Keane would expose the fraud but no.
    Apparently Cleverley tweeted on 09.01.2015 that he was going back to the Theatre of Bullshite at the end of the season and hopes to start every game for them next season, Yep Tom i can see that happening.

  137. steamer- doesn’t look like Lambert will hold back either, bents initial comment must of pissed him off to retaliate.
    I think Gil will be straight in today with weiman up top with tekkers. cleverly benched. unfortunately Grealish has been ill but trained Friday so even less chance. if we do not get a left winger he is our only option in that position bar flabby

  138. Marc – Lambert’s bitchy response to Bent was pathetic . He ruined Bent’s chances of going to another prem club by making him train with the kids and not giving him any first team game time even when he’d scored 2 in 2 games before his fall from grace . When Lambert arrived at the club he was averaging 1 in 2 games . He could have gone to another prem club at that time but the clown chose to stop him playing , train with the kids and keep him benched and then thrown out . It’s hardly making our most valuable asset (during GH and AM) attractive to buyers. So for Lambert to use that argument shows how stupid and cowardly he is. Bent has said prior to the “he’s not good enough” remarks that he got on really well with Keane and he felt he had a chance with him there . Clearly when Keane went after “you lot couldn’t score in a brothel” he realised Lamvert would never give him a chance so begged for the loan out. Total mismanagement of one if our best assets by Lambert .
    And this latest scenario with Grealish shows that Lamvert does get personal and is prepared to humiliate an 18 year old in the press. The “he’s got to realise everyone doesn’t want to know Everytime he books an egg” comment shows a. He’s out of touch with teenagers and social media and b. Vindictive . Grealish is 18 and PL is early 40s. By responding to the alleged “slight” publicly he has lost credibility. A quiet word with Jack would have avoided this public stand off . It’s common sense !

  139. jen- I don’t disagree but Lambert doesn’t generally get like that in the press, its usually denial. he also gave Bent the armband and started him when he first became manager. bent scores goals but he wasn’t deemed good enough for Fulham, Brighton weren’t that fussed and he’s struggling to get into the derby side. I know there’s a point of view that Lambert has ruined him but I don’t think he’s been the same since his injury in the mcliesh era. his goal yesterday was a poachers goal from a header aimed at goal that bounced up, he’s good at that but he missed the best chance of the game 10 mins later and has missed numerous one on ones for us in the cup.

  140. Dead right Jen, i think he’s a nasty piece of work when he’s got someone behind him, i commented months ago about what a smarmy git he was. I do find it funny that someone with Lamberts record can castigate someone else as ‘Not good enough.’

  141. Delph signed a new 4 and a half year deal,good for him ,but with his injury record it is a bit generous.I hope his injuries are behind him now,but as he is a combatitive MF player,I doubt it..

  142. Mark, anyone would struggle with that set up, even Benteke can’t score now and IMO he’s a great player.
    Some managers set up situations to make their point because they don’t have the goolies to do it in the proper fashion, enter Lambert.

  143. steamer- we wanted to offload him to lower wages and he doesn’t suit a team with no wingers/width where as tekkers can head and hold the ball up. What do think of the lineup?

  144. Mark,
    To be honest i think it confirms what a liar he is, he slagged off the FA Cuplast year, bulled it up this year and said he wants to win it and then he puts out that team, he’s crackers.

  145. That team is neither here nor there, its OK leaving out crepe like Westwood but try something different rather than the same old same old ie Richardson.

  146. Like I said t`other day,why sell KEA and get Cleverly in,who is equally as inept and anonymous?Oh yeah,we have Lambert as manager,sorry,a temporary memory lapse.

  147. Because kea wanted to go home, I’d rather him than cleverly at least he scored a couple. Delph must have writers cramp after signing a new contract.

  148. B’Mouth are a second half team.

    Bumped into an old pal yesterday, being going to Villa nearly 50 years H&A, been a high level steward for 25 years, reckons he’s had enough, thats the type of fan the clubs losing, not that care.

  149. Half time and we are being outclassed by the Bournmouth seconds – totally clueless the lot if them . Even our usually reliable defence is all over the shop. All shots on target and corners to Bournmouth . Bring Grealish off the naughty step . Hoping for a massive improvement second half .

  150. I am, frankly, worried about our formerly wonderful goalscorer!

    Twice in the first half he failed to get in to do what strikers do and generally didn’t do a lot except a couple of passes.

    And this was against a lower league side. Well, let’s hope now that we’ve scored a couple they’ll feel more confident – they’ll need to with Gunners and the Pensioners coming up!

  151. JL- last ten he began to move and what a difference, he frustrates himself by being so static, weimann was running in on goal and he demanded the ball in a ridiculous spot when a simple run across the box would of opened things up for weimann. full marks to weimann though who’s proved he’s not a winger.
    Clarke should keep that arm band. delphs declaration for villa is a massive turnaround does he know something?

  152. JL- know what you mean mate, the only plus is the players he has brought in the £3-6 mil bracket have worked out ok,
    Okore, benteke, sanchez, Gil, Vlaar, sissoko, even Guzan. plenty of dodgy ones in the sub £ 1.5 mil but westwood and bakuna reasonable. If they turn into a decent side I’ll be surprised without a few quality additions.

  153. I thought Benteke was very poor today. You can’t see from tv if he’s making enough runs off the ball – it really looks like he isn’t.

    For the chance he had – he dithered as his head was down, looking at the ball.

    I thought Bacuna didn’t make a case for regular inclusion – an awful lot of lost possession through being too slow to move the ball. It’d be fine if he was considering moving it forward but he didn’t.

    Hutton, Clarke, Okore were very good, Richardson was good enough but not great. Sanchez did quite well – wasn’t too sure about Cleverly. Weimann DID do the running but we didn’t get him on the ball enough.

    There was a period where we cut them up beautifully but Benteke scuffed a pass. We’re still – incredibly – overhitting five and ten yard passes leading to poor touches, we’re STILL not putting the ball ahead of players when attacking and forcing the play to slow down.

    Gil looks pretty good – let’s see a few good performances followed by loads more media guff about him going to Tottenham / Man Utd / Liverpool.

  154. I enjoyed happily clapping this afternoon. . . . along with the other Villa fans who went along today.
    Two very good goals at he Holte end too.
    It was a great moment when Gil’s special goal went in, particularly as he’d been beating himself up over missing a good chance just a few minutes earlier.
    Today was a huge banana skin waiting to be slipped in but we managed to skip over it with a little style in the second half.

  155. Even Cleverley showed more attacking intent today.
    A nice mix of controlled passing around and more direct play today sprinkled with a few forward diagonal passes to players in space.
    At least there are glimpses of hope there. . . . not enough yet, but better than it has been

  156. Tony H and JL, fair points about Benteke. He needs to get himself more involved and learn how to get into positions to poach goals as well as create the ‘stand out’ classy ones. Is there a case for playing him a bit deeper to see more of the play?

