Benteke is back! Well, actually he’s virtually passing through Villa Park on the way to another visit to Wembley, and so he and the rest of his team-mates (wanting to remain intact for the Final) might just give an opportunity to Villa to steal the show this week-end. Let’s face it, to beat Man City in the Final they will need their best equipment available and sharpened.

And we may also have an opportunity to see our Rudi in action again. With Benteke criticised for his profligacy in the FA Cup tie just past, will Rudi show us all a repetition of his 2-goal salvo at Anfield earlier this season when (on that day at least) he looked very much awake and able to be a match-winner. Who knows, we may decide after this match that we did, after all, get value in replacing CB with Rudi.

Yes, this upcoming match has all the ingredients of a Cup Final of its very own description, with Villa still having to play another 12 Cup Finals between now and the end of the season.

After winning two and drawing two in their last four league matches at home, Villa will be in no mood under Garde to go back into another home-losing streak of results: from now on its an attitude required of stay-up-ward and onward if our claret and blues are to give us cheer for this season.

I can see it now, a punt from Bunn to Rudi, a flick on to Gabby and yet another keeper stranded as he underestimates Gabby’s pace. Having gained the lead, Gabby returns the compliment to Rudi, and we go home with a smile beaming from ear to ear. Well, that’s how it was for Roy of the Rovers, wan’t it? And that’s exactly what I feel we should hope to see at Villa Park this week-end.

At least I feel able to talk about such possibilities, but not yet, I’m afraid, with total conviction. However, if we again take all the points, and especially if it’s done in cavalier fashion against a side who in the last decade and more have usually simply had to turn up to be given the match, Villan-ous confidence and pride would again be seen. And, boy, do the fans need such a fillip.

Under Garde, Villa have quietly been re-gaining self-confidence, but we have still lacked the finish. Now, lads, is the time to prove all those pundits wrong and let Tom Fox rub his hands in revenue-earning glee, should we emulate the Foxes!

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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 166

  1. Mark King

    Hello JL thank you for a very optimistic piece 😉

    I suppose if we look at the the game from the perspective of those that have recently played Liverpool we could and should be optimistic. west ham who we pinned back at their place before the sending off beat them in extra time and Norwich put 3 past them. I think we control the midfield better than those 2 teams and defend better too, its up top we fall down. Can we beat them Yes in my mind but the draw is more likely

    The team that beat Norwich by the way had 7 changes to the last time we played Liverpoo.

  2. James Gill

    Didn’t think fox and co couldn’t get any lower but this protest about living wage needs backing,along with every other thing about rotten Lerner,he only lost 300 m because he caught playing away from home

  4. Mark King

    Remi on French radio

    “Obviously I targeted a few players who could strengthen us,” Garde told French radio station RMC.

    “It has not been possible for various reasons, from our situation not being very attractive for players to an American owner who has already lost a lot of money over the last five years. There is talk of £300 million so it is not nothing.”

    Asked if he would remain with Villa in the Championship, Garde replied: “This will be discussed when we prepare for next season, that is at the end of the championship or even a little before.

    “I am ready to stay at the club if there are the resources to get back up. Aston Villa is a very big club, very prestigious in England. Unfortunately, when you see it up close, there is a lot of work to do. But it is a project that could interest me if you give me the means, as was originally planned.”

    Villa have lost just two of their past seven games in all competitions since, and secured their third Premier League win of the season by beating Norwich City on Saturday, and goalkeeper Mark Bunn believes the FA Cup draw at Wycombe on 9 January was the turning point.

    “That was the lowest the team has been but it just shows great character from everyone to come back from that. To go from that to the run we are on now is just fantastic,” he said.

    “When it’s such a massive club the situation we were in wasn’t acceptable. The lads were obviously disappointed in their own performances and how everything went. As you can see we’ve grown as a team now, we seem to be stronger than ever, and we’re pulling together as a team now.”

  8. John Lerwill

    Mark,

    Season tickets? Well, I think we know why so few!

    I was bemused that the Villa OS showed a 47k attendance last week-end, thinking that this is boosting the attendance figure beyond plausibility, but by Monday it had been corrected to 32k. And of those I guess about 5k were ST holders who didn’t turn up.

    But attendances can suddenly change if your club is on a winning streak, and if Villa do win this w/e, then that will make it 3 wins and 2 draws this last 5 VP matches, which would be an amazing run in contrast with what’s been happening over the previous 5 years. And also have the affect of pulling more people back I imagine. If that happens RL may start saying “See, I knew how to get over Villa’s problems” even before the season is finished!

  9. DarrenO

    Great bit of positivity in your article JL, i’d echo that sentiment but I’m wary to sing about it because this is Villa and they’ve a habit of disappointing me even during considerable levels of positivity but that’s partly why it’s better to support a team like Villa then be a sheep like the many Man U fans I know, who are now getting used to managers changes, not winning every game and playing for 90 minutes plus stoppage as opposed to 90 minutes plus stoppage plus the extra 2 minutes Alex needed, it’s also pleasing to seem the team panic as opposed to that assured ‘we know we’ll score’ approach.

    Sorry completely sidetracked by a team I despise.

    Back to Liverpool and agree, their inconsistency and focus on Wembley could be the undoing of them, add to that we are better at defending, not brilliant but definitely more organised. I think we can do the same as the Norwich game although I expect Liverpool to score as they are more accomplished upfront.

    Anyway holding the head high at the weekend, win, lose or draw.

    Back to VP and what a disgrace that they aren’t leading the way and haven’t signed up from the outset to Living Wage. We all know investment is needed on the pitch but if the owner/board is not prepared to invest in the servicing of the business, i.e. investing in the customer (fan) contact points (ticketing, merchandising etc) then even the non-match day experience is going to deteriorate.

    On protesting, great to see FSG relent on ticket prices, can we hire the Liverpool fans to stand with us in removing the board because we don’t seem to be even discussing protest much. It appears that we are waiting for it to be mathematically impossible or (hopefully) we survive and everyone sits back and breathes again

  10. John Clark

    Thanks for the write-up, John.

    Benteke vs. Gestede. Funny how no one thought Benteke was a fit for Liverpool, but Rodgers was dead set on signing him anyway. It’s always much different when you see a player week in, week out. He can be lethal, but does go missing for long periods, needs a team to set up around him, and was dealt with quite regularly by defenders once the book was out on him. Don’t get me wrong, I’d have him back, he was invaluable for us. But he’s not going to do for you what a Suarez would, and he’s not going to help a high pressing style. Not that Gestede is that much different in terms of what he brings in the abstract.

  11. Mark King

    JC- pretty much what I also thought about Tekkers, you don’t see him dominate CH’s much and when he does he tends to foul them. I don’t think Tekkers, Gestede or Kosak are particularly Gardes Ideal strikers not mobile enough.

    JL- I was saying the other day we now play pretty much the same home and away, we don’t appear to have a preference any more and are becoming consistent if the right players are available. Its only when we lose a few faces the old habits return.

    According to Garde Lerner wants to rebuild so what if come the summer we are in the champs and garde gets to spend? what if we come back up looking a whole different team and club? what if we don’t go down and Remi again gets to rebuild? what will the feelings be if the shake up works? could the fans forgive Lerner if we start moving in the right direction or is the romance over for good?

