It is really concerning that Sherwood has delivered goals and open football and now the last two weeks we've reverted to Paul Lambert football. I just hope that with safety guaranteed the players simply relaxed (in of itself inexcusable but somewhat understandable) and that it is all being saved for next week. We will need to be absolutely way beyond our best to beat Arsenal next week. Any lapses and they will bury us.
A sad way to end the season.
Lambert-like performance - might Tim be at risk if a new owner pitches up in the summer?
A mediocre performance, knocking the team's confidence further AND our best players all had 90 minute shifts.
*slow hand clap*
Truly the worst of both worlds.
I seem to remember we were pretty awful in the last couple of games before beating United in the final in 1994.Yeah was that not when Big Ron had his infamous "Did you hear that booing at half-time? I started it!"?
Lambert-like performance - might Tim be at risk if a new owner pitches up in the summer?Oh c'mon. Why is every performance from the players on the pitch always reverted back to the manger if it's poor.
Can't believe a player like Gabby gets a chance to play for a wembley place and wanders around like he doesn't want one.
Can't believe a player like Gabby gets a chance to play for a wembley place and wanders around like he doesn't want one.
If he starts next week I'll probably kick something very hard in the face.
Our last game before the League Cup win over Yanited in '94 - our third league defeat on the spin. Were you there? Only twenty thousand other Villa were...
Aston Villa 1 2 Oldham
Steve Redmond (og 58) Darren Beckford (67)Rick Holden (74)
M Bosnich, E Barrett, S Staunton, S Teale, P McGrath, K Richardson, R Houghton, B Small, D Saunders (D Yorke, 76), G Fenton, S Froggatt
Subs not used: N Spink, U Ehiogu
Referee: Attendance: 21214 Stadium: Villa Park
Our last game before the League Cup win over Yanited in '94 - our third league defeat on the spin. Were you there? Only twenty thousand other Villa were...
Aston Villa 1 2 Oldham
Steve Redmond (og 58) Darren Beckford (67)Rick Holden (74)
M Bosnich, E Barrett, S Staunton, S Teale, P McGrath, K Richardson, R Houghton, B Small, D Saunders (D Yorke, 76), G Fenton, S Froggatt
Subs not used: N Spink, U Ehiogu
Referee: Attendance: 21214 Stadium: Villa Park
He'll start guaranteed. No Gil Sherwood is already pissing me off but playing the same forward line-up week in week out.You've just summed up the modern football fan.
Any fool can see we play and get better results without Gabby in the team.
I'd have definitely played gabby today. Most of the team is obvious for next week. It's probably him or nzogbia in the front three
I'd go nzogbia, or maybe go 4411 like at citeh.
Now on a moving train. Woohoo.Ok, keep us posted ;)
I'd have definitely played gabby today. Most of the team is obvious for next week. It's probably him or nzogbia in the front three
I'd go nzogbia, or maybe go 4411 like at citeh.
Yeah, I liked that team. It'd get after Arsenal in midfield and deny them a bit of space, while hopefully giving us the central options to avoid mindlessly crossing it over and over.
Only positive from today is we are now 4 years into the 5 (FIVE) year contract of N'Zogbia. This time next year he'll be gone.
He has to play Benteke with Gabby next week or at least some combination with them working together on their days they give us the best mix of speed, power and goal threat. Grealish of course would start too. I would start Cole before I start ZOG he is one we can lose in the summer.
Would also like to see Vlaar dropped. He has not been good enough this season and I think Clark and Okore have played pretty well together.
He has to play Benteke with Gabby next week or at least some combination with them working together on their days they give us the best mix of speed, power and goal threat. Grealish of course would start too. I would start Cole before I start ZOG he is one we can lose in the summer.
Would also like to see Vlaar dropped. He has not been good enough this season and I think Clark and Okore have played pretty well together.
He has to play Benteke with Gabby next week or at least some combination with them working together on their days they give us the best mix of speed, power and goal threat. Grealish of course would start too. I would start Cole before I start ZOG he is one we can lose in the summer.