  157. Bearing in mind the debates swirling around Grealish it doesn’t seem to have got to him. He was all smiles when he finally came on this afternoon and seemed happy enough during the half time knock around

  158. Agree with John and Mark, i couldn’t see Delph agreeing to stay at this shambles unless something was happening regarding a sale. Hopefully Lerner, Lambert and Fox will soon be gone.

  159. I had Hutton as my man of the match today and agree with Tony that the centre pairing looked good today. Clarke looks and acts like a captain too.
    Thought Sanchez had a bit of an off day today but rather today than in the league.

  160. robbo- okore a worthy MoM for me allowed hutton to get forward against a very handy winger and front line. the game turned when Gil shifted to the right and bacuna dropped into the middle, gil too light weight to play centre mid but still did ok, needs to be up field where they are less likely to chop him down. tekkers needs to join the party, teams are too comfortable with him stood still and unfortunately not being unselfish.

  161. Biggest shock of the FA cup isn’t Bradford, it’s our shower scoring not just once, but twice. Holly shit the stadium was in shock. Two nice goals as well.
    Credit Bournemouth, never have had a second team in England before but I’ll be rooting for them now. Very good football and some lovely players.

    Delph signing a new deal and saying” the future looks promising ” must be him knowing something about a new owner

  162. I am glad we won, and I’m glad we scored two god goals, Gil was a beauty, and it at least shows we can compete in the championship.
    I’m not trying to take the gloss off a win, any win and goals scored are gratefully received at the moment, but I don’t want this result to paper over the many many cracks at our shambles of a football club., or somehow vindicate Lambert still being in the managers hot seat, because it doesn’t .
    I hope Delph signing up, is a hint that perhaps moves are afoot with a takeover, and we can stop regressing and move forward and actually progress.
    The icing on the cake today is this lot beat the rabble 0-8 , so as much fun as they are laughing at our demise, along with Sandwell town, we can at least point to that result compared to today.

  163. the arsenal game is set up nicely now, we get a win and 2 decent goals, delph gets a villa tattoo, and Brighton put 2 past the arse in a 2-3 loss. delph in for cleverly, guzan between the sticks, only call I’m not sure on is Richardson/Sissoko. Richardsons a better winger Sissoko stronger in defence.
    Bournemouth are a good attacking outfit but we showed how far we have progressed defensively today, must be the youngest centre half pairing in the league and possibly the youngest captain.
    what’s the odds on Vlaar signing?

  164. A bit nicer being a villan today. What a goal from gil…..superb strike. Could have the player we have craved sinnce merson left.

    Delph is either dumb, on 100k a week, been promised a big move in the future or knows something we dont.

    Grim reality is arsenal chelsea next and in massive relegation battle

  165. I hope Gil can crack on, unlike Tony Moon, who, remember, scored a memorable goal against Arsenal early on. Yeah, hopefully, Gil is that “Merson” kind of player.

    It’s good to see Villans on AVL happy, for a change.

    The Arsenal match, as Mark says, is set up nicely now.
    Lambert got his win, so gets a short reprieve in pressure until Arsenal. Even a draw will help.

  166. Trinity, I know what you mean about heaping too much expectation on Gil too soon, but he is not Tony Moon. TM had great enthusiasm but didn’t have the natural ball skills or game awareness of Gil. There’s no guarantee that he’ll carry on as well as he’s started but the skills are there ok.

  167. With players like Delph, Gil, Cole ( when he’s fit) and Grealish in the squad we do at least have the potential for some creativity from midfield. The key to our success or otherwise now lies with things clicking again for Christian Benteke.

  168. robbo
    I’m glad Delph is staying. He’s a go-forward player. I wouldn’t expect to much from Joe Cole, though. He is creative, shame about the injuries.
    Christian Benteke seems to play better against the big teams, he’ll need to if we’re to get anything from the next two matches. You’re right, he is the key. As many on AVL have said, he’s got to get his movement back.
    Anyway, it’s good to win for a change.

  169. Glad to see the positivity on here. Even i am somewhat elated after seeing our two goals, which were good ones, and not just flukes. Even more impressed with Delph signing a new contract, and have to agree, that there has to be more to it.

    I know that Lerner turned down the Marc Gillan offer, so perhaps it is the more lucrative Paul Allen offer that is now on board, and better for Villa.

    Let’s hope for a good draw in the next round…..at least we never got turned over on our own turf by Bradford…!! Save them for the final..!!!

  170. What a fantastic day for Aston Villa that was. Delph signing for 4 and a half years was obviously an unexpected high point. When there was “big player news” announced for 14:50, I was expecting injury prone Vlaar to have signed up for 4 years, taking him into his mid 30s. I didn’t think for a second Delph would sign. Great loyalty because whatever we pay him, he could get elsewhere and also play for a better team. Wonderful to see in the modern game.

    Good performance yesterday. Two outstanding goals. Add Delph to that midfield and we will be looking strong again. I am concerned that Benteke has been on his deckchair for about a month now. This is most unlike him. I wonder if he has lost interest. He won’t get a big money move if he keeps showing such a lack of effort. Anyway – it’s a minor concern in the scheme of things.

    Bring on the Arsenal next weekend.

  171. benteke needs to stop making it easy for the opposition, maybe Lambert has told him to stay in the box? either way its obvious villa will get more success by pulling packed defences about. All the teams we have played recently know we lack width even the big boys have countered us by denying us space through the middle then hitting us on the break. benteke needs to make the centre halfs sweat and think a bit, the goal against palace for instance. if he comes deeper and plays one twos with the midfield and gives them more space to run into he will get more space himself. at the moment he is to focused on his own lack of goals not the teams imo.

  172. Well feeling somewhat better about our chances with 16 prem matches to go.
    Delph signs on which was refreshing.
    Gil looks to be a player but will have good games and bad most likely.
    Bacuna asserted himself and showed some skill as well; good to see!
    Cleverley needs to be sat and Grealish given a chance in his place, he can’t do any worse.
    Weimann can score goals if chances are created for him.
    I guess Kojak is done for the season.
    Lambert can thank his lucky stars that Clarke had the self belief and sufficient talent to turn his career around because we’ve needed him this year and may rely on him more given the injury riddled vets.
    All the signs are we will scrape by again due to 3 worse teams but Randy needs to sell if he’s not going to invest!
    Would be great to have a big performance against Arsenal regardless of the outcome!!!
    UTV

  173. I thought Cleverley looked much better in the deeper role yesterday. No way will he ever make an attacking midfielder.

    Bacuna was atrocious in the first half and lucky not to be subbed. However, he put in a very good 2nd half performance. I don’t know what to make of him but having someone around that can take a free kick like he can is useful. Versatile player.

    Hutton, Clark and Okore were excellent again and Richardson looks a far better left back than he does a midfielder. I think for the peanuts he cost, he is a decent squad player.

    I really hope the Scott Sinclair deal comes alive again because I still think we are one player short in this area.

  174. Just seen the Gil goal, you couldn’t see any of Lamberts MF signings even being anywhere that position never mind having the talent to finish like that, i wonder if Paddy Reilly scouted him ?
    I read on a fan page somewhere yesterday, a chap living in Valencia mentioned that Gil was highly thought of out there but the coach changed the system and deemed him surplus and with their financial siuation the player became available.
    I reckon Kojaks finished.

