With the Walsall game tonight, it is finally starting to feel like the new season is upon us. Yes, there have been games played before now, but a trip to the Bescot seems to make it real for me given it is a yearly outing I enjoy taking part in.

With my money paid for my season ticket yet again – admittedly that was done months ago – and the season almost upon us, I’m wondering how we are going to get on.

So, without further delay, here’s my view on what to expect:

Aston Villa will lose more games than they win though, hopefully, they will manage to avoid losing more games than they win and draw combined.

We’ll bob around in the mid-lower table for most of the season, though depending on early results we may find ourselves the right side of the middle.

We’ll survive, again, assuming things stay as they are. If we buy more players before kick off, we may do a little better. By the same token, if Ron Vlaar is tempted away, we may well do a fair bit worse.

Looking at the above, it makes me wonder how someone who qualifies himself as logical – me that is – can be anything less than pessimistic about the new campaign.

I’ll be honest – I’m frustrated. Despite the fact that we are “moving forwards” by being put up for sale, the reality is less clear cut. Being on sale is one thing – actually being sold is another and, as we’ve seen with other clubs, that process can last far longer than a few months.

Instead, we’re getting by on cheap deals, a consequence of years of overstretched finances. That we are where we are is immutable, but there’s a strong feeling in me that it could have been managed far better with more continuity, and less of the flip-flopping we’ve seen in past years – would we have spent as much on Darren Bent only to make him worthless within a few years if we had one consistent person in charge?

With all that said, there’s still a lot of desire to change even more personnel amongst the fans. Yes, the owner is selling and, yes, the chief executive has gone, but there’s still a feeling amongst some that the manager should be next in line.

Speaking personally, I don’t think it is the right time to change manager. Why? Firstly, I don’t think Paul Lambert has done a bad job under the circumstances he has had to work under. That doesn’t – by any stretch – indicate that he couldn’t have done a better job, but it does make me think he is entitled to the remainder of his contract.

In addition, with a sale coming up, changing manager to anyone other than a caretaker would make no sense. After all, if there’s one thing most new owners do, it’s bring their own management team with them. With that in mind, getting rid of the manager would just mean yet more change when a sale goes through.

Of course, as stated above, the sale could take a long time. Given that, there’s an argument that we can’t just keep things as they are and expect any real improvement now that Randy Lerner appears to be fairly reticent to spend any significant amount of money on new acquisitions.

However, what options are there? Villa are, undoubtedly, a club stuck between a rock and a hard place. Staying exactly the same will bring little or no improvement, whilst changing things in the context of little investment hardly offers any dramatic possibilities of progress.

So, as we get to the Walsall game, it’ll all be feeling pretty familiar. Whether that is a good thing depends on who you talk to, of course, as some will be happy to see another season of football whilst others, understandably, will be wondering how it’ll be any different to the past few years.

Comments 166

  1. Hello Matt,
    A good result for AVFC tonight would be a heavy defeat by Walsall, nothing would change but the thought police would be slightly miffed. i object to my civil liberties being challenged at any time never mind by a lunatic American using a third rate football club to do it. This club has reached a new low, the admin has lost 14,000 season ticket holders and is determined to lose more. What happened to Lerners fine words when he bought the club ? its now a case of us and them and the players are definitely on the side of them, who can remember the last time so-called Villan Gabby broke sweat ?
    Disgrace doesn’t cover how this club has been destroyed by Lerner. AVFC RIP.

  2. John,
    There are still some very decent people at VP, not many, but still a few. Our fans deserve better than to be dictated to by an incompetent idiot like Lerner who hasn’t had the balls to watch Villa at home for 20 months. I hope Bescott is full of Villans armed with the most abusive banners they can muster and that they make sure Lambert and Lerner ( Who’s jet arrived this morning ) know exactly how we feel.
    Personally i’m finished until this scum are out of VP.

  3. Hi Matt,
    I used to go to the Walsall games before I emigrated – my mate used to get passes to the bar where we could mingle with the players afterwards; included the great Cyrille Regis. Remember when Merse scored for Walsall against us?

    On the club front, I for one tend to agree with you that a managerial change while in a state of flux is not going to achieve anything, if anything it would be disruptive. What is needed is a speedy resolution to the sale if one is going to happen.

    My main concern is that ‘concrete Ron’ gets tempted away to somewhere.

    Pleased to see John turned down the offer of talking about putting his book back on the shelves at VP; his book will sell long after the current bunch of incompetents are long gone and forgotten.

    UTV

  4. Going to game tonight and like Steamer I hope there is banners against Randy and Lambert. At the least tell Lambert how we feel. A defeat by Wallsall wouldn’t be a surprise. We will play our usual way, everyone in our half half. Hopefully the fans will sing ” We are even worse than last year, we are even worse than last year ” and ” we want our Villa back”

    3500 Villa fans going today. Great support to watch two shite football sides.

    ST75- do you have a ECS card, or a CSCS card ?

  5. I like the PR BS from Villa. Given saying Villa are desperate to keep Vlaar. Lambert saying the sme

    Notice how neither have said Vlaar is desperate to say or can say anything for definite. They are preparing us for his exit. Hoping people buy season tickets in between

  6. Clive Evans, I got the same email from John Lerwill, very proud that he stood his ground after being treated so shabbily, I’ve ordered my copy of his new book directly.

    Anyway back to all things on field and the anger of the last few seasons performances has subsided, unfortunately replaced by lethargy, albeit my wife and kids will most likely suffer many post match mood swings between now and the end of the season. I’ve absolutely no hopes for this season, it may well ensure that any win is met with unsurpassed glee, and any defeat is met with ‘I told you so’.

