Im-press-ive

[PeterWithesShin]

Just looked up our results after the West Ham game out of curiosity and we only won 3 out the next 11. Like Risso I thought we had a decent run after stumbling on playing Super Tom behind Yorke and Savo.

[Dave Cooper please]

Not sure i can see lambert guiding us to a top 4 spot in his reign as the finances available to the so called called big 4 are huge and vast , but I certainly think he can get us back into the top 6 and compete favourably with the likes of spurs , Everton and Liverpool given time.

But apart from the Manchester two Chelsea if Abramovich doesn't get bored who else is really chucking vast amounts about? Spuds made the top four, Everton have come close, there's a place there for the taking by someone i reckon.

[Concrete John]

Not sure i can see lambert guiding us to a top 4 spot in his reign as the finances available to the so called called big 4 are huge and vast , but I certainly think he can get us back into the top 6 and compete favourably with the likes of spurs , Everton and Liverpool given time.

But apart from the Manchester two Chelsea if Abramovich doesn't get bored who else is really chucking vast amounts about? Spuds made the top four, Everton have come close, there's a place there for the taking by someone i reckon.

I really think Arsenal are on the wane and will be the next side to 'do a Liverpool'.  Unfortunately, I think it'll be too soon for us to be the ones to take advantage of it.

[darren woolley]

Another good article Dave let's hope what you say comes true.

[eastie]

Not sure i can see lambert guiding us to a top 4 spot in his reign as the finances available to the so called called big 4 are huge and vast , but I certainly think he can get us back into the top 6 and compete favourably with the likes of spurs , Everton and Liverpool given time.

But apart from the Manchester two Chelsea if Abramovich doesn't get bored who else is really chucking vast amounts about? Spuds made the top four, Everton have come close, there's a place there for the taking by someone i reckon.

Arsenal average 60000 , have huge finances and will finish top 4 in my opinion , they are having a rough spell but have qualified 13 years running for the knockout stage of the champions league- I think they will spend big big money in the coming year and would not be surprised if pep takes the job, winger looks tired with it all and guardiola has always viewed the arsenal job highly.

I don't see villa cracking man city, utd chelski or arsenal for the foreseeable future.
I would be delighted with the odd cup final win and top 6 football and believe lambert can achieve that.

[Dave Cooper please]

But Arse don't have massively rich owners, the extra 20,000 spectators obviously helps, but in the end that is probably only the yearly wages of one player. Another season or two of them winning fuck all and they might drop away like Liverpool have.
Under O'Neill we nearly cracked them, Spurs have cracked them, it's possible you know.

[eastie]

But Arse don't have massively rich owners, the extra 20,000 spectators obviously helps, but in the end that is probably only the yearly wages of one player. Another season or two of them winning fuck all and they might drop away like Liverpool have.
Under O'Neill we nearly cracked them, Spurs have cracked them, it's possible you know.

Can't see it personally , if we could hold onto our best players then maybe, but I fear once the likes of benteke, Westwood etc are established and have a couple of good years that they will be sold to the so called big boys, I don't think the top 4 is a realistic target unless we see substantial investment  but I do think the top 6 is realistic.

It's interesting with the hullabaloo about Everton cracking the top 4 a few years ago that they got knocked out in the preliminary round qualifier and missed out on the champions league proper.

[not3bad]

I would be delighted with the odd cup final win and top 6 football and believe lambert can achieve that.

Would you not be even more delighted if you were proved wrong and Villa did crack the top 4?  You have stated your opinion but that doesn't mean it's right.  At the moment there's talk of Arsenal signing Stewart Downing so I'd say they're a long way from automatically finishing top 4 even if they have done in the past.

[Concrete John]

But Arse don't have massively rich owners, the extra 20,000 spectators obviously helps, but in the end that is probably only the yearly wages of one player. Another season or two of them winning fuck all and they might drop away like Liverpool have.
Under O'Neill we nearly cracked them, Spurs have cracked them, it's possible you know.

At Arsenal's prices, those extra 20,000 seats are more than one player's wages!

