A number of storylines are taking shape for Aston Villa in this campaign, and sadly, none of them are unfamiliar. From “The manager doesn’t know what he’s doing” to “We’re already in another relegation battle…and this time we’re going down.”

It’s hard to argue with any of these at the moment. It’s become depressing in its inevitability. I really wouldn’t know what to do if a strong majority actually thought we had the right man roaming the technical area.

But then I thought: Would mid-table mediocrity actually be more exciting than the urgency of potential relegation? Would we go crazy with each goal if, instead of  helping us claw our way to safety, it only puts us a point ahead of Stoke?

Of course, I’m not serious. But when you factor in the virtual impossibility of catching up to the perennials at the top, you do have to wonder what year-on-year safety would feel like once the sense of relief wore off. Sure, winning is more fun than losing. Much more fun. And yeah, having more to cheer about, is, well, more to cheer about. Your money feels better spent. You don’t get pitied by other supporters. You get to lord it over the rivals more often than not. All good things.

But nothing really to play for: We’re not going to win it all, we’re not going to lose it all. We’ll just start getting upset that we can’t push on just those extra three or four places.

I’m not the first to throw that out there, and right now, it isn’t really funny. But it did cross my mind.

Anyway…A couple more productive thoughts, I hope:

We do need some leaders on the pitch. I think Sherwood, while obviously deflecting some blame, is right that not many are stepping up and putting themselves about. Perhaps the chopping and changing has as much to do with that as anything else—a reaction to, and cause of, hesitancy.

I want to see us start sticking with a formation and line-up so we can find some of that elusive cohesiveness.

We also need to press harder and smarter. I really don’t like it when it looks like the other side just wants it more and is willing to work harder to get it. losing all the 50-50s or seeing our players surrounded by two or three opponents while giving them acres of space and the freedom from being pressed into mistakes. Liverpool always had Milner or someone sprinting out to challenge Amavi before he got 10 yards beyond the box.

If you’re going to counter, do it fast. Right now, we’re moving far too slowly. I know some of that is the lack of familiarity. Some of it the personnel. But we need to start attacking at a higher tempo, regardless. We need a runner with some strength, which just might be Ayew, and some quality on the ball, not a break toward a static hold-up man whose presence can actually keep us from getting behind defenders more easily. Gestede certainly has his strengths. But I’ve started seeing enough from Ayew to want to see more. Moreover, Gil and Grealish offer our only cutting edge. They have to feature as much as circumstances allow.

Finally, substitutions. I can applaud Sherwood’s attacking intent. And perhaps he’s been thinking, cocky as he is, that he’s got a few games to play around with. He doesn’t look like he’s enjoying himself, though, so maybe not. The Leicester collapse has everyone asking: Is it really so hard to bring in reinforcements to harass, break up and and simply present a wall? Again, the pressing, the quick closing with every intent to win the ball.

I really want Tim to be the man for the job…If for no other reason than he’s who we’ve got and I don’t want another start-over program after bringing in so many players. At least a few of whom are potentially very good players.

But I know I’m not alone in thinking that while we might not have expected a lot of results right away, we should look as though we’re building on the right foundations. And now the results, if they’re ever going to come, have to come sometime soon. Now would be as good a time as any.

It’s not an easy run of fixtures coming up. Have we sunk so low that we can’t even hope to get anything off teams higher than 15th? Maybe we have.

That’s got to change, and it won’t happen without putting it all on the line.

C’mon, Tim. Let’s get back to basics.

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John Clark
John is co-owner of AVL, and has followed the Villa since the '70s. A journalist by trade, he is, by most accounts, a very nice person. You can follow me on Twitter @JClarkKohoutek. It's an astonishing experience. Or a complete waste of time.

Comments 138

  2. Trinity

    Nice write-up.
    TS certainly needs to get his team settled.
    Is Gabby a leader? Probably not. Guess that’s why Westwood often gets the nod ahead of others.

  3. Mark King

    Morning JC and thanks, sorry about the new post post, wrong post would of been more accurate 🙂

    Your write up reminded me of the old Monty Python sketch were several northerners in cloth caps were trying to out-do each other in how horrendous their childhood had been.
    The line ” mid-table!? we would of killed for mid table” sprang into my head. At the moment that measly aim seems beyond us. Even more horrendous is that would be progress.

    I cannot argue with all you have written, I desperately want Tim to succeed but he doesn’t inspire much confidence in the Villa faithful after recent seasons does he.

    Leaders on the pitch is definitely what we need but if you are in one week out the next how does a player build a relationship with those around him in battle so to speak? how does he feel confident he can cajole or command others when he hasn’t had chance to show the way?

    For me there are several that could grow into that role in midfield and 3 or 4 in defence for me.
    Gana, vertoute, can do it by example but the language barrier probably doesn’t help there cause
    Gary Gardner could be the surprise force in midfield, captain at all levels for Villa he could be our man if full fitness is regained and a run of games allowed.

    In defence why are Clark and lescott not more vocal? is it again language? clark has a habit I believe of deferring to others if they appear dominant, when played with okore his perceived peer
    he stands up like a captain, he needs to find it regardless of the others on the pitch. Lescott has been there done but chooses to let Richards be the boss another that needs to step out of Richards shadow. Finally I wish I could transplant senderos’s brain into a younger more able body ( I’m assuming fitness is why he can’t get a game) multi-lingual , clever,commanding and an organiser, if fit and able a dream for us.

    Up top apart from Gabby who has limitations we have Kosak, by far the cleverest of our forwards, again can’t get a look in.

    I don’t now how Tims reign will pan out but if the ship isn’t steered elsewhere probaly off the edge of the world

  6. Mark King

    Ray houghtons view on things

    Houghton reckons the claret and blues need more leadership and has called on the manager to give the team more guidance from the sidelines.

    “I’ve watched the last two games when we lost at home to West Brom and Stoke and were very unconvincing” said Houghton.

    “There were too many players sitting back and not taking responsibility and, looking at Tim Sherwood’s face, he was not being as demonstrative as he usually is.

    “The team needs some help and someone to point them in the right direction and Tim Sherwood isn’t doing that at the moment.

    “But he has come out trying to fight his corner, especially with the club’s financial situation, and hopefully he can turn it around.”

    I have to say as Jenny noticed the other day, Where is Wilkins? he is the assistant manager yet doesn’t sit next to Tim on match day??

  8. John Clark

    Thanks, Mark. I agree…like Ayew, I’m starting to see enough from Veretout to want to see more. He’s quick, has energy, a bit of bite, and looks to make a positive impression going forward.

    I’ve wondered about Tim sitting in the dugout, his demeanor, and to Jenny’s question, Wilkins not sitting next to him.

    I think the core is there…TS just has to make a couple of decisions and stick with them for a bit.