    Vlaar proved himself over a few WC games that he has quality, we know he has but we also know, he’s had to carry his partner in every Villa game and also been under more pressure in one Villa game than 5 World Cup games. I do hope he stays, I hope he sees a potential partnership with Okore that he’d like to try. If he does go, it has to be a top team as our rivals for mid table obscurity shouldn’t be given a chance to bid.

    My reference to mid table obscurity is a last ditched attempt at positvity as I don’t see us getting anything from our opener away to Stoke and it will be downhill from there.

    With regard to the treatment of John Lerwill and the treatment of the Lions clubs, not just the chairpersons but every member of one including myself, I’m actually shocked by the ineptitude, the lack of foresight releasing the code would have and the lack of engagement with the Lions clubs in preparing the code of conduct.

    There shouldn’t be any issue with a code of conduct but the wording, the intention perceived or reality is contemptible and laughable and at the same time, as a non-season ticket holder and someone who gets to games rarely, I’m loathe to give my one game a season tradition but I can very quickly give up spending money on merchandise so goodbye new Away kit until another season or a sea change in Villa management.

    Along with 14000 former season ticket holders, clearly there is a significant backlash on the way if the bomb squad, kids and returning injured players don’t perform from the outset. I agree it would be pointless to remove Paul Lambert at this time and luckily it is not the performance based contract other managers seem to get i.e. poor results and you’re out, he’s keeping his position because the club is for sale, truly an endorsement of a brilliant manager.

    Final point and that is given Manchester City’s bending of the FFP rules to get players in via non-EU football teams, Is there a possibility that potential owners will see this and now see an opportunity to invest in Villa, I do have an uncanny ability to clutch at straws in order that we get the ‘bright future’ we all deserve as long suffering Villa fans.

    UTV

  7. Newcastle signing quality as well so chances of us having zero points after Newcastle and Stoke are very high.

    Lambert will say we were excellent though and that we are young side ( yep, he will still say that) and that there’s still a long way to go

  8. Another Lambert stat

    Our average pass distance was 21.8 yards last season. The longest in the Prem

    HOOF HOOF HOOOOOOOOOOOOFFF!!!!!

  9. Clive/Darren,

    Completely agree about John the way he has stuck to his guns it is a shame there are not more people at VP with his integrity.

    Matt,

    Cannot agree with you about Lambert , I personally think he has done a terrible job and some of his signings have been horrific, ok he has had his hands tied to a certain extent but I can think of many managers who would have made a better fist of it and maybe got the tactics right, he has made some god awful decisions and is very lucky to be in a job of any description.

    Darren,

    FFP is the biggest crock of shit ever invented by UEFA.

    UTV

  10. SWV

    I think the chumps league is the worst thing UEFA have given us, the death nell for smaller clubs in the prem and indeed some larger ones. it started this all or bust attitude and accelerated the wages the ridiculous levels.
    when it was just the champions of each country it was fun to watch and had some edge as it was a knock-out competition. now its tedious until the quarters on. it also made the UEFA cup a decent spectacle, now nobody cares until they are knocked out of the chumps and even then not a lot. if they had left it as was you probably wouldn’t need FFP.
    Arsenal won one FA cup in 10 years yet are still considered a top side in Europe utter shite

  11. Trying to think what Lambert has actually done right …………………………………………………….. no, sorry.
    Now Lerner on the other hand has …………………………………………………………… oops, sorry again.
    The worst run professional football club in the country, do they feel shame ? meh.

  12. Russell Jones, Villa’s head of marketing and communications, said: “There have been suggestions that we have forced the code of conduct on Lions Clubs to prevent criticism of Aston Villa.

    “That’s not true. Constructive criticism is always welcome and debate around team selection, tactics and players is what makes being a football fan special.

    “However, while voluntary, being a Lions Club chairman is a responsible and ambassadorial role.

    “In keeping with our values as a family club, both the Club and the steering group agreed that we shouldn’t tolerate abuse of individuals – either chairmen of other Lions Clubs or members of staff.

    “For clarity, abuse is defined as targeted bullying with the intention to cause distress.

    What a load of knackers, Jones is trying to worm out of a problem that should never have arisen.
    They just can’t take the flak that deserverve.

    Dunno if the club will ever be sold although i have a feeling that somethings happening but what i will say is that unless the next owner is a lot smarter than Lerner ( Not difficult ) we are in Bankrupt Strasse. We really could be the next Pompey and Lerner would sell to ANYONE just to get shot of us, do you trust him to sell to someone with integrity ? no, he’d sell to anyone if it meant he’d get his £££ back.

  13. Mark, you hit the nail square. The added leagues designed to do nothing but generate money have really messed up with league play. They have reduced premier league play to second tier and relegated a lot of teams to lower league play with no real chance of moving up. The owners of the big teams in the Championship have (IMO) decided to stay there as it’s cheaper, just as entertaining and the fans just as happy. With happy being a quantitative number from 1 to 10. I wonder how disfunctional the leagues are in continental Europe.
    Things have to change-the sooner the better.

  14. Hi Matt n all

    trying to find some positives for the coming season
    1.tekkers
    2.Vlaar
    3.Grealish
    4.other acandamy hopefulls
    5.Zoggy
    6.Amazing fans particularly away
    7.Other sides having a worse pre season than us ie west ham

    i wont go into the negitives on this occasion

    VITD

  15. Steamer: There are still some very decent people at VP, not many, but still a few.

    Oh, yes, mate, I agree with that. Unfortunately they don’t appear to be in the main decision-making jobs.

  16. Steamer: …but what i will say is that unless the next owner is a lot smarter than Lerner ( Not difficult ) we are in Bankrupt Strasse….