Would also like to see Vlaar dropped. He has not been good enough this season and I think Clark and Okore have played pretty well together.
I have to ask - did you watch the game today? Gabby was about as threatening as a fluffy guinea pig, and looked about as bright.
He has to play Benteke with Gabby next week or at least some combination with them working together on their days they give us the best mix of speed, power and goal threat. Grealish of course would start too. I would start Cole before I start ZOG he is one we can lose in the summer.
Would also like to see Vlaar dropped. He has not been good enough this season and I think Clark and Okore have played pretty well together.
I have to ask - did you watch the game today? Gabby was about as threatening as a fluffy guinea pig, and looked about as bright.
Why he has frozen out Gil most of us would like to know. It doesn't make any sense at all.
Personally I think Benteke much prefers to be upfront on his own rather than have Gabby or Weimann getting in the way of his space.He has to play Benteke with Gabby next week or at least some combination with them working together on their days they give us the best mix of speed, power and goal threat. Grealish of course would start too. I would start Cole before I start ZOG he is one we can lose in the summer.
Would also like to see Vlaar dropped. He has not been good enough this season and I think Clark and Okore have played pretty well together.
I have to ask - did you watch the game today? Gabby was about as threatening as a fluffy guinea pig, and looked about as bright.
No I will watch the highlights later. Fair enough and I have not been a big Gabby fan for awhile now, but on his day when in the mood he can still be a danger and I do think him and Benteke tend to work well together.
I was so sure we would go down until Lambert went, the signings last summer gave me no confidence whatsoever that we would improve. Disappointed obviously with the result tiday but I guess it's a reality check, the record shows we survived just. If Sherwood is only allowed to bring in players like Cole and Senderos we will be never improve. Hoping for a big change in approach whatever happens next Saturday.
I know you are all riveted with my journey. I've done some shopping and am waiting for the bus home.What did you buy ?
just didnt get it tactically today.
nzogbia? just why
if he starts with gabby on sat we are fucked
Gabby was rubbish today, I don't think he's in any condition to give Arsenal problems if he starts.
Think I'd go back to playing N'zogbia up there and have Gabby as a sub.
17th is crap. Until you think where you thought we'd finish after the Hull game. Who wouldn't have taken 17th if offered it then?Agree we looked dead and buried after the hull 0-2 .
Why he has frozen out Gil most of us would like to know. It doesn't make any sense at all.
None what-so-ever. I'd have Gil ahead of Sinclair every day of the week and both ahead of N'Zogbia everyday of the century.
I honestly don't know what Ashley Westwood offers. Anyone?
Those having a go at N'Zogbia tonite are out of order ......I am sure he would not claim to be a left back ....he did a reasonable job and unless I am mistaken had two of our best shots at goalI still expect better from even a makeshift left back than being stood on the halfway line while the oppositions wide right midfielder is charging into the box with the ball, as N'Zogbia did in the 2nd half
We were simply a team today where players didn't want to pick up injuries which is totally understandable
Poor performance but should we win next Saturday who will remember today?
I honestly don't know what Ashley Westwood offers. Anyone?
just didnt get it tactically today.
nzogbia? just why
if he starts with gabby on sat we are fucked
As sure as night follows day...
Bollox to sentiment. Get rid this summer.
Brilliant. We have a Cup final to look forward too and decide to churn ought two dismal displays. What a farcical football club we have become.
Strange game. I do not understand Sherwood's thinking at all. Rested players who needed game time, played players who needed rest. If he wanted us to go into next week with a confidence builder that didnt work either.Agree think TS got it completely wrong. Gave Gabby and Baker a game which was correct.
Oh well, we are safe but it was odd all around.
Strange game. I do not understand Sherwood's thinking at all. Rested players who needed game time, played players who needed rest. If he wanted us to go into next week with a confidence builder that didnt work either.Agree think TS got it completely wrong. Gave Gabby and Baker a game which was correct.
Oh well, we are safe but it was odd all around.