  9. John Clark

    Trinity-

    Yeah, Westwood does a lot of the unsung things. He isn’t “dynamic”, so he seems surplus, but he’s a net positive. Gabby…He just doesn’t have the touch and quality on the ball. Definitely bring him on to change things up, or chase and harass from up front when we have a lead. He has something to contribute, just shouldn’t be starting as a lone forward, and isn’t that great when we’re trying to pass through the middle, and have a bit of interplay.

  10. rogermuffin

    Hi all, itys ben a lomg time!

    John, very good points there. i would just add that whats even the point of mid table? we want to be at the top, if we can take some more pain for a while whilst tim gets his pieces together, and make a really good team, then i can take some more pain

    for example vertout, ayew getting fitter, westwood going, richards to rb, okore back, mabe we buy Loris Karius from germany, who has been in all the german youth teams? and / or is lloris being prepared for dm i think has great technical skill and is a good tackler maybe when fit he will be in?

    a nice team would be

    Loris Karius

    micah okore clark amavi

    llori

    vertout gana

    gil grealish sinclair

    ayew/gueste/kozak

    the false number 9 option!

    its been a long time since i was on here, its a lot easier to follow villa on facebook fan pages and reply there, but i still follow everyone comments, this site should intergrate with its facebook page so all sync up there would be a hell of a lot more commets!

  11. Mark King

    Hello Roger wonder where all the posters had gone. All the old faces have pretty much retired 5 seasons of dross will do that. What facebook fan pages do you use?

  13. @RonnieBiggs

    Lifers,

    Sure JC getting back to basics or something along those lines.

    What we’re missing from Sherwood is Leadership.
    Leaders make a decision and stick with it ie. his best team, formation and style of play.
    Leaders remain buoyant and positive despite the highs and lows and the pressure.
    Leaders make quick changes in real time when things aren’t working (match situations).

    Haven’t felt any of the above from Sherwood since his great start and to be honest since his active transfer window where he has signed some good players by the way, I have been disappointed by the man especially given his reputation as a fighter and success when he was a player.

    It’s like he’s got a dual personality. Lambert only started to look defeated near the end of a quite lengthy tenure but he already looks defeated at that is dangerously contagious and bothers me!

    He’d better get back to his best in a hurry is all I can say!
    UTV

  14. @RonnieBiggs

    What really resonates JC from your article is that he’s supposed to be a Cocky Cockney and has looked anything but the part in a short stretch of time… I’m not a Lambert fan but he always rallied the troops and fought on when times were tough and it was only near the end where he looked really tired that his resolve started to fade.

    Come on Timothy pick yourself up and then pick up the players and the fans and stop moping about!
    UTV

  16. Archie

    Good evening each, I haven’t posted on this site for ages. I thought I’d offer an opinion, and its this, I really think Tim is out of his depth. To me there is no plan, no strategy. Hit and hope springs to mind. So it can’t go on. We could be in a situation where we go into Christmas anchored in the bottom three seven, eight points adrift. Tims had his go and although the talent may me there it’s not being utilised effectively. for that reason and while threre’s stiukkl loads of fixtures I reaaly would replace Tim. With whom, well thats the silver bullet, I think Nigel Pearson would come, he seems to know what he’s doing, what do you guys think. Archie

  18. Mark King

    Archie- I think most have got fed up with villa and the ground hog day we have become mate.

    Maybe Tims skills lie in motivation and not organisation. both times he’s been boss there was a core of players to start with. when he took over he changed maybe 4 players but they were all in the match day squad for the whole season. At spurs he brought through a few youngsters he already worked with, at villa He worked with what he had, at the moment he’s in a sweet shop but doesn’t think much of the sweets he bought. maybe when we get to Jan he can get a new lucky bag .

  19. John Doyle

    the best thing lerner can do is have 200 mill on villa to go down at even money to get his money back
    it looks like he has had it on at the 3 to 1 at the star of the season why else is sherwood still here

  20. Archie

    John Doyle…fancyt seeing youy here…
    Mark , i do think January will be too late. I’d love TS to make it happen but I just dont see it happening, I’d love to be proved wrong.
    Short season, act now

  21. Archie

    John Doyle…fancy seeing you here…
    Mark , i do think January will be too late. I’d love TS to make it happen but I just dont see it, I’d love to be proved wrong.
    Short season, act now
    (edited version, )

  22. Paul Pears

    Brendan and his badges to save the Villa once and for all, and become the next Alex Ferguson….

    You read it here……remember……

    Randy has promised it for my birthday present. He will be appointed on 29 October 2015 at 2.30pm….

    Villa to be out of the bottom 3 by December….and he will be unofficially in the stands at Soton on the 28 October in time to give the team a sufficient boost to win through to the next round of the Cup……..!!!!!!……yyyessssssssssssssssss.

  24. Jenny Truman

    Excellent article as always – totally agree with your concerns and analysis.
    With our worst start in history , there is reason to be seriously worried – particularly as TS is now going down the blame route.
    From the Mirror this morning http://mirr.im/1MlHE5S he says that he didn’t get the transfers he wanted and that Paddy OReikly and the stats man effectively are the reason for our bad start . Wrong wrong wrong . This should not be made public even if it is true . Is this going to instil confidence and loyalty to the cause from all the new players when he’s just told the world they aren’t first choice. How are they going to feel ? It’s a massive demotivater and it’s smacks of blame them not me. It may be a valid reason but there is nothing to be gained and lots to be lost from hailing our new players as second best . We all know self belief in sport is a huge determinant in performing to your potential. If your manager doesn’t believe in you then it’s an uphill struggle as it isn’t Paddy OReilly giving the team talks !
    On the question of stats – the fact that Amavi is leader in defensive skills and the Newcastle and Bournmouth player is second and third tells you all you need to knkw about the short comings of stats. As our new players come from “Lowe leagues” it makes the reliance on them even more ridiculous. You are comparing apples with pears . Even when comparing in the same league , as the stats for Amavi show , they don’t tell the whole story . If that’s how our new players were chosen then God help us .
    Mark – you picked up my point on fitness – all I would say is that from the start of Tim’s tenure there was a new regime put in fir double training to improve what was identified as poor fitness under Lambert ?

  25. Jenny Truman

    From not knowing his best team it’s gone to ‘they’re OReilly’s and Henke’s team”. This ‘pass the parcel ‘ of blame has to stop . The lack of team spirit the fans see on the pitch is being played out on the managerial level and this type of weakness will be exploited come the latter stages of the season if we are still fighting relegation . What has happened to the relationship between the fantastic innovative forward thinking AV management team that Fox sold us when Lambert’s lot were cleared out? Wilkins and Sherwood look like a couple going through a divorce , Sherwood has accused Henke and OReilly for getting him duds and the BMH staff and coaching staff are the reason we can’t last 90 mins or pass a ball forward . Anyone notice who is completely clear of blame ?? I would watch your back Ray as I reckon you will be next ! Winning teams stick together in times of challenge not turn on each other . Which do AV resemble ?