    And the added worry is that any new owner may well be a non-football man (as we would define him) and take the admin structure at VP ‘as is’. Though he would have to appoint a CEO … wouldn’t he? (Thinking of Doug Ellis’s prevarication on that).

  17. Hello Matt
    Hope you enjoy the game, I’m at work, but will look out for the result.
    I too hope the Villa faithful give Lambert and Lerner dogs abuse, and let them know just how angry we are these low life’s are killing our club.
    Matt
    Lambert should have gone ages ago, he should definitely have gone at the end of last years horrific season. He has the worst win % of any Villa manager in the premier league era, and broke his own record for most home defeats.
    It’s obvious seal is just taking what cash he can from the club, sod the consequences, he’s just pocketed £80m from the TV and Macron deals let alone the rest of the incoming cash ie ST sales( inc my £510!!!) merchandise etc.
    He only paid £62.5m for the club, the large losses are down to his own greed and stupidity, he’s put FA in for the last 4 seasons, he’s flown in today so I hope he gets the message.

  18. B62

    Yes, but Matt is right that PL has had to walk the line set by RL. That has made it more difficult to judge Lambert’s ability on his own terms.

    We’ll soon know, however, whether an improved-looking squad (with injured players mainly recovered) will be organised properly to do the job that we expect.

    In reality, we need to give PL til October at least, unless it goes completely haywire before then.

  19. Evening all, well we may not be making many signings but we are on Talk Sport, the Bham Mail – but for all the wrong reasons.

    Well done Matt for being so positive . I can accept that with the club for sale, we are treading water, but the way that our Aston Villa treasures like John L , Tayls and the Lions Supporters clubs are being treated is more difficult to excuse or bear.

    I have read the “statement” by Russell Jones and he has introduced his own interpretation of the word abusive which was not included in the original Code . THe Oxford Dictionary definition of abusive is “using insulting language, criticizing harshly” so not sure where he is getting the ““For clarity, abuse is defined as targeted bullying with the intention to cause distress.” . Was this the intention of the Code, to stop bullying ? Or was it to prevent “harsh criticism”. Whatever interpretation Rusell Jones wants to put on it after the event, the Code prevents Lions Chairmen from entering into conversations on social media like facebook and twitter allbeit in their personal capacity. That is why they didn’t sign up not because they want to bully those “connected with the club”. A meaningless and ridiculous statement which has insults the Lions Supporter Club personnel further.

  20. Alan Hutton. How nice he scored. Seeing players deemed expendable scoring in the pre season is good for the club. There are quite a few players who have shone in the past and can again. Plus players who are premier quality and players who have a big upside to them. I think with a bit of luck a decent season is upon us. 10 million isn’t a king’s ransom but a good buy can be had.
    Please god, I promise to be a good boy

  21. Fair do’s to the lads, going to Walsall and getting a result takes some doing. To overcome the coachlag from the M6 was heroic, heroes all of ,em. Gabby was on top form again i hear. That result will have Stork shaking in their boots. Can’t see Mr Lerner turning up to see the fruits of his efforts, real shame, hope the fans didn’t abuse the club in front of the Reverend Russell Jones who doesn’t like the fans using abusive language to tell the truth. Oh well, till next year.

  22. its not about pride, its about how much can we take! what doesn’t kill u make u stronger!

    Having worked for npower i believe i can take a lot. ( bunch of skanks)

  23. this should happen – 1) Walsall’s people should talk to Villa’s people and forge closer links between the clubs

    The Banks’s Stadium would be an ideal setting for Villa’s young guns to learn their trade on loan. For a start Dean Smith is a Villa fan! He likes to promote young talent and his Saddlers side try to play football the right way, on the floor. It’s just down the road, meaning the loanees could remain in their digs, while the claret and blue coaches don’t have very far at all to check on their progress. Love thy neighbours and there’s more chance of the reciprocal arrangement of jumping the queue if and when some Walsall gems emerge. Other than academy midfielder Connor Taylor joining Saddlers for a disappointing spell – making just one appearance – after being released by Villa in 2012, the trickle between the clubs has been far too thin in recent seasons.

    more here – http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/5-things-learned-aston-villas-7569200?

  24. the only way the last 100 years of poop will go away is developing our own players , theres 5 -7 million peps, in west mids – we can do it , there’s only 10 mill in holland and they consistently get to the later stages off the world cup. surely it can’t all be sucide bombers here!

  25. feel bad for him, ok he’s a twatster! like most footballers, but he didn’t get a chance to balls upunder lambrk , and if am honest he did at least try under mcleish

  26. Hello Rogermuffin 🙂 your posts made me smile .
    A relief to see us win and blow me down Hutton saves the day . Good for him . Good vibe for us going into the Parma game so well worth the trip . When are squad numbers coming out ?

