The end of another season looms. Another unwanted record (of the most home defeats) has entered the record book to accompany last season’s record competitive defeat, the 0-8 result at Chelsea. And there was also the Culvergate affair.
However, the cynic might say that the rare home win last Saturday came at precisely the psychologically right time for the club to convince the Villa fans that all is well: the apparent avoidance of relegation gave chance for the club to infer that the situaton is under control and that all we have to do is wait for next season to see that everything will be okay.
Meanwhile, noises are uttered from Villa Park that the club (now) realises that better quality players are needed and, with the club already being top-heavy with strikers, yet another striker is referred to as a possible target. Yes, better quality is needed, but will the right kind of players arrive – and will the team start playing Premier League football? Will the width of Villa Park be narrowed as we rarely play with any proper wingers?
Assuming that Mr. Lerner remains in his seat, are we now to see Paul Lambert remain as manager and supervising the acquisition of relatively expensive players that produce ‘nil points’? I seem to recall the manager last January admitting that Villa needed a wise head in midfield yet signed Grant Holt as his answer to the issue.
While being happy to see the passing of this season, I feel that the inferred continued presence of both chairman and manager gives us a situation that might cause any right-thinking Villa fan to take himself to some distant cave to meditate and pray that when he returns normal service (whatever that is!) is resumed. I suspect that, deep down, we really regret accusing Doug of being mean with with his expenditures and wish that we could switch the clock back some 20 years. But we wanted change, got it, and we have had to live with the consequences. Perhaps the best that we can now hope for is that, sooner or later, David Cameron will arrive on his white Arab charger with a rich sheikh in tow.
But, with little other option apart from changing our habits of many winters, let us fix our attention on realism and the positive and assume that all will be well. Perhaps there will be light at the end of the tunnel; perhaps (as Doug intended) Frank Lampard and Paul Gascoigne may yet be seen in a Villa shirt. Yep, I assure you they are ‘real men’.
The Villa’s 140th birthday passes by without hardly a sound. Where will Villa be when the 150th comes around in 2024?
The Author
John Lerwill
I'm a Villan of more than 60 years standing and an occasional writer on Villa history. For me there is only one football club worth supporting, but I am now wondering whether I will again see anything like the pageant that was paraded under Ron Saunders or even that by Big Ron and Brian Little. My glass, however, is always half-full! Click here for my Villa website.Comments 90
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John,
So many things wrong at VP it would take an age to type I think we can all now agree that the removal of the three people who are to blame for our rapid decline is our only way forward.
Jenny,
Lamberts statement that he thought we did fantastic when your team gets stuffed 4-0 and could have been a lot more tells us everything about the man, if I was the chairman and read that he would be clearing his desk, Aston Villa Football Clubs ambition to finish 17th in the premier league and after this weekends results we may have achieved our objective, sad times indeed.
AVFC RIP
Well written, John.
These guys need to learn that the best way to get the fans onside etc is to win on the pitch. The fans can’t be fooled forever. The fact is, Villa’s rate of decline is on the increase. It has to be stopped soon.
I think those that believe that it’s a five year rebuild etc are suckers. We need to improve A LOT next season.
Just to digress a little, Gabby’s been injured far too much over the last three seasons. I’d keep Gabby at Villa, but I’d ask him to take sabbatical leave of three months, on reduced wages, to get his body right. The trouble is that he’s never got a chance to heal right. The season’s too long and then they’re all back into preseason.
They’re doing this (sabbatical leave) with elite rugby players. So far it’s really paid dividends for the likes of Richie McCaw the All Blacks skipper.
We so desperately need substantial investment at Villa. Please help us, Mr. Moneybags out there.
I still can’t believe last night. we didn’t have a single shot on target. WTF !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! A bunch of so called top level footballers couldn’t even muster up a half arsed attempt. Saying that, most games we have played we have no to little shots on target
Even at 1 down Lambert changed nothing. We had nothing to lose but he still didn’t attack. Still kept a 5 5 0 formation. I hate the man so much as a manager
anyway, I hope it’s Lambert last game on Sunday. He doesn’t deserve this club. He said we are a huge club, great fan base. yes are we are and you have disgraced this club so piss off
Randy is making his statement. Hope to god he says he’s selling byt that’s to good to be true
I’m still as gutted as ever that we lost.
Now people are doubting the take over which makes it even worse
Randy saying he staying will be utterly devastating
Big props to Jack Grealish last night on his first appearence for the club – he did a great bit of skill duing his short appearance – hopefully a pass n move manager will come him to help him reach his (imo) huge potential
UTV
Runtings
Good on you for taking note of something positive. Let’s hope JG and co get a fair go with Villa.
To be fair im not sure how id set this villa team up to play at Man City. But yeah i suppose we could of attacked in a care free manner and still lost instead of defending for our lives. The out come would of been the same though. The problem is we can play no other way than counter attack and when gabby and tekkers are out well it just does not work!
