Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: Toronto Villa on March 09, 2015, 03:10:46 PM
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Ok this isn't about the pitch invasion itself because there is plenty already written elsewhere about that. This is more about the impact on the fans and players.
I have always believed that as Villa fans we don't need much of an excuse to get excited. Even in the final dark days (TM Mark Lawrenson) of Lambert we were still able to pull in 30k plus crowds. This a team that had scored 11 or 12 goals all season to that point on the back of hideous displays, on the back of what had been 4 previously (on the whole) horrible seasons. The Villa faithful, are just that, faithful. The away support is amazing and rarely don't we sell our allocation and make a lot of noise. Saturday, after the game was such a release of energy so I am wondering what impact that might have had on the fans? Does it make you believe again? I know it is very, very early into Sherwood's time, but is there a glimmer of hope that we might once again get back to 40k+ gates, talk of stadium expansion and never again speaking the R word?
And what of the players? There is a core group at the club that have known nothing other than losing. Morale sapping defeats to lower league opponents, tamely waving the white flag with tactics designed not to win games, but survive them. A manager publicly playing down expectations which must make its way back to the players, even if we believe that what is said privately and publicly is the same. The atmosphere inside Villa Park, despite the attendance numbers being so quiet, resigned to another defeat or at best an abject display. It can't have been easy being a player over the past few seasons, and then to see what we can be, what this club can generate in terms of interest must have been a brilliant feeling. The closest Villa Park has come to that might be Chelsea at home last season when Delph scored, but you can count on one hand besides when the place was last rocking like that after a win in recent seasons. Players who for a couple of years now who must have gone home a little bit miserable (despite all of the money in the world) must have seen a very different side to this club.
In my opinion, there is more hope today of the "bright" future than under any of the false dawns of Lambert. Winning a game generally meant losing a few straight after. Now it could mean going on a sustained run of decent results. For the first time in ages I am actually looking forward to the next game. Not at all because I expect to win but because I expect us to try to win. I expect the manager will send out players with a clear direction to get forward and score goals. Even lost souls like N'Zogbia and Gabby seem to be buying into it.
This isn't a thread to announce everything is fine. We will judge that in due course. But just to recognize that out of away from the negative connotations of fans coming on to the pitch there might be something very positive buried within it.
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My fear now is an fa cup hangover and defeat at Sunderland which will leave us in the shit
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My fear now is an fa cup hangover and defeat at Sunderland which will leave us in the shit
Forever the optimist. I Personally can't wait to get to Sunderland on Saturday and cheer the lads on.
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My fear now is an fa cup hangover and defeat at Sunderland which will leave us in the shit
Forever the optimist. I Personally can't wait to get to Sunderland on Saturday and cheer the lads on.
Don't get me wrong, I will be there supporting too
I think we may get some harsh refereeing calls in the next few games
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I'm going as well.
We'll fuck the fuckers !
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My fear now is an fa cup hangover and defeat at Sunderland which will leave us in the shit
Forever the optimist. I Personally can't wait to get to Sunderland on Saturday and cheer the lads on.
Don't get me wrong, I will be there supporting to.
I think we may get some harsh refereeing calls in the next few games
Nothing new there then.
Sunderland will be worried, they will be thinking about a rejuvenated Gabby, a rejuvenated N'Zog, Sinclair hitting form, Benteke chomping at the bit, Delph commanding the middle and at what point our lot decide to invade the pitch.
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Poyet will probably sneak on with our lot so he can give orders to his players directly.
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I was talking with PeterWithesShin after the game on Tuesday and he said that his attitude was that during the crappy times, that's when the club needs his support the most and it was in that spirit that I got my ticket for Sunderland (And Hull. And Newcastle.) But I am genuinely looking forward to it now.
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It's gonna be a bloody nightmare getting on the pitch at Sunderland now we're all gonna be seated in the top tier. :)
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It's gonna be a bloody nightmare getting on the pitch at Sunderland now we're all gonna be seated in the top tier. :)
We'll need some of these...
(http://www.meismartialarts.com/images/5001.jpg)
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Was the pitch in much of a state after the final fans were cleared off it? can't imagine a couple of thousand "mindless hooligans" will have done much for the grass?
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We'll bloody batter Sunderland.
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One side effect. It will underline to some of the new players and Sherwood in particular what it feels like when you get Villa Park rocking. I doubt many of them have ever experienced a home atmosphere like that.
