Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Match Threads & Player Ratings => Topic started by: Toronto Villa on November 28, 2015, 05:00:06 PM
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I got nothing to say. Got at it. Sick to fucking death.
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The Gomes injury turned the game 2nd half. We had them under the cosh and that break changed everything.
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Wrong players. Wrong managers. Fucked.
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We cant beat the big sides, we cant beat the mid table sides and we cant even beat the sides that lose every other week. Awful awful times.
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To be relegated this season:
18. Bournemouth
19. Norwich
20. Aston Villa
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Why did I buy three tickets for the West Ham game? It's going to be excruciating.
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Another week... another loss. Surely the writing is on the wall as clear as day now. We just aren't good enough, getting nothing from Watford at home is absolutely shocking.
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Relegated in November. Randy Lerner we all fucking loathe you.
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We play badly, we lose.
We play middling, we lose.
We play half decent, we lose.
We even play decent, we lose.
To be fair, two of the three we conceded were deserved due to idiotic defending, but we should have had at least 3 ourselves.
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I fully expect Moyes to take over at Newcastle in the coming days saving their season.
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Disgusting.
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Nor me, except fuck off Lerner. Hopefully relegation will somehow mean I never ever have that idiot's name enter my brain ever again
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Absolutely rooted to the bottom and no way out from here I'm afraid. I've been mentally preparing for the drop but it's going to be hard to actually conceptualize it until it's nailed on. This is terrible.. I wonder if we'll get some sort of statement from the Board.
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The only positive I can find is that I no longer have to keep an eye on results from the teams around us.
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lots of effort, lots of possession, but far too few shots at two dodgy keepers. and the defence can be relied upon to gift goals = a recipe for relegation
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Played well, still lost. The hallmark of a side that is going to go.
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We couldn't beat an egg.
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This Villa outfit could end up being the worst team in the PL ever.
This is what 5 years of Lerner austerity does to you. Blame one man for our decline - Randy fuckin Lerner.
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The rest of the season is just a waste of time.
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I'm done. Can't take any more. I need to find something, anything to do on a weekend that doesn't leave me feeling completely depressed. Today was a new low. Looking at the league table it's obvious we're gone.
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Play badly - lose.
Play better - lose.
There is an inevitability about this relentless grimness that is horrific.
Ride our luck and take a point from Man City but otherwise there seems to be pretty much nobody who can't come to Villa Park and beat us.
Watford FFS.
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Even with 2 awful keepers, we can't put enough pressure on.
We should sign their right back - looked very good.
Going to stick my head in the oven.
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This Villa outfit could end up being the worst team in the PL ever.
This is what 5 years of Lerner austerity does to you. Blame one man for our decline - Randy fuckin Lerner.
Agreed, can't see us getting more than 20 points, and could easily do a Derby. I can't see us winning another game.
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7 points adrift. Jesus wept.
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I mean this is a sign we're done, that is an absolutely horrific result. You just can't concede 3 at home against Watford.
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Dead and buried. Randy Lerner should be ashamed with himself. Fox for extending Lamberts contract then lining up Sherwood then sacking him too late should be ashamed of himself. Whoever came up with this transfer committee bollocks, take a look in the mirror. Everyone with any sort of position of responsibility at the club hasn't a fucking clue what it takes to make a success of a football club. Terrible ideas. Whatever it takes to get Lerner and his cronies out of the club I'd do it. Just take a hit Randy, you are a complete and utter failure as a Chairman, a loser, good buy my arse, you've ran us in to the ground.
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Didn't go today, but those that went, were there signs of improvement that may give me a glimmer of hope?
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The Gomes injury turned the game 2nd half. We had them under the cosh and that break changed everything.
They could have left him on the stretcher in goal and we still wouldn't have beaten them.
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This Villa outfit could end up being the worst team in the PL ever.
This is what 5 years of Lerner austerity does to you. Blame one man for our decline - Randy fuckin Lerner.
Too bloody right. A stain on the name of Aston Villa. The day he came anywhere near us will go down as one of the worst in our history.
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How did the Ayew goal and 10 minutes announced for injury time not galvanize us like it would every other team? We managed it in the first half leading to Richard's goal.
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I fully expect Moyes to take over at Newcastle in the coming days saving their season.
When we look back, the fact that the best manager Villa never had was available in our hour of most need will hurt more than any of the other many monumental Fox Lerner fuck ups. Billions of pounds lost & years in the wilderness will be their fuck-ups' legacy.
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it's going to be a very long six months. I am going to talk to the hedgehog in our garden to find out how to hibernate
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David Moyes should be our manager right now, but instead we go for the cheap option.
We deserve everything we get.
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To be fair we've been shit for such a long time it was always just delaying the inevitable, I feel oddly optimistic about the Championship. We might even win some games there.
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Well i don't think we deserved to lose but that's all academic. We're doomed. Could be the worst premier league team ever.
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Absolutely rooted to the bottom and no way out from here I'm afraid. I've been mentally preparing for the drop but it's going to be hard to actually conceptualize it until it's nailed on. This is terrible.. I wonder if we'll get some sort of statement from the Board.
They'll probably all sneak off in the middle of the night and leave the keys with the cleaners and not be seen again.
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We in deepest trouble and need to pick up at least 8 points from next 5 games. Can't see it.
We left Lambert in place too long to sign has beens like Richardson and Joe Cole and then give The Mouth on a Stick 3 games too many.
Fucking useless
We are worse than 86-87
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I fully expect Moyes to take over at Newcastle in the coming days saving their season.
When we look back, the fact that the best manager Villa never had was available in our hour of most need will hurt more than any of the other many monumental Fox Lerner fuck ups. Billions of pounds lost & years in the wilderness will be their fuck-ups' legacy.
They're not fuck ups, we just won't pay the going rate for Premier League players, and is why no decent manager worth his salt will touch us with a barge-pole.
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This is anew record isn't it? Fewest points ever achieved by any team in the premier league era at this stage?
Anybody thinking these players are good enough must be watching a different team. I'm no fan of his, but shetwood was totally right in saying every single player in the team needs to play a blinder for us to get anything.
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To be fair we've been shit for such a long time it was always just delaying the inevitable, I feel oddly optimistic about the Championship. We might even win some games there.
I'm not so sure. We have a manager who would have been best hired in the summer of 2014. I'm not sure how he'll do in the league below. How many of the fuckers have got reduced wages written into their contracts if we get relegated? Gabby (and belly) 50k a week?
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even had we appointed DM he wouldn't have saved us this year imo. time now to plan sensibly for life in the Championship
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Why did I buy three tickets for the West Ham game? It's going to be excruciating.
It doesn't mean you see us lose three times, on a positive note
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How did the Ayew goal and 10 minutes announced for injury time not galvanize us like it would every other team? We managed it in the first half leading to Richard's goal.
Fitness of the players. Not much left after 90 mins.
Sherwood said the same - the fact he said is 3 months after having been in charge was scandalous.
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David Moyes should be our manager right now, but instead we go for the cheap option.
We deserve everything we get.
I agree Big Sam is doing what Big Sam does. We should have gone for Moyes. He was the best Manager we could've got in our perilous situation.
We are well & truly Fucked!
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*sigh*
Some positives to take from the performance but losing to fellow strugglers at home, and letting in three goals in the process, equals we're shit and going down. I can't see any other outcome when looking at what the team has to offer; any decent build-up play is stymied by the fact that we don't have a focus in attack, and the defence is always at sixes and sevens. We can't score more than the opposition and our defence leaks goals. No escape this time, people; this is the end game.
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Aston Villa are finished as a Premier League club. I see no route out of this now.
I'd brace yourself. It may be a while before we come back.
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How did the Ayew goal and 10 minutes announced for injury time not galvanize us like it would every other team? We managed it in the first half leading to Richard's goal.
Fitness of the players. Not much left after 90 mins.
Sherwood said the same - the fact he said is 3 months after having been in charge was scandalous.
That's a massive improvement. We usually have nothing left after 60 minutes
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How did the Ayew goal and 10 minutes announced for injury time not galvanize us like it would every other team? We managed it in the first half leading to Richard's goal.
Exactly our problem. As a comparison, Bournemouth put 3 past Everton in the last 10 mins to come away with a draw... the same team that hammered us last week.
I thought we'd definitely be gone if we lost to Watford - The manner of the defeat and results elsewhere scream nailed on relegation now.
See you in another life brothers. :(
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Okore to come in ASAP. Clark standing around for the 3rd looking surprised the Watford player attached the ball.
You're 10 yards out in the middle of the box. You have to assume there will be a player sniffing for a chance.
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A pigeon has landed in the trampoline in our back garden, it has an injured wing and really wants to fly but can't. The more it tries the more tired it gets and therefore the less chance it has of escaping. It's clearly on its last legs. I may go and put it out of its misery.
This is an allegory of our season.
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*sigh*
Some positives to take from the performance but losing to fellow strugglers at home, and letting in three goals in the process, equals we're shit and going down. I can't see any other outcome when looking at what the team has to offer; any decent build-up play is stymied by the fact that we don't have a focus in attack, and the defence is always at sixes and sevens. We can't score more than the opposition and our defence leaks goals. No escape this time, people; this is the end game.
I wish we had 19 points like they do. Struggling they are not
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We in deepest trouble and need to pick up at least 8 points from next 5 games. Can't see it.
We left Lambert in place too long to sign has beens like Richardson and Joe Cole and then give The Mouth on a Stick 3 games too many.
Fucking useless
We are worse than 86-87
I mean we are done, there's just not going to be 8 points in our next 20 games at this rate sadly.
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This is the culmination of serious mis management and a littany of bad appointments.
You can blame players and managers and CEOs yet there is one consistant in all of this.
Come on Down Randy Lerner and look what you have achieved.
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We can get out of this. It's going to take something special between now and May but we can do it.
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What would the sanction be for simply conceding the remainder of games? We're going down anyway so at least we'd save ourselves another six months of this week-in, week-out.
The club is a complete mess and there's only one fucker ultimately to blame. To be an ever-present in the Premier League with the financial rewards that has entailed and to be in this position takes incompetent management of the highest order. For years to come it will be an object lesson in how not to run a top-flight football club.
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I fully expect Moyes to take over at Newcastle in the coming days saving their season.
I fully expect Moyes to take over at Newcastle in the coming days saving their season.
When we look back, the fact that the best manager Villa never had was available in our hour of most need will hurt more than any of the other many monumental Fox Lerner fuck ups. Billions of pounds lost & years in the wilderness will be their fuck-ups' legacy.
They're not fuck ups, we just won't pay the going rate for Premier League players, and is why no decent manager worth his salt will touch us with a barge-pole.
When we look back, the fact that the best manager Villa never had was available in our hour of most need will hurt more than any of the other many monumental Fox Lerner fuck ups. Billions of pounds lost & years in the wilderness will be their fuck-ups' legacy.
They're not fuck ups, we just won't pay the going rate for Premier League players, and is why no decent manager worth his salt will touch us with a barge-pole.
But that is my definition of fuck up ???
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To be fair we've been shit for such a long time it was always just delaying the inevitable, I feel oddly optimistic about the Championship. We might even win some games there.
I'm not so sure. We have a manager who would have been best hired in the summer of 2014. I'm not sure how he'll do in the league below. How many of the fuckers have got reduced wages written into their contracts if we get relegated? Gabby (and belly) 50k a week?
I am assuming quite a few players will leave, most of them are full internationals and will want to play in a top tier division. We'll buy championship quality players and bumble around in the league until Lerner finally sells.
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Why did I buy three tickets for the West Ham game? It's going to be excruciating.
It doesn't mean you see us lose three times, on a positive note
Christmas 2012. I came home from Sweden and went to see us play Chelsea, Spurs, and Wigan.
0-15.
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I don't think Moyes is a saviour any more than Garde is the problem. The main issue, as it has been for five years, is experienced Premier League players not being able to do the fucking basics right. They can't pass, can't take responsibility for clearing a ball or toe poke a ball three yards over the opposition goal line. Abrogation of responsibility is the rot at the heart of our malaise and it's achingly obvious those players don't trust each other or even think they're any good.
We're screwed, and it's finally going to happen. I just want it over with now so players like Richardson and Westwood will fuck off, we can play some young players or decent Championship acquisitions and Saturdays can maybe be enjoyable again for the first time in over half a decade.
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Randy needs to show some fucking accountability for his stewardship of the club. He better get his wallet out in January. Because it will be some legacy he is going to leave behind.
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Aston Villa are finished as a Premier League club. I see no route out of this now.
I'd brace yourself. It may be a while before we come back.
I'd take a few seasons of not getting beaten as a part of our routine to be honest. That's how low we've sunk, yes it's the cliché line but some respite from losing would be welcome, so the Championship will be better for us. We deserve it, on the whole our football has been shit for seasons and our results pretty laughable. People said it time and time again, we need to start investing in tried and tested quality because we can't keep dodging the reaper playing Russian roulette, we didn't we had another summer gambling our Benteke windfall money on youngsters and we are paying the ultimate price.
I mean come on we've swapped Benteke for Gestede, it sums us up in a nut shell.
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Randy needs to show some fucking accountability for his stewardship of the club. He better get his wallet out in January. Because it will be some legacy he is going to leave behind.
Randy doesn't give a shit mate. Surely you know that by now?
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*sigh*
Some positives to take from the performance but losing to fellow strugglers at home, and letting in three goals in the process, equals we're shit and going down. I can't see any other outcome when looking at what the team has to offer; any decent build-up play is stymied by the fact that we don't have a focus in attack, and the defence is always at sixes and sevens. We can't score more than the opposition and our defence leaks goals. No escape this time, people; this is the end game.
I wish we had 19 points like they do. Struggling they are not
Fair enough. Agree with the general gist though?
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Does any one think that Lerner will make the right decisions to get us out of the Championship?
I dont, we could be the next Sheffield Wednesday.
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Nigel Pearson & David Moyes & Charlie Austin are all available. And still could not save us from Brentford away.
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We can get out of this. It's going to take something special between now and May but we can do it.
You been drinking Thunderbirds? The only thing special we've produced the last 5 years is the incredible ability to consistently lose to whatever opposition you put in front of us.
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Of all the seasons to be relegated...typical Villa.
Lerner you're a complete and utter failure.
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Randy needs to show some fucking accountability for his stewardship of the club. He better get his wallet out in January. Because it will be some legacy he is going to leave behind.
It will be way too late by then mate!!
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When you score two at home you should get something out of the game, usually a win.
Three of the back four should not be there. Even when he plays well Hutton sees a lot of the ball but does nothing with it, defensively he is always a liability. What is the point of being a 6ft Glaswegian if runners are going to go past you without incurring at the very least a mild concussion.
Richardson is going to be too afraid to come out of the tunnel before long. He is so out of his depth at left back they are going to have to set the dogs on him just to get him on the pitch. Clark has neither the physical presence nor the positional awareness to be a truly dependable centre half.
Up yours Sherwood. The continental half of the team is starting to look decent. The rest of the season is going to be hard work, and Garde needs to find a defence before long to make it worth the effort.
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Randy needs to show some fucking accountability for his stewardship of the club. He better get his wallet out in January. Because it will be some legacy he is going to leave behind.
Randy doesn't give a shit mate. Surely you know that by now?
I really, really want to disagree with you. Not only do I not have the energy but I'd be fucking wrong.
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Does any one think that Lerner will make the right decisions to get us out of the Championship?
I dont, we could be the next Sheffield Wednesday.
Nope, Garde will walk and the chuckle brothers will appoint another complete numpty. The committee will buy the players anyway.
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Be positive. It looks like we've weathered the storm.
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Does any one think that Lerner will make the right decisions to get us out of the Championship?
I dont, we could be the next Sheffield Wednesday.
I don't think Lerner gives a toss. I'd imagine that if he ever thinks about Villa it is solely to regret ever buying us.
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I was worried before now I know we are doomed.
I can not believe ASTON VILLA have come to this.
How the f@@k did Lambert stay so f@@king long .
Its a f@@king embarrassment.
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Clark just isn't very good.
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Yep. The man doesn't give a flying fuck, that is until he realises the financial reality of a few seasons in the lower leagues.
I'm convinced Learner thinks there is no relegation from the PL and the knob heads at the top are terrified to tell him
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I'm just speechless.
I wish I didn't care but I do and even that's being slowly eroded away.
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Randy needs to show some fucking accountability for his stewardship of the club. He better get his wallet out in January. Because it will be some legacy he is going to leave behind.
Randy doesn't give a shit mate. Surely you know that by now?
I really, really want to disagree with you. Not only do I not have the energy but I'd be fucking wrong.
But you can't TV, because he doesn't. Not only does he not give a shit, but he's as thick as pig shit. So he probably doesn't even know he doesn't give a shit.
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Should we all grab a villa shirt out our closet, shit on it, wrap it up and send it via courier to Randy's office? He's never there so by the time he finally gets into his office he'll be greeted by the stink of 6 months of rotting turds.
The club is screwed. We have no leadership at the top. It's now apparent that no manager is going to be able to work in the way that Randolph will expect. We're run by business men who don't give two shits about the club, nor have any idea whatsoever as to how to run a football club.
The playing squad has been decimated and stripped of almost all quality. There's about half a dozen reasonable players but no one who you could comfortably call top 10 quality. In Grealish and Troare, and possibly Ayew, there is potential, but what we don't have is decent experienced players. Gabby is a disgrace to the shirt and he's our senior statesman. Beyond him there is Richards who is a potentially good right back masquerading as an accident waiting to happen in the centre. Any other players we have with 100+ prem games are either bang average or piss poor.
Up front we have almost no threat. At the back we have no stability. Guzan is fucked.
No character. No fire. No passion. No one cares. No one tears the ground up to pull us out of the mire. No one on the pitch fires rockets up the backsides of the feckless fuckers who keep stealing a living in our clubs shirts. It's actually monumentally depressing that a player like Robbie Savage would actually improve our team (were this 2005). And I'm not kidding. He would. At least he had passion with his shitness. I've never known such a dull, characterless and unlikeable villa side. And it's not even that we've bought assholes, it's that we've bought total non-entities. In some cases players who you would have to attack with an electric cattle prod just to check they're still breathing. Almost all of the c***s to a man are the sort who disappear at the office party and you forget entirely are there, and they're not even doing anything exciting like shagging the receptionist in the stationary cupboard, they're just idly sighing in a corner and counting the pencils. We need Ian Taylors', Gareth Barry's, John Carew's, even a Reo-Fucking-Coker would help us right now. Players who might rouse the troops. Players who might inspire with consistency or effort, or a player who might produce moments of mercurial brilliance like Carew did (Traore, Grealish, Gil and Ayew may potentially, but have a long way to go). I hate almost all the bastards.
As for the manager. I feel sorry for him. Maybe we've approached this the wrong way though. Maybe it was too late/too soon for the quiet, reasoned and contemplative manager. Perhaps what we need was a screaming, obnoxious and maniacal bastard to come in and pelt this lot with tea-cups. Maybe a Pearson or similar. Some ass-kicking. Sherwood, though obnoxious and self obsessed seemed to have lost interest and didn't seem like he was dishing out the ass batterings that the majority of this squad need. The fact is that for years players have been getting away with it here. That's not been typified more than with Tubby Flab-bonlahor . Complete and utter pirate. Mugging the club of millions to fill his gut.
I'm possibly a game away from calling it quits as a fan. I just hate football now and I've lost a lot of love for this club in the last 3 years. I've seen bad. I've never had to take such consistent wretchedness though and there seems like no end in sight. I could rewatch O Leary's last season and find it utterly glorious in comparison to this crap.
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Randy needs to show some fucking accountability for his stewardship of the club. He better get his wallet out in January. Because it will be some legacy he is going to leave behind.
He'll probably just cut his losses and sell us to some schmo, wipe his hands clean and pretend none of this ever happened.
I agree with the above post. It's time to plan according for the drop, survival is a pipe dream. Sell your assets before they activate release/relegation clauses.
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On the train home. Hated today, watching my club die before my eyes.
Was there in 1986/87 but this feels worse.
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Clark just isn't very good.
He'll be good enough next season. Westwood Lescott Richardson and Gabby still won't be where we are going
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We need to win half of our remaining games to stay up. That is not going to happen.
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OI hearts on radio that we've only spent £6m net in last 5 years. That can't be true!?!
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Does any one think that Lerner will make the right decisions to get us out of the Championship?
I dont, we could be the next Sheffield Wednesday.
I don't think Lerner gives a toss. I'd imagine that if he ever thinks about Villa it is solely to regret ever buying us.
He remembered us when it was cup final time. Chance to schmooze and pretend to be chairman for the day. That day was a little pay back for everything 25,000 loyal fans, who had watched goal less defeat after goal less defeat, a bit of light at the end of the tunnel. It ended in our usual disaster but their was a bit of hope on the way down. He shouldn't have shown his face the ******. When push has come to shove and the seasons have got worse he's turned his back and hasn't shown his face. He shouldn't have been at that Cup Final.
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If anyone else still had their free 'Proud History Bright Future ' scarf I think we should organise an en masse return of them to our custodians.
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On the train home. Hated today, watching my club die before my eyes.
Was there in 1986/87 but this feels worse.
There's unlikely to be a Graham Taylor waiting to pick us up this time.
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The players do not look brilliant, but I don't think they look like they should be in the position they're in now. There are many worse collections of individuals in the league I think, but no worse-off group of players. Remi Garde is clearly a proper manager, but it's too late.