  26. Mark King

    Jen-on fitness, I know this has happened under successive managers and even in mons time. We regularly ran out of steam. Maybe that is down to the quality of athlete or tactics used. The best way to stay fresh is keep the ball and take a breather while wearing the opposition out.Lack of game time won’t help of course.
    If Tim is now blaming the players as he didn’t want them he is at the wrong club. I’m sure the strategy would of been outlined to him.
    So why if he thought they were not good enough did he not walk? Was it just in case it worked and he could grab the glory?
    In early games he said how unlucky we had been and we were close but that view changed after Leicester again why when he was close to getting a full complement of players back?

  27. Mark King

    It also begs the question did Tim give out new contracts and did he order the clear out?
    You have think that Tim wasn’t so happy with the team and he still got results, what’s changed ? As you say Jen has the management become fractured? Him and Wilkins don’t appear to be very pally.

  29. Jenny Truman

    Mark , Within minutes of our cup final defeat TS spoke to the press and said that we have a losing mentality and there would be a big clear out and the losing mentality players would be gone and should look for new clubs. At the time I said his “losing mentality ” was a poor choice of words . He made it clear that he wanted a load of new players . You would expect him to have a say in who . But then he has no experience of recruiting and selecting a team to build from. At spurs he had no part of this process .
    Whether he had any influence on who to recruit or keep on , he was happy to go along with it and would he be crediting OR or Henke if we were doing well ? It is a divisive and mind numbingly negative response to a bad start which protects him at the expense of his players and his managerial colleagues. It really is too early to be making excuses or casting blame. The fans and players want to hear words to the effect of , yes we’ve had a bad start but we have a fine group of players and we are addressing how we can improve . We don’t want to hear – yes we’ve had a bad start , the players aren’t who I wanted (implying they’re not good enough ) it’s H and ORs to blame for that . This gives us no hope and the players no confidence in themselves or their worth .
    I agree that fitness has been an issue from MONs time . There is obviously more to it , but the “double training ” TS talked about seemed a too simplistic response . Recovery is as important as training surely .

  30. Mark King

    Excactly Jen they could just as likely be knackered as unfit, in fact from my knowledge massively likely. vertout as a small example came here with a wife who gave berth soon after, followed by the usual no sleep, put double training on top of that and he’d be cream crackered.

    I have to say if the players he wanted were the likes of lennon, adey, etc I don’t think we would be massively better off just back on the hamster wheel of high wages and low to no sell-on.

    The glaring thing that stands out to me is Tim doesn’t like criticism of any nature.

  31. Mark King

    oh remember the copious amount of stroking of tims ego in the summer by wilkins? on his encyclopaedic knowledge of players form Europe? yadda yadda, Tims been following the progress of this and that player, Adama was along term target of tims apparently and Ilori.
    I’m also assuming Tim wanted Lescott?

  32. steamer

    http://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/oct/10/brian-clough-miracle-nottingham-forest-european-champions-film-jose-mourinho

    Great read about the greatest manager of all time.

    He had no doubts as to what Revie’s teams were about. “I despised what they stood for,” Clough said in his autobiography, “systematically putting referees under pressure, both physical and verbal, their overreactions, and the unsavoury spectacle of Bremner running alongside the referee constantly yelling in his ear.”

    Wonder what he’d make of Ferguscon the cheat.

    Doesn’t look as though Loser and Fox actually give a monkeys about relegation by letting Sam escape, its not that he’s actually any good, you only have to look at who’s England manager to realise that we’re desperate in that department, but at least he doesn’t go around slagging off his own players, by name, in the papers. That’ll do wonders for team spirit. We’d have a better chance with Pearson in charge, did a fantastic job for Ranieri.
    Seems that Tinker Tim thinks that Ade will solve all our problems, another nut job.

  35. steamer

    Ramsey is crepe.
    Were done for, all British bosses are useless but to install a Johnny Foreigner would be insane with the state of our club. Anyway, unless he resigns TS is safe, Fox knows even less about footy than Loser. Talking of Fox, when’s he coming out from under his stone to give us his normal bulls…. sorry morale booster ? Still, i’ve heard a rumour that he has a shortlist with Holloway, Phil Brown and Lee Clark on it, looking good.
    You’ve gotta laugh at Herbert “Mr AV” Ellis, turns down Brian Clough as manager when he was practically on his knees begging for the job and then sells the club to Loser rather than Sheik Mamood. No-one at ANY club, anywhere has done more damage to a sporting club than this eejit and he STILL has his name on the WITTON LANE stand.

  36. Mark King

    Yes but Tim plus Ramsey were mediocre and that’s an improvement. All three of those managers wouldn’t work if they did it together steamer. We need to dig up some dirt on Koeman and blackmail him.

  37. Mark King

    You no what steamer I got as much pleasure watching cloughs sides as I did Villa, Forest especially were a pleasure to watch. If clough was about today he would get the recognition he deserves and probably the job he most deserved England. Times have changed and self-publisism is a virtue today

  39. RichardS

    Did TS really make those comments published in The Mirror? He should make an official statement to clarify the situation. If he did make the comments distancing himself from the players, club and our current situation then his position is untenable and he should resign or be relieved of his duties with immediate effect.

  40. Frem

    Sherwood has two games to save his job. It’s wrong that it’s been leaked to the press. There’s enough pressure on him as there is

    Rodgers top of the list. Is rather have Sherwood. He needs to brave now and attack. I like the bloke and want him to do well but I can see him going very defensive next two games

  42. Ian

    Hey guys I just took the quiz to see which team I’m a fan of. Wolves–hard to believe. I was sure the blues would turn up on my I-pad. 🙁

  43. RichardS

    If the reports are true and TS has two games to save his job then he is effectively out of a job.

    Villa will not beat Chelsea at Stamford Bridge regardless of their current situation. because Villa are the habitual chokers when it comes to playing the top 4. And Swansea are a far superior football team and our home record has been nothing short of a disgrace for the last 4 years.

    Villa should make the change now if they have already identified their replacement manager.

    If Brendon Rodgers is willing to take the job then why not? He has premiere league experience as opposed to Tim who appears to be learning how to be a football manager from the Harry Redknap school of management.

  44. Jenny Truman

    I think the mirror had the 2 games to save job story first – sister paper of Bham evening mail
    http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/tim-sherwood-given-two-games-6610295#ICID=sharebar_twitter

    My guess is that the Club have leaked this info as a direct response to Sherwood’s comments to the same paper (Mirror) that OReilly and the stats man got it wrong with the new players. That was a stupid thing for him to do and all the Managers public criticism of the new players show why Spurs weren’t keen to take him on. He did the same there .

    I’d also say there is massive fall out with the directors and Sherwood (and who knows even the players )
    I’m shocked the club have made this public , they didn’t need to and what does it achieve. Is it a message to the fans, players or is it just a tit for tat between the manager and the Directors. It puts Sherwood in a very awkward position fir the Chelsea and Swansea press conferences . It also puts the players , as Frem says under even more pressure – and here’s the thing – will the players he’s publicly lashed go that extra mile for him ?

