Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Match Threads & Player Ratings => Topic started by: Legion on March 03, 2011, 08:21:33 AM
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0-2 Away win.
Bent 56
Young (A.) 77 (pen.)
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1-1
Then Houllier can fuck off
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Anything less than a win and you can stick a fork in the Villa for 10/11.
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Two one defeat
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Fresh legs and confidence high from the Blackburn game.....3-1 villa!
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Bolton win, one-nil. This Villa team has no heart.
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1-1
Team will be, after a slight tinkering from our rotation mad manager-
GK - Gabby
RB - Warnock
CB - Clark
CB - Dunne
LB - Downing
LM - Bradley
CM - Salifou
CM - Beye
RM - Heskey
CF - Gardner
CF - Marshall
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The bloody better be a Villa win thats all I'm saying.
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The booing will kick in after 5 minutes and then continue throughout.
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Loss. 2-1 to them and watch it all kick off
One saving grace might be that they will have their eye on the cup quarters the following week as they have a very good chance of mamking the semis with only the inbreds standing in their way...
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Coyle will have done his homework and will know how easy it is to get at our fragile defence and dodgy oap keeper
3-1 defeat
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Yep.2-0 to them.Last night will have completely zapped the teams confidence and Bolton will feel they have nothing to fear.I am absolutely livid !!
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Then Houllier can fuck off
Why don't you join him?
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I'm not only disgusted with the team selection of 8 changes; we all knew we were going out before a ball was kicked when we saw the team, but Houllier's condesending comments after were pathetic. To say we had internationals in various positions might be fact and I don't have any major problems with any of the players individually, but when you analysis properly, the team was not set up right. Our 3 best players are seated on the bench and this was not only the FA Cup but we were up against experienced players. We were never going to compete. I thought Houllier said it was about winning medals. What a joke. What decent player wanting to win things will sign for us when we don't even compete and settle for mid table security. It's now 16 years since we won anything. Houllier must be sacked and now.
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Not sure who is available & who isn't for this one.
I think we'll win. It'll be a totally different team & game to last night.
Bolton 2-3 Villa.
Got the feeling it'll be quite open & end to end.
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as long as Petrov and Heskey are not in the squad. Lets see Gardner on the bench please. 2-2
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Spare ticket going if anyone wants it, will sell at face value
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Tough place to go with Owen Coyle in charge and them playing football rather than FatSamball. Think only Liverpool and Chelsea have won there in the league this season so a difficult place to get a result. Hard to say whether the team will be fired up after last night's debacle or completely disillusioned. If we lose the knives will be out for Houllier after his surrender of our FA Cup chances.
Think it'll be a draw - 2-2
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Hou has painted himself into a corner. Even if we win this game with a 70's brazilesque performance, and dick them 17 nil with a Heskey double hattrick, the vast majority of fans will be hurting after last night. I loved going to wembley twice last year, to seemingly just give it in hurts. Mind you, I would take a 14-1 win. I know we wont get a clean sheet but the remainder of goals will wipe off our goal difference. Come on Villa. There are teams above us that look vulnerable, each place we gain is at least something to cheer on.
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Draw...Ashley Young and Stewart Downing to say they felt a little rusty due to lack of recent action.
Truth be told, I won't have cared so little about a Villa League result since the DOL's 2nd last season. Season is over, we arent going down.
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After last night, we may have players more rested than they otherwise would have been, but we're now under considerably more pressure.
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Bolton set up well and are a better team than us and will be fresh and looking to move into euro contention. Can't see our players giving two hoots to be honest. There is something wrong down B6, we are in a very precarious position as a club and wholly reliant on one man. Not great is it
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Dear Mr Houllier
After giving up on the greatest cup competition in the world on Wednesday evening, anything less than a fully energised performance and 3 points is totally unacceptable. Bearing in mind there is then no game for a full two weeks, then yet another two weeks until we play again I am sure many of us will be observing the proceedings with a more than usual interest.
(http://images2.memegenerator.net/ImageMacro/4218367/Every-breath-you-take-every-move-you-make-Ill-be-watching-you.jpg?imageSize=Medium&generatorName=Creeper-Wolf)
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The fact that we have so few games over the next month makes a mockery of last night. Worse than Moscow in a mile IMO
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Bolton have 4 more points than us, can they be considered safe yet ?
I suspect they be treating the FA cup as their priority as its a great chance for a team to win some silverware given that they are in the quarter finals, they have a fair draw, and a lot of the big teams have or will have gone after the next round.
It must be a great position to be in eh ?
So, I think they will make a number of changes, and rotate their sqaud.
That said, I think we are still very fragile.
2 - 1 Bolton.
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A repeat of the Stoke game that followed CSKA Moscow or a win for the Villa is my prediction.
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he has to win the game comfortably, otherwise the knives that are being sharpened as we speak after the fa cup farce, will be out in force...
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Hopefully we can continue our half decent league form,and put last nights bullshit affair behind us. A close win with Bent back amongst the goals.
If we do lose and play badly,i fear the good work GH has done since Jan will quickly be forgotten and he'll forever be on a rocky road( His own effing fault though).
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Bolton are a good team with a settled side and a good manager and strikers doing well.
2-1 to them
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This game becomes a must win now. TBH as shite as last night was, and it really was shite, if we beat Bolton we're a point behind them and will probably be in the top half.
Everton and Newcastle play each other and Stoke are away at West Ham so lets see how the league looks after the weekend. We could be looking at 6th again...
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Put it this way: we'd better bloody win.
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Then Houllier can fuck off
Why don't you join him?
Why don't you?
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This is a must win game, we have a two week break after it and the last thing we need is to be dwelling on the FA Cup fiasco and a defeat at Bolton for such a long time, I've given up on clean sheets so 1-2 to us
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I'd take any sort of win, but i think a bolton win is written on the wall following last night!!
I just want this season to be over now, Mr Houllier to fook off & get the right man in for our club.
Then, we can all stop moaning about him, MON, move on, all get behind the team and maybe, just maybe, going to VP can be an enjoyable experience again??
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2-1 loss.
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Hopefully we'll see a different formation to wednesday night with Heskey in goal and Bannan at centre half.
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Score draw, probably 1-1.
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As our strongest side were apparently certainties to win at Man City last night if we play it on Saturday we'll murder Bolton by about 8.