Andrew.. how did Wigan and Sunderland manage it..
It is simple.. PL has brought rubbish in midfield.. Westy K EA Tonev and co are not up for it.. if your midfield is weak you are in big trouble..
This is truly depressing stuff.. if PL is here start of next season it will be even more depressing..!
Watching the first half of last night’s game . the set-up was not bad but individual mistakes by Weimann, bowery, Delph cost us great opportunties to make our counter attacks count and with a little more skill and ability on the night qwe could have had City on the back foo in the first half. Have to watch the second half now.
We were never going to beat citeh last night and it was a case of damage limitation which is fair enough – but this is what we have become under lambert — with teks and gabby we would have been dangerous on the break
The football we are playing though is taking us on the road to nowhere and setting up to defend as we did was just delaying what was always going to happen
A real football man at villa park please
Well, now having seen the whole match, must say that Vlaar and his central defense were responsible for the goals, and a different story may be written if Weimann’s header goes in and the youngsters almost got one if they could make contact with the cross towards the end. The scoreline does not reflect the effort, but they could have written a different story.
Well cant say we expected anything different. Cant say im a big fan of parking the bus but there are times when you need to be able to get 10 men behind the ball and see out the period of pressure. But when you are playing like this you need some kind of outlet, either a forward to hold the ball up or the ability to keep possession of the ball for a min at the back or wherever. It just breaks up the play. I thought we did pretty well in the first half, the defensive line was good, concentration was good, we broke well on a couple occasions, we even managed to keep the ball during a 10 min spell before half time. Second half it got a bit patchy. We could not break the play at all, it kept coming back at us. Part of that was a tactical switch by Lambert to stick Weimann on the right to watch Kolarov’s runs when in fact it was Zabaleta who was causing most problems down our left all game long. Another thing I did not get was the amount of time Yaya Toure got on the ball at the edge of our box. He’s the danger man, the man on form who has been making things happen and pretty much dragging city to the title. Without him it would have been pretty unlikely that City beat Everton or Crystal Palace. Yet we gave him so much time on the ball. He tried a few balls in the first half that didnt really come off but the danger signs were there. Sooner or later he was going to produce, and he did with that ball behind Bertrand for Zabaleta to cross and Dzeko to score. Once the first goal went in that was that, never really looked liked getting back in it. Didnt like that capitulation once again, it just shows how mentally fragile they are. I would have put somebody man marking Yaya, just so that he didnt have any time on the ball make things harder for him.
I didnt understand Weimann on the right, first off it limited our counter attack opportunities. Secondly, hes useless at defending, he looked like he wasnt even trying just an added body without making any contribution. Thirdly, I felt there was enough cover that side with Lowton and El Ahmadi given that most the attacks were coming down our left. One last thing about last nights game, the defending from Bacuna (I think?) for the last goal was shockingly bad. He showed Toure inside towards the goal on his favoured foot, instead of outside where he may have had to slow it down to get it on his good foot to shoot thus allowing defenders to get back and help him. Yaya is like a runaway train when he gets going so be smart about it, force him to go outside then slow down, dont let him just steamroll you. Also that ‘tackle’ he made as Toure took the ball inside was powderpuff to say the least.
Anyways, letting that result go. Its only a few days now for us to wait to find out what Lerner’s intentions are. I hope and I expect him to make a statement on Monday saying that the club is more or less sold and here are our new owners. I feel thats the only way we are going to progress. A fresh start with a new manager and new playing staff.
Unless there is a takeover, AVFC has NO future, we will soon be kicking around the lower reaches of the football league playing in front of a half empty stadium.
I hate everything Lambert, Lerner and co stand for, they have destroyed this club, and should go now, not at the end of the summer etc, today, we won’t win the spurs game with these negative tactics and shite players, he should go today!!!!
I’d sack the fucking lot and put out the Nextgen team, we need massive wholesale changes ASAP, or it’s all over, next season we will be one of the favourites to be relegated
With the threat of the drop gone we had an opportunity to show the nation that Villa had at least a bit of ambition, we knew winning the game was a pipedream the bookies were offering 18/1 for a Villa win, but to go out and have a go to show some pride give some of the younger lads a run out, Grealish 5 minutes was laughable he never got his shorts dirty.
We set up like we did all season because clueless Lambert knows no other way he is devoid of any tactical nous which is surprising considering all his Jeerman coaching badges.
We again showed the watching public what a very poor side we are and I can tell you one thing if I was a prospective buyer watching that lot I would keep my money as far away from B6 as humanly possible.
AVFC RIP.