The big question is whether they'll become 20,000 empty seats if they start falling down the league?

I think there's a change coming there, especially if they finish outside the top 4 this season.  It was similar with Liverpool, where they made poor managerial apointments, despite having money to spend.  I can't see Guardiola going there as I think him to Chelsea is a done deal for next season.  So, they could easily start a downward spiral - some would say they're on it already!   

[eastie]

I would be delighted with the odd cup final win and top 6 football and believe lambert can achieve that.

Would you not be even more delighted if you were proved wrong and Villa did crack the top 4?  You have stated your opinion but that doesn't mean it's right.  At the moment there's talk of Arsenal signing Stewart Downing so I'd say they're a long way from automatically finishing top 4 even if they have done in the past.

Of course I would be delighted to finish top 4 , regarding arsenal I think they will spend big big money and not necessarily with wenger at the helm in the summer.


BY Bill Mann
IT'S THE NEWS every Arsenal fan has been praying for. No, Gervinho hasn't joined Spurs, and nor has Andre Santos been offloaded to Chelsea. It's better than that: Pep Guardiola has disclosed he's up for the challenge of restoring the good name of the Gunners.

"Guardiola's preference in England is Arsenal," a source close to the Spaniard whispered to the respected football website Goal.com. "The club are aware he would be interested in the job in 2013."

Seven reasons why Arsenal no longer need Wenger
The former Barcelona coach has been targeted by a host of top clubs across Europe ever since he stepped down from the Camp Nou last summer. Most recently Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich was allegedly on bended knee, pleading with Guardiola to take charge of the Blues after the dismissal of Roberto Di Matteo.

But it seems the Spaniard has a soft spot for the Gunners and, says Goal.com, his representatives "have let it be known to the north London club that he would be very keen" to lead Arsenal out of the wilderness into which they have wandered under Arsene Wenger.

Guardiola is currently hanging out in New York on a 12-month sabbatical but that hasn't stopped a slew of stories emerging in recent months linking him with AC Milan, Inter Milan, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain, not to mention Chelsea and Manchester City. He will apparently sit down in the New Year to consider his options.

During his four years in charge of Barcelona, Guardiola guided them to 14 trophies including two Champions League titles. His skill and reputation are too great to be trampled on by a know-nothing proprietor like Abramovich.

That explains why he apparently has no wish to go to Chelsea where the Russian has gone through nine managers in nine years. Arsenal, however, have a different and – dare one say it, more dignified - way of doing things and it's this approach that attracts the 41-year-old to the Emirates.

Arsene Wenger's current deal with Arsenal runs until the end of the 2013-14 season but it seems almost certain that the Frenchman won't see out his contract. With the club floundering in the Premier League, and following Tuesday's humiliation in the League Cup against Bradford, it's more a question of when Wenger will go rather than if.

[Simba]

Good piece Dave.

It will be good for English football and not just Aston Villa if this team of ours can become successful with home grown and hungry players.

[eastie]

Good piece Dave.

It will be good for English football and not just Aston Villa if this team of ours can become successful with home grown and hungry players.

Yes totally agree, there is a feel good factor at the club again and if we can get to Wembley it will keep things moving nicely, 17 years without a trophy is a long time to wait and I think we have a great chance of silverware.

[not3bad]

During his four years in charge of Barcelona, Guardiola guided them to 14 trophies including two Champions League titles. His skill and reputation are too great to be trampled on by a know-nothing proprietor like Abramovich.

That bit is worth a chuckle!

[Concrete John]

During his four years in charge of Barcelona, Guardiola guided them to 14 trophies including two Champions League titles. His skill and reputation are too great to be trampled on by a know-nothing proprietor like Abramovich.

That bit is worth a chuckle!

The thing about Guardiola is that he knew what was energing at Barcelona and had the good sense not to try and interfere with it.  It'll be interesting to see what he does when he needs to actually BUILD a side.

[Clampy]

The only way Arsenal are going to win anything again is if they stop selling their best players. They have trouble keeping hold of their better players when the big boys come calling as well as us.