In reality, a tough place to go where a draw is a good result and having mostly fresh players gives us a better chance than if they're jaded or injured. Defence still worries me though.
If we lose I fear we'll get dragged right back into the mire as many of the other contenders also picked up points last week.
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Bolton have been pretty good at home this season and have only lost twice in 14.
I don't see the point of us even trying to win, especially when you consider the glut of other games the players have to contend with in March.
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Bolton 2 Villa 1; Villa 1 Wolves 1; Everton 2 Villa 0; Villa 1 Newcastle 1; West Ham 3 Villa 1; Villa 3 Stoke 3; WBA 1 Villa 1; Villa 1 Wigan 0; Arsenal 3 Villa 0. On 40 points and a last day relegation scare versus Liverpool, who will be chasing points for a Europa League spot. It could happen. Let's hope not.
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3-1 defeat!
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Bolton 2 Villa 2; Villa 1 Wolves 0; Everton 2 Villa 0; Villa 3 Newcastle 1; West Ham 1 Villa 1; Villa 2 Stoke 1; WBA 1 Villa 1; Villa 3 Wigan 0; Arsenal 2 Villa 0. 47 pts before the 'The Mighty Reds YNWA' game
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As our strongest side were apparently certainties to win at Man City last night if we play it on Saturday we'll murder Bolton by about 8.
I appreciate that any perceived criticism of the manager you feel he needs to be defended no matter what but I don't think anybody has said that, but of course we'll never know how our strongest side would have got on will we?
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Ah is there an ounce of perspective apart from Chris anywhere at the moment!? If Houllier was going to go it would have been around Christmas, not after losing at a top 3 side away against a team that smashed our first 11 by 4 at their place before Christmas and had the luxury of taking a 25 million forward off for a 30 million forward.
As Chris says, we would have clearly won according to the pitch fork crew last night, so I am fully expecting them to be vindicated with a 41-0 win and it then being not good enough as it should have happened last night...,
2-2 for me. They are not brilliant at the back, I think Cahill is not positionally that good, Knight always loses his man etc... we will score goals, just depends if we can defend. Cafu will come back in at right back though, while Kaka and Gullit are coming back into the midfield so we may not need to.
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Ah is there an ounce of perspective apart from Chris anywhere at the moment!?
I trust you're referring to Mr Jameson? Of course you are. Silly me.
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Nearly all the 2's on your post count Mark. I must not be as big a fan as everyone else cause I am just not bothered about the team selected last night Mark. I was referring to Mr Smith, as for the first time in one of these situations I can see the point of view. If we had been battered by Fulham 4-0 in the way Spurs were through rotation then I would be upset, but it was a bogey team, away from home, with most of our already creaky back 4 out injured and a certainty that they do not concede many goals full stop, let alone at home. Just think people are looking for excuses to take shots at Houllier, who has done ok since Christmas for me and deserves time and a full season next time to have a good shot at the job, not to be outed by knee jerks.
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Just 10,000 to go.
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Nearly all the 2's on your post count Mark. I must not be as big a fan as everyone else cause I am just not bothered about the team selected last night Mark. I was referring to Mr Smith, as for the first time in one of these situations I can see the point of view. If we had been battered by Fulham 4-0 in the way Spurs were through rotation then I would be upset, but it was a bogey team, away from home, with most of our already creaky back 4 out injured and a certainty that they do not concede many goals full stop, let alone at home. Just think people are looking for excuses to take shots at Houllier, who has done ok since Christmas for me and deserves time and a full season next time to have a good shot at the job, not to be outed by knee jerks.
Whisper it but a lot of the knee jerk reaction is partly due to the Rags winning on Sunday. GH has done well since the new year, last night he messed up but hopefully we'll get over it. Bolton will be a huge test, if we get a win up there I'll be more than delighted. I just hope he can get the players up for it as I'm sure a few of the players must be questioning the team selection. Hopefully once they're out on the pitch, all will be forgotten. As I said, it's a huge game, now for more than one reason.
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2-1 to us with Bent and A.Young scoring then watch us rise up the table.
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It is, and I sincerely hope we win and it somewhat vindicates his decision. It is a very difficult place to go though, and I fear they will go with the 2 big men up top to bully Clark at the back. I agree re the Blues thing having a big part, but if we are measuring ourselves on their success this week then we have got a very frail mental attitude. It is like having a peeing contest - we have been diddling over the wall for years and they just reached the bottom of it, as such their success should be tolerated as they are not a threat and short of sharing the same city, have nothing to do with us. It annoyed me for a few hours on Sunday, and I became completely neutral to it by monday, and happily discussed the game etc with a couple of Blues mates last couple of days without a twinge of jealousy. We had our opportunities last season in the cup, but were so knackered through non rotation we were pretty pathetic on both occasions, did not hold onto the ball at all and ran out of ideas when plan a failed. At least with Houllier there is a sense of trying different things and working towards a future way of playing that may be a bit more varied.
Anyhow, still think 2-2 - hope for more.
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That's a nice thought, Darren. We really could do with Bent turning up big time for this one. My worry is how our defence will cope with Sturridge. He's been very impressive since his loan move there.
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Recent history suggests that on the weekend after throwing in the towel on a cup competition, we'll race into a 2-0 lead and then surrender two points in injury time.
Bent and Downing for us, Sturridge and Davies for them.
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Will get there nice and early so will be to drunk to notice !!! lol.
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Will get there nice and early so will be to drunk to notice !!! lol.
What's the point in going then?
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Just a note, the usual away fans pub The Beehive will be closed for refurbishments on saturday.
Oh and we'll lose.
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Will get there nice and early so will be to drunk to notice !!! lol.
after many year's of away games it numb's the pain.
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Will get there nice and early so will be to drunk to notice !!! lol.
after many year's of away games it numb's the pain. and after seeing the usual pub's shut that plan's gone out the window..
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At the risk of looking a prat, Sturridge won't score again.
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Bolton a decent side; we are hopeless away from home so best I can see us doing is a 1-1 draw.
Bent for us, Sturridge for them
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Is Elmander still getting a game ?
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1-1
Downing and Sturridge
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Loss. 2-1 to them and watch it all kick off
One saving grace might be that they will have their eye on the cup quarters the following week as they have a very good chance of mamking the semis with only the inbreds standing in their way...