So, I blame Tim fucking Sherwood and the morons who appointed him. The recruitment strategy was imperfect, but the least perfect thing about it was handing over a large and disparate group of nervous young players to the biggest fraud in the history of football management. Alan Shearer would have been a better choice.
Our lack of joined-up thinking has been a mortal problem for us in recent years (Martinez turns us down? Better be McLeish then - after all, 'M'), but this time it's finally got us relegated. Well done everybody.
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Should we all grab a villa shirt out our closet, shit on it, wrap it up and send it via courier to Randy's office? He's never there so by the time he finally gets into his office he'll be greeted by the stink of 6 months of rotting turds.
The club is screwed. We have no leadership at the top. It's now apparent that no manager is going to be able to work in the way that Randolph will expect. We're run by business men who don't give two shits about the club, nor have any idea whatsoever as to how to run a football club.
The playing squad has been decimated and stripped of almost all quality. There's about half a dozen reasonable players but no one who you could comfortably call top 10 quality. In Grealish and Troare, and possibly Ayew, there is potential, but what we don't have is decent experienced players. Gabby is a disgrace to the shirt and he's our senior statesman. Beyond him there is Richards who is a potentially good right back masquerading as an accident waiting to happen in the centre. Any other players we have with 100+ prem games are either bang average or piss poor.
Up front we have almost no threat. At the back we have no stability. Guzan is fucked.
No character. No fire. No passion. No one cares. No one tears the ground up to pull us out of the mire. No one on the pitch fires rockets up the backsides of the feckless fuckers who keep stealing a living in our clubs shirts. It's actually monumentally depressing that a player like Robbie Savage would actually improve our team (were this 2005). And I'm not kidding. He would. At least he had passion with his shitness. I've never known such a dull, characterless and unlikeable villa side. And it's not even that we've bought assholes, it's that we've bought total non-entities. In some cases players who you would have to attack with an electric cattle prod just to check they're still breathing. Almost all of the c***s to a man are the sort who disappear at the office party and you forget entirely are there, and they're not even doing anything exciting like shagging the receptionist in the stationary cupboard, they're just idly sighing in a corner and counting the pencils. We need Ian Taylors', Gareth Barry's, John Carew's, even a Reo-Fucking-Coker would help us right now. Players who might rouse the troops. Players who might inspire with consistency or effort, or a player who might produce moments of mercurial brilliance like Carew did (Traore, Grealish, Gil and Ayew may potentially, but have a long way to go). I hate almost all the bastards.
As for the manager. I feel sorry for him. Maybe we've approached this the wrong way though. Maybe it was too late/too soon for the quiet, reasoned and contemplative manager. Perhaps what we need was a screaming, obnoxious and maniacal bastard to come in and pelt this lot with tea-cups. Maybe a Pearson or similar. Some ass-kicking. Sherwood, though obnoxious and self obsessed seemed to have lost interest and didn't seem like he was dishing out the ass batterings that the majority of this squad need. The fact is that for years players have been getting away with it here. That's not been typified more than with Tubby Flab-bonlahor . Complete and utter pirate. Mugging the club of millions to fill his gut.
I'm possibly a game away from calling it quits as a fan. I just hate football now and I've lost a lot of love for this club in the last 3 years. I've seen bad. I've never had to take such consistent wretchedness though and there seems like no end in sight. I could rewatch O Leary's last season and find it utterly glorious in comparison to this crap.
So passionate, I feel your pain mate, I'm sure we all do.
Lets be honest, this current mob are making the 86/87 vintage look like Brazil 1970.
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Randy Lerner has one chance, and one chance only to save what little he has left of his tattered reputation. Spend, spend and spend again in January. Failing that just feck right off and never land in Birmingham again. You make Ellis look like a success you utter buffoon! Proud history, bright future. Les Miserable more like.
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Super-rant, supertom.
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I think we should start a sticky for directions for next season.
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=directions+to+brentford+fc&oq=directions+to+brentford+fc&aqs=chrome..69i57.5495j0j9&sourceid=chrome&es_sm=122&ie=UTF-8
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Randy needs to show some fucking accountability for his stewardship of the club. He better get his wallet out in January. Because it will be some legacy he is going to leave behind.
Randy doesn't give a shit mate. Surely you know that by now?
I really, really want to disagree with you. Not only do I not have the energy but I'd be fucking wrong.
But you can't TV, because he doesn't. Not only does he not give a shit, but he's as thick as pig shit. So he probably doesn't even know he doesn't give a shit.
I bet he dosent even realise the shit we are in, he probably thinks there are enough games left to survive and remains the complacent, useless, leadership lacking rich boy who just does not get it.
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Clark just isn't very good.
He'll be good enough next season. Westwood Lescott Richardson and Gabby still won't be where we are going
Clark will be eaten alive in the first division, a pussy of a centre back if I've ever seen one. One of the most physically weak defenders I've seen at the Villa. This time next year we will be complaining he's getting man handled by some fucking donkey down at Rotherham.
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I don't trust any new owner to get us back to the big time, not now. But it is possible. Look at the people who own Leicester. At the time I thought they'd get bored trying to get them out of the Championship, but they stuck at it and have seen results, even though I think they'll last another season and sink like a stone.
But God, there are some Yeungs, Cellinos and Oystons out there. I hate Lerner but I'm almost afraid of a potential change. We've had so much shit now surely we're due a massive unforeseen slice of luck like Manchester City?
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The only thing that keep me going is that it is still November. Outside of that little bits of my remaining hope dies weekly.
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Randy Lerner has one chance, and one chance only to save what little he has left of his tattered reputation. Spend, spend and spend again in January. Failing that just feck right off and never land in Birmingham again. You make Ellis look like a success you utter buffoon! Proud history, bright future. Les Miserable more like.
I don't believe that even if we spent £50m in January we would stay up.
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Randy Lerner has one chance, and one chance only to save what little he has left of his tattered reputation. Spend, spend and spend again in January. Failing that just feck right off and never land in Birmingham again. You make Ellis look like a success you utter buffoon! Proud history, bright future. Les Miserable more like.
I don't believe that even if we spent £50m in January we would stay up.
It would also be a lot of desperation deals where we will overspent the £50m on players likely worth half that. Clubs will see us coming a mile.
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If anyone else still had their free 'Proud History Bright Future ' scarf I think we should organise an en masse return of them to our custodians.
I bought mine for £20 because I was abroad
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How low we have sunk, a national laughing stock. Nailed on relegation with record lowest points, that will be Lerners legacy. They should be ashamed of themselves from top to bottom. They don't deserve our support. We will recover but get ready for much much more pain. I said at the start of the season this is the worst team since billy McBingo and I think they've topped them. The frightening thing is that they are the best players we've got so eleven points look daunting.
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Clark just isn't very good.
He'll be good enough next season. Westwood Lescott Richardson and Gabby still won't be where we are going
Clark will be eaten alive in the first division, a pussy of a centre back if I've ever seen one. One of the most physically weak defenders I've seen at the Villa. This time next year we will be complaining he's getting man handled by some fucking donkey down at Rotherham.
I think Clark would ask the Donkey out on a date, it is the only fucking way the tart can get any where near an opposition player.
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Clark just isn't very good.
He'll be good enough next season. Westwood Lescott Richardson and Gabby still won't be where we are going
I'm not sure he will, his major issue is physical forwards.
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The only thing that keep me going is that it is still November. Outside of that little bits of my remaining hope dies weekly.
Any remaining hope was killed stone dead today mate. The only significance of it being November is that we have 6 more months of this suicide by instalments to endure.
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The club is infected from the very top.
Lerner's 'couldn't care less' attitude has emanated throughout everything AVFC over the last few years - From the staff, to the training ground, the players, to Villa Park and most fans. In my entire life, I don't think I've given less of shit about football than I do right now.
There's very much a feeling of 'ah well', about the place. No drive. No commitment... and ultimately NO POINTS.
It's been a long time coming - One more season under O'Dreary and we'd have been down. Barring the MON blip of a few seasons, this has been coming like a slow moving train crash. RIP AVFC - We're not getting out of this one.
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Nor me, except fuck off Lerner. Hopefully relegation will somehow mean I never ever have that idiot's name enter my brain ever again
I'd love what you say to be true, but I've got an awful feeling that the useless Yank will think we can get back on the Premiershite gravy train within a season: thus enabling him to recoup some of his clueless 'investment'. If that happens, I can see The Villa struggling to stay in the sodding Championship. He has poisoned this club & the writing has been on the wall for years now. Great job Randy, way to fecking go.
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We will be too far adrift come mid January anyway. So who's going to come to a team with about 12 points, 10 points from Safety.... chancers looking for a quick buck, they won't be up for the fight and will have one eye on the Summer and getting another move. We are fucked this time, I just don't see a realistic way out of it. 5 pts after 14 games, 5 measly pts. We aren't even close to being a half decent side. Their is massive weakness all over the pitch. Fullbacks, terrible. Goalkeeper a disaster. Centre backs, clangers waiting to happen. Midfield much of a nothingness, Strikers, we don't have any.
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How low we have sunk, a national laughing stock. Nailed on relegation with record lowest points, that will be Lerners legacy. They should be ashamed of themselves from top to bottom. They don't deserve our support. We will recover but get ready for much much more pain. I said at the start of the season this is the worst team since billy McBingo and I think they've topped them. The frightening thing is that they are the best players we've got so eleven points look daunting.
Been saying this - I cant see how we'll get 11 points. Another record smashed.
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Randy needs to show some fucking accountability for his stewardship of the club. He better get his wallet out in January. Because it will be some legacy he is going to leave behind.
This. It comes to the point where he has to look at his desire to sell the club, the price he will get, the money he has and continues to lose and the legacy he wants to leave.
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The thing you can't even say (at best) we've been unlucky to find us in such a perilous position. If you've spent the last 5 years selling your best players, replacing them with inferior ones whilst promoting youth players who are simply not good enough for the Premier League then sticking labels on them like "young and hungry" to fool the fans into thinking there's something magical about to happen.
No, this is all down to Lerner not wanting to pay the going rate for PL players. Decent players go where the wages are, and all we've done for the last 5 or so years is to hack at our wage bill with a sledge hammer.
Lerner is the sole cause of our humiliating decline. You reap what you sow, and all that.
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The only thing that keep me going is that it is still November. Outside of that little bits of my remaining hope dies weekly.
True but let's face it we'll probably be bottom at Christmas, and we all know what that means.
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Randy needs to show some fucking accountability for his stewardship of the club. He better get his wallet out in January. Because it will be some legacy he is going to leave behind.
This. It comes to the point where he has to look at his desire to sell the club, the price he will get, the money he has and continues to lose and the legacy he wants to leave.
Its too late, the smartest thing he can do is start preparing the squad to get out of the Championship.
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The thing you can't even say (at best) we've been unlucky to find us in such a perilous position. If you've spent the last 5 years selling your best players, replacing them with inferior ones whilst promoting youth players who are simply not good enough for the Premier League then sticking labels on them like "young and hungry" to fool the fans into thinking there's something magical about to happen.
No, this is all down to Lerner not wanting to pay the going rate for PL players. Decent players go where the wages are, and all we've done for the last 5 or so years is to hack at our wage bill with a sledge hammer.
Lerner is the sole cause of our humiliating decline. You reap what you sow, and all that.
The blame is ultimately his, but if you don't blame crappy managers for being crappy then you're just being reductionist. These players are not going to win the league, but 8 defeats from 10 was a startlingly shocking return for any manager.
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1 win in 14, remember when it was 1 in 4/5. Fuck me... those were the days.
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Anyone hear Pat Murphy earlier? Said that Riley interviewed Moyes in Spain and he wanted the job but Riley had doubts that he would want too much control. Don't know whether it is true or not but terrible if it is.
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Anyone hear Pat Murphy earlier? Said that Riley interviewed Moyes in Spain and he wanted the job but Riley had doubts that he would want too much control. Don't know whether it is true or not but terrible if it is.
Moyes would have been no better than Garde in possibly worse. I don't think, at long last, that the current manager is the problem.
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I do not go along with the Moyes story.
Whoever is here can only work with what he has got.
If Moyes does go to Newcastle he probably has a more experienced squad to turn around than Remi has.
Most of us welcomed the new blood in the close season, but I guess the bookies know more than us when they made us favorite's for the drop.
Keep the faith. Give the guy a chance.
Lets hope we can keep in touch until (I hope we know who) replacements come in in Jan.
My views on Randy could take up a post on their own but, trusting, naïve, well meaning, should never be let near a sports team. come to mind
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The thing you can't even say (at best) we've been unlucky to find us in such a perilous position. If you've spent the last 5 years selling your best players, replacing them with inferior ones whilst promoting youth players who are simply not good enough for the Premier League then sticking labels on them like "young and hungry" to fool the fans into thinking there's something magical about to happen.
No, this is all down to Lerner not wanting to pay the going rate for PL players. Decent players go where the wages are, and all we've done for the last 5 or so years is to hack at our wage bill with a sledge hammer.
Lerner is the sole cause of our humiliating decline. You reap what you sow, and all that.
This! When wolves went down a few seasons ago to league 1 and it all turned nasty on the pitch after the final whistle. I can see scenes like that at our place at last home game.
We're done for. We are not going to get 35 points from half a season of matches. That's champions league form for the season.
I don't see RL giving us any money in Jan either
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Home games against Sunderland, Albion, Stoke, Swansea, Watford return 1 point.
Pathetic.
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The thing you can't even say (at best) we've been unlucky to find us in such a perilous position. If you've spent the last 5 years selling your best players, replacing them with inferior ones whilst promoting youth players who are simply not good enough for the Premier League then sticking labels on them like "young and hungry" to fool the fans into thinking there's something magical about to happen.
No, this is all down to Lerner not wanting to pay the going rate for PL players. Decent players go where the wages are, and all we've done for the last 5 or so years is to hack at our wage bill with a sledge hammer.
Lerner is the sole cause of our humiliating decline. You reap what you sow, and all that.
We've jumped from a summer of buying players from Doncaster, Sheff Utd, Crewe and the French second division to a summer buying semi retired no hopers like Cole, Senderos and Richardson to a summer buying players almost entirely from smaller French teams. It's been a disaster, the transfer policy has been a total failure.
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Anyone hear Pat Murphy earlier? Said that Riley interviewed Moyes in Spain and he wanted the job but Riley had doubts that he would want too much control. Don't know whether it is true or not but terrible if it is.
Moyes would have been no better than Garde in possibly worse. I don't think, at long last, that the current manager is the problem.
I will have a fiver with you that if he goes to Newcastle he will save them from relegation.
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If Lerner gave Lambert funds to supplement the decent players we had, we may have been stronger. If Lambert had been given the bullet before the malaise truly set in, we may have got a decent manager in. If Sherwood had been cannier in the Leicester game, we'd have three more points and probably more wins by now.
But basically, if we hadn't spent the last five years with the mentality of 'hopefully, that'll do', we wouldn't be a side that will be spending the summer trying to convince mediocre Championship players to join us rather than Middlesbrough or Derby fucking County.
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The thing you can't even say (at best) we've been unlucky to find us in such a perilous position. If you've spent the last 5 years selling your best players, replacing them with inferior ones whilst promoting youth players who are simply not good enough for the Premier League then sticking labels on them like "young and hungry" to fool the fans into thinking there's something magical about to happen.
No, this is all down to Lerner not wanting to pay the going rate for PL players. Decent players go where the wages are, and all we've done for the last 5 or so years is to hack at our wage bill with a sledge hammer.
Lerner is the sole cause of our humiliating decline. You reap what you sow, and all that.
The blame is ultimately his, but if you don't blame crappy managers for being crappy then you're just being reductionist. These players are not going to win the league, but 8 defeats from 10 was a startlingly shocking return for any manager.
And who's fault is it that we can't attract a decent manager?
I've said this many times before, decent managers won't touch our club with our derisory wage budget. That's 100% down to Lerner.
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Anyone hear Pat Murphy earlier? Said that Riley interviewed Moyes in Spain and he wanted the job but Riley had doubts that he would want too much control. Don't know whether it is true or not but terrible if it is.
Of course it would be terrible. God forbid that anyone at AVFC has control of anything.
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We are going to make a very interesting case study in years to come at some management conference on 'when things go wrong.'
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Anyone hear Pat Murphy earlier? Said that Riley interviewed Moyes in Spain and he wanted the job but Riley had doubts that he would want too much control. Don't know whether it is true or not but terrible if it is.
How has an analyst and scout been promoted to a position where he is interviewing potential managers and deciding what players will join the club? Another numpty employed above himself.
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The thing you can't even say (at best) we've been unlucky to find us in such a perilous position. If you've spent the last 5 years selling your best players, replacing them with inferior ones whilst promoting youth players who are simply not good enough for the Premier League then sticking labels on them like "young and hungry" to fool the fans into thinking there's something magical about to happen.
No, this is all down to Lerner not wanting to pay the going rate for PL players. Decent players go where the wages are, and all we've done for the last 5 or so years is to hack at our wage bill with a sledge hammer.
Lerner is the sole cause of our humiliating decline. You reap what you sow, and all that.
We've jumped from a summer of buying players from Doncaster, Sheff Utd, Crewe and the French second division to a summer buying semi retired no hopers like Cole, Senderos and Richardson to a summer buying players almost entirely from smaller French teams. It's been a disaster, the transfer policy has been a total failure.
Austerity stinks. Not paying the going rate has got us to the dizzy heights of bottom place. Isn't that what's called a false economy?
Cheers, Randy.
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Anyone hear Pat Murphy earlier? Said that Riley interviewed Moyes in Spain and he wanted the job but Riley had doubts that he would want too much control. Don't know whether it is true or not but terrible if it is.
How has an analyst and scout been promoted to a position where he is interviewing potential managers and deciding what players will join the club? Another numpty employed above himself.
I dont think Moyes would make any difference.
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Anyone hear Pat Murphy earlier? Said that Riley interviewed Moyes in Spain and he wanted the job but Riley had doubts that he would want too much control. Don't know whether it is true or not but terrible if it is.
Moyes would have been no better than Garde in possibly worse. I don't think, at long last, that the current manager is the problem.
Post O'Neill we desperately needed the approach we are now taking; a structure not reliant on any one person and a view to buying players to develop given the other option of hoping to win the lottery and get an owner in place throwing money around left right and centre.
I just fear that structure has come too late.
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Anyone hear Pat Murphy earlier? Said that Riley interviewed Moyes in Spain and he wanted the job but Riley had doubts that he would want too much control. Don't know whether it is true or not but terrible if it is.
Moyes would have been no better than Garde in possibly worse. I don't think, at long last, that the current manager is the problem.
I will have a fiver with you that if he goes to Newcastle he will save them from relegation.
Oh he might well do, but I think Garde would have been able to save them as well. We have our own problems.
S_H, I agree, again, but it turns out that we could bring in decent managers, or at least managers with decent reputations like Remi Garde. My issue is that we kept on going for Bob British regardless of any other selection criteria - a recruitment policy we literally pursued ad absurdum with the appointment of the ludicrous Sherwood.
However, I don't want Sherwood to be absolved of any blame just because someone was stupid enough to give him a job - he's a c**t and I don't want him and his media mates slithering his reputation out of this one. He deserves to be mocked from now until the end of time.
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We can get out of this. It's going to take something special between now and May but we can do it.
You been drinking Thunderbirds? The only thing special we've produced the last 5 years is the incredible ability to consistently lose to whatever opposition you put in front of us.
There's still a lot of football to play and a transfer window to come. The players are currently rock bottom but belief can take us up the table.
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We looked alright going forward, played some nice stuff at times. Beyond awful defensively. Just about every meaningful Watford attack was thanks to us. And it was cold. Load of old bollocks.
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Anyone hear Pat Murphy earlier? Said that Riley interviewed Moyes in Spain and he wanted the job but Riley had doubts that he would want too much control. Don't know whether it is true or not but terrible if it is.
How has an analyst and scout been promoted to a position where he is interviewing potential managers and deciding what players will join the club? Another numpty employed above himself.
I dont think Moyes would make any difference.
I don't think a double act of Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho could save us.
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Anyone hear Pat Murphy earlier? Said that Riley interviewed Moyes in Spain and he wanted the job but Riley had doubts that he would want too much control. Don't know whether it is true or not but terrible if it is.
How has an analyst and scout been promoted to a position where he is interviewing potential managers and deciding what players will join the club? Another numpty employed above himself.
I dont think Moyes would make any difference.
Me either, the squad is shit. Paddy Reilly should not be interviewing managers though or helping to dictate who we buy and sell.
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Home games against Sunderland, Albion, Stoke, Swansea, Watford return 1 point.
Pathetic.
Yep no good performing for your lives and claiming a 0-0 at home to Man City if you can't do anything in the games that really matter.
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The only thing that keep me going is that it is still November. Outside of that little bits of my remaining hope dies weekly.
True but let's face it we'll probably be bottom at Christmas, and we all know what that means.
Based on Leicester last season, top this time next year?
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couldnt fault the effort of the players today or our manager his tactics and substitutions
some of our players had their best game for the club today I thought, Veretout particularly and Ayew, other promising signs from Sinclair in first half, Traore had some exciting moments too
But the goals we conceded were farcical really, there must have been two deflections involved in each one, no surprise to see an own goal, though I felt sorry for Hutton.