  12. The Droyd

    Gestede and Kozak are big lumps that aren’t much use to us at the moment other than coming off the bench. Kozak is the better striker of the two. Agbonlahor must start on his own up front. We must wrap him up in cotton wool, do whatever it takes to keep him fresh, motivated and ready to play every week. He’s literally the only hope we have. Yes, he’s overweight and is shit more often than not but that performance against Norwich is one we haven’t had from a striker all season. HE CAN ACTUALLY MOVE! The lumps are no more than plan B with 20 mins to go when we are desperate for a goal.

    The other problem area is Goalkeeper. Guzan has not been himself since that error at Man City last season. He has rightfully been dropped after too many errors unbecoming of a goalkeeper of his ability. However, the replacement Bunn simply isn’t good enough. He is woefully inadequate at this level. He isn’t the reason we have stopped conceding silly goals. It’s the back 4. It’s a happy co-incidence that we are keeping clean sheets since he took over from Guzan. It’s the back 4 of Richards, Okore, Lescott and Cissokho that has made the difference. Clean sheets will continue if they all stay fit.

    I think it’s time to get Guzan back in the side. Bunn is tiny and flaps too much. Guzan is commanding, more athletic and bigger. A much better all round goalkeeper. I would give him one last chance to cut out the silly errors because we need all of our best players right now.

  13. Mark King

    Droyd- I’m of the same mind with bunn except he has better distribution. For me its like saying how do you like your shit sandwich? If only the croatin lad had been an asylum seeker

  15. The Droyd

    Bunn reminds me of Kiraly, without the silly tracksuit bottoms. That’s his level of ability. It pains me to see players lacking in ability to this degree in a Villa team.

  16. Jackvilla

    good write up John..Under Garde,we are getting our confidence and belief back..However he must let go of the over cautious tendencies that show up all too often..We must take advantage of Liverpool’s slack defending….we need to win all of our home games,and nick 2-3 away wins to have a chance..I know i am being hopefull but there is no reason not to lack belief.Gabby has to play..he is perfect for Garde’s system..if he can feed off continous through balls from Veretout and Gill,we will win again.UTV

  17. Mark King

    If you look back at the games where Richards has played CH and Hutton RB they have been our worst. I think Guzan has only played in front of okore and Lescott once against arsenal when hutton gave the pen away. I’m not saying I want him in just that he has been behind a defence that has continually fucked up and Bunn has only played with them in the cups conceding 5-6 goals along the way. Its hard to make a real comparison.

  18. James Gill

    Guzan must never wear our shirt again
    C palace lost 1 point
    Sunderland stood behind wall 2 points
    Chelsea wonderful pass out lost 1 point
    Watford shocking lost 1 point Hutton to blame
    West ham went down in installments lost 2 points
    Newcastle goal trickled across line 2 points
    Sunderland another 1 point lost rest of team were crap
    That’s 10 points to clown add same to Hutton we would be top half without them two clowns,dare anyone get points they earned

  19. Mark King

    Jackvilla- I don’t think Garde has negative tendencies just a lack of options. If this lot do not play with discipline and tenacity we are knackered. Using gabby makes sense when we don’t commit many players forward. I think we should carry on the way we are and take what chances come our way or we may end up with a few Hidings. It could be with Gana playing so well we could sacrifice bakuna for ayew when he returns or grealish but its a risk.

  20. James Gill

    Bunn ain’t great just better think decent keeper wouldn’t been caught for Leicester goal, and 2 west ham got first one taller keeper would saved ,second one went down to ground to quickly

  21. Mark King

    JG- Thats what I’m thinking, what would we lose or gain by swapping them? some think Bunn has a calming influence? maybe but still doesn’t alter the fact he plays behind a solid defence which Guzan hasn’t had in 4 seasons. Don’t get me wrong Bunn deserves to be there but its just a niggling doubt caused by the odd issue he has with high balls.

  22. Paul Pears

    Good to see more positivity here, and a feeling that Remi and the team will be up for the Liverpool game, and may just get us over the line.

    Tend to agree with all the comments about Bunn and Guzan. Just hope Remi makes the right choices.

    Really looking forward to the game now, and hopefully another Villa win, with Gabby making a great job of leading the line.

  24. runtings

    yet another huge game – its one i really hate losing at the best of times due to my landan and brummie scouceer family and friends connection

    with courthno and sturridge due back its gong to be mega tough to get anything
    At least now even though we know we are lacking hugely in quality , we can now be sure that we have a manager that wll set up as best he can with what he has
    a manager that has kept his dignity even with the humiliation of the owner and board in there handling of the club

    hope we can fight our way to a result

  26. Mark King

    JL a good article by fear, you have to hope Holis has the brains to see Garde and his experience is a god send. Would someone else kept us up? (Presuming Garde doesn’t ) we will never know but I feel Garde has an old head on young shoulders and could drag this club back to reality in a fairly short time given free rein. Their in lies the problem will he?

  28. B62 Villa

    Morning all,
    No game today so it’s a chance to see what the other clubs can do, although for me it’s all about building confidence, rebuilding in the summer and getting promoted next season, as a competition this season was over before Christmas for Aston Villa FC, as shown in the Jan window.
    The one thing that is starting to grate is people actually trying to compare us the LCFC and the position they were in last season, for me it’s pointless and a non starter, the foxes were playing well and attacking at every opportunity, they went for every game shit or bust and their bravery really paid off, we simply haven’t done that , we haven’t attacked the poorer teams, like West Brom, Sunderland, Swansea( when they were on a massive slide), Newcastle( again when they were shite before they spent heavily in jan) and we certainly haven’t gone for it in other games trying to bring off a shock result like others have. We have gone down the safety first route and simply haven’t won enough games or amassed enough points. Over the longer course of a full season this approach may work, but it wasn’t what was required in this scenario.
    So onto the summer, will Garde stay ? Will their be investment?? Will we get rid of the dross? Will we actually try and get promoted or just pay it lip service? Well Lerner and co still be here?? Will anyone care, as apathy seems to rule amongst the Villa faithful!!!!
    It’s going to be a turbulent summer and a rocky road ahead, but we should have a sweep stake and see who can guess what weekend we will be relegated mathematically, I’m surprised we have made it to 13 games to go, but I just want it to end now, Iv paid £255 per win at home his season for my ST, ( and I missed the Norwich game through working 🙁 )it’s been the worst season in my lifetime( inc the last relegation) playing dire football and looking out of games within the first few minutes.
    Let’s hope next season is better and we actually go for it, or this club will lose generations of fans and will end up an also ran in the lower league, as for our supposedly great support, that is also a thing of the past, we have the lowest % of fans to capacity ratio in the top flight, lowest % of season ticket holders, our ground is too big for us, we are bottom of the league playing bang average/crap with morons running the club at every level. We simply don’t deserve to be in the top flight, we simply aren’t good enough in aspect of the club on or off the pitch.
    RIP avfc

  29. Mark King

    B62- Stay away from sharp objects fella 😉

    People are always going to compare us with clubs that have escaped the drop, we have had comparisons to WBA too. Its usually because we have a points total by this time or that not comparing the 2 like for like. Leicester played that way because they could with the pace of Vardy and are a pacey side in general. We are not that any-more and tend to build patiently, Remember what going for it meant with Tim? I think Garde was surprised how long it took to shape a team which just show’s you what a bag of shite we are/were. We now have several clean sheets and have been unlucky with penalty decisions on three occasions.