Are you suggesting it would be prudent for a mid table Prem team to keep an eye on the greatest cup tournament in the world as they have a real chance to reach Wembley? Imagine......
Anyway, we must win this, we simply have to.
2-0 Bolton then. Sturridge and Davies.
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We'll lose and it'll serve us fncking right.
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2-1 win to us. Bent & A Young.
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1-1 draw for me, once again we will look decent up until we get to the final third and then we'll lose the ball.
Davies for them and Bent for us!
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Dunne ruled out.
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Ah is there an ounce of perspective apart from Chris anywhere at the moment!? If Houllier was going to go it would have been around Christmas, not after losing at a top 3 side away against a team that smashed our first 11 by 4 at their place before Christmas and had the luxury of taking a 25 million forward off for a 30 million forward.
As Chris says, we would have clearly won according to the pitch fork crew last night, so I am fully expecting them to be vindicated with a 41-0 win and it then being not good enough as it should have happened last night...,
2-2 for me. They are not brilliant at the back, I think Cahill is not positionally that good, Knight always loses his man etc... we will score goals, just depends if we can defend. Cafu will come back in at right back though, while Kaka and Gullit are coming back into the midfield so we may not need to.
Knight is injured until late March.
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Cant see how Cuellar will be back that quickly from a hamstring injury either.
Friedel
Walker, Collins, Clark, Baker
Downing, Reo Coker, Bradley, Delph, Young
Bent
More likely that Young will be in the hole with Albrighton coming in for Bradley. Reo Coker and Delph should be combative in midfield and will need to be against Muamba and Holden. If Cuellar is back, Id move Clark back to the left for this one.
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Those of you posting stuff like City would beat any Villa team and Houllier is getting unfair flak because of the Blues winning the Carling Cup are deluded. It is a question of degree. Trying as hard as you can and managing within scarce resources is necessary in any aspect of life. Chucking in the towel with lunacy like: Herd at right back, Delph at left back, Fonz on the right wing and Donskey as the 'goalscorer' is utterly taking the piss.
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Bradley was appalling against City. Gradually break him in to FAPL life for sure, but not with a starting place at Bolton, a really tough fixture where any points will help the relegation battle a lot.
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Cant see how Cuellar will be back that quickly from a hamstring injury either.
Friedel
Walker, Collins, Clark, Baker
Downing, Reo Coker, Bradley, Delph, Young
Bent
More likely that Young will be in the hole with Albrighton coming in for Bradley. Reo Coker and Delph should be combative in midfield and will need to be against Muamba and Holden. If Cuellar is back, Id move Clark back to the left for this one.
Isn't Collins injured?
I also didn't see anything from Bradley that made me want him to start on Saturday.
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3-1 win. We're not a bad side these days.
Houllier's lunacy, sorry rotation policy will be fully vindicated throwing the GH happy clappers into a frenzy.
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Cant see how Cuellar will be back that quickly from a hamstring injury either.
Friedel
Walker, Collins, Clark, Baker
Downing, Reo Coker, Bradley, Delph, Young
Bent
More likely that Young will be in the hole with Albrighton coming in for Bradley. Reo Coker and Delph should be combative in midfield and will need to be against Muamba and Holden. If Cuellar is back, Id move Clark back to the left for this one.
Isn't Collins injured?
I also didn't see anything from Bradley that made me want him to start on Saturday.
It was mentioned on other threads that Collins will be back.
Im willing to give Bradley another chance. If he isnt doing the business then Bannan can come on instead. Though knowing Houllier, Pires will start in the centre again.
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I do find it almost funny that
MON - never uses subs and will not use squad rotation
GH - how refreshing that he knows how to use subs at the right time
GH - Great to see his giving youngsters as game
GH - Squad rotation and strength is good
GH - fucking numbnuts swapping the team around all the time
Maybe he just cannot win sometimes?
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Dunne ruled out.
Where you getting this from ?
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I do find it almost funny that
MON - never uses subs and will not use squad rotation
GH - how refreshing that he knows how to use subs at the right time
GH - Great to see his giving youngsters as game
GH - Squad rotation and strength is good
GH - fucking numbnuts swapping the team around all the time
Maybe he just cannot win sometimes?
We're looking for a happy medium.
O'Neill was no subs no rotation.
Houllier fiddles about like an octopus with a Rubiks cube.
There surely is an inbetween.
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Lawro says no!
Bolton v Aston Villa
It was strange to see Aston Villa manager Gerard Houllier tossing his hopes of FA Cup progression away with his team selection in their fifth-round defeat by Manchester City on Wednesday night. I could not understand it, because they are not in any real danger in the league. It was squad rotation gone mad.
Even with Villa's best players back, though, you still have to fancy Bolton at home. They are far superior in ability to Villa, they have lost only one of their last seven games and their loan striker Daniel Sturridge cannot stop scoring goals. Wanderers boss Owen Coyle has obviously found a way that works of accommodating him, Kevin Davies and Johan Elmander.
There has been a lot of talk this week about Sturridge's future. He is a Premier League player but I am not sure he is a top-four player. If I were him and the opportunity arose to play for a team that had a good chance of finishing in the top 10 then I would take it, because I think his chances at Chelsea remain limited, even if Didier Drogba were to leave in the summer.
Prediction: 2-0
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Can't argue with a word of what Lawro says
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Can't argue with a word of what Lawro says
Yes you can -
"They are far superior in ability to Villa"
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Them 2 - 2 Us
00:00 Villa kickoff
00:21 1st throw-in to Bolton
00:37 1st corner to Villa
00:48 Houllier out of dugout to shout instructions to Gabby. In French
00:55 Boos around the away end
00:59 Houllier waves to the fans. Boos intensified
02:34 Cameras zoom in on some dork called Robbie dropping his Bolton's Landing's Buttermilk Pie
10:22 Reo Coker slides and trips Owen Coyle
10:32 Handbags
(put the kettle on)
13:37 Young scores!
(the kettle's is boiling but you're busy celebrating)
14:09 Houllier with a clenched fist
(make tea with the pot of hot water you've boiled earlier)
32:17 Bent scores!
