Bias press

[JUAN PABLO]

I am not suggesting we are ripping up any trees at present but contrast that with the shit spouted about King Kenny's Anfield revolution and it boils my piss

For all the money he has spent i would be expecting a much better return

Henderson - £20mil - hardly getting a regular game
Downing - £20 million - hardly ripping up trees
Carrol - £35 mil - laughable
Adams - a poor mans Barry @ £9.5 mil

I am sure the media and our own fans would be spitting blood if AM had spunked that much on those players with the poor return they have had

I was only thinking this the other day.

That cock Mickey Quinn on talkscouse still seems to think that the bin dippers can win the league!

A caller rang in and pointed out that if you compared the number of games Hodgson had in charge compared to the same number Dalglish had then their record was virtually the same. Quinn could only reply that King Kenny was better because he is errr King Kenny

Any midfield with Adam, Henderson and Downing in it is going to win fuck all

thank f**k we didnt keep Downing and buy Adam

[Gareth]

not too bothered about the media but I do think its laughable that MotD have Hansen & Lawro on to 'objectively' discuss Liverpool when they wouldnt dare criticise their mate.

[Dante Lavelli]

I'm not sure whether this helps or hinders the "anti villa" theory but this was in the guardian's "5 things we learnt from the weekend" bit:

 Villa need fans' backing, not barracking

Perhaps the Aston Villa support were piqued by the Guardian's revelation that they are currently in possession of the Fickle Fans award* because more than 35,000 turned up to watch their team take on Norwich – the club's highest attendance of the season and a solid few thousand up on the average. And they were not disappointed, with five goals and a classy display of Wide Boy and Target Man link-up play between Gabriel Agbonlahor and Darren Bent to take in.

Beating newly promoted Norwich at home by the odd goal in five is not in itself reason to break out the low-alcohol lagers – though the Canaries have already proved themselves to be demanding guests at Stamford Bridge, Old Trafford and Anfield – and Alex McLeish's aesthetic probably does not have your average Villan chirping over his cornflakes come Saturday morning.

But at their most recent zenith, under Martin O'Neill, Villa were a ruthlessly effective counterattacking side built on a solid defence and with pace on the flanks. McLeish's reputation for keeping it tight precedes him and, after the disjointed farrago that was Gérard Houllier's reign, the burgeoning partnership between Agbonlahor and Bent is just one reason that fans of the club should consider whistling a Monty Python number under their breath.

"There is no reason why myself and Gabby cannot get in the England team together and it should help England that we play week in and week out together at club level," said Bent, of his team-mate's call-up for the friendlies against Spain and Sweden. "There is no doubt that Gabby is right on top of his game and he has really stepped forward and up to the mark this season." Agbonlahor, who won the last of his three England caps more than two years ago, has not only rediscovered his goalscoring form but his performances have gone a long way to making up for the shortfall in creativity occasioned by the departures of Ashley Young and Stewart Downing, not to mention Charles N'Zogbia's underwhelming start to life at Villa Park.

Villa currently lie eighth, with two more points (and six more goals) from their 11 games than at the same point last year – albeit that start was undermined by the shock resignation of O'Neill and then the baton passing from Kevin McDonald to Houllier. That may be a glass-half-full way of looking at things – and terrace PMA is often rarer than a decent moustache on a Movember fundraiser – but it is more constructive, say, than grousing about your manager's former allegiances. What is certain is that after away trips to Tottenham and Swansea this month, December will be crucial in deciding the direction of Villa's season, as McLeish's side host Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal. They will certainly need the fans at their backs, not on their backs, then. AG

*Don't take the bait. Oh, go on then.

[not3bad]

There's been a few grumbles from the Kopites about Mr Downing.

Here's one from one of their forums after Saturdays game.........

Shit again. Consistent in his 1 good cross per game tho.

Thing is about him, i don't see him improving. Cos before he joined us i thought he was absolute shit. So i have no reason to believe he will improve.

20m down the drain. Could of bought 3 good players from abroad at that pirce. We already got Carroled, why get Carrolled again in the summer with Downing and Henderson. Ridiculous.

I'd just like to say that was a sweet read! 