I don’t want a manager who was moaning after the game about having to bring on Grealsih and Robbinson. Saying they aren’t ready. Actually they were the only positives from last night
Takeover talk has gone from people being convinced it’s going to happen, to seriously doubting it
More Dark days ahead with Randy and Lambert
Last Night
The first thing that we have to recognise is that we had pretty well a 3rd choice strike force on view last night. However, that does not (of course) excuse everything that happened. Weimann had a great breakaway chance in the first half and muffed it, while Toure showed how it should be done at the death. What a player!
Bowery also lacked composure first half, choosing a first-time volley even when he had time to assess the fact that the nearest defender had slipped over. But he had acquired a damaged nose by then.
But the major thing was that – compared to City – we had no class whatsoever. After h-t it just seemed to be a question of ‘when’ the collapse was to take place, and it did. Our midfield just ain’t good enough.
Hello folks,
Even John sounds a bit down today. 2024 ? I’d say Conference North if were still in existence.
When the takeover happens i would expect at least six of last nights team to be booted, we need at least six decent players to avoid this seasons problems and thats the 1st team not the squad, for that we need at least 10 more.
The selection was crepe, the tactics were crepe, the substitutions were crepe and the after match interviews were laughable, total fantasy.
Disappointed that Grealish couldn’t win the game for us in his four minutes.
Moaning about two young(ish) subs is BS, he could have use Zog, Mutton, Tonev, Luna, Helenious, the worm is just lying to cover his arse, the worst manager in our history and if he isn’t gone in a month then most of our support will be.
Steamer,
Would you buy that shower of shite.
AVFC RIP.
I wanted to kill him right there and then when he said it
Great confidence boost to them when they read that. Well done Paul
Him saying keeping us up is there with his best achievements must just be a wind up knowing he will of soon
Frem,
Is that Bowery in your avatar if it is I would not swap him for our site cat Mittens, league two player at best.
AVFC RIP.
John,
By the way I thought the final draft of your letter was excellent and I was proud to add my name to it although I think Lerner might just shred it after reading the first two lines but I fully respect you for giving it a go.
AVFC RIP.
I’m still not sure how thrilled I am at the notion of becoming another club in the running to buy themselves a title, a la Chelsea and City. I don’t really think either club earned it – they bought it, and if the Premier League has become the competition of who has the biggest checkbook, then I’m not sure I particularly care who wins it. Next thing you know we’ll all be perusing the Financial Times to see which management team had the best week in the markets, as that will be where the competition is won and lost, with the outcome on the pitch being mostly a formality. Yes it is sad and pathetic, no doubt, but this is what happens when it becomes about dollars and not desire.
Money in football is good imo
liverpoo dominated due to having the best players at the time – man u the same and they just robbed there competitors of there best players to stay on top
Money is allowing clubs the break that cycle and get in amongst the most dominate clubs
The fact that so many clubs have been in the title race is proof its makiong the game better
Hopefully we will get some money too so we can make it a 5 horse race for next season
John, Bowery wouldn’t be my third choice strike force unless I was managing Rochdale. In fact, Holt and Bowery might look ok in the Rochdale third team. I travelled to the game last night with a car full of Man City fans and they were moaning about Edin Dzeko, before and after the game! I’d kill to have Edin Dzeko in our team.
Jeff I know what you’re saying but I can’t stand much more of a poor excuse for a Villa side propping up the Premier League table and if an influx of foreign money is what it will take then I’ll go with it. It’s not ideal but it’s better than the alternative.
Real sport has got to be competitive. Otherwise it’s just moving pictures so that TV companies can sell advertising slots. In an ideal world I’d like to watch competitive matches in with Villa coming out on top more often than not. I enjoyed the Albion game this season and the QPR game last season, not because they were great games, but they were competitive and we won.
The City fans on the way back were slaughtering Villa for our performance last night and they’re right – we were awful – but our whole squad last night cost around £15 million, give or take a couple of million. City had players on the bench who cost more than that. How can we ever expect to compete with that? Premier League football is worthless as a sport when three quarters of the teams in the league are just there to make up the numbers. What’s the point?
Runtingz, I think money is killing football. The more competitive and unpredictable the league is the better. Football was a million times better when teams like Watford could get promoted with John Barnes plus 10 others and finish second in the league and when Brian Clough could walk in to a no mark provincial club and turn them in to European Champions.
Couldn’t happen now but if you can’t beat them join them. Football is completely screwed up anyway.
Andy fair points there but at the same time if money wasnt coming in the game man u would win most titles and take everyones good players – now they can’t do that anymore fergie had the sense to get out at the top
It means watford could be taken over and with clever management and investment they could finish above man u
Clough was a one of and didnt have any were close to the best players in the world but the style of play meant they passed all comer of the park for a few years – clough is imo the UK’S best ever manager
Runtingz, agree about Clough but he couldn’t what he did in today’s game. Being a football genius isn’t enough because you also need a billionaire owner and the billionaire owner is probably more significant.