32:44 Houllier with two clenched fists
45:00 Halftime
45:01 Waves
50:01 &
55:01 Waves
60:01 of
65:01 Bolton
70:01 Attack
75:01 Davies scores
79:01 Davies scores. Again
80:01 Bus parked in front of Friedel
93:00 Full time
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Can't argue with a word of what Lawro says
Yes you can -
"They are far superior in ability to Villa"
Depends what he's referring to ? If it's defending, he's bang on the money
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Can't argue with a word of what Lawro says
Yes you can -
"They are far superior in ability to Villa"
Depends what he's referring to ? If it's defending, he's bang on the money
I'd say he is referring to the whole side, in which case he is talking bollocks.
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Lawro, talking bollox, surely not
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1-1
Team will be, after a slight tinkering from our rotation mad manager-
GK - Gabby
RB - Warnock
CB - Clark
CB - Dunne
LB - Downing
LM - Bradley
CM - Salifou
CM - Beye
RM - Heskey
CF - Gardner
CF - Marshall
I'd try Dunne on the wing myself - it could be the future.
Bannan next to Clark at the back to mark Davies - jobs a goodun.
2-1 Bolton.
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Can't argue with a word of what Lawro says
Lawro, talking bollox, surely not
Make your mind up.
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I actually agree for once with what Lawro has written this week with respect to our game. He's bang on the money for me (for once) think we'll lose 3-1 as opposed to 2-0 though.
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1-1
Team will be, after a slight tinkering from our rotation mad manager-
GK - Gabby
RB - Warnock
CB - Clark
CB - Dunne
LB - Downing
LM - Bradley
CM - Salifou
CM - Beye
RM - Heskey
CF - Gardner
CF - Marshall
I'd try Dunne on the wing myself - it could be the future.
Bannan next to Clark at the back to mark Davies - jobs a goodun.
2-1 Bolton.
Can't believe your thinking of dropping Friedel. His presence on the left wing will be missed.
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We'll win tomorrow. Houllier always seems to be able to pick things up when you think they're at the point of no return. With all these defensive worries is it a chance for Beye & Warnock? or maybe Luke 'annual leave' Young can show his face, for a change?
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Are Dunne and Collins fit? Physioroom shows only Cuellar, Young (L), and Weimann injured
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Dunne out
http://http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~2307230,00.html
Collins should be fit
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1-1
Team will be, after a slight tinkering from our rotation mad manager-
GK - Gabby
RB - Warnock
CB - Clark
CB - Dunne
LB - Downing
LM - Bradley
CM - Salifou
CM - Beye
RM - Heskey
CF - Gardner
CF - Marshall
I'd try Dunne on the wing myself - it could be the future.
Bannan next to Clark at the back to mark Davies - jobs a goodun.
2-1 Bolton.
He definitely wont play that team , Dunne is injured for a start....
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Dunne out
http://http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~2307230,00.html
Collins should be fit
Shame about Dunne. Hopefully Collins will be fully fit - wouldn't fancy Clarke and Herd against Davies, Elmander and Sturridge. At least with only one other game in March hopefully we'll be up to full strength for the run-in
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Think Luke Young is in the squad.
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Think Luke Young is in the squad.
Walker Collins Clark young
At the back then
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Think Luke Young is in the squad.
Walker Collins Clark young
At the back then
Christ I hope so
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Think Luke Young is in the squad.
Walker Collins Clark young
At the back then
Don't bank on it.
He'll probably slot Heskey in there somewhere.
Christ I hope so
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If Collins and young don't make it ?
Walker Clark Herd NRC
Nurse !
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Recall when Dublin slotted in at CB and was immense
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Them 2 - 2 Us
00:00 Villa kickoff
00:21 1st throw-in to Bolton
00:37 1st corner to Villa
00:48 Houllier out of dugout to shout instructions to Gabby. In French
00:55 Boos around the away end
00:59 Houllier waves to the fans. Boos intensified
02:34 Cameras zoom in on some dork called Robbie dropping his Bolton's Landing's Buttermilk Pie
10:22 Reo Coker slides and trips Owen Coyle
10:32 Handbags
(put the kettle on)
13:37 Young scores!
(the kettle's is boiling but you're busy celebrating)
14:09 Houllier with a clenched fist
(make tea with the pot of hot water you've boiled earlier)
32:17 Bent scores!
32:44 Houllier with two clenched fists
45:00 Halftime
45:01 Waves
50:01 &
55:01 Waves
60:01 of
65:01 Bolton
70:01 Attack
75:01 Davies scores
79:01 Davies scores. Again
80:01 Bus parked in front of Friedel
93:00 Full time
61:08 Young attempts to slide tackle Muamba, misses by yard. Pounds turf and hot, salty tears run down his face.
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Friedal
Walker. Clark. Collins. L young/baker
Delph Reo- coker
A young
Downing. Bent. Albrighton
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Please not Petrov ;-(
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I think we have enough creativity to put Delph in Midfield with NRC
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Friedal
Walker. Clark. Collins. L young
Petrov. Reo- coker
A young
I'd go with that, possibly slot delph in for stan ?
Downing. Bent. Albrighton
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Your wish is my command gents- as if by magic!
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If collins & Luke don't make it we may see NRC as full back an Gardner in the middle. I would not play Bradley
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Hopefully at least one of young, baker and Collins will be available if not all 3.
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Friedal
Walker. Clark. Collins. L young/baker
Delph Reo- coker
A young
Downing. Bent. Albrighton
Providing Collins, Young or Baker are fit, that's what i'd go for as well. Delph was great in the first half up there last year. Looking forward to it now.
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Sadly GH won't concur and you can guarantee Pires will be first name on the teamsheet
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Sadly GH won't concur and you can guarantee Pires will be first name on the teamsheet
You mean after his excellent performance last week, meaning he may be a player in form? Surely not.
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Let's not get carried away, pires did ok against a woeful team, he was shit first half mind, caught in possession 3 or 4 times
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This is getting fun, defensively. Can we recall Lichaj and Lowry from wherever they are? Lichaj was a CB until a couple of years ago, we could do with him.
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We'll lose and it'll serve us fncking right.
Not sure whether that's the case, but there's a lot in this. Just like the Stoke game after Moscow, perhaps, which felt like a loss.
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Well clever Gerard had better win this one after the midweek fiasco.
Why is'nt Luke Young available to play left back, he has'nt been mentioned since clever Gerard said he was fit.
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Villa 12/5 to win. Think I'll keep my money firmly in my wallet
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Well clever Gerard had better win this one after the midweek fiasco.