[Vanilla]

I'm not sure whether this helps or hinders the "anti villa" theory but this was in the guardian's "5 things we learnt from the weekend" bit:

 Villa need fans' backing, not barracking

Perhaps the Aston Villa support were piqued by the Guardian's revelation that they are currently in possession of the Fickle Fans award* because more than 35,000 turned up to watch their team take on Norwich – the club's highest attendance of the season and a solid few thousand up on the average. And they were not disappointed, with five goals and a classy display of Wide Boy and Target Man link-up play between Gabriel Agbonlahor and Darren Bent to take in.

*Don't take the bait. Oh, go on then.

We have to remember that The Guardian was once based in Manchester, and now in London. As such it has good coverage of the North West i.e. The Pool and manure, and the London teams, but that's it.

[seanthevillan]

I'm not sure whether this helps or hinders the "anti villa" theory but this was in the guardian's "5 things we learnt from the weekend" bit:

 Villa need fans' backing, not barracking

Perhaps the Aston Villa support were piqued by the Guardian's revelation that they are currently in possession of the Fickle Fans award* because more than 35,000 turned up to watch their team take on Norwich – the club's highest attendance of the season and a solid few thousand up on the average. And they were not disappointed, with five goals and a classy display of Wide Boy and Target Man link-up play between Gabriel Agbonlahor and Darren Bent to take in.

*Don't take the bait. Oh, go on then.

We have to remember that The Guardian was once based in Manchester, and now in London. As such it has good coverage of the North West i.e. The Pool and manure, and the London teams, but that's it.

Saw this article earlier and thought it was a bit strange - why Villa and why now? As someone else has pointed out on the original fickle fans article, the picture of an empty stadium is (apparently) from one of the youth Champions League games, and is of the away end. I don't think there's any special bias against Villa but this is pretty lazy journalism.

Also I've never seen a good winger described as a 'Wide-Boy' before - bit of a cheap/baseless dig?

[richard moore]

Said it before, say it again, the bindippers are us from about 3 seasons ago

Wealthy american owner, had to spend way over the odds for good'ish players to persuade them to join and because the clubs they were leaving knew they had cash to burn, a stack of ok players who look good on paper and if you say their names quickly, it sounds quite impressive but who don't really stand up that well to individual scrutiny and who, with the odd exception, will never make it in a Sky 4 team. Their results mirror us from that period too in that they win more than they lose but are never quite good enough to escape the thought that a turkey of a result is just around the next corner. Suarez will go as soon as anyone decent comes in for him, and like us, the process starts all over again but in an ever decreasing spiral. Glad they like Downing so much though, I could have told them all that for far less than £20m....

[PeterWithe]

I wonder how many Guardian journalists have to pay £40 for their match ticket?

[TheSandman]

Henderson is Lee Hendrie the second.
Downing is never worth £20mil, he had half a good season in a very poor Villa side.
Carroll? Only priced at that price because of deadline day, Torres money and because he's English. He's probably no better than Dion Dublin was.
Adam, interesting one. Was a good player in a very attacking team last season. Different role for him this season.

Hendrie was WAY better.

[JUAN PABLO]

not too bothered about the media but I do think its laughable that MotD have Hansen & Lawro on to 'objectively' discuss Liverpool when they wouldnt dare criticise their mate.

and Hansen gets 40k an episode to do it .

[Sexual Ealing]

I'm not sure whether this helps or hinders the "anti villa" theory but this was in the guardian's "5 things we learnt from the weekend" bit:

 Villa need fans' backing, not barracking

Perhaps the Aston Villa support were piqued by the Guardian's revelation that they are currently in possession of the Fickle Fans award* because more than 35,000 turned up to watch their team take on Norwich – the club's highest attendance of the season and a solid few thousand up on the average. And they were not disappointed, with five goals and a classy display of Wide Boy and Target Man link-up play between Gabriel Agbonlahor and Darren Bent to take in.

*Don't take the bait. Oh, go on then.

We have to remember that The Guardian was once based in Manchester, and now in London. As such it has good coverage of the North West i.e. The Pool and manure, and the London teams, but that's it.