United’s real dominance began when they increased their ground capacity and milked the Champions League cash cow.
In the 1980s and ’90s the best teams probably only had 2 or 3 world betters and 8 or 9 decent players, and you always felt that if you were up against Liverpool or whoever and they had a couple of injuries you had a chance. Now Man City for example have at least 3 top players for every position. You could put a team together of players who Chelsea have farmed out on loan and they would probably finish in the top 6.
Like you say Watford could still replicate what they did in the 80s but only if they had an owner who could throw £500 million at them. doesn’t that seem a bit sad?
Runtingz,
Agree about Clough, an absolute genius with Taylor being a great judge of a player alongside him. Rednose wouldn’t have got Forest out of Division 1 never mind win two European Cups with a crappy little club. Great style, and no thugs, Roy Keane never picked up a single booking under Clough because BC had principles whereas Ferguscon did more harm to football with his win at all costs, even if it means cheating like fuck to do it. Even Kenny Burns turned into an angel under him.
SWV,
Mittens is a league two player ?
Steamer, no thugs except for Stuart Pearce.
i dont see it as sad – its a strange one but i truely believe the lge is more competitive at both ends now due to a combination of available cash and good management – Pullis has done a fantastic job for example and they are one of the smallest spenders but a top 6 form team – so all thing are possible given the right combination at a football club
Runtingz, I’ll agree with you if Palace finish top six next season and win the FA Cup.
Why are we on TV again on Sunday ? We got to watch another game where we have no shots on target and put 11 men behind the ball.
Next week can’t come quick enough. Tuesday/ Wednesday can’t come quick enough. Thats when Randy is expected to say what he’s got to say
I think it will be just a load of crap. defending Lambert etc. The best that we can hope for his someone will help Randy with investment
Steamer,
Apologies Mittens is not a league two player but certainly more potential than Bowery will ever have even after a bottle of catnip.
AVFC RIP.
What do you think of this proposed B league ?
Isn’t it just the same as the reserve league ?
Greetings All Lifers
I have an entirely open mind about the Lerner statment next week.Nothing,absolutely nothing suprises me about AVFC.I feel for those who hope or believe that a takeover is about to occur….hold your horses,let`s wait and see what the statment says.
My view is that it will be guff along the lines of
I am going nowhere,Lambert loves me I love him,PL is staying and will have a few bob more in the summer.So,in a cynical nutshell,it means we now aspire to 14 th not 17 th!!!!!!!!!Wow,put the flags out and bake a cake.
Don`t get me wrong,I hope we get new blood in the baordroom and a new gaffer,but be ready for crushing disappointment,this is Villa we are talking about.
Frem
I think its a good idea in principle, might not agree with all the details but having competitive B team football where you can get promoted or relegated will help the youth development a lot. You can control the style to match the A team and promote to the A team when needed.
I think it will be something like that also Brasil
People were sure Randy was of, now they ain’t so sure.
I think the best that will happen is a Co ownership with Randy getting someone in to help out with investment. we need him out of this club completely though
Jeff Ray
Good to see you on board, Jeff. I hadn’t noticed your name on this blog before.
SWV
Thanks for the thumbs-up! Well, I suppose we feel better for having submitted something and am glad it seemed to meet what the subscribers wanted.
EFF of the FA they have no clue what motivates your average football fan,this crap is elitist and they probably haven`t consulted the lower leagues.Go to any small topwn with a club,they love their club.Football in England is run for the benefit of the few,elitist tosh.The same people who composed this employed Aidy Boothroyd as u20 coach ffs and even gave Paul F. a job.Clueless and guided by greed,jog on you bunch of berks.
One question is would you as a fan of Aston Villa support Aston Villa B in the lower leagues?
Ree,
If Lerner and Lambert stay we’ll be supporting Aston Villa A in the lower leagues.
hello peeps
wonderful performance spoilt by the oppositions ability to score, bleedin’ liberty. jenny said that the team we put out last night beat city at villa park close but not quite right, we had the midfield genius of sylla? no that can’t be it. lowton didn’t play mmmm no it would help but not that much. I know! up top we had the mighty kosak who although he only started 8 games and played in 14 overall with sub appearances helped us win 4 draw 5 and lose 5. Bowery got battered kosak battered them case solved 🙂
roll on that lovely Mr Lerners speech hope the three stooges stay as I hear the goons show and the goodies are lining up their bids goodie goodie yum yum . can It get worse? lets hope not
hello peeps
wonderful performance spoilt by the oppositions ability to score, bleedin’ liberty. jenny said that the team we put out last night beat city at villa park close but not quite right, we had the midfield genius of sylla? no that can’t be it. lowton didn’t play mmmm no it would help but not that much. I know! up top we had the mighty kosak who although he only started 8 games and played in 14 overall with sub appearances helped us win 4 draw 5 and lose 5. Bowery got battered kosak battered them case solved 🙂
roll on that lovely Mr Lerners speech hope the three stooges stay as I hear the goons show and the goodies are lining up their bids goodie goodie yum yum . can It get worse? lets hope not
runtingz
I think Grealish will make a big name for himself, he could be as good as bale and far from being scared last night he was cool as a cucumber. I remember the moment your on about, needs to fill out a bit but will be a class player hope we can keep him
Hells bells, two Mark Kings and twins as well, can’t take much more.