Once again I thought our centre back partnership, didnt look like a partnership. Ighalo was man of the match I thought and Deeney came into it strongly in the second half. Watford counterattacked down the middle in numbers throughout. Gueye didnt give much help to Sanchez in that time, in fairness he ran with the ball well in the first half.
The scoreline was a travesty on the balance of play but we look like conceding in nearly every attack
Guzan 6 - one great save early on which would have put Watford 2-0 up, doesnt inspire confidence but couldnt fault him with the goals conceded today
Hutton 5 - couldnt fault his heart or effort but a very limited player who made very little use of the ball he got in dangerous areas. Not a good defender either, no awareness of runners getting behind him. The Hutton/Richards axis cant stay in place as they both have the same flaws defensively
Richards 5 - fine header, plays well always when the ball is in front of him but not a centre half in any way shape or form, he has to take responsibility for the lack of organisation at the back. Wonder if playing him next to Sanchez might make more sense
Clark 4 - woeful beyond belief for the killer third goal, cowardly yellow afterwards. Still Id give Okore/Clark a chance for the rest of the season. Positionally seems to be getting worse but there is a general unease about us back there
Richardson 6 - started horribly but thought he showed a good bit of character to get back into the game and attacked reasonably well. Not a top division standard left back though which I guess is not in dispute
Sanchez 5- lost the ball horribly at crucial times, a bit like Richards in that he can play well for 30 mins and then make a crazy mistake out of nowhere. Still we need his physical presence in there
Veretout 8 - wonderful assist, used the ball very well throughout the game and finished stronger than most. Positionally has a lot to learn about centre midfield but was one of our best players today
Gueye 6 - fine going forward with the ball but I'm not too impressed with his attitude when he has to chase back. Certainly didnt give Sanchez much help in that crazy opening
Gil 6 - useful on the ball but without ever threatening too much. flatters to deceive a bit like a lot of our attacking players but popped in some decent corners early on
Sinclair 6 - very good in the first half, best Ive seen him play in a long time. But their right back got his measure early on in the second half and with that he disappeared
Ayew 8 - led the line really well, missed sitter was hard to believe but showed a lot of character to get back into the game, great goal too
Traore 6 - first couple of runs were brilliant but seemed to move to the left then for some reason where he didnt do much. Good sub
Gestede 5 - dont recall him getting a kick but we were out on our feet at that stage
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The only thing that gives me any comfort at all is that for two seasons running, the team that was nailed on for relegation has got a few wins out of thin air and ended the season the absolute form team. We may be seven points adrift but Leicester and Palace were ten points plus, I think.
It's a huge long shot and almost certainly won't happen, but I look forward to a grovelling "we didn't think they'd be relegated anyway" profile of Garde by the BBC in April 2016.
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I was worried before now I know we are doomed.
I can not believe ASTON VILLA have come to this.
How the f@@k did Lambert stay so f@@king long .
Its a f@@king embarrassment.
Lambert is starting to look like Bill Shankly compared to what has happened since.
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Anyone who witnessed the game today will know deep down that we are down. Strangely I am now resigned to it and looking forward to the games we'll play next season.
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The thing you can't even say (at best) we've been unlucky to find us in such a perilous position. If you've spent the last 5 years selling your best players, replacing them with inferior ones whilst promoting youth players who are simply not good enough for the Premier League then sticking labels on them like "young and hungry" to fool the fans into thinking there's something magical about to happen.
No, this is all down to Lerner not wanting to pay the going rate for PL players. Decent players go where the wages are, and all we've done for the last 5 or so years is to hack at our wage bill with a sledge hammer.
Lerner is the sole cause of our humiliating decline. You reap what you sow, and all that.
We've jumped from a summer of buying players from Doncaster, Sheff Utd, Crewe and the French second division to a summer buying semi retired no hopers like Cole, Senderos and Richardson to a summer buying players almost entirely from smaller French teams. It's been a disaster, the transfer policy has been a total failure.
Austerity stinks. Not paying the going rate has got us to the dizzy heights of bottom place. Isn't that what's called a false economy?
Cheers, Randy.
Quite. An old adage containing the words 'monkeys' & 'peanuts' immediately springs to mind. The buck stops with our invisible owner/chairman. Chairman!? That's almost fecking laughable. God help us.
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We looked alright going forward, played some nice stuff at times. Beyond awful defensively. Just about every meaningful Watford attack was thanks to us. And it was cold. Load of old bollocks.
Succinctly put but true as always.
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Fucking Vardy has scored again
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Yep, today was the day when our Premier League ship sailed. The 5 year master plan has been realised.
I believe we may have been better off going last season so that we could have changed manager and rebuilt in the Summer. Now we have another 6 months to struggle through and then try to rebuild with no Delph or Benteke money. I don't blame Garde, there are too many turds to polish and the players have neither the heart or intelligence to save us.
The worst thing is that our experience is all at the back and they are abysmal bar Hutton who despite his limitations has won player of the season already.
We need Lerner and his cronies out and a complete restructure.
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Well we scored in second half..its a start. Give remi a chance to rally our forces.
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There should be absolutely no doubt that there 1 man responsible for the state of our club.
Bad decisions for 4 years have now come home to roost.
Don't think we can spend our way of trouble in January. For a start no one will want to come to club going down, but regardless of that, it will be too late to get out of the mess.
It's already too late, we are done.
If if Lerner can't sell a premier league club, he sure as shit will not be able to sell a championship one, unless his pretty much gives it away.
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[quote am xt time, maybe but that is .. Oh dear
[/quote]
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Yep, today was the day when our Premier League ship sailed. The 5 year master plan has been realised.
I believe we may have been better off going last season so that we could have changed manager and rebuilt in the Summer. Now we have another 6 months to struggle through and then try to rebuild with no Delph or Benteke money. I don't blame Garde, there are too many turds to polish and the players have neither the heart or intelligence to save us.
The worst thing is that our experience is all at the back and they are abysmal bar Hutton who despite his limitations has won player of the season already.
We need Lerner and his cronies out and a complete restructure.
The slight problem being that nobody in their right mind would spend £150 million on a club that's already been relegated before Christmas.
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What we need is a chairman willing to pay the going rate in PL wages, then we'd start to attract the better players that a club of our stature should be attracting.
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Let's be honest . This has been coming for years.
Doesn't make it any less painful though.
The most painful part of today was when my lad said he didn't want to go.
5 years of watching complete shite has had its effect on him .
Fuck you Lerner .
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Okore has to come in for Hutton surely! I'd bring in Lescott for Richardson. A backing of Okore Richards Clark Lescott.
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Fucking Vardy has scored again
He's scored one less than we have as a team. He's still got time to get level too!
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Resigned to the fact we are going down. Just hope we don't set too many records for the wrong reasons.
However painful I will keep going just to support Remi. Big Sam and Moyes may have been good short term solutions but in the long term would have taken us nowhere. I really think Remi can give us a team to be proud of eventually but it's going to take time and a painful bout of the championship first I fear.
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It's done today we had to win and we didn't! Our great club is rotten we are leaderless on the pitch and even worse off it. Stoke Swansea WBA and now Watford have all come and left with three points.
We are full of players who are not good enough at this level.
We are run by a man who doesn't want to be there and is being supported by people with no football acumen whatsoever
We have got what we deserve relegation
I am broken tonight I am sick of being put through this week after week. There's nothing left in the tank for me I'm done with it
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Fucking Vardy has scored again
Ah yes... another who wasn't good enough for us...
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Didn't deserve to lose and we played some good stuff in the first half. Really should have been two goals up. Second half we slipped back into sideways passing and no momentum.
And of course the first thing you need to do when struggling is tighten up at the back and stop conceding goals - see Allardyce at Sunderland.
I think there's enough to work with in players like Gil, Ayew, Veretout and Gana but that back four and an awful goalkeeper is why we will go.
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Didn't deserve to lose and we played some good stuff in the first half. Really should have been two goals up. Second half we slipped back into sideways passing and no momentum.
And of course the first thing you need to do when struggling is tighten up at the back and stop conceding goals - see Allardyce at Sunderland.
I think there's enough to work with in players like Gil, Ayew, Veretout and Gana but that back four and an awful goalkeeper is why we will go.
We did deserve to lose. They were poor but as usual we couldn't capitalise on that.
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It's pretty miserable stuff.
I don't mean this in a 'better fan than you' way at all, but I don't relate to this 'past caring' thing. It still bloody hurts to see us so spineless, so inept at the back, so toothless up front. I hate the fact I was desperately hoping for a late equaliser at home to fucking Watford, but I was. I don't go to every game and wasn't there today but I'll go to my usual 10 or so this year, and 10 or so next year if we're in the Championship.
I can't argue with the side Remi picked at all but we just don't have enough quality.
One thing I didn't understand from the match thread was the flak Sherwood was getting. Surely our struggles today if anything put him in a slightly better light, not that we can take any consolation from that?
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Our problem is that Lerner is a ditherer. He's not proactive - everything he does is passive.
He doesn't react until his hand is forced. And this time it's going to be too late.
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I like Garde and hope he stays if we go down
Crying out for a few more quality defenders and one centre forward
Gutted today as enjoyed a lot of our attacking play
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We need to win half of our remaining games to stay up. That is not going to happen.
That's total tosh we only need to win 11 not twelve, 38 points would be enough
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Charlie Austin. I don't care if his knee's made of rice paper, he'll put the ball in the net.
Him and two defenders will do.
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We can get out of this. It's going to take something special between now and May but we can do it.
Billy is that you? we need you more than ever.
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We need to win half of our remaining games to stay up. That is not going to happen.
That's total tosh we only need to win 11 not twelve, 38 points would be enough
thanks for clearing that up. :)
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Blame Lerner. Yes
But who the fuck was in charge if our transfer policy in the summer. £50m on that lot!
Coventry here we come
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The thing is we have now put ourselves in a difficult position anyway when it comes to the transfer window.
1. Persuading players to come will be difficult.
2. As a result of 1 we will almost inevitably have to overpay both on fees, and wages.
3. Are we in such a perilous position that to blow another load of money on transfers and then still go down would be again a financial disaster.
If we were in touch with the teams above us it would be far easier but looking at our next two games, I can't see that being anywhere near likely.
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Charlie Austin. I don't care if his knee's made of rice paper, he'll put the ball in the net.
Him and two defenders will do.
Will do what exactly?
If you think we can stay up from here I would get down the Bookies sharpish before the fightback ensues.
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Will do for a start. Of course, we could do nothing.
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We've been circling the drain ever since O'Neill flounced out.
In the season of shitness under Houllier, there were signs that maybe, just maybe, we had turned a corner and started down the right road.
But the McLeish appointment was the beginning of the end. And now the end is nigh.
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The thing you can't even say (at best) we've been unlucky to find us in such a perilous position. If you've spent the last 5 years selling your best players, replacing them with inferior ones whilst promoting youth players who are simply not good enough for the Premier League then sticking labels on them like "young and hungry" to fool the fans into thinking there's something magical about to happen.
No, this is all down to Lerner not wanting to pay the going rate for PL players. Decent players go where the wages are, and all we've done for the last 5 or so years is to hack at our wage bill with a sledge hammer.
Lerner is the sole cause of our humiliating decline. You reap what you sow, and all that.
This! When wolves went down a few seasons ago to league 1 and it all turned nasty on the pitch after the final whistle. I can see scenes like that at our place at last home game.
We're done for. We are not going to get 35 points from half a season of matches. That's champions league form for the season.
I don't see RL giving us any money in Jan either
We are still 5 games away from the half way point in the season mate, christ almighty thank god we didn't have all you moaning whingers around between 39 and 45 if so we would all be speaking German now.
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That one was just painful. It really hurt.
The team has stunk for the last few weeks but they actually played well today. But the problem with being so bad for so long is the amount of importance attached to a game like that breeds anxiety, and you could see it in our defence. That said, one own goal and two cases of a ricochet from a half blocked shot leading to them scoring. I know people are having a go at Clark for the 3rd goal but when a ball loops up like that, it will always favour the guy who can have a run at it. The first goal was a panic-ridden shambles but when your luck's in, you get away with it.
We are so bad it barely feels real. I hate been an ex-pat at times like this. All the Villa fans I knew on Malta have left so I suffer in isolation. I would rather be at Villa Park, at least surrounded by people who feel as shit as I do.
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Will do for a start. Of course, we could do nothing.
We are down mate, there is no escape from this.
If today did not show you that we do not have the players to win games nothing will.
The january window is too far away.
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We've been circling the drain ever since O'Neill flounced out.
In the season of shitness under Houllier, there were signs that maybe, just maybe, we had turned a corner and started down the right road.
But the McLeish appointment was the beginning of the end. And now the end is nigh.
Agreed, but I really don't think the end is nigh. There's going to be plenty more torture to endure, this season and beyond, before Lerner finally skulks off.
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Just back. Some fcuking birthday! No defence, no confidence, no luck, no hope.
Surely there's a better left back in the club than Richardson? Even if it's some ten-year-old from the academy. Absolutely dire defending.
The three worst goalkeepers in the division on display today too. TBF, Guzan wasn't too bad.
The day wasn't a total disaster though.*
*see the Who Have You Met thread.
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I think being on Malta away from shithead Bitters fans sounds excellent.
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The thing you can't even say (at best) we've been unlucky to find us in such a perilous position. If you've spent the last 5 years selling your best players, replacing them with inferior ones whilst promoting youth players who are simply not good enough for the Premier League then sticking labels on them like "young and hungry" to fool the fans into thinking there's something magical about to happen.
No, this is all down to Lerner not wanting to pay the going rate for PL players. Decent players go where the wages are, and all we've done for the last 5 or so years is to hack at our wage bill with a sledge hammer.
Lerner is the sole cause of our humiliating decline. You reap what you sow, and all that.
This! When wolves went down a few seasons ago to league 1 and it all turned nasty on the pitch after the final whistle. I can see scenes like that at our place at last home game.
We're done for. We are not going to get 35 points from half a season of matches. That's champions league form for the season.
I don't see RL giving us any money in Jan either
We are still 5 games away from the half way point in the season mate, christ almighty thank god we didn't have all you moaning whingers around between 39 and 45 if so we would all be speaking German now.
Sadly Winston Churchilll is not in charge of our club.
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Will do for a start. Of course, we could do nothing.
We are down mate, there is no escape from this.
If today did not show you that we do not have the players to win games nothing will.
The january window is too far away.
I happen to agree that we'll probably be relegated, and yes, we'll probably be too far adrift by the start of next year. But as a legitimate response, maybe signing some players that might help our cause would be a more effective thing to do than accepting it.
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What has Garde said after the game? He has to be gutted.
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Blame Lerner. Yes
But who the fuck was in charge if our transfer policy in the summer. £50m on that lot!
Coventry here we come
Ultimately it's down to Uncle Randolph - since it's him who sets the budget for transfers & wages. Had Benteke & The Slippery B'stard not been sold to pretty-much fund the incumbents this Summer, I've no doubt we would be somewhat better than rock bottom. Unfortunately, they were: & we are. Triffick.
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Will do for a start. Of course, we could do nothing.
We are down mate, there is no escape from this.
If today did not show you that we do not have the players to win games nothing will.
The january window is too far away.
I happen to agree that we'll probably be relegated, and yes, we'll probably be too far adrift by the start of next year. But as a legitimate response, maybe signing some players that might help our cause would be a more effective thing to do than accepting it.
No chance. By then RL will be counting his losses and not spending
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1 win in 14, remember when it was 1 in 4/5. Fuck me... those were the days.
33 points from 48 games which is a fucking disgrace
we are down no two ways about and there is no way we will come straight back up, years in the wilderness to follow
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I thought we looked pretty good going forward, but we lacked a clinical striker. Defensively we were a shambles. Shocking.
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What has Garde said after the game?
"We are in trouble"
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That one was just painful. It really hurt.
The team has stunk for the last few weeks but they actually played well today. But the problem with being so bad for so long is the amount of importance attached to a game like that breeds anxiety, and you could see it in our defence. That said, one own goal and two cases of a ricochet from a half blocked shot leading to them scoring. I know people are having a go at Clark for the 3rd goal but when a ball loops up like that, it will always favour the guy who can have a run at it. The first goal was a panic-ridden shambles but when your luck's in, you get away with it.
We are so bad it barely feels real. I hate been an ex-pat at times like this. All the Villa fans I knew on Malta have left so I suffer in isolation. I would rather be at Villa Park, at least surrounded by people who feel as shit as I do.
Clark didnt even get off the ground though for the third goal, Deeney got up before him. Cracking header but if Clark at a minimum jumped the shot would most likely have hit his head and gone over. The picture of the goal looks very bad for CC. The own goal was unfortunate, Hutton did the right thing as Ighalo looked ready to shoot with his left. We really didnt have any luck today
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Well that's that. Championship here we come. They should have binned Sherwood and got Fat Sam in during the first international break, given him 2 years to stabilise us, and then got someone more imaginative in like Garde. I don't think Garde is the man to get us out of the shit now, and we're too deep in it anyway. Lerner has done to us exactly what he did to the Cleveland Browns, and he couldn't have picked a worse time to see us get relegated. The huge TV money comes in next season, so even if we get back up we'll never catch up with the teams with a big money start on us. And he can't wave his cheque book to get a Bent=esque escape this time - who could get us out of it and who the fuck would want to come to us anyway? Thanks for ruining this famous club Mr Lerner. Thanks a bundle. I'll be sending the 'Bright Future' part of my scarf back to the club
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I thought after we came back in the first half to dominate after conceding, that we'd go on to win, but I'd obviously put to one side how bad our defending is. Calamitous own goal and the third was another typical effort.
Starting the 2nd half so slowly after the tempo before half time was inexcusable, as it gave them time to settle more. The Sanchez-Richardson-Clark-Guzan combo just wasted so much time, let the opposition form up, then lost possession or resulted in a Guzan hoof which anyone of the others could've done.
Also not putting the Lithuanian guy in goal was equally inexcusable. We didn't make Gomes work enough before that and neither of them could hold anything.
They have a foreign manager new to the prem and a host of unknown new foreign players like us, but look at the difference.
We could easily expunge Derby's record at this rate.
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One thing I will say though - has there ever been a situation where a couple of seemingly small decisions like Sherwoods substitutions against Leicester had a greater impact on the varying fortune of two teams.
If he makes the right changes at 2-0, I honestly think Leicester would be nowhere near the top 6, Vardy would not have a goalscoring record, we would be in mid table and Sherwood would still be our manager. If we had seen that game through, there would have been one point between us and Leicester on that day. Just look at the difference now. Our confidence disappeared in the last 15 minutes of that game, and theirs rocketed.
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Today was the day all hope was lost. We are cut adrift and as good as down after only 14 games. We are an absolute embarrassment. I'll keep cheering every goal, every half decent performance, every point (if we ever get another one) until the very end but I know we are going down. It will be a long and painful six months watching us get relegated but after five seasons of being utter shit and me having my weekend ruined after every single game it's probably for the best #avfc #utv #vtid
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We came back from the old 3rd division to be champions of Europe. We'll do it again. Just hope my daughter can afford the airfare back from some far flung galaxy for the final.Hate for her to miss it.
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Well that's that. Championship here we come. They should have binned Sherwood and got Fat Sam in during the first international break, given him 2 years to stabilise us, and then got someone more imaginative in like Garde. I don't think Garde is the man to get us out of the shit now, and we're too deep in it anyway. Lerner has done to us exactly what he did to the Cleveland Browns, and he couldn't have picked a worse time to see us get relegated. The huge TV money comes in next season, so even if we get back up we'll never catch up with the teams with a big money start on us. And he can't wave his cheque book to get a Bent=esque escape this time - who could get us out of it and who the fuck would want to come to us anyway? Thanks for ruining this famous club Mr Lerner. Thanks a bundle. I'll be sending the 'Bright Future' part of my scarf back to the club
Get real most clubs in the PL are there making up the numbers anyway, just study who has made up the top 4 over the last 15 years its the same teams year in year out. If we are honest the PL is boring, being in it has become boring, there is no evidence to show Sky are increasing their subscriber base on the back of them having a great product. Scudamore knows the future big money lies overseas and he is gunning to do with the PL what the NFL have done and expand the "franchise" overseas. Our UEFA coefficient is in decline cos our teams are shit in Europe, we are about to lose one of our 4 CL places if our so called PL saviour teams continue to perform poorly in Europe. Thats cos our PL teams don't contain the worlds best players just guys here for the money. Don't get me wrong I would rather be in it than not but lets not kid ourselves we are only one of about 15 clubs who just fulfill the fixtures season in season out. I want us to be involved in a competitive league and that's not the case right now. Given that I'm up for a season in the Championship. bring it on it will be far more fun.
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Can't be arsed to comment on the game or performance, it'd be stating the obvious and missing the point.
I said several years ago that Randy Lerner was not far off being a great owner and chairman, he was just one intelligent managerial appointment from being so.
I have no idea to what point delegation has come into play in the five choices he's made, but my god, its almost impossible to believe we could stumble from one pathetic decision followed, almost entirely predictably, by an even worse one.
I dont blame Garde, Sherwood, Lambert, McLeish or Houllier. I blame the fucking idiot that thought it would be a good idea to give them the job in the first place.
You watch Albion and Sunderland pull away from trouble with their boring 'not good enough for us' managers.