    For it to go this far in public I’d agree with RichardS – he will be going .

  46. B62 Villa

    Once again our season has deteriorated into a farcical rudderless relegation battle, only this season the pantomime has started earlier than usual. The warning signs were there during our end of season capitulation and cup final humiliation. I expressed concerns over our hap hazard summer transfer policy( which was completely wasted imho) and now it seems TS may have had very little to do with our sweet shop mentality recruitment. The pressure is really on TS with us being crap from the off against some very beatable opposition ie WBA, Sunderland, Stoke, Leicester and even palace, 1 point from that set of fixtures is a disgrace. It’s our worst start for over 28 years, and there seems no end to the torment or a workable plan to get out of this mess. The fools running this club are beyond moronic and don’t have a clue what they are doing and it’s going to be the end of us, the inevitable relegation will be catastrophic for AVFC as we won’t catch up with the likes of WBA and the TV money they receive. I’ve resigned myself to the fact we will never again compete in my lifetime
    as we have become a small time club that battles relegation and maybe a yo yo club once the drop finally comes.
    This summer we had the chance to really back the manager and revamp the squad and have a real go, but although we spent in the region of £50m most of which was funded by the sale of CB, FB etc, we blew it big time and have a squad and manager not fit for purpose, and an owner and ceo who are basically criminally negligent.
    Now we have extra pressure on TS with rumours he has 2 games to save his job, that’s fine but we are playing Chelsea and Swansea, who in reality we have very little chance of beating, such is the depths we have fallen . Now we are also being linked to deluded Brendan Rogers, can he save us??? Who knows, will fox actually boot his own buddy/appointment admitting yet more failure on his part. It all stinks of Groundhog Day a perennial nightmare for which there is no escape, even the vermin have seemingly turned a corner and have more hope than us.

  47. Jenny Truman

    That good then B62:-)
    Fox will fire the gun because Tim has stabbed in the back by publicly implying he is inept . The criticism of the stats man and OReilly goes to the core of the Fox new dawn – the Saints / Arsenal modern approach . Hell hath no fury like a football director scorned 🙂
    It needs to happen now so that we can move on from this pantomime . Both parties have stated they have no faith in the other – unworkable .

  48. B62 Villa

    Just read some stats that are truly frightening, TS has been in charge for 21 premier league games, obtaining 20 pts only winning 6 games, Lambert who was godawful after 21 games last season had 21 pts and was sacked after 25 games. So on that comparison TS is worse than PL!! Of course there are other factors to take into account, but for me TS is showing just how far out of his depth he is, he,s lost his swagger and should leave sooner rather than later, FWIW I think he will walk and spin it to save face ie no control over player recruitment/targets lack of budget etc etc.
    To rub salt into the wounds blues have never not made the play offs or automatic promotion having obtained 18 pts or more by this stage of a campaign, we simply cannot swap places with them bastards and allow them to get the mega TV deal we miss out on.

  49. RichardS

    This tit for tat behaviour from the manager and the board is an insult to the fans. We deserve better. We have suffered four years of misery and our great football club is heading for the exit of the Premier League.

    Fox and Lerner are clueless, Sherwood is the cocky/cockney who has abandoned his own football philosophy and appears to be out of his depth. Some of the team selections, formations and subsitutions have been bewildering and cost us dearly.

    I really don’t see the point in waiting for TS to fail. Make the change now. We do have some really talented young footballers who need to be nurtured and encouraged. Gil – Grealish – Traore – Amavi – Gana and Richards are all fine footballers. A new manger might give us an immediate lift in performances. If we can manage to keep in touching distance of 17th position before Xmas a few signings in January could secure our status in the premier league.

  50. Mark King

    Well It seems Tim doesn’t like the Southampton approach or as I see it Villa Haven’t implemented it properly yet. We have the player selection that by the way Tim should have a huge say in, the back-room staff should be identifying the players he requires to suit a certain criteria/system/philosophy.

    This is where it has all gone Pete tong for me, we have no playing philosophy that I can see. Neither Tim, fox or the DOF have the knowledge to implement one by the look of it. Our Director of football is a stats man when he really should be much more than that and around him should be a group of people making sure his voice isn’t the only one. Its a democratic process not a fascist dictatorship. unfortunately we don’t seem to have the policies or know what policies are needed to succeed on the pitch.

    In other words Tim wanted XYZ the club found them by there new process but neither has thought about how they were actually going to play in the long run.

  51. Mark King

    Playing devil’s advocate Rodgers is a kind of logical choice as he has inside knowledge of Swansea’s set up (not that it seems to of helped Liverpoo)

  52. B62 Villa

    Mark
    I can’t see Rodgers coming here tbh, he has had a taste of the big time at Liverscum and won’t want to come here for a yearly relegation battle.

  53. Mark King

    B62- he wont get in at any of the top clubs mate spent £300m no result other than a Suarez inspired 2nd. Logic tells me he will go abroad but we are an option as all other prem clubs bar Newcastle are pretty much sorted. I’m not saying he will but O’reilly obviously knows him whether thats a good or bad thing who knows. Lets see how Timbo responds apparently he’s at his best when backed into a corner, can’t get any further into a corner than this.

  54. Mark King

    B62- by the way I’m not necessarily saying its a good thing just a possibility, but Villa need someone to structure the club if we are going down the swansea/southampton way, he has experience of that environment but wouldn’t be the first choice for a relegation scrap if that’s what we are in.

  55. Frem

    Jenny- what did Tim say about the club and the people running it ?

    I’d be surprised if Rodgers came to us also, but it would be nice to have a clear playing philosophy which we haven’t had for many years

  57. rogermuffin

    Mark,

    i go on loads of villa site on t fb. these are main ones

    Aston Villa FC – All Things Claret and Blue #ATCB
    The Real Aston Villa Fan Club
    Tim’s Villans
    VOCAL VILLA – An Aston Villa Fan Page
    Pride Of The Midlands – An Aston Villa Fan Page

  58. rogermuffin

    Matt,
    if you are about, how easy / hard would it be to make a fb group for Aston Villa Life that either sycned with this site , for those among us that dont like fb. or superseded it ?

    anyway back to tim, if he wins the next 2 games great, can’t see it unless he plays the team from Leicester, but then makes the right tactical changes, at the right times.

  59. Mark King

    roger- Ta mate will look at them.

    Agree its the Leicester team or similar set up, I’m hearing talk that Nzogbia’s being considered which is a joke as he’s in the squad just as Kosak is. Who said all the new players had to play straight away anyhow? just says there’s very little forethought floating around Villa park these days

  61. Ian

    Well good ol’ Tim is done like toast. You can’t get into a pissing match with the bosses. You can’t slag the players. You can’t lose 6-8 on the trot. Even if he wins the next 2, the cards have been played and minds have been made up. Fuck you, fuck you is always won by the ones holding the biggest bag. That’s not to say it’s all tim’s fault. The admin didn’t trust him being solely in charge of purchasing players and now Tim has players he needed, just not the ones he wanted. Now, what the big question is what is the Villa store going to do with all the gillets? I did say last August that the purchases looked like lamberts work only higher up the pole money wise.