On the B league;
I don’t agree, I’m with Wenger on the subject. Development in training needs to take priority rather than shoving unprepared youngsters in some mock-up league consisting of B teams with a chance of promotion and semi-pro/newly professional low league clubs. It sort of works in Spain for four teams, Real, Barca, Atletico and Valencia, because they have fantastic academies and Spanish youth coaching is immensely better than grassroots coaching in England. My advice would be to get in Hoddle and likeminded managers to oversee an overhaul of the grassroots and lower age group systems, as well as utilising St. George’s to train much better youth coaches. Otherwise we’ll just end up with more footballers who lack any technical ability but again the physical athletes prevail and we’re in a football pyramid full of Jordon Bowerys/Gabby Agbonlahors.
On the article;
It seems all the enthusiasm of a takeover is being sucked out by Lerner taking a while to respond. He’s the victim of media hype that was too early now, but I can’t see him staying. I know some were against it, but I think John’s letter, along with other fan-led campaigns, may drive Lerner out of the club. From afar he’s witnessing how discontent we are with his stewardship and if I was him I would not be encouraged to carry on the task at hand. If we can get someone in, we’ll sell. It’s a big if with what we’ve been showing the World of our club in the past 4 years though.
On the game;
Totally unsurprised at Lambert’s approached and incredibly disappointed. Similar to Norwich (albeit with much worse consequences for them) we just didn’t get it a go and we should’ve done. We had nothing to lose, especially at 1-0 and the younger lot showed why they should’ve been involved. I understand why Weimann and Bowery started but not why they were playing as wingers/roaming attackers, as well as why we insisted on playing so deep. Man City forced the issue a lot with their desperation to wrap up the title but we could’ve done so much more.
In other news I’m still slightly hungover 2 days later. Fuck me.
Excellent article as always John. As usual, villa supporters are left to guess what the future holds. It is odd to make a statement that you will make a statement. Why not just make a statement when the time is right.
Mark K 1 – I didn’t say that the same team played – I said that the players who scored the 3 goals against Citeh at VP were all fit for selection last night. This was my post
“Guess what – we didn’t have Gabby, Benteke or Okore then either but we still managed to get out of our own half on occasions – enough to score 3 goals – the scorers being – KEA , Weiman and Bacuna – the same players who played last night .”
Albi was on the bench and not used .
PL blamed the result last night on our injuries, saying Gabby and Benteke were out and were a great loss. Well they were out for the first City game so that is not a good reason. The only player that was available to play for the first City match was Kozak – and I don’t remember him ever being first on the team sheet. Additionally, we have Helenius – the most expensive invisible man in the premier league. Where is he?.
Anyone would think we were a division one team playing Athletico Madrid the reverence we showed them. This is the same team we beat 3-2 at home, where we usually fluff it. This is the same team that Wigan, yes Championship Wigan beat in the Cup. All the pressure was on Man City last night and PL said before the game, the shackles are off and the lads can play with freedom. Did they hell.
Most supporters accepted that it was not a game we were likely to win but would have liked to see Grealish and Robinson have a run out in the first team when the result didn’t matter. What was the point of them coming on for 3 mins as a token gesture. Then for PL to say when Jack W said “it was great for Grealish to come on ” but they shouldn’t have to be used, they are too young, its not good enough ” was baffling to say the least. Excuse no 3 is now being played out “I have had to use the kids against my better judgment”. Which manager said “the experienced players haven’t got us anywhere we are going to rely on young and hungry” . Who was the manager who created a bomb squad of experienced players. Which manager decimated the team and substuted it with lower league unheard ofs. Which manager derided AM’s tactics and said “you shouldn’t have to put up with that I will play attractive football”
We can only assume that the daily phone calls between RL and PL have been put on hold. Over the last two weeks PL has blamed RL for the lack of investment, his players “a club like AV needs better players” and injuries. The latest one, having to use the kids is the least convincing. If he really does not know where his future lies then I have sympathy for him, just as I had sympathy for Darren Bent, Shane Given, Stephen Warnock, Alan Hutton, Nzog and the other bomb squad, first team rejects. They weren’t informed either. However, I suspect there is more to the Culverhouse affair and that PL may have been retained just to see us over the line. Why else would RL come over.