    The 2 games against Sunderland and Norwich we lost we could not field our preferred side and the Richards/Hutton/clark /Guzan axis struck again. I would guarantee if we played them with our full side the result would be different, it was just sods law we could not. Against Newcastle every stat was in our favour with their keeper making 6 saves. What you interpret as not going for it I can’t understand, we are not leicester or barcelona we don’t have the fire power. If as some wanted we had Pullis or Sam we would certainly not be going for it but trying to stay tight and nick the win, this is the Dilemma Garde has. We now look solid and after the Norwich match Garde said we have to cut out the mistakes not wow look we won. He’s no Idiot and if we had huge advantage by attacking I think that’s what he would do, we don’t so he doesn’t

    Chances are we won’y stay up, chances are Leicester thought the same 2 months from the end, we can but keep grinding out results and hope the others continue to slip.

  30. Mark King

    When you think about it, Hutton, Guzan, Richards, Clark are all internationals at least 3 will be involved with their nationals side again soon!! Why is it when you put them together you get the football version of disaster pants?? Its a conundrum

  31. runtings

    hi b62
    agree with your post re not going for it like Leicester -the reasons though are because another new manager came into a mess setup and it was always going to take time to change things
    We still don’t have as good components of a team like the foxes and with no help from Randy – i have to take my hat off to Garde just for bringing some calm and method to villa

  32. John Lerwill

    B62,

    The comparison with Liecester is inevitable as the stats are so similar:

    1. We’re one point behind where they were, same stage;
    2. The goals against column is exactly the same, and (despite what you say) the goals for column is not so different.

    And we’ve actually lost one game less than Leicester at the same stage. As Mark has stated before, there are one or two games when draws should have been wins. With the comparatively recent good run building up, we now have to up the tempo a bit, as I see it.

    So, despite how Leicester may have been playing, the issue at the end of the proverbial day is “who won and how many points do we have?” … *not* how did we play.

    So the stats easily invite comparison and we may yet stay up because we get the points (as Leicetser did) but playing in a different manner to Leicester. It’s all about getting the points, isn’t it, and we can’t dismiss Villa yet until it’s blatant there’s no mathematical chance of staying up.

    Methinks you give up too easily B62! 😉

  33. Clive Evans

    Mark – your comment about Bunn rings true with me – I played in goal at a semi-professional level and I can agree that when the defence is not strong the keeper is risky and vice versa. Hence the solution is a strong consistent defence – keep Richards out of the middle and Hutton, if you must play him in central midlfield.

    On a lighter note – I am watching Astro Sport from Malaysia in the run up to Sunderland v Manure and Paul Parker commented on the matter of Cattermole – he reckons the rest of the team would like him playing up front i.e. away from the defence and the red cards. My view better off the pitch but what do I know?

    My nephew a life-long Arsenal fan is staying in the same hotel as Gary Linneker tonight and has been given tickets for the Emirates tomorrow – I am not sure he knows who Linneker supports! But then as a Bath Academy player he mainly knows about rugby>

  34. Mark King

    When we talk about remis style of play I think he’s been hampered by the players available up

    Gestede has been ineffectual at hold up play and nobody reads his flick ons. Kosak has better link play and is busy but unfortunatley for him and us gets injured. That leaves Ayew who is not an out and out forward and needs someone to run into space and give him options in the box, with the right player with him Ayew is worth at least 10 assists a season, that runner would also create space for him too. I thought Sinclair could do that job but hasn’t been deployed down the middle with Ayew to my memory.

    That leaves the recently returned gabby, now gabby is no Austin on the finishing front but he does make defence troubling runs, can create himself and gets the odd goal. Gabby can also by making his diagonal runs out left do what Trekkers did for us and open up defences for the midfield and Ayew. Gabby just might change the way we play. When you look at the forwards Garde was chasing were they not just better versions of gabby in a goal scoring sense? Pacey and physical players that break the back line.

  36. John Lerwill

    Clive: “…as a Bath Academy player …”

    Then he would know about Ivor Powell? The old Villa captain who was coach at Bath until well into his 90s (now deceased unfortunately)?

    Would be very interesting to hear about Ivor and his methods.

  37. Clive Evans

    John – not so sure as he is only in the U-18s squad. He was fortunate to have a 100% scholarship to Millfield School from the Dallalgio Foundation and hence the link to Bath. He has just been given a contract for the Academy as he finishes at Millfield in July and is captain of the Bath Academy u-18s and in the England U-18 squad. I’m well pleased for him as my sister is a single mum divorced from his Nigerian father

  38. Paul Pears

    Congratulations to your nephew Clive, at doing so well. Hope he will have a great career!

    Man Utd losing with 2 mins left to play..!!

    Berahino starting alongside Rondon for the Baggies….it’s all hotting up at the bottom…

  40. B62 Villa

    Mark/John
    It’s not a case of giving up too easily its a case of being realistic, we are so far behind the rest let alone safety, with so little time to turn it around , with poor players I’d say it’s unrealistic to say we have a chance of survival. I agree it’s still mathematically possible but in the real world it’s beyond a miracle that isn’t going to happen. We are reliant on those above to implode, and besides Norwich the others aren’t , yes they may still lose games but they are also picking up wins, and all they have to do is match our results( which isn’t hard) to stay above us, although Sunderland don’t seem to have given up yet, another home win for them against Man Utd

  45. John Lerwill

    B62,

    Well, we certainly seem to differ on our views! But fair dos.

    I don’t think we have “poor players” *except* that we are weak in the attack, and that could well be our downfall unless Gabby and Ayew develop as a partnership.

  46. Paul Pears

    Agreed JL,

    Hopefully before the end of the season maybe Grealish will live up to expectations and come good, and Sinclair could still play a part.

    It would be great to see our most expensive signing of the Summer come good too…namely Rudy Gestede…there are lots of possibilities, once you have a solid defence and mid-field to play in front of.

  47. B62 Villa

    John
    I think we are still weak across the park, and are ponderous. This squad needs ripping up and starting again, this won’t happen and this is why we will have a summer of upheaval and turmoil, yet again. Garde won’t get the backing he wants to rebuild, so I think he will walk. This squad will struggle next season in the championship, that are weak, have a losing mentality and it seems a fractured dressing room. Add to this to the fact the board room are all retarded and we have the recipe for another disaster next season.

  48. Paul Pears

    B62,

    A few weeks ago you would be on the ball, but you cannot ignore the fact that Remi has done a remarkable job of turning this squad round and got it firing once more, and he will continue to tune it and tweak it until the end of the season, when he should get better backing from a new board, which then may see more coming from Mervyn King, once the finances are fully sorted.

    If we lose in a poor fashion tomorrow, we may view things differently…..

    and Bournemouth in trouble against Stoke…

  49. B62 Villa

    I think remarkable is pushing it a bit, remarkable would have been keeping us up, as it stands we do look better recently, but that’s not that difficult to look improved when your starting position is atrocious. We are still a very poor football team, we have still only won 3 matches all season( league only), and are cut adrift, and have toy really looked like anything other than relegation certainties all season.

  50. Mark King

    Well a mixed day so far, we can only try and win our games, at this point we are in the top 5 for form so we need to stay in that as long as poss. One thing is clear is there are very few gimme’s to count on and that to me means we have to duplicate Sunderland’s win against untied and WBA’s against Everton. No game can be considered a loss before a balls kicked, this season has proven that time and time again.

