Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Match Threads & Player Ratings => Topic started by: pauliewalnuts on December 05, 2015, 04:56:00 PM
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Well, it's better than losing all the time.
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Beat Arsenal next up, right back in it :o
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We played pretty well I thought.
Westwood missing that chance proper fucked me off.
I'd have snapped your hand off for a draw before the match mind. Good point.
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We didn't loose. Would of took that before the game especially with the injury to Richards. Shame we couldn't hold on but a point is ok.
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Unbeaten on the South coast all season. We should move Villa Park there.
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I'd have taken a draw before the game. And a point gained on 3 teams so far.
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It's a point gained on Sunderland, Norwich and (presumably) Bournemouth.
Gestede tried, but only Ayew offered any threat. We didn't put them under enough pressure.
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Were finished. No way will we get the point we need if we can't get them at places where they've had a bad spell.
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re going for three points, our confidence must be absolutely zero.
Losing today would have made that much worse. A point is not a significant mathematical contributor towards reaching safety, but to at least get us starting to think we can play a bit, to start building confidence, it is very important.
Going all out to try to win towards the end would have been monumentally stupid. That's the sort of thing earlier period Lambert would have done.
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Unbeaten on the South coast all season. We should move Villa Park there.
Yes please! Or maybe not come to think of it as I currently have distance as my excuse for not having to watch the unremitting shit we serve up
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Unbeaten on the South coast all season. We should move Villa Park there.
Erm, apart from in the League Cup.
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I've got a right sarsehole after all that clenching.
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Very good point but the same problems are not going to be addressed, the defence is a walking calamity, the midfield doesn't offer much and Gestede upfront is terrible. I'm happy to not lose again but can't see how we can stay up without buying 5 players who all pay off in January.
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Yeah... they could of been out of sight after the first 15, so getting a point isn't too bad considering we didn't do a lot to win the game either. Ayew was MOTM until he went up front, if we had a decent forward we'd be a hell of threat now that he's finding his feet.
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Very good point but the same problems are not going to be addressed, the defence is a walking calamity, the midfield doesn't offer much and Gestede upfront is terrible. I'm happy to not lose again but can't see how we can stay up without buying 5 players who all pay off in January.
We won't be in touching distance by then.
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Gestede tried not to fall over too much, but only Ayew offered any threat. We didn't put them under enough pressure.
Fixed
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Very good point but the same problems are not going to be addressed, the defence is a walking calamity, the midfield doesn't offer much and Gestede upfront is terrible. I'm happy to not lose again but can't see how we can stay up without buying 5 players who all pay off in January.
The only way we can get out of this is as you said, buy four or five players in January who all deliver.
However, that's only an option if we remain in touch with the other garbage at the arse end of the table.
We are awful, but there's - in terms of quality - not a lot between us and the likes of Newcastle, Sunderland, Bournemouth, Norwich.
Ignore everything else, just focus on keeping those within reach.
Get to January 10 or 12 points off them and we're dead no matter who we buy.
That's why a point was so important today. Keeps us clinging on, gives us something to boost confidence.
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A point you say? Fucking fantastic! A weekend when we haven't lost!
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Well pleased with a point, especially after their earlier profligacy with a hatful of easy chances. We could even have nicked it if Westwood was anything resembling a footballer, but I was bricking it in the 7th minute of 5 minutes time added on and with Shane Long on the pitch. Impressed with Gana, Ayew and Veretout, and great to see Okore get a full game under his belt.
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It might only be a point but fuck it...i'm off out to celebrate.
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We won't be in touching distance by then.
Cheer up, it's a good point.
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Guzan at fault again
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"Operation 11 points" is alive and well!
It's a point I didn't expect, let's hope we can go on just a little bit of a run now.
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Not sure how I feel after that.
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Are we really complaining about a point after what could have been 5-0 after 20 minutes? Yes, we're still monumentally shit, but ever so slightly less shit than last week. Right now, I'll take it.
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A great point. I thought we defended far better in the second half, having something to defend really helped their focus.
When they equalised I thought we showed a good attitude again. I agree with paulie, the point is more significant in helping us get some small amount of confidence, rather than just its mathematical value.
If gabby is fit, he's a better option than gestede. Ayew is a good player.
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Are we really complaining about a point after what could have been 5-0 after 20 minutes? Yes, we're still monumentally shit, but ever so slightly less shit than last week. Right now, I'll take it.
It's certainly better than 6-1.
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Arsenal, Newcastle, West Ham, Sunderland before the turn of the year. We need 6 points I think. 12 pts from 19 games, still terrible but just within distance.
I hope the ''transfer committee' have spent the last few months drawing up targets because we need them in sharpish, not last week of January shit, we need them for as many games as possible. Assuming we give it a go and do try to buy.
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We fucked up last week against Watford. Had we won that game a point today would be have even more significant and a tremendous platform to move on from. That said, we need to now build on this. Southampton away is never an easy place to go, and we could have been 3 or 4 down in the first 15 very easily. We survived, might have got the jammiest of wins, but in the end got away with a draw. I'll take it and hope we can get a point or more from every game going forward. We need wins, but this is better than losing.
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thought it was a good second half performance. Ayew was our best but Veretout continues to improve.
Gueye also had a good second half, Okore and Hutton improved and showed great commitment.
Even Guzan came out and claimed some tough balls.
But I saw nothing to suggest we will improve enough to make it out of the relegation zone.
The first thirty minutes were as bad as we have played over the past five years.
No idea what to do about the left back position until January but Okore will improve after the 90 mins today.
Guzan 6, Hutton 6, Okore 5, Lescott 4, Bacuna 4, Sanchez 4, Gueye 7, Veretout 7, Sinclair 5, Ayew 8, Gestede 3 - Westwood 5, Richardson 5, Gabby
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Most of the early bumbling came from a continuous stream of unchallenged crosses. We really have problems at full back. The centre of the defence looked solid enough. I do wonder whether the problem with playing both Richards and Lescott is that they both want to be top dog. Dropping either will make the other play appreciably better.
The contrast between the way Pelle worked tirelessly to close down our centre backs and Gestede's relaxed trotting is little short of embarrassing, and that is before you get to footballing ability.
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Are we really complaining about a point after what could have been 5-0 after 20 minutes? Yes, we're still monumentally shit, but ever so slightly less shit than last week. Right now, I'll take it.
No, the point is obviously a fine result. And I'm not asking them to have brought Adama on for Lescott and 'gone for it' Sherwood-style. But taking a minute and a half over every goal kick and throw in? I'm not so wild about that. I don't think it'll look all that great after we lose next week (and we will almost certainly lose).
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Good result. Okay display. Southampton weren't at the races which helped us. Ayew ran his socks off and caused them problems. I think he's head and shoulders our best attacker. Unfortunately Sinclair and Gestede offered little.
In defence we really rode our luck. Lescott and Okore got away with a few. Lescott did make some good blocks and clearences though, and of course got the goal.
In midfield Sanchez was typically Sanchez. Solid for the most part but an absolute nightmare every now and again. I don't know how he switches off so badly, so often, and almost always in positions that cause us huge problems. And what was with that "injury"? There seemed absolutely nothing in it. He's less "the rock" and more "the marshmallow." He's one of many that need turfing out to be honest.
I'm torn on Gana and Veretout. They have good engines. They work hard. THey're quite good on the ball, but neither really offers a cutting edge pass or an attacking threat and neither is probably solid enough to anchor a midfield. I think you need to play one of the other. We need a playmaker in midfield. Trouble is...we have no other options.
I thought Bacuna did okay today. Certainly he looked less worrying than Rico at left back. Hutton played well I thought. Hutton's not a very good player by any means but I like him for his determination. If the opposition put the ball on a truck and drove it toward goal, Hutton would throw himself in front of it.
Guzan had a couple of flaps but generally was solid and not too worrying with his kicking. In fact one punt up field to Ayew was pretty good.
It's a great result for us. I'd have snatched your hand off for a point, but I'm a little disappointed at conceding such a sloppy goal, because after we scored they rarely looked like troubling Guzan at the back. One good save aside he wasn't overly tested. We did ride our luck in the opening 30 minutes it must be said though.
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Positives from today..
Gueye, Vertout and especially Ayew all showed brilliant fight throughout. Something to build on.
Jores and Lescott did okay which is better than most weekends when we're talking central defence.
Hutton gave his all as ever and was rewarded by a fantastic dummy for Lescott's goal.
A point is better than nothing and something to build on.
Everybody gave it their all, heads and hearts are still there after the Watford defeat.
I still believe come the end of the season the bottom 3 will set a new lowest points record for relegated teams.
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Are we really complaining about a point after what could have been 5-0 after 20 minutes? Yes, we're still monumentally shit, but ever so slightly less shit than last week. Right now, I'll take it.
No, the point is obviously a fine result. And I'm not asking them to have brought Adama on for Lescott and 'gone for it' Sherwood-style. But taking a minute and a half over every goal kick and throw in? I'm not so wild about that. I don't think it'll look all that great after we lose next week (and we will almost certainly lose).
So having lost 2 and pretty much written next week off, don't you think a point today is vital rather than risk 4 straight defeats?
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Goalkeeper who doesn't make you shit your pants.
Big hard no fucking around centre back.
Left back who isn't a complete donut.
Centre mid, holding player who can pass to replace Sanchez, he's not going to make it in this division.
Someone to lead the line.
That's the bare minimum I think we need to stay up and you're looking at £35-40m.
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Hate to be negative, but we needed to win.
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It might only be a point but fuck it...i'm off out to celebrate.
Me too, I've just had some soup.
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I think the biggest thing about today is the fact that we battled.
Not always well, and not always effective, but it seemed to me that we played for each other and tried to get stuck in.
A million times better than at Everton, and a hundred times better than last week.
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Are we really complaining about a point after what could have been 5-0 after 20 minutes? Yes, we're still monumentally shit, but ever so slightly less shit than last week. Right now, I'll take it.
No, the point is obviously a fine result. And I'm not asking them to have brought Adama on for Lescott and 'gone for it' Sherwood-style. But taking a minute and a half over every goal kick and throw in? I'm not so wild about that. I don't think it'll look all that great after we lose next week (and we will almost certainly lose).
So having lost 2 and pretty much written next week off, don't you think a point today is vital rather than risk 4 straight defeats?
Or possibly gain a win. Southampton looked shaky.
Look, I'm not asking for mad flooding forward here, just not to look like a lower division team just happy for the day out and scrabbling for a result of unexpected dignity. We didn't need to commit forward, but I'm really not sure we needed to do what we did. It reminds me of McLeish's post-Stoke draw fist pump.
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Hadn't realised who the three subs were who came on, I hope come the end of January they aren't anywhere near the first team.
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Well done on the point Villa - only 30-odd to go now!!!!
Well done on the support as always - you amaze me...
Happy supping this week
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After the first 18mins when we should have been 5-0 down I thought we played well. Ayew continued his good form of late,Gana put in a wholehearted performance. Veretout showed in patches what he can do as well. Quite happy with a point although Westwood should have at least got his effort between the posts. With the players available that was encouraging.
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Good result, and irrespective of how shite we've been this season we're still not relegated yet. Loads still to play for.
Come on Villa!
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Goalkeeper who doesn't make you shit your pants.
Big hard no fucking around centre back.
Left back who isn't a complete donut.
Centre mid, holding player who can pass to replace Sanchez, he's not going to make it in this division.
Someone to lead the line.
That's the bare minimum I think we need to stay up and you're looking at £35-40m.
Even if we get that lot in January, we'd have to go on a ridiculous run to stay up. I'm resigned to it now. Can't fucking believe it's going to happen. After 4 years of thinking, phew, that was close, well obviously we'll sort it out now!
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Good result, and irrespective of how shite we've been this season we're still not relegated yet. Loads still to play for.
Come on Villa!
If only we were playing.
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It might only be a point but fuck it...i'm off out to celebrate.
Me too, I've just had some soup.
I judge this result by the fact that a) I'm only now on my first Pimm's of the day (usually it starts shortly after 3:00) b) It's a celebratory Pimm's - Looking at the starting line-up I thought we'd be mauled. A point is a good result in the context of this nightmare.
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Goalkeeper who doesn't make you shit your pants.
Big hard no fucking around centre back.
Left back who isn't a complete donut.
Centre mid, holding player who can pass to replace Sanchez, he's not going to make it in this division.
Someone to lead the line.
That's the bare minimum I think we need to stay up and you're looking at £35-40m.
I think the bare minimum there is the keeper, left back and striker. I think our midfielders could all be improved upon, but they can do a job. Okore and lescott were shocking in the first half hour today but settled down after that. A centre back would help but if I could only pick 3 it would be those, really unfortunate that Amavi injured himself when he did.
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Saints should have been out of sight in the first half.
We were all over the placebut that defence was thrown together.