That's right. That's why The Guardian has got a grudge against the Villa. And the sneaky, snidey bastards- you wouldn't even notice it unless you were really, really looking for it.

[Sexual Ealing]

Henderson is Lee Hendrie the second.
Downing is never worth £20mil, he had half a good season in a very poor Villa side.
Carroll? Only priced at that price because of deadline day, Torres money and because he's English. He's probably no better than Dion Dublin was.
Adam, interesting one. Was a good player in a very attacking team last season. Different role for him this season.

He'll have do do a lot, lot more to be considered as a quarter of the player that Dion was.

[eamonn]

There's been a few grumbles from the Kopites about Mr Downing.

KOPITES ARE GOBSHITES!

[Hookeysmith]

I'm not sure whether this helps or hinders the "anti villa" theory but this was in the guardian's "5 things we learnt from the weekend" bit:

 Villa need fans' backing, not barracking

Perhaps the Aston Villa support were piqued by the Guardian's revelation that they are currently in possession of the Fickle Fans award* because more than 35,000 turned up to watch their team take on Norwich – the club's highest attendance of the season and a solid few thousand up on the average. And they were not disappointed, with five goals and a classy display of Wide Boy and Target Man link-up play between Gabriel Agbonlahor and Darren Bent to take in.

Beating newly promoted Norwich at home by the odd goal in five is not in itself reason to break out the low-alcohol lagers – though the Canaries have already proved themselves to be demanding guests at Stamford Bridge, Old Trafford and Anfield – and Alex McLeish's aesthetic probably does not have your average Villan chirping over his cornflakes come Saturday morning.

But at their most recent zenith, under Martin O'Neill, Villa were a ruthlessly effective counterattacking side built on a solid defence and with pace on the flanks. McLeish's reputation for keeping it tight precedes him and, after the disjointed farrago that was Gérard Houllier's reign, the burgeoning partnership between Agbonlahor and Bent is just one reason that fans of the club should consider whistling a Monty Python number under their breath.

"There is no reason why myself and Gabby cannot get in the England team together and it should help England that we play week in and week out together at club level," said Bent, of his team-mate's call-up for the friendlies against Spain and Sweden. "There is no doubt that Gabby is right on top of his game and he has really stepped forward and up to the mark this season." Agbonlahor, who won the last of his three England caps more than two years ago, has not only rediscovered his goalscoring form but his performances have gone a long way to making up for the shortfall in creativity occasioned by the departures of Ashley Young and Stewart Downing, not to mention Charles N'Zogbia's underwhelming start to life at Villa Park.

Villa currently lie eighth, with two more points (and six more goals) from their 11 games than at the same point last year – albeit that start was undermined by the shock resignation of O'Neill and then the baton passing from Kevin McDonald to Houllier. That may be a glass-half-full way of looking at things – and terrace PMA is often rarer than a decent moustache on a Movember fundraiser – but it is more constructive, say, than grousing about your manager's former allegiances. What is certain is that after away trips to Tottenham and Swansea this month, December will be crucial in deciding the direction of Villa's season, as McLeish's side host Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal. They will certainly need the fans at their backs, not on their backs, then. AG

*Don't take the bait. Oh, go on then.

To be honest i dont actually argue with most of that - the original point is the way they fawn over King Kenny whilst deriding everyone else who is of similar ilk - and i do qualify us as being the same level as 'The Mighty Reds YNWA' apart from world wide support

Not sure if this is true but i heard a stat recently that said this season we yet again have the honour of being the team that has dropped most points from winning positions - and if we had held on we would have had an extra 12 points and be 3/4th
Interesting we had the same stat in MON's first season so i guess its not a bad place to steadily start

I can actually see this team getting stronger and better as the season goes on

[UsualSuspect]

There's been a few grumbles from the Kopites about Mr Downing.

KOPITES ARE GOBSHITES!

I read a few of their forums when they signed DJ Stew and they seemed to think that they had signed Messi.

One even posted that he had scored 17 goals for us!?!

Downing is a slightly above average player at best and 20 million was nothing short of a miracle

Very good comparison of King Kenny to MON

Oh and our Stevie gets some dirt in a cut and is in plaster for a month with an "infection"? yeah right