Robert Pires

[Salsa Party Animal]

Hope we are looking for a next generation version of Pires

[Toronto Villa]

This is a link to some vintage Pires. The vision he shows is simply sublime at times and we can only hope that even if the legs aren't what they once were the brain is working just as fast. Off course, a common theme in these clips is that it always helps if you have Henry and Bergkamp playing alongside you.

[N'ZMAV]

This is a link to some vintage Pires. The vision he shows is simply sublime at times and we can only hope that even if the legs aren't what they once were the brain is working just as fast. Off course, a common theme in these clips is that it always helps if you have Henry and Bergkamp playing alongside you.

Henry & Bergkamp in front of you, Vieira & Gilberto Silva behind you would surely help.

[alanclare]

Well, if he is half as good as 'Bagic' Berson then he'll be well worth his transfer fee.

I do hope he's shaved that guinea pig's fanny off his chin though

Do you mean this one?

Well there's no sign of it now:

[supertom]

Arsenal were a joy to watch back then. The Prem was a lot better back then too, much better calibre of show stopping players to be honest. Especially between 00-05.

Nowadays the Goons might play nice football still, but they don't have the cutting edge they did with Henry, Pires, Bergkamp and Ljungberg.

That vid not only reminds me about how brilliant Pires can be, even without having to run much, but also makes me miss Bergkamp. The guy was a genius.

God this league aint a patch on what it was. Far less watchable now.

[richard moore]

Arsenal were a joy to watch back then. The Prem was a lot better back then too, much better calibre of show stopping players to be honest. Especially between 00-05.

Nowadays the Goons might play nice football still, but they don't have the cutting edge they did with Henry, Pires, Bergkamp and Ljungberg.

That vid not only reminds me about how brilliant Pires can be, even without having to run much, but also makes me miss Bergkamp. The guy was a genius.

God this league aint a patch on what it was. Far less watchable now.

Agree with you totally. Mediocre isn't the word. Worst it has ever been in my opinion. Can't remember the last time I saw a real 'wow' game, one to remember for years to come...

[Eigentor]

Can't remember the last time I saw a real 'wow' game, one to remember for years to come...

Not Villa-related, but I think the last 'vow' game in PL was between Arsenal and Liverpool a couple of years ago. I think it ended 4-4. For some reason I thought at the time that they were better teams than Manure and Chelsea, but the latter would end up with the trophies anyway.

[Ads]

One of the best games of recent years was our Boxing Day 4-4 down at Chelsea. The game had the lot in spades.

[TheSandman]

Can't remember the last time I saw a real 'wow' game, one to remember for years to come...

Not Villa-related, but I think the last 'vow' game in PL was between Arsenal and Liverpool a couple of years ago. I think it ended 4-4. For some reason I thought at the time that they were better teams than Manure and Chelsea, but the latter would end up with the trophies anyway.

Yes. I remember that well. Didn't Arshavin equalise four times?

I think it was around the time that Liverpool looked fantastic wasn't it? They put 5 past Real and then played really well against United and won. Then they folded like a cheap tent and won feck all. Really, looked like contenders.

These games are very much the exception rather than the rule. There seems to be a dearth of talented, skillful players or the ones who exist like Arshavin are having a bit of poor form.

[Dave]

One of the best games of recent years was our Boxing Day 4-4 down at Chelsea. The game had the lot in spades.

If I were a neutral watching Everton 2-3 Villa from two years ago I would remember it as a bit of a classic as well.

[KevinGage]

That Arsenal side was fantastic but you can't have it both ways.  When the Premiership had more world class players in it, they were solely distributed amongst the top three or four sides and the gulf was huge.  We might not have that "wow factor" to watch these days but it's making for a much more even playing field and a much more competitive league to boot.  I think this season has been much more interesting than most of the Sky Sports seasons to date.

Agreed.

[JUAN PABLO]

That Arsenal side was fantastic but you can't have it both ways.  When the Premiership had more world class players in it, they were solely distributed amongst the top three or four sides and the gulf was huge.  We might not have that "wow factor" to watch these days but it's making for a much more even playing field and a much more competitive league to boot.  I think this season has been much more interesting than most of the Sky Sports seasons to date.

what he said 

[supertom]

That Arsenal side was fantastic but you can't have it both ways.  When the Premiership had more world class players in it, they were solely distributed amongst the top three or four sides and the gulf was huge.  We might not have that "wow factor" to watch these days but it's making for a much more even playing field and a much more competitive league to boot.  I think this season has been much more interesting than most of the Sky Sports seasons to date.

what he said 

To some extent, but I think even some of the lesser sides in previous years have had certain mercurial characters who could lighten up a game. I'm thinking the likes of Ginola, Di Canio, Yorke (for us), Merson, or even when Bolton had Okocha and Djorkaeff in the same side, Zola at Chelsea before they were really title contenders year in, year out. Though it is more competitive (though undoubtedly you struggle to see past Chelsea or Utd winning the crown in the next couple of years), I just find as a nuetral I pretty much don't watch anything that's non-villa anymore. I feel no draw, where-as in previous years I'd go out my way to watch certain games and see certain players.

Certainly this season seems a little more competitive, thus far, but while it makes it more exciting points wise, I think most of the games themselves have been a shower of shite. Chelsea and Utd are still up at the pinnacle, but how ordinary do they both look compared to 5 years ago? Very!

Plus, it's same old, same old for the Villa. We're a million miles away from challenging for the title. We got close to top 4, but we've taken the express train back into the opposite direction.

[PaulWinch again]

Pires showed today he still has plenty of class and once he's up to speed he'll be very useful.

[rutski]

lots of neutrals thought last week against manure was a wow game.
i thought pires looked 37 today!