Thepositives were some fight from a lot of players and good to see Okore back. Ayew could be very good, Sinclair a bit annonymous again.Gestede Cart horse and Guzan should have dealt with the corner that they scored from
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It's going to be interesting what happens when Richards is back fit. Does he drop Lescott? Does he drop Okore?
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Agreed that there is some major surgery required on this squad.
Whether Garde can both get some in and make something of them will be the challenge.
How did Okore fare today? - he has been touted on here for a while as the Big Hope in bolstering our back line. Did he look reasonable today?
Would he enable Garde to put Richards at RB and Hutton at LB?
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Saints should have been out of sight in the first half.
We were all over the placebut that defence was thrown together.
Thepositives were some fight from a lot of players and good to see Okore back. Ayew could be very good, Sinclair a bit annonymous again.Gestede Cart horse and Guzan should have dealt with the corner that they scored from
I think Sinclair is a dud. Gestede likewise.
We really do need credible alternatives, and soon.
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Good point.
We really are a bag of shite however.
Rudy a footballer? Amazing.
Onwards,,,,,,,,,,
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Agreed that there is some major surgery required on this squad.
Whether Garde can both get some in and make something of them will be the challenge.
How did Okore fare today? - he has been touted on here for a while as the Big Hope in bolstering our back line. Did he look reasonable today?Looked like a bloke short of match fitness but got stronger, i like him.
Would he enable Garde to put Richards at RB and Hutton at LB?
Its the other centreback though if you play Richards at Right Back.
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Surely Kozak is a better bet than Gestede? And why not try Adama for Sinclair? His pace will worry any defence. Sinclair offers very little.
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Agreed that there is some major surgery required on this squad.
Whether Garde can both get some in and make something of them will be the challenge.
How did Okore fare today? - he has been touted on here for a while as the Big Hope in bolstering our back line. Did he look reasonable today?Looked like a bloke short of match fitness but got stronger, i like him.
Would he enable Garde to put Richards at RB and Hutton at LB?
Its the other centreback though if you play Richards at Right Back.
True, but I was thinking more of the LB situation.
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I'd be hoping/praying for the defence to look like this.
New keeper
New leftback
Richards right back
Okore
New centre back
Any combination of the current defenders look like a comedy act, we need leaders and a physical prescence at the back. Starting with replacing the clown Guzan.
Sinclair works hard for the team defensively helping but has become completely anonymous going forward, if we had more solid full backs then Traore for Sinclair would seem a nailed on easy decision but our wide areas are such a weakness I can see why the manager won't commit to playing someone who won't help back so much.
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Under Garde we have taken points out of Man City and Saints. I'm happy with that and I thought there were signs of improvement against Watford as well. Not sure we are progressing quick enough but we are improving. We desperately need a win and to them follow it up with a draw/win to build a bit of belief, it is a big ask but we aren't dead yet!
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Under Garde we have taken points out of Man City and Saints. I'm happy with that and I thought there were signs of improvement against Watford as well. Not sure we are progressing quick enough but we are improving. We desperately need a win and to them follow it up with a draw/win to build a bit of belief, it is a big ask but we aren't dead yet!
We need to win our home games to stay up. Away points are a bonus but if we are to stay in this league we have to get it right at home. Our players look terrified at Villa Park.
Still time to get it right though.
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Under Garde we have taken points out of Man City and Saints. I'm happy with that and I thought there were signs of improvement against Watford as well. Not sure we are progressing quick enough but we are improving. We desperately need a win and to them follow it up with a draw/win to build a bit of belief, it is a big ask but we aren't dead yet!
We need to win our home games to stay up. Away points are a bonus but if we are to stay in this league we have to get it right at home. Our players look terrified at Villa Park.
Still time to get it right though.
And, as you're aware, our home form has been shocking for years ...
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The 9 games after the Arsenal game will decide if we stay up or not I reckon.
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I thought that after initial problems Okore and Lescott looked like they have the making of a reasonable partnership. I'd stick Richards in at right back and move Hutton across to left back.
Small steps and I think a few tentative glimpses of potential. We need a minor miracle but things are looking a little more positive.
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Even if we were comfortable in mid-table, that would still be a good result today. Southampton may be having a blip, but they're a handy side and although they battered us for a spell at the start, I thought we grew in confidence as the game went on.
If can pick up a few points here and there between now and January, and make some useful signings in key positions, we might just about stand some kind of chance of getting out of this.
And that's as much optimism as you're going to get from me!
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An unexpected point. We're still going down but hopefully we won't beat Derby's lowest point record.
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Surely Kozak is a better bet than Gestede? And why not try Adama for Sinclair? His pace will worry any defence. Sinclair offers very little.
Offensively you are correct, but Sinclair does track back and support Hutton and right now that is very important. Gil doesn't track back too well either and it's why I suspect he was on (and stayed on) the bench.
Had Sanchez not been looking for snuggle time with Romelu instead of marking him, I doubt Southampton would have scored. I would have taken a point before the game so will be happy with it now, but we were within touching distance of 3 points and a big confidence boost.
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Great point
The empire has just struck back
Utv
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Goalkeeper who doesn't make you shit your pants.
Big hard no fucking around centre back.
Left back who isn't a complete donut.
Centre mid, holding player who can pass to replace Sanchez, he's not going to make it in this division.
Someone to lead the line.
That's the bare minimum I think we need to stay up and you're looking at £35-40m.
Sadly that's exactly what we need. Not likely is it.
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Have been watch Stourbridge today so not seen any action from Southampton, but a point there is a decent result.
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Chin up folks, some posts on here sound disappointed we didn't lose. If we can get a point at Saints we can get enough points to stay up. Keep the faith.
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move Hutton across to left back.
I can't see any positives in doing that.
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I'd be hoping/praying for the defence to look like this.
New keeper
New leftback
Richards right back
Okore
New centre back
Any combination of the current defenders look like a comedy act, we need leaders and a physical prescence at the back. Starting with replacing the clown Guzan.
Sinclair works hard for the team defensively helping but has become completely anonymous going forward, if we had more solid full backs then Traore for Sinclair would seem a nailed on easy decision but our wide areas are such a weakness I can see why the manager won't commit to playing someone who won't help back so much.
The stuff about the back four is another thing that annoys me about Sherwood's "legacy". Senderos, if fit, has been left unavailable for selection til January. Couple that with the decision to send Baker out on a season-long loan (when there was a rumour over the summer of the stripeys being interested in Clark, I'd have let him go, and kept Baker. Baker had played well at the tail end of last season. And, for me, he plays like someone that thinks they're a centre-half. Clark, on the other, annoys the shit out of me, because he plays like he's under the misguided belief that he's a footballer). We weren't exactly blessed with options at the back, so those two decisions are coming back to give us at least a little nibble on the arse.
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Very pleased with that result.
The first twenty minutes were as ropey as last time in the league; hacking and panicking, Guzan rooted to the spot, cheaply giving it away. I thought if we could just weather it though then we'd have a chance.
Confidence is huge and in the second half I felt you could see it coming back. Taking players on, tough in the tackle, a little quicker in the running.
Southampton didn't really create a great deal at all and the was a lot more even.
Veretout impressed, as did Gana and Ayew. Okore recovered well and Lescott didn't look a pub player either, even Guzan came for balls!
A confidence boosting point where we ran and battled at the death, showed our nouse and slowed it down.
They need to build on this.
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Goalkeeper who doesn't make you shit your pants.
Big hard no fucking around centre back.
Left back who isn't a complete donut.
Centre mid, holding player who can pass to replace Sanchez, he's not going to make it in this division.
Someone to lead the line.
That's the bare minimum I think we need to stay up and you're looking at £35-40m.
Sadly that's exactly what we need. Not likely is it.
what we need is a combined raging juggernaut of fans, players and manager!!!
a la leicester ,surejy that's not beyond the realms
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According to their manager they played better today in that initial 20 minutes than they did at the end of last season when they went 4-0 up. It's a decent point and if (and it's a massive if) we could somehow get 4 points from our next 2 games, I reckon we'd only be 2 or 3 points from safety, looking at who the others around us have got to play in their next 2.
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According to their manager they played better today in that initial 20 minutes than they did at the end of last season when they went 4-0 up. It's a decent point and if (and it's a massive if) we could somehow get 4 points from our next 2 games, I reckon we'd only be 2 or 3 points from safety, looking at who the others around us have got to play in their next 2.
I admire the optimism but we've been atrocious in almost every game since Leicester.
Not just poor football, calamitous.
I've not seen a poorer team in the league.
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We weren't atrocious today and that's what Garde needs to hammer home.
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We're an awful team, I know that, but let's not pretend there won't be many more twists and turns before the season ends. I'm not throwing in the towel just yet, thanks.
Stay in touch till January, let Garde get a few of his players in and you never know.
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We weren't atrocious today and that's what Garde needs to hammer home.
We could've easily been 3-0 down in 20 minutes just like last year though.
A point is decent as we didn't deserve anything really but can anyone see this squad getting another 30 points, we have no chance.
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Inportant point to keep us in touch. Need to just keep gaining on teams.
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We're an awful team, I know that, but let's not pretend there won't be many more twists and turns before the season ends. I'm not throwing in the towel just yet, thanks.
Stay in touch till January, let Garde get a few of his players in and you never know.
Yep I'm with you all the way. Garde is really limited in his options right now. The back four and goalkeeper are a huge liability. He needs to get that fixed sharpish and add some strength to the midfield. We need 4 additions in January. 4 good additions that will cost a bit no doubt but which pales in significance the money we'd lose by not doing it.
And honest to goodness Richardson, Westwood and Gestede are just hideous.
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According to their manager they played better today in that initial 20 minutes than they did at the end of last season when they went 4-0 up. It's a decent point and if (and it's a massive if) we could somehow get 4 points from our next 2 games, I reckon we'd only be 2 or 3 points from safety, looking at who the others around us have got to play in their next 2.
I admire the optimism but we've been atrocious in almost every game since Leicester.
Not just poor football, calamitous.
I've not seen a poorer team in the league.
Believe me I've spent this week accepting what life is going to be like in the 2nd tier, almost having a strange feeling of looking forward to it. It just seems that the teams around us are doing their best to stay within touching distance of us and Swansea seem to be dropping like a stone.
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I'm on the train with Pompey fans, who are relieved that they've just beaten Accrington 1-0. Will this be us in a few seasons?
Obviously it was pleasing to get a point and the team deserve credit for a battling performance in the 2nd half. In the 1st half we were completely outplayed and I was sure that, even if we scored, we'd still end up being well beaten. This time we didn't cave in, and that's encouraging.
But we were lucky. The game should have been over by half time, as it was when we were last there in the league. Southampton wasted chance after chance. On another day or against a better team the defensive mistakes would have been punished.
We never looked like winners, and haven't for some time. We've said often enough that Gestede isn't a PL player but most of the others are average at best. Without reinforcements we will go down. We need players who can do more than battle. We need players who can win games.
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I'm on the train with Pompey fans, who are relieved that they've just beaten Accrington 1-0. Will this be us in a few seasons?
Obviously it was pleasing to get a point and the team deserve credit for a battling performance in the 2nd half. In the 1st half we were completely outplayed and I was sure that, even if we scored, we'd still end up being well beaten. This time we didn't cave in, and that's encouraging.
But we were lucky. The game should have been over by half time, as it was when we were last there in the league. Southampton wasted chance after chance. On another day or against a better team the defensive mistakes would have been punished.
We never looked like winners, and haven't for some time. We've said often enough that Gestede isn't a PL player but most of the others are average at best. Without reinforcements we will go down. We need players who can do more than battle. We need players who can win games.
It's a bit of jump isn't it to go from bottom of the PL in December to broke and in league 2?
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We weren't atrocious today and that's what Garde needs to hammer home.
We could've easily been 3-0 down in 20 minutes just like last year though.
Add another five decent chances and a couple of ridiculous balls ups.
Don't get me wrong, I'm happy with the point!
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We weren't atrocious today and that's what Garde needs to hammer home.
We could've easily been 3-0 down in 20 minutes just like last year though.
A point is decent as we didn't deserve anything really but can anyone see this squad getting another 30 points, we have no chance.
We got exactly what we deserved. Until they start awarding goals for sticking it over the bar or points for having 20 minutes of good pressure without capitalising, then its little more than could have would have.
They could have been two up against Liverpool, but they got what they deserved.
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I'd be hoping/praying for the defence to look like this.
New keeper
New leftback
Richards right back
Okore
New centre back
Any combination of the current defenders look like a comedy act, we need leaders and a physical prescence at the back. Starting with replacing the clown Guzan.
Sinclair works hard for the team defensively helping but has become completely anonymous going forward, if we had more solid full backs then Traore for Sinclair would seem a nailed on easy decision but our wide areas are such a weakness I can see why the manager won't commit to playing someone who won't help back so much.