Why is'nt Luke Young available to play left back, he has'nt been mentioned since clever Gerard said he was fit.
His Mrs was knocking one out I think
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In fairness, and its hard to write this, but a win this weekend will really start us putting pressure on those teams above us. Im sorry, but while we did get deservedly beaten by Liverpool, I still think we have the potential to finish above them, that is a squad of average players. That puts us in and around 6th position as hells bells we are better than Sunderland, Stoke and Bolton. We shouldnt be a top six team after some of the tut we have seen this season, but there is a lot of it going around. Finishing sixth with the injuries, issues and results we have had would feel like a real accomplishment. There, said it without mentioning the FA Cup. Ah shit.
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Let's not get carried away, pires did ok against a woeful team, he was shit first half mind, caught in possession 3 or 4 times
He was fine first half, this myth that we were poor in the first half last week is getting silly. Caught in possession three or four times! Shoot him! My word, he's not Xavi or Iniesta, and he only misplaced three passes in the whole game. Yes, Blackburn were woeful, but Pires added a different dimension to the attack and if GH plays him it would be justified.
Besides, can Delph really play pretty much three games in a week? Last time we rushed him back from injury he was out for another couple of months. Do we risk that? That decision could only be taken by the management.
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Bolton away is no game for Pires. I'd rather see Gardner in there or heaven forbid Bradley again
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Bolton away is no game for Pires. I'd rather see Gardner in there or heaven forbid Bradley again
An untried youngster who's never played a game in his life over Pires? Are you serious?
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It's not midfield where we've got problems, there's no need to throw Gardner in there.
Bradley was okay against City. Let's not make out he had a total nightmare. I'd rather select him than Petrov, who's blowing out of his arse after 10 minutes.
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Bolton away is no game for Pires. I'd rather see Gardner in there or heaven forbid Bradley again
An untried youngster who's never played a game in his life over Pires? Are you serious?
Yes, Gardner is the future, not sure what Pires is ? Why bother playing him again he's past it and a liability
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Trying to curb my natural instinct to expect the worst under GED, I have voted for a Villa win. This is on the basis that after the Man City debacle he has to get the players up for this one. Only bizarre team selection can stand in the way of our third away win.
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Bolton away is no game for Pires. I'd rather see Gardner in there or heaven forbid Bradley again
An untried youngster who's never played a game in his life over Pires? Are you serious?
Yes, Gardner is the future, not sure what Pires is ? Why bother playing him again he's past it and a liability
You are spot on. We should drop a player who played a major role in our last league victory! He was given a standing ovation against Blackburn. Did you see that game?
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Bolton away is no game for Pires. I'd rather see Gardner in there or heaven forbid Bradley again
I think would rather see Salifou over Bradley. I don't see why we can't just have Ash playing in front of NRC and Delph with SD and Marc on the wings playing behind Bent.
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Bolton away is no game for Pires. I'd rather see Gardner in there or heaven forbid Bradley again
An untried youngster who's never played a game in his life over Pires? Are you serious?
Yes, Gardner is the future, not sure what Pires is ? Why bother playing him again he's past it and a liability
You are spot on. We should drop a player who played a major role in our last league victory! He was given a standing ovation against Blackburn. Did you see that game?
Yes i was at the game, 1st half was appalling, Blackburn were the worst team i've seen for a long time
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Bolton away is no game for Pires. I'd rather see Gardner in there or heaven forbid Bradley again
An untried youngster who's never played a game in his life over Pires? Are you serious?
Yes, Gardner is the future, not sure what Pires is ? Why bother playing him again he's past it and a liability
You are spot on. We should drop a player who played a major role in our last league victory! He was given a standing ovation against Blackburn. Did you see that game?
Yes i was at the game, 1st half was appalling, Blackburn were the worst team i've seen for a long time
Doesn't detract from the fact that Pires had a good game and was candidate for MOTM.
I'm one of his biggest critics, but credit where due and he can hopefully produce a couple of good cameo displays for us, between now and the end of the season.
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Bolton away is no game for Pires. I'd rather see Gardner in there or heaven forbid Bradley again
An untried youngster who's never played a game in his life over Pires? Are you serious?
Yes, Gardner is the future, not sure what Pires is ? Why bother playing him again he's past it and a liability
You are spot on. We should drop a player who played a major role in our last league victory! He was given a standing ovation against Blackburn. Did you see that game?
Yes i was at the game, 1st half was appalling, Blackburn were the worst team i've seen for a long time
Pires was one of the bright spots in the 1st half and good in the 2nd half too. Maybe one of the reasons Blackburn were so bad was because our ball retention was so much better. Pires played a big role in that.
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Pires did well 2nd half, can't deny that, I just can't see why he's with us. We need to have one eye on next season now & games / experience for the likes of Gardner can only be good. Also Bradley, shit on Weds but he needs another run, lets find out if he can cut it. Delph should definitely start & ideally not at LB
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Pires did well 2nd half, can't deny that, I just can't see why he's with us. We need to have one eye on next season now & games / experience for the likes of Gardner can only be good. Also Bradley, shit on Weds but he needs another run, lets find out if he can cut it. Delph should definitely start & ideally not at LB
After seeing Bradley against Man City, i'm warming more to Pires.
Next season the central 2 will surely be Makoun and Delph.
I'll be surprised if Reo Coker and Bradley are still here.
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Pires did well 2nd half, can't deny that, I just can't see why he's with us. We need to have one eye on next season now & games / experience for the likes of Gardner can only be good. Also Bradley, shit on Weds but he needs another run, lets find out if he can cut it. Delph should definitely start & ideally not at LB
We need wins first. If we lost tomorrow we could be within 2 pts of the bottom 3, heading into a massive game vs Wolves. Luckily I think Houllier will go with experience where he can, and we will win the game.
Lets be safe first before blooding youngsters.
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huge game. Lose and we are back in the thick of it. Win and we are pretty much guaranteed a spot in the premiership next season.
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huge game. Lose and we are back in the thick of it. Win and we are pretty much guaranteed a spot in the premiership next season.
I'm copying & pasting that line as I think we'll be rolling that one out up to the Liverpool game in May
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huge game. Lose and we are back in the thick of it. Win and we are pretty much guaranteed a spot in the premiership next season.