Some people needed to wake up years ago when we were crying out for tedious mid table stability instead of gambling on punching above our weight.
Now, barring a miracle, its too late.
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Whoever came up with this transfer committee bollocks, take a look in the mirror.
Actually, the transfer committee is not a terrible idea.
We've had too many instances recently of a manager coming in for two years or less, signing expensive players on long contracts and then all change, as a new manager comes in with his own ideas and alienates the previous lot.
No other business would give that level of responsibility to someone whose own position was so precarious.
Where we have shanked it (in common with just about every other major Lerner decision since 2010) is in the execution.
Almstadt might have had Veretout, Amavi, Gueye and Ayew on the radar from his time at Arsenal. Having watched them for a while, He might have deemed that they they aren't ultimately good enough for Arsenal, but plenty good enough for a side like ours. And there might be a degree of logic to that.
What that ignores is issues they might have in settling at a club like Villa. It's one thing being on the fringes of a decent side in London, quite another being marooned (as they might see it) in Birmingham.
Veretout in particular has had difficulty settling apparently, with a young family and problems with the language.
I don't want to single the French players out, as -in truth- they have provided some of our better moments.
But we needed them to hit the ground running, and they clearly haven't done that. Signing one or two and allowing them the time to get up to speed would have been far more preferable than having four all trying to find their feet at the same time.
If the English market currently lacks value (and it does), Scandinavian, Dutch, German and Belgian players have traditionally found it easier to adapt to the game here.
Regardless, whoever ultimately decided in the summer that Gestede, Ayew and Gabby were the only forward options we required needs shooting.
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The team that's going to win the League usually contrives a win when it plays badly. The team that's going to finish bottom in the League always contrive a defeat even when it plays well. We did that today and therefore we are done.
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The current executive set up at the club isn't the issue. Neither is our approach to transfers. The question is whether it has happened all too late? Has too much damage been done for it to make a difference? We need to sustain it because even if we do go down we cannot afford to change directions again. It will kill us off completely.
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The executive set up is an issue though because they will remain in their places as we tumble, what has made them qualified for the positions they currently occupy? I don't normally agree with Collymore on anything, he's a gobshite, but I agree with him that to a man everyone running the show at the Villa are working above their means. The set up itself isn't what's wrong, it's who's occupying those positions.
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Whilst there is quite undestandably a resignation that relegation is inevitable, another point should not be missed. Getting back straight away is a must. Whoever gets relegated at the end of next season will go down with a massive payout which will then give them a huge financial advantage over the rest of the championship teams. Those three clubs may well be able to buy themselves straight back up by being able to afford much better players than the rest.
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The current executive set up at the club isn't the issue. Neither is our approach to transfers. The question is whether it has happened all too late? Has too much damage been done for it to make a difference? We need to sustain it because even if we do go down we cannot afford to change directions again. It will kill us off completely.
The lack of investment is what's killing us. We need to smash our transfer record in January to stand any chance of staying up. No more lower league rubbish and no untried foreigners. We need Premer League players, and you have to pay the going rate to get them.
Give them relegation clauses and they might just come. It's all about the money.
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The current executive set up at the club isn't the issue. Neither is our approach to transfers. The question is whether it has happened all too late? Has too much damage been done for it to make a difference? We need to sustain it because even if we do go down we cannot afford to change directions again. It will kill us off completely.
i really fear for us in the championship, we will lose any half decent players, will need players to be very physical and it will be an fa cup final for the majority of teams who come to vp.
if we arent back up in two seasons we are finished
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The executive set up is an issue though because they will remain in their places as we tumble, what has made them qualified for the positions they currently occupy? I don't normally agree with Collymore on anything, he's a gobshite, but I agree with him that to a man everyone running the show at the Villa are working above their means. The set up itself isn't what's wrong, it's who's occupying those positions.
Couldn't agree more.
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Of course the set up is wrong, how else could we be in this position.
It was pretty obvious that this squad is not good enough from the start of the season.
Its a shambles run by a bloke Lerner who has not got a clue.
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Let's worry about this season before we start talking about the next 2.
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The current executive set up at the club isn't the issue.
I have to say, I am not very impressed with Tom Fox so far.
It was his decision to not only be stupid enough to hire Tim Sherwood, but to have done so having only his name on the list.
What kind of brainfart was that? Why have a list of one, a man who has managed for, what, half a season?
I think the bloke's time in charge has been an unmitigated disaster.
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Expected but it still hurts. Thats that then.
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Of course the set up is wrong, how else could we be in this position.
It was pretty obvious that this squad is not good enough from the start of the season.
Its a shambles run by a bloke Lerner who has not got a clue.
The set up may work if we were paying higher wages. I'd still rather a manager who picks his own players though.
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The current executive set up at the club isn't the issue. Neither is our approach to transfers. The question is whether it has happened all too late? Has too much damage been done for it to make a difference? We need to sustain it because even if we do go down we cannot afford to change directions again. It will kill us off completely.
The lack of investment is what's killing us. We need to smash our transfer record in January to stand any chance of staying up. No more lower league rubbish and no untried foreigners. We need Premer League players, and you have to pay the going rate to get them.
Give them relegation clauses and they might just come. It's all about the money.
See QPR and the sort of over priced mercenaries that strategy will deliver.
It is too late to buy ourselves out of trouble.
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The current executive set up at the club isn't the issue. Neither is our approach to transfers. The question is whether it has happened all too late? Has too much damage been done for it to make a difference? We need to sustain it because even if we do go down we cannot afford to change directions again. It will kill us off completely.
The lack of investment is what's killing us. We need to smash our transfer record in January to stand any chance of staying up. No more lower league rubbish and no untried foreigners. We need Premer League players, and you have to pay the going rate to get them.
Give them relegation clauses and they might just come. It's all about the money.
See QPR and the sort of over priced mercenaries that strategy will deliver.
It is too late to buy ourselves out of trouble.
No it isn't. Just because QPR ballsed up doesn't mean every other club will.
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Let's worry about this season before we start talking about the next 2.
whats to worry about?
we are down and anyone who thinks we arent is deluded
and as for players coming in during jan, fuck me who are we going to attract?
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OI hearts on radio that we've only spent £6m net in last 5 years. That can't be true!?!
It's per season, so 30m net in 5 seasons, and sounds quite plausible to me.
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We have lots of "guests" on site today.
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The current executive set up at the club isn't the issue. Neither is our approach to transfers. The question is whether it has happened all too late? Has too much damage been done for it to make a difference? We need to sustain it because even if we do go down we cannot afford to change directions again. It will kill us off completely.
The lack of investment is what's killing us. We need to smash our transfer record in January to stand any chance of staying up. No more lower league rubbish and no untried foreigners. We need Premer League players, and you have to pay the going rate to get them.
Give them relegation clauses and they might just come. It's all about the money.
It's not going to happen.
We might have an outside chance of picking up a few decent loan players, but which decent Prem players would seriously hitch their long-term future to us at present?
I'd look at the lad at Wolves. £12 million plus and they might bite.
Any championship player currently playing for a side with their sights on promotion would probably give us the swerve too.
But Afobe might go for it, providing better placed sides like Norwich or Bournemouth don't go in for him.
Better placed sides than Norwich or Bournemouth. Christ on a bike.
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We have lots of "guests" on site today.
Don't write things like that TBAR will go into meltdown
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We have lots of "guests" on site today.
Don't write things like that TBAR will go into meltdown
It is at least comforting to consider those less fortunate than ourselves
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When you're buying centre backs from West Brom for 1.5M before a ball has been kicked, then you know you're already fucked. What an absolute shambles our club has become. Shameful.
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The current executive set up at the club isn't the issue.
I have to say, I am not very impressed with Tom Fox so far.
It was his decision to not only be stupid enough to hire Tim Sherwood, but to have done so having only his name on the list.
What kind of brainfart was that? Why have a list of one, a man who has managed for, what, half a season?
I think the bloke's time in charge has been an unmitigated disaster.
Again, I completely agree. We gave the most important position at the club away to a man who was sacked FIVE MONTHS into an 18 month contract. In the only management job he'd ever had. Ludicrous.
And now (like anyone's surprised) we've fulfilled the prophecy of being completely shit under the aforementioned cockney chancer, the powers that be reassemble and step back, gather their thoughts, scratch their chins, scour the football world in a relentless quest for the absolute best sure fire answer to our woes and come up with..............
.... a French bloke with three years experience, in the French league only and who has never managed in England. Who was so 'special' he has since been out performed by his successor. Who it appears has an accepted weakness for poor defensive organisation. Who was appointed without his preferred backroom staff. Who has never been in a relegation fight (even as a player? unless anyone knows otherwise?).
Hey buts ok. Tom knows him from the Arsenal days!!!! We're saved!!!
Meanwhile, we skip the two most obvious choices by a week, who will now show our board up for the mugs they are by dragging their clubs*(and therefore our rivals for fucks sake) to safety.
Marvellous.
*assuming Moyes goes to Barcodes as rumoured.
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I always wanted Moyes but he wouldn't save us this yea,r and to be honest I don't think he'd save the Jawdies. He's had two consecutive knock backs which will have dented his self belief. I know it sounds odd after managing one of the biggest clubs on the planet, but imo, Moyes would be better served at a Championship club. Villa might well have been the right club at one time for him, but that time is long ago and far away.
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Sort the back five out and there is a small fighting chance. For me, the keyl is the back four who have no faith whatsoever in Guzan. The uncertainty in their game comes from the lack of presence, decisiveness and communication. Sort that and there will be an improvement. I don't think it is any coincidence that leicester's turn around last year started when Schmeichel got back into the team.
Unfortunately I think is too late. There are two very tough games to come 5 pts from 16 games looks likely. On that basis I'd roll the dice and give someone else a shot. We now truly have nothing to lose, it can't get any worse.
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I always wanted Moyes but he wouldn't save us this yea,r and to be honest I don't think he'd save the Jawdies. He's had two consecutive knock backs which will have dented his self belief. I know it sounds odd after managing one of the biggest clubs on the planet, but imo, Moyes would be better served at a Championship club. Villa might well have been the right club at one time for him, but that time is long ago and far away.
He will be ready made come summer 2016 then
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Maybe so.
But if they'd got Garde and we'd took Moyes I know who my money would be on.
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I always wanted Moyes but he wouldn't save us this yea,r and to be honest I don't think he'd save the Jawdies. He's had two consecutive knock backs which will have dented his self belief. I know it sounds odd after managing one of the biggest clubs on the planet, but imo, Moyes would be better served at a Championship club. Villa might well have been the right club at one time for him, but that time is long ago and far away.
I agree. He would do nothing with this squad. He'll struggle with the geordie squad as well but theyve got enough points to survive with a few new players.
I cant believe we're on course to accrue the lowest points in the prem era. Truly shameful and pathetic and another 6 months of it to endure. A slow death
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I think we should start a sticky for directions for next season.
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=directions+to+brentford+fc&oq=directions+to+brentford+fc&aqs=chrome..69i57.5495j0j9&sourceid=chrome&es_sm=122&ie=UTF-8
Got a couple if mates who are Brentford fans. Been there a few times. Like Griffin Park. They hate QPR and Chelsea and Fulham
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So the two clubs buying from the French leagues are where in the table?
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Let's worry about this season before we start talking about the next 2.
whats to worry about?
we are down and anyone who thinks we arent is deluded
and as for players coming in during jan, fuck me who are we going to attract?
call me deluded but I will not accept we are done for
never ever ever UTV
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So the two clubs buying from the French leagues are where in the table?
Reilly and Almstadt must have looked at Newcastle, thought hang on a minute they've stayed up by the skin of their teeth for a few seasons and made a little profit I'll have some of that, let's copy their model.
Then actually gone through with it.
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The whole club is in a mess. Not just the team. It's rotten to the core.
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It's going to be a hell of a party when we survive at the death.
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It's going to be a hell of a party when we survive at the death.
ditto
lets all have a disco nananana
too old for that now though
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Let's worry about this season before we start talking about the next 2.
whats to worry about?
we are down and anyone who thinks we arent is deluded
and as for players coming in during jan, fuck me who are we going to attract?
call me deluded but I will not accept we are done for
never ever ever UTV
can you see us picking up a point from our next two games?
5 points from 16 games and we will survive? i admire your optimism!
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Thought we played better today. Thought they scored fortunate goals against the run of play. Thought we didn't get any luck. think we will go down. VTID
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Just watched the goals again & the defending for all 3 is suicidal. If you look at most of the goals against us, they come from straight down the centre or individual errors. We don't get opened up, we don't concede from set plays. Only Liverpool, Spurs & Everton have really outplayed us.
We have to be realistic on what can be achieved between now and the end of season. The best we can hope for is to put up a decent show of it. January is too late, it would take a miracle. We need to plan for next season.
Whatever happens, I'll still be there next August.
UTV
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Just got back. Wine opened and boy I need it!
In my mind despite a moderate improvement in performance we are going down. Squad is simply not good enough and Garde hasn't got the time to sort this m so out. We need at least 11 wins from the remaining games to have a fighting chance. I can't see where the next win will come from?
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So many poor decisions. So many things wrong at the club. They haven't planned or executed anything well whilst in the Premiership, under Lerner, since MON walked, unlikely to do it in the Championship either. What a time to get relegated. Not done yet but history is well and truly against us. We need way too many replacement players in one window to stay up. Keeper, centre back, full backs, midfielder and a striker all required.
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Let's worry about this season before we start talking about the next 2.
whats to worry about?
we are down and anyone who thinks we arent is deluded
and as for players coming in during jan, fuck me who are we going to attract?
call me deluded but I will not accept we are done for
never ever ever UTV
can you see us picking up a point from our next two games?
5 points from 16 games and we will survive? i admire your optimism!
saints we win
arsenal we draw
there you go
im deluded to fuck but wont admit it
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Has anyone else noticed how Gueye's (Gana) performance level seems to be dropping each game? He was a shining light when he first arrived but now he looks to be trying but only to a certain level in a losing team.
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Lerner has sole responsibility for this, after MON walked out leaving us with overpaid journeyman stinking the club out instead of gradually changing the structure he cut to the bone looking for cheap options all the way. Yes he spent a lot of his own money when he believed we could be a top four side but as soon as he realised that wasn't going to happen he shut up shop, stopped coming to Villa Park (family committments is the fall back excuse) and literally lost interest. He has done to us what he did to the Browns, he has taken a well respected premiership club and turned us into a laughing stock. Garde has no blame in this whatsoever neither do any of the previous managers, they didn't appoint themselves the idiots running the club did. Before Garde was appointed i thought that Big Sam was the only manager out there that could save us, yes the football wouldn't be great but he would get results and survival but now we have give Garde his chance. Those expecting Lerner to spend big in January are in for a big disappointment.
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Just got in 8-30 pm Saturday night from another 350 round trip from towie land to vp over a season that's about 6-7 thousand fucking miles a season. Every trip is started with hope and optimism thinking that today we "gonna get it right".
This has been going on for season after season now,basic errors poor performances poor judgement from so called premiership players. Yes we can all blame randy,Tom fox Reilly and that bloke whose name I can't be bothered to spell and yes these are the players they helped to sign.
But some of these performances from our players wouldn't even get to the judges houses on X factor that's how bad they are
It's now 9pm and it's taken me 30 mins to write about 8-9 lines that's how fucking numb I am with all of this
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Lerner has sole responsibility for this, after MON walked out leaving us with overpaid journeyman stinking the club out
I've never really bought into this bitter and twisted jilted bride mentality many people have against O'Neill. The day he walked out was the day I knew we were in decline.
I wish we were being 'stunk out' in 6th place every year right now.
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There's no way out of this one simply because we have no Benteke's, no Delph's, no Bent's, no Downing's, no Cleverley's, no Vlaar's.
We have gradually sold off all the crown jewels and anyone of any real value and have the bit part players and gambles left.
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P.s.
Captain Morgan is going to get one hell of a beating to night
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Just got in 8-30 pm Saturday night from another 350 round trip from towie land to vp over a season that's about 6-7 thousand fucking miles a season. Every trip is started with hope and optimism thinking that today we "gonna get it right".
This has been going on for season after season now,basic errors poor performances poor judgement from so called premiership players. Yes we can all blame randy,Tom fox Reilly and that bloke whose name I can't be bothered to spell and yes these are the players they helped to sign.
But some of these performances from our players wouldn't even get to the judges houses on X factor that's how bad they are
It's now 9pm and it's taken me 30 mins to write about 8-9 lines that's how fucking numb I am with all of this
We will come good again one day, those journeys will end up enjoyable, we've just got to weather the storm a while yet.
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Has anyone else noticed how Gueye's (Gana) performance level seems to be dropping each game? He was a shining light when he first arrived but now he looks to be trying but only to a certain level in a losing team.
This is something of a recurring theme at the club. Player comes in, player looks good, player slowly turns to shit.
Ryan Bertrand was a fine example of this, in particular because a move to Southampton had him looking like a player again, immediately.
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I think it will be daily surprising if we stay up now. Another poor team in Watford turn up at Villa Park and take all three points.
I actually thought we were the better side for most of it and created some opportunities, but the level of defending is appalling.
It's F course of mathematically over, but I cannot see us staying up now.
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Aj2k77
That's exactly what my grandad said to me when we walked down witton lane all those years ago when we went into the third.
Just S long as players like Gray little Cropley gidman etc etc etc come back reincarnated
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Has anyone else noticed how Gueye's (Gana) performance level seems to be dropping each game? He was a shining light when he first arrived but now he looks to be trying but only to a certain level in a losing team.
This is something of a recurring theme at the club. Player comes in, player looks good, player slowly turns to shit.
Ryan Bertrand was a fine example of this, in particular because a move to Southampton had him looking like a player again, immediately.
Funnily enough i was thinking of Bertrand as well, it does seem that good players don't feel obliged to be good for us, or is it the crap backroom we have?
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When you look at the good defenders we have had at the club it makes you weep, players of stature, reliable and gritty.We are not alone look at Newcastle two clubs very much alike.
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Has anyone else noticed how Gueye's (Gana) performance level seems to be dropping each game? He was a shining light when he first arrived but now he looks to be trying but only to a certain level in a losing team.
This is something of a recurring theme at the club. Player comes in, player looks good, player slowly turns to shit.
Ryan Bertrand was a fine example of this, in particular because a move to Southampton had him looking like a player again, immediately.
Funnily enough i was thinking of Bertrand as well, it does seem that good players don't feel obliged to be good for us, or is it the crap backroom we have?
I'm begining to think it might be the latter, I don't know why.
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Read a few posts saying we need 11 or12 wins. Probably 8 wins and 8 draws, 8 defeats would be enough. Problem is, we have no chance. Today was it for me, hope has gone.
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im watching snf match choice tonight, first time for a while
and will concentrate only on the positives
its a long way off over for us yet
UTV
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Well usually when a team looks fucked they relax and then start to play a bit.
Hopefully that point having being reached so early means we'll suddenly get an unlikely win, and the new manager can quickly harness it and turn it into momentum.
We might be fucked, but if that Sunderland team can win a couple on the spin then so can we.
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Well usually when a team looks fucked they relax and then start to play a bit.
Hopefully that point having being reached so early means we'll suddenly get an unlikely win, and the new manager can quickly harness it and turn it into momentum.
We might be fucked, but if that Sunderland team can win a couple on the spin then so can we.
Sorry to piss on your chips but can't see we will. Sunderland appointed the much berated (on here) Allerdyce who , like Pulis, knows how to play ugly and win. We aren't likely to play there way. I'd love to be so wrong but history is against us.
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Well usually when a team looks fucked they relax and then start to play a bit.
Hopefully that point having being reached so early means we'll suddenly get an unlikely win, and the new manager can quickly harness it and turn it into momentum.
We might be fucked, but if that Sunderland team can win a couple on the spin then so can we.
Yeah, thats the difference a proven manager can make though. We, on the other hand have a fingers crossed unknown in charge.
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It's going to be a hell of a party when we survive at the death.
Haha yeah good one, let's say we did, for what another year of utter shit.
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Just watched the goals again & the defending for all 3 is suicidal. If you look at most of the goals against us, they come from straight down the centre or individual errors. We don't get opened up, we don't concede from set plays. Only Liverpool, Spurs & Everton have really outplayed us.
We have to be realistic on what can be achieved between now and the end of season. The best we can hope for is to put up a decent show of it. January is too late, it would take a miracle. We need to plan for next season.
Whatever happens, I'll still be there next August.
UTV
It's a recurring theme aside from Everton we haven't been turned over but dear god the quality of goals we give away is something else.The defence needs a wise head unfortunately we tasked that job to Lescott who has turned out to be well passed it.
We got some luck against City but since then we lost Amavi and the defence has been awful.As a collective unit they are abysmal and inspire no confidence.Not helped by our DM Sanchez who in minutes can from being rock solid to a quivering wreak giving the ball away like a Sunday league player.
Beyond that our other issue is one of physicality..we lack strength through the team.For instance today Gil and Sinclair came up against 2 strong FB's and got very little success.It's why for all his faults we miss Gabby because he at least can handle himself on the pitch.
Questions to ask
Do we move Richards to RB his attacking is better than Huttons and he still doesn't read game that well at CB
Do we go 3-5-2 to make us more solid at the back as Sunderland have done
Ayew looks good but is not a lone striker how to we remedy this ?