The stuff about the back four is another thing that annoys me about Sherwood's "legacy". Senderos, if fit, has been left unavailable for selection til January. Couple that with the decision to send Baker out on a season-long loan (when there was a rumour over the summer of the stripeys being interested in Clark, I'd have let him go, and kept Baker. Baker had played well at the tail end of last season. And, for me, he plays like someone that thinks they're a centre-half. Clark, on the other, annoys the shit out of me, because he plays like he's under the misguided belief that he's a footballer). We weren't exactly blessed with options at the back, so those two decisions are coming back to give us at least a little nibble on the arse.
Revisionist nonsense, Nathan Baker is a poor defender, sent off today for Bristol, and made of glass. Senderos is also awful, injury prone, ridiculously slow and wasn't arsed even getting himself a loan move last summer.
The answers to our defensive woes are not bringing back any of the defenders who we have out on loan. Cissokho, Bennett - two other dreadful defenders.
Clark for all his faults has been our best defender over the past 12 months. He was shocking for Watford's third goal but Okore/Clark is our best bet at centre half.
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I'm on the train with Pompey fans, who are relieved that they've just beaten Accrington 1-0. Will this be us in a few seasons?
Obviously it was pleasing to get a point and the team deserve credit for a battling performance in the 2nd half. In the 1st half we were completely outplayed and I was sure that, even if we scored, we'd still end up being well beaten. This time we didn't cave in, and that's encouraging.
But we were lucky. The game should have been over by half time, as it was when we were last there in the league. Southampton wasted chance after chance. On another day or against a better team the defensive mistakes would have been punished.
We never looked like winners, and haven't for some time. We've said often enough that Gestede isn't a PL player but most of the others are average at best. Without reinforcements we will go down. We need players who can do more than battle. We need players who can win games.
It's a bit of jump isn't it to go from bottom of the PL in December to broke and in league 2?
I'm not saying that we'll go all the way down immediately but I worry that if we do get relegated we won't go straight back up as we did in 1988. And once we get stuck in the 2nd tier, when the revenue diminishes and we can no longer attract good players, we could end up falling further. Of course I don't want this to happen but I don't agree with those who say that if we go down we'll come back stronger. There are plenty of big clubs who are stuck in the lower leagues.
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And none of those 'big' clubs are anywhere near the size of us.
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We weren't atrocious today and that's what Garde needs to hammer home.
We could've easily been 3-0 down in 20 minutes just like last year though.
A point is decent as we didn't deserve anything really but can anyone see this squad getting another 30 points, we have no chance.
We got exactly what we deserved. Until they start awarding goals for sticking it over the bar or points for having 20 minutes of good pressure without capitalising, then its little more than could have would have.
We are bottom because most of the time you do get punished.
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Meanwhile Bournemouth are winning 😂😂😂😂
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Meanwhile Bournemouth are winning 😂😂😂😂
Have won
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We're an awful team, I know that, but let's not pretend there won't be many more twists and turns before the season ends. I'm not throwing in the towel just yet, thanks.
Stay in touch till January, let Garde get a few of his players in and you never know.
Yep I'm with you all the way. Garde is really limited in his options right now. The back four and goalkeeper are a huge liability. He needs to get that fixed sharpish and add some strength to the midfield. We need 4 additions in January. 4 good additions that will cost a bit no doubt but which pales in significance the money we'd lose by not doing it.
And honest to goodness Richardson, Westwood and Gestede are just hideous.
Bringing in Westwood on the left wing was a weird decision from Garde
He scores that chance, we win and Garde is a genius I guess but it doesnt say much for Traore, Gabby or Richardson which were all more obvious choices to come in
I get the feeling Garde really doesnt rate Traore or Gabby
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We're an awful team, I know that, but let's not pretend there won't be many more twists and turns before the season ends. I'm not throwing in the towel just yet, thanks.
Stay in touch till January, let Garde get a few of his players in and you never know.
Yep I'm with you all the way. Garde is really limited in his options right now. The back four and goalkeeper are a huge liability. He needs to get that fixed sharpish and add some strength to the midfield. We need 4 additions in January. 4 good additions that will cost a bit no doubt but which pales in significance the money we'd lose by not doing it.
And honest to goodness Richardson, Westwood and Gestede are just hideous.
Bringing in Westwood on the left wing was a weird decision from Garde
He scores that chance, we win and Garde is a genius I guess but it doesnt say much for Traore, Gabby or Richardson which were all more obvious choices to come in
I get the feeling Garde really doesnt rate Traore or Gabby
Gabby is just back from injury and that was not the time for Traore. The performance was built on every player busting a gut to defend, and he would have unbalanced that. Gabby got back in his very brief cameo, Traore just doesn't do that now. Gana patrolled the left hand side for most of the game and Westwood came on when he tired. I think Garde has seen that we are being heavily targeted down that side in the absence of Amavi and is trying to protect the full back much better.
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Meanwhile Bournemouth are winning 😂😂😂😂
Who looked solid throughout unlike us.
I just dint understnad how a rag bag of players at Bournemouth look so much better than us. They have won today, came back against Everton and were unlucky not to win at Swansea.
Watford and Bournemouth being better than us........who would have belived that. Dont get me started on Leicester
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The 9 games after the Arsenal game will decide if we stay up or not I reckon.
the next five for me, we must win at least two of newcastle, west ham, norwich and sunderland
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Great point
The empire has just struck back
Utv
Yes. We also have Jar Jar Binks at number 39.
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I don't like to single anyone out but I've got to say, I think Westwood missed that chance because he was scared of taking a hit after hitting the badmkk
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Meanwhile Bournemouth are winning 😂😂😂😂
Who looked solid throughout unlike us.
I just dint understnad how a rag bag of players at Bournemouth look so much better than us. They have won today, came back against Everton and were unlucky not to win at Swansea.
Watford and Bournemouth being better than us........who would have belived that. Dont get me started on Leicester
Bournmouth are a team who won the league last season , even with injuries they are still riding on that success and have a settled style of play /players and Chelsea are awful this season
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We played a game of football and didn't lose. I'll take that for now.
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After predicting a 4-0 thrashing, I'm pretty pleased with that point. Rode our luck according to UKR-updates but who knows what might happen?
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Happy with a point as expected a defeat. Can't control the other results. Bournemouth winning is annoying but these things are going to happen, it'd just be nice if it was us once in a while.
Still not enough evidence to suggest anything other than relegation though, we've blown it with our home points return.
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We've also got a hard set of away fixtures left, which could quite realistically end up with us picking up just a handful of points meaning we need to win a huge amount of home games. I can't see it, we are sunk but need to show some pride, commitment and the desire to win games again before we do go.
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Meanwhile Bournemouth are winning 😂😂😂😂
Who looked solid throughout unlike us.
I just dint understnad how a rag bag of players at Bournemouth look so much better than us. They have won today, came back against Everton and were unlucky not to win at Swansea.
Watford and Bournemouth being better than us........who would have belived that. Dont get me started on Leicester
Bournmouth are a team who won the league last season , even with injuries they are still riding on that success and have a settled style of play /players and Chelsea are awful this season
I would say building on it, not riding on it
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Your not going to win with The Pantomime Horse up front.. Ayew, Gueye, Vertout were fantastic.
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I'm sorry, but a point is no use whatsoever whatever the circumstances, and the time-wasting at the end was bordering on the farcical.
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We weren't atrocious today and that's what Garde needs to hammer home.
We could've easily been 3-0 down in 20 minutes just like last year though.
A point is decent as we didn't deserve anything really but can anyone see this squad getting another 30 points, we have no chance.
We got exactly what we deserved. Until they start awarding goals for sticking it over the bar or points for having 20 minutes of good pressure without capitalising, then its little more than could have would have.
They could have been two up against Liverpool, but they got what they deserved.
O.k when we start playing like that and miss a hatful in first 20 minutes but at least have coherent attacks then I'll start to believe we can stay up as we'd have a basis to win games then. There is a reason Southampton are comfortable in mid table with no danger at all of being relegated, you could see that today even if they couldn't finish their dinner.
A point is o.k if we can build on it e.g. scrap a point against an Arsenal side with half it's team in A&E next week, Sunderland played alright against them today and weren't far off a point. Then go to Newcastle and win and then maybe beat West Ham aswell.
Or will it be a false dawn like v Man. City as the reality again is we create very little going forward.
I know which one is most likely.
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Other than the first 10 minutes, I thought it was pretty even.
Some better decision making in the final third and we could have had more.
Veretout is looking better and is a much better option at free kicks and corner.
Okore was very good.
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We weren't atrocious today and that's what Garde needs to hammer home.
We could've easily been 3-0 down in 20 minutes just like last year though.
A point is decent as we didn't deserve anything really but can anyone see this squad getting another 30 points, we have no chance.
We got exactly what we deserved. Until they start awarding goals for sticking it over the bar or points for having 20 minutes of good pressure without capitalising, then its little more than could have would have.
They could have been two up against Liverpool, but they got what they deserved.
O.k when we start playing like that and miss a hatful in first 20 minutes but at least have coherent attacks then I'll start to believe we can stay up as we'd have a basis to win games then. There is a reason Southampton are comfortable in mid table with no danger at all of being relegated, you could see that today even if they couldn't finish their dinner.
A point is o.k if we can build on it e.g. scrap a point against an Arsenal side with half it's team in A&E next week, Sunderland played alright against them today and weren't far off a point. Then go to Newcastle and win and then maybe beat West Ham aswell.
Or will it be a false dawn like v Man. City as the reality again is we create very little going forward.
I know which one is most likely.
Southampton were fucking awful in the first 20 minutes. Missed loads of chances.
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They still created lots of stuff through quick passing and one twos. Football I want to see us play at some stage this side.
Is that much different to us missing a few first half chances v Watford last week and people declaring that was the best we've played in ages.
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Southampton were fucking awful in the first 20 minutes. Missed loads of chances.
PTV has a point: you have to be particularly shite not to score against Aston Villa from four or five chances
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It's going to be interesting what happens when Richards is back fit. Does he drop Lescott? Does he drop Okore?
Could play Richards at right back or CB in a 3-5-2 formation? However I'd like an Okore - Richards CB patnership with Calamity Clark at LB and Lescott on the bench.
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Great point
The empire has just struck back
Utv
Yes. We also have Jar Jar Binks at number 39.
I wish we did!
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Throught the midfield after the first 20 mins or so where pretty decent.Sanchez and Gueye put in alot of work the latter looked more like he did in our early games in season.season. Veretout it seems has been told to support the attacks more and he was defenitly trying to run past Gestede at times and put in one lovely cross after he got away from 3 Soton players only for Gestede to completely miss the ball
Hutton looked very nervy at times but got better and made one great block from a Davies goal bound effort
Bacuna was ok his pace helped against Mane but at times looked akward , I would edge him over Richardson for now
CB's grew into game Okore was rusty but got better and Lescott had his best game for us.
Sinclair covered alot of ground ( stats showed he had most sprints in the team) but didn't do alot with the ball
Gestede was better won more flicks on's and laid ball off but overall his movement is poor and his is pretty slow
Overall fairly positive performance
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Southampton were fucking awful in the first 20 minutes. Missed loads of chances.
PTV has a point: you have to be particularly shite not to score against Aston Villa from four or five chances
Some of their misses were absolute shockers. Villa should have been dead and buried after 5 minutes.
In isolation a point away at Southampton is a good result. In reality, after riding their luck in the first 15 minutes or so, this is the type of game that Villa needed to win.
PS - thanks for nothing Chelsea
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Gestede is woeful a lumbering giant with absolutely no co-ordination between brain and feet we must get someone to replace him, Thought Okore did okay in his comeback game and the midfield after a shaky start was decent. Sinclair defends well that's why he stayed on but was useless when attacking. Southampton were poor for most of the game as were we.
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I feared a repeat of the 6 conceded watching early on! It's a credit to nthe team and a great point. I think Ghana is the best player today for his effort. I'm concerns at parts with Sanchez performance again today who likes to give away cheaply. But the villa boys deserved that and if sub Westwood had composure to score would have been a 3 points.
Let's see how the injuries are for villa as well as arsenal for next week.
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Gestede is woeful a lumbering giant with absolutely no co-ordination between brain and feet we must get someone to replace him, Thought Okore did okay in his comeback game and the midfield after a shaky start was decent. Sinclair defends well that's why he stayed on but was useless when attacking. Southampton were poor for most of the game as were we.
Agreed his complete hash of a miskick and missing ball when veretout did neat play to pull back was quite something. Doesn't seem to be clinical when only a few chances fall his way needs to gather confidence but overall villa had the luck
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Gestede is woeful a lumbering giant with absolutely no co-ordination between brain and feet we must get someone to replace him, Thought Okore did okay in his comeback game and the midfield after a shaky start was decent. Sinclair defends well that's why he stayed on but was useless when attacking. Southampton were poor for most of the game as were we.
Agreed his complete hash of a miskick and missing ball when veretout did neat play to pull back was quite something. Doesn't seem to be clinical when only a few chances fall his way needs to gather confidence but overall villa had the luck
It was the kind of opening Benteke would have calmly slotted into the corner.