    Looking ahead to May, Villa will not be relegated. There are too many decent players to fail. With the proper manager in place.

  62. @RonnieBiggs

    Rodgers hasn’t impressed be much but as Jenny so eloquently expressed it… Timbo must go, he’s turned EVERYONE against him; career limiting moves! Also as B62 points out the Table doesn’t lie, 20 points, and one worse than Lamberk is a disgrace!

    UTV

  64. Ian

    Too many teams have owners and administration messing around with the purchase of players without full agreement of the manager. Rodgers sat on a board with the Liverpool brain trust and only had a vote on who gets bought. Then it’s all his fault so to speak. Plenty of managers won’t entertain a team who won’t relinquish control of player buying. The problem being not to many managers have the CV to demand full control. Not even Mourino who has Abramovich looking over his shoulder all the time.

    The other problem is everyone wants instant results and are only paying lip service to say otherwise. Hit the ground running is the only option for new players or it’s a rapid downward spiral for them.

  65. Mark King

    Trouble is Ian when we are talking in the massive sums that we are these days clubs/owners won’t stand for spending £20 mil that 3 years later is worth nothing (see bent) and accomplishes not a lot, it doesn’t make business sense. People are realising you don’t have to have played the game to manage in it. so much information and analysis is available that managers are almost obsolete. this is were your new breed are coming through who do, Monk, Rowlett etc are the ones that understand and use the information.
    when England won the Rugby world cup they had one in Clive Woodward, this year we haven’t and Its painful to watch.

  66. Ian

    Mark. A manager needs to have the players buy into his program and a manager also needs a plan b, c, and however many without losing that. Sherwood ran out of plans, alienated a few and rot and self doubt set in. Cole being the biggest loss IMO. A well respected player and mentor with no enemies and he wasn’t given a spot on the bench? You lose with that mentality. Players look to his past endeavours and his big brother attitude towards the young guys. Sherwood dismissed that and is slowly losing the team (or lost now). Putting the right 11 on the pitch is just one task of a manager and right now Sherwood can’t do that either. The same rational goes for administration. Accept responsibility and don’t slag people in public. That goes a long way in the respect column

  67. Mark King

    totally agree Ian, was always a bit puzzled that Tim seemed to want all the new players in asap when the likes of Cole had played pre-season and stayed fit and what’s more looked decent (Kosak anyone). Of course they are not the long term answer and like his fore-runner when Tim puts you on the out list there you stay by the looks. Puzzling when he now doesn’t rate the new lot. I’m really disappointed as expected better from a man who said everyone was in consideration, wonder what changed his view.

  68. Ian

    Maybe the foxes, Reilly’s, and the DOF have a bigger say on who gets in. I imagine there are lots of things we aren’t privy to that goes on in running the team. For all we know Sherwood is a stop gap and a follower of the administration who are waiting for mister right. Learner reaps what he sows. I’d bet Sir Alex would come on board with free reign to do what he thinks is necessary. After all Villa are a “big club”.

  69. Mark King

    I don’t think so Ian, Tims ego wouldn’t take that, he would of been presented with a list of players that fitted a criteria and a financial limit and told get the best out of them. As far as I’m aware there isn’t anyone in the upper echelons that have that ability. Can’t see that playing a team that loses accomplishes anything.
    The thing that keeps puzzling me is Tim and Ray on match day, for an assistant he doesn’t seem to assist much.

  72. runtings

    Awesome to see a post from Steamer – there is more balance to the blog with your views mate and more funny stories too along with ST75 of course

    Brenda rodgers – hell no – he even got out foxed by lambert and tim with far less talent to work with than he had =— out of the frying pan into the fire

    Laudrup please if tim goes

  73. runtings

    Frem i agree that he need someone who can bring a clear football philosophy and i think the players we have would benefit greatly from a manager that has one

  74. DarrenO

    The moment Rodgers got sacked, a colleague said he’d be in line for AVFC, I laughed it off, why take someone who failed at the bindippers, given the resources available and why would he be in the frame for perennial underachievers and why would we want a manager who’s media protrayal even at the height of their second place finish was one of a delusion and incompetence. It would be like Houllier Mk2 where he’d be looking wistfully at Anfield Road even though his employers sacked him.

    With BFS gone as the practical choice, I don’t think we need a relegation specialist to manage us, we need experience (Tim has none), someone who commands not through ego but through action (Tim has all the ego but no action as I see it). We have a team capable of so much more on paper than on the pitch right now. Tim isn’t proving to be the right long term appointment but deserved a transfer window for keeping us up last season.

    But take a look at even a season ago, the playing squad would have been unattractive for most available managers so fair play Tim for taking the job on unfortunately I believe it’s too late for Tim, but what a squad to inherit now, the potential just has to be unlocked. I’m going to aim high and say Ancelotti as replacement, if ever there was evidence the owner/directors wanted change at AVFC this would be it, however I expect we will be sounding out managers with Prem experience but no success rate beyond being perceived as proper football men. God how I hate that term, it reminds me of Harry Redknapp and players running around a lot.

    I want to see the technical skills our players have best used and building on performance levels. Mid-table obscurity is all that I’m looking for just for my well-being but I want us to challenge in every game regardless of where we finish. We don’t deserve anything in football but we do deserve effort and a plan and direction towards that plan, we are still hopping from one mistake to the next.

    UTV

  76. Heroes-and-Villans

    Darren

    Anceloottii 🙂

    If we was dreaming he would be the aim but there is no chance at all.

    We are bad in a bad situation. 4 points from safety with a nightmare run. An owner who wont invest and wants to be anywhere but vp. If we can go from GH, Mcleish, lambo, ts to Moyes it would be great but even moyes prob wont leave the spanish sunshine for a relegation fight in brum. Brenton prob the man who will come in. Not sure about him to be honest.

  79. steamer

    Thank you for all the kind words everyone. I really made an effort to kick AVFC when the idiot failed to sell ( save ) the club, but although i won’t be so prolific, i will attempt to contribute more often than in recent months for what its worth.
    I actually don’t think the squad is that bad, just weak in the usual positions that peeps have pointed out for years and the various managers have failed to notice.
    I don’t know whether Sherwood or idiot2 ( Fox ) signed the players but we’re overloaded with MF’s of which the least effective one, Westwood, is virtually unmovable, if he is premier class then ID can class themselves as entertainers. The obsession with Agbonlahor is bizarre, possibly playing him in the hope that he scores a deflection or two and Tim can say he revived his career ala Adebayor of who TS has an obsession. 100,000 a week for someone who causes so much bother is ludicrous.
    Getting rid of Tim is the easy part, having seen all his other choices bomb, who gets the gig now ?
    No-one at VP is qualified to select a replacement.
    Now that Rijkaard has retired, the Brits are officially crepe and basically we’re a rubbish club i’d go for Marcelo Bielsa who speaks perfect English and is a very highly qualified coach with tons of experience at international and top level clubs. However, i doubt if Fox has even heard of Argentina never mind Bielsa.
    Afraid that AVFC is stuffed while these morons infest the club, the happy clappers delude themselves that they’re actually supporting the club by turning up, Fox and Lerner must be peeing themselves laughing.

