Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Match Threads & Player Ratings => Topic started by: UK Redsox on October 10, 2016, 06:05:19 PM
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Sat 15 Oct 2016
17:30 KO
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"A N Other's Claret-ish and Blue Army"
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3-0 home win with SFB watching from the stands.
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With Bruce, Us 8 them 1
Without Bruce, Us 1 them 1
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Big Fat Steve in the hotseat to see up close and personal the job at hand, 1-1 again.
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What's the latest injury news ?
Is anyone out through suspension?
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Tshibola suspended for dumb reserve red card. Ayew picked up an injury on international duty as did Jedinak. So yeah, great news as usual.
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its going to be emotional, draw
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2-0 home win.
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What's the latest injury news ?
Is anyone out through suspension?
Ayew is a doubt , injured on International duty.
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Managerless, missing Tshibola and Ayew, coming off the back of a disastrous away defeat and a run of games without a win. Football's a funny old game, y'know, and strange things do happen, but this particular game won't be very strange, or funny. Defeat.
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Steve Bruce to run on the pitch and us not to care this time.
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2-1 home win
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If we have Bruce Potato (as he's now known in our household after my girlfriend told a bunch of us "that Bruce Potato is going to be your manager" (she honestly didn't know his first name, but knew Bruce and the Potato link)), then we won't lose. Something to look forward to then.
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Going to go for a 2-0 home win with Bruce in the dugout.
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The big West Midlands derby! A win for us with our new manager. 2-0
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Let me think..............................
.........a draw
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3-0 Villa with a Westwood hat-trick.
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Stevie B's claret and blue army 2 the Wanderers a big fat zero.
Or Stevie C's claret and blue army 2 the Wanderers a big fat zero.
Either way I'm getting the blagging rights against my brother and dad.
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steves clarkes villa giving Xia a headache with a 6 0 win
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Routine home win
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3-0 Villa with a Westwood hat-trick.
Pass the dutchie
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When will we learn? Who keeps predicting wins every bloody match? We never win!!
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Just can't see it... 2-1 loss.
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1-3 to the Dingles.
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When will we learn? Who keeps predicting wins every bloody match? We never win!!
All the evidence of the last five years in general and the last 18 months in particular would appear to indicate that you are indeed correct in your suggestion that a home victory in these circumstances is unlikely.
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2-1 Villa.
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'Null-null' (in my best Stuart Hall impersonation pre-incarceration).
Steve Bruce to be unveiled as manager before kick off, only to be sacked hours later after going on a Balti pie binge and throwing up all over the executive seating.
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Another fucking draw, we have more of them than any other team since football was invented. Boring buggers.
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Call me clairvoyant, but I think we'll concede a late goal.
Happily it's just a consolation as we win 3-1
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3-0 to Wolves says my head. 2-2 says my heart. Just fucking win, Villa.
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3-0 Villa with a Westwood hat-trick.
Pass the dutchie
Mmmmm stew
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I can't see past our shit midfield, especially if Tshibola is out (has that been confirmed for sure)?
Double gutted if ayew is out though at least we've got credible options in attack
Gollini
Bacuna Chester baker amavi
Adomah Westwood Gardner grealish
Kodjia gestede
Or something. I don't know
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Villa win.
Mind you I always say Villa win.
2-1.
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I reckon we could well lose this one with no new manager in place. But hopefully it will be the last one for a while after the new fella (it's Bruce isn't it it?) comes in and steadies the ship and gets us better organised.
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I predict a big reaction to Brucie's arrival - leading to a performance with energy, commitment & attacking intent.
1-1. :o
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Big Fat Steve in the hotseat to see up close and personal the job at hand, 1-1 again.
He's a new slim line Bruce now with fancy blonde coloured hair ::)
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Going with a dramatic 2-1 home win, thanks to two injury time headed goals (97th and 173rd minutes) from our new fistfaced player-manager.
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1-1 Draw for me.
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Ayew being out could be a blessing in disguise and allow us to play a proper 3 man midfield, Probably would have to be Jedinak-Westwood-Gardner for me.
Having 3 in there would cover deficiencies on mobility but would open up a headache up front and mean we need to go to 4-3-3/4-5-1, maybe adomah and Grealish wide with Kodjia up top. I would have really liked to see McCormack back in the side, Just dont know where he would play
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I can't see past our shit midfield, especially if Tshibola is out (has that been confirmed for sure)?