  175. Hello lifers,

    Long time reader and member but rarely comment! Just wanted to add something on Benteke, his movement is poor however, I’d like to be more specific. From my angle his anticipation is and always has been very poor. I remember even in his first season watching him play and thinking that he never reads the game well, where the ball will land or which area of the box to move in. This concern of course faded into the background as CB played without fear, showed real class on the ball and finished so clinically. My argument then, is not that CB is lazy, after a move or uninterested in playing for the club, instead he is a confidence player playing without confidence. He isn’t scoring many goals recently as he doesn’t score tap ins and the kind of goals he does score requires him to beat 3 men, or execute a bicycle kick or smash one in from 30 yards. When someone signs for a club and plays so well from day dot it’s hard to justify this but maybe CB just fed off his own momentum. Maybe he’s another who scores goals in bunches and has baron spells.

  176. Can one game alter the problems we have had all season having said that a win is a win albeit against a championship side that made wholesale changes because their priority is definitely trying to get into the premier which makes complete sense, it is long term gain as opposed to short term, cannot knock the Gil strike all we need is 10 more like him and the worlds our lobster.
    I am not totally convinced by the Delph deal although the one good thing is we will get decent money for him IF he does move, perhaps he does know of things going on behind the scenes although I doubt it, I still think if a club comes in with the right amount of money in the summer he will be off.
    We cannot take one game in isolation and we need to look at our league form and how we are going to get any points from the next two games, not that bothered about Sinclair never really rated him that highly when he went to Man City everybody knew he was always going to play a bit part.

    AVFC RIP

  177. Morning all.

    WIth all the huge build up form AV about our” exciting player news”you could be forgiven for thinking we were signing Gareth Bale such was the build up on twitter, the OS site and at VP. Since when has an existing player been celebrated like this just for signing a new contract 🙂 Delph is a good and lively player but let’s not forget, he has also been here for the duration of our relegation bound form. But , , in case I was missing something I looked up his stats for this season – zero goals and zero assists – one red card. Sorry for being cynical but the “I love this club bla bla bla ” was cringeworthy. Wheeling him out at half time like he was a Paul Mcgrath was OTT and just shows how low our expectations have fallen. Who wrote that PR driven speach for him anyway. It will be another Downing type “I owe Villa everything for supporting me with my broken leg” speach – which will be forgotten the minute another club comes in with more money and prospects. Players have no loyalty – it is a job – and I don’t expect them to. But please save us from the Villa through and through loyalty spectacle – what next – a commemorative gold edged plate ? 🙂

  178. Rags – Agree with that wholeheartedly. Just look at his body language when he misses – he’s his own worst enemy in that respect. All strikers are confidence players to some degree – and that is why they need to be played through their barron spells and be supported. I really hope he regains his form not just for us but for his own great potential. I still believe he wants to do well for the team and for his own game.

  179. I would also commmend Gill on his fabulous goal . It is early days for this young man and we won’t be able to tell whether he will be consistently good until the end of the season. We have had our hopes dashed too many times on this score – remember the amazing free kick goal that Bacuna did – right in front of me in Trininty against Man City. I hope he finds that spark he had when he first joined again.

  180. Droyd
    I think Bacuna just needed time to settle in.
    Rags
    Benteke is definitely a ‘confidence” player.
    SWV
    You’re right, can’t “take one game in isolation”. At least, there’ll be a bit of confidence going into the Arsenal match.
    Steamer
    There’s no substitute for talent, just hope Gil’s isn’t restrained at Villa. Agree with Ronnie Biggs that Gil will have good and bad games. Kojaks rehab isn’t going too well. That’s sad for him.

  181. As for Lambert saying “hopefully now Delph has signed Vlaar will too” is he serious. Vlaar will sign if no-one better comes in for him and we offer him enough dough – and that is the reality as what player in their right mind would rely on their mate signing and not then moving 12 months later . Is Vlaar and his injuries that important to us anway !?

  182. Jenny, thanks for the reply, as you say huge potential. When I heard he was off to Spurs after the first year I was so upset my other half nearly signed me up for professional help! Lets hope he finds his form again. On Delphgate I think after seeing Barry Milner Young and Downing leave, the club wanted to milk it for all it’s worth. I agree on Vlaar, get rid, too old and prone to injury and blocks Okore from the first team and developing.

  183. Yes – I accept that Benteke is suffering from a lack of confidence but in light of this, he should be busting a gut. He isn’t.

    Jenny – I too am not bothered about Vlaar. He is a fine defender but is 30 in 3 weeks time and injury prone. If he signs then great if not, I’m not bothered. Clark and Okore should be our first choice now anyway with Baker and Senderos more than adequate back up.

    Delph is a massive boost for us. It has only been since last season that he has fulfilled his potential and we will now be in receipt of the best years of his career. Being an England international, even if we sell him it will be for mega money (look at how much Cleverley is valued at – £7.5 million and he is no more than ordinary). It’s nothing short of brilliant for the club and I hope either he or Ciaran Clark get the captain’s arm band next season if Vlaar goes. Midfielders of his ilk are very hard to find.

  184. It was a far better day yesterday. There were more positives than negatives for a change and the Gil goal made the trip to Villa Park worthwhile on it’s own.

    Jenny, I’ve got to say that I think your take on the Delph contract extension is really harsh. His injury and suspension means he hasn’t got going this season but he was our player of the season last year by a long way.

    Had he been inclined to leave I’m sure he could have engineered a move in this window. I didn’t expect him to stay: I certainly didn’t expect him to sign a contract extension. If he does want out he could have gone on a Bosman in the summer and done very very nicely for himself, and, whatever happens in the future, Fabian Delph would almost certainly be better off and Villa worse off without the contract extension.

    Of course the club will milk it, but if it looks like loyalty and Fabian Delph is claiming to be motivated by loyalty, then I think it’s pretty churlish to damn him because of something Stewart Downing did 4 years ago.

  185. Delph needs to add goals and assists to his game then he could be a 15 to 20 million midfielder.

    He has all the attributes, quick, strong and can glide past a man like he is not there. He needs to control his decision making and stop seeing red. And relax when playing the killer ball.
    Tekkers form is a major concern because without him we aint scoring. Id like to see weimann up top alongside him. help him out. One thing weimann does is move!

  186. Hello Rags, good points about CB’s anticipation and confidence, possibly having a completely different type of player around him ( Gil ) will improve his tally when they read each others game.
    Big improvement without Agbonglahor, he shouldn’t be anywhere near the first team not even sub.

  187. You would of thought with a nucleous of Okore, Sanchez, Gill, Tekkers, Delph, Vlaar when fit that we should be easily mid table. I like these players and they are Lamberts players but we should never be 3 points off bottom 3.

    We really need another attacker.