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January it's essential that we sign 4 good players throughout the spine of the side, to ensure we stay up. The midfield is a bit of a non-entitiy really. Gana and Veretout are both okay players, but I think it needs to be one or the other. Sanchez is a liability.
As far as Gana goes, he's pretty tidy but then does he impose himself on a game like other midfielders in this league can? I'm not too sure. Just looking at Kante for example at Leicester. He looks a cut above Gana.
What we need in a midfield 3 really, is a good holding player and a good playmaker. In the middle you can have a decent box-to-box player. Gana or Veretout could fill that role. Their kind of in the middle. They're good enough to get by in this league without excelling in my opinion.
Up front we need a spark from somewhere. Stoke put out a front four today that absolutely pisses all over our attacking options. It's like the winner of the worlds smallest penis competition walking into a bog and then standing at the piss troth next to Ron Jeremy while he's unloading his tank. There's just no comparison. And that is a side who is 10th and won't get much better than that.
In goal I thought Guzan looked decent, one flap aside, but still, we have to be ruthless. Based on 18 months he needs replacing ASAP. He has a month to replicate today's performance. To pull his level back up to 2012-14. If he does so, maybe we can keep faith in him and then concentrate on other positions.
Left back needs immediate addressing (groan...we're still saying this). And we need a good CH. Stoke haven't conceded while Shawcross has played. Now Shawcross is nothing more than a middle of the road Prem CH but he takes a big steaming dump over every CH at our club. He's McGrath-esque in comparison to anyone we have here.
Today was better, but we need to build on it. We looked more like a team, which was promising, but we still need far more cohesion. But trouble with the Villa is, we often take a step forward then two steps back. If we can pull something out of Arsenal by the grace of McGrath and then get a win against Newcastle, we could kick on. It's a big if.
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We did ride our luck in that opening few minutes and like a few have said, we could have easily been a couple of goals down. I thought we deserved the point though. We battled and played some nice stuff at times. It wasn't always pretty but it's not going to be. It's a bloody good point away from home, I just hope it gives them the confidence to build on it.
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The first 10 minutes was some of the worst from us I've seen this season and that is saying something. All the usual failings of giving the ball away and not tracking or closing down. Thereafter we did much better but we always look liable to concede.
Bacuna did little to prevent crosses from their right and Sinclair and Gestede were particularly ineffective. However on the plus side the midfield was better and I thought Ayew did well.
I thought an improved performance would lead to better results after Man City so unfortunately I'm not holding my breath after today's better effort.
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At the risk of starting another Barry penalty debate where was Clark today?
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And also a good point today but it's already looking like three from six at the bottom assuming you discount chavski. Fair play to Bournemouth who are still playing football. Obviously I want them to go down if it means we stay up!
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At the risk of starting another Barry penalty debate where was Clark today?
Suspended
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At the risk of starting another Barry penalty debate where was Clark today?
Suspended
Ah thanks.
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Sinclair has done bugger all going forward for weeks. Ayew is fighting a very lone battle up there, which is why I hope Traore can force his way through soon.
I would bring Richards in at right back and leave the 2 centre halves as they were today, and switch Hutton over to the left. He has done it before, and often when a wrong footer goes to the other side they concentrate harder for a few weeks.
If we can scrape a couple of wins before Christmas, we might give ourselves a chance come January. For me thought, a keeper, left back, experienced holding midfielder and a centre forward are needed as a minimum, with a big hard centre half and a wide forward being nice too.
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We have some real key games coming up in the next 12 and points to be earned. Barcodes, Norwich twice for example. Scrape a win from somewhere just to build belief and go on a bit of a run.
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I'm sorry, but a point is no use whatsoever whatever the circumstances, and the time-wasting at the end was bordering on the farcical.
I can't agree here Risso. It's an away point at a place where others around us will drop points and where most predicted we'd lose. It's not an exciting result, but not a bad one by any stretch of the imagination.
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Just watched MOTD and jeez were we lucky to get a point
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Sinclair has done bugger all going forward for weeks. Ayew is fighting a very lone battle up there, which is why I hope Traore can force his way through soon.
Only just seen the highlights and I think he needs to stay up there. One of his defensive efforts in the left back position in the second half was pathetic.
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For a team bottom and fielding another back four arrangement that has never been tried before, against a team that steamrolled over us last meeting- a point is a miracle and not to be sniffed at.
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Just watched MOTD and jeez were we lucky to get a point
MOTD was kind to us. It didn't show some of the worst bits. Like when Sanchez threaded a perfect through ball for their striker to run on to. And when Bacuna was trying to beat Steven Davis to a cross into our box and under no pressure tried his hardest to bat the ball away with his hand but couldn't quite reach it. Shambolic and bizarre are 2 words that spring to mind.
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One Point a game will see us elsewhere next year. We need wins now and a few or we won't have to be looking in lower divisions for players; we'll be right there amongst them
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Just watched MOTD and jeez were we lucky to get a point
MOTD was kind to us. It didn't show some of the worst bits. Like when Sanchez threaded a perfect through ball for their striker to run on to. And when Bacuna was trying to beat Steven Davis to a cross into our box and under no pressure tried his hardest to bat the ball away with his hand but couldn't quite reach it. Shambolic and bizarre are 2 words that spring to mind.
They also left stuff out like some decent forward play and Gana having a goal bound shot blocked.
We did ride our luck but we also deserved the point.
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I'm sorry, but a point is no use whatsoever whatever the circumstances, and the time-wasting at the end was bordering on the farcical.
I can't agree here Risso. It's an away point at a place where others around us will drop points and where most predicted we'd lose. It's not an exciting result, but not a bad one by any stretch of the imagination.
Absolutely. And it's a point more than Norwich, Swansea and Sunderland managed, all of whom we should be targeting to overhaul.
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Just watched MOTD and jeez were we lucky to get a point
MOTD was kind to us. It didn't show some of the worst bits. Like when Sanchez threaded a perfect through ball for their striker to run on to. And when Bacuna was trying to beat Steven Davis to a cross into our box and under no pressure tried his hardest to bat the ball away with his hand but couldn't quite reach it. Shambolic and bizarre are 2 words that spring to mind.
They also left stuff out like some decent forward play and Gana having a goal bound shot blocked.
We did ride our luck but we also deserved the point.
That's also true. I thought our attacking play was pretty good at times.Ayew is getting better by the game. But its the individual errors that are costing us dearly and we can't ignore that. How many times does Sanchez give the ball away needlessly? How many times is Guzan going to make great saves then fuck it all up with moments of calamity?
The defence is comically bad at times & no matter how much we improve our attacking play we are doomed if we don't weed out the ones making basic errors time after time.
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I'm sorry, but a point is no use whatsoever whatever the circumstances, and the time-wasting at the end was bordering on the farcical.
I can't agree here Risso. It's an away point at a place where others around us will drop points and where most predicted we'd lose. It's not an exciting result, but not a bad one by any stretch of the imagination.
Absolutely. And it's a point more than Norwich, Swansea and Sunderland managed, all of whom we should be targeting to overhaul.
I know what you mean Martin but the point against Citeh was quite unexpected. That makes two now.
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There are some obvious deficiencies in the team but also some promising signs, particularly in midfield. What I also liked was a clear show of determination to fight for everything. Garde seems to be gradually getting his ideas across and it at least points towards a better second half of the season. Might be too late but if the players do not give up then neither will I.
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Next game I'd stick Adama up front with Ayew, keep the ball on the floor and see what happens.
There is no way on gods green earth that he wouldn't offer as least as much as Gestede.
He certainly couldn't be worse.
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Did they even scout Gestede thoroughly or base it on a computer game? He looks completely unsuited to our team and just top flight football in general.
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Next game I'd stick Adama up front with Ayew, keep the ball on the floor and see what happens.
There is no way on gods green earth that he wouldn't offer as least as much as Gestede.
He certainly couldn't be worse.
I think there's a point to playing Gestede away from home like we did yesterday. He can hold the ball up and get back and defend like we needed to quite a lot yesterday. At home though, yes i'd probably agree.
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for me there is no point to gestede whatsover the bloke is a carthorse
our plight is down to the clubs and our wilingness to accept shit
baker
clark
gestede
westwood
gabby
guzan
bacuna
lescott
richardson
bennett
senderos
cole
cissokho
nzog
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Good point, shame it was not more, but my major concern is we have not won a league game for 4 months and that will mean only one thing relegation, because we are not going to have a champions league run anytime soon and anyone who thinks we are needs to see a Doctor. Not being pessimistic just realistic.
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We do make excuses for a lot of the signings and performances.
Bennett has potential.... no he doesn't he's 25/26 and been shit from day 1 and can't get in to the Bournemouth team.
Baker and Clark are kids learning their trade.... they have over 200 league games between them, theyre approaching mid 20's and still make the same errors they did when they started. They're rubbish.
Kozak, the longer he's out the better he gets. He's barely scored any goals in a top flight in his career, one Europa campaign and we buy him for £5m+, he's looked a carthorse, terrible signing.
Westwood, for years the ticking dynamo of the team, well that's exactly why our midfield have been soft as shit, slow and weak because we have players like him in it. 5 yard passes do fuck all, he hasn't kept us ticking over, he's helped hinder us. We've made excuses for him for years.
The list goes on, we've had some truly terrible players who have had the honour of playing for us the last few years and to be fair to them they haven't even given they're all on the field, they've folded, they've not competed and at times they've given up. It hasn't been acceptable but we've made numerous excuses for nearly all of them. Hopefully next summer we complete the clear out and chop the rest of the dross, the problem being that we will probably replace them with equal shite because our recruitment team are fucking crap.
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We do make excuses for a lot of the signings and performances.
Bennett has potential.... no he doesn't he's 25/26 and been shit from day 1 and can't get in to the Bournemouth team.
Baker and Clark are kids learning their trade.... they have over 200 league games between them, theyre approaching mid 20's and still make the same errors they did when they started. They're rubbish.
Kozak, the longer he's out the better he gets. He's barely scored any goals in a top flight in his career, one Europa campaign and we buy him for £5m+, he's looked a carthorse, terrible signing.
Westwood, for years the ticking dynamo of the team, well that's exactly why our midfield have been soft as shit, slow and weak because we have players like him in it. 5 yard passes do fuck all, he hasn't kept us ticking over, he's helped hinder us. We've made excuses for him for years.
The list goes on, we've had some truly terrible players who have had the honour of playing for us the last few years and to be fair to them they haven't even given they're all on the field, they've folded, they've not competed and at times they've given up. It hasn't been acceptable but we've made numerous excuses for nearly all of them. Hopefully next summer we complete the clear out and chop the rest of the dross, the problem being that we will probably replace them with equal shite because our recruitment team are fucking crap.
Agree with nearly all that apart from the bit where you've blamed the recruitment team. The quality of players we sign is 100% down to the transfer/wage budget, and that is totally dictated by the chairman. No point in constantly blaming the symptoms but ignoring the root cause.
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We do make excuses for a lot of the signings and performances.
Bennett has potential.... no he doesn't he's 25/26 and been shit from day 1 and can't get in to the Bournemouth team.
Baker and Clark are kids learning their trade.... they have over 200 league games between them, theyre approaching mid 20's and still make the same errors they did when they started. They're rubbish.
Kozak, the longer he's out the better he gets. He's barely scored any goals in a top flight in his career, one Europa campaign and we buy him for £5m+, he's looked a carthorse, terrible signing.
Westwood, for years the ticking dynamo of the team, well that's exactly why our midfield have been soft as shit, slow and weak because we have players like him in it. 5 yard passes do fuck all, he hasn't kept us ticking over, he's helped hinder us. We've made excuses for him for years.
The list goes on, we've had some truly terrible players who have had the honour of playing for us the last few years and to be fair to them they haven't even given they're all on the field, they've folded, they've not competed and at times they've given up. It hasn't been acceptable but we've made numerous excuses for nearly all of them. Hopefully next summer we complete the clear out and chop the rest of the dross, the problem being that we will probably replace them with equal shite because our recruitment team are fucking crap.
great post
at least the french lads are rolling their sleeves up and looking interested
the acid test would be who would come in for the shit we have
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On Westwood I actually shouted loudly at the TV when he blazed that chance over. A cultured player would have bought that down, thus wrong footing the defence and hit it in with his right foot. A cultured player he isn't however.
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On Westwood I actually shouted loudly at the TV when he blazed that chance over. A cultured player would have bought that down, thus wrong footing the defence and hit it in with his right foot. A cultured player he isn't however.
And never will be. He has been a stain on this club since the day he signed.
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I'm sorry, but a point is no use whatsoever whatever the circumstances, and the time-wasting at the end was bordering on the farcical.
I can't agree here Risso. It's an away point at a place where others around us will drop points and where most predicted we'd lose. It's not an exciting result, but not a bad one by any stretch of the imagination.
Absolutely. And it's a point more than Norwich, Swansea and Sunderland managed, all of whom we should be targeting to overhaul.