  80. steamer

    Andrew,
    Never seen it with Moyes, a Jock who produced mind bogglingly boring teams and was predictably found out at the Theatre of BS. The only diff between him and Lamebert is that you can occasionally understand a word he mumbles.
    Di Matteo ???
    Carlos Querros (??) with Mike Phelan???
    Murat Yakin ???
    With no cash to spend and Dumb and Dumber running the club we have no chance.

  81. Frem

    Great to see you back Steamer. And Runtings . Now for St75 and Kristina.

    The club won’t appoint anyone you listed there Steamer. We won’t go for anyone who hasn’t managed in the prem. They can’t be arsed to scout the network.

    It will be Rodgers number 1 who we probably would speak to but then he’d realise what twats there are running the club. Then it will be the Nigel bloke from LCFC. Hate the guy.

  82. Ian

    Here’s a plan—since the players have such a whale of a time at bodymoor, exhorting all the great footballers on tap let them pick the starting 11. They’re professionals let them get on with it. Managers are almost obsolete so what’s the problem with that?
    As for a manager? I give up. Fuck it get lee Clark. Might as well really rile the fans up. Or dig up Vince Lombardy and win one for the gipper. Better yet David Cameron. He’s a fan isn’t he? Monty Python couldn’t write this mess.
    They’ve got decent players now sort it out. Pay a kings ransom for a real manager. It’s still cheaper than relegation. And please–not Rodgers!

  83. Archie

    Ian, so why not Rogers, just out of interest.
    My view is, he has the Premier League experience and the organisational skills to get the wins we need, also he will have a transfer window, not much money, but an opportunity to work the transfer market.
    I don’t see any other option unless you take the overseas one. And thats going to be too. high risk, my opinion only

  84. steamer

    Martin Jol ?
    I don’t know why the club insist on this policy there isn’t a decent British manager on the planet and all the top foreigners are in Spain or Germany and i don’t rate Klopp as a top manager, i think he’ll bomb at Pool. Sherwood only scraped eligibility and doesn’t it show. Lerner and Fox just won’t admit their ignorance in football matters, all they had to do, from day one, was appoint a couple of knowledgeable folk to the boardroom and he’d have kept his money and we’d be inn a healthy position.

  87. @RonnieBiggs

    I’d take Laudrup in a heartbeat and Moyes has a proven track record of success in the Prem at Everton regardless of his Man Utd trial where his demise was overhyped imo especially when you look at the money, time and support that Van Gaal(who I can’t stand) has gotten.

    Either I would class as a ‘real’ manager compared with the past 3 clowns, christ, bring back McAllister if need be 😉

    UTV

  89. Jenny Truman

    Glad you are posting more Steamer – you have been missed !
    Try and persuade Mr Gold Thong to return too !
    Runtingz returns – our Mr Cool 🙂

    Bham Mail Matt Kendrick tweeted this on a link tonight – to answer the big question of who signed who and are they Tim’s or Paddy’s players . This was from September 2nd – and is pretty conclusive as to Tim’s involvement .

    “Tim Sherwood is happy to have his neck on the line after passionately roaring: ‘These are my players and now it’s my job to get them firing’.

    The Aston Villa boss signed Joleon Lescott and Tiago Ilori on Tuesday to take the total number of new arrivals this summer to twelve.

    Sporting director Hendrick Almstadt, director of recruitment Paddy Reilly and the club’s team of scouts all played a part in sourcing this season’s new recruits.

    But Sherwood insists he had the final say, he is the one to blame if it all goes wrong, and he should be the one to take credit if they turn into claret and blue superstars.”

    That was before the seven losses on the trot of course.

    The DM are reporting Moyes would leave Sociodad if AV were to offer him the job . Well he has to be an improvement.
    There was a photo of our lot in training today – with the caption AV players told to stop being so boring and go out on the attack . Only problem us we have Chelsea next – we are a game too late. Stoke at home would have suited gung-ho , but Cheksea at the bridge ???!

    Best comment of the day is Steamer saying Klop will fail … The pundits and scousers are going so OTT it’s unbelievable .

    Come back Small Heath 1 , S T 75 xxx

  90. Jenny Truman

    I’d rather Moyes than Rodgers . Moyes has operated on a premier league show string and built a fairly decent team at Everton – developing young players like Rooney . First game for Everton aged 17 wasn’t it . Rodgers -inherited a football style and team of players at Swansea from which he got the Liverpool job. I’m not sure what he did before that .

  92. Mark King

    good back peddling Jen 😉

    The article I posted above tells the same story about recruitment but it also gives a decent review of where its going wrong. Wouldn’t mind Moyes but he had ups and downs at Everton it wasn’t all plain sailing.

  93. DarrenO

    My suggestion of Ancelotti was a bit tongue in cheek because we could probably neither afford him nor would he wish to have part of his managerial career trophy-less but the sentiment remains why do we aim for the bottom of the barrel when it comes to managers.

    Sure they probably all want to win and only a select few can get the silverware but why aim so low, McLeish/Lambert/Sherwood won nothing as managers so why not aim high and get some who has won something.

    Agree Moyes was burnt by the Manu experience but he had 9 years to develop Everton and won nothing but plaudits and consistency in the 5-8 places and he’s doing pretty poor in Spain.

    Sticking with Laudrup winner as a player and somewhat of a winner as a manager including demolishing Bradford when we couldn’t beat them over two games. Stuck out in Qatar but still winning. Left Swansea under a cloud after going to Paris for two day after being beaten, all our managers must be on permanent holidays given our win rate. Or Frank de Boer who owns the Eredivise with Ajax not a difficult league but it’s still about winning games.

    We have the squad, we’re in the most entertaining/challenging league in the world, great stadium, great fans especially the Irish ones :), a manager can challenge themselves in this league.

    UTV

  94. Mark King

    DOR- Don’t entirely agree with moyes he did have a few seasons where things went wrong a 17th(with Wayne Rooney) place in his 3rd season after being 7th in his second. would probably get us mid-table although the type of player he favours is lacking at villa, the same reason Tims moaning. Still better than what we have. The rumours that Laudrup is a difficult character and that caused his demise at Swansea. Can’t see him working under a DOF.

    I think the answer for us will come from outside the prem hopefully not a old pals club type ex-footballer with no brain cells.

  95. RichardS

    I have been thinking about the current situation at Villa Park and it is bizarre

    TS performed a miracle last season in keeping us in the Premier League – we were dead and buried under Lambert – he should be congratulated for that.

