Welcome Roberto Di Matteo and Steve Clarke

[Stirchley Villain]

As I have said a hundred times there is absolutely no chance of getting rid of Agbonlahor due to his wages of reputedly 54,000 per week.We might get Richards out though with a bit of luck The others have their uses.

I've told you a thousand times not to exaggerate...

[sid1964]

Should we not know halve the wages of every player, as they have all taken a pay cut due to dropping into the championship?

[chrisw1]

You are preaching to the converted Chicago.  We all want the malingerers moved on. What has been repeated by many posters is that the days of knee jerk, emotional decision making has to be put behind us forever. What happens to the players has to be what is in the best interests of the club.  No more bomb squaddery.  All the players have a value and that must be exploited.  If we have to come to games with a sick bag and watch one of the trouble makers play because the manager and his staff consider it to be sound business, sobeit.

Exactly.  I'm amazed how hard it is for people to grasp this point.  Surely the absolutely key requirement is to get promoted this season if at all possible.  Everything else, including our dislike of certain players, surely must become a side issue?

[pbavfckuwait]

What RDM has to be wary of, is the ability of certain individuals within the group to drag the whole club down, regardless of how strong the management structure may now be, compared to recent years, we may want rid but if there are no takers we could well be stuck, but I would not go down the road of bomb squaddery as Brian puts it, the top level of management i.e. Wyness e.t.c. must be willing to banish these parasites away from the club, whilst disciplining and fining in line with the players contracts and PFA allowances, taking no chances that these parasites could do what we witnessed last year.

[achilles]

Unfortunately all the power is in the hands of the player nowadays, you just have to look at Zog!

[ChicagoLion]

You are preaching to the converted Chicago.  We all want the malingerers moved on. What has been repeated by many posters is that the days of knee jerk, emotional decision making has to be put behind us forever. What happens to the players has to be what is in the best interests of the club.  No more bomb squaddery.  All the players have a value and that must be exploited.  If we have to come to games with a sick bag and watch one of the trouble makers play because the manager and his staff consider it to be sound business, sobeit.

Exactly.  I'm amazed how hard it is for people to grasp this point.  Surely the absolutely key requirement is to get promoted this season if at all possible.  Everything else, including our dislike of certain players, surely must become a side issue?

it is not a side issue, it is the issue. That squad with too many that have let the club down badly will not achieve anything. It maybe impossible to move many of them on, which severely hampers our chances of getting back to the Prem.

[Boz]

You are preaching to the converted Chicago.  We all want the malingerers moved on. What has been repeated by many posters is that the days of knee jerk, emotional decision making has to be put behind us forever. What happens to the players has to be what is in the best interests of the club.  No more bomb squaddery.  All the players have a value and that must be exploited.  If we have to come to games with a sick bag and watch one of the trouble makers play because the manager and his staff consider it to be sound business, sobeit.

Exactly.  I'm amazed how hard it is for people to grasp this point.  Surely the absolutely key requirement is to get promoted this season if at all possible.  Everything else, including our dislike of certain players, surely must become a side issue?

it is not a side issue, it is the issue. That squad with too many that have let the club down badly will not achieve anything. It maybe impossible to move many of them on, which severely hampers our chances of getting back to the Prem.

If these players continue the new season as they finished the last, surely it's the player management's responsibility to make it clear what's expected of them and any failure to deliver RDM's requirements will ensure they cannot poison the dressing room. I thought RDM has already stated he's not getting rid of anyone before he's made a judgement of each player or unless there are acceptable offers.

[Tuscans]

Hate stats, absolutely despise them but worth a read ....

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/statistics-prove-aston-villa-best-11905924

[Toronto Villa]

8 goals in 95 chances created

*cries*

Mind you 95 chances is slightly more than we have created over the previous 5 years...

[Ian.]

That's why I'm still very positive and I'm not concerned about our league position at the moment.

[ciggiesnbeer]

Hate stats, absolutely despise them but worth a read ....

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/statistics-prove-aston-villa-best-11905924

OK. I like to slag off the Mail and I have bene pretty negative about our performance so far but that article genuinely cheered me up. Nice one, thanks for the link.

[Matt Collins]

8 goals in 95 chances created

*cries*

Mind you 95 chances is slightly more than we have created over the previous 5 years...

We're in an era where there's more readily available information than ever before and ultimately this will be of huge benefit. We're not very good at using it yet though.

But the chances created stuff is important. Results have been poor. But we've lost twice. And we've hit the woodwork countless times, missed brilliant chances and let in four crucial late goals denying us 7 points alone. We're really not that far away. The worry for me is more that our last two performances have arguably been or worst and I wonder if the confidence is diminishing

Newcastle at home is either the game we really need or the absolute last game we need!

Actually, I'd prefer Blackburn at home I think

[OzVilla]

Hate stats, absolutely despise them but worth a read ....

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/statistics-prove-aston-villa-best-11905924

OK. I like to slag off the Mail and I have bene pretty negative about our performance so far but that article genuinely cheered me up. Nice one, thanks for the link.

Isn't it amazing what a difference genuinely positive article can do for you, see Meaning Evil you can do it.