Pre-Season Friendlies

[brontebilly]

At least Hutton makes the effort and looks like he is bothered.

There is a playing to the gallery element to it though, look at me throwing in crunching tackles etc. As others have said he isn't one to be breaking a sweat getting back when caught constantly up the pitch.

A fraud of a footballer really, zero positional sense, poor discipline and very limited technically. Typical British defender unfortunately. I seem to remember in some of his better spells at Spurs he was decent going forward but those days are long gone. He is the epitome of the declining standards at AVFC when his "efforts" are seen as commendable.

OK as backup this season in the last year of his contract. Was hoping one of the Scottish clubs would offer him a 2 year deal this summer but that's a forlorn hope.

[Louzie0]

It doesn't look like RDM is doing the necessary shake up and ship out.  We are looking at another painful season.

Short of shooting them, I imagine it's a bit difficult to get rid, i.e. persuade other clubs to buy only the players he doesn't rate. They might not rate them either.
I am hoping that some end up going as second or third choices for other clubs as the end of the window approaches and the first choices have fallen through.

[cdbearsfan]

I for one am amazed that all the players who were utter shit for all of last season as we got relegated with seventeen points haven't been snapped up by other clubs.

Terrible management from Di Matteo. If we'd appointed Pearson, he'd have kept shouting until Real Madrid signed them all.

[oldhill_avfc]

I have not changed my mind at all.  You took my metaphor of shouting at them to represent strong, forceful management, literally and have used it as a stick to beat me with.  You will probably disagree for the sake of stringing out an argument I do not seek but I will spell it out.
Did Westwood play as badly for Crewe as he plays for Villa? No. Did Hutton play for Spurs as badly as he plays for Villa? Veretout for Nantes? Gueye for Lille? Kozak for Lazio? Traore for Barcelona? Amavi for Nice? Richards for Manchester City?  Lescott for Manchester City? Sinclair for Swansea? The list goes on and the answer is a resounding No.
So what is the common denominator?  It is Aston Villa and it's managers, right through from O'Neill to Garde and straws in the wind that hint at Matteo.  Managers who have allowed players to deteriorate.  Even Garde who I liked very much, bottled it and allowed Agbonlahor back into the nest of vipers just as it appeared to be scattering.
Forceful management might have brought about an end to defeatism.  My opinion is that Pearson could have done it. Based on last last Saturday's capitulation RDM seems not to have done.
If the failed players are clearly unable or unwilling to change their ways so the only alternative is to give fresh players their chance.  I was at Worcester and Cambridge and it looked to be working. I was at the Boro game and the same old losing mentality proved that it is still alive and well.
If you want to highlight any of this highlight the words about the common denominator of failing players is Aston Villa managers.

I'm not trying to string out an argument.  I've got far better things to do.

I am, however, interested in trying to understand what you're saying as you usually talk  a lot of sense.

You're right that the players have failed, I just don't see why you try to make an excuse for them by blaming weak mangement.  They are largely incapable of doing much better, regardless of the management. 

The main problem has been a weak chairman who ran out cash and ideas, who then appointed weak CEOs and expected a series of managers to perform alchemy and turn base metal into gold.   As a result we've got arguably the worst squad in our history.

Its becoming increasingly clear that Xia hasn't got the budget to write off the deadwood which is incapable of performing at this level, let alone the premiership and so there's scant progress. 

Is this weak management or is RDM operating within reasonable constraints?

[Villafirst]

Tony Xia is happy with the 20,000 or so Season Tickets sold. But where is the investment? Looks like RDM is having to operate within a tight budget.

[Clampy]

Tony Xia is happy with the 20,000 or so Season Tickets sold. But where is the investment? Looks like RDM is having to operate within a tight budget.

How many times are you going to come out with this? You sound like a stuck record.

[Villa in Denmark]

It doesn't look like RDM is doing the necessary shake up and ship out.  We are looking at another painful season.

Short of shooting them, I imagine it's a bit difficult to get rid, i.e. persuade other clubs to buy only the players he doesn't rate. They might not rate them either.
I am hoping that some end up going as second or third choices for other clubs as the end of the window approaches and the first choices have fallen through.

Finally a decent suggestion to deal with the unwanted members of the squad.

You'd only have to off the first couple and the rest of the ne'erdowells would soon be offering to buy out their own contracts or play somewhere else for nothing to get away

[Villa in Denmark]

I for one am amazed that all the players who were utter shit for all of of last season as we got relegated with seventeen points haven't been snapped up by other clubs.

Terrible management from Di Matteo. If we'd appointed Pearson, he'd have kept shouting until Real Madrid signed them all.

Zidane would probably have bought them, just to get Pearson to shut up.

[Matt Collins]

I for one am amazed that all the players who were utter shit for all of last season as we got relegated with seventeen points haven't been snapped up by other clubs.

Terrible management from Di Matteo. If we'd appointed Pearson, he'd have kept shouting until Real Madrid signed them all.

Well said. This ship won't be turned around in 5 weeks that's for sure. I always thought it would take us two seasons to get out of this league (upwards!!) tho the playoffs mean there's always a chance

[PeterWithesShin]

Yep, we all want things to improve, but have to be realistic. Tony has owned us for 6 weeks, it's going to take a lot longer than that to fix the last 5+ years of fuckups on and off the pitch.

[Ads]

The Stripey Filth lost to Torquay last night. LTA must be gutted.

[mr underhill]

but delighted if we loose against Wednesday .

[Louzie0]

It doesn't look like RDM is doing the necessary shake up and ship out.  We are looking at another painful season.

Short of shooting them, I imagine it's a bit difficult to get rid, i.e. persuade other clubs to buy only the players he doesn't rate. They might not rate them either.
I am hoping that some end up going as second or third choices for other clubs as the end of the window approaches and the first choices have fallen through.

Finally a decent suggestion to deal with the unwanted members of the squad.

You'd only have to off the first couple and the rest of the ne'erdowells would soon be offering to buy out their own contracts or play somewhere else for nothing to get away

Firing squad, last request, last cig.?

Or

A Capricorn One scenario, where they are given 30 minutes' start to scatter in all directions from VP and then hunted down with helicopters?

[PGW]

Callum o'Hare makes it Tamworth 1 - 3 Villa young uns 80 gone
The Russian got the other 2 didn't he!!

[Ian.]

I for one am amazed that all the players who were utter shit for all of last season as we got relegated with seventeen points haven't been snapped up by other clubs.

Terrible management from Di Matteo. If we'd appointed Pearson, he'd have kept shouting until Real Madrid signed them all.

And if still they hadn't signed he could have strangled the opposing manager on the sideline to until they submitted.