Double gutted if ayew is out though at least we've got credible options in attack
Gollini
Bacuna Chester baker amavi
Adomah Westwood Gardner grealish
Kodjia gestede
Or something. I don't know
Tsihbola out again? It's like resigning Traore...
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He's suspended, not injured.
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And I reckon we have 3 players 1 booking away from a ban. Elphick, Ayew and Jedi.
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A draw and we'll concede late on, its what we do.
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We're not playing a match again are we?
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Gollini
Bacuna Elphick Chester Cissokho
Westwood Gardner Lyden
McCormack Grealish
Kodija
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And I reckon we have 3 players 1 booking away from a ban. Elphick, Ayew and Jedi.
2 of them not much loss with recent performances ..
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Well he better get a wiggle on; it's nearly Wednesday and no sign of him yet
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I'm working on the basis Clarke will be in charge but with Tish and Ayew possibly absent would like to see us line up as follows:
Gollini, Bacuna, Chester, Elphick, Cissokho, Gardner, Jedinak, Westwood, Grealish, McCormack, Kodjia
Subs - Steer, Hutton, Baker, Amavi, Gestede, Adomah, Lyden
I've gone for a draw as that's what we tend to do...
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Clarke in charge = home defeat
Bruce in charge = draw
But who really knows
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Don't care who manages or who plays on Saturday, just any old scrappy win will do
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I think that will have to be my mantra until the end of the season.
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Win 1-0
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Is Tshibola definitely suspended?
He's just tweeted that he's looking forward to the weekend and he doesn't seem to be on a list of suspended players
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2-0 win
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Gollini
Bacuna Elphick Chester Cissokho
Westwood Gardner Lyden
McCormack Grealish
Kodija
That looks like the best we could do in the circumstances.
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Not quite a must win fixture but beating this lot will set us up nicely for the next 4 games. Bruce will only have a couple of days with the players so he needs to get to work quick or at least get these players organised and ready to run through walls for 3pts.
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all home games are must win fixtures
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Tsihbola said on social media he's looking forward to the game...however this says he's out. Not sure how accurate this is given that it has Gabby out suspended (no bad thing).
http://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/aston-villa/sperrenundverletzungen/verein/405
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Tsihbola said on social media he's looking forward to the game...however this says he's out. Not sure how accurate this is given that it has Gabby out suspended (no bad thing).
http://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/aston-villa/sperrenundverletzungen/verein/405
Weird one - I was convinced he was suspended for two yellows picked up in an under-23 game, but doesn't show as suspended or awaiting suspension on the official FA site (http://www.thefa.com/football-rules-governance/suspensions) - and it's pretty accurate with our players one card away from suspension.
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Maybe the suspension is just for under 23 matches? You'd have thought the fa website would be accurate. They're a top notch organisation
What's that?
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Apparently there was another under-23 game on 5th October, so maybe his suspension took effect for that game
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We could really use Tshibola in our pedestrian midfield, let's hope the suspension has already been served. I can't see Jedinak being fit after a midweek game across the globe so it will probably still mean pointy playing regardless, or we can play a 3 and have the delights of Gardner and pointy. God our midfield is garbage.
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Maybe the suspension is just for under 23 matches? You'd have thought the fa website would be accurate. They're a top notch organisation
What's that?
No, they used to be but they changed it last year I think, so the ban affects 1st team games too.
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1-1. Even with the new boss in the hot seat.
Will be a good point but unfortunately will miss the game due to Sky moving it to 5.30.
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3-1
Bunn
Bacuna
Chester
Elphick
Cissoko
Westwood
Jedinak
Grealish
McCormack
Kodja Gestede
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Tshibola plays apparently so that's all fine then. 2 v 2 it is.
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Tshibola plays apparently so that's all fine then. 2 v 2 it is.
It appears he can play then.Of course that means he will not be selected!
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Good news on Tish.
He has to start.
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3-1
Bunn
Bacuna
Chester
Elphick
Cissoko
Westwood
Jedinak
Grealish
McCormack
Kodja Gestede
Out jedinak in Tshibola 3-0
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I'm there Saturday, AND I will support my team win lose or draw, and I will be on the piss Saturday night, and it will be celebration, or planning our next phase of the rebirth of Aston Villa, with the best manager weve had since Houllier
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sadly I can't as my wife booked a trip to Malvern Theatre to see Breakfast at Tiffany's. Ho-hum. At least Georgia is easy on the eye.
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I'm there Saturday, AND I will support my team win lose or draw, and I will be on the piss Saturday night, and it will be celebration, or planning our next phase of the rebirth of Aston Villa, with the best manager weve had since Houllier
I hope he's somewhat better than Houllier, who was truly gash.