  188. I can’t believe people are already saying Gil will have bad games? of course he will!! but so far he has got himself into scoring positions raised the tempo of our team going forward and looks head and shoulders above the rest of the team in skill and know how. this lad has genuine talent, which other player, other than benteke has had such an effect on the team? if you cant see he’s not a bakuna or Luna I give up.
    delphs signing is major, for a so called greedy footballer he’s just given up the cash cow of his life, a fat signing on fee and potential £100,000 a week contract in the summer. he may never be this hot ever again, he may never play for England again. He may well move in the future but so what that’s his choice. I get nobody likes the villa management but this is a bigger turnaround than benteke signing an extension in terms of unexpected, some people just want to be miserable

  189. Steamer,

    Exactly, although CB’s anticipation is poor, it is predictable and consistent. Begs the question why the fulls backs don’t cut the ball back a bit more often. 9 times out of 10 CB is between the 18 yard box and the penalty spot (hence the frustration that he doesn’t ever anticipate the ball across the 6 yard box!) Maybe Gill will figure this one out! (Or maybe I’m just talking complete bollocks).

  190. “I can’t believe people are already saying Gil will have bad games?” Mark-you’re right to put a question mark there. I think people are just saying don’t expect too much, the lad’s only human, so if he does have off days, don’t rubbish him. He’s off to a flyer, though, isn’t he just? I’m happy about Delph, too, can’t question his integrity.

  191. Rags- that’s why centre halves love it, they can mark him and not get pulled out of position. we rarely play with 2 up top that leaves 2 centre halves clearing up nicely all day long. here’s his goals from his first season for us and they have one thing in common he’s unmarked in nearly every one, his movement
    is so much better, look at the way he plays now static.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fg-b4QMic8

  192. trinity- 2 weeks ago we were expecting nothing for months from him while he acclimatised. instead of him adjusting the team has been dragged along in his wake, he plays with a smile, his energy and attitude are spot on, I think he’s out to prove somebody wrong. sometimes players are just very good and I’m chuffed we seem to have got one. if he steadies his finishing he’ll score regularly as he gets into great positions. Will be interesting to see how he plays against arsenal, ordinarily we concede the ball as soon as we attack without much threat, somehow I don’t think that will happen this time. with him and delph breaking we will be pretty rapid in attacks.

  193. While not making an exact comparison but Heel is similar to David Silva IMO. He seems a confident lad, it could take Lambert until nearly the end of the season to destroy him.

  194. Let’s face it, this match was an FA cup-tie against a good but lower division side. And I believe they had to put out a less-than-best team because of injuries.

    Next up we’re at the Gunners. Then the Pensioners come for their hand-outs. Goof performances there and we’ll have cause to smile.

  195. JL- they beat WBA with more changes, in fact he has made changes in all the cups. lets not forget they are top for a reason and we hadn’t scored since early December. no they are not arsenal but they are not crap either

  196. Did I say they were crap, Mark? Although I question whether they’ll be able to stay up if promoted.l

    C’mon, please keep this at the level intended! 🙂

    They psychological problem we have right now is that Villa scored!! It’s such an unusual event that perhaps we might be expecting more than is possible!

    The next two matches will probably define the rest of the season – that’s all I’m saying.

  197. JL- don’t worry John I’m not after a scrap 🙂 but you did give some lame excuses why we beat them, second string, lower league etc. you can only beat who’s in front of you ask chelski, man city……….. If we cant get a little excited about what appears to be a decent young player then we are stuffed. Gil has done so far what we all wanted Grealish to do, galvanise the team and make a difference, at this rate we might attract a decent manager. what do you think of delph signing?

  198. Mark,

    I’m sorry to say you repeatedly mis-read what I’m saying! 😉 All I was doing was offering words of caution … we DID NOT score goals against a Premier League team – who might not (probably would not) have given Villa so much space to score those two otherwise very good goals.

    When Villa start scoring ANY goals against Premier League sides then I’ll sit up and take notice!! 🙂

  199. blimey John you mystics are slippery 😉
    to be honest I’m looking forward to the arsenal game. remember last time we had the whole virus affair going on? we actually did well until the first goal went in. This time out we have benteke, Clarke and Okore looking the business, Sanchez settled in, delph back in, and mr Gil buzzing about we could be a tough nut to crack for the arse ( see what i did there 🙂 )

  200. Mark
    You seem to be assuming Gil will start at Arsenal,I wouldn`t be so sure.If Flabby is fit-an oxymoron-and is normally 1st choice,he may be on the bench(Gil(,as I think Lambert will go to the Emirates with a defensive set up

  201. brasil- I was thinking about flabby too mate, I think Lambert has noticed weimann is a better fit up top with tekkers and gil, dropping Gil? cant see it but stranger things and all that. back to scabby, he could find himself on the bench or pushed out left in a 442 sanchez and delph in the middle, dont think he’ll be captain much longer either.

  202. Thought Weimann took his goal superbly, if Scabby takes his spot it’ll be a disgrace and if he gets the armband it’ll be bordering on farce, virtually unanimous on the blogs, he’s a waster who contributes nothing and who’s not worth a place.
    Leicester will be tough, could go to a replay.

  203. Would love to see a 4 4 2.which could revert to 4 5 1 when we don`t have the ball.Arsenal`s back line play quite deep,even at home. so there won`t be too much space in behind to exploit.Agree,to leave Gil out would be insane,but his selections baffle me at times.

  204. steamer- it wouldn’t be the worst thing to drop tekkers put robinson in, its not like we put many fabulous crosses in anyhow. I think tekkers will come to life though if the last ten mins of Sundays match is anything to go by

    brasil- my thoughts too and weiman would be ideal as he knows that role

  205. steamer spot on mate scabby is the new assistant manager he runs the club he will be back the parasite 2 stone overweight he does not have to get fit him and lambo are best pals worked out there new contracts together 2 blood suckers together
    both need shooting the way they have distressed the club

  206. “It wouldn’t have sat right with me to leave the club, especially on a free, after the faith everyone involved in the club have shown me. For me, that’s just the way I am. Going on a free I would have been better off but I’m a kid from Bradford, brought up on a council estate. I am not motivated by money, I look after my family.”

    We’re so used to slagging off greedy footballers, but how many of us can say hand on heart that in Fabian Delph’s situation we would have done the same as him?

    Where can I buy my Fabian Delph commemorative plate?

  207. Mark, was that game played at St. Andrews ?

    Paul Allen.
    Recent speculation linking me to Aston Villa F.C. are unfounded. I have not indicated interest nor had any discussions pertaining to the purchase of Aston Villa or any other club.

    Oh well,thats fucked it, may as well close down.

  208. Steamer
    The Paul Allen denial is certainly a kick in the balls, it seems Lerner is going to be here for the foreseeable future, this is terrible news, it means the rape and pillage of our once glorious club will continue, and that Lambert will continue with his disastrous hap hazard brand of management. Under this regime the sum of our ambition is to stay in the top flight, we flirt with relegation every season, and this is no different.
    We will soon be in the bottom 3, Gil seems a decent addition, but I just feel under Lambert he will be stifled , our core of players could do better under a better more progressive manager.
    From what I read and heard( on the radio having listened to the game), we were pretty average/poor against Bournemouth and were second best to a championship side who had made changes, for an hour until we scored a blinder, under Lambert we have hit our ceiling and he is champo level, the future seems bleak under these idiots who are killing our club.