  27. Just back from the game. Words cannot describe how dire this team and manager are. First especially. We played 5 at the back ( Twat Lambert) and Wallsall were the better side. Guzan had more touches then any Villa out field player. Our 3 useless CB’s passed it side to side then back to Guzan who hoofed it. That’s all we did first half. Clueless. 5 at the back don’t work, but Lambert will play it and play it and play it

    Second half we changed to 433 and were better. Still to much of a counter formation but we controlled the game second half and looked much more comfortable. Still dire but slightly better. Weather it 532 or 433, we will struggle big time this season. KEA Wiemann and Gabby will still be starters game after game. All 3 are shocking footballers beyond belief, especially Gabby who shot one ball over the roof and it’s not the smallest stadium around

    Lowton and Zoggy linked up well together on the right, Delph had a few bursting runs and Grealish looked good when he came on but apart from that an awful game and performance. We beat them 5-0 last year, got away with a lucky 1-0 win tonight. Shows our decline under Lambert. Speaking to a couple of fans after and they can’t believe how bad we are

  28. Randy to make a massive 10 million pounds available for Lambert to waste

    Ki, Sinclair and Mosses would be good signings though. We’d have 2 out and out wingers and a quality CM partner for Delph instead of KeA

    We desperately need attacking quality as tonight shown

  29. Thanks for the report Frem . I thought Lowton had gone ? Where did I get that from . Gabby 🙂 a naughty media man from AV put the caption “Gabby in the thick of it ” under the match photo. You can guess the comments 🙂 🙂
    10 million – at this late stage and after PL said we were gojng for free transfers ? Is this to boost ST sales to make the club more attractive to prospective purchasers or has RL seen the bookies odds on us to get relegated – joint fourth with The Baggies . Will believe it when it is spent .

  30. I thought he was off as well so surprised to see him in the squad when I arrived. He had a link play with Zoggy though, something we should stick us. Zoggy is by far our most exciting player

    I think we will spend a tiny bit of money Jenny. It might be PR BS, but I think they hVe realised how dire this team is. WBA will finish miles ahead of us at this rate, everyone will

    There is take over rumours back tonight. Someone saying it will happen. Tomorrow, someone saying Red Bull next week. It’s on TBAR. We’ve had about 1 billion new owners on that site since Randy announced he’s selling

  31. 10 mil or 100 million, don’t make any diff. if we can’t the natives to under stand the ball is yours and not to be given away like a hot potato , we are up a creek without a paddle.

  32. True Roger. We don’t keep it for more than a few seconds. Let’s hope there is some truth in he take over talk

    Ian- did you get my messages I sent to you on here ?

  33. frem

    i watched the whole game on tele and at no point were walsall the better side, we passed it about a lot between the backs and the mid field but with no real centre forward on the pitch not surprising, our mid field and fullbacks carried our only real threat. hutton played ok as did lowton. Nzogbia looks class at the moment streets ahead of the others. gardener did ok when he came on even baker wasn’t shite.
    we should of had at least 5 kea hit a post and had a couple of other shots saved. if bent had been up top he would of finished some of those

  34. rogermuffin 10 mil or 100 million, don’t make any diff. if we can’t the natives to under stand the ball is yours and not to be given away like a hot potato , we are up a creek without a paddle.

    Spot on. This is what I (and we all I suppose) are most afraid of – that all the talk can’t equate to organisation and method on the pitch.

    Oh well … let’s see what happens.

  35. What about a goalscorer who puts them in with his shin? There’s one managing a club near me..

    Peter Withe ‏@Peter_Withe 1h

    I have agreed to take over Nakhon Pathom United played golf this morning with Panuwat and his wife Madam
    Clive Evans ‏@clifric

    @Peter_Withe Best of luck there Peter – will be a challenge to get them up to Premier League!

  36. Frem you would find fault if your supported Real or Bayern…. Change the record son. Its the same old tired lines. We get it! You don’t like Lambert, We play shit football, KEA is his bum buddy, Wiemann and Gabby are undroppable and WE NEED WINGERS!!!!!!!

    I wasn’t at the game, but watched it on line. I’ve read the reports from Birmingham Mail, I’ve seen the other article on MOMS etc.

    Everything I’ve seen and read makes me wonder if the bluenoses has a game last night and you turned up to watch it by accident? It would seem you where at a different game.

    Was the performance brilliant? No. I can see that, like most. Was it as bad as you say? Not by a long shot.

    Its great that your as passionate as you are, but it would seem you are allowing other things cloud your judgement of what your eyes are actually seeing.

    With a proper CF up top last night a Bent, Benteke or Kovak we’d have scored 5 or 6. We where the stronger team in both halves, and you’re right we did look more of a threat in the second half.

    I don’t think this team is what we deserve at Villa Park, but is this the worst team in the Premier League? Not by a long shot for me.

    Gabby should be stood down at this point, he looks way off pace.
    Weimann needs to regroup and spend a period out of the team too.

    I feel against Parma we will see our strongest team start… what that will be I don’t know. But I guess Lowton just might sneak in ahead of Hutton, Hopefully we can get Ki and Moses. I’m not fussed about Sinclair tbh.

    Lowton Okore Vlaar Richardson
    Westwood KEA Delph
    Grealish Bent N’Zogbia

    Or with a couple of signings…

    Lowton Okore Vlaar Richardson
    Delph Ki
    Moses N’Zogbia Grealish
    Bent

    Not great but the core looks a lot stronger than last seasons.

  37. Frem,
    Whats this about a takeover ?

    Rog,
    Great posts mate.
    That Eagles clip is on my bookmarks, love to see Joe Walsh and Don Felder try to out do each other, both great guitarists. The guitarist who went on the Oz tour isn’t exactly mediocre either, the full Melbourne concert is on YT.
    Something could be done with Walsall, perhaps they could take us over a run us properly.

  38. For me, there is a vast uncertainty at VP. It would appear that unless Vlaar and Benteke are playing the team finds it difficulty to get a result against the likes of Walsall, and if that is the case then the season does not auger well – the presence of at least one of those two in the past two seasons was also a virtual necessity – otherwise relegation would most likely have occurred.

    However, I cannot see that we will not really know what lies ahead until we’ve gained an idea watching them in the first Prem match.