  51. James Gill

    Paul pears
    Our expensive summer signings namely rudi come good ,I am not a fan of rudi but 6 m is chicken feed in run of things ,he has also scored 5 goals Gabby hardly averages much more on 55 k a week
    Why are fox and co still employed by Hollis ,every decision fox made in his turn as boss has been farcical, new contracts sacking managers ,signing players and January farce were if they weren’t going to save this season should have been looking at hitting full speed for next
    As for remi I am expecting him to say after we are relegated I enjoyed my time here but villa and me want to go different directions next season ( I’ll take my pay off and keep quiet) Eric black will take over

  52. Mark King

    B-62 If you watched the Sunderland game the 2 players garde wanted looked Pretty good considering they were new to the prem and playing untied, That gives me some optimism that Garde is a good judge of a player. If the powers that be don’t grab the opportunity that Garde presents then yes it will go down hill judging by previous managers.

  53. Mark King

    JG- I almost can’t wait for the end of the season to see if the Eric Black conspiracy is true! Its like a thriller, with a name like Eric Black he has to be the villain 😉

  54. James Gill

    B62
    We have worst squad I can remember, when Gabby is our best goal threat from midfield and front men you know you are snookered,
    Remi has done very little ,Hutton injury forced him out of team ,guzan gum show got him dropped,yes mark k he picked out players but McLeish Lambert said the same,remi got okore back from injury which Sherwood didn’t
    But it bugs me why did remi stay after getting no players in January, losing 5 out of panel of 25 ,having to take Gabby back only one week after saying he was on way out of club ,doesn’t add up looks like a nice big pay off for remi in may

  55. Mark King

    JG- why did he stay? because he cares about this group of players, the fact we might actually stay up and the fact he’s not a quitter mate. Remi knew what he was walking into and yes he was pissed off but It was not all about lack of money, players choice and circumstance played there part, Remi knows this. If it was a clear no money for you matey then yes he’d have reason.

    Tim lost okore, Garde lost Amavi he still could not organise the team with a whole pre-season to set the foundations

  57. James Gill

    Mark k
    Its one of the reason I loved football everyone different opinion right or wrong,agree or disagree, but the only reason I think remi stayed was a big bonus, no one would have said he was a quitter walking out after no signings,when the board pulled the plug on deals,even the lad that went to Newcastle that only happened after Reilly alstad went to Rome to see him
    In any walk of life when price goes up so does the fee,its not like multi national pressurising small companies to take a price milk eg when Lerner took over we were getting low 20 m TV money yet we had angel at 9.5 m plus few in the 6/7 million range roll on ten years we are getting from 80 to now 100 m TV money our summer transfer fee highest was below Angell price before last summer we had only bought one player over 5 m in 4 years

  58. B62 Villa

    At least Chelsea are ensuring Newcastle remain in the mix, how funny would it be to send them down at VP again!!! The only downside would be them making the promotion push that much harder, same with Sunderland tbf

  60. James Gill

    Mark k
    Your a bit of the mark their
    Kozak never played for Sherwood
    Ayew has only missed matches because of suspension and moxexly wrote about that last wfeeks paper about playing for manager
    Rudi missed couple matches
    If Hutton hardened been available all season we would have been safe along with guzan

  62. Mark King

    Ayew has missed 4 games of remis however he managed it Tim dropped him , Adama too was injured after Remi started to use him.

    B-62 I would dance naked down the high street if the barcodes drop

  65. Paul Pears

    Spot on MK.

    JG….Benteke cost £9million, Bent cost £24million, Gestede cost £8million and I could go on….where is this not spending more than £5million coming from..???

    Gabby is on £45000 a week, which is what MON was paying to some of the dross he recruited like Harewood….

  66. B62 Villa

    The figures reported for Benteke, Bent and Gestede were £7m, £18m and £6m respectively, if we have paid £8m for Gestede whoever authorised that needs drowning in the canal, saying that we also reportedly paid£10m for Ayew, £9n for Gana and the same for Veretout!!!! Absolutely criminal, talk about having your pants pulled down.
    As usual Villa have done things on the cheap, but when we do pay a bit more we still buy shit

  68. Mark King

    B-62 I think they have what it takes, going to Chelsea on the back of a stunning win against the most defensive and goal shy team in the league who’d of thought it? 🙂

  70. James Gill

    Paul pears
    Sorry phrased it wrong for over 5 m ,before last summer Lambert bought one player benteke over 5 m,McLeish one in zog so that was two players over 4 seasons ,Gabby is on 55 k a week,Mon was averaging 8 position yes he bought duds but we were winning Cole sendross Richardson on 75/90 thousand a week never played two had to be paid to leave

  71. James Gill

    When Mon was in charge money was been spent by every club Fulham 12 m on a french lad can’t name useless,stoke under pulis spent heavy ,our problem last summer was not spending about 30 m more on keeper midfielder and striker ,rudi cost same as balaban,slightly more than stone 17 years ago and sasa curic 4.5 in 1997

  72. Paul Pears

    Well having seen the highlights of the UTD game, and the grin on De gea’s face after he conceded the second goal, did they sell the game down the river as a protest…????

  73. Trinity

    Man U going down to Sunderland doesn’t help our cause, does it? Will that result instil a bit of urgency into our players for the Liverpool game tonight? We shall see.

  74. Frem

    Huge game today. We can claw the gap back to 5 points and we probably won’t have another chance of doing it again it we lose

    If we can do it, we can survive. If we can win today and our next game, we have a wonderful chance

  75. Mark King

    Yes mate a do-able 5 points and we now don’t have the goal difference deficit, we are heading in the right direction.yesterday was evidence that the likes of utd are beatable, so points are there in games we should have no chance in ordinarily. Lets just hope we don’t have to beat Arsenal on the last day.

  78. Jenny Truman

    Thanks for the cheery article John !
    Feeling a dread coming on as it nears 3 pm . just our luck that Sturridge comes back . Benteke will at least be reminded of what it’s like to play at a ground where the fans loved him. Hope he gets a good reception today . Good luck AV you’re going to need it . Get the prayer mats out everyone . !!

  83. John Lerwill


    That F.C. Cup video item reminds me of a confrontation I had with Paul Faulkner on one occasion…

    I wanted to re-erect the club’s honours board, as it had been originally. But he objected to all the mention of runners-up and finalists years, reckoning that it was good only to show the years we actually won.

    Well, under him we showed no great ability to get even a runners-up spot!

  90. B62 Villa

    I left early, worst performance in my memory, Garde has to take some responsibility , another joke effort, the club is s disgrace from the owner to the bottom. Anyone that believes Garde is a saviour is a lemon

  95. runtings

    Today the reality of what Randy has done to the club has really hit home

    the squad needed additions and not even a loan could be afforded

    you pa for what you get and what we are getting s sub standard team due to lack of investment or Randy taking due care of the club

  96. John Lerwill

    (Sorry for the caps) IT’S *NOT* REMI’S FAULT

    Not only has he been lied to by the management, but he had no striker backup to Gabby of note (Ayew basically having created the vacuum and injuries have added to that problem), but being without Amavi and Sanchez as well has created a big problem.

    In such a scenario and with ‘Pool playing probably their strongest team, Villa team played as though they were demoralised from the 10th minute … some players just didn’t play … Bacuna, Veretout.

    And the first two goals were awful give-aways … almost like earlier season performances.

    We’ll now probably go and win at Stoke next week! 😉

  97. John Lerwill

    Runtings: “Today the reality of what Randy has done to the club has really hit home “

    That’s the most accurate statement made today.

    But wait … it’s a business (isn’t it?) not a football club. And some people wanted the club run as a business.