Stan Collymore (a previous Lambert admirer) Andy Grey and a host of others have finally realised that PL is not getting the best out of the players he has and has taken AV backwards. I see that the OS site is holding a ST evening – to inform potential holders about payment plans. Now this really is a ‘heads gone’ .
SWV – I heard that too – I think he is clutching at straws and totally out of his depth. It looks like he is being thrown to the sharks like AM was.
Steamer lv looked at TVB and l cant think of a steamer who would come out with that ,with a baseball , lv rung around and no-one addmitting to it , so l think its a wind-up , have a think and see if you can think of one of us who would say that to a fellow villan , altho l think lambo’s army is a nose ,.lol
although sww comes close ,
On the B team proposals and to Ree’s Q – no I wouldn’t support s B team as it takes enough time supporting the first team!. I listened to the debate on TS and agree with Collymore – that the reserve team system was better as it allowed the youngsters to learn from the more experienced players. As he said “youngsters don’t learn from other youngsters the same way”. I would also like to see more money given to local clubs. So many are folding like my local club Worcester City who are now having to share ground with the Kiddy Harriers.
Josh – Shouldn’t you be revising ?
Steamer 75 – hope you are well bunnykins x
I should be indeed. I’ve got a week ’til the exam I can have a little time off. A week…. I am free in a week….
No more going out getting drunk either Josh !!
St75,
The only one who would say that is you.
Jen,
Great post, you obviously have an aversion to slimy untrustworthy liars too.
Had many great days at St Georges Lane, that club should be in the Football Lge not Conf ( N). Are they building that new ground that they said they were doing when Allner was manager ? i read somewhere that if built it was too small for the Conf anyway. Lovely place tho’ love walking around and chilling.
jen
I know what you said just fishing 😉 Kosak was the difference because there centre halves struggled against him and he set-up/caused the third for weimann to run on to. we couldn’t keep the ball/win the ball up top when we hoofed it, made it easy. looked ok for ten minutes when we played it on the deck.
really would like to see grealish robinson/weimann and Albrighton in a 433 against spurs. failing that 442 with same and delph/westwood centre mid
B Team only if its a mix of first/U21’s like the old reserve league.
Well I’m going out tomorrow night for May Ball (and there’s nothing you can do stop me!), got a fancy ass suit as well. After that I’ll be good I promise! Well, for a week.
Hi Jennykins , yea lm fine had a great night last night watching my girl , 6 of the steamers going to watch her tomorrow including steamer on here , hope your well my love xxxxx
josh
you’ve been told mate , l’d do as , leaning curve , from them who must be obeyed , , josh you would do well to ask sww to be the hind legs of you ass , mind he does’nt need a fancy dress suit , have a good one mate
“In connection with current rumors and press inquiries, I can report that I’ve been approached by Mr. Jimmy Haslam, who is interested in making an investment in the Cleveland Browns. We are currently in negotiations and both sides have agreed to keep that dialogue and its details private. Given that any transaction would require League approval, care has been taken so that this process will not be disruptive to the organization, in particular the football team, as it prepares for the upcoming season. We will share further details or make an announcement if it becomes necessary.”
Wonder if that is something similar to what Randy will say ?
Haha Mark – Kozak was the difference – is that why he isn’t mentioned in the match reports and wasn’t started again 🙂 I was sitting right in front of where Weiman picked up the ball from a rare decent clearance from Guzan. Jo Hart was having his purple patch, came clean out of his goal so Weiman could score. Kozak had nothing to do with it . As quoted from the telegraph match report “Kompany and Matija Nastasic allowed Guzan’s delivery to bounce and Weimann took full advantage, racing towards goal before poking the ball beyond the onrushing Hart to seal a dramatic victory”. We won 3-2 . Even if Kozak did play, we do have a very similar player in Helenius who could have been used if that was what was stopping our nine players from standing in front of our goal for the duration.
Steamer – The Worcester ground now has houses built on it – what a shame that is. I think they ran out of money and so I can’t see them building a new ground anymore. Some folks said that the problem with Worcester is that people were more interested in following the rugby Worcester Warriers and poncing round in Worcester Warriers sweat shirts etc. They have an amazing stadium and facilities though they are due to be relegated I think. Some of my daughters friends play for Worcester CIty team so it is still going and should be encouraged. I felt really guilty when they closed it thinking I should have gone. It was one of those “I must go” and never got round to it, so its people like me that caused the problem .
ST75 – you obviously have years of experience obeying she who must be obeyed : Josh will learn the hard way 🙂 Hope you and Steamer have a great night at Les Mis .
Frem bless you – I have this fear that we are going to be disappointed which is why I am avoiding thinking about it .