I know what you mean Martin but the point against Citeh was quite unexpected. That makes two now.
It's a good point in isolation but it makes last weeks result all the more terrible. 4 points from Watford and Southampton and the place would have had a whole different feel to it.
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We do make excuses for a lot of the signings and performances.
Bennett has potential.... no he doesn't he's 25/26 and been shit from day 1 and can't get in to the Bournemouth team.
Baker and Clark are kids learning their trade.... they have over 200 league games between them, theyre approaching mid 20's and still make the same errors they did when they started. They're rubbish.
Kozak, the longer he's out the better he gets. He's barely scored any goals in a top flight in his career, one Europa campaign and we buy him for £5m+, he's looked a carthorse, terrible signing.
Westwood, for years the ticking dynamo of the team, well that's exactly why our midfield have been soft as shit, slow and weak because we have players like him in it. 5 yard passes do fuck all, he hasn't kept us ticking over, he's helped hinder us. We've made excuses for him for years.
The list goes on, we've had some truly terrible players who have had the honour of playing for us the last few years and to be fair to them they haven't even given they're all on the field, they've folded, they've not competed and at times they've given up. It hasn't been acceptable but we've made numerous excuses for nearly all of them. Hopefully next summer we complete the clear out and chop the rest of the dross, the problem being that we will probably replace them with equal shite because our recruitment team are fucking crap.
Agree with nearly all that apart from the bit where you've blames the recruitment team. The quality of players we sign is 100% down to the transfer/wage budget, and that is totally dictated by the chairman. No point in constantly blaming the symptoms but ignoring the root cause.
I understand what you are saying but then I take a look at some of the gems signed by Swansea, Southampton, Palace, Watford, Stoke and the wages they are on. They are/have been in a different league to nearly all of our signings. I understand we overhauled the scouting system and it may come good but again with Lerner it's too little too late and the chickens have come home to roost.
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We do make excuses for a lot of the signings and performances.
Bennett has potential.... no he doesn't he's 25/26 and been shit from day 1 and can't get in to the Bournemouth team.
Baker and Clark are kids learning their trade.... they have over 200 league games between them, theyre approaching mid 20's and still make the same errors they did when they started. They're rubbish.
Kozak, the longer he's out the better he gets. He's barely scored any goals in a top flight in his career, one Europa campaign and we buy him for £5m+, he's looked a carthorse, terrible signing.
Westwood, for years the ticking dynamo of the team, well that's exactly why our midfield have been soft as shit, slow and weak because we have players like him in it. 5 yard passes do fuck all, he hasn't kept us ticking over, he's helped hinder us. We've made excuses for him for years.
The list goes on, we've had some truly terrible players who have had the honour of playing for us the last few years and to be fair to them they haven't even given they're all on the field, they've folded, they've not competed and at times they've given up. It hasn't been acceptable but we've made numerous excuses for nearly all of them. Hopefully next summer we complete the clear out and chop the rest of the dross, the problem being that we will probably replace them with equal shite because our recruitment team are fucking crap.
Agree with nearly all that apart from the bit where you've blamed the recruitment team. The quality of players we sign is 100% down to the transfer/wage budget, and that is totally dictated by the chairman. No point in constantly blaming the symptoms but ignoring the root cause.
agree with some of that although leicester took a punt with vardy, watford are in the top ten and that ali from spuds was at mk dons
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Leicester are top of the table and playing teams off the park. It would be interesting to see what their wage bill is compared to ours.
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On Westwood I actually shouted loudly at the TV when he blazed that chance over. A cultured player would have bought that down, thus wrong footing the defence and hit it in with his right foot. A cultured player he isn't however.
And never will be. He has been a stain on this club since the day he signed.
but its all the stuff you dont see him do that makes him so invaluable
stuff like tackling, tracking back, scoring and delivering set pieces
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Lucky draw, we could have been dead and buried at half time if Southampton had taken half their chances. Better than losing but not good. We may be improving under Garde but it's at a glacial pace and this won't keep us up.
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Wage bills for 2014/15, teams we should be competing against
Newcastle £78.3m
Sunderland £69.5m
Everton £69.3m
Aston V £69.3m
West Brom £65.4m
West Ham £63.9m
Stoke £60.6m
Southampton £55.2m
Swansea £48.1m
Crystal P £45.7m
Leicester £36.6m
You looked at the team sheet yesterday and almost to a man Southampton had better players 1 for 1 yet they're wage bill is £15m smaller. Our recruitment policies have been shit.
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On Westwood I actually shouted loudly at the TV when he blazed that chance over. A cultured player would have bought that down, thus wrong footing the defence and hit it in with his right foot. A cultured player he isn't however.
And never will be. He has been a stain on this club since the day he signed.
but its all the stuff you dont see him do that makes him so invaluable
stuff like tackling, tracking back, scoring and delivering set pieces
Those magnificent corners...
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Very lucky not to be 3 down in 15 mins. After that I thought we matched them. I thought the midfield 3 did very well and looked a lot stronger and competitive than in most matches this season. I thought a pacey sub with 15 to go, could have potentially given us the win. Certainly signs of improvement
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Don't forget the pointing.
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Don't forget the pointing.
He's over --------> there, the bloke who's about to score, he's over there.
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Wage bills for 2014/15, teams we should be competing against
Newcastle £78.3m
Sunderland £69.5m
Everton £69.3m
Aston V £69.3m
West Brom £65.4m
West Ham £63.9m
Stoke £60.6m
Southampton £55.2m
Swansea £48.1m
Crystal P £45.7m
Leicester £36.6m
You looked at the team sheet yesterday and almost to a man Southampton had better players 1 for 1 yet they're wage bill is £15m smaller. Our recruitment policies have been shit.
How much of a chunk of our wage bill (and pay offs) contain money to players on older contracts (when we paid big wages) who contribute next to nothing to the first team, i.e Bent, N'Zogbia etc (even Gabby these days).
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We do make excuses for a lot of the signings and performances.
Bennett has potential.... no he doesn't he's 25/26 and been shit from day 1 and can't get in to the Bournemouth team.
Baker and Clark are kids learning their trade.... they have over 200 league games between them, theyre approaching mid 20's and still make the same errors they did when they started. They're rubbish.
Kozak, the longer he's out the better he gets. He's barely scored any goals in a top flight in his career, one Europa campaign and we buy him for £5m+, he's looked a carthorse, terrible signing.
Westwood, for years the ticking dynamo of the team, well that's exactly why our midfield have been soft as shit, slow and weak because we have players like him in it. 5 yard passes do fuck all, he hasn't kept us ticking over, he's helped hinder us. We've made excuses for him for years.
The list goes on, we've had some truly terrible players who have had the honour of playing for us the last few years and to be fair to them they haven't even given they're all on the field, they've folded, they've not competed and at times they've given up. It hasn't been acceptable but we've made numerous excuses for nearly all of them. Hopefully next summer we complete the clear out and chop the rest of the dross, the problem being that we will probably replace them with equal shite because our recruitment team are fucking crap.
Agree with nearly all that apart from the bit where you've blamed the recruitment team. The quality of players we sign is 100% down to the transfer/wage budget, and that is totally dictated by the chairman. No point in constantly blaming the symptoms but ignoring the root cause.
Whilst true to extent, Leicester, Bournemouth, Watford and Norwich are chock full of cheap buys that can perform at this level, it can be done.
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After that start pleased with a point. Agree with comments made about Gestede nowhere near Prem standard, but after watching the Albion game, must say he would die for the type of cross Ferguson put over for McClean's headed equaliser. sadly with Amavi out for the season, he isn't going to get many, if any at all.
Disappointed Adama didn't get a run out, needs as much experience as possible. Still believe he can be a future match winner, and do we need one.
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A fair portion. That would include Given on £50k+, Nzogbia £60k, Bent £70k, Gabby £50k. About £10m p/a wouldn't be far off I guess.
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The game should have been over after 15 minutes as Saints squandered a handful of chances. We grew into the game and were more competitive after that, though a cock up always felt imminent.
Ayew impressed me with his work rate and showed skill too. Hats off to Hutton for his spirit - he must have blocked / deflected 3 goal bound shots. After an atrocious flap at a corner in the first few minutes Guzan had a good game - came and won a lot of centres. We also had a few good spells of pressing and keeping possession, particularly from 30-60 minutes.
Those little lapses are terrifying though- one unbelievable gift from each of Sanchez, Bacuna and Veretout, Bacuna trying to palm away a cross in our box. And conceding from a corner which bounces a few yards out is relegation level.
A better performance than most of late but I was really hoping we could hold out for a win. A draw down there is normally ok but with all the mess of this season to date we need to be winning games and holding on to leads.
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Chelsea starting 11 cost £240m yesterday. Bournemouth £2m. It can be done. Bournemouth played better yesterday than we have done all season
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Sinclair has done bugger all going forward for weeks. Ayew is fighting a very lone battle up there, which is why I hope Traore can force his way through soon.
I would bring Richards in at right back and leave the 2 centre halves as they were today, and switch Hutton over to the left. He has done it before, and often when a wrong footer goes to the other side they concentrate harder for a few weeks.
If we can scrape a couple of wins before Christmas, we might give ourselves a chance come January. For me thought, a keeper, left back, experienced holding midfielder and a centre forward are needed as a minimum, with a big hard centre half and a wide forward being nice too.
Agree re Sinclair. A nothing player. Why Traore doesnt get a run I dont know, we have nothing to lose. Give him a go
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Chelsea starting 11 cost £240m yesterday. Bournemouth £2m. It can be done. Bournemouth played better yesterday than we have done all season
Hardwork, will, desire, organisation, training and team spirit. How many of those can you say our players have shown this season? The bare minimum of hardwork and hard training hasn't even been adhered to.
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On Westwood I actually shouted loudly at the TV when he blazed that chance over. A cultured player would have bought that down, thus wrong footing the defence and hit it in with his right foot. A cultured player he isn't however.
And never will be. He has been a stain on this club since the day he signed.
but its all the stuff you dont see him do that makes him so invaluable
stuff like tackling, tracking back, scoring and delivering set pieces
Those magnificent corners...
Westwood is probably a very typical example of why only relying on what players do in training each week isn't necessarily a guide to what they can do on a Saturday. I've no doubt he runs through walls during the week and stays behind to do extra pointing and floaty corner practice and so that makes him a nearly automatic starter.
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Chelsea starting 11 cost £240m yesterday. Bournemouth £2m. It can be done. Bournemouth played better yesterday than we have done all season
Hardwork, will, desire, organisation, training and team spirit. How many of those can you say our players have shown this season? The bare minimum of hardwork and hard training hasn't even been adhered to.
Seeing Lescott's interview after the game on MOTD tells you all you need to know.
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Chelsea starting 11 cost £240m yesterday. Bournemouth £2m. It can be done. Bournemouth played better yesterday than we have done all season
Hardwork, will, desire, organisation, training and team spirit. How many of those can you say our players have shown this season? The bare minimum of hardwork and hard training hasn't even been adhered to.
Seeing Lescott's interview after the game on MOTD tells you all you need to know.
What did he say?
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That we showed some desire that we hadn't previously shown.
It's just the way he said it, sounded miserable as you like, and certainly didn't give me any cause for optimism that this team has the stomach to get out of this.
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That we showed some desire that we hadn't previously shown.
It's just the way he said it, sounded miserable as you like, and certainly didn't give me any cause for optimism that this team has the stomach to get out of this.
We're rock bottom of the league so he's hardly gonna sound cock-a-hoop.
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That we showed some desire that we hadn't previously shown.
It's just the way he said it, sounded miserable as you like, and certainly didn't give me any cause for optimism that this team has the stomach to get out of this.
Maybe he was disappointed at not keeping a clean and sheet and holding on for the win, who knows?
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That we showed some desire that we hadn't previously shown.
It's just the way he said it, sounded miserable as you like, and certainly didn't give me any cause for optimism that this team has the stomach to get out of this.
We're rock bottom of the league so he's hardly gonna sound cock-a-hoop.
I wasn't expecting him to sound "cock-a-hoop".
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Is there a Richards 'situation' at the club?
It's pretty obvious that he was a Sherwood man, but there is something I can't put my finger on that suggests to me he isn't exactly enamoured with Remi.
Was there a bit more passion, or desire in the team with him not playing yesterday?
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Chelsea starting 11 cost £240m yesterday. Bournemouth £2m. It can be done. Bournemouth played better yesterday than we have done all season
Yes small big victories are always good fun however over the next 5 years I would say that Chelsea will win infinitely more trophies than Bournemouth and likely that by the end of that period Bournemouth will be back in the third division.
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Lescott's interview was fine.
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Anyone else think that Arsenal with their injuries might be their for the taking if we make a fast start and don't let them settle? Beat Arsenal, next game is Newcastle followed by West Ham and Sunderland, we could get a run going.... that's the dream.
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Is there a Richards 'situation' at the club?