Should have played Sinclair Gill Lowton Westwood Hutton Senderos.
Brilliant. We have a Cup final to look forward too and decide to churn ought two dismal displays. What a farcical football club we have become.
just didnt get it tactically today.
nzogbia? just why
if he starts with gabby on sat we are fucked
Tim Sherwood was happy enough with the effort levels in the Burnley defeat - but felt his side lacked a touch of imagination in the concluding Barclays Premier League contest.
Sherwood insists, though, that his team will now ready themselves for a huge FA Cup final clash with Arsenal next weekend.
Villa face the Gunners on Saturday, with a 5.30pm kick-off at Wembley.
He said: "We didn't show enough imagination.
"The fluency wasn't there but you have to give Burnley credit for that.
"They blocked it out and there was no space behind them.
"It doesn't help when you go behind because they come for just about anything and that's what they got.
"The boys tried hard enough but it was just lacking a little bit of quality.
"Everyone came here and expected us to roll over Burnley.
"I'm not sure how many times any team has done that to them.
"The commitment was there and the effort was there but we just lacked the quality.
"Now we will dust ourselves down.
"The FA Cup final is a one-off game. Anyone can win it.
"There's one game left, the biggest game of all our lives - and the biggest game for a lot of the fans out there - we need to do ourselves proud.
"No-one gave us a chance to stay in the Premier League and no-one gives us a chance of winning the FA Cup.
"But we need to believe that we have a chance."
Sherwood confirmed goalkeeper Shay Given has a groin injury and faces a race against time to be fit for the Gunners clash next weekend.
Brilliant. We have a Cup final to look forward too and decide to churn ought two dismal displays. What a farcical football club we have become.
Sherwood confirmed goalkeeper Shay Given has a groin injury and faces a race against time to be fit for the Gunners clash next weekend.
QuoteSherwood confirmed goalkeeper Shay Given has a groin injury and faces a race against time to be fit for the Gunners clash next weekend.
Ruh ro.
Why the hell not play Guzan then? I do not understand.
Oh and free advice to Tim. Do NOT take Shay's word for it if he declares himself fit, as the Republic learnt during the Euro's his enthusiasm to play can get ahead of his actual health....
QuoteSherwood confirmed goalkeeper Shay Given has a groin injury and faces a race against time to be fit for the Gunners clash next weekend.
Ruh ro.
Why the hell not play Guzan then? I do not understand.
Oh and free advice to Tim. Do NOT take Shay's word for it if he declares himself fit, as the Republic learnt during the Euro's his enthusiasm to play can get ahead of his actual health....
QuoteSherwood confirmed goalkeeper Shay Given has a groin injury and faces a race against time to be fit for the Gunners clash next weekend.
Ruh ro.
Why the hell not play Guzan then? I do not understand.
Oh and free advice to Tim. Do NOT take Shay's word for it if he declares himself fit, as the Republic learnt during the Euro's his enthusiasm to play can get ahead of his actual health....
Because if Guzan got injured playing we could be down to the U18 or lower keeper as Steer is cup tied.
It's all part of a plan to lull Arsenal into a false sense of security. If they score early next Saturday, don't fret! ;)
I think you could pick next weeks starting 11 now. You don't spring surprises in cup finals:
Guzan
Hutton Vlaar Baker Richardson (?)
Cleverly Delph Westwood
Grealish
Gabby Benteke
Subs: Steer, Sinclair, Okore, Weimann, N'Zogbia, Sanchez, Bacuna.
Given should be nowhere near the match day squad if not 100% fit.
Gabby stinks the team out and should be nowhere near the starting xi next week.If we are sacrificing a striker for an additional midfielder / nr 10 I'd agree.
Gabby stinks the team out and should be nowhere near the starting xi next week.
Gabby was similar to a headless chicken today.That is his modus operandi though. Weeks of wilderness folly and then a big goal out of nowhere.
Sherwood has done a terrific job to have put us in to the position to have been safe going into the final weekend and a Cup Final appearance.I think he wanted to keep the motor "ticking over" rather than leave it in the garage for a week prior to trying to fire it up next Saturday cold.