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Hate 5:30 KO as I want be settling into my first cider of the night about then - will be there - as always- with diminishing expectations
The Dingles at work have finally emerged with knowing leers on their mutant faces - they won't actually say anything because they know their place and that we slap them too often but they will savour a draw and dream of a win...
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I'm there Saturday, AND I will support my team win lose or draw, and I will be on the piss Saturday night, and it will be celebration, or planning our next phase of the rebirth of Aston Villa, with the best manager weve had since Houllier
I hope he's somewhat better than Houllier, who was truly gash.
this is not the time to dis Houllier, but Houllier was getting a team together and would have took us up the league imo.
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I'm there Saturday, AND I will support my team win lose or draw, and I will be on the piss Saturday night, and it will be celebration, or planning our next phase of the rebirth of Aston Villa, with the best manager weve had since Houllier
I hope he's somewhat better than Houllier, who was truly gash.
this is not the time to dis Houllier, but Houllier was getting a team together and would have took us up the league imo.
Yeah, best not to go over all that again, but it was a certain match against the dogheads under Houllier that made me remember just how terrible he was. We were saved that season by Bent's goals and McAllister's cameo following Houllier's illness.
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I'm there Saturday, AND I will support my team win lose or draw, and I will be on the piss Saturday night, and it will be celebration, or planning our next phase of the rebirth of Aston Villa, with the best manager weve had since Houllier
I hope he's somewhat better than Houllier, who was truly gash.
this is not the time to dis Houllier, but Houllier was getting a team together and would have took us up the league imo.
funny that, i remember just before he fell ill losing at home to sunderland on a freezing cold night and chants of your getting sacked in the morning
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I'm there Saturday, AND I will support my team win lose or draw, and I will be on the piss Saturday night, and it will be celebration, or planning our next phase of the rebirth of Aston Villa, with the best manager weve had since Houllier
I hope he's somewhat better than Houllier, who was truly gash.
this is not the time to dis Houllier, but Houllier was getting a team together and would have took us up the league imo.
funny that, i remember just before he fell ill losing at home to sunderland on a freezing cold night and chants of your getting sacked in the morning
That was the last match my Godfather went to at VP - he said he couldn't stand the terrible language in the Upper Trinity any more - True!
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Just before? That game was 3 months before he fell ill. And after the Sunderland game we lost 3 of the next 13. One of the main reasons we struggled is that even by our standards we had a horrific spell of injures. So bad that Hogg started 5 out of 6 games as we had no other fit midfielders.
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I'm there Saturday, AND I will support my team win lose or draw, and I will be on the piss Saturday night, and it will be celebration, or planning our next phase of the rebirth of Aston Villa, with the best manager weve had since Houllier
I hope he's somewhat better than Houllier, who was truly gash.
this is not the time to dis Houllier, but Houllier was getting a team together and would have took us up the league imo.
funny that, i remember just before he fell ill losing at home to sunderland on a freezing cold night and chants of your getting sacked in the morning
That was the last match my Godfather went to at VP - he said he couldn't stand the terrible language in the Upper Trinity any more - True!
it must have been bad for bad language in the upper trinity!
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A Brucie Bonus, 2 - 1 win.
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This the one where everything finally clicks and we draw 0-0
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I'm there Saturday, AND I will support my team win lose or draw, and I will be on the piss Saturday night, and it will be celebration, or planning our next phase of the rebirth of Aston Villa, with the best manager weve had since Houllier
I hope he's somewhat better than Houllier, who was truly gash.
this is not the time to dis Houllier, but Houllier was getting a team together and would have took us up the league imo.
Yeah, best not to go over all that again, but it was a certain match against the dogheads under Houllier that made me remember just how terrible he was. We were saved that season by Bent's goals and McAllister's cameo following Houllier's illness.
By Bent's goals yes, but we were basically safe after we won at West Ham - McAllister's wins at the end of the season just put a gloss on the campaign rather than turn it round.
I;ve got no idea how Wolves have been playing, looking forward to seeing which team we put out as well.
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The galling thing is, we have another new manager, and due to injuries/jet lag etc. etc. He's going to be another one picking Ashley Fucking Westwood in midfield. Not for long I feel, but at least for this game....sighs.
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But we weren't assured safety after the West Ham game. Our safety only became apparent nearer the end of the season. If I recall correctly a few clubs had everything to play for as far as we knew, and we were one of them. I find the Houllier revisionism annoying. He wasn't as bad as the abysmal standards of the last few years, granted, but he was awful nonetheless.