    The truth lies somewhere between what Frem and Lambert are saying! 🙂

  39. Frem . no l never had a cscs card or a jib when they were being used , you will need a cscs if your going on building sites , apply now mate as the office staff seem to sit on their arses on f/b or something as l had to ring them about 4 times for my nephew ,

    GOG
    the spanish couple by me moaned like fuck about Real Madrid last season as did the Man city fan in the green man , and as frem’s got a season ticket and never misses a home game l think he has every right to moan about the shite he has to watch for the last 4 years, l know a few lads his age who have given up wasting their hard earned cash .the villa should feel lucky to have a fan like him turning up every game . l was going last night night with 5 others , but we thought about it and stayed in the pub as they witnessed the chesterfield shite , plus if you dont like reading frems posts . scroll past . there’s some on here which l do ……………….simples

  40. Steamer I’ve got no problem reading frems gripes about the state of the club and team, in fact much of the time I can see the point he is making. His thoughts on Walsall though seemed to be clouded by his hatred of all things Lambert.

    There is a a difference between objective criticism and just constantly bashing everything irrespective of what is actually going on.

    I have sunk in to a pit of lethargy like many Villans…

  41. Think they streamed you the wrong game Mark and Graham. You sure it wasn’t just a repeat of last years 90 mins against Wallsall they shown you ? First half we were dire and Wallsall had a few half chances in the goal I was behind. It was Baker, to Clark, to Okore, they had knowone to pass it to, bad to Guzan and HOOOOOOF!!!!! We did that for 45 mins. Second half we actually looked like a decent team

    ST75- I will apply mate to get it done

    Steamer-Just on TBAR again. I think it’s BS as usual. Randy is in the UK and Lambert did no interview yesterday or once get up of his arse on the touch line. Hopefully a man about to be sacked.

  42. Graham- the first line up In a 433 will get us relegated hands down. Let’s not try to counter At home this season

    The second line up is much better

  43. If Ki doesn’t come I wonder about playing Clark in the middle with Delph…

    I would also still be keen to see Westwood given a role behind ahead of two holding midfielders. Someone who knows how to move in to space and can consistently find a team mate further up the pitch would be a big help.

  44. If Ki doesn’t sign we better have someone else lined up. Rodwell would have been ideal, only 5 mill but he’s gone to another potential relegation rival. Sunderland might be fine though going by there run towards the end of last season

    I don’t think Lambert would use Clark as a DM. He never has yet. More chance of Herd being moved there I’d say

    Westwood is one of only a few, if any, players who can spot a pass In this team. He’s not a DM that’s for sure, never seen him actually tackle anyone.

    I hope Randys here to get Vlaar and Delph signed up, free some ££££ to allow us to sign quality like Ki and mosses and appoint a CEO who actually knows what football is and as soon as he watches Lamberts tactics will realise they ain’t good

  45. GOG,
    Gabby should be stood down at this point, he looks way off pace.
    Weimann needs to regroup and spend a period out of the team too.

    Agree mate, i think Gabby’s finished as a threat, his physical condition and now lack of enthusiasm combined with lack of ability means that a new contract should definitely NOT be offered, sign here Gab £50,000 for bugger all.
    Weimann is a massive disappointment for me, two or three years ago i thought he’d kick on and join a proper club but he’s content to piss it up the wall.

    i think last nights team will start except Senders and Vlaar in for Clark and Baker.

    Agree again ( bad habit ) about Clark in MF, i think its obvious but the last two managers didn’t so thats me told.

  46. It’s hard not to be down about villa if your care but also expect half decent football

    frem the pass distance stat you posted is frightening

    I saw there was a little excitement about us beating walsall – also frightening

    so is it true PL didnt do an interview after the game — if true that could be a sign that things are about to change at the villa

  47. I’ve seen Clark play DM quite a few times in the dark McLeish era. He is absolutely horrible in this position. Far too slow and has unacceptable passing ability for someone in this position. He is OK at Centre Back, better than Baker certainly but I would be horrified to see him play DM. We are better off playing with 3 centre backs than doing this.

    I see Baker and Clark as back up players that aren’t really good enough unless we are playing with 3 central defenders.

    Lambert clearly wants our defensive midfielder not to be a primarily a breaker up of play but someone that can sit in front of the back 4 and distribute the ball well. Just like Gordon Cowans did for many years with a high degree of success. Westwood (although nowhere near Cowans’ class) does this job reasonably and I guess someone like Ki is in that category as well.

    I agree with Lambert on this.

  48. Frem,
    Good player as he potentially is, when you haven’t got much £££ you can’t afford to gamble it on an injury prone player like Rodwell. I do like Ki though although in an attacking role.

  49. Droyd,
    He showed he was up to it against Arsenal, two goals and missed a sitter, broke up play and generally scared the shite out of them, got to be better than others tried there, including Westwood who, for me, does fuck all bar try a break legs and pass the ball square, sorry to go on about that but i hate the tippy tappy knobs who aren’t a threat to the opposition, don’t hit killer balls, score goals, win tackles and headers, just take up a shirt.

  50. 2014-15 squad list. There’s a new kind of record here … at least 3 specialist c-fs but no number 9 shirt!