It's pretty obvious that he was a Sherwood man, but there is something I can't put my finger on that suggests to me he isn't exactly enamoured with Remi.
Was there a bit more passion, or desire in the team with him not playing yesterday?
I've thought the same - first with his comments when Garde was appointed, and then saying something about getting more experienced players in January (could say fair enough, but it's another criticism of his teammates).
I'm not sure if Richards is captain material, and I don't think he has been performing well or consistently enough to criticise anyone else publicly - and I could see that causing problems in the dressing room.
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The game should have been over after 15 minutes as Saints squandered a handful of chances. We grew into the game and were more competitive after that, though a cock up always felt imminent.
Ayew impressed me with his work rate and showed skill too. Hats off to Hutton for his spirit - he must have blocked / deflected 3 goal bound shots. After an atrocious flap at a corner in the first few minutes Guzan had a good game - came and won a lot of centres. We also had a few good spells of pressing and keeping possession, particularly from 30-60 minutes.
Those little lapses are terrifying though- one unbelievable gift from each of Sanchez, Bacuna and Veretout, Bacuna trying to palm away a cross in our box. And conceding from a corner which bounces a few yards out is relegation level.
A better performance than most of late but I was really hoping we could hold out for a win. A draw down there is normally ok but with all the mess of this season to date we need to be winning games and holding on to leads.
Wasn't sure how I felt, but you've summed it up quite nicely there.
Draws aren't good enough for us at the moment, we need to win some games before January.
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He's a good actor if he isn't pulling in the same direction.
Gutted not to pick up the 3pts but a good result on the road for the boys! Fight till the end. Utv
5:00pm - 5 Dec 15
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When you see the three subs coming on ,westwood ,richardson and gabby ,no wonder we are bottom.
Sinclair disappoints me more and more each week ,he is a championship player like bacuna and the hopeless gestede.
Ayew was really good and he is improving every week , i really like him and veretout looks better . We need more cutting edge in midfield thou .
The french players are looking ok , but we really need some one up front decent with ayew.
Happy with a point but could have easily grabbed the win if Westwood was actually a premiership player
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He's a good actor if he isn't pulling in the same direction.
Gutted not to pick up the 3pts but a good result on the road for the boys! Fight till the end. Utv
5:00pm - 5 Dec 15
I don't think it's a case of acting, and don't doubt his commitment, but you can easily read into his words that something isn't quite right there and plenty of others said it at the time.
On the other hand I could be reading it completely wrong, and hope I am!
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The last couple of seasons have seen points and games lost due to the high frequency of ridiculous individual errors. Any idea why this keeps happening ? Rubbish players? Poor confidence?
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The last couple of seasons have seen points and games lost due to the high frequency of ridiculous individual errors. Any idea why this keeps happening ? Rubbish players? Poor confidence?
I'd say confidence being so low is a major factor. Also lapses in concentration. Sanchez is one of the most frustrating players I've ever seen. He does all the right things 99% of the time but I can't think of a game where he hasn't cocked it up with a stray pass in a dangerous position. Then there's Guzan. What can you say about him? He is constantly unnerving the defence. And Bacuna yesterday. A nothing high ball into the box with only 5ft 6 Steven Davis to deal with. Bacuna inexplicably tried to bat the ball away with his hand and narrowly missed the ball. Why????
How do you explain that? I don't think you can. Just plain stupid. Individual errors are a major factor in why we are in shit street.
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If anybody has the time, it would be interesting to see how points errors have cost this season. Goals let in and goals squandered.
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Lucky draw, we could have been dead and buried at half time if Southampton had taken half their chances. Better than losing but not good. We may be improving under Garde but it's at a glacial pace and this won't keep us up.
Have only seen the highlights, but they did miss a number of very good chances. Although it was a good point and the draw at home to Manchester City was as well, we could have easily lost both games quite heavily. It suggests that rather than us improving, those results were down to other sides mis firing and not taking their chances. Everton and Watford took theirs and we ended up conceding 7 goals in two games.
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The last couple of seasons have seen points and games lost due to the high frequency of ridiculous individual errors. Any idea why this keeps happening ? Rubbish players? Poor confidence?
Individual errors are always going to happen, but if the same individual makes the same errors on a consistent basis then it suggests they are not good enough.
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Anyone else think that Arsenal with their injuries might be their for the taking if we make a fast start and don't let them settle? Beat Arsenal, next game is Newcastle followed by West Ham and Sunderland, we could get a run going.... that's the dream.
The 3-1 scoreline against Sunderland looks convincing but from the highlights it was alot closer ..They are missing a big chunk of midfield and they are looking nervy at the back they can be got at for sure.
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Chelsea starting 11 cost £240m yesterday. Bournemouth £2m. It can be done. Bournemouth played better yesterday than we have done all season
Yes small big victories are always good fun however over the next 5 years I would say that Chelsea will win infinitely more trophies than Bournemouth and likely that by the end of that period Bournemouth will be back in the third division.
Well obviously re trophies. That wasnt my point.
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It's going to be interesting what happens when Richards is back fit. Does he drop Lescott? Does he drop Okore?
He may as well flip a coin. Heads you lose; tails you don't win.
ps It's the first time I haven't suffered the pain of watching a live feed us this season - as I decided to start the ritual of my Saturday inebriation early doors. And bugger me if I didn't look at my phone at 5 o' clock to see a miracle had occurred! I'm gonna start next Saturday's sesh even earlier - as the any even-vaguely positive Villa result is clearly down to my maintaining my non-viewing/drinking habit. 8)
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They did miss chances on flip side we had the best chance to win the game with Westwoods volley
Westwood he brought on to keep hold of the ball , Traore would have been more attacking but his head down approach probably would have put us under more pressure.Richardson was forced by Bacuna being injured.Personally I would have had Gabby on for Gestede after 70 mins as he was doing nothing and Gabby's pace on counter would have been more useful.
I think Sinclair is played because he will track back with pace ,Ayew also works very hard tracking back but the latter is still able to effect game going forward.Previously we tried Grealish and Gil wide and they just don't cover the ground well enough to protect the fullbacks.Sinclair's movement off ball is pretty good as well we just don't pass the ball forward well enough at present to exploit it.
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It's going to be interesting what happens when Richards is back fit. Does he drop Lescott? Does he drop Okore?
He may as well flip a coin. Heads you lose; tails you don't win.
ps It's the first time I haven't suffered the pain of watching a live feed us this season - as I decided to start the ritual of my Saturday inebriation early doors. And bugger me if I didn't look at my phone at 5 o' clock to see a miracle had occurred! I'm gonna start next Saturday's sesh even earlier - as the any even-vaguely positive Villa result is clearly down to my maintaining my non-viewing/drinking habit. 8)
you'll be smashed by kick off. It's a Sunday game!
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I didn't see us getting anything against saints but I'm glad we've got a point out of the game I would have taken that before the game.
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It's going to be interesting what happens when Richards is back fit. Does he drop Lescott? Does he drop Okore?
He may as well flip a coin. Heads you lose; tails you don't win.
ps It's the first time I haven't suffered the pain of watching a live feed us this season - as I decided to start the ritual of my Saturday inebriation early doors. And bugger me if I didn't look at my phone at 5 o' clock to see a miracle had occurred! I'm gonna start next Saturday's sesh even earlier - as the any even-vaguely positive Villa result is clearly down to my maintaining my non-viewing/drinking habit. 8)
you'll be smashed by kick off. It's a Sunday game!
No problem. I'll just keep boozin'-on-through to Sunday evening. When the going gets tough: the tough go drinking. ;)
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Wage bills for 2014/15, teams we should be competing against
Newcastle £78.3m
Sunderland £69.5m
Everton £69.3m
Aston V £69.3m
West Brom £65.4m
West Ham £63.9m
Stoke £60.6m
Southampton £55.2m
Swansea £48.1m
Crystal P £45.7m
Leicester £36.6m
You looked at the team sheet yesterday and almost to a man Southampton had better players 1 for 1 yet they're wage bill is £15m smaller. Our recruitment policies have been shit.
How much of a chunk of our wage bill (and pay offs) contain money to players on older contracts (when we paid big wages) who contribute next to nothing to the first team, i.e Bent, N'Zogbia etc (even Gabby these days).
Isn't that a bit wanting it all ways round.
We don't spend enough money because the chairman's turned into a tightarse bastard.
But we spend more than teams we should easily be competing with so maybe we do spend enough.
Er no, we can't because we spent too much on overvalued players when our tight Arse chairman was spending money.
Points 2 and 3 ironically being pretty much what some of us have being saying to you whenever the subject of expenditure comes up to be met by pretty much "Lerner should just spend more" without ever quantifying how much "more" should be.
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On Westwood I actually shouted loudly at the TV when he blazed that chance over. A cultured player would have bought that down, thus wrong footing the defence and hit it in with his right foot. A cultured player he isn't however.
And never will be. He has been a stain on this club since the day he signed.
I'm no great fan of Westwood, he's had plenty of chances to prove that he's not going to be consistently good enough (although occasionally you can see what might have been), but that's a bit nasty.
It's not his fault he was given a chance to play for us when he would have been thinking that a transfer down the M6 would have involved getting off at junction 9 instead of junction 6, nor is it his fault that 3 managers have now seen fit to give him game time for whatever reason.
You might view players of Westwood's abilities as a sign of "how far we have fallen" © pissed off fans everywhere, but calling him personally a stain on the club?
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Lerner's Villa budget dictates our ambition and the fact that he's hacked away at our transfer and wage budget over the last 6 seasons proves it. We don't buy players on big wages anymore and that's one of the main reasons we've been in a humiliating decline for the past 6 seasons.
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On Westwood I actually shouted loudly at the TV when he blazed that chance over. A cultured player would have bought that down, thus wrong footing the defence and hit it in with his right foot. A cultured player he isn't however.
And never will be. He has been a stain on this club since the day he signed.
I'm no great fan of Westwood, he's had plenty of chances to prove that he's not going to be consistently good enough (although occasionally you can see what might have been), but that's a bit nasty.
It's not his fault he was given a chance to play for us when he would have been thinking that a transfer down the M6 would have involved getting off at junction 9 instead of junction 6, nor is it his fault that 3 managers have now seen fit to give him game time for whatever reason.
You might view players of Westwood's abilities as a sign of "how far we have fallen" © pissed off fans everywhere, but calling him personally a stain on the club?
I'm sure he'll recover from my nastiness, bless him.
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Lerner's Villa budget dictates our ambition and the fact that he's hacked away at our transfer and wage budget over the last 6 seasons proves it. We don't buy players on big wages anymore and that's one of the main reasons we've been in a humiliating decline for the past 6 seasons.
So how does that square up with us spending more than teams such as Swansea and Southampton who've outperformed us over that time period?
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Lerner's Villa budget dictates our ambition and the fact that he's hacked away at our transfer and wage budget over the last 6 seasons proves it. We don't buy players on big wages anymore and that's one of the main reasons we've been in a humiliating decline for the past 6 seasons.
So how does that square up with us spending more than teams such as Swansea and Southampton who've outperformed us over that time period?
Is that net spend? I heard it was 6m a season over the last 4 years.
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Lerner's Villa budget dictates our ambition and the fact that he's hacked away at our transfer and wage budget over the last 6 seasons proves it. We don't buy players on big wages anymore and that's one of the main reasons we've been in a humiliating decline for the past 6 seasons.
So how does that square up with us spending more than teams such as Swansea and Southampton who've outperformed us over that time period?
And earlier on I commented it could have something to do with the hangover from the days when we did pay big wages. i.e older contracts that hadnt run out yet.
Try and keep up for goodness sake.
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Lerner's Villa budget dictates our ambition and the fact that he's hacked away at our transfer and wage budget over the last 6 seasons proves it. We don't buy players on big wages anymore and that's one of the main reasons we've been in a humiliating decline for the past 6 seasons.
So how does that square up with us spending more than teams such as Swansea and Southampton who've outperformed us over that time period?
Is that net spend? I heard it was 6m a season over the last 4 years.
No this is wages.
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Lerner's Villa budget dictates our ambition and the fact that he's hacked away at our transfer and wage budget over the last 6 seasons proves it. We don't buy players on big wages anymore and that's one of the main reasons we've been in a humiliating decline for the past 6 seasons.
So how does that square up with us spending more than teams such as Swansea and Southampton who've outperformed us over that time period?
Is that net spend? I heard it was 6m a season over the last 4 years.
Last 4 seasons, including this one, we've spent approx £56m. 2011/12 we made approx £22m profit because of Downing & Milner.
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Lerner's Villa budget dictates our ambition and the fact that he's hacked away at our transfer and wage budget over the last 6 seasons proves it. We don't buy players on big wages anymore and that's one of the main reasons we've been in a humiliating decline for the past 6 seasons.
So how does that square up with us spending more than teams such as Swansea and Southampton who've outperformed us over that time period?
And earlier on I commented it could have something to do with the hangover from the days when we did pay big wages. i.e older contracts that hadnt run out yet.