That has to be a boost for the manager and players surely?
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One side effect. It will underline to some of the new players and Sherwood in particular what it feels like when you get Villa Park rocking. I doubt many of them have ever experienced a home atmosphere like that.
That has to be a boost for the manager and players surely?
I was thinking that myself whilst pondering on the game yesterday. We've had a few good atmospheres in the past couple of years but nothing like that level of intensity, after Delphs goal it just grew and grew. Maybe Sherwood is right and sometimes you need to be reminded of what a big club we are? Because that game reminded me of what Liverpool, Man United or Arsenal would have done to a local rival in similar circumstances.
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My final piece for the new H+V is entitled "A corner turned? - Part 427". But this time I believe there might be something in it after all if the false dawns under Lambert.
Lerner isn't flavour of the month quite understandably but commented about us "howling up a storm" before the league cup final (as described by General Krulak) as him thinking "That's us, we're the Villa".
And that is how I felt as I skipped out of the ground punching the air on Saturday.
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One side effect. It will underline to some of the new players and Sherwood in particular what it feels like when you get Villa Park rocking. I doubt many of them have ever experienced a home atmosphere like that.
That has to be a boost for the manager and players surely?
I was thinking that myself whilst pondering on the game yesterday. We've had a few good atmospheres in the past couple of years but nothing like that level of intensity, after Delphs goal it just grew and grew. Maybe Sherwood is right and sometimes you need to be reminded of what a big club we are? Because that game reminded me of what Liverpool, Man United or Arsenal would have done to a local rival in similar circumstances.
He's the first person who has started to raise expectations again. For too long our expectations have been downplayed to the point we all almost began to accept our place in the grand order of things. He said you bollocks to play for big club like Villa. He's right, and I have hated hearing how we would do our best to win, or we cannot compete with this team or that team, or the way we set up in games to avoid defeat. Hated every minute of it. Like we walked out on to the pitch draped in a white flag all waiting for the first of many goals to be picked out of Brad's net. I'm just enjoying a bit of bravado right now. We are a big club and we need to start acting it. And on Saturday, we started to show everyone what an amazing place Villa Park can be.
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Was the pitch in much of a state after the final fans were cleared off it? can't imagine a couple of thousand "mindless hooligans" will have done much for the grass?
Grows by the inch, ruined by the foot.
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One side effect. It will underline to some of the new players and Sherwood in particular what it feels like when you get Villa Park rocking. I doubt many of them have ever experienced a home atmosphere like that.
That has to be a boost for the manager and players surely?
This. Sherwood said he wanted VP to be a fortress and it truly was on Saturday night
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Said it in another thread that the test of Sherwood this season will be keeping our players focused in the league. I still think that it could be a close run thing, but I think we should have enough to stay up.
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agree with Gregory,
with mr lambert we were a dead man walking, atleast most of us have a little hope now.
something from sunderland would help.
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If sherwood can keep the positive energy , vibe and organisation going we can get 6 points from the next 2.
My observation is we are still playing in 45 minute bursts.
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If sherwood can keep the positive energy , vibe and organisation going we can get 6 points from the next 2.
My observation is we are still playing in 45 minute bursts.
Yeah you could say we have done that in virtually every game since the change.
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If sherwood can keep the positive energy , vibe and organisation going we can get 6 points from the next 2.
My observation is we are still playing in 45 minute bursts.
Yeah you could say we have done that in virtually every game since the change.
Good observation.
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We'll be fine with 4 points from Sunderland and Swansea.
Think that's very achievable aswell as we usually win at Sunderland and Gabby loves playing them.
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If sherwood can keep the positive energy , vibe and organisation going we can get 6 points from the next 2.
My observation is we are still playing in 45 minute bursts.
I agree. But 45 minutes a game is better than 10 minutes a month. It's progress. Gives us a chance in games that we didn't have before, and hopefully the improvement will continue until the bursts are an hour plus.
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Yes absolutely, it's not a criticism just an observation.
To see the likes of Nzogbia, cleverly and Gabby all playing with flair and confidence is nigh on a miracle . For sherwood to have achieved this so quickly is commendable.
Long may it continue.