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Hutton had loads of space in the first half especially, and I said to my lad we should get Okore on and put Richards there.
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When he first broke through at Man City, Richards looked best to me when rampaging past the halfway line.
He still does.
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The whole back 5 is a shambles. It needs totally re organising. We could swap all 5 of them out and I doubt we'd look any less solid.
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DESPERATE TIMES I KNOW
but I reckon gestede would be a better centre half than centre forward
Richards out right
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We need 2 centre halves as much as we need strikers. Stick Richards at fullback and put Clark to sleep.
Stay in touch till January then spend spend spend.
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David Moyes should be our manager right now, but instead we go for the cheap option.
We deserve everything we get.
Who would you have blamed if Moyes had come and the results had been the same?
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David Moyes should be our manager right now, but instead we go for the cheap option.
We deserve everything we get.
Who would you have blamed if Moyes had come and the results had been the same?
The chairman of course. Unless you think this whole sorry mess has nothing to do with 5 years of austerity?
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David Moyes should be our manager right now, but instead we go for the cheap option.
We deserve everything we get.
Who would you have blamed if Moyes had come and the results had been the same?
The chairman of course. Unless you think this whole sorry mess has nothing to do with 5 years of austerity?
The answer I thought you'd give, thanks for the confirmation.
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David Moyes should be our manager right now, but instead we go for the cheap option.
We deserve everything we get.
Who would you have blamed if Moyes had come and the results had been the same?
The chairman of course. Unless you think this whole sorry mess has nothing to do with 5 years of austerity?
The answer I thought you'd give, thanks for the confirmation.
You're welcome. You keep on blaming manager after manager after manager, and I'll look further than the end of my nose. Thanks.
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David Moyes should be our manager right now, but instead we go for the cheap option.
We deserve everything we get.
Who would you have blamed if Moyes had come and the results had been the same?
The chairman of course. Unless you think this whole sorry mess has nothing to do with 5 years of austerity?
The answer I thought you'd give, thanks for the confirmation.
Net spend of bugger all the last few seasons. Hiring managers like Mcleish and Lambert. Disjointed thinking in almost everything he does. Do you really think he's not had a massive part to play in this cluster fuck?
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David Moyes should be our manager right now, but instead we go for the cheap option.
We deserve everything we get.
Who would you have blamed if Moyes had come and the results had been the same?
The chairman of course. Unless you think this whole sorry mess has nothing to do with 5 years of austerity?
The answer I thought you'd give, thanks for the confirmation.
You're welcome. You keep on blaming manager after manager after manager, and I'll look further than the end of my nose. Thanks.
I'll blame who I like, not who you want me to. Thanks.
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David Moyes should be our manager right now, but instead we go for the cheap option.
We deserve everything we get.
Who would you have blamed if Moyes had come and the results had been the same?
The chairman of course. Unless you think this whole sorry mess has nothing to do with 5 years of austerity?
The answer I thought you'd give, thanks for the confirmation.
You're welcome. You keep on blaming manager after manager after manager, and I'll look further than the end of my nose. Thanks.
I'll blame who I like, not who you want me to. Thanks.
Ignorance is bliss so they say.
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David Moyes should be our manager right now, but instead we go for the cheap option.
We deserve everything we get.
Who would you have blamed if Moyes had come and the results had been the same?
The chairman of course. Unless you think this whole sorry mess has nothing to do with 5 years of austerity?
The answer I thought you'd give, thanks for the confirmation.
Net spend of bugger all the last few seasons. Hiring managers like Mcleish and Lambert. Disjointed thinking in almost everything he does. Do you really think he's not had a massive part to play in this cluster fuck?
Yes he has, like I've said on the Randy Lerner thread.
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DESPERATE TIMES I KNOW
but I reckon gestede would be a better centre half than centre forward
Richards out right
It's not his fault but Gestede is the worst footballer I've seen in a Villa shirt since Mark Kinsella. I can't imagine what anyone saw in him that looked remotely like a Premiership footballer.
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David Moyes should be our manager right now, but instead we go for the cheap option.
We deserve everything we get.
Who would you have blamed if Moyes had come and the results had been the same?
The chairman of course. Unless you think this whole sorry mess has nothing to do with 5 years of austerity?
The answer I thought you'd give, thanks for the confirmation.
You're welcome. You keep on blaming manager after manager after manager, and I'll look further than the end of my nose. Thanks.
I'll blame who I like, not who you want me to. Thanks.
Ignorance is bliss so they say.
So i'm ignorant because I don't agree with you?
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David Moyes should be our manager right now, but instead we go for the cheap option.
We deserve everything we get.
Who would you have blamed if Moyes had come and the results had been the same?
The chairman of course. Unless you think this whole sorry mess has nothing to do with 5 years of austerity?
The answer I thought you'd give, thanks for the confirmation.
Net spend of bugger all the last few seasons. Hiring managers like Mcleish and Lambert. Disjointed thinking in almost everything he does. Do you really think he's not had a massive part to play in this cluster fuck?
Yes he has, like I've said on the Randy Lerner thread.
So why the sarcastic reply to Saunders? You know he'd blame Lerner because Lerner is the chief culprit.
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DESPERATE TIMES I KNOW
but I reckon gestede would be a better centre half than centre forward
Richards out right
It's not his fault but Gestede is the worst footballer I've seen in a Villa shirt since Mark Kinsella. I can't imagine what anyone saw in him that looked remotely like a Premiership footballer.
Whoever watched Gestede week after week and thought he'd be a good fit as the Benteke replacement or for any role in our team needs firing. He is not the kind of player we need at all.
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How about stop replying to each other?
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David Moyes should be our manager right now, but instead we go for the cheap option.
We deserve everything we get.
Who would you have blamed if Moyes had come and the results had been the same?
The chairman of course. Unless you think this whole sorry mess has nothing to do with 5 years of austerity?
The answer I thought you'd give, thanks for the confirmation.
Net spend of bugger all the last few seasons. Hiring managers like Mcleish and Lambert. Disjointed thinking in almost everything he does. Do you really think he's not had a massive part to play in this cluster fuck?
Yes he has, like I've said on the Randy Lerner thread.
So why the sarcastic reply to Saunders? You know he'd blame Lerner because Lerner is the chief culprit.
You asked me a question and i've answered it. I'm sure Saunders can answer for himself.
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Just home. 14 hours on the road. We keep conceding soft stupid goals. There is no limit on how far we can fall until we stop doing it. Our general play today was largely encouraging but out defending continues to be embarrassingly shambolic.
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DESPERATE TIMES I KNOW
but I reckon gestede would be a better centre half than centre forward
Richards out right
It's not his fault but Gestede is the worst footballer I've seen in a Villa shirt since Mark Kinsella. I can't imagine what anyone saw in him that looked remotely like a Premiership footballer.
Disappointing to say the least. I was hopefully based on his very good performance against Liverpool in the cup last year. Perhaps that was his best for them ?
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On a positive note, we should have the basis for a decent side in the Championship.
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Just home. 14 hours on the road. We keep conceding soft stupid goals. There is no limit on how far we can fall until we stop doing it. Our general play today was largely encouraging but out defending continues to be embarrassingly shambolic.
I agree with all that, but there's no need to tell us how far you've traveled. It's been shit for all of us.
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The only very tiny glimmer of hope we have is to spend heavily in January. Piling personal abuse on the owner makes that possibility less rather than more likely.
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On a positive note, we should have the basis for a decent side in the Championship.
Ha ha. You reckon? We thought we had a mid table side in August.
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I make no claim for my journey being out of the ordinary, just a casual greeting to friends on here who know my age and the effort involved for me. Try not to sneer at harmless trifles.
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Lots of sneering goes on around here...
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The only very tiny glimmer of hope we have is to spend heavily in January. Piling personal abuse on the owner makes that possibility less rather than more likely.
I very much doubt he'd give two hoots about a few fans giving him grief on a message board.
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It certainly upsets pelty.
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Forget big spending in January. We'll go down with what we've got and at best spend to get back up... if we're lucky...
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I make no claim for my journey being out of the ordinary, just a casual greeting to friends on here who know my age and the effort involved for me. Try not to sneer at harmless trifles.
It wasn't so much a 'sneer' but an acknowledgement that there are plenty of us who make an effort and are just as hurting tonight, regardless of the miles traveled.
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I make no claim for my journey being out of the ordinary, just a casual greeting to friends on here who know my age and the effort involved for me. Try not to sneer at harmless trifles.
It wasn't so much a 'sneer' but an acknowledgement that there are plenty of us who make an effort and are just as hurting tonight, regardless of the miles traveled.
God you're strict!
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Why are you yet again trying to find fault with me for no reason? "Just in, 14 hours on the road" is a casual good evening and an explanation why it is page 19 of the thread before I can contribute. Please stop this baseless fault finding.
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I make no claim for my journey being out of the ordinary, just a casual greeting to friends on here who know my age and the effort involved for me. Try not to sneer at harmless trifles.
It wasn't so much a 'sneer' but an acknowledgement that there are plenty of us who make an effort and are just as hurting tonight, regardless of the miles traveled.
God you're strict!
Makes a change from 'ignorant', but thanks.
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7 hours each way from London to Brum? Did you borrow a satnav from Mr RedSox? ;D
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Again, it was another game where we wasn't really that bad but suicidal defending has cost us again. How many shots did they have on goal for example? And somehow they've managed to score three. It's shambolic, frustrating and for us to stay up, it needs to stop.
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Troy Deeney must brush his teeth with bricks. The c*nt.
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Worst thing is that it is the experienced players that are letting us down. That back 5 have years of experience, there is no excuse for the shocking defending.
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Worst thing is that it is the experienced players that are letting us down. That back 5 have years of experience, there is no excuse for the shocking defending.
Its a good observation. All of them internationals too.
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Why are you yet again trying to find fault with me for no reason? "Just in, 14 hours on the road" is a casual good evening and an explanation why it is page 19 of the thread before I can contribute. Please stop this baseless fault finding.
I contribute occasionally but I have noticed that clampy is a bit of a ''''''''''
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Ciaran Clark really is fcukin shit at times.
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Why are you yet again trying to find fault with me for no reason? "Just in, 14 hours on the road" is a casual good evening and an explanation why it is page 19 of the thread before I can contribute. Please stop this baseless fault finding.
I contribute occasionally but I have noticed that clampy is a bit of a ''''''''''
He is wholly pissed off. See the Lerner thread. Sometimes SH brings that out in persons. No need to have a go at Brian mind.
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How about we stop the insults and that way we don't have to worry about banning anybody.
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I make no claim for my journey being out of the ordinary, just a casual greeting to friends on here who know my age and the effort involved for me. Try not to sneer at harmless trifles.
It wasn't so much a 'sneer' but an acknowledgement that there are plenty of us who make an effort and are just as hurting tonight, regardless of the miles traveled.
The pain of defeat today, of this season, and of the past few years is just as sharp thousands of miles away in Toronto. I can assure everyone of that. Whether you live on Trinity Road or anywhere else in the world, and you love Aston Villa this is very hard to watch and take in.
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Just home. 14 hours on the road. We keep conceding soft stupid goals. There is no limit on how far we can fall until we stop doing it. Our general play today was largely encouraging but out defending continues to be embarrassingly shambolic.
I have utmost respect for fans like yourself Brian. I don't know how you do it? Today doing the 7.5 miles from Whitehead Road to my house was an ordeal!
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Confidence & good luck have as much impact as quality.
Big Sam rolls up in Sunderland & they win 3 out of 6. Two of those were against 10 men, included a dodgy penalty & a gift from Palace our defence would be proud of.
I'm convinced we have the basis of a decent side, with the exception of Gestede, it's not the new players who are costing us. It's the ones who were already here; Clark, Richardson, Hutton, Guzan, Gabby, Westwood that are letting us down.
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Clampy really has got his arse in his hand tonight, hasn't he?
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Clampy really has got his arse in his hand tonight, hasn't he?
No more than a few others have.
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Sanchez was often caught in possession or giving ball away. Credit to him picking up ball off the defence or guzan but he seems to lose his head and gets flustered. The pace of the game seems to throw him. There's also the dilemma of Hutton. He's decent spiritied efforts going forward are often undermined by both his failure as an attacking player and final ball and his defensive errors. I imagine he's quite dissolution by it all. Time again he's been the ot ball the man in space . For at least the next 9 matches to end of jan,which will define our season, a wide player on right must be played. Bacuna , Sinclair , Traore, Agbonlahor ,Grealish, Ayew need to play here and need to be given width . i also seriosuksy consider Richards /Bacuna at right back moving forward if a wide player isntv positions on right side midfield. Gil is desparetly short of confidence and despite his ball skills constantly has to cut inside and is too much one footed. Clark today was lost with the third caughtvflat footed. Richards had a vardry style celebration and it seemed too much about him. He's quite hot headed and the third goal seemed fuming and lost for words. I'm glad he scored and hope he makes more goals and defends better and cuts the Tim Sherwood style comments out . Villa actually were unlucky in parts however it was mentioned that defending was last ditch. The goals conceded were really very poor an I think it was a case of anxiety and magnitude of the match. Previously against man city the same defenders put in a performance that lives depended on. Clark throwing himself into challenges , Hutton blocking and were showing for the cause. So in that respect their is hope. I think veretout is really coming along as is ayew. Throw in traore and grealish with sinlcair up front with ayew.
I think the defeat really is shocking and illustrates the difficulty in getting a win. Glimpses have been shown and a momentum and run in the next 9matches can only save the villa from championship football.
Unexpected things can happen in football in all levels in game. It's also noted that predictable things can happen too. However today showed that a 2-3 away win was unexpected score line by both sets of fans, pundits and people watching the game. So called stats and facts pointed to little goals but villa created and could have score more than two today. Let's hope football remains unpredicatbale and that some how , some where villa get several points over the next several matches.
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Clampy really has got his arse in his hand tonight, hasn't he?
And he's 100% right. We are feeling utterly shit. Just in different ways. There's nobody on here though that feels that more than anyone else. That's the point he was making.
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Well I've got a pretty heavy cold as well so u can assure you I'm hurting a bit more than anyone.
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I'm convinced we have the basis of a decent side
I have been thinking that for a while, but on my walk back to the car from the ground after the game, the thought hit me that we have a team of players who are at best average and all consistently make mistakes. Guzan and the defenders - not capable of keeping clean sheets and all make costly errors. Midfield give the ball away far too often, many times under little or no pressure. Forwards and wide players - give the ball away far too easily and then when chances do arise to get crosses of play balls in, the quality is not there. When you also factor in there is a lack of desire and discipline, it makes for a poor team.
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Well I've got a pretty heavy cold as well so u can assure you I'm hurting a bit more than anyone.
I've got a heavy heart, but I doubt I'm alone.
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I woke at 3 am this morning, checked the score on my phone and spent the next hour and a half staring at the ceiling coming to terms with our relegation.
It's wretched and has been for years. I'm sick of the humiliation. The Championship cannot, cannot be worse than this has been.
Think about it, we've been statistically the worst professional football team in England over the last 5 seasons. Fuck the division, I just want a competitive team again. I've had enough of this shit.
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I'm convinced we have the basis of a decent side
I have been thinking that for a while, but on my walk back to the car from the ground after the game, the thought hit me that we have a team of players who are at best average and all consistently make mistakes. Guzan and the defenders - not capable of keeping clean sheets and all make costly errors. Midfield give the ball away far too often, many times under little or no pressure. Forwards and wide players - give the ball away far too easily and then when chances do arise to get crosses of play balls in, the quality is not there. When you also factor in there is a lack of desire and discipline, it makes for a poor team.
There is a reason that we have bummed around the bottom six for the last five years, it's because we've had Manager's who think the likes of Guzan, Clark, Richardson and Westwood are good enough to move the club forward. Absolutely crap players.
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We do have good players but our two key positions are so weak, Richards is no centre half and Gestede is no footballer. Every time the ball gets into our box i expect the opposition to score, when i look back at some of our past defenders we've derided as not being good enough and look at what we've got now i shake my head. Can we get Vlar back
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I think we actually need the championship at this point. Tear the club apart, rebuild it and go again, but it has to be done right. We don't want to do a Wigan/Portsmouth/Leeds etc. When Newcastle went down they kept a handful of players who could shine in the Championship and then bought quite sensibly for that division. West Ham too.
We can begin the process by flogging off 2-3 players in Jan before their value may drop in the summer, or McGrath forbid any relegation clauses are activated. I think barring a massive improvement in his displays, Grealish may well stay on, as no one will pay for what we may value for him, and a year in the Championship might be good for him. I'd also like to think that his love of the club would outweigh him wanting to line his pockets for any Prem clubs that sniff around.
Gabby can most definitely chuff off though, along with the likes of Richardson who is completely done as a player at any reasonable sort of level.
Press the plunger. Kaboom. Sweep away the rubble and start again. And first order of business should be for Randy to cut his lossess and bugger off.
By the way, none of you hurt more than me right now. I accidentally stubbed my ruddy toe. The pain is excruciating. No man has ever suffered worse pain than this.
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Vlaar never even thanked us for the support the club gave him or the fans support during all the time he spent injured. He's just slinked off in to the night. I would not want that man back at the club.
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So many accurate observations. If only we could defend.
One thing not mentioned to date as far as I can see is Hutton's lack of fitness. A football game is measured over a time period of some 90 minutes. Hutton although a half decent first half seemed to be more knackered than any greyhound Steptoe and Son ever bought come the second half.
Oh well bring on Coventry and Walsall.
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Vlaar never even thanked us for the support the club gave him or the fans support during all the time he spent injured. He's just slinked off in to the night. I would not want that man back at the club.
Me neither. Always thought he was better than that, but to be honest the last 6 months at the club didn't really do his character reference that much good. Bang average player too.
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So many accurate observations. If only we could defend.
One thing not mentioned to date as far as I can see is Hutton's lack of fitness. A football game is measured over a time period of some 90 minutes. Hutton although a half decent first half seemed to be more knackered than any greyhound Steptoe and Son ever bought come the second half.
Oh well bring on Coventry and Walsall.
I think in part it's due to the fact that persistently our right side is very light. Our right backs, since Lambert took over, have had to create the vast majority of our balance and width. Hutton is covering a lot of mileage and at 31 (as of Monday) it's going to take it's toll a little. He rarely has anyone in front of him who supports when he attacks or helps when he defends.
I like Hutton in as much as he's a dirty bastard and a hard worker. We need a little more like that. It's just a shame he's not a very good footballer with it. But he's at least got a smidge of gumption which is more than can be said of most of the feckless feckers.
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In fairness to Hutton he probably covers more ground than anyone as he's constantly up and down the wing.
As for Vlaar, no chance, the defence was just as shit with him in it as it is now. And that's before you take into account he missed about a third of games through injury. I'd rather bring Senderos into the squad in Jan than Vlaar.
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I thought Senderos looked decent at the start of last season and then he vanished with a mystery injury. What a bizarre signing, but he at least should be given a squad place what with us being so bloody desperate. At least he has PL experience.
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I think there's still hope for Richards in the middle, but only if we bring in an experienced leader in January. An organiser. Someone to keep Richards on a leash and in position. Quite who that would be I don't know. Definitely not Vlaar. We could do with Laursen mk2.
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Senderos is not good enough. We need fresh blood in the transfer market, where from I have no idea (in terms of players themselves or money).
In my head I am already preparing for what I call Div 2. I think by hook or by crook we will come straight back up, the problem will be if we don't - seems a common issue with teams relegated no matter to what level.
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Clampy really has got his arse in his hand tonight, hasn't he?
And he's 100% right. We are feeling utterly shit. Just in different ways. There's nobody on here though that feels that more than anyone else. That's the point he was making.
He seemed to jump on Brian for a seemingly innocuous comment.
I hate all that 'better fan than yow/ laptop brigade' pish, but it was pretty obvious BG wasn't doing that.
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I woke at 3 am this morning, checked the score on my phone and spent the next hour and a half staring at the ceiling coming to terms with our relegation.
It's wretched and has been for years. I'm sick of the humiliation. The Championship cannot, cannot be worse than this has been.
Think about it, we've been statistically the worst professional football team in England over the last 5 seasons. Fuck the division, I just want a competitive team again. I've had enough of this shit.
Same here. I am not convinced our relegation is going to make things better though, it is entirely possible we follow many illustrious clubs and just dissapear from the top flight for decades.
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I really dont know how relegation would make things better, given the TV money
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I really dont know how relegation would make things better
I'm going to be selfish and say that it would certainly help me, if we were able to play against teams we could actually compete with, week in, week out.
I'm hoping it would mean me getting some pleasure out of supporting the Villa again. For the last few years I've been following them out of a mixture of grim tradition and some sort of weird sense of duty. Fans are fucking idiots!
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I really dont know how relegation would make things better, given the TV money
If we can use it as a circuit breaker for the club.
If we can come back up first time, if we can change the mentality surrounding the club to a winning one after a successful season, galvanize the fan base and give us back some purpose, turning over a few local rivals in the process. In that scenario relegation could be prove to be for the better.
I accept it's a big IF mind.
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We need to win half of our remaining games to stay up. That is not going to happen.
That's total tosh we only need to win 11 not twelve, 38 points would be enough
i reckon 34/35 may be enough to stay up. Along with ourselves, there's some shit down there at the bottom.
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I really dont know how relegation would make things better, given the TV money
If we can use it as a circuit breaker for the club.