  99. B62 Villa

    MK/JL
    That was by far the worst performance in Villas history!! The team had nothing about them. They were all over the shop from the off. Remi isn’t the saviour, he isn’t the solution he is part of the problem. He won’t bring us back up, he is timid and defensive and way out of his league. The players are awful, but lack leadership and motivation . Paul McGrath called it a disgrace and said every fab should be re imbursed , car ragged was right when he said this tea would struggle to stay up in the championship. This is our heaviest home defeat , I thought there were no more negative records to break!!! The lot are scum, I’ll be having a party when they shuffle off

  100. James Gill

    Remi is as much part of the problem
    Any man that let fox Lerner and co walk over him in January is a Muppet
    Bacuna Westwood got 5 year contracts,Hutton Gabby got extension
    Gana vertout are piss poor players fox Reilly alstad have to go now
    Pearson or Moyes wouldn’t put up with that shite

  101. John Lerwill

    B62,

    Not the worst performance in Villa’s history at all. Just *one* of the worst.

    There’s no point in going about Remi as I (and I’m sure Mark too) see him in a completely different light. He can only do what he can with what is available.

  102. John Lerwill

    B62: “This is our heaviest home defeat “

    It’s not – we had 7 goals scored against us at home in 3 matches in one season, in 1935-36.

    It’s simply the worst since the start of the Premier League … but there have been other defeats almost as painful.

  105. B62 Villa

    John
    That was the worst home defeat and performance at VP in 135 years!!!
    I don’t buy this bullshit , it’s not down to Remi Garde. That teams shows no effort, passion, discipline, guile or anythingpositive.
    Would we really have been any worse off keeping Sherwood? Tell me exactly what Garde has done to turn this around, and what qualifies him to oversee next seasons survival campaign in the championship??? He cam here in Nov, 4 pts from safety, now we are down and falling apart

  106. Mark King

    JG why are you obsessed with him walking? he’s a manager trying to do a job.

    What did anyone think Garde would do today? not play the team that beat Norwich? pull another team from the reserves? Lets face it his option are very very few and the players he has have to be on there game or that happens. That was a collapse of the mental variety, 2 goals gifted and the players lost heart, they wanted off that pitch Pronto. Its not much of a surprise we are not very good, players went into their shells and stopped showing for each other. Again the lack of leaders comes back to haunt us.

    My other fear of Bunn not being dominant enough came home to roost big style today, I hate to say it but it might have to be back to Guzan.

  107. John Lerwill

    B62: “That was the worst home defeat and performance at VP in 135 years!!!”

    How do you know? I’ve already told you about the 7-goal defeats in 1935-36, for starters.

    You can’t possibly know if you weren’t there. There have been some seasons in the past when Villa were awful.

    Aside from which VP has only been around since 1897, 119 years ago! 😉

  108. Mark King

    B62- seriously mate keep Tim? he virtually sacked himself. He wouldn’t even play the French players and could not communicate with them. What makes you think anyone could turn this around or have done better? we have gifted goals all season thats not the manager that is poor play, garde has at least improved that until today.

  109. B62 Villa

    The only thing that will cheer me up tonight, is the news that either
    A) we have been sold to a football loving billionaire who want to take us forwards or
    B) RL and TF have killed themselves because they can no longer bear the shame of their actions.
    Today TF had a female and her 81 year old father removed, and there ST revoked for telling him he has ruined the club along with Lerner. The bloke is nothing more than a cunt

  111. James Gill

    Mark k
    Remi walking would showed the world how bad fox and co at there jobs,
    You beat Sherwood yet bar soton last season nothing in first 10 matches under Sherwood was as bad as matches under remi Everton arsenal Sunderland Norwich Wycombe and today,today bunn showed he is only slightly better than guzan who is crap beyond crap,bacuna has been shite every week yet still plays,Gabby acts like a brat yet plays 3 stone overweight lazy cnut ,Hutton gets on at end another in guzan club

  112. John Lerwill

    Mark,

    Yes I though you’d say that about Bunn, and the second goal was mor down to him I have to admit.

    But just what were the centre-backs doing for the first 2 goals (forgetting the others for a mo!)? They were utterly beaten, and should have been more alert.

  114. James Gill

    Mark k
    The french players
    Ayew 4 matches for stupid decisions booked in injury time on deadline for 5 bookings,sent off for a run by hammer 5 goals in 20 odd matches
    Gana he making delph look like a superstar
    Vertout just change delph for cleverly
    Last summer’s signings have been a disaster all round Sherwood knew and got out remi will have 3/4 season to save them no chance
    Carragher said villa worst ever side forget about point total,no manager will try to sign any of our crap,if we don’t make wholesale changes manager included we will go down again can’t argue with that

  115. B62 Villa

    MK
    That’s my point TS was awful, but Garde has been as bad if not worse!!! But because he is French he gets the benefit and a free pass! As for not playing the French players, they are fucking shite!!!! The English ones haven’t been much better but fuck me , let’s out this myth to be bed that Veretout , Ayew, Gana, Gestede and even Amavi were worth the fortune paid for them! These weren’t Tims players either, it’s fucking embarassing how they are getting a free ride, when they couldn’t give 2 shits. IMO we have no players that would get into another PL team, this bunch of clowns will struggle to stay up next season, the French will go back to France as will Garde. You can’t tell me Pearson, Moyes or even Rowett could have done worse?? 2 wins , that is it WTF since Nov 2 wins in the league( nine away) it’s a disgrace and Garde needs to hold his hands up and say I am not good enough, yes his task was difficult, yes his boss is a cunt, yes the team isn’t really his but fuck me, I expected better, and especially after so many Villa fans were creaming themselves in the summer at our continental spending spree. Wether he bought the m or not, he is taking down a side that cost about 80-90 million to assemble( no matter what was recouped)

  116. B62 Villa

    Runtings,
    Yes it’s an ownership/CEO issue, but the basics on the pich simply aren’t there and for that the manager has to share the responsibility of failure .
    He hasn’t done enough to organise or sort the mess out.

  117. James Gill

    The owner not out on pitch today was not a one off, spurs arsenal Newcastle on sky Wycombe on bt were the world can see gaaby touching ball 6 times in a half ,nobody working either back or forward in any match nobody putting in a tackle only cowardly ones from westwood

  118. John Lerwill

    B62,

    I think you’re being totally unfair towards Garde in your frustration.

    ALL our chins are down, but some of us can see that Garde has been dealt a bad hand, particularly worsened by no support in the January window after it being promised to him.

    He’s a foreign manager coming in to the Premier League after more than 15 years away and having to motivate a team that had already lost its morale when he arrived.

    And also not being told the truth about so many things! For goodness sake, he even believes that Lerner has lost £300m of his own money!!

    Garde is a more than decent guy who has been hoodwinked.

  120. runtings

    i don’t think many villans expected too much – we brought a lot of unknown players and the experience Tim rightly wanted was the kind of thing randy had in mind

    even the clubs coming up are much better run with full support from the boards

  121. B62 Villa

    Mocked on sky
    aPub Team
    “But they could go down as one of the worst teams in the history of the Premier League.

    “It’s not just a poor team who are fighting and are going to go down – this is as bad as you’ll see from Aston Villa.

    “They’re an embarrassment, they have been for a few years.

    “If that team is in the Championship, they’ll be close to the bottom, there’s no doubt about that.

    “I can’t imagine one Premier League manager looking at that team thinking there’s one player there that I’d want to take into my squad – that’s how poor they are.

    “Forget Derby and Sunderland and the points – they are the worst.”