  209. Don’t think so Runtingz, leaving Roma for aroma, half his wages, plus are they taking Bennett in part chop, how many lb’s have we got again ? Never actually rated him anyway, Jose doesn’t make many mistakes in the transfer market does he ?

  210. HI Andrew
    It wasn’t Delph I was getting at tbh but the OTT big announcement that had us all on the edge of our seats. Although I hear that unfortunately the tannoy system was so bad at VP that Delph’s words had to be translated afterwards. I have never slagged off players for moving clubs as it is a short career and like you say, who wouldn’t move on to progress our career or go for more money. As Michael Owen said , and countless others no doubt – it is a job to them, and they are not “fans” of the club they work for but employees. Pretending otherwise is where some of them go wrong as time and time again the “loyalty claims prove to be disingenous. . But fair play to Delph, if he does have a big heart and loyalty to AV then I salute him, but I won’t be surprised or annoyed if he moves onto better things. The big announcement has come at a time when the fans were getting restless and from that perspective is a big boost for Paul Lambert.

  211. b62- I watched the game online and while Bournemouth did well first half Gil appeared to be playing centre mid and as they were pressing high up the pitch didn’t get into dangerous areas. second half Lambert switched him right with bakuna coming inside. this changed the game for me as he was far more dangerous in the areas that count, all in all we were the better side second half. if you look at the stats its pretty much 50/50. the defence had to deal with balls into the area as given remained rooted to his line but his distribution was good. yes they made changes but they have in all the cup games beating WBA with more changes than against us. don’t forget we didn’t play delph,guzan, sissoko, westwood, gabby. all regulars whatever you think of them. 2-1 was about right

  212. On Casley Cole

    I think he would improve our defence further — i have always rated him as a player — the amount of winners medals he has and the fact he has been one of the few bright sparks during England campaign’s kinda support the fact he is a very good left back

    Will be interesting to see how we perform vs the gooners — hopefully we won’t get destroyed and totally schooled by them like the last meeting

  213. Jen st75 i will be uploading some propa jazz for you hopefully this evening and some reggae — so prepare for the next bombardment — steamer and Matt i will add you to the link so you two can also access it

  214. Antonio Cassano is a free agent after walking out on Parma, 32 loads of experience just the type to help Benteke but can I see us having a go for him – no chance, probably have another go for Dawkins.

    AVFC RIP

  215. swv- noticed dawkins and warnock are at derby with bent.

    runtingz- last time we played them we were being sick on them remember? half the team had it. plus sanchez was green, no benteke and no Gil and clarke was playing like he’d never seen a football 🙂

  216. Runtins
    cheers mate , think lv fucked one of my main speakers up , think the neighbours have liked the music as well , or they’v seen the axe in the front porch ,

  217. Hail, fellow Villans! And I don’t mean the cold kind of ‘hail’ that comes with winter but the warm kind of hail that comes with a changed and positive heart! 🙂

    To me, the fact that Gil has joined the club and has shown enthusiasm since he came; that Delph has put pen to paper and also spoken about his loyalty to ‘his brothers’ at Villa; that Clark has risen up from the apparent ashes of his career; that we now have a defence that looks like a reasonable defence … all that seems to me that perhaps there is something to look forward to!

    All we need now is for a certain Christian to believe in himself … and whoosh … we can finish in the top-10. Can’t we? 😉

  218. That article on Paul Allen just about sums up the Evening Mail, where exactly does he say he isn’t buying them ?
    “Recent speculation linking me to Aston Villa F.C. are unfounded.
    “I have not indicated interest nor had any discussions pertaining to the purchase of Aston Villa or any other club.”

    He’s saying that he hasn’t “indicated interest nor had any discussions” not that he has no interest.
    I’m intrigued by this game and haven’t yet given up hope.
    Talking of the rag can anyone tell me how Gregg Evans got a job never mind as a football correspondant.

  219. Ah, yes, Mark … some of Lambert’s cast-off actually! 😉 … part of the bomb-squad.

    There just remains that tiny issue of learning how to score goals, isn’t there? … Perhaps we do need one more player who can pass forwards (or backwards from the by-line) … but if young Christian can re-awaken himself maybe we’ll be OK.

    Hope it’s not too big an ‘if’.

  220. jl- I think if he doesn’t buck up he’ll find the team bypassing him. weimann will have his tale up now, his goal was as clinical as I’ve seen him be. he could very well outscore tekkers and with gil and hopefully others getting more adventurous those goals should come, pass me another sherry love 🙂

  221. Mark, I hope Weimann enjoys it and makes the most of it – those moments don’t come along very often. He probably won’t have many children either.

  222. I hope tekkers was watching Bent tonight, dot a double at Blackburn.

    “I think top five is going to be very difficult for us in the period of three to five years, but we can get much closer to them in five years’ time.
    “Ultimately we want to get ourselves back into a place where we can at least see those clubs and be within touching distance of a maybe a place in Europe.” (Tom Fox)
    Yes, Tom. We get the idea, but we need to win more matches. It’s basic. Five years time? Maybe? I can really sense the hunger.

  223. I disagree with Fox, a few good signings and a decent manager and we can make top five in two or three years, the Championship isn’t THAT strong.

  224. Pleased for Darren Bent whose two goals last night take Derby to the Championship – judging by the voting for him to be MOTM by the Derby fans so are they. That makes his goal tally 3 goals in 2 games. I haven’t see the goals but before anyone says they were tap ins, the point about him is he is a poacher – he gets in the right place at the right time and you don’t get extra points for “worldies”. How ironic when we are the lowest goal scorers in the Leagues that Lambert never gave him a chance and his goals could take Derby up to the Premier League. Early days for him but how long has it taken our “good enough” strikers to score three ?

  225. 🙂 Dropkick Steamer – it took me a while but St 75 is an expert – he offered to show me all 🙂

    I believe we could be in the top half of the table if Lambert had managed the senior players better and black listed them from the start. Bent could have formed a decent partnership with Teckers . How many other managers wouldn’t have a go at playing the two together or alternate them. Instead of sending Hutton off to Majorca on loan he could have been helping our defensive woes the last two seasons. We have had the potential but they haven’t been used properly.