If we can come back up first time, if we can change the mentality surrounding the club to a winning one after a successful season, galvanize the fan base and give us back some purpose, turning over a few local rivals in the process. In that scenario relegation could be prove to be for the better.
I accept it's a big IF mind.
the Taylor 2nd Division season was my first one I was allowed to go by myself. I really enjoyed it, but doubt I would as much these days if we do go down.
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it's amazing how quickly you adapt to change. if this is our fate this season then so be it. It won't prove a deal breaker to fans who have supported the club all their lives . I have carried a few lifelong passions with me, Villa being one, and no matter how disenchanted I get with them from time to time, they never leave you. Whatever happens next season is another chapter in the book of Aston Villa and we all know deep down that as soon as the first kick off happens we'll be checking scores.
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I thought we played well going forward at times. There was evidence of training ground work with inventiveness on corners and the free kick for goal was excellent. I like garde and think he will be a decent manager.
Although the defence were awful again we really must have a turn of luck soon. Every single mistake is seemingly punished with a goal.
I was pleased that the majority of fans stayed when the 3rd went in. All of us staying together is our only hope and until it is mathematicaly impossible we have to remain hopeful.
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The circuit breaker we need is Randy Lerner leaving the club. He is simply a very poor owner of sports clubs.
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I thought we played well going forward at times. There was evidence of training ground work with inventiveness on corners and the free kick for goal was excellent. I like garde and think he will be a decent manager.
Although the defence were awful again we really must have a turn of luck soon. Every single mistake is seemingly punished with a goal.
I was pleased that the majority of fans stayed when the 3rd went in. All of us staying together is our only hope and until it is mathematicaly impossible we have to remain hopeful.
Spot on. While everyone is writing us off we have to stick together and believe. The bookies rate our chances of staying up as similar odds to Fury winning last night. Anything can happen and we have six months of a season left.
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We need to win half of our remaining games to stay up. That is not going to happen.
That's total tosh we only need to win 11 not twelve, 38 points would be enough
i reckon 34/35 may be enough to stay up. Along with ourselves, there's some shit down there at the bottom.
I can't see us getting 24 points, let alone 34.
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Morning everyone.At this moment if I was Remi Garde I would think I had taken on too much.If we manage to stay up it would be a veritable miracle with the players available to him.What I will say about yesterday is that Jordan Ayew continued his recent improvement and that's about it really.If as it appears he doesn't have full control of team matters he might as well resign and go home.As we all know this dire situation we find ourselves in is entirely down to the club owner who to be fair to him has stated he wants to sell but cannot find a buyer at the price he wants.
To be honest if the situation stays the same I think we will struggle in the second division or Championship next season .it's a gloomy outlook for our club I'm afraid.
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Just watching the goals again on MOTD.
Richardson plays the player onside for the first and second - and then (along with Clark) stood like a statue for the third . He's a complete liability .
And - not sure if this has been covered - why did we kick toward the Holte end first half . Richards must have won the toss as Watford had kick off . Seen other teams turn us round - but never us decide to kick the other way .
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It was awful, we started ok, then you concede the inevitable stupid goal then your up against it. Get back in it just before half time but don't kick on. I am seeing improvement but it's not enough. Richardson, Hutton and Clark awful. Hutton is probably the most frustrating player on the pitch. Midfield lightweight, lightweight up front.
I can't see anyway out of this unless Randy splashes the cash which we all know Isn't going to happen. For all his criticism Brad kept it respectable yesterday
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Thinking about the game in a bit more detail and it's a particularly tough one to take. No one can claim we played well, but we certainly showed glimpses of it and had to deal with calamitous individual errors and on occasion a lack of luck. You earn luck though and we certainly aren't doing that.
The midfield were all guilty of giving the ball away - Sanchez particularly in a dangerous position, but all showed some ability (particularly Gana I thought).
The defence had a particularly nightmarish performance and when paulie has said a few times that he thinks we're mentally shot and relegated already, you can't look beyond the likes of Richardson and Clarke to see how that's the case. Hopefully when he gets more fitness Okore can be partnered with Richards who is showing a lot of willingness and there will be some improvement.
Gil did not have his best game by any stretch of the imagination and I think Garde rightfully brought him off. The fact that Garde can see that and not make any Sherwood-esque bizarre substitutions at least offers some hope. As does the lack of Gabby at this stage, but we'll see what happens when he gets fit.
I hope Garde gets some results because as far as I can see he's not doing too much wrong.
Like others I am now, despite years of somewhat unwarranted optimism, resigned to our fate. You cannot lose games as often as we do in the manner that we do and display the lack of confidence we have and hope to stay up. Like the disappointed parent I am not angry, but very, very sad about it. Depressing stuff.
Edit to add amongst the sea of negativity, I like Ayew. After a dodgy start for us he's knuckled down and is willing to put a shift in.
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Thinking about the game in a bit more detail and it's a particularly tough one to take. No one can claim we played well, but we certainly showed glimpses of it and had to deal with calamitous individual errors and on occasion a lack of luck. You earn luck though and we certainly aren't doing that.
The midfield were all guilty of giving the ball away - Sanchez particularly in a dangerous position, but all showed some ability (particularly Gana I thought).
The defence had a particularly nightmarish performance and when paulie has said a few times that he thinks we're mentally shot and relegated already, you can't look beyond the likes of Richardson and Clarke to see how that's the case. Hopefully when he gets more fitness Okore can be partnered with Richards who is showing a lot of willingness and there will be some improvement.
Gil did not have his best game by any stretch of the imagination and I think Garde rightfully brought him off. The fact that Garde can see that and not make any Sherwood-esque bizarre substitutions at least offers some hope. As does the lack of Gabby at this stage, but we'll see what happens when he gets fit.
I hope Garde gets some results because as far as I can see he's not doing too much wrong.
Like others I am now, despite years of somewhat unwarranted optimism, resigned to our fate. You cannot lose games as often as we do in the manner that we do and display the lack of confidence we have and hope to stay up. Like the disappointed parent I am not angry, but very, very sad about it. Depressing stuff.
Clark!!!!
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I thought the same about the kick off FFD, the only thing I could think of was that they thought it might help us get off to a decent start.
Under normal circumstances you might take some encouragement from yesterday, we played some decent stuff and scored two good goals but the collection of clowns masquerading as a defence made sure that the opposition didn't have to travel home empty handed.
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Crikey! A first for me with that error. Put it down to fatigue caused by the nightmares he caused me last night.
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Under normal circumstances you might take some encouragement from yesterday, we played some decent stuff and scored two good goals but the collection of clowns masquerading as a defence made sure that the opposition didn't have to travel home empty handed.
I said to my Dad that with the defence how it is, we need to score at least two to make ensure a win. I might have been being generous.
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We really do like to delude ourselves, we have been mismanaged for alot longer than 5 years, Pube head got results, but was allowed to spend like Charlie Sheen in a brothel, to me Bad Management.
He would not go for TSM1 surely, yes he did, Bad Management.
He can see that Lambert is not worth a 4 year extension, oh no he can't Bad Management.
The Cockney chancer, allow the man who has probably never appointed a football manager in his life Fox, just to talk to one guy about the job who had all of 5 months experience, no he wouldnt, yes he did Bad Management.
Now he whether we like it or not has a price in his thick head that he wants back before going back to his, Sholashites or whatever, but we are living in this beautiful dream that when we go down old sceptic tank Randolph will sell to the first willing buyer and hey presto, we all live happily ever after.
The real scenario will be he does not get what he thinks we are worth and in his dumb ass head sets into place a 5 year plan, that's one of his favorites that a 5 year plan and by that time with his back up team of top professionals we are entering the FA Cup in August.
We need to stop up more than ever, it is the only way this guy might f..k off.
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Under normal circumstances you might take some encouragement from yesterday, we played some decent stuff and scored two good goals but the collection of clowns masquerading as a defence made sure that the opposition didn't have to travel home empty handed.
I said to my Dad that with the defence how it is, we need to score at least two to make ensure a win. I might have been being generous.
The lad and I always shout "3 for the win!" when we score - have watched us play for too many years to expect anything without a 3 goal cushion
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Well they've finally done it and sucked the enthusiasum out of it for me.
Just about every other two-bit club has rocked up at Villa Park over the last five years and taken the piss. Really, really sick of what Lerner has let our club become.
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Amongst many "worst" episodes yesterday I thought our teams collective performance post Ayew's goal was unbelievably unprofessional and totally devoid of passion and fight. There were about 12 minutes of football left and there was no one on the field to remind the team of that fact and try to get something out of the match. There were some headless chicken type attacks that nearly resulted in conceding more goals but not a single chance was created in that period. Two incidents that totally pissed me off were Hutton arguing over a throw in at half way line and wasting about 30 seconds and then Guzan taking what seemed like a full minute in getting a free kick in that resulted in a throw in for Watford in line with the 18 yard line. Oh what we'd give for some leadership on the pitch in times of crises.....
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We really do like to delude ourselves, we have been mismanaged for alot longer than 5 years, Pube head got results, but was allowed to spend like Charlie Sheen in a brothel, to me Bad Management.
He would not go for TSM1 surely, yes he did, Bad Management.
He can see that Lambert is not worth a 4 year extension, oh no he can't Bad Management.
The Cockney chancer, allow the man who has probably never appointed a football manager in his life Fox, just to talk to one guy about the job who had all of 5 months experience, no he wouldnt, yes he did Bad Management.
Now he whether we like it or not has a price in his thick head that he wants back before going back to his, Sholashites or whatever, but we are living in this beautiful dream that when we go down old sceptic tank Randolph will sell to the first willing buyer and hey presto, we all live happily ever after.
The real scenario will be he does not get what he thinks we are worth and in his dumb ass head sets into place a 5 year plan, that's one of his favorites that a 5 year plan and by that time with his back up team of top professionals we are entering the FA Cup in August.
We need to stop up more than ever, it is the only way this guy might f..k off.
Spot on. I doubt he's willing to take a cut on his investment.
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All this "completely rebuild and start again" stuff.
I thought that's what we did after the Cup Final?
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That's what annoyed me at the time as well. When the referee signaled 10 minutes added on time, a huge roar went up but it looked as if it was Watford who were trying to score rather than us. Like Olaftab said, there were a few attacks which only resulted in them catching us on the break and the result could have been a lot worse than it was.
Looking back as well, I do wonder if the stoppage for their goalkeeper (who was bloody woeful) stopped us in our tracks a bit. I'm not trying to make excuses for us but we seemed to go backwards after it happened.
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The referee tried to make himself a star in those added minutes.
Why make a point about hurrying up with corners and then doing nothing. To be honest we huffed and puffed and got nowhere the whole of the second half.
We failed to test the "dodgy" substitute keeper and that was our biggest failing in the match, even more than the defensive mistakes.
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Amongst many "worst" episodes yesterday I thought our teams collective performance post Ayew's goal was unbelievably unprofessional and totally devoid of passion and fight. There were about 12 minutes of football left and there was no one on the field to remind the team of that fact and try to get something out of the match. There were some headless chicken type attacks that nearly resulted in conceding more goals but not a single chance was created in that period. Two incidents that totally pissed me off were Hutton arguing over a throw in at half way line and wasting about 30 seconds and then Guzan taking what seemed like a full minute in getting a free kick in that resulted in a throw in for Watford in line with the 18 yard line. Oh what we'd give for some leadership on the pitch in times of crises.....
I agree. I'll add to that the five minute spell directly after the second half kicked off, it was as though our players had totally switched off and didn't realise the match had restarted. You're spot on, we need an experienced, winning leader on that pitch, someone left field like Cambiasso.
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Amongst many "worst" episodes yesterday I thought our teams collective performance post Ayew's goal was unbelievably unprofessional and totally devoid of passion and fight. There were about 12 minutes of football left and there was no one on the field to remind the team of that fact and try to get something out of the match. There were some headless chicken type attacks that nearly resulted in conceding more goals but not a single chance was created in that period. Two incidents that totally pissed me off were Hutton arguing over a throw in at half way line and wasting about 30 seconds and then Guzan taking what seemed like a full minute in getting a free kick in that resulted in a throw in for Watford in line with the 18 yard line. Oh what we'd give for some leadership on the pitch in times of crises.....
I agree. I'll add to that the five minute spell directly after the second half kicked off, it was as though our players had totally switched off and didn't realise the match had restarted. You're spot on, we need an experienced, winning leader on that pitch, someone left field like Cambiasso.
Unfortunately Cambiasso didnt want to come to Villa Park. Probably the Greek club he ended up at offered him considerably more money.
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And - not sure if this has been covered - why did we kick toward the Holte end first half . Richards must have won the toss as Watford had kick off . Seen other teams turn us round - but never us decide to kick the other way .
Well we are constantly told our mentally weak players struggle with the expectation of not getting beaten every home game so I wouldn't be surprised if they've decided that attacking the bulk of the home support in the second half is too much for them either. The team is pathetic.
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To be fair, attacking the Holte in the second half has hardly had much success in recent times so I don't think it really matters.
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That's what annoyed me at the time as well. When the referee signaled 10 minutes added on time, a huge roar went up but it looked as if it was Watford who were trying to score rather than us. Like Olaftab said, there were a few attacks which only resulted in them catching us on the break and the result could have been a lot worse than it was.
Looking back as well, I do wonder if the stoppage for their goalkeeper (who was bloody woeful) stopped us in our tracks a bit. I'm not trying to make excuses for us but we seemed to go backwards after it happened.
I appreciate that Garde has come into an almost impossible position but a couple of points on yesterday and overall:-
His substitution of Gana left us with two in midfield so pretty much 4-2-4 in the last 10 minutes. As a result, we couldn't get hold of the ball and lacked any kind of shape. Not a great substitution.
In our position, tightening up at the back is a must - back to basics defending. The last two games have probably seen our worst defensive performances of the season and there's been some pretty stiff competition. Going forward, there were some pleasing signs of Garde's influence, but I suspect the defensive side was where he leant on the support of the coaches/assistants he couldn't get as we just look completely disorganised.
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All this "completely rebuild and start again" stuff.
I thought that's what we did after the Cup Final?
You need the right people in place to rebuild, our thicko's came up with Gestede for Benteke.
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Great isn't it. On the rare occasion we score 2 goals the defence gifts the opposition 2 more. I haven't seen the first one. Watford were not very good but if they can still force errors out of us what hope is there of getting wins or even draws.
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Great isn't it. On the rare occasion we score 2 goals the defence gifts the opposition 2 more. I haven't seen the first one. Watford were not very good but if they can still force errors out of us what hope is there of getting wins or even draws.
There is no forcing errors out of us though, nearly all of them are either from a lack of concentration playing people onside, ball watching, not tracking runners or spectacular brain farts. I've never seen a defence as bad as this one down the Villa, they crumble through nothing.
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I thought the same about the kick off FFD, the only thing I could think of was that they thought it might help us get off to a decent start.
Under normal circumstances you might take some encouragement from yesterday, we played some decent stuff and scored two good goals but the collection of clowns masquerading as a defence made sure that the opposition didn't have to travel home empty handed.
I thought that too - in isolation, yesterday wasn't too bad as defeats go. But taken in combination with crap that's gone, it's hard to take.
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Training must be difficult for us to gauge anything from. If we do any defence vs attack routines then the strikers are up against the garbage we have which must make them look world beaters, no wonder Gabby still got games, he probably shits all over Clark in training.
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All this "completely rebuild and start again" stuff.
I thought that's what we did after the Cup Final?
You need the right people in place to rebuild, our thicko's came up with Gestede for Benteke.
I know he's no Benteke but he scored on his debut, 2 at Anfield and the winner against Blose. Him, Sinclair and Ayew have all got good goals / min records this season. It's the other end that's the problem, Clark, Lescott and Richardson (even though out of position imo) have all been shambolic, Guzan poor, Hutton mediocre and Richards hasn't exactly been the saviour with his slightly headless chicken shenanigans. And collectively they're even worse than individually for some reason.
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I thought the same about the kick off FFD, the only thing I could think of was that they thought it might help us get off to a decent start.
Under normal circumstances you might take some encouragement from yesterday, we played some decent stuff and scored two good goals but the collection of clowns masquerading as a defence made sure that the opposition didn't have to travel home empty handed.
I thought that too - in isolation, yesterday wasn't too bad as defeats go. But taken in combination with crap that's gone, it's hard to take.
I remember under Graham Taylor1 we had a poor home run and switched around several times to attack the holte first half. I think it's just to try something different.
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The defence is a shower of shit I agree but we are also have the second worst goals for in the division. Gestede thrives on crosses, the team doesn't produce them. Sinclair has been used as a Striker at times and now Ayew is doing his best as the main man, it's all been very poorly thought out. The strikers should be the focal point of the teams style of play ours are a confused mess.
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Lerner has sole responsibility for this, after MON walked out leaving us with overpaid journeyman stinking the club out
I've never really bought into this bitter and twisted jilted bride mentality many people have against O'Neill. The day he walked out was the day I knew we were in decline.
I wish we were being 'stunk out' in 6th place every year right now.
I'm with ya Mr W. I guess some folk find it easier to slag off the man who baled - rather than the idiot who displayed apparent commitment & loyalty. 'Funny old game ain't it?
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The defence is a shower of shit I agree but we are also have the second worst goals for in the division. Gestede thrives on crosses, the team doesn't produce them. Sinclair has been used as a Striker at times and now Ayew is doing his best as the main man, it's all been very poorly thought out. The strikers should be the focal point of the teams style of play ours are a confused mess.
I think that's the thing, we still don't do much creatively despite having some highly rated youngsters there. Traore apparently isn't ready, Grealish's head is somewhere else, Gill is a tidy footballer but seriously lacks penetration, Bacuna has lost form from half decent previous seasons, Veretout is still settling in, Cole appears to be past it and Sinclair is better as a striker. Admittedly there probably isn't a 20 PL goal striker there but given the chances Gestede, Ayew and Sinclair will get you a half decent aggregate return.
I also still think there is a good midfield in there somewhere with Gana, Veretout and Sanchez.
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Someone mentioned Senderos recently which is interesting because whilst no-one was moaning about him being left out of the squad at the time, we could do with someone like him in the back line at the moment. An old head and someone who can organise a bit. I reckon he'll be back in the squad in January.
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Lerner has sole responsibility for this, after MON walked out leaving us with overpaid journeyman stinking the club out
I've never really bought into this bitter and twisted jilted bride mentality many people have against O'Neill. The day he walked out was the day I knew we were in decline.
I wish we were being 'stunk out' in 6th place every year right now.
I'm with ya Mr W. I guess some folk find it easier to slag off the man who baled - rather than the idiot who displayed apparent commitment & loyalty. 'Funny old game ain't it?
And why did O'Neill walk? Because he had the rug pulled from under his feet by Lerner that's why. The chairman informed him they'd be no more big signings no more big wages and from now on we were to be run on a relative shoestring. O'Neill is no fool and he knew no top club could compete with such penny pinching so he walked. This is why we couldn't and still can't attract decent players or managers since, and this is why the last 5 years have been such a miserable experience.
This is just my opinion before anyone gets their knickers in a twist.
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Someone mentioned Senderos recently which is interesting because whilst no-one was moaning about him being left out of the squad at the time, we could do with someone like him in the back line at the moment. An old head and someone who can organise a bit. I reckon he'll be back in the squad in January.
I mentioned him because he actually impressed me at the start of last season before he vanished from the face of the earth. Experience is what we need now though, and if he's fit I'd play him, but of course he's not even named in our squad so it can't happen till at least January.
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Lerner has sole responsibility for this, after MON walked out leaving us with overpaid journeyman stinking the club out
I've never really bought into this bitter and twisted jilted bride mentality many people have against O'Neill. The day he walked out was the day I knew we were in decline.
I wish we were being 'stunk out' in 6th place every year right now.
I'm with ya Mr W. I guess some folk find it easier to slag off the man who baled - rather than the idiot who displayed apparent commitment & loyalty. 'Funny old game ain't it?
And why did O'Neill walk? Because he had the rug pulled from under his feet by Lerner that's why. The chairman informed him they'd be no more big signings no more big wages and from now on we were to be run on a relative shoestring. O'Neill is no fool and he knew no top club could compete with such penny pinching so he walked. This is why we couldn't and still can't attract decent players or managers since, and this is why the last 5 years have been such a miserable experience.
This is just my opinion before anyone gets their knickers in a twist.
Had O Neill left in May he'd probably still be one of my favourite Villa managers. I don't actually blame him for going but surely these finance discussions were discussed in the tail end of the last season or during close season. To fuck off a week before the start of the season is what really bugged me. Whether the Milner sale (and getting Ireland in return) was the final straw I don't know. But O Neill could have left after the previous season with a lot of good will.
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Senderos played well with Vlaar at the beginning of last season. But both were injury prone and not just out for a couple of games so they couldnt forge a consistent partnership.
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Had O Neill left in May he'd probably still be one of my favourite Villa managers. I don't actually blame him for going but surely these finance discussions were discussed in the tail end of the last season or during close season. To fuck off a week before the start of the season is what really bugged me. Whether the Milner sale (and getting Ireland in return) was the final straw I don't know. But O Neill could have left after the previous season with a lot of good will.
Absolutely this! It wasn't his leaving, but the nature and timing of his leaving.