I'm copying & pasting that line as I think we'll be rolling that one out up to the Liverpool game in May
I will have a bet with you that it will not be possible for us to get relegated by then.
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I just think a win tomorrow will be enough...not enough in itself, but I can't see us failing to pick up 5 or 6 points after that...whether we win tomorrow is another thing!!
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GH just said in press conference that Collins should be fit.No mention of L.Young
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No Luke = Delph in at LB unless Baker is fit ??
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We need Collins fit. If he is:
Walker Collins Clark Baker
which would be okay. And I would put Warnock on the bench. It's at Bolton, so precious doesn't have to travel far from his home. He can tootle up in his car an hour before kick-off.
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can't see GH letting that c**t Warnock anywhere near the dressing room
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I thought Bradley was as muck as you can get the other night, but I think it is a bit premature to write him off yet. Would like to see NRC and Delph form 2 of the midfield anyway for this match.
Any ideas what the defence will be now that Dunne is out?
Walker (I presume) Clark ?????? Baker?
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Cheeky bastards. This is from the Bolton fans site.
http://www.the-wanderer.co.uk/bolton/the-magnolia-match
What exactly do they think other clubs fans do when they see Bolton on the fixture list? Change their holiday plans? Deluded. :o
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That's the way we are viewed by the outside world ??
What a marvellous week it's been
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That's the way we are viewed by the outside world ??
What a marvellous week it's been
Yep. And that's coming from Bolton. The most nondescript club in the World whose fans visit Villa Park in a taxi and haven't done anything of note since colour TV was introduced. A club who play in a flat pack modern soulless 'stadium' with no authenticity or redeeming features. Bolton Wanderers. Yawn. Cheeky fuckers.
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That's the way we are viewed by the outside world ??
What a marvellous week it's been
Yep. And that's coming from Bolton. The most nondescript club in the World whose fans visit Villa Park in a taxi and haven't done anything of note since colour TV was introduced. Bolton Wanderers. Yawn.
Dont talk such crap Holteender!
....people who live here in Bolton cannot afford taxis!!!
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That's the way we are viewed by the outside world ??
What a marvellous week it's been
Yep. And that's coming from Bolton. The most nondescript club in the World whose fans visit Villa Park in a taxi and haven't done anything of note since colour TV was introduced. Bolton Wanderers. Yawn.
Dont talk such crap Holteender!
....people who live here in Bolton cannot afford taxis!!!
Haha, true. I meant a vehicle the size of a taxi. (Or a skateboard).
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tram
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tram
There's no way Bolton's away support could fill a tram. Maybe if they joined forces with Blackburn and Wigan they could fill a minibus but a tram? No way.
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horse & cart then
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Fuck me who do they think they are? Bolton Wanderers for fuck sake, they're one of the most non-descript clubs in the history of the premier league, they're not even hated in the north west, even Blackburn care more about fucking Burnley, cheeky inbreds
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horse & cart then
Donkey & cart around here!
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Heskey and cart. (Joke, I like him!)
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Not much chance of a clean sheet for us
so 1-1
I think
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Cheeky bastards. This is from the Bolton fans site.
http://www.the-wanderer.co.uk/bolton/the-magnolia-match
What exactly do they think other clubs fans do when they see Bolton on the fixture list? Change their holiday plans? Deluded. :o
Unfortunately it's got a ring of truth about it, hardly a week goes by without there being a thread on here about how the media ignore us, just because someone else has pointed out that, by and large, Villa never do anything to excite anyone who isn't a Villa fan there's no point getting upset about it.
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Cheeky bastards. This is from the Bolton fans site.
http://www.the-wanderer.co.uk/bolton/the-magnolia-match
What exactly do they think other clubs fans do when they see Bolton on the fixture list? Change their holiday plans? Deluded. :o
Unfortunately it's got a ring of truth about it, hardly a week goes by without there being a thread on here about how the media ignore us, just because someone else has pointed out that, by and large, Villa never do anything to excite anyone who isn't a Villa fan there's no point getting upset about it.
The point though Dave is that this is coming from Bolton Wanderers fans!
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1-1
D Bent to score from a yard out.
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1-1
D Bent to score from a yard out.
E Heskey to miss from a yard out.
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The point though Dave is that this is coming from Bolton Wanderers fans!
Bolton fans will think Bolton are great, just like Villa fans think Villa are great (usually!), it's a bit 'pot/kettle' I agree, but it still rings true.
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When ManUre fans describe the Villa as "an album filler" its bad enough but FFS coming from them tramps from Bolton !
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Cheeky bastards. This is from the Bolton fans site.
http://www.the-wanderer.co.uk/bolton/the-magnolia-match
What exactly do they think other clubs fans do when they see Bolton on the fixture list? Change their holiday plans? Deluded. :o
Unfortunately it's got a ring of truth about it, hardly a week goes by without there being a thread on here about how the media ignore us, just because someone else has pointed out that, by and large, Villa never do anything to excite anyone who isn't a Villa fan there's no point getting upset about it.
But coming from fucking Bolton?!
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The point though Dave is that this is coming from Bolton Wanderers fans!
Bolton fans will think Bolton are great, just like Villa fans think Villa are great (usually!), it's a bit 'pot/kettle' I agree, but it still rings true.
Most of them don't. You know your a waste of time when your "biggest rivals" don't give a monkey's about you. The Coventry of the North West.
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Some of you are such sensitive souls.
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Some of you are such sensitive souls.
I moisturise my hands if thats what you mean?
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lets put this most dreadful of weeks behind us and go and kick their asses , 0-2 villa!
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Some of you are such sensitive souls.
I moisturise my hands if thats what you mean?
I do that before wanking.
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Collins out of tomorrows game. I will revise my prediction to a 2-2 draw. Baker and Clark in the centre.
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Can't see a clean sheet here. It has been a very bad week but i fancy it to end on a high, 3-2 Villa win. Bent, Downing and Gabby in the last minute. It's being shown in the Western St Austell if anybody is around here!!!
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Can't see a clean sheet here. It has been a very bad week but i fancy it to end on a high, 3-2 Villa win. Bent, Downing and Gabby in the last minute. It's being shown in the Western St Austell if anybody is around here!!!
Will there be enough time for all the restarts?!
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Scraped draw if we're lucky. This season is shockingly bad.
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Collins out of tomorrows game. I will revise my prediction to a 2-2 draw. Baker and Clark in the centre.