Anyway, I hope this Wolves game isn't as bad as the one under him, but I have my doubts.
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We were 10th and 7 points from the drop with 5 to go after beating West Ham. That's all but safe.
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Not mathematically safe with five games to go then. And playing dour football all the way. I don't recall many being too gutted at Houllier's departure, to be honest. But some did get a bit misty eyed after TSM. Be honest, Houllier was a terrible appointment.
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No one has said we were mathematically safe then have they, but everyone knew we wouldn't be dropping.
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This is the game I've travelled for this season, so I'm expecting us to smash Wolves. 3-0.
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That's not how I remember it at all. There were a fair few jitters going into those games. But of course, back then relegation seemed unthinkable. It was before our expectations had been sufficiently managed, after all. And still, very few of us were sad to see Houllier go.
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And yet it's how it was. We were all but safe. 7 points clear with 5 to go and 8 sides need to overtake you, you can consider yourself safe.
Here's the post-match thread.
http://www.heroesandvillains.info/forumv3/index.php?topic=43129.15
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And yet it's how it was. We were all but safe. 7 points clear with 5 to go and 8 sides need to overtake you, you can consider yourself safe.
Here's the post-match thread.
http://www.heroesandvillains.info/forumv3/index.php?topic=43129.15
Check mate!
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Even Villa fans can find reasons to be cheerful after a win. I don't recall being quite so bullish after the next few games. And in any case, being 'all but safe' with five games to go, with the resources at our disposal at that time, doesn't make Houllier any good. He was shite.
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Read the thread if you just think they were being cheerful. That way you won't miss the numerous "we're safe" posts. We drew the next match and were 7 clear with 4 to play, then we lost and were still 6 clear with 3 to play. And we had a much better GD. So nope, people weren't panicking, or worried, even then.
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That's not how I remember it at all. There were a fair few jitters going into those games. But of course, back then relegation seemed unthinkable. It was before our expectations had been sufficiently managed, after all. And still, very few of us were sad to see Houllier go.
How I recall it too.
We had Wigan (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_prem/9474096.stm) at home on May 7 and after drawing 1-1, we were still looking at permutations to send us down, as beating Arsenal away and Liverpool at home didn't exactly look like a nailed on 6 points.
Some still try to portray the Houllier era as a missed opportunity. It is, only in as much as it should have been someone else in the job rather than him. The 7-12th comments (after competing for the CL for the previous two seasons) the toe curling Liverpool love in, the brush with relegation, the whole nine yards. The rot started on his watch.
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We could have lost our last 5 games after West Ham and we'd still have stayed up. That's how close to being relegated we were. As it was we lost 4 of the last 17 in the league.
Houllier certainly had his faults, i'll never forgive the cup surrender or his "at 2-0 the game was lost" at Anfield. And some still to try to portray his era as a complete disaster while forgetting we had the worst injury crisis i've ever seen at VP. Once we had players back and had signed some he wanted we went on that run mentioned above.
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If you go into your final two games of the season not assured of keeping your place in the division, that's a brush with relegation in most people's book.
It wasn't a full on relegation battle that year, I'll concede. That came later.
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Imagine though, only 4 defeats in 17! Compared to McLeish onwards it was like watching Barcelona!
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Don't recall any jitters at Arsenal in the penultimate game. The concourse could be heard a mile away pre-game and was absolutely rocking at the prospect of the Noses dropping. "Going up/going down" went on for a good half an hour.
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Houllier did two thirds of a season so it is virtually impossible to make any sort of sensible judgement on his success or otherwise. We flirted with relegation for most of the season without me ever feeling that is was likely but at the same time I think our final position flattered us massively. There has been a lot of talk about who we might have signed but there is no knowing if Lerner was on the same page so, again, that is not enough to give him any particular credit. In the end I think, like McLeish, it was a gamble that failed albeit for very different reasons.
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On the basis that I have to go to work in Wolverhampton on Monday morning I would really appreciate it if we could win this one.
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That's not how I remember it at all. There were a fair few jitters going into those games. But of course, back then relegation seemed unthinkable. It was before our expectations had been sufficiently managed, after all. And still, very few of us were sad to see Houllier go.
How I recall it too.
We had Wigan (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_prem/9474096.stm) at home on May 7 and after drawing 1-1, we were still looking at permutations to send us down, as beating Arsenal away and Liverpool at home didn't exactly look like a nailed on 6 points.