However, every now and then he has the tendency to drop something tactically akin to a bloke down the pub managing the Vila who knows fuck all about football.
Today's team selection was one of those times. Baffled.
If Shay is unfit Guzan should step in next week but Steer is cup tied so not sure who's going to be on the bench?QuoteSherwood confirmed goalkeeper Shay Given has a groin injury and faces a race against time to be fit for the Gunners clash next weekend.
Ruh ro.
Why the hell not play Guzan then? I do not understand.
Oh and free advice to Tim. Do NOT take Shay's word for it if he declares himself fit, as the Republic learnt during the Euro's his enthusiasm to play can get ahead of his actual health....
Gabby stinks the team out and should be nowhere near the starting xi next week.
If he could play football, he'd be a good player.
Sherwood has done a terrific job to have put us in to the position to have been safe going into the final weekend and a Cup Final appearance.I think he wanted to keep the motor "ticking over" rather than leave it in the garage for a week prior to trying to fire it up next Saturday cold.
However, every now and then he has the tendency to drop something tactically akin to a bloke down the pub managing the Vila who knows fuck all about football.
Today's team selection was one of those times. Baffled.
I know it was the end of the season but to say to your team mates who are the worst two players in the team. They can play full backs. Says it all.........................
Not so sure about that john2710, I think he will be tempted to start Hutton at right back
Not so sure about that john2710, I think he will be tempted to start Hutton at right back
Surely we've learnt to play to our strengths and utilising our best players. Now, Bacuna is far from our best player, but he'll contribute more to allowing our better players, especially Benteke, to play better than Hutton.
Too many years of defending has made people forget the object of football is to score goals.
All of arsenals threat is in midfield , win that duel we win the cup .
I think we will go Xmas tree 3421
---------Guzan-------
---vlaar -- okore -- baker
Hutton Delph westwood cleverly
----- Grealish ------Nzogbia
----------Benteke -----------
That team would get torn to shreds through the flanks.I've assumed cissoko and Richardson are out. Who would you play TV ?
All of arsenals threat is in midfield , win that duel we win the cup .
I think we will go Xmas tree 3421
---------Guzan-------
---vlaar -- okore -- baker
Hutton Delph westwood cleverly
----- Grealish ------Nzogbia
----------Benteke -----------
Think you have had more to drink than me
Not so sure about that john2710, I think he will be tempted to start Hutton at right back
Surely we've learnt to play to our strengths and utilising our best players. Now, Bacuna is far from our best player, but he'll contribute more to allowing our better players, especially Benteke, to play better than Hutton.
Too many years of defending has made people forget the object of football is to score goals.
The main role of a full back is to defend and Bacuna yet again today showed he has lots to learn on that front
I think the poster who said the shape of the team that played Man City will be used is onto something. That was the first time that an away side had the better share of possession there for several years. If that performance was the basis of the final and then we could figure out how to be steady defensively too, it would give us our best shot.
All of arsenals threat is in midfield , win that duel we win the cup .
I think we will go Xmas tree 3421
---------Guzan-------
---vlaar -- okore -- baker
Hutton Delph westwood cleverly
----- Grealish ------Nzogbia
----------Benteke -----------
Think you have had more to drink than me
Not so sure about that john2710, I think he will be tempted to start Hutton at right back
Surely we've learnt to play to our strengths and utilising our best players. Now, Bacuna is far from our best player, but he'll contribute more to allowing our better players, especially Benteke, to play better than Hutton.
Too many years of defending has made people forget the object of football is to score goals.
The main role of a full back is to defend and Bacuna yet again today showed he has lots to learn on that front
Not in this TS side it's not. It's about contributing going forward. How many goals has Bacuna had a hand in since TS has been there? A few I seem to recall.
Only just got back in,
So no idea why Steer was in today, can someone explain
and if Given is injured is it official or just hearsay
team that started at Ci£yGuzan, Bacuna, Okore, Vlaar, Richardson, Sanchez, Westwood, Cleverley, Delph, Grealish, Benteke.