That's bad news - no Collins, Dunne or Cuellar. Davies will bully Baker and Clark all afternoon. Regretfully revising my prediction from a draw to a defeat
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Maybe should've recalled Lichaj or Lowry.
Although I'm sure I've read somewhere that Luke Young is back in the squad.
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Who are the CBs for the stiffs ?
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You sure Collins is out? Fuck me, can we loan Curtis back for one game or summat?
If Lowry plays surely we must be near to breaking a club record of most players used in one season, if we haven't already.
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Maybe Emile at centre back? He's played there before and we really don't have anybody else, would counter the ariel threat of Davies too
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Collins is out according to the o/s. With young inexperienced defence, our best form of the aforementined is to attack.
They score four, we score five mentality.
Front six of Bent, Heskey. Agbonlahor, Young, Downing and Albrighton.
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Bolton 2-0 Villa. By the way, are Owen Coyle's top set falsers? He needs them re-setting, they fit his chops as convincingly as Dennis Waterman's ludicrous effort.
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But coming from fucking Bolton?!
That would be the 'fucking Bolton' who have won the FA Cup four times (including one victory more recent than the Villa's, I might add), and the League Cup as many times as SHA?
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But coming from fucking Bolton?!
That would be the 'fucking Bolton' who have won the FA Cup four times (including one victory more recent than the Villa's, I might add), and the League Cup as many times as SHA?
Living in the past then ?
Pot / kettle / black !
They're still a non event though, Bolton - we sell out every time we go due to the fact that they have such dire support, Villa fans treat it like a home game.
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I've just seen 39 visits to the Bolton-Villa Match thread and 36 to the post-match thread on the list. Has Legion said something other than, 'ready when you need it' :)?!
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Nope. Just the usual.
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I play
Friedel
Herd Baker Clark Walker
NRC Delph
Albrighton Ash Downing
Bent
Herd impressed me against city and Walker has played left back before.
NRC and Delph will provide legs and energy in the middle to help protect the back four.
If Petrov and Bradley are anywhere near the pitch we will definatly lose.
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Please, would anyone travelling to tomorrow's game have their Villa kit on under their clothes, and have their boots strung around their neck. Chances are you'll get a game.
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I play
Friedel
Herd Baker Clark Walker
NRC Delph
Albrighton Ash Downing
Bent
Herd impressed me against city and Walker has played left back before.
NRC and Delph will provide legs and energy in the middle to help protect the back four.
If Petrov and Bradley are anywhere near the pitch we will definatly lose.
If Petrov is anywhere near the pitch we will definatly lose.
No chance he'll play a second game in three days, he'll probably be having oxygen pumped into his body until next week
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Friedel
Walker Heskey Clark Baker
NRC Delph
Downing Young Albrighton
Bent
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Without wanting to sound like a Mr Know it all, i did say in the transfer thread in Jan that i thought Curtis would be a good player to have on the bench untill the end of the season.
Obviously i did'nt expect us to be down to 1 centre half when i posted it, but i'd have kept him here until the end of the season at least. The wage bill dictated that decision i suppose though.
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Living in the past then ?
Pot / kettle / black !
Yes, and I'm thinking of having my bollocks tattooed: '19' on the left and '57' on the right.
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Dunno why but I've got a really bad feeling about tomorrows post match thread
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Youngest back four in the club's history maybe ?
Good luck Kyle, Ciaran, Nathan and possibly Fabian
Do well to come away with a 2-0 defeat I fear
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Isn't Luke Young training again? I know he hasn't played for months but I think we need his experience in there so I'd play him at LB.
In fairness our first choice back 4 wouldn't imo keep a clean sheet against Davies and Sturridge, they didn't at VP so can see it being a high scoring game now.
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Yeah, 6-2 to the lily(livered) whites.
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Maybe should've recalled Lichaj or Lowry.
Although I'm sure I've read somewhere that Luke Young is back in the squad.
Lowry is still suspended from his sending off, a couple of weeks ago.
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This is now a must-draw game. Anything less will feel like a defeat.
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First part of post -
The very best of wishes to Brad Friedel ...and to his young defence line-up ...and of course to the entire team. Go get em! You can, you know!
second part of post -
Not their fault that injuries and bans and the as yet unknown mistakes by Houllier have contributed to his dreadful lapse in judgment and the slide down the premiership table...
alternative second part of post -
Houllier's visionary selection and well-timed substitutions coupled with days of dedicated professional and specifically focused preparation at BH have contributed to the tactical masterpiece which was Bolton 0 Villa 7!
Come on lads I know which one I want!
UTV!
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Dunno why but I've got a really bad feeling about tomorrows post match thread
Because almost every post you make is laced with negativety and almost a want for the villa to lose to proveyou right?
Baker looked a decent sized lump in fairness and is a centre back by trade. Will it be the first back 4 with 3 left footers in I wonder for the Villa.
If Luke Young is fit I would play him, with NRC and Delph covering in front. We will need a lot of running against their midfield.
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Is baker definitely fit?
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Living in the past then ?
Pot / kettle / black !
Yes, and I'm thinking of having my bollocks tattooed: '19' on the left and '57' on the right.
Shame we never won anything in `69 :)
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We haven't got many defenders and we are up against Sturridge, Elmander & Davies. Therefore our forwards better have their shooting boots on and we better win (or at least get a draw) otherwise I will get a flight over and personally lynch Houllier after the week I've had here in Christchurch and him then not playing the strongest team in the FA Cup.
So it's got to be 4-3 to Villa >:(.
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Crikey - I've never known a season like this for injuries - a young inexperienced defence will be sorely tested by davies, sturridge and co, we might as well attack and I think we need 3 goals to win, I was thinking Collins would be fit but without him it will be tough.
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This could be the first game where the combined age of the back 4 is less than that of the goalkeeper.
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you never know, the kids at the back may make a fair fist of it
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Baker and Clark should be used to playing with each other so may well have a good understanding-looks like delph will be at left back again .
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Thats what I was thinking, Clark may perform better without Dunne around (in the nicest possible way), Baker looks like he can handle himself / mix it a bit as does Clark, so the physicality of Davies / Elmander should be neutralised.