    We cannot argue with that

  125. B62 Villa

    JL
    Unfair?? Really, I think he would have gotten some funds if we weren’t in such a hopeless position when the window opened. My point is they are ALL to blame and that INCLUDES Remi Garde. Not one player showed any commitment or fight today, they were beaten from the start, surely it’s the managers job to get the team motivated and set them up properly? Garde hasn’t done that, Iv always said he had a difficult task, but he has failed and for me if he goes in the summer, I won’t shed a tear.
    By the way Westwood is one of the worst midfielders Iv ever seen, and yes he is tackle shy and leaves his foot in. Gardner can’t get a game but again is getting rave reviews and MOTM write ups at forest. I bet he moves there in the summer, and rubs our noses in it when they turn us over at the City ground next season.

  126. runtings

    bunn

    hutton okore lescott amavi

    toure gana sanchez veritoot

    gil awey

    that is possibly our best team which is scary but we won’t even see that this season

  127. Mark King

    JG how many have we won with any of them in the team?

    All depends on what happens next, if they back Remi or whomever is in charge next in the summer then who knows but the Tim/committee squad has been a disaster. and Injury’s etc have further weakened a weak team.

    This is a bad loss but it isn’t over, almost like the worst actor in the world dying over and over.

  129. Mark King

    Runtingz- I would of ditched bacuna and gone with davis and sinclair, Liverpoo had it so easy at the back. Our lot froze from the off and if Gabbys back is knackered thats him done.

  131. runtings

    it’s a paper thin squad with lots of injuries – don’t know how long rudy is out for and can’t believe i am saying this but we need him back 🙂

  132. B62 Villa

    Mark
    Isn’t over? We are heading into financial Armageddon , we are in real danger of dropping through the leagues like Wolves did back in the day and Portsmouth have done. Next season we will not invest, they are closing the entire upper trinity rd stand, ST sales and attendances will be at a new low for the modern era, we are already looking at how to survive next season, we won’t spend for promotion, just survival. Aston Villa football club is dying in front of our very eyes

  133. B62 Villa

    Frem
    Get yourself to Canada mate, these wankers aren’t worth your time or money.
    I wouldn’t care if they all left, owner, CEO, Board, Manager and players .
    Nice to see Lescott tweeting pictures of his new car straight after that disaster . I hope he gets dragged down the Hagley rd by it again

  136. B62 Villa

    Looking through the PL how many teams come back?? Not many, and now the clubs like WBA, and the usual strugglers will have a £120m head start and that’s before sponsorship , match day merchandise, ST sales etc. it’s harder than ever. Look at the clubs who never made it back, the championship is rammed full of them. Whoever goes down will have to come straight back up or face years in the widerness , as the PL clubs get richer

  137. Mark King

    B-62 mate you have outlined the worst case scenario that is all, its not a reality yet, Prem teams have had the advantage of tv money for years it has not made the difference you outline teams like Swansea, Southampton, west ham, Newcastle,sunderland, WBA, have all been down and back. The likes of Portsmouth and Leeds were financially fucked, we are not

  139. Frem

    Hopefully sooner rather than later B62. If I stay in England I’ll keep going and I don’t want to anymore . I’ve fell in love with Atletico Madrid the last 3 years. So Spain wouldn’t be a bad move. I’d enjoy football for once

  140. John Lerwill

    Glensider, at VitalVilla, gives an accurate picture i.m.o….

    http://www.astonvilla.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=7520320

    However, he says in his final bit… “We’ve been through dark times before, survived and thrived. We are going to have to do so again.”

    I’m not sure this time we want to “do so again”. With the news (waiting for confirmation) of a couple of elderly fans being banned by Fox, I am not sure I want to part of this vainglorious ownership and his/their double-speak.

  141. James Gill

    John l
    Don’t like having a go at a fellow fan but your post at 5.33 defending Westwood sorry not having it as I said didn’t watch match live ,watched mofd for my sins and Westwood tackle on original which he only got booked for showed him Westwood up for what he is a spoofer,not good enough to play league one too small ,light and most of all cowardly that’s his normal tackle

  142. The Droyd

    The first Villa game I went to was in 1983 and we lost 5-0 at home to Notts Forest. I had not seen anything as bad since. Until yesterday.

    Actually, I left at half time, so I wasn’t subjected to the full horror. I haven’t even seen the last 4 goals. I had taken my 4 children with me and decided that if I subjected them to anymore of it, then I might get arrested for child cruelty. What a fantastic decision that was.

    A gutless, feeble display. It’s incredible to think that we were worse in the 2nd half.

    I sit in the hospitality area in the Trinity Lounge. I have a nice 3 course meal thrown in as part of my season tickets. Even that has gone right off the boil. I had to go up to the thumb twiddling supervisor to ask why my order had not been taken after sitting there for half an hour. In fairness the food is generally good in there but after the shoddy service, they served up cremated beef and cold sticky toffee pudding.

    The whole place reeks of decay. I couldn’t wait to get the hell out of there.

    There was a comments questionnaire to fill out. “What was the best part of your experience today”? It asked.

    “Leaving” – was my response.

    Utter shower of shit.

  143. John Lerwill

    James:

    Well, you have an opinion and that’s OK. Whilst I agree there are aspects of his play that sometimes remind you of a lower league player I also sometimes think that if he would respond to good advice from someone he could be good player – even a very good player.

    You lot criticise him for not doing things that sometimes I’ve seen him do, so I think the criticism of him, on balance, is a shade over the top.

    But I do agree that a club like Villa should have much better players in their ranks.

  144. John Lerwill

    Droyd,

    Well, fair dinkum for leaving when you did.

    I forget the last time I turned my head from a Villa match, but I was watching on TV yesterday and turned off after the third goal. It has to be bad for me to do that.

  145. Jenny Truman

    Morning fellow sufferers.

    There have been signs of a split dressing room all season . Yesterday they were all United – in not wanting to be at the club . I watched the vid that the OS site of the players coming out of the tunnel for the warm up . To a man you’d think they were a bunch of defiant fifth formers, trundling on to the school playing field under protest at having to do that pointless thing called games . Problem is they aren’t fifth formers , they are highly paid professional sports men who people pay a lot to see and support.

    There have been rumbles of discontent for weeks – Lescott refusing to shake Remis hand , Okore telling journalists “he owes AV nothing ” .

    What was most disappointing is that we haven’t lost a game at home since December – and made a fist of it against Norwich. We were fooled again into thinking “just maybe”.

    I feel so sorry for the who made it to the game and as my friend said , it was depressing because the villa fans just sat through the “humiliation” resigned and deflated . He stayed until the end .

    Before we kicked a ball we looked defeated . The first two goals wiped away all confidence and grit.
    a team of players who have fallen out with each other , the manager , the supporters and tge sporting ethos of playing your best to win .

    tgen to read the gullible media fawning over Jurgen Klopp as he said “not a day for singing because of what has happened to a big club like villa”. that didn’t stop him smirking and laughing with his no 2 on every camera shot : it’s all to promote the press love in with him .

    The bitter icing on the cake was Mr Sherwood – true to form his analysis on MOTD2 was all about meme me . His inciteful appraisal was “when I was manager they always gave 100 per cent commitment to ME” Oh dear , he seems to have forgotten he said “we were in a hole ” after ten games and he over saw the recruitment of this team of misfits .

    I can’t see the point in throwing the kids into this horrible situation but – Remi is looking for 11 players who want to play , so maybe he will have to.

  146. southwestvillan

    Lets be honest we were all warned !!!!!!!!!!!