Some still try to portray the Houllier era as a missed opportunity. It is, only in as much as it should have been someone else in the job rather than him. The 7-12th comments (after competing for the CL for the previous two seasons) the toe curling Liverpool love in, the brush with relegation, the whole nine yards. The rot started on his watch.
That sounds closer to reality. How cock-a-hoop were we directly after the Albion defeat? We took two points from the three games after West Ham and we had Arsenal and Liverpool coming up.
As I said before, compared to what came afterwards it seems like we were Brazil ’70, but at the time the very fact that we were thinking about relegation says a lot about Houllier.
We judged RDM after 11 games, so it's quite possible to judge Houllier after 2/3 of a season. He tried to do too much too soon, and his general attitude to the club marked new lows at the time. Didn't he have a run in with the chairman over his departure as well?
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On the basis that I have to go to work in Wolverhampton on Monday morning I would really appreciate it if we could win this one.
Agreed! I work in Walsall - sort of Wolves-lite
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I'm out on Saturday night with a few Wolves and Albion fans (they all want Wolves to beat us such is their obsession with all things Villa), so it could be a long night if we lose. There's a couple of other Villa fans so hopefully we're the ones giving it the big 'un and singing songs long into the night about our saviour Steve Bruce.
3-1 to us.
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Houllier did two thirds of a season so it is virtually impossible to make any sort of sensible judgement on his success or otherwise. We flirted with relegation for most of the season without me ever feeling that is was likely but at the same time I think our final position flattered us massively. There has been a lot of talk about who we might have signed but there is no knowing if Lerner was on the same page so, again, that is not enough to give him any particular credit. In the end I think, like McLeish, it was a gamble that failed albeit for very different reasons.
I agree that we can't stretch potential signings under Houllier too far (the Benzema and Sissoko links in January were memorable), but I'm pretty certain I read an interview with Cabaye where he basically said he was signing for Villa until it was understood that Houllier wasn't coming back. Given that he cost about 4-5 million and we ended up wasting our budget on N'Zogbia (9.5 million, wasn't it?) and Given, I'm sure we would have accommodated one or two more decent players if Houllier's instincts were right.
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Don't recall any jitters at Arsenal in the penultimate game. The concourse could be heard a mile away pre-game and was absolutely rocking at the prospect of the Noses dropping. "Going up/going down" went on for a good half an hour.
2-1 a Bent double. I picked up a very tidy little sum that day from Bill Hill!
I don't remember the mood to be bad at all in the away end, in fact a lot of optimism for the next season and the rejoicing at the demise of the rags. Thoughts that we had "turned a corner". [We had of course, to be faced with the descent to watching one of the worst Villa teams i can remember]
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I remember the comment that Houlier acted more like a business consultant than our manager.
The job seemed just a little bit beneath him because we were not Liverpool.
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I remember the comment that Houlier acted more like a business consultant than our manager.
The job seemed just a little bit beneath him because we were not Liverpool.
Yep, I agree. He was a bellend.
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Houllier lost me and many others at that Liverpool game. We barely managed a shot on goal but he stood gazing at The Kop and said "If I have to lose 3-0 I'm glad it was against Liverpool".
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When we play on Saturday it will be 545 days since we won a game on TV.
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When we play on Saturday it will be 545 days since we won a game on TV.
Apart from the cup games we've won on TV?
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When we play on Saturday it will be 545 days since we won a game on TV.
Apart from the cup games we've won on TV?
Read it on Twitter and worked it out to be the Liverpool semi. Forgot the Small Heath game :-[
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Just had an e-mail from Villa about getting tickets for Saturday and welcoming our new manager 'we're expecting big crowds at this weekend's game against local rivals Wolves.'
Not sure why they are expecting big crowds, at £35+ for tickets in most of the vacant areas and live on TV I can see it being like the Forest game and scraping just over 30k.
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AVFC Support on Twitter who are giving out figures for away sales etc have said the crowd is looking like it will be between 34k-35k.
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3-0 win for us. Second goal will be a freak goal from a throw in. Robbie Savage will get headbutted at one point.
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AVFC Support on Twitter who are giving out figures for away sales etc have said the crowd is looking like it will be between 34k-35k.
Good news if so, maybe that's based on a lot of last minute sales expected now we've got a manager? As there's a lot of green availability on the website and the stadium only holds roughly 37k this season.
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Got a good feeling about things now we've got the right sort of man in charge - looking forward to a tremendous atmosphere - 2-1 Villa.