    Runtingz – will try and repeat my success with the dropkick – but cheers in advance 🙂

  226. Tom Fox has pretty much confirmed all our worst fears, in a BBC article this morning.
    He has said Lambert is not going to get the sack( despite his atrocious record )
    And Lerner is going nowhere anytime soon, this is disastrous news and means we will go down under this regime, who haven’t got a clue what there doing.
    Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert backed by chief executive Tom Fox

    Aston Villa chief executive Tom Fox says manager Paul Lambert has the full support of the club and remains important to owner Randy Lerner.
    Villa have taken only 12 points from their last 18 Premier League games, but Fox told BBC Sport sacking Lambert mid-season would be like “flipping a coin”.
    “When things aren’t going well, fans bay for that type of blood,” Fox said.
    “That’s not the way that I or the owner are going to make a decision. It’s a false narrative.”
    Villa have scored only 97 goals in 98 games during former Norwich City manager Lambert’s time in charge.
    But Fox defended the statistics and believes Villa’s players are close to delivering on their hard work on the training pitch.
    “I think football’s a funny business and I think to put it all on the manager, again, that’s a bit of a false narrative,” he added.
    “There’s a lot of things happening at this football club, and clearly what happens on the pitch is a focal point.
    “Clearly the manager is the one person who can really influence that, so everyone focuses on it.
    “Our focus for the last couple of months has been on making sure we support Paul to make us as successful as possible, and I think we’re heading in the right direction.”
    Villa, who made a good start to the season with 10 points from their first four games, are 15th in the Premier League table, just three points above the relegation zone.
    Fox, who joined Villa in August after five years as commercial manager of Arsenal, said American owner Lerner was “having fun with the club” despite putting them up for sale last year.
    “He’s very involved in the football club, he watches every match,” he said.
    “I’ve been at his house watching matches together and both of us are standing up pacing around at various points of time – depending on what’s happening – so he know’s what’s happening here.
    “He’s very, very well informed as to the business side of what’s happening on the pitch,” he added.
    “I don’t think he’s a motivated seller right now. I think he’ll want to make sure that he’s put Aston Villa on the best possible path “

  227. So it turns out Lamberk isn’t the only deluded guy at this club. Fox is a knob as well. Taking about Europe after we just about beat Bournemouth and saying It’s a false narrative.
    Lamberks record breakers aren’t false, there a regular thing over 3 seasons. He also says Randy knows whats going on on the pitch. LOL

    Delph saying we can get champins league

    New owners must be on there way

  228. “Our focus for the last couple of months has been on making sure we support Paul to make us as successful as possible, and I think we’re heading in the right direction.”

    Heading in what direction ! Expecting fans to sit and wait for 9 hours to see their team score a premier league goal ? We are ridiculed in the media “we have found a club that have scored less than the free scoring Aston Villa” the headline for H and Js programme yesterday .

    We read that Lambert is travelling to Scotland to interview a new media Director , he isn’t known as an active participant in training – so how does Fox evaluate this so called “hard work on the training ground “. Isn’t that why Keane left – because they wouldn’t train hard enough ? Who tells Fox they are training hard and doing great things? We don’t even have an Assistant Manager .

    Why hasn’t an Assistant Manager been appointed : surely that would show “support ” for Lambert .

    Overall , a patronising and inaccurate account of what is going on at AV IMO

  229. Steamer, Jen

    As you know, along with you, I have always felt that Bent was badly treated and not used to his potential……Now a manager who has more experience in his little finger, than Lambert has in his whole body, has declared that Bent is one of the most natural finishers in the game, and that it is about his positional play and ability to be in the right place. Like you Steamer, I hope he bangs in loads of goals for Derby and gets himself a nice lucrative contract and signing on fee, so he can tell Lambert what a tosser he is. the manager is , of course, Steve MacClaren…..!!!

  230. Verbatim from McClaren:

    Derby manager Steve McClaren: “Some people arrive in the box and the ball never finds them, but Darren Bent is a genuine finisher with the skill and composure to snap up chances.

    “He could have gone somewhere else and had an easy time with a guaranteed starting place. But he chose to come here and fight for a place in a good team and he has given us the different edge that we needed.

    “We had to dig deep because Rovers are a tough, strong, direct side but I thought our attitude was absolutely tremendous

  231. The club is rotten from the top to the bottom. Randy Lerner has killed off Aston Villa football club, he has eclipsed all those that went before him, he is a complete shyster.
    Lambert has been a disaster from day 1, he basically makes it up as he goes along without any forethought or footballing ideology, he is reactive rather than proactive.
    Tom Fox is proving himself as a bell end and a yes man with his media comments, talk of Europe, Talk of success, when we can’t buy a league goal or win football matches and are firmly entrenched in yet another relegation dog fight.
    The club is run by amateurs, who the fuck takes training??? Lambert clearly isn’t very hands on, we have no back room /coaching staff to speak of, Given and Marshall have helped out, but are both keepers, so no wonder we look crap in midfield and going forward. I have visions of them doing what they want, a bit of gym work, cups of tea and a couple of games of 7 a side or headers and Volleys.
    I have no faith in anyone in power at VP, NONE of them have Villas best interests at heart, if it wasn’t in my blood I would walk away permanently, even the vermin aren’t this much of a laughing stock, and the Albion now see us as a comparable sized club, or inferior by some.
    I hate Lerner, Lambert and co they are nothing but scum of the earth , and it looks as though they are going nowhere.

  232. jen- strangely enough all bents goals for derby have been tap ins that came from loose balls in the six yard box, not one has been played too him. not that it matters I’d take 20 of them, bent has been a victim of his lack of workrate, and Lamberts use of the counter and no wingers, but mostly the effort to lower wages. it appears to have got personal, shame Lambert didn’t insult him him in public at villa if that’s what it takes. Ironic thing is bent could now help Lambert out of the door by scoring.
    Looks like we could be stuck with them but I agree with steamer 3-4 decent players and a new manager. I have seen enough in the last two games to suggest we will survive though.

  233. How can anyone be so stupid as to ignore EVERY piece of evidence ? You’d think we we’re coasting in mid-table. Tom Fox is obviously a prick, Lerner is one too, and he only ever employs pricks. Should the fans be ecstatic that Lerner will probably be staying ? try finding one that wants him at VP. If he walked up Trinity Road on match day he wouldn’t make it past the first burger van.
    Jen,
    Before Lambert joined Villa i read an article on him, Norwich were going to sack him the previous Christmas because he was always in Scotland, Culverarse did all the training.

  234. We could kick on with a new manager, a clear out of the fringe players and get 3-4 in, it would cost the earth, and would see the fans flocking back, an upturn in ST sales/merchandise better sponsors etc etc, if these clowns were really serious about progressing Villa, this would happen, but the evidence is clear to see, it’s about what they can take rather than give

  235. b62- scott marshall ex arsenal full back was/is defensive coach Lambert claims to be training the mids and forwards
    makes sense as the defence has improved

  236. “When things aren’t going well, fans bay for that type of blood,” Fox said.
    Typical, blame the fans.
    Tom Fox,
    You know fuck all about England, Birmingham, Football and in particular AVFC, your just another piece of shite destroying AVFC, just fuck off and take Lerner and Lambert with you, your not wanted you prick.