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I would say we are beginning to see the green shoots of recovery. On the way out of the Holte on Saturday I heard some fans singing "we've got our Villa back" and although I wasn't too sure about that particular sentiment, I could understand where they were coming from. The two games last week gave me a feeling which I haven't got for some time from football - sheer excitement. One of the other great things was walking out of Villa Park and seeing the joy on the faces of young Villa supporters. I have been concerned over the past few years about the effect our plight has had on the younger generation of fans. Awful performances and a lack of real heroes to look up to is not a good combination for younger fans, particularly at a time when they are force fed the so called "bigger clubs" by pretty much every media outlet.
But hopefully this is just the start. A decent run-in in the league and avoiding relegation is a must. Getting to the FA Cup final would be great and winning the thing would be a dream. All three of those happening and a takeover in the summer would be the ideal scenario and could really propel the club forward.
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Yes absolutely, it's not a criticism just an observation.
To see the likes of Nzogbia, cleverly and Gabby all playing with flair and confidence is nigh on a miracle . For sherwood to have achieved this so quickly is commendable.
Long may it continue.
It was overlooked a bit at the time but rewatching the match there were two moments when Charles Nzogbia was the fastest man during a play. I will let that sink in.
Admittedly one of them was him trying to recover from giving the ball away but goddamn he hauled ass from the penally area to the halfway line to make up for it. The other was when he beat his man with pace, with PACE. I was well impressed.
I never knew he had it in him.
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Without doubt there has been a massive turnaround and this is down to the change of Manager.
I am just uncomfortable with celebrating a new dawn until we have a few more points on the board.
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I would say we are beginning to see the green shoots of recovery. On the way out of the Holte on Saturday I heard some fans singing "we've got our Villa back" and although I wasn't too sure about that particular sentiment, I could understand where they were coming from. The two games last week gave me a feeling which I haven't got for some time from football - sheer excitement. One of the other great things was walking out of Villa Park and seeing the joy on the faces of young Villa supporters. I have been concerned over the past few years about the effect our plight has had on the younger generation of fans. Awful performances and a lack of real heroes to look up to is not a good combination for younger fans, particularly at a time when they are force fed the so called "bigger clubs" by pretty much every media outlet.
But hopefully this is just the start. A decent run-in in the league and avoiding relegation is a must. Getting to the FA Cup final would be great and winning the thing would be a dream. All three of those happening and a takeover in the summer would be the ideal scenario and could really propel the club forward.
I know exactly what you mean, my youngest is villa mad but he's not old enough to know anything but absolute dross and miserable faces.....Times are a changing.. I hope
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If sherwood can keep the positive energy , vibe and organisation going we can get 6 points from the next 2.
My observation is we are still playing in 45 minute bursts.
it beats not playing at all.
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If sherwood can keep the positive energy , vibe and organisation going we can get 6 points from the next 2.
My observation is we are still playing in 45 minute bursts.
Even the best teams in the world rarely play good for a full on 90 mins, every game involves two teams and the so called weaker team can often have a good period during a match
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Away from the effect that the game has had on the team, the club and the fans, I think it's been interesting to see after the dust has settled how positive the exuberant reaction to Saturday's win has been. The media has largely calmed down and acknowledged that it wasn't anywhere near as bad as was initially reported. Also, it was quite nice to see fans of teams like Chelsea and Man City who have gone irretrievably over to the dark side speaking wistfully of the pleasure in seeing another club's fans actually enjoying a game.
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more than anything else we now need something from the game at Sunderland. I don't think we need to win, we just need to come away from every game with at least a point. None of the home games should be significant cause for concern so we need to look to win those. Villa Park is a magical place and with the excitement of the upcoming FA Cup SF on the horizon maybe we can get close to 40k every week to see us safely over the line.
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more than anything else we now need something from the game at Sunderland. I don't think we need to win, we just need to come away from every game with at least a point. None of the home games should be significant cause for concern so we need to look to win those. Villa Park is a magical place and with the excitement of the upcoming FA Cup SF on the horizon maybe we can get close to 40k every week to see us safely over the line.
I really think we need to beat Sunderland. It would put us above them for a start, and bring them back into sight goal difference-wise. It would also potentially give us a six point buffer, which would be a massive psychological boost. Don't forget that after that, we're then away to Spurs and Man U in two of the next three games.
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more than anything else we now need something from the game at Sunderland. I don't think we need to win, we just need to come away from every game with at least a point. None of the home games should be significant cause for concern so we need to look to win those. Villa Park is a magical place and with the excitement of the upcoming FA Cup SF on the horizon maybe we can get close to 40k every week to see us safely over the line.