    The Lerner legacy is Cleveland will be of 2 extremes:
    1). They made tremendously generous donations to University Hospital’s Cancer Center and other interests in our community. they helped impact the lives of many sick individuals with their generosity.

    2). Unfortunately, the other legacy is one that started with lies from Al Lerner (sorry but death does not erase one’s legacy of deeds) with his behind the scenes assistance to help Art Modell move our beloved franchise and DESTROY a culture of family traditions and community pride for many. The sad reality is there is a young generation of Browns fans who have NEVER seen a Browns playoff win(18 YEARS AGO)…let alone a Super Bowl. Let’s not mention we have not won a road playoff game in about 40 YEARS….granted the Lerners can’t take all that blame.
    Those untruths and the under the table deal with the NFL to award him the franchise (wait for the book to come out) backfired on he and his family as Bill pointed out above by HORRIBLE hires (Policy and Dwight Clark) destroyed things before they started with the hire of Chris Palmer and TERRIBLE drafts that layed NO FOUNDATION for the new franchise in the first three years back.

    Randy continued the ineptness with his bad hires. We can only hope the new ownership moves quickly to make a decision on Holmgren (and Shurmur after the season) and gives Heckert more time to rebuild this MESS!!!!

  147. Paul Pears

    Well guys and girls had a wonderful day yesterday. Made good time to Villa Park and enjoyed a pint of San Miguel…..

    Saw James Milner score with a great header…..Saw Christian Benteke take to the pitch with rousing cheers and chants from the Holte End.

    In between those events, I also saw Couthnio and Sterling destroy a clueless Villa side in which, Richards,Bacuna were awful, Carles Gil,just not strong enough, knocked of the ball so many times I lost count. Gana produce some great moments when he won the ball, only to give it away awfully seconds later. Countless attempts to work the ball down the wings as per usual, but not one direct attack into the box, Westwood what can I say….just awful, and his one opportunity to put in a real shot was closer to the corner flag than the goal, and finally Mark Bunne has been found out…just not good enough, and I am sure on the day, Guzan would have done better.

    Lesson learned Klupp had done his homework, Remi should be on detention for not doing his.

    Looks like Gabby will be struggling to play again. He went down twice before being subbed, and he looked in pain. I would have thought for the start of the second half, Remi would have had some guts and put Keiran Davies on , and given him his blooding in the premiership, because Villa are going to need him.

    I eventually left around 80 minutes and then had an easy and relaxed drive to Bristol where I was able to forget about anything Aston Villa.

    I am sad because I can see no way out now, but the end of Aston Villa as we know it, Remi Garde may not survive the week, and will probably walk.

    I can see no future. I cannot see many season ticket renewals, and the club will struggle to find the finances to continue, which will result in the sale of Bodimoor Heath to start with, and a continuing sale of assets, until the club is stripped bare.

  149. John Lerwill

    Paul: “Lesson learned Klupp had done his homework, Remi should be on detention for not doing his.”

    I’m sorry, I don’t get it. If – as Jenny said – Villa had defeat in their minds before the match started (and that was my thought before reading Jenny’s piece) – what “homework” by Remi would have made any difference?

    I agree with you – at least half of the Villa midfield did not do a job yesterday, so if they weren’t able to get a foothold then it hands over the pitch to ‘Pool doesn’t it? Especially when the defence is willing to play give-aways with the first 2 goals – let alone the rest.

    Yes, Gil is a nice player – I always thought he was – but sadly he doesn’t have the physique nor speed to cope at this level.

  150. John Lerwill

    A little bit of further reflection…

    Which team in the relegation area would not be struggling when they have lost so many of their better players at a key time?

    Amavi, Sanchez, Traore and even Kozak (not so much Rudi) could have made a substantial difference to Villa in this run-in. And then there’s the stupidity of Ayew’s red card which came about just when Kozak and Gestede got injured, leaving a hugely depleted strike force. A fit Gabby could have helped a lot too i.m.o., but it looks as though we can’t rely on his availability.

    So all that – plus the team’s attitude – that is sinking Villa so fast.

  151. James Gill

    Think jenny you are been harsh on Sherwood,thought he came across OK the look of horror on his face after wards spoke volumes for me
    Sherwood said before end last season we had to shift the losers ( guzan Hutton Richardson Westwood bacuna Gabby ) out of squad he must of thought some of cleverly delph or benteke were going to stay the 35 m on french market plus 7 m for traore 42 m has been shocking value,yes I know they are not main problem the 6 above have been worse than shocking this season,Gabby should be tar and feathered as a treachous human being first goal yesterday showed him on his arse inside centre circle ( thought we were going to have to get a crane to lift him) Liverpool scored he was still same spot,one goal in a year doesn’t celebrate then goes on social media saying sorry for ruining haters weekend what a wanker surely has to be some get clause for villa on his contract
    Lescott needs same treatment performance yesterday you would see at Sunday morning football and its one of many from gum bum Leicester goal was his fault as many others
    Now to top it off Lambert has the neck to blame fox and co for recruitment Jesus wept guzan okore Westwood bacuna gil Sinclair he signed Hutton Gabby new contracts life can’t get much worse for us villa fans

  152. runtings

    Well i wouldn’t expect Garde to stay beyond the end of the season so those wishing for a new manager (again) will get there wish

    He has had the stuffing knocked out of him like every other villa manager the only difference is Garde has received no backing whatsoever from Randy

    Carrager laid into villa on live tv saying villa have been a joke for sometime – but we fans already knew that

  153. B62 Villa

    So a new day dawns, however the media is rightly putting us to the sword today. It was our worst home defeat in 81 yrs( as JL pointed out yesterday ), to day we have labelled the worst team in premier league history, with yesterday being the worst performance. I agree on the worst team ( despite teams having less points) i would say we are worse than Derby because they had only just come up and hadn’t been ever present for 20 odd years and our team cost more than theirs to put together. As for the worst performance, it’s certainly ours but I think the 9-1 Ipswich defeat may just eclipse it.
    We are a disgrace to football, Some pundits say Garde should have at least offered his resignation , either way he won’t be here next season.
    We are gonna drop straight thru the next league, Paul is right the club is in serious decline which isn’t over yet, I can see us ending up in the bottom tier pennyless