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5-2
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Gonna fuck the fuckers!
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Any win
Please
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Haven't been wolves at the villa since 2003! 3-2 double for Juan Pablo and one for Gaz Baz
But thats only 3 games played since
0-0 27th August'11 draw
0-1 19th March '11 loss
2-2 20th March '10 draw carew double !
And last match played was away 3-2 win Robbie Keane double after benty early pen! Keane was superb that day
Looks like our strikers like to get doubles v this lot!
Kodja or McCormack for 2 goals then !
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And for the overall record !
V wolves
Games won: 53
Games draw:31
Games lost: 37
If anyone has the wolves at villa record and could post would love to know.
AND to keep us in the mood!
In 1981-82 Villa did a Villa Park double over Wolves. Des Bremner, Tony Morley and Andy Blair scored in a 3-1 League Cup second-round first-leg victory on October 7, 1981, winning 5-3 on aggregate.
Morley was also on target plus Donovan and Shaw, in a 3-1 league success 1982 helped Wolves on their way to relegation!!!
3-1 villa ! ! Saturday ! Always has a nice ring to it!
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Gollini
Bacuna
Elphick
Chester
Amavi (they're quick up top)
Jedinak
Tshibola
Westwood (holds nose)
Adomah
McCormack
Kodjia
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I think he will go 3 5 2 from the off. Got a feeling he might not fancy Gollini too.
Steer
Elphick
Chester
Richards
Bacuna
Amavi
Gardner
Tishbola
Jedinak
McCormack
Kodjia
Just think the line up will be more solid looking than many we have seen with a couple of suprised in there.
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I'll be conservative and go for seven-nil.
Kodjia hat-trick, Tshibola, McCormack, Chester and Grealish.
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The Dogheads to be party poopers and inflict first home defeat of the season. 0-2 to them.
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Don't play Westwood, please Brucie.
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Don't play Westwood, please Brucie.
Would you rather see Gardner though? I think he's even worse.
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If the choice is Pointy or Gardner, I'd go for Pointy
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I'm going for a 3-1 win with the first goal coming in the 1st half (Kodija) and the noise from the fans gains momentum and we kill them off with a couple more straight after the restart and of course they pull one back.
Gollini
Amavi Elphick Chester Richards
Grealish Tshibola Jedinak Bacuna
Kodija
McCormack
Ayew
Gestede
Westwood
Adomah
Hutton
Baker
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If anyone has the villa at home win draw loss record history could they post it
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Don't play Westwood, please Brucie.
Would you rather see Gardner though? I think he's even worse.
We've all seen Westwood be extremely poor for years and years.
How many times have you seen Gardner be poor?
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Head to head record H & A
(https://s10.postimg.org/5lbmaypah/SNAG_Program_0007.jpg)
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I think he will go 3 5 2 from the off. Got a feeling he might not fancy Gollini too.
Gollini
Elphick
Chester
Richards
Bacuna
Amavi
Tishbola
Jedinak
McCormack
Ayew
Kodjia
Just think the line up will be more solid looking than many we have seen with a couple of suprised in there.
I've changed it to my personnel but I think it's worth a go with that formation. If he can get Bacuna focussed and Amavi back to his best those 2 could kill most teams playing in those positions. I'd play McCormack in behind the strikers with the other 2 protecting the defence. And as much as it lothes me to pick Richards I can't help but think he could do well in a 3 on the right, and let's face it there's not many other options anyway.
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2-1 win.
With the break I haven't been paying much attention to the injuries...who's actually fit to play in this...is Ayew o.k, is Tshibola suspended or not?
Front two of McCormack and Kodjia sounds logical to me...not sure what sort of midfield will be put out with Jedinak having a 24 hour flight.
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New manager bounce will get us a few wins. 2-0 to us.
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1-3 to the Dingles.
I have reconsidered. 2-1 to the Villa.
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I agree with Worsal Gummage on this one. 1-1
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Shhh, whisper it quietly. 2-0 win. New manager bounce
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I hope its a good atmosphere and a positive performance and win. A special mention for one of my boyhood heroes too, Tony Daley, hope he gets a warm reception too.
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I hope its a good atmosphere and a positive performance and win. A special mention for one of my boyhood heroes too, Tony Daley, hope he gets a warm reception too.
Agreed x 4.
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Was excited to see Big Brucie take training today in the pics on OS, then saw K Mac in one of them and the excitement turned to misery!
WTF is he still doing at the club, seriously!