    1 Brad Guzan
    2 Nathan Baker
    3 Joe Bennett
    4 Ron Vlaar
    5 Jores Okore
    6 Ciaran Clark
    7 Leandro Bacuna
    8 Karim El Ahmadi
    10 Andreas Weimann
    11 Gabby Agbonlahor
    12 Joe Cole
    13 Jed Steer
    14 Philippe Senderos
    15 Ashley Westwood
    16 Fabian Delph
    17 Chris Herd
    18 Kieran Richardson
    19 Darren Bent
    20 Christian Benteke
    21 Alan Hutton
    22 Gary Gardner
    24 Aleksandar Tonev
    27 Libor Kozak
    28 Charles N’Zogbia
    31 Shay Given
    32 Janoi Donacien
    34 Matt Lowton
    35 Enda Stevens
    36 Daniel Johnson
    37 Callum Robinson
    38 Graham Burke
    40 Jack Grealish

  51. That is a worrying squad list. Some next level shit in there. Let’s hope we had at least 3 more quality players because if Gabby Wiemann and KeA will be in our starting 11 we are fucked from the off

    Get Mosses and Sinclair supplying Benteke with Grelaish or Zoggy in behind him. No need for Gabby to be on the bench any more let alone a starter. Get Kosak back as well as back up to Benteke

  52. First the good news – Red Howard’s retired.
    Now the bad – He’s overseeing refereeing standards – sounds cushy to me, he’s weren’t up to much.

  53. Wouldn’t touch Sinclair, he’s now a media personality rather than a ( second rate ) footballer.

    So Carruthers has bit the dust, i see 6 lesser midfield players on that list. Shame he never got a chance, but that’s Lambert for you.

  54. That squad list is pretty frightening, Graham O’G, I would say we are one of the 4 worst teams in the league, add to that the clueless managership and his sheer stubbornness to continue with tactics/formations/personnel that just don’t work worry me.
    Clark has been tried at DM, but just didn’t cut the mustard, we really need at least 2 new MF, and not more dross.
    RL has come along way to free up £10m( you cannot compete on that budget), unless there are big changes on and off the pitch, I really fear for us this season, the bookies have us among the favourites for relegation, and rightly so.

  55. went for a pint dinner time with a mate who had flew back from holland and went straight to the walsall game and it would seem he agrees with our mate frem he wished he’d stayed on the plane and went back to holland , he follows villa and england everywhere and he agreed with me when l called him a cunt , Steamer ,he asked if you still wore that sheepskin ??? SWW he seems to want to give you a slap !! when you up next ? l said l’d catch your head for him )) , surprisingly he has’nt renewed his ST , he just wants to go the away games now for the laff ….seems to be catching ………….

    Frem . Balfour Beatty , give them a look mate , on radio this morning , looking for young Trades , need loads down London as well , worth a look ,

  56. frem

    that explains it if you were behind the goal at walsall you couldn’t have seen anything surprised they don’t give out dogs and white sticks the views that bad 😉

    B62

    I agree mate two defensive mids at least would make a world of difference. funny enough if Okore wasn’t one of our only hopes at the back I’d try him there before Clarke , he’s mobile and can pick a pass.

    what is going on with gabby? he has lost all his speed and as such shouldn’t even make the bench. also the only players we had that could time their runs were gardener, grealish , nzogbia.

    ST75

    hope your mate left his wallet at hope the poor bugger. have a lookat this should look familiar, its mine you spent it 🙂

    https://www.flickr.com/photos/stevies_snaps/9638480344/

  57. Mark- there was a big ass white pillar in front of me actually 🙂

    Sounds like we have approached a new CEO. Could be a huge boost of he knows a thing or two about football. Will only need him to watch 10 mins of Lambert to realise he needs to the sack. Lambert will be shit scared in case he does know about football because he won’t last long if he does

    ST75- I’ll have a look. Got a couple of things in the pipe line at the moment but have to see what happens

  58. At least we are all agreed that Webb is incredibly overrated.

    His policy was if in doubt don’t give a penalty unless it’s Man Urinal.

    Clattenburg is by far the best ref

  59. Seeing as we are so thin on the ground , particularly in MF , I would like to see Chris Herd given a chance as a defensive mid. He has played in this position before a couple of seasons ago and he did well – even MOTM I recall. He may be rough round the edges , but with improved coaching from Roy Keane just maybe a good MF in him may emerge. I know he’s got his critics but nothing ventured etc. Also let’s hope that Grealish does get some good run outs – with a few more experienced heads with him now I hope this will be his time . Look at Ox Chamberlain and Raheem Stirling – did fantastically well albeit with better players around them. As a pundit on TS said , with those players we should be doing better . That points to the coAches and the manager.

  60. Me neither Mark – Raheem Sterling was mouthy too at first but handled the right way he was amazing latter half of last session . Nothing RK couldn’t handle I’m sure 🙂

  61. Really interesting 3 part fly on the wall documentary about Pool and BR – it was funny to see how BR had to define the boundaries for RS – he was amazingly confident and cheeky . BR wasn’t having any of it but did it in supportive way .

  62. Jenny, was that on youtube or tv? we really could have done with rodgers instead of lambo, a manager who coaches, understands tactics, history etc.. you know all the thing we thought lambo was going to do for us. i am amazed that managers don’t or can’t coach or understand tactics, how can be a manager. Heres a good technique to improve touch get a ball, a light one the kind 3 year olds play with, Then stand at the bottom of your stairs kick the ball up it and when ever it comes down, keep volleying back up the stairs. and of course don’t use your hands. Try it – its damn hard, lambo thats a frebie for you, get gabby trying it, and baker, clark, all of them actually!

  63. There was a time when Lambert was regarded a better manager than Martinez and BR, now he’s regarded as one of the worst managers in the united Kingdom

    No number 9 shirt. Tradition going out the window. Freedom of speech now banned at Villa. A owner who doesn’t care and a manager who has no standards what so ever towards football

    Bring on the 2014 2015 season

    Roger- Cortese name being mentioned in hope. He would be great. Just someone who can see Lambert needs to boot would be great

  64. Possibly the new CEO may be linked to a takeover, it was rumoured that either the first or second week in August was a possibility. Might be that Gary Cook bloke from Man City with the big gob, he comes from Bromsgrove so is probably a Villan, he got them some decent sponsors.

