Lambert in or out? Poll reset with majority 'in', 7th May

[kippaxvilla2]

In the heat of the moment, it was a brilliant comeback, a great win, against a team managed by everyones favourite rentaquote.  In the cold light of day, Aston Villa are now at the stage of their existance where their manager is telling a ballboy to hold onto the ball in injury time so we can hold on to a 3-2 win at home against the leagues bottom team, QPR, fighting for our lives to stay in the top division, with players none of us knew anything about before the start of the season, in an era where there is more money sloshing about than there ever has been.

[dave.woodhall]

In the heat of the moment, it was a brilliant comeback, a great win, against a team managed by everyones favourite rentaquote.  In the cold light of day, Aston Villa are now at the stage of their existance where their manager is telling a ballboy to hold onto the ball in injury time so we can hold on to a 3-2 win at home against the leagues bottom team, QPR, fighting for our lives to stay in the top division, with players none of us knew anything about before the start of the season, in an era where there is more money sloshing about than there ever has been.

And your point is?

[kippaxvilla2]

My point is we have declined a long way.  A simple point really, but realistic, there are lots of fans out there who are still in denial of this fact.  Not saying I blame the current manager, it's obviously to do with the reckless spending of the early years.

[kippaxvilla2]

We should not underestimate the importance of the next 8 games.  The Championship is filled with blue chip clubs who haven't managed to make it back and some are on the verge of extinction.  See Derby, Forest, Leeds, Wolves, Cov (just about), Middlesborough, Sheffield Wednesday and United.

[dave.woodhall]

My point is we have declined a long way.  A simple point really, but realistic, there are lots of fans out there who are still in denial of this fact.  Not saying I blame the current manager, it's obviously to do with the reckless spending of the early years.

We're not doing well at the moment. It's happened before and it'll happen again. We have no divine right to success, there's no law that says where we are now is where we'll be forever, and just because some of us don't spend every minute in lamentation doesn't mean there's any 'denial' of anything.

[adrenachrome]

People can say 'it was only QPR' if they want but it was a QPR that had won 2 games back-to-back. Unlike a mid-table team they are desperate and threw absolutely everything at us in their desperation.

And not only that, we had to show the strength of character to come back from a goal behind, just like we did last week.

And not only that,  the QPR team that played on Saturday was pretty decent, and if they had that side all season and played with the same intensity, they would not be in the trouble they find themselves in now.

[PeterWithesShin]

And here was me thinking everything was fine and and we were top of the league.

[Toronto Villa]

My point is we have declined a long way.  A simple point really, but realistic, there are lots of fans out there who are still in denial of this fact.  Not saying I blame the current manager, it's obviously to do with the reckless spending of the early years.

Holding onto the ball, wasting time, fighting for our lives, showing a distinct lack of sportsmanship. Sounds all very Alex Ferguson doesn't it? I hope that when we are top of the league, having just battered Barcelona, we are doing exactly the same thing.

[PeterWithesShin]

My point is we have declined a long way.  A simple point really, but realistic, there are lots of fans out there who are still in denial of this fact.  Not saying I blame the current manager, it's obviously to do with the reckless spending of the early years.

Holding onto the ball, wasting time, fighting for our lives, showing a distinct lack of sportsmanship. Sounds all very Alex Ferguson doesn't it? I hope that when we are top of the league, having just battered Barcelona, we are doing exactly the same thing.

Brad kept gesturing to the ball boys behind the goal to slow down getting the ball back to him once we were 3-2 up. It's the little things like that and what you mention that help win tight games.

[dave.woodhall]

Exactly. We've been too nice for too long. Everything about Villa Park is set up to make life easy for the opposition.

[Lsvilla]

Exactly. We've been too nice for too long. Everything about Villa Park is set up to make life easy for the opposition.
[/quote
I agree with this and liked the suggestion a while back of moving the tunnel to the Holte end so away teams encounter us first rather than their own fans although I assume it's not feasible

[Jockey Randall]

I don't really understand people moaning about the ball boy situation? I've always been under the impression that teams instruct their ball boys beforehand on whether the team wants to play high tempo or slow the game down at every opportunity. We were in front and our ball boy policy clearly needed a change. Where is the problem? It's part and parcel of the game.

[PaulWinch again]

I don't think anyone's in denial that an awful lot needs to be done for us to recover. However critical to this is surviving this season and I don't care how we do it.

[Damo70]

I agree totally with Toronto Villa, PeterWithesShin and Dave Woodhall. It has driven me up the wall how nice and nieve we have been for quite a while. Not accusations you would level at United or Chelsea and don't even get me started on Stoke. Of course if Saturday's game had been at Loftus Road and QPR were 3-2 up the old pros like Redknapp, Jordan and Bond on their bench would have been totally against any timewasting or perceived lack of sportsmanship from their players, ball boys or staff.

[pauliewalnuts]

In the heat of the moment, it was a brilliant comeback, a great win, against a team managed by everyones favourite rentaquote.  In the cold light of day, Aston Villa are now at the stage of their existance where their manager is telling a ballboy to hold onto the ball in injury time so we can hold on to a 3-2 win at home against the leagues bottom team, QPR, fighting for our lives to stay in the top division, with players none of us knew anything about before the start of the season, in an era where there is more money sloshing about than there ever has been.

But you're saying that as if people haven't spotted the horrendous season we're having. Everyone knows we've been buying players from a lower level (largely) this season, everyone knows we're in a survival scrap, and everyone knows we've been tightening up the finances - and most people even agree it is being done too quickly. I can't believe anyone can be a regular use of this site - like yourself - and think to the contrary.

All teams engage in a little gamesmanship from time to time, so why shouldn't we, when we are really fighting?