  237. on the back room staff, there has been a complete change in approach from what I have read from every aspect ,dragging us into the 21st century, except the coaching staff

  238. FFS the Leicester cup game is now a 1230 KO on Sun 15th Feb, on TV.
    That’s the end of our cup dream then, we are even more shite than usual when on TV 😉

  239. Fairplay to our Fabio Delph for his ambitions for the club , if we had a manager that could do a bit better with the tools he has been given we could start to dream with him

    would be great to progress in the cup

    Dropbox crew – let me know when you have moved the music to your own pc laptop or other device and i will then slap some reggae up there — not enough room for anymore as it stands
    VTID

  240. As the club embarks on yet another five year plan i have to ask, does anyone actually believe anything that comes out of VP ? Why humiliate yourselves by buying season tickets when you know that the product will be cheap, nasty and ultimately unsuccessful. I think eve n to the most loyal fan that 8m spent out of 70m TV money indicates that these shysters are ripping you off, Lerner, Lambert & Fox are extracting the urine and our gullible fans are falling for it yet again. I must say, a lot of Villans deserve what they are getting, they’re sheep and are doing as much damage to AVFC as the three amigos.

  241. Fox reckons he’s watching the games at Lerners pad ? who’s doing the matchday rigmarole ? you can just imagine the pair of snakes “Well Tom, the dummies have fallen for it again, another 60m in my bank account, thank the Lord for dummy Brummies,” “Not hard Mr Lerner sir, one born every minute, how the hell they accept that useless Jock as manager with his record i don’t know, perhaps they can’t understand the idiot, i know i can’t.” “Yes Tom, we’ll be sitting here in ten years time counting our $$ and all thanks to those dummies that good ole Herbert told us about, he fleeced them for years too.”

  242. trouble is steamer what are they likely to do if the support stops? they’ll have even less to play with. They made a £17m profit, that’s 2-3 decent players maybe with wages, and if that level continues its really not a lot to play with. that’s why fox is looking to grow us worldwide.
    I don’t trust them to appoint a successor to Lambert fully and they seem happy with him, which means not much money for the foreseeable if you believe the stuff Lambert comes out with. Delphs decision says somethings afoot but what and when?

  243. Hi Runtingz – I got the jazz music thank you – been enjoying listening to some tracks this afternoon – excellent :-). God bless ya x
    I’m having difficulty getting it from track list folder Dean jazz to my PC . Will take another look tonight .

    John – if you’re put there – part 2 of the programme I was talking about is on tonight – 8-00. bbc1 – called wild at heart. Came across this by accident last week and it was one if the best I’ve seen in ages. Cameras on the animals as they go on their way . The filming of the dogs in Brazil was incredible . Their owners let them out like we do cats – and they meet up with they’re mates and engage in pack like behaviour – navigating bust roads with ease – then going back for tea to their human caters . Also featured cats , parrots , puppies , hamsters . Fascinating .

  244. Steamer – just read your post ,haha yes Ican just imagine the pair of them in the penthouse , while the poor fans freeze they rearmost off “pacing around ” in the Holte least old Doug braces the elements . Do they realise how ridiculous they sound – like a scene set from Morecombe and Wise 🙂 🙂

  245. Jenny,

    Many thanks for the heads-up on BBC1! 🙂

    The other three-quarters may be looking at another channel though at that time. My main focus is Wolf Hall (NOT about animals!!) at 9pm … I enjoyed part 1 last week. Better than the 60s film Man For All Seasons I reckon.

  246. Steamer,

    I know how you feel about what’s happened at t’ Villa … as you know I’m seething about what has developed. I would never have thought it possible.

    But I feel there may be something worth watching now. The next couple of games will tell us whether that’s false optimism on my part or no.

  247. the three amigos who run the club or are they the three wise monkeys i think the monkeys is a better one and Lambert is the see no evil the other two fox speek and Lerner the hearone that just sums them up about right

  248. Love this one, can almost hear the Holte End in full voice:

    You put your left back in
    Your Centre back out
    The right back in middle and
    Leave your best Striker out
    Down a bottle of Whiskey and you
    Spin around
    Cuz that’s what Lambert’s all about
    Oohh the jokey scotty
    Oohh the jokey scotty
    Oohh the jokey scotty
    Boards kicked, arms flapped
    LAMBERT’S A CLOWN!!

  249. whilst waiting for my daughter l was sat in my car listening to a great game between , sheff utd and spuds , and then at half time some joker came on called Fox , and the line that stood out from the interview was , Learner is having FUN with the Villa , fucking joke and lamberk has a plan , so did Baldrick !! back to the game , a young 18 year old scored 2 goals in 3 mins to shake the spuds and a 17 year old started to frighten the spuds defence , but wait , young kids cant play till their over 20 as some might have you believe , and it was against a premier side , so the line” its the championship ” IMO gets shot to pieces and look at some of the dirge our so -called premiership players are dishing out ,
    my nephew has just signed a 5 fight contract with BAMMA and his first fight is on the 21st Feb , and l think lm just going to follow him and give the villa a break , good thing is we will be going into Europe for a couple of his fights so good good all round , listening to that Fox made my mind up , still going to southampton away(not attending the game ,staying in pub) at the end of season , but that’s because were going to Bournemouth for the weekend and a bit of Granny Grabbing ))),

    well lm off to meet steamer and have a stroll around Erdington whilst daughters laptop being fixed and no doubt will probably bump into Pete the Greek , got a length of 10ml x3 core armoured cable , just in case , heard that area has gone down the dumps , pity that !
    have a nice day and weekend ,

  250. 🙂 love the song PP

    If Randy is having fun with villa i would hate to see him having a mare with the club

    interesting proposed signing however in demba ba and sinclair — both would improve the team imo

    Jen if you go into the dean jazz folder you can just copy all on the tracks and paste them into a folder on your own pc — hope that helps

  251. fair play in signing gill & Sinclair. 2 areas we needed strentheing. Might score the odd goal now!

    Always liked Sinclair and he is certainly fresh after sitting on the bench for 3 years! Just hope he is not another Ireland and wants to play footy.

    Ba is never going to happen he is just about the £££….and we are the wrong club for that!!

  252. Tom Fox’s attempt to justify Lerners continued support for Lambert just doesn’t add up in any way, he even mentions that football is a results based business, so are the tables and results supporting his argument ? no way. He previously mentioned that no-ones job was secure at VP, another lie, if i may make a suggestion Mr Fox, don’t take us for fools, EVERY Villan knows more about football than yourself and Lerner, you are the fools for attempting to con us. Faulkner was pathetic as a CEO, Lerner refused to take the advice of the fans and sack him, likewise, he hesitated when McCleish and Houllier proved to be disasters, the man hasn’t a clue and is shafting the club, we want our Villa back.

  253. Runtingz – I’ve downloaded the jazz to my drop box folder now – cheers for that x

    More excited by Ba that Sinclair . He was very impressive at Newcaste – but if memory serves me right Cisse came along and it went pear shape .
    Don’t know enough about Sinclair to pass judgment other than he last played for City in 2012.

  254. I reckon this thread is going to run longer than The Mousetrap. Not sure about Sinclair and slightly enthusiastic about Ba; as Benteke has proven, even prolific scorers dry up with the wrong service to the point that they have problems getting back into the scoring mode.
    Looks likely that Costa will miss the game v Villa – without him they are finding it hard to score as well..

  255. Apparently we have had a £13million bid for Demba Ba turned down…?????? thought we were broke..?? and we are still fighting to sign Alli from MK Dons….