    The number 9 shirt has been decommissioned in honour of Gabby’s goalscoring service.

    Lambert was trapping about more signings after the WC wasn’t he ? more lies, its the only thing he’s any good at.

  65. What about Karren Brady, i still see her at our local petrol station, don’t think she’s on the pumps, seems a nice modest young lady. Actually she’s a fat grotbag with a kite like a bag o’ chisels.

  66. roger

    trouble is if they boot the ball up the stairs in their mansions could take hours to roll back down.

    droyd

    have a look at Southamptons pre-season they don’t appear to be missing the stars

  67. Roger muffin : are you related to ragamuffin . You sound like a cute Beatrix Potter character
    🙂
    It was a tv prog – racking my brains – poss Chanel 5 but shower them in training and managers talks etc . There was also one on QPR (which apparently the owner regretted making after it showed how eccentric he is ) unfortunately didn’t see that one .

    St 🙂 the idea of retiring the no 9 for Gabby’s goal scoring prowess .

  68. The no.9 shirt is not being used purely because Benteke is villa’s no.9 and he does not wish to take it, or has everyone forgotten? he preferred to retain his no.20 shirt, because it had been lucky for him….

    Reading everything that Hutton has said, maybe Lambert really had no choice over the “Bomb Squad” and Lerner or Faulkner or both were just totally clueless on what the result would be in creating it, and how it put Villa back into the mire. I get the feeling that Lambert was given free reign to pull the squad back to respectability this time without any financial back-up, and now Lerner realises he has to provide some cash, in order to prevent his investment going up in smoke.

    The proof and the truth will all come out in time, and who knows what will come out of the woodwork.

  69. Paul: The no.9 shirt is not being used purely because Benteke is villa’s no.9 and he does not wish to take it, or has everyone forgotten?

    Though that may be factually correct, Paul, since WHEN has Villa been without a shirt numbered 9 dashing down the middle? I suppose before 1939 as that’s when shirts started to be numbered!!!

  70. “Reading everything that Hutton has said, maybe Lambert really had no choice over the “Bomb Squad”

    Paul,

    Lambert did have a choice if he had any self respect he would have spoke out and told the fans the reasons why he banished those players instead of being Lerner/Faulkners puppet, at least Stuart Pearce at Forest had the balls to stand up against having players sold without his knowledge, fans admire that honesty and integrity, fans also hate being bullshitted to.

    UTV

  71. Strange that Hutton is saying that two years after the event , when he wants to get back into first team and Prem League , or is it . DB wasn’t told why he was dropped and I recall him saying no one had even spoken to him after he was taken out the team and had his captaincy taken from him. I also remember PL saying “if he wants to speak to me he can come and knock on my door”. It doesn’t excuse PL in my eyes and with all his proclamations of putting our faith in the “young and hungry” and his over seeing of the bomb squad being banned from first team dressing room, training with the kids , squad numbers and all the other humiliations it makes him every bit as responsible as Randy Lerner.

  72. jen

    I thought roger muffin was a viz comic character 🙂

    i’m hearing some rubbish about Vlaar bidding for himself?

    there seems to be no enmity on huttons or Lamberts part

    “He always helped me. Even though what had happened, we were always in contact and talking.”

    “He would do anything to help me. He was always good on that side.”

  73. And intersting to read the history of the no 9 John , as on every AV forum I’ve seen , the question is being asked – who is wearing the no 9 . Do they really think that ppl are gojng to miss that .

  74. Is it Mark 🙂 I am more a Beatrice Potter fan 🙂 also very naiive !

    I read what Hutton has said but why say it two years later . Odd when the bloke was exiled to Mallorca and treated like he was .

  75. So it seems Lerner has come and gone, no takeover news, no knew CEO and status quo on the playing and managerial staff, we are drifting into oblivion whilst randy lines his pockets.

  76. Lerners visit was nothing more than a meeting with head hunters to task them with sorting a new puppet… I mean CEO.

    He tossed a token gesture at Lambert before leaving… ten measly million. But it should be enough to secure the services of Ki. Frimpong is still available on a free and has potential if no brain… but its not stopped Gabby.

    God nows why he hasn’t given Kovak the No.9. Bent wanted 19 and Beteke wanted to keep 20…

    Would have preferred Andi to be No.9… certainly not No.10… but do number actually mean anything anymore?

  77. Talking of the total lack of integrity at VP, surely if they had an ounce of decency between them they’d have told us why Culverarse and Karsa were booted or was it a job for the police ? These clowns are scum, no two ways about it.

  78. Mind you is this Lambert want to play 3/5 at the back?

    Lowton Okore Vlaar Sissoko Richardson

    Or does this mean Vlaar is offski?

    352?

    Back to the days of Gregory?

    Okore Vlaar Sissoko
    Lowton Gardner Ki Delph N’Zogbia
    Grealish
    Benteke

    Diame on the move too apparently, we could do far worse than sign him.

  79. Sissoko is worse than Bennett, Lambert’s a marvelous judge of a full back isn’t he ? Just more crap for the next manager to shift, more of Lerners £££ wasted.

  80. Sissoko REALLY i was only disgussing how poor a player he is with my liverpool cuz — i was laughing at his lack of ability so i guess i shouldnt be suprise lambert likes him –lord help us

  81. Looking forward to having the footy back but fear relegation for villa, and it would be deserved. No tears from me if it happens, you run a club like that and bad things happen.

    £10 mill to improve our team…..thats like sticking a butter fly clip on someone who has lost a limb.

    Some bugger please buy us.