  155. B62 Villa

    Scott Sinclair – Manchester City – £2.5m
    Jordan Amavi – Nice – £7.7million
    Jordan Ayew – Lorient – £10million
    Mark Bunn – Norwich City – Free
    Jose Angel Crespo – Cordoba – £500k
    Rudy Gestede – Blackburn Rovers – £6million
    Idrissa Gueye – Lille – £9million
    Tiago Ilori – Liverpool – Loan
    Joleon Lescott – West Brom – £2million
    Micah Richards – Fiorentina – Free
    Matija Sarkic – Anderlecht – Undisclosed
    Adama Traore – Barcelone – £7.1million
    Jordan Veretout – Nantes – £8million
    Yes we could have bought better, yes we lost Benteke and Delph which covered most of our outlay, but fuck me we spent £53m this summer alone, surely we have a right to demand and expect more than 3 fucking wins all season, coupled with absolutely dire performances and humiliating defeats!!!!!!!! And certain relegation finishing bottom of the pile.
    Sherwood might be a bit of a ‘twatand struggled tactically, but I wonder if we would have been in this position if he had got some of his targets?? He warned that the squad was piss poor and was in desperate need of quality and premier league experience( something we were all asking for) yet the buffoons running the show thought they knew better.
    Garde looks lost, he looks completely devoid of ideas and out of his depth, he will hang around til the end of the season then picket his pay off and move back to France to try and rebuild his reputation which is in tatters.
    Yesterday was a disgrace and everyone at the club should hang their heads in shame.
    Fox should be sacked, not only for what he has done to the club but for his treatment of 2 ST holders , a young girl and her 81yr old dad, thrown out of VP in tears and had their ST revoked.
    They have form for this, they have blocked a few of our groups ST and called them in for a chat after an incident at the FA cup final last year. Fox and his cronies were laughing at a disabled fan and making not very kind remarks, one if our lot ( fireman) called them on it, and an argument over their behaviour ensued, nothing major and as we were getting fucked, they left, we met them in the boozer to get the mini bus back to Brum . The next time they went to VP there ST wouldn’t work and they were called in by Nicola Keye, they said they were barred due to drunken behaviour at Wembley etc. Now the two lads they called in HAVENT got shit for brains, one went in and spun around almost like an apology ( he is a high end salesman ) and placated them, the Water squirter ( fireman) went straight in and said he couldn’t talk to them as he was a witness in a police investigation into criminal behaviour and racially aggravated public order offences, as he had reported them all to the police. He got up and walked out. Both are now using ST in other people’s names , although they can re purchase next year ( prob cos no one else will!!)

  157. Mark King

    B-62- Mate what in your opinion should Garde have done yesterday? not play the 11 that beat Norwich after telling them they would have to cut out the errors that gave Norwich some guilt edge chances?
    Should he of put Kiennan Davis in? a 17 year old barley with his feet under the table from amateur football?
    I do not understand what you expect him to do? the squad is poor and paper thin. I can understand the anger but Garde wanted 5 players and you can bet your life everyone of them would of played. The Croatian Keeper, Debuchy at RB, Khazri on the wing instead of bacuna, One of many forwards instead of Gabby and Inler at DM. That is a manager who knows his squad is low quality, these were not cover but first team starters every single one.

    Tim Westwood they always fought for him? most of them he would not play and if Garde is to tough on them at least he hasn’t said these players are not mine, Lets face it he would have every right to say that, a whole lot more than Tim. Oh and Tim 6-1 against Southampton 4-0 in the cup???? give it a rest

  158. B62 Villa

    Mark
    I would have not sent Gardener out on loan, I wouldn’t play Bacuna or Westwood . Garde is responsible for organising and setting the team up, for getting them in the right frame of mind, for organising them. Yesterday was a farce, he has to take responsibility for his part in the criminal showing. The players don’t look like they want to play for him, he doesn’t look like he knows what he is doing out there. What do I expect him to do, oh I don’t know maybe win a few more football matches, maybe set the team up, be proactive and try something different.
    I agree he was let down in the window, but he did himself no favours in the 10/11 games leading up to the window, by not going for it.
    For what it’s worth , I think Garde is a decent bloke, unlike the previous bell ends like Lambert, Mcleish and co, but for me he is the wrong bloke at the wrong time, under different circumstances if we had more time and stability he could have been the right man, but he wasn’t what we needed and I don’t think he will get us out of the championship.

  159. Mark King

    B-62 Maybe after having arrived and discovered how inept we are at defending let alone scoring going for it was a little bit to much for this lot. How many meaningful crosses have you seen since Amavi got injured? how many awful misses have Gabby and Getsede had? how many inexplicable mistakes have been made by Richards, bacuna, hutton, Guzan, Bunn, Amavi, Clarke? to name a few. How about our incredible difference makers Gil and Grealish? Our 20 a season forwards Erm???? If I had seen the games under Tim I would of done the same and to be fare we have been unlucky not to have won at least a couple of games more like Newcastle or west ham again marred by mistakes. Garde can only put the best available 11 out, I’m baffled by GG’s omission but these are our most capped players This game just might see a few Young ones start, Lyden did himself no harm on sunday.

  160. John Lerwill

    B62: ” I think Garde is a decent bloke … but for me he is the wrong bloke at the wrong time”

    Yep – absolutely agreed!

    But that statement also means that given no support from the board in the transfer window, the current situation in no way is Garde’s fault apart from easily-made errors that you could complain about any manager for. Errors that are not worth talking about.

    It was certainly not Garde’s fault that Ayew got that crazy red card and that two other strikers got injured in the same week, and a whole host of other things you can’t blame Garde for. And – believing that the club is not relegated until it’s maths-wise proven otherwise, he has to play the most experienced players he has available. Sadly, a lot of those players want too many cuddles.

  161. John Lerwill

    As for Gardner not being used, that puzzles me a bit, but let’s be aware that he failed to make any impact in the PL in any of the appearances he has made and maybe Garde was just unsure that this was the time to put him out there. The manager is the man who has to make the assessment, and, frankly, I trust him on such matters as that.

    It’s easy for us on the sidelines to throw brickbats.

  162. James Gill

    Was listening to both 5 live,talksport we are laughing stock
    5 live I think said he ( presenter) talking to Wilkins and was told biggest problem Sherwood had with committee buying players that he never got to see them play so that closes argument that foreign lads were his players
    Some one else said has penny not dropped with Lerner its not America relegation happens
    The parachute payment is used to pay of players who were that bad they got you relegated and nobody else wants them ( guzan Hutton Richards lescott Westwood Gabby ) for starters
    Also mention carragher comments all agreed was spot on
    On to remi all said stupid appointment by idiots( fox Lerner) how can TV commentator come in and save the day,plus most of all comments from pundits ex players can’t understand why he stayed after been shafted in transfer window regardless of previous results

  164. James Gill

    Something for use to think about north Ireland Iceland Albania with less than couple players playing at top level European football all qualify for euro 2016 because their manager set them up right
    Remi couldn’t manage them countries even Mon so many dislike ( I was their) beat Germany in Dublin with John o Shea and derby player centre halves west ham ( keeper Randolph) played a blinder

  165. southwestvillan

    B62,

    There is a reason why players like Gardner are out on loan to championship clubs and that is to gain experience in that grade of football because the club gave up ages ago as the transfer window tells you.
    We have players like Baker and Robinson out aswell, I have watched Baker play and he looks made for the championship although he will never be a prem player, one player who I would try to buy back is Daniel Johnson probably only behind Huddleston as a midfield player at this level.

  166. steamers75

    last friday l was at a steamers 60th and l met up with a person who lmo would be the perfect person to act as a fans representative and would not fawn like a twat being in those fucking ejits company and be taken in by shite they spout , unlike that so-called fans club who clapped at every word the cunts put out the other week and who mixes with the real fans , not as Roy Keane called “the prawn sandwich brigade ” . Carl Chinn , knows more about the history of Birmingham and the villa than those fucking ejits could muster together , in fact what those muppets know about football l could write on the back of a postage stamp and still have room for the “Winds of War ” Novel ,
    And her’s a snippet about about that Polished Turd of a forward , when Garde joined , this twat walked upto him and said ” If you need anything doing here lm the person you see and l will get it sorted ” thats why Garde said he’s on his way out of the club , but last week he was picked again and some fans were creaming in their underpants …… , the person who told us this is a well respected ex-player , and lm not going to name him , but l believed every word he said ,
    well thats me done with the villa till that yank muppet fucks off , Frem and B62 , you both have my sympathies lads, in the Irish center friday there was about 250 people there and all but one said the same , Garde is at the wrong club at this time . but you always have that one person dont you ,
    all the best to you all , bye

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