Try and keep up for goodness sake.
Oh so the wages we're still committed to from 3-4 years ago don't count really then and should be deducted to only show what we're paying recent signings?
Or alternatively, the budgets have been adequate but badly utilised?
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Mostly those players were bombed out, so how can you utilise players that are bombed out?
Na, it's pretty clear to me Randy wants a squad on championship wages. Trouble with that though is that it usually means having a championship team.
Let's hope they prove him wrong, eh?
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When buying players on relatively high wages you want them to maintain their form or improve. What you don't want are players on the way down, where they cannot command a place in the team and you cannot sell them because their wage demands are too high. We have had too many of those type of players over the last 5 years. It is this, just as much as a string of average to poor managers that has left us where we are now.
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our club is rotten to the core from top to bottm
owner doesnt give a shit
horrendous managerial appointments
no coaching - any other team would have sussed after a game that westwood was shit on corners, we let him carry on for 3 seasons
shit signings - joe fucking cole costing 2 million plus for fuck all apart from his pension pot
shit scouting - see joe cole. we should have at least two scouts watching every league in the uk, then pick up the top players if it doesnt work it is still less than we have spunked on joe cole
shut the academy - barring grealish who has come through in 4 seasons?
chuck all of the above shit in a pot and you get get a shit stew
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On Westwood I actually shouted loudly at the TV when he blazed that chance over. A cultured player would have bought that down, thus wrong footing the defence and hit it in with his right foot. A cultured player he isn't however.
And never will be. He has been a stain on this club since the day he signed.
but its all the stuff you dont see him do that makes him so invaluable
stuff like tackling, tracking back, scoring and delivering set pieces
Those magnificent corners...
aahh the corners
any other team would have sussed after one game that they were shit
it took us 3 seasons
says it all really
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thought former Villa man Steven Davis was man of the match, MON rated the likes of Sidwell and Gardner better players
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Lerner's Villa budget dictates our ambition and the fact that he's hacked away at our transfer and wage budget over the last 6 seasons proves it. We don't buy players on big wages anymore and that's one of the main reasons we've been in a humiliating decline for the past 6 seasons.
So how does that square up with us spending more than teams such as Swansea and Southampton who've outperformed us over that time period?
And earlier on I commented it could have something to do with the hangover from the days when we did pay big wages. i.e older contracts that hadnt run out yet.
Try and keep up for goodness sake.
Which other teams have as well. Swansea's wage budget is comfortably lower than ours, even though until recently they were paying Michu £35,000 per week despite him not having played for them for two seasons.
It's not a situation unique to Villa.
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It's going to be interesting what happens when Richards is back fit. Does he drop Lescott? Does he drop Okore?
He may as well flip a coin. Heads you lose; tails you don't win.
ps It's the first time I haven't suffered the pain of watching a live feed us this season - as I decided to start the ritual of my Saturday inebriation early doors. And bugger me if I didn't look at my phone at 5 o' clock to see a miracle had occurred! I'm gonna start next Saturday's sesh even earlier - as the any even-vaguely positive Villa result is clearly down to my maintaining my non-viewing/drinking habit. 8)
you'll be smashed by kick off. It's a Sunday game!
No problem. I'll just keep boozin'-on-through to Sunday evening. When the going gets tough: the tough go drinking. ;)
You sound like my kinda guy.
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Lerner's Villa budget dictates our ambition and the fact that he's hacked away at our transfer and wage budget over the last 6 seasons proves it. We don't buy players on big wages anymore and that's one of the main reasons we've been in a humiliating decline for the past 6 seasons.
Spot on
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I personally think Westwood is a very average midfielder rather than 'a stain on our club'.
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I personally think Westwood is a very average midfielder rather than 'a stain on our club'.
Same here.
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I personally think Westwood is a very average midfielder rather than 'a stain on our club'.
Same here.
Some people just can't help themselves.
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They did miss chances on flip side we had the best chance to win the game with Westwoods volley
Westwood he brought on to keep hold of the ball , Traore would have been more attacking but his head down approach probably would have put us under more pressure.Richardson was forced by Bacuna being injured.Personally I would have had Gabby on for Gestede after 70 mins as he was doing nothing and Gabby's pace on counter would have been more useful.
I think Sinclair is played because he will track back with pace ,Ayew also works very hard tracking back but the latter is still able to effect game going forward.Previously we tried Grealish and Gil wide and they just don't cover the ground well enough to protect the fullbacks.Sinclair's movement off ball is pretty good as well we just don't pass the ball forward well enough at present to exploit it.
Sinclair works hard but is a nothing player really
a beneficiary of the UEFA homegrown rule with zilch to back it up
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thought former Villa man Steven Davis was man of the match, MON rated the likes of Sidwell and Gardner better players
Davis absolutely bossed the midfield. He's an average player but he was looking like Pirlo yesterday.
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thought former Villa man Steven Davis was man of the match, MON rated the likes of Sidwell and Gardner better players
Davis absolutely bossed the midfield. He's an average player but he was looking like Pirlo yesterday.
He's a solid player
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The last couple of seasons have seen points and games lost due to the high frequency of ridiculous individual errors. Any idea why this keeps happening ? Rubbish players? Poor confidence?
Rubbish players poorly prepared.
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I personally think Westwood is a very average midfielder rather than 'a stain on our club'.
Yeah you're probably right. It's not his fault he's so damn shite and you don't look a gift horse in the mouth when the Villa come knocking on the door looking to sign a player from the lower league. I take it back.
Lerner on the other hand...
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Strangely despite on paper it looking like a good result especially with the start to the game anything less that 3 points at the moment feels like its just not enough..... :(
Onto the next one....
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I personally think Westwood is a very average midfielder rather than 'a stain on our club'.
Yeah you're probably right. It's not his fault he's so damn shite and you don't look a gift horse in the mouth when the Villa come knocking on the door looking to sign a player from the lower league. I take it back.
Lerner on the other hand...
After much thought, I can see where you're coming from. When Paul Lambert wanted to sign Ashley Westwood from Crewe, Randy should have said 'Sorry Paul, he's too cheap, choose somebody a bit more expensive'. What wonderful logic. Why doesn't every chairman think like that?
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Mostly those players were bombed out, so how can you utilise players that are bombed out?
Na, it's pretty clear to me Randy wants a squad on championship wages. Trouble with that though is that it usually means having a championship team.
Let's hope they prove him wrong, eh?
1. So the budget was badly utilised then!
So was it a manager being stupid or a chairman influencing team matters?
2. That will be the wage budget that's till bigger than the likes of Southampton and Swansea?
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I personally think Westwood is a very average midfielder rather than 'a stain on our club'.
Yeah you're probably right. It's not his fault he's so damn shite and you don't look a gift horse in the mouth when the Villa come knocking on the door looking to sign a player from the lower league. I take it back.
Lerner on the other hand...
After much thought, I can see where you're coming from. When Paul Lambert wanted to sign Ashley Westwood from Crewe, Randy should have said 'Sorry Paul, he's too cheap, choose somebody a bit more expensive'. What wonderful logic. Why doesn't every chairman think like that?
If we had a chairman a tad more ambitious than ours then perhaps Lambert wouldn't have had to scrape the bottom of the barrel and sign such shite in the first place.
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I personally think Westwood is a very average midfielder rather than 'a stain on our club'.
Yeah you're probably right. It's not his fault he's so damn shite and you don't look a gift horse in the mouth when the Villa come knocking on the door looking to sign a player from the lower league. I take it back.
Lerner on the other hand...
After much thought, I can see where you're coming from. When Paul Lambert wanted to sign Ashley Westwood from Crewe, Randy should have said 'Sorry Paul, he's too cheap, choose somebody a bit more expensive'. What wonderful logic. Why doesn't every chairman think like that?
If we had a chairman a tad more ambitious than ours then perhaps Lambert wouldn't have had to scrape the bottom of the barrel and sign such shite in the first place.
Alternatively he could have the spent the funds provided a little differently and maybe actually signed 3 or 4 decentish players instead of 8 or however many punts it was across those first 2 seasons.
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I personally think Westwood is a very average midfielder rather than 'a stain on our club'.
Yeah you're probably right. It's not his fault he's so damn shite and you don't look a gift horse in the mouth when the Villa come knocking on the door looking to sign a player from the lower league. I take it back.
Lerner on the other hand...
After much thought, I can see where you're coming from. When Paul Lambert wanted to sign Ashley Westwood from Crewe, Randy should have said 'Sorry Paul, he's too cheap, choose somebody a bit more expensive'. What wonderful logic. Why doesn't every chairman think like that?
If we had a chairman a tad more ambitious than ours then perhaps Lambert wouldn't have had to scrape the bottom of the barrel and sign such shite in the first place.
You totally missed the point in spectacular fashion, but your default button is your default button.
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I personally think Westwood is a very average midfielder rather than 'a stain on our club'.
Yeah you're probably right. It's not his fault he's so damn shite and you don't look a gift horse in the mouth when the Villa come knocking on the door looking to sign a player from the lower league. I take it back.
Lerner on the other hand...
After much thought, I can see where you're coming from. When Paul Lambert wanted to sign Ashley Westwood from Crewe, Randy should have said 'Sorry Paul, he's too cheap, choose somebody a bit more expensive'. What wonderful logic. Why doesn't every chairman think like that?
If we had a chairman a tad more ambitious than ours then perhaps Lambert wouldn't have had to scrape the bottom of the barrel and sign such shite in the first place.
You totally missed the point in spectacular fashion, but your default button is your default button.
And your default button is to defend Lerner till the bitter end so I'm also not surprised you've pressed it yet again.
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Where was this money going to come from ?
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I'm on the train with Pompey fans, who are relieved that they've just beaten Accrington 1-0. Will this be us in a few seasons?
Would it be that bad if it was? This is the bit that gives me hope. Take away the ego of wanting to 'dine at the top table' and you're left with exactly the same thing. They're still travelling by train to watch some hopeless cause, they're still posting on some random fanzine's website. That is the fun bit, the camaraderie of sharing time with mates.
Going down doesn't bother me that much, I actually think it could be more fun in the championship, less glamour but much better away trips and more victories. More hope.
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Where was this money going to come from ?
From the chairman's pocket. He knew the deal when he took over, and if I remember rightly no one held a gun to his head and forced him to buy us. He talked of being a custodian, yet he's plunged us into a decline we haven't seen in decades.
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I'm on the train with Pompey fans, who are relieved that they've just beaten Accrington 1-0. Will this be us in a few seasons?
Would it be that bad if it was? This is the bit that gives me hope. Take away the ego of wanting to 'dine at the top table' and you're left with exactly the same thing. They're still travelling by train to watch some hopeless cause, they're still posting on some random fanzine's website. That is the fun bit, the camaraderie of sharing time with mates.
Going down doesn't bother me that much, I actually think it could be more fun in the championship, less glamour but much better away trips and more victories. More hope.
Something Tom Ross said once struck a chord with me; "When you take everything else away, you've still got the football". Get rid of the hype, the glitz, the tinsel and all the thinsg we hate about modern football and you'd still be watching the Villa, with the same peope you'e weatched the Villa with for years.
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I'm on the train with Pompey fans, who are relieved that they've just beaten Accrington 1-0. Will this be us in a few seasons?
Would it be that bad if it was? This is the bit that gives me hope. Take away the ego of wanting to 'dine at the top table' and you're left with exactly the same thing. They're still travelling by train to watch some hopeless cause, they're still posting on some random fanzine's website. That is the fun bit, the camaraderie of sharing time with mates.
Going down doesn't bother me that much, I actually think it could be more fun in the championship, less glamour but much better away trips and more victories. More hope.
"More fun in the Championship"?
That's the type of deluded shite Small Heath fans spout whenever they try and put a brave face on yet another humiliating relegation.
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Just how many good transfers have we pulled off during the last 4 seasons? Benteke and that's probably it, there are a few borderline ones and a few that may come good with more time but for the outlay we've had, £110m+ gross, it's appalling and for that the blame lies at the managers and scouts door.
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Where was this money going to come from ?
From the chairman's pocket. He knew the deal when he took over, and if I remember rightly no one held a gun to his head and forced him to buy us. He talked of being a custodian, yet he's plunged us into a decline we haven't seen in decades.
You can answer here or on the Lerner thread. (http://www.heroesandvillains.info/forumv3/index.php?topic=54896.msg2968524#msg2968524)
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Where was this money going to come from ?
From the chairman's pocket. He knew the deal when he took over, and if I remember rightly no one held a gun to his head and forced him to buy us. He talked of being a custodian, yet he's plunged us into a decline we haven't seen in decades.
Ah, from the chairman's pocket, again. This chairman, who you hate, whose name you curse, whose very existence you rue, should yet again stump up - how much? £10 million? £50 million? £100 Million? Just to make you happy. And in doing so the club will owe even more, be even harder to sell and gets closer to becoming another Leeds.