I really think we need to beat Sunderland. It would put us above them for a start, and bring them back into sight goal difference-wise. It would also potentially give us a six point buffer, which would be a massive psychological boost. Don't forget that after that, we're then away to Spurs and Man U in two of the next three games.
Sunderland is probably our last realistic opportunity to get something away from Villa Park so a win there would be very welcome indeed.
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more than anything else we now need something from the game at Sunderland. I don't think we need to win, we just need to come away from every game with at least a point. None of the home games should be significant cause for concern so we need to look to win those. Villa Park is a magical place and with the excitement of the upcoming FA Cup SF on the horizon maybe we can get close to 40k every week to see us safely over the line.
I really think we need to beat Sunderland. It would put us above them for a start, and bring them back into sight goal difference-wise. It would also potentially give us a six point buffer, which would be a massive psychological boost. Don't forget that after that, we're then away to Spurs and Man U in two of the next three games.
Totally agree. If we start to think about taking a point from every game, it'll backfire. Too many tough remaining fixtures to be thinking that way.
Lambert's problem wasn't losing to the likes of Man United or Liverpool, it was repeatedly losing to the dross around us - like Palace doing the double on us last season.
If Sherwood is going to improve us with any consistency, that's where he needs to start. Unless we begin to win matches we go in to fancying our chances, we're never going to get very far.
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I really think we might get something at Tottenham and Old Trafford this year- would be so like us to choke at Sunderland then get something there... Would hate to have to get points from those games though.
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I can see us getting something at Spurs this year for some reason, obviously Sherwood will be really fired up for that one. On the downside we have a terrible record there in the PL era and they are chasing the top 4.
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If sherwood can keep the positive energy , vibe and organisation going we can get 6 points from the next 2.
My observation is we are still playing in 45 minute bursts.
Even the best teams in the world rarely play good for a full on 90 mins, every game involves two teams and the so called weaker team can often have a good period during a match
There are very few games where I can remember us playing well for the full 90 going back to the MON days or even further to DOL and GT Mk II.
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more than anything else we now need something from the game at Sunderland. I don't think we need to win, we just need to come away from every game with at least a point. None of the home games should be significant cause for concern so we need to look to win those. Villa Park is a magical place and with the excitement of the upcoming FA Cup SF on the horizon maybe we can get close to 40k every week to see us safely over the line.
I really think we need to beat Sunderland. It would put us above them for a start, and bring them back into sight goal difference-wise. It would also potentially give us a six point buffer, which would be a massive psychological boost. Don't forget that after that, we're then away to Spurs and Man U in two of the next three games.
Sunderland is probably our last realistic opportunity to get something away from Villa Park so a win there would be very welcome indeed.
It would be then nice to see us replicating one of the really good performances Villa gave under Lambert at home to Swansea.
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more than anything else we now need something from the game at Sunderland. I don't think we need to win, we just need to come away from every game with at least a point. None of the home games should be significant cause for concern so we need to look to win those. Villa Park is a magical place and with the excitement of the upcoming FA Cup SF on the horizon maybe we can get close to 40k every week to see us safely over the line.
I really think we need to beat Sunderland. It would put us above them for a start, and bring them back into sight goal difference-wise. It would also potentially give us a six point buffer, which would be a massive psychological boost. Don't forget that after that, we're then away to Spurs and Man U in two of the next three games.
No, it would be great to beat them, there's no doubt there, but we simply cannot afford to lose. What I meant was to keep things ticking over we need to get a point at minimum from all of our away games and then look to win out at home. To be honest with us, I can't tell you what's an easy game or a tough game as we have done a fabulously shit job against most opposition, so Spurs away and Man U don't fill me with any more fear than Sunderland away. I just hope that after the last week, Sherwood a bit more settled in, that maybe things have started to tip a little more in our favour and that we feel as though we can go into any game with a chance of winning it.
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I agree with the opening post. My overwhelming feeling after the game on Saturday was that someone had stuck one too many pins in the giant, and it is starting to stir!
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more than anything else we now need something from the game at Sunderland. I don't think we need to win, we just need to come away from every game with at least a point. None of the home games should be significant cause for concern so we need to look to win those. Villa Park is a magical place and with the excitement of the upcoming FA Cup SF on the horizon maybe we can get close to 40k every week to see us safely over the line.