Paul WHitehouse had an amusing view of f****g students – I’m sure you aren’t like that Josh 🙂 🙂
Picking up on Trinity’s suggestion for the 3 month sabbatical – yes I can see that would be a good idea. Now you mention it, Gabby has been out injured for long periods over the last three years.
Steamer – what were you doing at St Georges Lane then (old Worc CIty FC ground) Peter Mcparland ended his career there too.
Jen
I thought Kosak skilfully missed the ball making the centre half miss time and let it bounce myself 🙂
I haven’t heard much about how this ‘B’ league will work. I thought I heard that teams could start in the conference league? Will there be promotion to division 2?
Could we end up with Man City winning the premiership with Man City as runners up?
ST75 has a lot of experience fucking students I hear. Whatever is suggested of our rather scapegoated selves I’m sure I’m nothing like it, as are most students. It’s them “lads” you need to watch out for. Most of ’em are hairdressers, bricklayers, everyday type twats. They do sneak into Uni culture with sports teams though, but most of them get put in their place by either a shit degree or being arrested/banned from town centres enough times to learn to shut the fuck up. Not a fan of that, even though a good few of the guys I know here live exactly that lifestyle. I’m quite happy to tell them they’re dicks though. When I’m in charge they’ll rue the day.
Robbo they’re capped promotion wise to League One, is what most of the talk mentions. Surely the FL has to pass it and the FA can’t just do what they want?
…. That’s probably the stupidest thing I’ve ever written so I’ll leave it up. Of course the FA will do what they want.
Bearing in mind that every City player was worth more than our whole team last night I was proud of the way we held out for two thirds of the game.
When we set up the same way at Villa Park it paid off as we took advantage of the three chances that came our way. Last night the three chances that came our way were spurned.
Thanks for the info Josh.
If the ‘feeder clubs’ are limited to league 1 then how is that supposed to help the promotion of home grown players? Even Villa have English players currently out on loan in lower divisions and we have been beneficiaries of English players being loaned to us from other premiership clubs. Didnt Kyle Walker gain more from paying in the premiership for Villa than he would have done down in Division 1?
Hey Guys
I needed a break plus I’m up to my eyeballs with work around the yard. I’ll be back once the season is over and the transfer season kicks in.
steamer . l dont make threats like that and when did we ever use weapons, baseball bat indeed !! and which one of us would ask ” have you heard of the steamers??” and no one has owned up to it yet and if he did ,unless he’s japeing he would get slaughtered by the lads coming out with statements like that ,
josh
what do you mean lv fucked a few students ?? you sod . students in our day were a bloody nuisance ,
Morning Jenny xxxxx
ST75,
Are you forgetting Fast Eddie but generally weapons were not used in our day until we went to the Old Den then anything they could get their hands on was used, darts were a big thing back in the day I remember one of the front pages showing a bloke with a dart sticking out of his swede, the bloose scum used to throw sharpened coins into the Villa end which was a waste of time and money because we were always in their end, numbskulls.
As for students don”t get me started on the great unwashed, I once shared a house with a student and we used to hide our cash under the soap because it was the safest place in the house and bloody scroungers they make me look generous.
UTV
Harry Redface wan’t to manage in the prem. Might leave QPR if they don’t go up
I’d take him.
ST75- Alright if I email you later to see if you can help on a couple of formula questions ?
As randy is making his statement from his home in New York, like Ponteous Pilate, he is washing his hands of Aston Villa, and is certainly not making any statements to back Paul Lambert.
Time to write a new chapter in Villa’s history…..Looks like john’s letter may end up floating in the wind, or ,may just be passed on to new owners..!!
“ST75- Alright if I email you later to see if you can help on a couple of formula questions ?”
Frem,
Ever heard the saying “Scraping the bottom of the barrel”.
UTV
SWV/ST75, it depends where you live with regards to how students how affect your area. In Birmingham they’re very split up with halls of residence across the city centre so they can’t be much of a pain, especially when in a big city on a night out you’re likely to get a lot more locals and tourists as well. In Aberystwyth however, it’s pretty much split down the middle population wise with students and locals who have mainly lived here all their lives (which must suck, this town has nothing to do in it). Because of this clash of lifestyles there’s a fair bit of hatred towards the students from the older locals but really we make their town what it is – otherwise it’d be a decent weekly market way out west with an okay beach and a hill. A good majority of under 23s are students now anyway so it’s becoming more and more ‘the norm’ – eventually the stigma will either blow everything out of proportion or it’ll just become part of life.
As for Harry Redknapp, Frem, why would you want the man who has bankrupted/left on the verge several clubs in charge? If we have good money to spend, there are better options both long-term and short-term, if we don’t have much money he’s useless.
SWV,
Saw Fast Eddy on Saturday, seems to be in a never ending shit shirt competition, never seen anyone as badly dressed outside of Small Heath.