    It seems crazy that he is under pressure already after 7 games. If it is true and he has been given two games to save his job then his position is untenable. Imagine walking into work and being told that you have two weeks to save your job. I think that is constructive dismissal.

    However TS should come out and clarify his position about the players we have signed. I am sure TS sanctioned the signings of Troare/Gestede/Gueye – I am not sure about Ayew/Vertout etc.

    If TS is to save his job he needs to get back to his brand of football and come out fighting. On the front foot attacking football. Play our most creative, attack minded players.

    Aston Villa are in desperate need of a style and brand of football that we can all buy into. Perhaps Brendon Rodgers can offer that.

    Don’t go to Chelsea and play three at the back or three defensive midfield players. TS should study the way Palace played against them. Let’s play our speed merchants out wide, Traore out right and even Gabby out left and hit them on the break with pace. Play Gil and Grealish and go at them. Chelsea are slow at the back.

    TS needs to stop messing around with formations and stop making stupid substitutions.

    Time for TS to man up and save his job.

  96. Mark King

    Richard S- you have to hope it is just Tinkering and not just plain inability to find a team and Inability to see in game what is required, personally I don’t hold out much hope. The fact he chose to ignore Gil’s talent last season suggest he prefers more robust workers to flair, unfortunately we lost those in Delph and cleverly. I suspect that is why Tims tactics are so bad, he is trying the kitchen sink approach. Started looking at Tim at spurs to see how he prefers to play and there are some alarming similarities.

    http://www.spursfanatic.com/blog/5-consistent-tactical-errors-tim-sherwood/

  97. steamer

    RichardS,
    Agree that TS performed a miracle last season and, imo, deserved a season in charge but i always had a feeling that he was a Southern thicko who got by with BS. However, i didn’t believe that even he was as stupid as he’s shown this season. Imo this squad is at the very least mid table and would be if it wasn’t for Sherwoods ridiculous subs and team selections then we would be.
    Regarding Saturdays visit to Chelsea, i can see another 8-0 if Sherwood continues his sulk and picks an unbalanced team, iv’e seen it suggested that he’s deliberately picking dummies so that he gets the boot and a pay off.

  98. steamer

    Mark,
    That’s a truly great summary of Sherwood by the spud and the posts that followed mirror Sherwoods’ tenure at VP, he’s got to go 100% and as soon as possible.

  99. runtings

    really interesting comments on the TS issue

    i liked Tims swag ect and yes he kept us up thankfully

    he did say judge him on this season and what his own team produces and up until now it hasn’t been good enough to stay up again this season

    what i dislike about his management which goes for brenda rodgers as well is they do not have a settled style of play — they change there teams far too much — they play players out of position or out of there most effective position — and in Tims case he sets up way too negative

    at the point we are currently at i don’t see how Tim will improve on his results or create a winning mentality
    i would take moyes too – he isnt the greatest but i think he would get us over the line
    not sure what the Laudrup swans fallout was about but in terms of style of play – i think he has what the club and current crop of players need and think we would progress on the pitch

    Ancolotti would be a dream but of course when a club doesn’t show ambition managers like Carlo are just that , a dream

  100. Mark King

    steamer- the way I see it is he actually had got it almost right by the palace game and preceded to fuck it up with subs, after the Leicester game in which we looked are best (until the subs) he lost his bottle. instead of taking it on the chin and learning he’s refuses to take any blame and that means he probably won’t change any time soon, so for me its Bye Bye.

  104. Heroes-and-Villans

    I really think Moyes is the man for us. We would get a team that works there socks off, hard to beat and i dont buy into his everton teams being negative…they played some very good footy along the way and he has a eye for a player and looks to play the youth.

    Cant believe he must be judged on winning anything in his time there….how the hell can everton compete with man city etc.

  106. John Clark

    Loads of interesting thoughts…Good to see you back, Steamer, B62 and the others.

    Was away for the weekend. Spent a load of money traveling to take my son see his first OU-Texas game, and my 16.5-point favorite Oklahoma (4-0) fall to arch-rival Texas (1-4) in the biggest upset in the series since 1989. Another kick in the groin.

    And then back to Villa and the usual mess.

  108. John Clark

    On Tim and the purported ultimatum.

    I can’t say I disagree that his job should be in trouble. More than anything, his demeanor, the apparent distancing of himself from the players that in the article some wonderful soul linked above Tim was claiming full responsibility for…these are all awfully troubling.

    I don’t see any of the fight and attitude. Whoever said it’s different when you’re the one in the dugout…well, it is.

    Last year was a no-lose situation for Tim. We were going down. Lambert out, cloud lifts, players told to play, and voila. Some great performances.

    Then Southampton, Burnley and Arsenal. Something seemed to have gone wrong. Maybe Tim was already starting to make too much noise about players leaving, losing mentality, etc.

    But the good stuff was encouraging enough. If relegation wasn’t a factor, I’d say give him time. As you know I’m usually a very patient person.

    However, I’m afraid the clock really is already ticking. We could come together, catch fire and pull a Leicester, even a Burnley (in terms of being in the frame at the end after looking dead and buried). They had the advantage of knowing each other, though, what they were good at and what they were trying to do.

    That right now is the issue. I don’t think it’s about getting the “best” team out there, but getting “a” team out there, and letting it come together.

  109. John Clark

    Now, to be fair, I’m reading that Tim wants them on the front foot, playing with flair and without fear, not being afraid to express themselves. It seems that he’s perhaps tried his hand, sort of cluelessly, to set up not to be beat, and they’ve just gotten more beatable for some of the reasons I mentioned in the write-up. At least that was what was being said.

    Now, is it too little too late for him? Tough run, and confidence would all seem to be gone. Tim needs to get 180 minutes of pure relegation desperation out of the team in terms of effort.

    Mourinho, if he hasn’t already checked out, will be seeing this game as the turning point for Chelsea. Our lot had better give their all to stop them from playing and take the game to them.

    It really won’t be more complicated than that. If he can get a 0-0 draw, fantastic. I don’t care. But I think we’ll have to score to get anything.

    So even if we set up defensively, we’ll still have to scrap further up the field to keep from being under a 90-minute bombardment. I think Traore may be too naive still to start, but maybe he’s learning. Gil needs to be in there, and I think we’re better off with Ayew or even Sinclair up top to start so that someone is making runs and doing more off the ball. Maybe it is Gabby wide left just for work rate and cover. If we do look to just fight and claw, then bring on Grealish and Traore if there’s hope of getting something, maybe that works. But Sanchez and Gana in the middle for me with Veretout.

    I really wouldn’t want to face the selection dilemma for this game.

  110. Mark King

    To be honest JC I think he got it more ir less right at leicester. If he had continued with that team (barring stupid subs) and tweaked it I dont think we would be having this conversation. Easy for me to say I know but our troubles were avoidable.