I really think we need to beat Sunderland. It would put us above them for a start, and bring them back into sight goal difference-wise. It would also potentially give us a six point buffer, which would be a massive psychological boost. Don't forget that after that, we're then away to Spurs and Man U in two of the next three games.
Sunderland is probably our last realistic opportunity to get something away from Villa Park so a win there would be very welcome indeed.
I generally agree, but think that the game at Southampon will likely be a dead rubber for them, and maybe even ourselves. We may well get a point at Spurs too.
All that said, the more I watch Man United, the more I am convinced that they're utter shite. How are they 4th?
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Was the pitch in much of a state after the final fans were cleared off it? can't imagine a couple of thousand "mindless hooligans" will have done much for the grass?
Grows by the inch, ruined by the foot.
It will be nothing compared to September after back to back days of egg chasers on it
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All that said, the more I watch Man United, the more I am convinced that they're utter shite. How are they 4th?
The rest of us this season have been abysmal. It is a very average league.
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All that said, the more I watch Man United, the more I am convinced that they're utter shite. How are they 4th?
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Unfortunately, no matter how shite they are they always seem to beat us.
Let's hope we can loosen that hold they have over us starting with the game at Old Trafford in April.
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some quality quote fails there chaps :)
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more than anything else we now need something from the game at Sunderland. I don't think we need to win, we just need to come away from every game with at least a point. None of the home games should be significant cause for concern so we need to look to win those. Villa Park is a magical place and with the excitement of the upcoming FA Cup SF on the horizon maybe we can get close to 40k every week to see us safely over the line.
I really think we need to beat Sunderland. It would put us above them for a start, and bring them back into sight goal difference-wise. It would also potentially give us a six point buffer, which would be a massive psychological boost. Don't forget that after that, we're then away to Spurs and Man U in two of the next three games.
Sunderland is probably our last realistic opportunity to get something away from Villa Park so a win there would be very welcome indeed.
I generally agree, but think that the game at Southampon will likely be a dead rubber for them, and maybe even ourselves. We may well get a point at Spurs too.
All that said, the more I watch Man United, the more I am convinced that they're utter shite. How are they 4th?
You don't have to be good to be effective I guess.
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I just don't think you need to be that good this season to be much better than most of the teams in the league. And given their spending they should be in the top 4-6 positions. They are just mind numbingly boring to watch. Like a very, very, very expensive Lambert Aston Villa
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I just don't think you need to be that good this season to be much better than most of the teams in the league. And given their spending they should be in the top 4-6 positions. They are just mind numbingly boring to watch. Like a very, very, very expensive Lambert Aston Villa
That was what I said to the missus yesterday. They play like we did but with a few world class players chucked in to dig them out.
Funnily enough, with all this 80's throwback talk, Yanited are doing a more than passable impersonation of themselves in the 80's.
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I just don't think you need to be that good this season to be much better than most of the teams in the league. And given their spending they should be in the top 4-6 positions. They are just mind numbingly boring to watch. Like a very, very, very expensive Lambert Aston Villa
I've been enjoying casually referring to them as "a long ball outfit" as if it's a generally accepted fact whilst conversing with Man United supporting acquaintances.
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Maybe the pitch invasion will rank along side with this famous one.
Amazing how views now differ.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=z-ze42I6NEo[/url (https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=z-ze42I6NEo)
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I just don't think you need to be that good this season to be much better than most of the teams in the league. And given their spending they should be in the top 4-6 positions. They are just mind numbingly boring to watch. Like a very, very, very expensive Lambert Aston Villa
I've been enjoying casually referring to them as "a long ball outfit" as if it's a generally accepted fact whilst conversing with Man United supporting acquaintances.
If I ever talk to a United supporter I steer the conversation to football in general. They are so one eyed. Any talk of non United related footballing matters completely throws them. They desperately try to turn the conversation back to United like a drowning man clutching for a branch.
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Have been in London for a few days and got talking to some chelsea fans on their way to the game last night. They said they watched the villa game in the pub on saturday and the atmosphere came across as fantastic..They were actually envious of how much the whole of the ground seemed to celebrate..They reckon only pockets of Chelsea fans would have been that bothered by a result like that for them.
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(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CAo330pWEAAo5me.jpg)