Frem,
Dunno who it was but someone on here described Redknapp as ‘having a face like a scrotum in a wind tunnel,’ still chuckle about it.
Jen,
Re St. George’s Lane, quite a few of the lads were real non-league enthusiasts, we’d just load up and head out to Worcester, Gresley, Sutton, Redditch, Bromsgrove, Kiddy etc, no tension or stress and it was surprising how many other Villans we met, even did the tour of Devon, Plymouth, Exeter and Liskeard Town and took hundreds and met up with other steamers who had travelled from Doncaster.
Frem
yes mate , didnt l give you my old formula books ? and no sww he’s not on about babies milk !
Josh lm talking students around 70/71 , god they were a pain mate , now lv neices ,nephews who are students , was being an arse ,lol
good to see ian back , he sent me a cracking joke /piece about the fire service ,
had one stella last night before l picked the daughter up and lm confronted by this massive bird , biggest seagull lv ever seen , but from a distance until it came up to me ,the way it was walking l thought to myself whats that twat danny dyer doing in birmingham,!!!!
what a muppet he is , on his show about football hooligans in Poland , he’s talking to the camera saying ” l gotta be weely weely carful ,these lads could kill ME anytime if they dont like Me ,” lm thinking what about the camera crew ? jeez l wished he would have interviewed our lot , l’d have slapped him with a wet lettuce , get onto youtube and watch the bloke who takes him off especially his stupid walk , fuck l got the giggles now just thinking of the ejit ,
Hi all
Can’t wait for Monday – both scary and exciting – Harry for me is a good man manager and his teams always play good football but i think if we are to have major investment there will be even better managers – hopefully someone from abroad that has earned the respect of very good players and someone that convience good players that the Villa revolution is the place they need to be
st75 is your daughters play in london or midlands ?
ROBBO..
You were ‘proud’ of what we did for 60minutes in a game we got smashed 4-0.. some people defy belief..
A game is for 90 minutes.. City whooped us..
If you felt pride on that.. i wonder how Sunderland and esp Wigan fans felt about there team performances!!??
PL is a clown.. tactically inept.. poor team selections.. usueless subs.. his plan B is hoof.. Bowery.. Kozak.. Holt isa prrof of that..
I can not for the life of me think why any half intelligent Villa fan would want this joker to be in charge of us next season..
And this is coming from a fan who actually gave him a big chance for a good season plus..
So next season Randy will expand his Villa ‘Franchise’ by renaming the club Groundhog Villa and we can watch the same old cr*p over and over again.
He will appoint that excellent Italian Silvio Berlusconi as Manager and he will employ many buxom cheerleaders to wave their pom-poms as the teams run out. There will be much rejoicing in the Boardroom .at the final whistle
All supporters will get free Happy Hands to wave for the cameras as part of a mega TV deal that will take us through to the Conference. A major major betting concern will sponsor our shirts with the odds of our survival printed on the front as they change week-by-week,
Oh sh*t – wake up Clive – it hasn’t gone to this has it? Has it?
S75,
I was confronted by loads of massive burds today,i went for a walk around Chelmsley Wood.
I know the formula mate. its for Voltage drop. I just don’t know what figure to put in Mv/A/m section of it from BS7671. Got the table just don’t know what one to put in.Iv’e done loads before but stuck on this one. Another one iv’e never seen before so not so sure
Davies and Simpson’s name being mentioned again for possible new owners.
Ian,
Look forward to seeing you in the close season, take it easy you have to be careful at your age.
Lets say those two come in, maybe go Liverppol’s root. quality players mixed with home grown
————————New Keeper——————–
New RB————-Vlaar——-Donacian——–New LB
new winger———Delph——New CM———Grealish
——————————New AM————————-
————————–Benteke————————–
Robbinson, Carruthers on the bench as well as more quality new signings
Frem,
I’m quite relaxed about the takeover thing, nothing can be this bad. As long as the new owners import football nous into AVFC and let the club grow, i’ll be happy, if they throw a few bob at it, i’ll be very happy but the main thing is to undo all the damage done by Lerner, Faulkner and the idiotic managers they’ve appointed, this might take a couple of years but as long as we’re heading in the right direction we’ll be OK.
Steamer . serves you right going to chembo hood , see you at 5 mate
Runtins , its in Birmingham mate , few steamers going tonight , loved that music you put on F/B as well .
any of you have the Birmingham Mail , the review is in there , daughter is Jessie M . p21 .
have a good weekend all , enjoy your ball josh ,
jenny xxxxx
John- Bit late, but just read the letter you sent and I thought it was excellent. hopefully Randy will read it
Steamer- As long as we play nice football, win most games at home and can finish 10th or above for a couple years then great. then we have to push on though
10 – Aston Villa have had fewer different scorers than any other team in the top flight this season. Limited.
Another record Mr Lambert. he says he intends to be with us next season. feck off