  111. John Doyle

    hi steamer whats the news from the wood thought you had been put in the green with no posts this club just gets worse and i agree with you the squad is a mid table squad at the worst watched England last night and jack is on another planet to the Muppet,s who played Barkley could not lace jacks boots he has to start with gill and the Barcelona whippet
    also you are spot on about the crab playing every week who do you want to rescue the team when if all is to be believed we have lost the next 2 games and nice but dim sacked as we will be about 8 points adrift of the safety line who will get some fight into them and use the assets we have .
    For me i would get the kid from small heath he is a villa fan and has spent less than 4 days wages that we pay at villa park on the whole team talk about polishing a turd this is the guy we need .
    or if not then go for the best around and pay some money

  118. B62 Villa

    If it’s true we owe Lerner £220m it is criminal, he has presided over one of the worst periods in our clubs history, and racked up shitloads of debt to boot. He will be the death of this club, he makes Herbert look like a dream owner. Is there a worse owner out there??? Possibly the venkys or the Blackpool owner Karl Oyston but after that it’s a hard choice. For me RL and all his self appointed cronies and yes men are nothing but scum, the sooner these incompetent white collar criminals go the better. And you can prob double that debt when we get relegated at the end of this disasterous campaign. BFS has already said Sunderland are in dire straits, even at this early (ish) stage of the season, yet we blindly stumble on , without a clue.

  119. John Clark

    Mark-
    Indeed…we had it right against Leicester right up until the subs. And then the players failed to match their intensity.

    One of the reasons I say Grealish and Gil need to look to shoot more….When teams know only Gestede or Ayew or whomever up front as the striker is going to go for goal, it makes their job easier.

  120. steamers75

    Hi All , havent been on as when TS was made permanent l said at the time l was’nt convinced so l just couldnt be arsed to come on here complaining , l really thought we would have got a experienced manager , to pull the club back , but with the idiots running the club it was wishful thinking, 5 fucking years of shite , l also said l didnt want Lamberk as l knew Norwich fans personally and they couldnt stand the bloke and told me stories of him what the players told them in The murderers arms pub , if nothing changes fast , were down ,
    anyway your probably wondering what the avatars about , well before the noses game l put a few pics up of 2 blokes in noses shirts who looked like the banjo players in Deliverance . so the gits must have searched the net and found this picture and put it on my facebook page with some derogatory comments , and ok the ugly git is in Claret and blue but theres no badge so l have rebuffed them saying he must be a west ham /Burnley or Scunny fan and that isnt Villa park in the background , its been silent since , l wont be keeping this avatar for long as l dont want Keith J off the villa blog thinking thats what l look like ,
    yes l went the noses game as The Steamers decided to meet up in town Just on the off chance of any LuLu wariors making an appearence ,no show there , but did go in the Lions club and i think l found a happy clappers nest , jeeez some of these blokes cant be watching the same game , l also recognised one of the loudmouths in there, hadnt seen him for nearly 35 years , so l had a bit of fun , l went up and said ,didnt you go to middlesboro in the 70s ? “yeah great time up there” l said “do you remember the ruck after the game on the way back to the station ?”
    Him , ” yeah had it off with them ”
    Me “do you remember the 5 lads you were having it off with ?”
    him “yeah Brilliant ”
    Me ” Really ? ?? i was the cunt who came over to give you a hand and you ran off and left me and lv been looking for you since then you arse ” funny how quick a bloke can finish his pint and exit .thankfully for me Boots and Percy caught me up ,and l only took a few slaps . dont think he will be telling that story again, yeah he was one of the happy clappers as well .
    Take my Hat off to Frem and B62 for still going , hope the little un is well B62 and hope the job is going well frem ,
    went over to see JL last week , some great old stories off him about the villa , just wish l could go back to them 70s days as l really have no time at the moment for this shite , Bye Then

    Jenny XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

  121. Mark King

    JC- we need to shoot more full stop. would be interesting if GG gets truly fit as the lad can have a pop from 30 yards with accuracy and he knows how to make effective runs into the box. He played DM at forest so maybe his Box to Box days are over but heres hoping for the lad.

    b62- Lerners company make loans to the club why we need them heaven knows, I expect its so he can charge a ridiculous interest rate and withdraw money from the club. He’s waved fee’s of £20m interest on loans in the past as he it would of seen us fined, I’m guessing here but it looks like a tax dodge.

  122. runtings

    Hey st75 great to see you on here
    and you are looking rather well in that photo – i didn’t remember you being that handsome 🙂
    there is a series on bbc3 at the mo which follow some of the various football firms about – really interesting watch – i have been looking out for talk of the steamers on there – but worth catching on bbc player if youve missed it

  124. John Clark

    And Steamers75…hope you’re well. Memory seems to be working, anyway.

    Mark-
    Agreed…Players hesitate. Part of the reason we have so few shots many occasions. That number doesn’t go up if you don’t actually have a pop every now and then. Course, some games we really don’t make many chances, but we need folks looking to shoot, get lucky, see the keeper spill it, force a save or rebound. Old ice hockey adage, just put it on net.

  125. John Clark

    Haven’t checked, but unless an article’s already in the queue, I’ll put a new post up a bit later. Makes jotting down one’s despair a bit easier.

    And be nice to see JL come back in out of the cold.

  127. Mark King

    One thing I find quite funny is all the quotes from players, media and managers, without fail they all quote Vlaar,delph and tekkers leaving as our downfall. Funny how last year they were panning the side because we couldn’t score with them playing.

  132. steamer

    Looks like Jeerman Klinsman may soon be available, wonder if Fox and Loser have heard of him ?

    What about Laursen and Mellberg installing a bit of much needed pride.

  134. steamers75

    B62
    is that Droyd ,???
    couple of noses put it on my facebook page taking the piss that villa fans are ugly !! l dont use twitter so wouldnt know , jeezz if its him lm getting rid straightaway , BUT if it is him its nice to know what he looks like , just in case !
    l could make a few bob here with some masks beings its coming up to halloween , steamer get the printer fired up , will be over later ,

  136. Jenny Truman

    Good to see the blog is back to its normal lunacy again – far too boring without the usual suspects!
    Haven’t had time to read the article links yet as just a fleeting visit to welcome back ST75 xxxxxxxxx
    Mark – that is true – last year we were relegation candidates with Teckers, Delph and VLaar yet this year they are the golden boys.
    Odd that the national media are so slow to picking up on the 2 games to save your job story the BHam Mail was running on Monday . Ray Wilkins was wheeled out onto Talk Sport this morning at 7.50 am – didn’t really say much – same old ‘new players – gell – bla bla bla” but as the pundits have said – is it time for a rep from the club to come out and say “we are behind the manager” as the leaked meeting from the US is now national news.
    Who leaked the meeting ? Is it the same person who leaked the Villa team to GAry Rowett. The rumblings behind the scenes are too loud to ignore now . As Ian Taylor said on Monday on local radio – there are rumblings and it will affect the dressing room .
    I

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