Need to keep Sturridge off the ball though in and around the box
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Feeling much less confident of a win than last Sunday. I fear Davies will bully us and sturridge looks dangerous. Are we sure baker is even fit? Would have played delph with NRC but not sure we can now, and don't feel confident about stan or bobby against their
hard running midfield.
Apparently bolton have only lost 2 In 12 at home. And we've only won once against a top half side all season, which is frankly appalling
Apparently, despite a dip in form Bolton have Still only lost 2 out of 12at home. we've won once all season against teams currently in the top half, which is an awful and embarrassing stat
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Then Houllier can fuck off
Why don't you join him?
seconded...
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They will be too strong for us. I trust a center back pairing of Baker and Clark but its a bit shit having to start it against Kevin Davies, who hasn't lost an aerial challenge in his life.
Predict a comfortable 2-0 loss.
Be interesting to see the reaction to Houllier if we lose this at the Wolves game. We will see a return of 'Give us A wave/ Sacked in the morning' monkeys who seem to change their mind on what to sing every two minutes.
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Unfortunately, we shall lose this match 2-0.
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Friedel
Walker Heskey Clark Baker
NRC Delph
Downing Young Albrighton
Bent
I agree - I think Heskey at the back against Davies makes alot of sense.
Whether Ged agrees or not is another question
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Dunno why but I've got a really bad feeling about tomorrows post match thread
Because almost every post you make is laced with negativety and almost a want for the villa to lose to proveyou right?
Dont think so, I'm normally the one on here sticking up for the likes of NRC / Stan etc. I've been on here long enough to predict what defeat will bring today in the form of the post match outburst. Seen it so many times before. Anyway I'm off to Bolton shortly so catch you all later
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2-0 Bolton I hope im wrong
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It is, and I sincerely hope we win and it somewhat vindicates his decision. It is a very difficult place to go though, and I fear they will go with the 2 big men up top to bully Clark at the back. I agree re the Blues thing having a big part, but if we are measuring ourselves on their success this week then we have got a very frail mental attitude. It is like having a peeing contest - we have been diddling over the wall for years and they just reached the bottom of it, as such their success should be tolerated as they are not a threat and short of sharing the same city, have nothing to do with us. It annoyed me for a few hours on Sunday, and I became completely neutral to it by monday, and happily discussed the game etc with a couple of Blues mates last couple of days without a twinge of jealousy. We had our opportunities last season in the cup, but were so knackered through non rotation we were pretty pathetic on both occasions, did not hold onto the ball at all and ran out of ideas when plan a failed. At least with Houllier there is a sense of trying different things and working towards a future way of playing that may be a bit more varied.
Anyhow, still think 2-2 - hope for more.
I Like the cut of your jib, son
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Boltons last 9 home league games.
Everton won 2-0
Wolves won 1-0
Chelsea lost 0-4
Wigan drew 1-1
WBA won 2-0
Blackburn won 2-1
Blackpool drew 2-2
Newcastle won 5-1
Spurs won 4-2
This is going to be very tough.
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I just don't know which Villa are gonna turn up. On our day we can beat anybody and we have shown glimpses of that lately. Bolton is always a tough away day but one that we usually deal with. Forget about Wednesday, that's done now, there is a real chance for us to make wine out of water here, 3 wins and we could be pushing top 6. I have gone through every permutation on this one and I still don't know. 2-2? :-\
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It is going to be very tough.
I have a feeling for a draw though.
We certainly have the firepower to beat them but with our shortages at the back it's going to be difficult to keep it tight enough.
You never know though. Maybe (I presume) Walker, Baker, Delph and Clark can come up trumps where the older guys have failed and keep a clean sheet.
I definitely think Bent will score though and I might have a flutter on first goal.
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It is going to be very tough.
I have a feeling for a draw though.
We certainly have the firepower to beat them but with our shortages at the back it's going to be difficult to keep it tight enough.
You never know though. Maybe (I presume) Walker, Baker, Delph and Clark can come up trumps where the older guys have failed and keep a clean sheet.
I definitely think Bent will score though and I might have a flutter on first goal.
What are the odds on Bent and K.Davies both scoring I wonder?
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Bet Houllier won't play the side he did against City.
Be a result if we get a draw they do look to be the best of the rest at the moment.
10 games and 10 points needed to be sure, could be worth 1, should be 3
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Have we got any defenders left?
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Bet Houllier won't play the side he did against City.
Be a result if we get a draw they do look to be the best of the rest at the moment.
10 games and 10 points needed to be sure, could be worth 1, should be 3
Just out of interest and maybe I've misunderstood but.... How is it possible that Bolton are, as you say, "the best of the rest", yet it could be 1 point but SHOULD be 3? Are we that good?
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Bolton are having a decent enough season; I think they will be too strong for us.
2-0
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Have we got any defenders left?
I wonder if Beye or Warnock will be considered? he let them play in the reserves with Salifou this week, but having said that the reserves lost for only the 2nd time this season.
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Villa 3-1 win and Houllier to say "see, told you"
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Bet Houllier won't play the side he did against City.
Be a result if we get a draw they do look to be the best of the rest at the moment.
10 games and 10 points needed to be sure, could be worth 1, should be 3
Just out of interest and maybe I've misunderstood but.... How is it possible that Bolton are, as you say, "the best of the rest", yet it could be 1 point but SHOULD be 3? Are we that good?
Compared to Bolton yes, don't you think so.
Normally I'd back us to do well even if we didn't get 3 points but the way Houllier and Villa's season is going who knows
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We could win 7-0 and I would still say Houllier should have put his strongest available team out against Citeh.
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Last season we beat Bolton 1-0 after our 7-1 mauling against Chelsea the previous game.
Somehow I can't see us winning today.
4 - 2 defeat due to a young inexperienced defence.
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Draw.
And then more Houllier bashing.
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Bolton is cetainly a "tough travel" but I'm confident that with the nice rest our big guns had mid week we should secure the right result.
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Todays game for me is all about how well our makeshift defence copes with Davies/Elmander/Sturridge/Klasnic, okay these guys aren't on paper the most formidable attacking force in the premier league but with the brute strength of the 3 big lads and the pace and trickery of the Chelsea loan man our young lads will have a lot to deal with, hopefully the young lads will go out there with confidence.
head says 2-1
heart says 1-1
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I'm saving my vote till I hear the team news.
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Comfortable 2-0 home win. Elmander and Davies will be too much for our inexperienced centre halves.