    Maybe Lambert gave the board an ultimatum…..and now we are building a team capable of competing in the Premiership. Still think that Fox’s appointment was more than just a lucky move by Lerner, time will tell.

  256. Frem…..i want you to sit down before your read this…….We have signed a WINGER!!!

    Ba will never happen £££££££

    We need a striker though. All we have is tekkers! Having 1 striker on your books is asking for trouble.

  257. Clark injured.

    Can’t see what all the excitement is about, a lucky win against that footballing giant Bournemouth and the signing of perennial reserve Scott Sinclair who couldn’t get a game at the Boggies. Lambert is still manager and Lerner is still owner/custodian, whats changed ?

  258. So we’ve signed something called a winger. This is a type of player comfortable on the ball, happy to receive it on the touch line and good with the ball in tight areas.

    Mmm. Lamberk won’t be having that so Sinclair will be stuck left back probably

    I hope he can play tomorrow

  259. I think this has been a positive transfer window for Villa. Delph signs a new contract, Gil looks decent and now we have Sinclair on loan.

    Sanchez has found his feet in the Premier League, Okore and Clark look awesome together. Hopefully we can have a better second half of the season

  260. Just need to send Cleverley back to Manure now and give Bacuna some more game time and give Grealish a proper chance. Would be nice to offload Insomnia as well. Is Baker back for Sunday? Let’s hope so! So four at the back, three in the middle, two wingers and Benteke the lone target man??? I’ll take that. Hate to admit it but Lambert has done some good business this window. I tells it likes I sees it!!! Clap Clap Clap 😉 …
    UTV

  261. Jenny

    I liked the interview Sinclair did with Jack. He seems to be down to earth, honest and just wants to get cracking.
    He’ll need to be A1 fit because he’ll be in the deep end soon enough.

  262. Hey Matt,

    You’re losing the plot. Either write regular articles or give up as you now have. WTF – I have to browse through 2 week old comments based on your most recent article? Just write 2 lines, but change the blog every 3 days…

  263. I may not write regular, but I’m giving up on my fav blog as Matt doesn’t give a sh.t…BTW, just because the team is doing bad doesn’t mean you can’t post regular blogs. It looks like for every post that you want to write something deep. Nobody cares…

  264. So to provide an idea:

    Villa sign Scott Sinclair – how will he do based on he had been a reserve player all season? Wil he now be super motivated? How long will it take him to get up to EPL pace?

  265. I agree Trinity – this is prob Scot’s last real opportunity to make a recovery in the game . After his exclusion at City (and let’s face it he was competing with world class competition ) and who knows what happened at baggies, means the chance of regular first team action must be like a gift from heaven . He has to grab it and I think he will .

  266. interesting point made by steve froggatt about arsenal, they are the only top side without dept, since they moved to the emirates they have invested little in the team and paid off any dept. this now leaves them potentially in a good position to dominate in coming years. You can bet Mr Fox who’s ex arsenal has had a word in Mr lerners shell-like and is trying to move us in that direction. unpalatable as it may be Lambert is a means to an end, he has been at first fire fighting with the chubster to keep us afloat and has succeded, now it appears he has been given the chance to began the build alongside a man that knows the formula. As Fox has stated it will be another 5 years because like it or not FFP has changed the face of football if you want to be a perennial top 6 team.

  267. Matt posts regularly on Facebook; maybe he is feeling the strain as all the other regular contributors seem to have deserted him – Jason – not to be seen, Kristina has found love, Ian is losing faith (although he cannot be said to be a regular contributor), it’s been so long I’ve forgotten who else posted. I’ll have to get off this marathon thread and look at the menu

  268. Graham O’Gara and John Lerwill. John used to write some stuff that produced comments. I guess we should not compalin without giving Matt a chance to explain his absence.

  269. Being a football fan can be tough. You’re passionately, emotionally involved with your club but it’s largely a one sided relationship where you’re unable to influence your partner. This tends to lead to huge swings in mood depending on your partner’s behaviour at the time.
    Right now Villa seem to be doing some things right (off the pitch at least) and suddenly, hope is rekindled that they do love us after all!
    If we lose our next two games (which the bookies would strongly suggest we will) then we’ll be back in the dumps again.
    In my rose tinted world I think that after that we’ll see Sinclair start to click (I agree with Jenny that he’ll take this his last chance) and with Delph, Sinclair and Gill in midfield we will finally have the creativity we need to spark Benteke into scoring again.
    A bit more patience needed I reckon. Villa does love us but I reckon they won’t be bringing us flowers for a few weeks yet.

  270. Fairly confident today that we don’t lose by more than three, Arsenal have a few doubt in the goalscoring department and we have the same ref as the one last year so a 1-0 defeat for me.

  271. Can’t see us getting anything from the Emirates to be honest, I have horrible feeling Arsenal will give us a reality check live on TV. I think Gil and Sinclair will give us more balance and creativity, however my worry is Lambert and his sheer stubbornness in shoehorning players into positions they clearly aren’t used to or comfortable in, in order to set up ultra defensive.
    If as expected we get nothing from the next two games, we will prob be in the bottom 3 , we really need to start winning games, and in order to do this we need to score goals, we simply can’t afford to continue to set up so defensive, which isn’t working to well anyway as we are still losing games on a regular basis.

  272. Mark,
    Only just found out the game being tomorrow, booked my seats at the pub too.
    B62,
    As you said, we’ve got to start winning, we’re running out of games, but Lamberts head is up his own arse, he can’t see it. Gil will make a slight difference if selected but i don’t expect ANYTHING off Sinclair, he’ll play but basically he’s crepe, apart from a couple of games at Swansea he’s shown bugger all and he’s 25 now.
    It’ll take a relegation to wake up the imposters and then they’ll forget the ‘real fans’ jibes and just stay away and deny they supprted this regime.

  273. steamer/b62
    to be fair he has stated that he has played gabby and weimann as wingers and they are now vying for a spot up top
    so if he stays with two up top and delph and Gil in midfield he can only play 2 defensive mids whatever the formation. as we are likely to lose these next 2 anyhow I think he will go tekkers weimann up top in a 442/4132 with weiman dropping off to make 5 in midfield when needed. when Sinclair is up to speed we may even see 433 again.

  274. Ah but will he only play 2 defensive MF’s, we all know what a negative manager he is, i think he’ll play Guzan: Hutton,Okore,Baker,Siss, Cleverley, Westwood, Sanchez, Delph: Crappy, Benteke. Sinclair & Gil, i think will be subs. Although he seems to be bending ever so slightly to the fans demands regarding a No10 and a winger, it is only a slight tweek, he’s still fundamentality very, very negative, he won’t change his spots and to the contrary at the first set back he’ll revert to type.

  275. Angel 8

    I am sure there is a good reason for the absence of Matt.

    Maybe Steamer or Jenny could write a couple of leaders for him to put out.

    It does make it more difficult when it does not change frequently, and perhaps someone should volunteer to take over Monty’s role as Asst Editor, and then there could be more posts.

  276. No I have some ,but the last was on 29th.

    Just realised, there is a new post up from him here.

    Must find out about this Jazz. Have not listened to much lately.

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