Anyway 2-0 win and we're on the march.
UTV
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I hope its a good atmosphere and a positive performance and win. A special mention for one of my boyhood heroes too, Tony Daley, hope he gets a warm reception too.
Agreed x 4.
I'll second (third) that. He's been there for quite a while now. Seems like decades in footballing terms.
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Think it will be a close game. But really the only way is up (sorry! ::)) and Bruce will be positive I think and send them out fired up. It will be a strong crowd which should work in our favour and Wolves are going through a bit of a sticky spell. 2-1 to us. Kodja and Grealish.
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Wolves did go to Newcastle and win recently but like so many in this league they're unpredictable as they've also lost 4-0 at home to Barnsley recently.
Would be great to get an early goal tomorrow, would really get the crowd going and I doubt we'd retreat to our 18 yard box like under RDM.
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Hope the crowd is rocking tomorrow, the whole ground not just The Holte. Show Brucie he really is at a big and proper club now.
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Was excited to see Big Brucie take training today in the pics on OS, then saw K Mac in one of them and the excitement turned to misery!
WTF is he still doing at the club, seriously!
Anyway 2-0 win and we're on the march.
UTV
I didn't see Kevin Mac , but did spot Mark Delaney in one pic.
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He'll have had one training session so I can't see him introducing a 532 style. We have played it this season but very badly. Think it will be a similar lineup with tweaked tactics
Gollini
Bacuna elphick Chester cissokho
Westwood Tshibola
Adomah McCormack ayew / grealish
Kodjia
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Gollini
Richards Elphick Chester Amavi
Ayew/adomah Jedinak Tshibola Jack
Kodija Ross but think Gestde
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Gollini
Richards Elphick Chester Amavi
Ayew/adomah Jedinak Tshibola Jack
Kodija Ross but think Gestde
I think Bruce might favour Richards as well.
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Anybody that recommends Richards in the team should be sent to St Helens for an all inclusive with Gabby.
Right now, talent we have, I just want to see a team that works.
We don't need a midfield of Jedinak, Tshibola and Jack. We need a midfield that will work their collective balls off until they drop.
So much has been said about the wrong signings, too young, no experience, whatever. I've never believed it. We've never had the right manager to bring out the talent of the signings. Hopefully SFB will be that man. That German chap at Huddersfield, almost his first observation was that you need to work every bloody minute of the game to achieve something. I'm pretty sure SFB knows exactly what he means.
If it had been another Villa game, I would have for the very first time, probably, tried to find something else to do. Right now, I'm so bloody nervous, I can't wait for the game to start. Saturday is still Saturday. A Villa game has got me all excited again ev en though I know our manager is Bruce. The thing that brings me back is I know for once we're going to be prepared.
This ain't no Sherwood giving the half time team talk bullshit. This is man's business. Bring it on!
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Anybody that recommends Richards in the team should be sent to St Helens for an all inclusive with Gabby.
Right now, talent we have, I just want to see a team that works.
We don't need a midfield of Jedinak, Tshibola and Jack. We need a midfield that will work their collective balls off until they drop.
So much has been said about the wrong signings, too young, no experience, whatever. I've never believed it. We've never had the right manager to bring out the talent of the signings. Hopefully SFB will be that man. That German chap at Huddersfield, almost his first observation was that you need to work every bloody minute of the game to achieve something. I'm pretty sure SFB knows exactly what he means.
If it had been another Villa game, I would have for the very first time, probably, tried to find something else to do. Right now, I'm so bloody nervous, I can't wait for the game to start. Saturday is still Saturday. A Villa game has got me all excited again ev en though I know our manager is Bruce. The thing that brings me back is I know for once we're going to be prepared.
This ain't no Sherwood giving the half time team talk bullshit. This is man's business. Bring it on!
Not saying I would have Richards in the side, just that Bruce might favour him.
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Ticket in the post, Tom.
Send me a post card with some penguins. ;-)
I'm still awake (two proper coffees) but still thinking about the game tomorrow (today).
i hope Bruce is enjoying what's left of his his honeymoon. I expect 3 points tomorrow but I don't think he'll let us down.
My biggest worry is staying up tonight and completely missing the game tomorrow. It's been a tough week. A man deserves his sleep.
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Are you a bit pissed, Mark?
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Nope. Too much caffeine and a heart full of hope.
I thought I could at least have counted on your support on the side effects of cafe-duplas. Dangerous stuff. ;)
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Don't play Westwood, please Brucie.
Would you rather see Gardner though? I think he's even worse.