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Lerner has sole responsibility for this, after MON walked out leaving us with overpaid journeyman stinking the club out
I've never really bought into this bitter and twisted jilted bride mentality many people have against O'Neill. The day he walked out was the day I knew we were in decline.
I wish we were being 'stunk out' in 6th place every year right now.
I'm with ya Mr W. I guess some folk find it easier to slag off the man who baled - rather than the idiot who displayed apparent commitment & loyalty. 'Funny old game ain't it?
And why did O'Neill walk? Because he had the rug pulled from under his feet by Lerner that's why. The chairman informed him they'd be no more big signings no more big wages and from now on we were to be run on a relative shoestring. O'Neill is no fool and he knew no top club could compete with such penny pinching so he walked. This is why we couldn't and still can't attract decent players or managers since, and this is why the last 5 years have been such a miserable experience.
This is just my opinion before anyone gets their knickers in a twist.
Had O Neill left in May he'd probably still be one of my favourite Villa managers. I don't actually blame him for going but surely these finance discussions were discussed in the tail end of the last season or during close season. To fuck off a week before the start of the season is what really bugged me. Whether the Milner sale (and getting Ireland in return) was the final straw I don't know. But O Neill could have left after the previous season with a lot of good will.
I agree, and I think you're right about Milner being the final straw. If he had walked out at the end of the previous season he probably wouldn't be so unpopular as he is now but I doubt very much if that would have affected our decline. That was set in stone as soon as Lerner decided he couldn't give a flying fuck anymore.
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Lerner's record of appointing managers is nothing short of shocking considering it was the previous regime that installed O'Neill. Excluding the current incumbent, of course, it would be the act of a pessimist to rule on Garde just yet.
Christ, this is depressing....all that hope in 2006, now, nothing.
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Someone mentioned Senderos recently which is interesting because whilst no-one was moaning about him being left out of the squad at the time, we could do with someone like him in the back line at the moment. An old head and someone who can organise a bit. I reckon he'll be back in the squad in January.
To be honest, Clark and Richardson as a left sided pair are the worst I've ever seen so I'd try Senderos for Clark and Lescott back in for Richardson.
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Someone mentioned Senderos recently which is interesting because whilst no-one was moaning about him being left out of the squad at the time, we could do with someone like him in the back line at the moment. An old head and someone who can organise a bit. I reckon he'll be back in the squad in January.
To be honest, Clark and Richardson as a left sided pair are the worst I've ever seen so I'd try Senderos for Clark and Lescott back in for Richardson.
Well we can't play Senderos until the new year anyway.
I thought Hutton had one of his better games yesterday and did hi best at one point to get the Holte End going, but overall him and Richardson are two average full backs.
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Someone mentioned Senderos recently which is interesting because whilst no-one was moaning about him being left out of the squad at the time, we could do with someone like him in the back line at the moment. An old head and someone who can organise a bit. I reckon he'll be back in the squad in January.
To be honest, Clark and Richardson as a left sided pair are the worst I've ever seen so I'd try Senderos for Clark and Lescott back in for Richardson.
Well we can't play Senderos until the new year anyway.
I thought Hutton had one of his better games yesterday and did hi best at one point to get the Holte End going, but overall him and Richardson are two average full backs.
I think average is a bit generous on Richardson. I don't think he's even got the legs for the championship now and Hutton is 31 tomorrow.
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Someone mentioned Senderos recently which is interesting because whilst no-one was moaning about him being left out of the squad at the time, we could do with someone like him in the back line at the moment. An old head and someone who can organise a bit. I reckon he'll be back in the squad in January.
To be honest, Clark and Richardson as a left sided pair are the worst I've ever seen so I'd try Senderos for Clark and Lescott back in for Richardson.
Well we can't play Senderos until the new year anyway.
I thought Hutton had one of his better games yesterday and did his best at one point to get the Holte End going, but overall him and Richardson are two average full backs.
I think average is a bit generous on Richardson. I don't think he's even got the legs for the championship now and Hutton is 31 tomorrow.
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I thought the same about the kick off FFD, the only thing I could think of was that they thought it might help us get off to a decent start.
Under normal circumstances you might take some encouragement from yesterday, we played some decent stuff and scored two good goals but the collection of clowns masquerading as a defence made sure that the opposition didn't have to travel home empty handed.
I thought that too - in isolation, yesterday wasn't too bad as defeats go. But taken in combination with crap that's gone, it's hard to take.
I remember under Graham Taylor1 we had a poor home run and switched around several times to attack the holte first half. I think it's just to try something different.
This shower may as well attack the Trinity Road Stand for what good it'll do.
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Lerner has sole responsibility for this, after MON walked out leaving us with overpaid journeyman stinking the club out
I've never really bought into this bitter and twisted jilted bride mentality many people have against O'Neill. The day he walked out was the day I knew we were in decline.
I wish we were being 'stunk out' in 6th place every year right now.
I'm with ya Mr W. I guess some folk find it easier to slag off the man who baled - rather than the idiot who displayed apparent commitment & loyalty. 'Funny old game ain't it?
And why did O'Neill walk? Because he had the rug pulled from under his feet by Lerner that's why. The chairman informed him they'd be no more big signings no more big wages and from now on we were to be run on a relative shoestring. O'Neill is no fool and he knew no top club could compete with such penny pinching so he walked. This is why we couldn't and still can't attract decent players or managers since, and this is why the last 5 years have been such a miserable experience.
This is just my opinion before anyone gets their knickers in a twist.
I fully concur (although I couldn't be arsed to offer my thoughts on the whole depressing matter). :(
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Lerner has sole responsibility for this, after MON walked out leaving us with overpaid journeyman stinking the club out
I've never really bought into this bitter and twisted jilted bride mentality many people have against O'Neill. The day he walked out was the day I knew we were in decline.
I wish we were being 'stunk out' in 6th place every year right now.
I'm with ya Mr W. I guess some folk find it easier to slag off the man who baled - rather than the idiot who displayed apparent commitment & loyalty. 'Funny old game ain't it?
And why did O'Neill walk? Because he had the rug pulled from under his feet by Lerner that's why. The chairman informed him they'd be no more big signings no more big wages and from now on we were to be run on a relative shoestring. O'Neill is no fool and he knew no top club could compete with such penny pinching so he walked. This is why we couldn't and still can't attract decent players or managers since, and this is why the last 5 years have been such a miserable experience.
This is just my opinion before anyone gets their knickers in a twist.
Had O Neill left in May he'd probably still be one of my favourite Villa managers. I don't actually blame him for going but surely these finance discussions were discussed in the tail end of the last season or during close season. To fuck off a week before the start of the season is what really bugged me. Whether the Milner sale (and getting Ireland in return) was the final straw I don't know. But O Neill could have left after the previous season with a lot of good will.
I think that marvellous spot of business was definitely the final straw. Good call Randy, that worked out real swell. You da man etc.
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Someone mentioned Senderos recently which is interesting because whilst no-one was moaning about him being left out of the squad at the time, we could do with someone like him in the back line at the moment. An old head and someone who can organise a bit. I reckon he'll be back in the squad in January.
To be honest, Clark and Richardson as a left sided pair are the worst I've ever seen so I'd try Senderos for Clark and Lescott back in for Richardson.
Well we can't play Senderos until the new year anyway.
I thought Hutton had one of his better games yesterday and did hi best at one point to get the Holte End going, but overall him and Richardson are two average full backs.
I think average is a bit generous on Richardson. I don't think he's even got the legs for the championship now and Hutton is 31 tomorrow.
Richardson is a past it midfielder and Lescott is a past it Defender. Might as well play a past it defender at left back than a past it midfielder.
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From what I saw of him last season, Senderos is the best defender we have at the club currently. Canny.
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Lerner has sole responsibility for this, after MON walked out leaving us with overpaid journeyman stinking the club out
I've never really bought into this bitter and twisted jilted bride mentality many people have against O'Neill. The day he walked out was the day I knew we were in decline.
I wish we were being 'stunk out' in 6th place every year right now.
I'm with ya Mr W. I guess some folk find it easier to slag off the man who baled - rather than the idiot who displayed apparent commitment & loyalty. 'Funny old game ain't it?
And why did O'Neill walk? Because he had the rug pulled from under his feet by Lerner that's why. The chairman informed him they'd be no more big signings no more big wages and from now on we were to be run on a relative shoestring. O'Neill is no fool and he knew no top club could compete with such penny pinching so he walked. This is why we couldn't and still can't attract decent players or managers since, and this is why the last 5 years have been such a miserable experience.
This is just my opinion before anyone gets their knickers in a twist.
Had O Neill left in May he'd probably still be one of my favourite Villa managers. I don't actually blame him for going but surely these finance discussions were discussed in the tail end of the last season or during close season. To fuck off a week before the start of the season is what really bugged me. Whether the Milner sale (and getting Ireland in return) was the final straw I don't know. But O Neill could have left after the previous season with a lot of good will.
I agree, and I think you're right about Milner being the final straw. If he had walked out at the end of the previous season he probably wouldn't be so unpopular as he is now but I doubt very much if that would have affected our decline. That was set in stone as soon as Lerner decided he couldn't give a flying fuck anymore.
Not being able to sign Robbie Keane and Aiden McGreedy was the final straw.
O'Neill thought he had kept his part of the sell to buy deal by flogging Milner. But the likes of Davies, Reo Coker, Luke Young and Shorey were still on the books.
Plus he already had three wingers on the books in Downing, Ashley Young and Albrighton, so I can actually understand the boards reluctance to throw money at a position we were well stocked in.
He wanted Ireland, according to Ireland himself.
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Lerner has sole responsibility for this, after MON walked out leaving us with overpaid journeyman stinking the club out
I've never really bought into this bitter and twisted jilted bride mentality many people have against O'Neill. The day he walked out was the day I knew we were in decline.
I wish we were being 'stunk out' in 6th place every year right now.
I'm with ya Mr W. I guess some folk find it easier to slag off the man who baled - rather than the idiot who displayed apparent commitment & loyalty. 'Funny old game ain't it?
And why did O'Neill walk? Because he had the rug pulled from under his feet by Lerner that's why. The chairman informed him they'd be no more big signings no more big wages and from now on we were to be run on a relative shoestring. O'Neill is no fool and he knew no top club could compete with such penny pinching so he walked. This is why we couldn't and still can't attract decent players or managers since, and this is why the last 5 years have been such a miserable experience.
This is just my opinion before anyone gets their knickers in a twist.
Had O Neill left in May he'd probably still be one of my favourite Villa managers. I don't actually blame him for going but surely these finance discussions were discussed in the tail end of the last season or during close season. To fuck off a week before the start of the season is what really bugged me. Whether the Milner sale (and getting Ireland in return) was the final straw I don't know. But O Neill could have left after the previous season with a lot of good will.
I agree, and I think you're right about Milner being the final straw. If he had walked out at the end of the previous season he probably wouldn't be so unpopular as he is now but I doubt very much if that would have affected our decline. That was set in stone as soon as Lerner decided he couldn't give a flying fuck anymore.
Not being able to sign Robbie Keane and Aiden McGreedy was the final straw.
O'Neill thought he had kept his part of the sell to buy deal by flogging Milner. But the likes of Davies, Reo Coker, Luke Young and Shorey were still on the books.
Plus he already had three wingers on the books in Downing, Ashley Young and Albrighton, so I can actually understand the boards reluctance to throw money at a position we were well stocked in.
He wanted Ireland, according to Ireland himself.
Even if all of what you've said is true, it doesn't address why Lerner suddenly pulled the investment plug & started the massive austerity trip: the 'dividends' of which is our inevitable relegation this season. Did MON leave when he did in order to punish the club after he didn't get his own way, or did he realise what Uncle Randolph's great new plan was after failing (again) to get his paws on the Champions League riches? I know what I think, but I'm open to new & contrary ideas.
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senderos and lescott are not the answer to any question
we need to blood some under 21's now to see if they are up to it ready for next season
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senderos and lescott are not the answer to any question
we need to blood some under 21's now to see if they are up to it ready for next season
Compared to Lescott or Richardson, Senderos is Baresi and Maldini rolled into one.
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Lerner's record of appointing managers is nothing short of shocking considering it was the previous regime that installed O'Neill.
Been thinking about it and I'm not so sure. I see the timeline post O'Neill as:
Houllier - big name, not a great season, illness prevented us seeing what might have been
McLeish - quite possibly the worst decision in the long history of the club
Lambert - popular appointment at the time, but was given far too much time when it was clear he was struggling
Sherwood - most could see he was only ever going to be a short term appointment and was found out after two months
Garde - probably brought in because the amount of French players signed.
Hindsight of course is a wonderful thing, but I look back to our defeat at QPR last October. I think that was the point at which time should have been called on Lambert. I know I'm going to take stick for this, but Pulis was available then and would have been the right appointment. Yes, he is a pretty odious character and is renowned for ugly football, but I have no doubt that with a bigger budget available to him than at Albion, we would be in a better place. He would in time have run his course, but like at Stoke and Palace, would have left so solid foundation on which another manager could have built.
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Lerner's record of appointing managers is nothing short of shocking considering it was the previous regime that installed O'Neill.
Been thinking about it and I'm not so sure. I see the timeline post O'Neill as:
Houllier - big name, not a great season, illness prevented us seeing what might have been
McLeish - quite possibly the worst decision in the long history of the club
Lambert - popular appointment at the time, but was given far too much time when it was clear he was struggling
Sherwood - most could see he was only ever going to be a short term appointment and was found out after two months
Garde - probably brought in because the amount of French players signed.
Hindsight of course is a wonderful thing, but I look back to our defeat at QPR last October. I think that was the point at which time should have been called on Lambert. I know I'm going to take stick for this, but Pulis was available then and would have been the right appointment. Yes, he is a pretty odious character and is renowned for ugly football, but I have no doubt that with a bigger budget available to him than at Albion, we would be in a better place. He would in time have run his course, but like at Stoke and Palace, would have left so solid foundation on which another manager could have built.
Agree. We cocked up missing Pulis. I dont care about his style, he could have brought stability to the club which is exactly what we need.
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Overall I think we were unlucky yesterday. All three goals were a avoidable. Lucky deflection off Clark for the first, bad luck on the second and a shocking bit of control from Hutton for the third. Why Richardson doesnt challenge Deeney or give Clark a shout for the third is also shocking
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Overall I think we were unlucky yesterday. All three goals were a avoidable. Lucky deflection off Clark for the first, bad luck on the second and a shocking bit of control from Hutton for the third. Why Richardson doesnt challenge Deeney or give Clark a shout for the third is also shocking
I dont think its luck when the back 5 includes Richardson, Clark and Guzan.
Its obvious that one or more of them will fuck up.Overall I think we were unlucky yesterday. All three goals were a avoidable. Lucky deflection off Clark for the first, bad luck on the second and a shocking bit of control from Hutton for the third. Why Richardson doesnt challenge Deeney or give Clark a shout for the third is also shocking
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I have just shown immense bravery and looked at the goals for the first time since I left the ground yesterday.
Fucking hell, it's even worse than watching them at the time.
I said at halftime yesterday that our defending was shocking, with players hacking, and slicing at the ball, and 'attacking' the ball with the wrong foot.
The defending, from the midfielders and the defenders was absolutely appalling, it would be laughable if it was so serious.
There is absolutely no composure in that team anymore.
No one wants to take control, no one can, or is able to LEAD, hence the shambles that we witnessed yesterday.
We do not look like a team. There is no cohesion, no spirit, and absolutley no bloody urgency in the team.
There cannot be another team in the premier league that passes the ball backwards as much as we do.
And, I have just remembered THAT free kick from Guzan, after about 3 mins.
What the flying fuck was that about!
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I have just shown immense bravery and looked at the goals for the first time since I left the ground yesterday.
Fucking hell, it's even worse than watching them at the time.
I said at halftime yesterday that our defending was shocking, with players hacking, and slicing at the ball, and 'attacking' the ball with the wrong foot.
The defending, from the midfielders and the defenders was absolutely appalling, it would be laughable if it was so serious.
There is absolutely no composure in that team anymore.
No one wants to take control, no one can, or is able to LEAD, hence the shambles that we witnessed yesterday.
We do not look like a team. There is no cohesion, no spirit, and absolutley no bloody urgency in the team.
There cannot be another team in the premier league that passes the ball backwards as much as we do.
And, I have just remembered THAT free kick from Guzan, after about 3 mins.
What the flying fuck was that about!
I think that Guzan has made them all so nervous that they just panick if the ball comes into the area, one of the most frightening sounds in football must be "Brads Ball"
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I have just shown immense bravery and looked at the goals for the first time since I left the ground yesterday.
Fucking hell, it's even worse than watching them at the time.
I said at halftime yesterday that our defending was shocking, with players hacking, and slicing at the ball, and 'attacking' the ball with the wrong foot.
The defending, from the midfielders and the defenders was absolutely appalling, it would be laughable if it was so serious.
There is absolutely no composure in that team anymore.
No one wants to take control, no one can, or is able to LEAD, hence the shambles that we witnessed yesterday.
We do not look like a team. There is no cohesion, no spirit, and absolutley no bloody urgency in the team.
There cannot be another team in the premier league that passes the ball backwards as much as we do.
And, I have just remembered THAT free kick from Guzan, after about 3 mins.
What the flying fuck was that about!
I think that Guzan has made them all so nervous that they just panick if the ball comes into the area, one of the most frightening sounds in football must be "Brads Ball"
Totally agree about Guzan. Easily the worst keeper in the Premier.
I think the biggest problem at Villa Park now is Randys lack of interest and involvement. He hasn't been to the ground in 2 years. Says it all really.
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senderos and lescott are not the answer to any question
we need to blood some under 21's now to see if they are up to it ready for next season
Compared to Lescott or Richardson, Senderos is Baresi and Maldini rolled into one.
Lets not right Lescott off just yet
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I have just shown immense bravery and looked at the goals for the first time since I left the ground yesterday.
Fucking hell, it's even worse than watching them at the time.
I said at halftime yesterday that our defending was shocking, with players hacking, and slicing at the ball, and 'attacking' the ball with the wrong foot.
The defending, from the midfielders and the defenders was absolutely appalling, it would be laughable if it was so serious.
There is absolutely no composure in that team anymore.
No one wants to take control, no one can, or is able to LEAD, hence the shambles that we witnessed yesterday.
We do not look like a team. There is no cohesion, no spirit, and absolutley no bloody urgency in the team.
There cannot be another team in the premier league that passes the ball backwards as much as we do.
And, I have just remembered THAT free kick from Guzan, after about 3 mins.
What the flying fuck was that about!
I haven't been able to bring myself to watch them yet. From where I was sat in the North Stand, it looked like their player who scored was offside. I'm presuming replays showed he wasn't.
Also, anyone in the North Stand lower see what happened at the front in block R5? Seemed to be a scuffle at one point, but was sorted out quite quickly.
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Not offside, there were three shite defenders there
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Richardson was asleep, about 3 yards behind play, playing everyone onside by miles.
It wasn't even close to being close!
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senderos and lescott are not the answer to any question
we need to blood some under 21's now to see if they are up to it ready for next season
Compared to Lescott or Richardson, Senderos is Baresi and Maldini rolled into one.
Lets not right Lescott off just yet
why not? in case he comes good lol
he is fucking shit and an appalling lazy signing
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senderos and lescott are not the answer to any question
we need to blood some under 21's now to see if they are up to it ready for next season
Compared to Lescott or Richardson, Senderos is Baresi and Maldini rolled into one.
Senderos is another one starting to get better the longer he doesnt play
He was appalling for Fulham during their relegation.
He is probably as slow as Lescott and at least as poor on the ball.
Lets forget about him, would be good to cut him and Lescott in Jan.
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senderos and lescott are not the answer to any question
we need to blood some under 21's now to see if they are up to it ready for next season
Compared to Lescott or Richardson, Senderos is Baresi and Maldini rolled into one.
Senderos is another one starting to get better the longer he doesnt play
He was appalling for Fulham during their relegation.
He is probably as slow as Lescott and at least as poor on the ball.
Lets forget about him, would be good to cut him and Lescott in Jan.
You can get away with being slow at centre half, just as long as you read the game ok, which he did, but which so far Lescott hasn't.
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The true Geordies feelings about his club probably echo how must of us feel about the Villa right now.
NSFW
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I have just shown immense bravery and looked at the goals for the first time since I left the ground yesterday.
Fucking hell, it's even worse than watching them at the time.
I said at halftime yesterday that our defending was shocking, with players hacking, and slicing at the ball, and 'attacking' the ball with the wrong foot.
The defending, from the midfielders and the defenders was absolutely appalling, it would be laughable if it was so serious.
There is absolutely no composure in that team anymore.
No one wants to take control, no one can, or is able to LEAD, hence the shambles that we witnessed yesterday.
We do not look like a team. There is no cohesion, no spirit, and absolutley no bloody urgency in the team.
There cannot be another team in the premier league that passes the ball backwards as much as we do.
And, I have just remembered THAT free kick from Guzan, after about 3 mins.
What the flying fuck was that about!
I think that Guzan has made them all so nervous that they just panick if the ball comes into the area, one of the most frightening sounds in football must be "Brads Ball"
Totally agree about Guzan. Easily the worst keeper in the Premier.
I think the biggest problem at Villa Park now is Randys lack of interest and involvement. He hasn't been to the ground in 2 years. Says it all really.