SUBS: Given, Weimann, Cole, Senderos, Cissokho, N'Zogbia, Lowton
There is no denying that Gabby can put in the odd performance that lifts us, or can score important goals.I hope that this new era of Fox and Sherwood is a move away from the "acceptance of dross" with or without Lerner. I think the squad is nearer a Top Ten than bottom 3 but there are some big gaps in the first 15.
The problem is the 20 games in which he does next to nothing which separate these big performances.
I said this earlier but he is the poster boy for the five year long drift to utter mediocrity.
He isn't the only one, far from it, but he's the most disappointing one. Where do we think he'd go if we sold him?
I'd guess somewhere like Norwich, some newly promoted non entity.
Sherwood has done well to keep us up, but getting five or six games worth of good performances is one thing, stopping this sort of horror season happening again is going to be a big challenge.
Stopping the sort of implicit acceptance of mediocrity that giving the likes of Gabby new deal after new deal represents would be a step forward.
The Cup final is an unexpected bonus, and we played well in that competition, but 17th is as bad as we can get without getting relegated.
The "who wouldn't have accepted staying up and a cup final when Lambert was here" line of argument is fair enough - we'd all have accepted it - but the bigger picture is we have got to stop looking around the arse end of the table like a posher version of Wigan year after year.
To do that we will need either a new owner or a version of Randy that gives more of a shit and is more clued up, and a willingness to take difficult decisions, because the placid acceptance of dross is going to take some shifting after five whole years of it.
Only just got back in,
So no idea why Steer was in today, can someone explain
and if Given is injured is it official or just hearsay
Given injured. And if he played Guzan and he got hurt then we'd be playing some kid in the cup final because Steer is cup tied and Ben is also out. So he didn't risk Guzan.
Our last game before the League Cup win over Yanited in '94 - our third league defeat on the spin. Were you there? Only twenty thousand other Villa were...
Aston Villa 1 2 Oldham
Steve Redmond (og 58) Darren Beckford (67)Rick Holden (74)
M Bosnich, E Barrett, S Staunton, S Teale, P McGrath, K Richardson, R Houghton, B Small, D Saunders (D Yorke, 76), G Fenton, S Froggatt
Subs not used: N Spink, U Ehiogu
Referee: Attendance: 21214 Stadium: Villa Park
The Cup final is an unexpected bonus, and we played well in that competition, but 17th is as bad as we can get without getting relegated.
The "who wouldn't have accepted staying up and a cup final when Lambert was here" line of argument is fair enough - we'd all have accepted it - but the bigger picture is we have got to stop looking around the arse end of the table like a posher version of Wigan year after year.
Only just got back in,
So no idea why Steer was in today, can someone explain
and if Given is injured is it official or just hearsay
Sanchez is a defensive liability and will be certain to gift/cause a few goals against Arsenal. If he was to figure in TS plans for the final then I'm sure he'd have got some game time in the last 2 weeks but he hasn't.team that started at Ci£yGuzan, Bacuna, Okore, Vlaar, Richardson, Sanchez, Westwood, Cleverley, Delph, Grealish, Benteke.
SUBS: Given, Weimann, Cole, Senderos, Cissokho, N'Zogbia, Lowton
I can see Sanchez playing for sure to help secure the back line and break up the play. I think that's about as defensive as it will get. You might be right about that team if Richardson can play. I imagine any player not 100% fit will make every effort to "recover" this week.
I seem to remember we were pretty awful in the last couple of games before beating United in the final in 1994.
The 2 games before the 96 final were a 2-0 loss at Sheff weds and one of the most boring 0-0 draws you'll ever see at home to Boro.
3 league games before the 1994 final were a 1-0 defeat at home to Ipswich, a 2-0 defeat at Leeds and a 2-1 home defeat at home to Oldham. Our only goal in those games was an OG.
Boos and groans at every misplaced pass or pass backwards from the prawn sandwich brigade in the Trinity Upper. I'll be back in the North next time!