  82. OK, Randy has moved away a bit from the Browns, but this 2012 article is revealing (to me at least): http://www.clevelandfrowns.com/2012/02/randy-lerners-secret-browns-tattoo-and-decoding-the-rest-of-his-interview-with-cleveland-scene-magazine/

    One revealing item is the connection with the US Marines and therefore how General Krulak came along as part of the baggage to Villa Park, I imagine.

    The comments following the article are also worth reading i.m.o.

    But about tattoos:

    Yes, there’s the Aston Villa crest on his ankle, but Lerner also has three other tats: a Celtic knot on his back (four knots, four children), a quote from Odysseus to Calypso in The Odyssey about the idea of home, and one that is a “Browns reference.”

  83. So Lamberts 5th left back is on his way ? hes been here 2 seasons, yet to buy good players in midfield or attack but is now about to sign another crap full back

    Bennett, Richardson and Cissoko all in our fucking squad to fight for one position but we have no wingers and one good CM player

    what a manager

  84. and two more young lads in Carruthers and Johnson who’s Lambert fucked off. better quality in there little toe then KEA but he will start every game

  85. Its actually his 8th attempt at a left back

    Stevens played there for a few games. Baker for a while. Clark. Bennett. Luna. Bertrand. Richardson and now Cissoko

  86. I like Richardson but it seems he is going to be more advanced for us. Have we actually signed sissokho?

    If we get Ki i would be very impressed. Like him a great deal. Just what we need. Is he a holding mid though? When i seen him play he is more advanced? We need a cm destroyer.

  87. http://metro.co.uk/2014/08/07/you-wont-believe-how-sexy-stoke-city-have-become-at-playing-football-4824190/

    FFS. even stoke are passing it now

    Andrew- Not sure why we signed Richardson really. hes not a LB or a LM. I hope we aren’t planning on playing 5 at the back. If Bennett goes then good, if not, we are just filliong up the squad with numbers again and no quality

    Ki is a good player yes. Hes a westwood and Delph in one. Can travel with the ball or do what Westy does and pass it around quickly

    we have two players in our side who can supply people in Grealish and Zoggy. we need more in this month

  88. G-O-G the conversation with my pool cuz went like yes cuz i know we are cr-p but at least non of our players are as bad as Sissoko which he agreed with but said at least it’s only a loan

  89. Well, reading that sissy is a decent defender but shocking with the ball at his feet so Gabby won’t feel alone

    Hutton Vlaar Okore Sissy

    A back four that first should just defend

    2.4 mill. Ive read it’s a loan deal.

    next step, wingers

  90. Matt K saying KR will be used in more of an advanced role. if Lambert thinks he the creating geniuses then we are fucked.

    He also makes a good point though in saying a back four of Hutton, Vlaar Okore and Sissy and good height and strength to it. all are big lads unlike Lowton and Bennett.

  91. Frem sissy will be good for throwing himself in the way of things but if we expect him to find another villa player with a pass that will not happen very ofter = personally i think he would be more suited to rugby lge

  92. JL,
    He also has those wise words tattooed on his arse “You can’t polish a turd.”

    frankly, sheep are fascinating !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    And people like this are on the streets, makes you wonder. That article is proof that the idiots doolally.

  93. Steamer,

    Yeah, but don’t forget that the ‘sheep’ bit is from the writers interpretation of what Lerner stated!

    It does hit me that over there they do have a totally different language and attitude in sport so that you can’t really be amazed how his connection with Villa has not been so good. Still, he’s supposed to have been an anglophile after studying and working here…

    But the Lerner’s family’s background has me wondering just what went on.

    I feel we should be more careful about who comes in as owner/custodian … the biggest mistake was for fans to give up their shareholding by the looks of it.

  94. Well there I was wondering why you were all moaning about buying Sissoko – the tough midfielder we are crying out for – and then the penny dropped – not that Sissoko but Ciskhoko. Drrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr Oh well – far be it for me to rubbish him before he has put on the shirt. He is French so it will be a chum for Nzogbia . But shouldn’t a midfielder be our priority ?

    Interesting article that John – when the Cleveland Browns was such a burden (as they were ultimately) why oh why go and buy an English football club. It just doesn’t make sense.

    ST75 – quiet today ???? xxxxx

  95. Hull qualifying for Europe could be a blessing in disguise for us, like Swansea last season

    Still only see us and Burnley as the two worst sides in this league though. Even Stoke city are in a different class than us

    Lol Jenny. How Long were thinking that we finally signed a quality CM player ? Turns out it’s just another dodgy Left back:)

  96. All of half hour Frem
    – then I traced the correct spelling and thought oh dear – if it seems too good to be true then it usually is 🙂
    Mark – it’s an evil plan to pay us back for moaning last season . 🙂

  97. This bloke could turn out to be the worst LB yet, absolutely clueless, hopefully he’ll fail the medical.
    Lambert just keeps wasting £££, obviously he’s a crap judge of a player but not everyone should be crap. Losing all interest in the club now, there’s nothing with any quality at VP except an injured CF, we’ll be bottom by the end of Sep and we’ll stay there too. Sissoko, ‘eff me where’s me boots.

  98. Thats 30 players now and all bar about half a doz shouldn’t be anywhere near a football pitch, Lamberts lost the plot he’s on a mission to send us down.

  99. Lambert must have some fetish towards left backs. He finally gets a little bit of money, gets all excited about it and just has to sign a LB with it. Still no good CM player, or creative playe

    Steamer- he said he wants a bigger squad, 30 players takes the piss

    We have a big squad full of shit

    i’d rather have a small squad full of quality

    we have to sell at least 5 of the crap we have. There so bad people are only willing to loan

    Baker, Herd, Gabby, Bennett, KEA. They all need to go this month

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