The Guzan situation sums up Villa under Lerner in a nutshell. Let go because he simply wasn't good enough, then brought back in when we realised PL standard goalkeepers demanded PL standard transfer fees and wages.
He isn't good enough, never has been and never will be, yet here he is still our number one goalkeeper.
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Very harsh.
He was fine in 2012/13 - probably a big factor in us staying up.
Looked OK in 2013-14 too.
Ropey from the second half of last season onward though, and can have no complaints if we bring in a replacement. Which we should have done in the summer, in all honesty.
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I have just shown immense bravery and looked at the goals for the first time since I left the ground yesterday.
Fucking hell, it's even worse than watching them at the time.
I said at halftime yesterday that our defending was shocking, with players hacking, and slicing at the ball, and 'attacking' the ball with the wrong foot.
The defending, from the midfielders and the defenders was absolutely appalling, it would be laughable if it was so serious.
There is absolutely no composure in that team anymore.
No one wants to take control, no one can, or is able to LEAD, hence the shambles that we witnessed yesterday.
We do not look like a team. There is no cohesion, no spirit, and absolutley no bloody urgency in the team.
There cannot be another team in the premier league that passes the ball backwards as much as we do.
And, I have just remembered THAT free kick from Guzan, after about 3 mins.
What the flying fuck was that about!
I think that Guzan has made them all so nervous that they just panick if the ball comes into the area, one of the most frightening sounds in football must be "Brads Ball"
Totally agree about Guzan. Easily the worst keeper in the Premier.
I think the biggest problem at Villa Park now is Randys lack of interest and involvement. He hasn't been to the ground in 2 years. Says it all really.
Well both of Watford's keepers were worse yesterday, and if you haven't seen it yet, look up Gomes' f##k up against Leicester a few weeks ago.
Guzan good enough? No, not really.
The worst in the league? You can make that argument.
Easily the worst? Nope, there's a few that can give him a run for that title.
In addition to the Watford pair and Pantilimon at Sunderland are just as unreliable.
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Lerner has sole responsibility for this, after MON walked out leaving us with overpaid journeyman stinking the club out
I've never really bought into this bitter and twisted jilted bride mentality many people have against O'Neill. The day he walked out was the day I knew we were in decline.
I wish we were being 'stunk out' in 6th place every year right now.
I'm with ya Mr W. I guess some folk find it easier to slag off the man who baled - rather than the idiot who displayed apparent commitment & loyalty. 'Funny old game ain't it?
And why did O'Neill walk? Because he had the rug pulled from under his feet by Lerner that's why. The chairman informed him they'd be no more big signings no more big wages and from now on we were to be run on a relative shoestring. O'Neill is no fool and he knew no top club could compete with such penny pinching so he walked. This is why we couldn't and still can't attract decent players or managers since, and this is why the last 5 years have been such a miserable experience.
This is just my opinion before anyone gets their knickers in a twist.
Had O Neill left in May he'd probably still be one of my favourite Villa managers. I don't actually blame him for going but surely these finance discussions were discussed in the tail end of the last season or during close season. To fuck off a week before the start of the season is what really bugged me. Whether the Milner sale (and getting Ireland in return) was the final straw I don't know. But O Neill could have left after the previous season with a lot of good will.
I agree, and I think you're right about Milner being the final straw. If he had walked out at the end of the previous season he probably wouldn't be so unpopular as he is now but I doubt very much if that would have affected our decline. That was set in stone as soon as Lerner decided he couldn't give a flying fuck anymore.
Not being able to sign Robbie Keane and Aiden McGreedy was the final straw.
O'Neill thought he had kept his part of the sell to buy deal by flogging Milner. But the likes of Davies, Reo Coker, Luke Young and Shorey were still on the books.
Plus he already had three wingers on the books in Downing, Ashley Young and Albrighton, so I can actually understand the boards reluctance to throw money at a position we were well stocked in.
He wanted Ireland, according to Ireland himself.
Even if all of what you've said is true, it doesn't address why Lerner suddenly pulled the investment plug & started the massive austerity trip: the 'dividends' of which is our inevitable relegation this season. Did MON leave when he did in order to punish the club after he didn't get his own way, or did he realise what Uncle Randolph's great new plan was after failing (again) to get his paws on the Champions League riches? I know what I think, but I'm open to new & contrary ideas.
Lerner pulled the plug because he realised that he didn't have the buying power anymore and at the same time we had players on huge contracts that were as good as on permant holiday. I am not knocking Lerner for cutting back it's how far and how fast he cut, that and the total lack of understanding of how to run a football club.
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Spot on ROBBO.
For everyone who thinks Lerner should have just kept pouring money in, which would have presumably involved keeping MON for at least another 2 seasons, how much would have been a reasonable point to say stop?
Bearing in mind the tab is now somewhere between £250 and £300M should he have gone for
£400M?
£500M?
£750M?
a nice round £1 Billion (which is where Abramovich, a man who makes Lerner look like a pauper, pretty much stopped and that was over a longer period than Lerner's been involved.)
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Spot on ROBBO.
For everyone who thinks Lerner should have just kept pouring money in, which would have presumably involved keeping MON for at least another 2 seasons, how much would have been a reasonable point to say stop?
Bearing in mind the tab is now somewhere between £250 and £300M should he have gone for
£400M?
£500M?
£750M?
a nice round £1 Billion (which is where Abramovich, a man who makes Lerner look like a pauper, pretty much stopped and that was over a longer period than Lerner's been involved.)
When you look at the losses we have run up in the last few years and you add this to the cut backs, it just shows how much of a financial mess we were in. Successive managers brought in players on wages that did not reflect what we got out of them on the pitch. I think the McLeish appointment and him bringing in CNZ, Given and Hutton was the turning point for Lerner and was our watershed.
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Lerner has sole responsibility for this, after MON walked out leaving us with overpaid journeyman stinking the club out
I've never really bought into this bitter and twisted jilted bride mentality many people have against O'Neill. The day he walked out was the day I knew we were in decline.
I wish we were being 'stunk out' in 6th place every year right now.
I'm with ya Mr W. I guess some folk find it easier to slag off the man who baled - rather than the idiot who displayed apparent commitment & loyalty. 'Funny old game ain't it?
And why did O'Neill walk? Because he had the rug pulled from under his feet by Lerner that's why. The chairman informed him they'd be no more big signings no more big wages and from now on we were to be run on a relative shoestring. O'Neill is no fool and he knew no top club could compete with such penny pinching so he walked. This is why we couldn't and still can't attract decent players or managers since, and this is why the last 5 years have been such a miserable experience.
This is just my opinion before anyone gets their knickers in a twist.
Had O Neill left in May he'd probably still be one of my favourite Villa managers. I don't actually blame him for going but surely these finance discussions were discussed in the tail end of the last season or during close season. To fuck off a week before the start of the season is what really bugged me. Whether the Milner sale (and getting Ireland in return) was the final straw I don't know. But O Neill could have left after the previous season with a lot of good will.
I agree, and I think you're right about Milner being the final straw. If he had walked out at the end of the previous season he probably wouldn't be so unpopular as he is now but I doubt very much if that would have affected our decline. That was set in stone as soon as Lerner decided he couldn't give a flying fuck anymore.
Not being able to sign Robbie Keane and Aiden McGreedy was the final straw.
O'Neill thought he had kept his part of the sell to buy deal by flogging Milner. But the likes of Davies, Reo Coker, Luke Young and Shorey were still on the books.
Plus he already had three wingers on the books in Downing, Ashley Young and Albrighton, so I can actually understand the boards reluctance to throw money at a position we were well stocked in.
He wanted Ireland, according to Ireland himself.
Even if all of what you've said is true, it doesn't address why Lerner suddenly pulled the investment plug & started the massive austerity trip: the 'dividends' of which is our inevitable relegation this season. Did MON leave when he did in order to punish the club after he didn't get his own way, or did he realise what Uncle Randolph's great new plan was after failing (again) to get his paws on the Champions League riches? I know what I think, but I'm open to new & contrary ideas.
Lerner pulled the plug because he realised that he didn't have the buying power anymore and at the same time we had players on huge contracts that were as good as on permant holiday. I am not knocking Lerner for cutting back it's how far and how fast he cut, that and the total lack of understanding of how to run a football club.
Thanks Robbo, that's pretty much how I interpreted the begining of our end. What I don't understand is why MON gets the blame by some for being culpable for us being left with players on long contracts when he suddenly upped & left. Admittedly he chose the players in the first place, but presumably it was the CEO arranging the contracts & Lerner effectively rubber-stamping them. The rest, unfortunately, is history: & a certain person still hasn't learnt the lessons - which to most of us seem blindingly obvious.
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Very harsh.
He was fine in 2012/13 - probably a big factor in us staying up.
Looked OK in 2013-14 too.
Ropey from the second half of last season onward though, and can have no complaints if we bring in a replacement. Which we should have done in the summer, in all honesty.
I lost count of the number of times yesterday he kicked the ball straight to a Watford player with a Villa player nowhere near. His kicking is poor.
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The true Geordies feelings about his club probably echo how must of us feel about the Villa right now.
NSFW
I know he and many Newcastle fans will enjoy watching us go down but I think he articulated my feelings about supporting Villa very well.
Fairplay to him.
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Now that relegation is pretty much confirmed, I might enjoy the rest of the season. It'll come too late but I think Garde will eventually get them into some form and we will win a few game and play with a bit of style.
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Now that relegation is pretty much confirmed, I might enjoy the rest of the season. It'll come too late but I think Garde will eventually get them into some form and we will win a few game and play with a bit of style.
Well, it's not pretty much confirmed is it? It's not looking great I admit, but we need to remain positive.
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Now that relegation is pretty much confirmed, I might enjoy the rest of the season. It'll come too late but I think Garde will eventually get them into some form and we will win a few game and play with a bit of style.
Well, it's not pretty much confirmed is it? It's not looking great I admit, but we need to remain positive.
It is statistically very, very unlikely that we'll stay up. I'll be the first to chip in 100 quid for a statue of Remi Garde if we beat the odds but I ain't gonna start saving.
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Now that relegation is pretty much confirmed, I might enjoy the rest of the season. It'll come too late but I think Garde will eventually get them into some form and we will win a few game and play with a bit of style.
Well, it's not pretty much confirmed is it? It's not looking great I admit, but we need to remain positive.
It is statistically very, very unlikely that we'll stay up. I'll be the first to chip in 100 quid for a statue of Remi Garde if we beat the odds but I ain't gonna start saving.
The bookies have us at 5 to one on for relegation. Sounds about right to me. Odds on but nowhere near "statistically very, very unlikely" that we'll stay up. Unless you think it's "statistically very, very unlikely" that you can throw a six with one roll of a dice.
Just because no-one has survived from this position in the 22 years of the premier league does not mean it's impossible.
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Another shambolic performance.
Many on here felt this was a mid-table squad being mis-managed by Tactics Tim, but on this performance, I think it's clear that as a group these players are not capable of playing football at this level.
The defence makes mistakes but for me the midfield is the real problem. Constantly giving the ball away, creating nothing, never getting control of a game, never protecting the back four. Abysmal to a man (whichever man) - Vertout was probably the best on Saturday, but he's still way short of being half way decent. Sanchez ... where do you start? When we're attacking he's behing our back four, when defending he's still on the same spot, but in this case way behind their attacking line. And that's before he's played them in nicely for yet another goal scoring opportunity by giving the ball away.
Whats' the answer? We can't 'play' football so 3 central defenders, 2 wing backs (we've got no full backs anyway), mop up pressure and play direct on counter.
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Very harsh.
He was fine in 2012/13 - probably a big factor in us staying up.
Looked OK in 2013-14 too.
Ropey from the second half of last season onward though, and can have no complaints if we bring in a replacement. Which we should have done in the summer, in all honesty.
He was excellent 2012 & 2013 calendar years. Top 6 keeper.
2014 his form dipped a bit.
2015 he has been all over the place.
Then again when your best defender is Phillip Senderos who gets better with every game he doesn't pla y there is some mitigation
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Another shambolic performance.
Many on here felt this was a mid-table squad being mis-managed by Tactics Tim, but on this performance, I think it's clear that as a group these players are not capable of playing football at this level.
The defence makes mistakes but for me the midfield is the real problem. Constantly giving the ball away, creating nothing, never getting control of a game, never protecting the back four. Abysmal to a man (whichever man) - Vertout was probably the best on Saturday, but he's still way short of being half way decent. Sanchez ... where do you start? When we're attacking he's behing our back four, when defending he's still on the same spot, but in this case way behind their attacking line. And that's before he's played them in nicely for yet another goal scoring opportunity by giving the ball away.
Whats' the answer? We can't 'play' football so 3 central defenders, 2 wing backs (we've got no full backs anyway), mop up pressure and play direct on counter.
The midfield created plenty, two goals and had 69% of the ball in the first half.
If you're defending as badly as we are, and look at the 10 goals we've shipped in the last four games and its no wonder why we are where we are. Watford's second and third were laughably poor goals to concede.
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The true Geordies feelings about his club probably echo how must of us feel about the Villa right now.
NSFW
I know he and many Newcastle fans will enjoy watching us go down but I think he articulated my feelings about supporting Villa very well.
Fairplay to him.
Top rant. He speaks for long-suffering supporters throughout the country. I actually zoned-out of his fully justified polemic about The Mags & - rather predictably - substituted the not dissimilar unholy shambles happening at VP. Frankly, it ain't exactly the start to the week I was hoping for... :(
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Now that relegation is pretty much confirmed, I might enjoy the rest of the season. It'll come too late but I think Garde will eventually get them into some form and we will win a few game and play with a bit of style.
Well, it's not pretty much confirmed is it? It's not looking great I admit, but we need to remain positive.
It is statistically very, very unlikely that we'll stay up. I'll be the first to chip in 100 quid for a statue of Remi Garde if we beat the odds but I ain't gonna start saving.
The bookies have us at 5 to one on for relegation. Sounds about right to me. Odds on but nowhere near "statistically very, very unlikely" that we'll stay up. Unless you think it's "statistically very, very unlikely" that you can throw a six with one roll of a dice.
Just because no-one has survived from this position in the 22 years of the premier league does not mean it's impossible.
The bookies' odds aren't a statistical measure, they're a reaction to market sentiment. Without doing the numbers, using a Bayesian approach, I'd guess we are >95% to drop. Off the top of my head 100% of teams in this position have dropped. As someone pointed out, we have the worst record of any team in the top four divisions over the past five years. I'll repeat, it is very very unlikely we'll stay up.
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The only good coming from Saturday is that going forward we had the best half of football from us this season. Why didn't we keep it up in the 2nd? That said, Traore was a spark when he came on and has to start the next game and every one after that.
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The bookies' odds aren't a statistical measure, they're a reaction to market sentiment. Without doing the numbers, using a Bayesian approach, I'd guess we are >95% to drop. Off the top of my head 100% of teams in this position have dropped. As someone pointed out, we have the worst record of any team in the top four divisions over the past five years. I'll repeat, it is very very unlikely we'll stay up.
Fair play but, without wanting to sound rude, the bit about a 'using a Bayesian approach' made me laugh out loud as statistics and the application of Bayes theory is part of my day job. If you really think we should be 1/20 for the drop then I'd lump on at 1/5.
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The second half started slowly, but I felt we were the better side. We then gifted them a goal out of absolutely nothing. Confidence bleed away as a result.
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The only good coming from Saturday is that going forward we had the best half of football from us this season. Why didn't we keep it up in the 2nd? That said, Traore was a spark when he came on and has to start the next game and every one after that.
The thing is I think we did keep it up, we were comfortably on top until Gomes went off but the break cut all the momentum from our attack and then the concentration of the defenders becomes the focus and that screws us over every time, all of our back 4 on saturday made mistakes where they were caught ball watching and let their man find space, whilst that carries on we won't improve, no matter how much better we are going forward.
On that note we really need a striker who wants to gamble in the box, both of their keepers looked like they were catching soap and yet none of our strikers gambled on them spilling the ball for a tap in. On top of that I don't think we shoot often enough. The injury to Gomes is a decent example, the ball came to Gil and he could've hit it first time, yes there was a defender covering it but with their keeper and a defender lying on the floor on the edge of the 6yard box you have to roll the dice rather than trying to work the space to give someone a tap in.
Goals conceded:
The first is just rank defending and goalkeeping, there's probably 3-4 chances to deal with that situation before he gets 1-1 and even then for me Guzan has to react much quicker to the deflection, you can leave him that much time 6-8yards out.
The second has a few issues in the build up but the final touch is easily the worst, going for that ball with his right foot was pathetic, use his left and the ball goes safely across the box where Clark and/or Richardson would be clear favourites to get on it and clear, Hutton deserves almost all of the criticism for that one for me.
The third is the worst of the lot, the final deflection and header I have no great problem with, he was always going to win that given the relative positions, but before that we had 3-4 chances to clear or get tackles in but we were unbelievably timid and just let them boss us. It is absolutely essential that we do something about the panic and passivity that our entire defence are plagued with.
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This is the worst Villa side I have ever seen and I have bee supporting them since 1966. Shame on Lerner for what he's done to our club.
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Apart from a dodgy keeper, an error strewn defence, a hap hazard midfield & a non existent forward line, we are in good shape.
The two teams Saturday were that shite it actually made for a good game, & has stated earlier in the thread, as I have accepted we will be relegated you can almost watch the games pressure free.
When the inevitable happens, do we stick with Garde or change again?
There are smalls shoots of better football under RG, but will he have what it takes to get us moving in the right direction again?
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This is the worst Villa side I have ever seen and I have bee supporting them since 1966.
Hmm I'm not sure, I once saw a Villa side play CAD Kineton (Army base) in a friendly match, they were OK considering who they were playing.
Come to think about it they did score 11 times, so forget what I was saying your right.
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Who the hell is Paddy Riley and what are his credentials to be in the type of position he holds? Will he come out of his bunker and tell us what his thinking is about the current situation and how we ended up there? I'm waiting for some management development guru to pick up on the last five years at Villa Park and use it a book as an object lesson on how to fail in business. Clueless amateurs from top to bottom and I include the current playing squad in that.
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Another shambolic performance.
Many on here felt this was a mid-table squad being mis-managed by Tactics Tim, but on this performance, I think it's clear that as a group these players are not capable of playing football at this level.
The defence makes mistakes but for me the midfield is the real problem. Constantly giving the ball away, creating nothing, never getting control of a game, never protecting the back four. Abysmal to a man (whichever man) - Vertout was probably the best on Saturday, but he's still way short of being half way decent. Sanchez ... where do you start? When we're attacking he's behing our back four, when defending he's still on the same spot, but in this case way behind their attacking line. And that's before he's played them in nicely for yet another goal scoring opportunity by giving the ball away.
Whats' the answer? We can't 'play' football so 3 central defenders, 2 wing backs (we've got no full backs anyway), mop up pressure and play direct on counter.
The midfield created plenty, two goals and had 69% of the ball in the first half.
If you're defending as badly as we are, and look at the 10 goals we've shipped in the last four games and its no wonder why we are where we are. Watford's second and third were laughably poor goals to concede.
I'd add the first goal to the list too, ball bouncing and ricocheting around like a pinball, Sanchez taking a wild swipe at the ball and it going no where, ball back in to the box, defender playing the last man onside. All round atrocious again from the back 4.
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Villa now 1/4 to get relegated and 7/2 to stay up. 7/2 can't be all bad. I thought maybe 10/1. £100 down William hills can pay for the summer hols..in Rhyl maybe?
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Prior to Saturday I was convinced that, given a few things going the right way, we could survive.
After my first visit of the season that optimism has all but drained away.
I saw a team who can play football but have no heart (Richards aside perhaps). The prime example was late in the game where the opposition goalkeeper was forced wide, out of his box. Gestede was the nearest player but until a roar of dissaproval came up from the crowd, he couldn't be bothered to close the 'keeper down.
Piss weak, cowardly, not me 'guv, bowed head acceptance, think of the money, have a go but not too much, look concerned for the cameras, say the right things to the press while rattling along to oblivion for the club but a tidy move with signing on fee for myself.
That's what I saw from the players on Saturday.
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I think we have analysed the situation to death now. Our famous old club has been hijacked by a bunch of egotistical wanabees at the top. We are being used as some kind of experiment in how to run a football club. The bottom line is this. The clubs mantra is this money ball bollox. You sell a couple of top drawer players and gamble on filling the squad with half a dozen players with "potential" & hope to uncover a diamond in the rough. Then do it all again. Voila......It's foolproof. The system can't fail can it Mr Fox,Mr Amstrad & Mr Riley?
Rant over.
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Fair play but, without wanting to sound rude, the bit about a 'using a Bayesian approach' made me laugh out loud as statistics and the application of Bayes theory is part of my day job. If you really think we should be 1/20 for the drop then I'd lump on at 1/5.
Same here - so you know I'm not wrong then. W.r.t taking a bet I will however invoke the Ron Saunders clause.
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Villa now 1/4 to get relegated and 7/2 to stay up. 7/2 can't be all bad. I thought maybe 10/1. £100 down William hills can pay for the summer hols..in Rhyl maybe?
I'd rather we went down than have to holiday in Rhyl ever again. There, I've said it.
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This is the worst Villa side I have ever seen and I have bee supporting them since 1966. Shame on Lerner for what he's done to our club.
Some people will say that there is a woman to blame....