They're in a bloody cup final next week and perhaps had their focus elsewhere.*
*Disclaimer, I'm not sure why Arsenal weren't utterly shit too.
Boos and groans at every misplaced pass or pass backwards from the prawn sandwich brigade in the Trinity Upper. I'll be back in the North next time!
To be fair the lower North were the same.
Gabby stinks the team out and should be nowhere near the starting xi next week.
If he could play football, he'd be a good player.
We was discussing today who Gabby would be playing for if he wasn't as fast as he is. Walsall was suggested.
That's nothing, every Villa seat at Wembley is going to have a free claret and blue kazoo. Should create a wall of sound!Boos and groans at every misplaced pass or pass backwards from the prawn sandwich brigade in the Trinity Upper. I'll be back in the North next time!
To be fair the lower North were the same.
Beaten by the Holte End's crescendo if booing for the backpass in the second half. Plus I heard that drum this time, that was shit too!
Quote from: PaulTheVillanlink=topic=54194.msg2845309#msg2845309 date=1432540852
Aston Villa has kept him out of prison.
What a disgraceful thing to say.
Brilliant. We have a Cup final to look forward too and decide to churn ought two dismal displays. What a farcical football club we have become.
How does that make us a farcical football club? What a load of melodramatic nonsense. We played poorly in two games having played overall really very well for about two months. It's disappointing heading into the cup final this way but it doesn't at all make us a farce of a club. And it is entirely possible that the players mentally took their foot off the pedal once safety was all but assured after West Ham. They could put in a completely different display next weekend. We simply don't know. Whether we won the last two weeks or lost the games as we did Arsenal will be a very tough game. Nothing changes that.
Boos and groans at every misplaced pass or pass backwards from the prawn sandwich brigade in the Trinity Upper. I'll be back in the North next time!
To be fair the lower North were the same.
Beaten by the Holte End's crescendo of booing for the backpass in the second half. Plus I heard that drum this time, that was shit too!
Boos and groans at every misplaced pass or pass backwards from the prawn sandwich brigade in the Trinity Upper. I'll be back in the North next time!
To be fair the lower North were the same.
Beaten by the Holte End's crescendo of booing for the backpass in the second half. Plus I heard that drum this time, that was shit too!
Boos and groans at every misplaced pass or pass backwards from the prawn sandwich brigade in the Trinity Upper. I'll be back in the North next time!
To be fair the lower North were the same.
Beaten by the Holte End's crescendo of booing for the backpass in the second half. Plus I heard that drum this time, that was shit too!Boos and groans at every misplaced pass or pass backwards from the prawn sandwich brigade in the Trinity Upper. I'll be back in the North next time!
To be fair the lower North were the same.
Beaten by the Holte End's crescendo of booing for the backpass in the second half. Plus I heard that drum this time, that was shit too!
That was a bizarre reaction and from keeping the ball for ages, then going back, we kept the ball and came forward again and ended up with a good(ish) move I seem to recall.
Imagine if Swansea or Arsenal was playing as Villa? The amount of moaning from the fans would be ridiculous, despite being a good team.
QuoteQuote from: PaulTheVillanlink=topic=54194.msg2845309#msg2845309 date=1432540852
Aston Villa has kept him out of prison.
What a disgraceful thing to say.
I fixed your poor quoting. (to a point).
Anyway, it might be true.
Things have to be done this summer to ensure we are not having another season like the last 3. New owners needed with some cash...Tim? Jury is out for me, yes he has done great to keep us up but how will he be long term? My concern he is another motivational coach, but we shall see.
I agree with you wholeheartedly Billy but next season will be next season whether we win, lose or draw at Wembley. With every sincere acceptance of your point of view, my point of view is that I do not want the FA Cup to be a distraction to the rebuilding of our club.
Because it is only one game.