We've all seen Westwood be extremely poor for years and years.
How many times have you seen Gardner be poor?
I'd rather neither to be honest. Hopefully Lyden becomes a Bruce favourite. He outs himself about. Deserves a chance in my book.
Even Bacuna would be better in the middle than Gardner or Westwood. They're both abysmal.
My team would be:
Gollini
Amavi
Elphick
Chester
Bacuna
Tshibola (Gardner, reluctantly,if Tshibola is suspended)
Jedinak
Lyden
Grealish
Ayew
Kodjia
Subs: Watkins, Baker, McCormack, Green, Adomah
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sorry, but I just can't see how you can leave out two players - who cost the thick end of £20m - from a team that can't win.
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sorry, but I just can't see how you can leave out two players - who cost the thick end of £20m - from a team that can't win.
Oh, they'd be brought on. I like McCormack. He could easily come in and replace Jack or Ayew. Adomah is a bit of an unknown for me. If Bruce decides to play wingers/go 4-4-2, Adomah would be on the team sheet, with possibly Gestede coming in too.
It'll be interesting to see how Bruce lines them up.
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Jedinak seems to get tired running from one side of the centre circle to the other so I'm sceptical he'll be sharp enough coming back from the other side of the world
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Just woken up and I am convinced that we are due to absolutely tater someone.
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Just woken up and I am convinced that we are due to absolutely potater someone.
Fixed for you.
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Jedinak seems to get tired running from one side of the centre circle to the other so I'm sceptical he'll be sharp enough coming back from the other side of the world
fixed
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Just woken up and I am convinced that we are due to absolutely potater someone.
Fixed for you.
BOOOOM! ;)
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We'll be setting off in about half an hour. The sky is blue here and it's a lovely day. I've got a really good vibe about today, this is the day when everything changes.
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I'm quite excited about today's game. Come on Villa!
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Westwood and the bearded one to start in midfield. We go again.
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It's 5.30 ko so is it on Sky etc. ?
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Mrs LFS shall be accompanying me today. We've been together six and a half years now, and she's yet to see us lose!
And she won't today. 2-0 us, smiles all round.
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Head to head record H & A
(https://s10.postimg.org/5lbmaypah/SNAG_Program_0007.jpg)
Thanking you comrade ! My comrade! Interesting, very interesting
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It's 5.30 ko so is it on Sky etc. ?
Live on Sky Sports 1
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Prediction:
If Bruce has the balls to break the stale default Villa mold that all managers since Lambert default to...and cut Westwood...then this is huge win.
If he builds a midfield around Westwood, he will not survive the failed expectations that follow and not manage Villa come next summer.
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Mrs LFS shall be accompanying me today. We've been together six and a half years now, and she's yet to see us lose!
And she won't today. 2-0 us, smiles all round.
I'm taking my girlfriend for the first time today, if we get a win I may end up forking out on a season ticket...
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Just woken up and I am convinced that we are due to absolutely potater someone.
Fixed for you.
We will mash them.
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Just woken up and I am convinced that we are due to absolutely potater someone.
Fixed for you.
We will mash them.
Its frittening where this may lead.
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Just woken up and I am convinced that we are due to absolutely potater someone.
Fixed for you.
We will mash them.
Its frittening where this may lead.
A win by a chipped shot.
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Just woken up and I am convinced that we are due to absolutely potater someone.
Fixed for you.
We will mash them.
Its frittening where this may lead.
A win by a chipped shot.
A roasting I hope.
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I've got a feeling........
Indeed...Just had one of those moments when you think it's going to be all OK..
Firstly,my friend and his 9 year old are on route from sunny Old Portsmouth for their first game since Norwich...Which incidentally,despite being a ST,is the last game I witnessed a win!
Then,whilst manoeuvring the overhead wine collection,one has dropped literally into my hand.An inch ever side and it was a Merlot pancake....
The sun is shining in Sutton Coldfield,shortly on route to the Swan and Mitre.I suspect Bruce's going to get a very good Holte End reception.Come on me Babbies
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If nothing else I'm looking forward to seeing the manager's lips move in the dugout during the game.
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By the final whistle, Bruce will have sauteed it out
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By the final whistle, Bruce will have sauteed it out
I do hope you're right. He won't have if our defence continue to make a hash of things!
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3-0 the Villa. I feel a bit confident. Which obviously feels a bit strange.
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Interesting first line up. No Westwood is a plus. Ayew on the bench is interesting.
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Richards is back in..