That's not defending him, by the way. It's realism.
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Are we in debt to banks like Leeds were?
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Are we in debt to banks like Leeds were?
We could well be, should our current owner not be our owner anymore.
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Are we in debt to banks like Leeds were?
We could well be, should our current owner not be our owner anymore.
So you're saying that we should be thankful we still have a club irrespective of what league we're in and whatever humiliations he's inflicted onto us?
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Are we in debt to banks like Leeds were?
We could well be, should our current owner not be our owner anymore.
So you're saying that we should be thankful we still have a club irrespective of what league we're in and whatever humiliations he's inflicted onto us?
Did I say that?
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Are we in debt to banks like Leeds were?
We could well be, should our current owner not be our owner anymore.
So you're saying that we should be thankful we still have a club irrespective of what league we're in and whatever humiliations he's inflicted onto us?
Did I say that?
But if your defence of Lerner not spending is along the lines of "we could become a Leeds" then I think I'm within my rights to reply. That excuse was churned out when Ellis was in charge, and fans thought nothing of calling for him to borrow money from banks to bankroll spending which actually could have resulted in a Leeds like shitfest. Lerner on the other hand is disgustingly rich, so what's so wrong in fans calling for him to spend some of his riches on the club in our hour of need?
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I'm on the train with Pompey fans, who are relieved that they've just beaten Accrington 1-0. Will this be us in a few seasons?
Would it be that bad if it was? This is the bit that gives me hope. Take away the ego of wanting to 'dine at the top table' and you're left with exactly the same thing. They're still travelling by train to watch some hopeless cause, they're still posting on some random fanzine's website. That is the fun bit, the camaraderie of sharing time with mates.
Going down doesn't bother me that much, I actually think it could be more fun in the championship, less glamour but much better away trips and more victories. More hope.
"More fun in the Championship"?
That's the type of deluded shite Small Heath fans spout whenever they try and put a brave face on yet another humiliating relegation.
True, but how much have you enjoyed the last few seasons? this is all we're offering up. Season after season of turgid displays and displays. i'm not sure it will be more fun in the Championship and I certainluy don't want to be relegated because we need to be aiming for the top half of the top flight. That saying it may be kinder to put as out of our misery. because this is shit.
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Nobody talked about borrowing heavily under Ellis - on the contrary, Bruce Langham when he was briefly CEO, spoke of there being "wriggle room" in the club's finances that hadn't been utilised.
Lerner may be disgustingly rich as you call it, but as has been pointed out by several other posters, even richer owners have reined in their, far greater, spending. You can call for whatever you like, but you cannot run a football club by depending on the largesse of one man, particularly one who wants to sell it and who you want to go.
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The championship would be absolute torture, I'm convinced of that. Villa belong in the top division and anything else would be humiliating for us. For Lerner to take us down would be a dereliction of duty in my opinion.
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Nobody talked about borrowing heavily under Ellis - on the contrary, Bruce Langham when he was briefly CEO, spoke of there being "wriggle room" in the club's finances that hadn't been utilised.
Lerner may be disgustingly rich as you call it, but as has been pointed out by several other posters, even richer owners have reined in their, far greater, spending. You can call for whatever you like, but you cannot run a football club by depending on the largesse of one man, particularly one who wants to sell it and who you want to go.
Lerner owns the club lock stock and barrel so who else can we call on to speculate to accumulate?
Surely you'd like him to invest some serious money for a change? His 6 year austerity has been absolute torture for the club.
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Are we in debt to banks like Leeds were?
We could well be, should our current owner not be our owner anymore.
So you're saying that we should be thankful we still have a club irrespective of what league we're in and whatever humiliations he's inflicted onto us?
Did I say that?
But if your defence of Lerner not spending is along the lines of "we could become a Leeds" then I think I'm within my rights to reply. That excuse was churned out when Ellis was in charge, and fans thought nothing of calling for him to borrow money from banks to bankroll spending which actually could have resulted in a Leeds like shitfest. Lerner on the other hand is disgustingly rich, so what's so wrong in fans calling for him to spend some of his riches on the club in our hour of need?
There's a world of difference between spending "in our hour of need" and carrying on regardless over the last 5 years.
I've asked this now at least three times tonight and countless times over the last few months.
I've asked you this before, but I'll try again.
How much do you think Lerner should have continued to invest, bearing that the current tab is north of £250M?
Background info before answering.
1. Abramovich, a man who's worth around 10 times Lerner's personal net worth, put the best part of £1 billion into Chelsea over a 10 year period before pretty much calling a halt. They still spend plenty "net" but it's almost all covered by CL and associated TV income.
2. The Mansoors, who to all intents and purposes have limitless wealth, put the best part of £1.2 billion into Man City over a 5-6 year period before reigning in the chequebook. Again they spend plenty "net" but it's almost all covered by CL and associated TV income.
3. "Enough" or similar isn't an answer. A number be it £1 or £10 billion or anywhere in between.
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I'm on the train with Pompey fans, who are relieved that they've just beaten Accrington 1-0. Will this be us in a few seasons?
Would it be that bad if it was? This is the bit that gives me hope. Take away the ego of wanting to 'dine at the top table' and you're left with exactly the same thing. They're still travelling by train to watch some hopeless cause, they're still posting on some random fanzine's website. That is the fun bit, the camaraderie of sharing time with mates.
Going down doesn't bother me that much, I actually think it could be more fun in the championship, less glamour but much better away trips and more victories. More hope.
"More fun in the Championship"?
That's the type of deluded shite Small Heath fans spout whenever they try and put a brave face on yet another humiliating relegation.
True, but how much have you enjoyed the last few seasons? this is all we're offering up. Season after season of turgid displays and displays. i'm not sure it will be more fun in the Championship and I certainluy don't want to be relegated because we need to be aiming for the top half of the top flight. That saying it may be kinder to put as out of our misery. because this is shit.
I both disagree and entirely agree with this. Because of the final sentence - that's exactly it.
Relegation would be horrible, yes, it'd be humiliating, yes, but really, what kind of existence is this? It is fucking horrible.
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Nobody talked about borrowing heavily under Ellis - on the contrary, Bruce Langham when he was briefly CEO, spoke of there being "wriggle room" in the club's finances that hadn't been utilised.
Lerner may be disgustingly rich as you call it, but as has been pointed out by several other posters, even richer owners have reined in their, far greater, spending. You can call for whatever you like, but you cannot run a football club by depending on the largesse of one man, particularly one who wants to sell it and who you want to go.
Lerner owns the club lock stock and barrel so who else can we call on to speculate to accumulate?
Surely you'd like him to invest some serious money for a change? His 6 year austerity has been absolute torture for the club.
No, I don't want him to put another penny in to the club on top of the however many hundreds of millions he's thrown away already. I don't want us to spend money we haven't got, and I especially wouldn't want us to be even more indebted to a man if I'd spent years telling the world how much I hate him.
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I'm on the train with Pompey fans, who are relieved that they've just beaten Accrington 1-0. Will this be us in a few seasons?
Would it be that bad if it was? This is the bit that gives me hope. Take away the ego of wanting to 'dine at the top table' and you're left with exactly the same thing. They're still travelling by train to watch some hopeless cause, they're still posting on some random fanzine's website. That is the fun bit, the camaraderie of sharing time with mates.
Going down doesn't bother me that much, I actually think it could be more fun in the championship, less glamour but much better away trips and more victories. More hope.
"More fun in the Championship"?
That's the type of deluded shite Small Heath fans spout whenever they try and put a brave face on yet another humiliating relegation.
True, but how much have you enjoyed the last few seasons? this is all we're offering up. Season after season of turgid displays and displays. i'm not sure it will be more fun in the Championship and I certainluy don't want to be relegated because we need to be aiming for the top half of the top flight. That saying it may be kinder to put as out of our misery. because this is shit.
I both disagree and entirely agree with this. Because of the final sentence - that's exactly it.
Relegation would be horrible, yes, it'd be humiliating, yes, but really, what kind of existence is this? It is fucking horrible.
It's really no existence is it. Imagine if we guaranteed survival for the next 4 years but they were exactly the same as the last 4 - barely no home wins, humiliating records set season after season, regular defeats to lower league opposition in cups, the odd fluke win to keep our heads above water and then repeat for another year.
We need a circuit breaker to galvanise us as a club and provide some purpose. We need to get back into the habit of winning more than we lose. I love this club but loathe the team at the moment.
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Lerner needs to spend massively in January to give us a chance, if it's not too late. The discussion over his investment in villa is moot, such has been the haphazard, incoherent manner of his spending, that he may as well have set light to an enormous pile of twenties in the centre circle in his first game as custodian. £250m since he arrived and we are appreciably worse, that requires a special kind of stupid. The man is a fool and like all fools he should part with a significant amount of cash in January to repair some of the damage he has inflicted
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Lerner needs to spend massively in January to give us a chance, if it's not too late. The discussion over his investment in villa is moot, such has been the haphazard, incoherent manner of his spending, that he may as well have set light to an enormous pile of twenties in the centre circle in his first game as custodian. £250m since he arrived and we are appreciably worse, that requires a special kind of stupid. The man is a fool and like all fools he should part with a significant amount of cash in January to repair some of the damage he has inflicted
he should spend whatever he wants to spend, its his money
I would like him to spend loads to improve what we have to watch every week but its his choice. The same as it is my choice to continue going and watching the crap on offer.
he knows what's at stake, he may spend to protect his product which he is trying to sell, he may decide not to spend because he has already put enough in in his opinion, his choice
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As the purported custodian, I'd like to see Lerner make some reasonable attempt to rectify the damage he's caused, if that requires high spending in January, offering the existing squad huge bonuses for avoiding the drop, so be it. Either that or he cuts his losses in the summer and hands us on to someone competent. Lets face it he's only lost his old mans money anyway, it's not like he ever earned it.
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Relegation would be horrible, yes, it'd be humiliating, yes, but really, what kind of existence is this? It is fucking horrible.
It's shit at the moment and has been getting shitter for a while but at least it'll be cheaper shit in the second division. And I could live a season or 2 without having to watch tourists at Stamford Bridge laughing at me after I've paid £55 for the pleasure. I could live without watching arsehole players ruining the game by thinking that laws don't apply to them ( Diego Costa - first example to come into my head, there are many more who I would be happy to see get a right-hander from a proper centre half). I could live without semi-coherent experts in the media, spouting ignorant nonsense about us. I'd honestly rather play 100 mile and hour pub football against Blues and Wolves than watch us play, say, Swansea or Leicester in a silent, sterile ground at 8pm on a Monday evening. And I want a manager in a sheepskin coat, sitting on a wooden bench, not in a fucking gilet in a racing car seat.
I'm ready for it
Shove your Premier League up yer bollocks. I'd rather watch a pub-rock outfit than a bloated stadium band, anyway
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Well said Chico. I'd rather see Chas and Dave than Coldplay.
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Earlier on this thread, someone commented that it was good having Gestede as our front man in away games as he holds the ball up well!! - Not the same player that I'm watching as, he couldn't trap a bag of cement and the ball always comes off his shin, knee or whatever but, holding the ball up - no way.
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Relegation would be horrible, yes, it'd be humiliating, yes, but really, what kind of existence is this? It is fucking horrible.
It's shit at the moment and has been getting shitter for a while but at least it'll be cheaper shit in the second division. And I could live a season or 2 without having to watch tourists at Stamford Bridge laughing at me after I've paid £55 for the pleasure. I could live without watching arsehole players ruining the game by thinking that laws don't apply to them ( Diego Costa - first example to come into my head, there are many more who I would be happy to see get a right-hander from a proper centre half). I could live without semi-coherent experts in the media, spouting ignorant nonsense about us. I'd honestly rather play 100 mile and hour pub football against Blues and Wolves than watch us play, say, Swansea or Leicester in a silent, sterile ground at 8pm on a Monday evening. And I want a manager in a sheepskin coat, sitting on a wooden bench, not in a fucking gilet in a racing car seat.
I'm ready for it
Shove your Premier League up yer bollocks. I'd rather watch a pub-rock outfit than a bloated stadium band, anyway
Righteous brother, I'm bang up for it now. Bring it on.
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Well said Chico. I'd rather see Chas and Dave than Coldplay.
Coldplay are the half-time act at the next Superbowl.
It would be great if they pulled out and were replaced by Chas and Dave
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As the purported custodian, I'd like to see Lerner make some reasonable attempt to rectify the damage he's caused, if that requires high spending in January, offering the existing squad huge bonuses for avoiding the drop, so be it. Either that or he cuts his losses in the summer and hands us on to someone competent. Lets face it he's only lost his old mans money anyway, it's not like he ever earned it.
he is trying to sell, or have you not noticed?
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Well said Chico. I'd rather see Chas and Dave than Coldplay.
Coldplay are the half-time act at the next Superbowl.
It would be great if they pulled out and were replaced by Chas and Dave
Wonder what our American cousins would make of Gertcha?