Clampy, please note my comment about Liverpool and the season being over. There is no such thing as a season, there is only the stream of performance. Win the cup and it is harder to make hard decisions. It masks underlying failings. I want Villa to win game after game and climb the table. A trophy in the trophy cabinet is as nothing compared with the fear and respect of the teams you go head to head with each week. It is like saying a fabulous passionate honeymoon is as important as a happy marriage.
Clampy, why do you always want to have a fight with me? What have I ever done to you that whatever I say you take exception to it? Where do you get the take that I want us to lose the cup final?
I have said and I hold to it, based on 69 years on the Holte End man and boy, that I want us walking tall in the Premiership and that anything else is a bonus. You have no right whatsoever to twist that into some sort of accusation that I want us to lose.
As for the journeyman comparison, our games against West Ham and Everton that saved us us our Premiership status were inferior to our performance against Liverpool.
I agree with you wholeheartedly Billy but next season will be next season whether we win, lose or draw at Wembley. With every sincere acceptance of your point of view, my point of view is that I do not want the FA Cup to be a distraction to the rebuilding of our club.
It is not in the least irrelevant. I know whenever I put up any kind oif opinion on here, you will be back in a flash to have a pop. I deeply resent that you have the bare faced audacity to suggest I want Villa to lose the cup final. My horse is my horse and my time spent following Villa puts me in the saddle. Get over it.
I bet Callum Robinson is less than pleased
... I do not want the FA Cup to be a distraction to the rebuilding of our club.I don't understand why a cup win would be a distraction to rebuilding the club ... Unless Fox and Sherwood (or whoever it is that is running things after the summer) are completely inept to the point of delusion about the playing and resources we currently have at our disposal.
I hope we play better on Saturday.
... I do not want the FA Cup to be a distraction to the rebuilding of our club.I don't understand why a cup win would be a distraction to rebuilding the club ... Unless Fox and Sherwood (or whoever it is that is running things after the summer) are completely inept to the point of delusion about the playing and resources we currently have at our disposal.
The FA Cup should fool no one about the need for a greater level of quality of club management and squad coaching.
The only downside to an FA Cup Final victory to me is the Europa Leaguemr underhill that's a truly underwhelming comment to make!
Being greedy it would be nice to impregnate all three, assuming you had the readies for the maintenanceAny downside to that knowing they are all mega rich?
Aston Villa has kept him out of prison.
Aston Villa has kept him out of prison.
What a disgraceful thing to say.
Clampy, why do you always want to have a fight with me? What have I ever done to you that whatever I say you take exception to it? Where do you get the take that I want us to lose the cup final?
I have said and I hold to it, based on 69 years on the Holte End man and boy, that I want us walking tall in the Premiership and that anything else is a bonus. You have no right whatsoever to twist that into some sort of accusation that I want us to lose.
As for the journeyman comparison, our games against West Ham and Everton that saved us us our Premiership status were inferior to our performance against Liverpool.
I hope we play better on Saturday.
Finishing fourth bottom isn't something to be celebrated, yes there is a sense of relief that we've just about pulled ourselves away in time but five years of flirting with relegation simply isn't good enough, Cup Final or not.
I haven't seen anyone celebrating that we finished 17th. Or saying we don't need to do work over the summer.
Everton were the form team in the division when we played them, and coming off the back of an excellent win vs Man U. Not only was that victory completely deserved the scoreline could have and should have been by a much wider margin.
Finishing fourth bottom isn't something to be celebrated, yes there is a sense of relief that we've just about pulled ourselves away in time but five years of flirting with relegation simply isn't good enough, Cup Final or not.
Spot on.
I don't know why some people seem to struggle with this.
Yes, getting to the FA Cup final is fucking ace, and winning it will be even better.
However, that is never going to disguise the fact that we've just finished a fucking pathetic 17th. That's not good enough. It wasn't good enough when we were finishing 15th or 16th, either, and this is even worse.
Is it really that complicated to suggest that finishing in the lowest position you can without getting relegated is fucking disgraceful, but that being in the Cup final is nice?
Quite obviously, I want us to win it, more than I want almost anything else in life, but at the same time, if we win it, it will not disguise the fact that the club has just completed its fifth consecutive season of being an utter fucking shambles, and that has got to stop.
Yes, we were absolutely done for had we persisted with Lambert any longer then the already ludicrous amount of time we'd already given him. Yes, Sherwood did do pretty well when he came in (although, let's be honest, 19th when he came here, 17th at the end of the season, it is much nicer to watch, but it isn't like it has just been banging in goals and "fuck the rest of it because it doesn't matter").
However, none of the above, not even reaching the FA Cup final, can hide the fact that for five years now we've been run by an owner who is - in the most charitable description - "detached", shall we say, and who has very clearly lost interest in the club, and accordingly made a series of really poor decisions. Lambert (new contract after four mediocre games) underperformed, failed to get what he could from the squad. Sherwood came in and got far more out of them. However he did that over a relatively short period of 10 or so league games. That doesn't mean he's going to miraculously hit the ground running and tear us up the league with the same squad next season.
We have got a hell of a lot of work to do, and we need to bear in mind that, win the cup or not, it has still got to be done.
Five years circling the fucking plug hole, making that "just above the relegation slot" thing our own, just doing enough to drag ourselves out of it at the last moment, it just is not anywhere near acceptable.
Saying that doesn't make you some sort of charlatan who is deviating from the commonly read script that Sherwood is a genius and who cares, we're going to be victorious in our second cup final appearance in a little under half a century. It means you're still conscious of the fact that the last few years have been an absolute embarassment in the history of this club.
Finishing fourth bottom isn't something to be celebrated, yes there is a sense of relief that we've just about pulled ourselves away in time but five years of flirting with relegation simply isn't good enough, Cup Final or not.
Spot on.
I don't know why some people seem to struggle with this.
Yes, getting to the FA Cup final is fucking ace, and winning it will be even better.
However, that is never going to disguise the fact that we've just finished a fucking pathetic 17th. That's not good enough. It wasn't good enough when we were finishing 15th or 16th, either, and this is even worse.
Is it really that complicated to suggest that finishing in the lowest position you can without getting relegated is fucking disgraceful, but that being in the Cup final is nice?
Quite obviously, I want us to win it, more than I want almost anything else in life, but at the same time, if we win it, it will not disguise the fact that the club has just completed its fifth consecutive season of being an utter fucking shambles, and that has got to stop.
Yes, we were absolutely done for had we persisted with Lambert any longer then the already ludicrous amount of time we'd already given him. Yes, Sherwood did do pretty well when he came in (although, let's be honest, 19th when he came here, 17th at the end of the season, it is much nicer to watch, but it isn't like it has just been banging in goals and "fuck the rest of it because it doesn't matter").
However, none of the above, not even reaching the FA Cup final, can hide the fact that for five years now we've been run by an owner who is - in the most charitable description - "detached", shall we say, and who has very clearly lost interest in the club, and accordingly made a series of really poor decisions. Lambert (new contract after four mediocre games) underperformed, failed to get what he could from the squad. Sherwood came in and got far more out of them. However he did that over a relatively short period of 10 or so league games. That doesn't mean he's going to miraculously hit the ground running and tear us up the league with the same squad next season.
We have got a hell of a lot of work to do, and we need to bear in mind that, win the cup or not, it has still got to be done.
Five years circling the fucking plug hole, making that "just above the relegation slot" thing our own, just doing enough to drag ourselves out of it at the last moment, it just is not anywhere near acceptable.
Saying that doesn't make you some sort of charlatan who is deviating from the commonly read script that Sherwood is a genius and who cares, we're going to be victorious in our second cup final appearance in a little under half a century. It means you're still conscious of the fact that the last few years have been an absolute embarassment in the history of this club.
Don't know, if this has been commented on before in this thread as I haven't trawled all the way back.
But my disappointment with Sunday - not the score I can quite get that, players only at 70% Effort, but the fact with such a good crowd there we never had the opportunity to raise the roof, make some noise, spose we will let rip next Saturday.
did like the Holtes "where were you when we were shit when they announce the gate. V Good