Let the record show

[tomd2103]

I was at the game Tuesday and didn't see anything special from Sissoko.  Did he really stand out?  Maybe I was concentrating on how inept we were all over the park to notice.

I didn't see anything special either.

I thought he looked very good when he was playing in a more defensive role, but then for some reason they pushed him into a more advanced role and he drifted out of the game.  There was the one occasion when Bannan tried to get the ball off him and he just held him off like the baddies used to hold off Scrappy Doo in the old cartoons. 

[PaulWinch again]

I thought he was excellent defensively, and didn't he play the through ball for their first goal?

[mattjpa]

Give me some examples. Who else managed to sign the type of player we were looking for?

Wigan - Paul Scharner (loan)
Reading - Daniel Carrico (£600K)
Southampton - Vegard Forren (£4.2m)
QPR - Tal Ben Haim (free)
Newcastle - Moussa Sissoko (£1.8m)
Fulham - Emmanuel Frimpong (loan)

etc, etc

Exciting. Just the sort of players you've been calling for in fact.

Carrico excepted, as I don't know who he is, everyone of those players would be in our first team immeadiately. What's more their costs would be fairly minimal.

Why in gods name sign sylla for 2m who will prob need time to bed in, when frimpong is available on loan and better than anything we have? we could be cut adrift befort sylla gets up to speed. Drop in Ben Haim with Vlaar at the back and I genuinely believe we would have enough to survive. The wages would be less than hutton and warnock who have just left - not a penny spent. Something does not ring true behind the scenes for me...

[Ads]

I was at the game Tuesday and didn't see anything special from Sissoko.  Did he really stand out?  Maybe I was concentrating on how inept we were all over the park to notice.

I didn't see anything special either.

I thought he looked very good when he was playing in a more defensive role, but then for some reason they pushed him into a more advanced role and he drifted out of the game.  There was the one occasion when Bannan tried to get the ball off him and he just held him off like the baddies used to hold off Scrappy Doo in the old cartoons. 

I think that says more about Bannan than Sissoko.

[Clampy]

I'd have liked Frimpong as well. We could have got in both him and Sylla, and someone like Upson. It would have made a huge difference.

[walsall villain]

I have been watching Villa for 50 years and up until 3 years ago couldn't see relegation as the slightest possibility. I see us over the years as a bit like Everton, probably never going to be financed well enough to break into the top 4 but never out of the premiership, I now know this is almost certainly wrong. The blame for me has got to lie with Lerner. I for one don't doubt his intentions but like others have said, he inherited money but no business or management sense.
I don't want us to spend as QPR have (probably stay up but they are the next Portsmouth just waiting to happen) but what an opportunity lost. We only need to get one more point than the 3 teams around us which sounds likely but we all know its not going to happen with our deficiencies.
Give Lerner a hard time? He is never there and probably couldn't care less. We can't take it out on the players, if they show commitment like 2nd half last week then I can except it. What really scares me is that teams that fight relegation for years then drop rarely bounce back. I guess what I am saying is that their is bugger all we can do about it, it won't bother Lerner if you give the pie, pint and programme a miss as some are suggesting!

[Drummond]

Probably as good a point as any to bow out I think!

Of course we agree on the football aspect, I think virtually all of us will. It's shit that it's about money and whilst I want to forget about  Aston Villa and the shit place we find ourselves in, unfortunately I can't.

I don't believe everything in the garden is rosy, but I don't believe Lambert has had enough time to try and drag this club from where it is. I know we all have our opinions on the whys and wherefores of the situation but I'm right, as are each of you, until we're proven wrong. I think we may need to drop down in order to have a chance to reach the top again, it's hardly what I want to think but I can't see how we can go any other way (strategy I mean rather than relegation) under our current ownership.

We might sink and never get out but we may otherwise continue to hover as an ever-present also-ran.

[MarkM]

Probably as good a point as any to bow out I think!

I think we may need to drop down in order to have a chance to reach the top again

Your not serious?

If we drop we will be gone for a while, see Forest, Leeds, Wolves, Derby etc... etc...

And also the finiancial situation will be worse! if that's possible

Wake up, relegation would be the worst thing to happen to us

[villa for life]

If Lerner is a businessman and not a football man, can he make more money by prioritizing finding lower league players and selling them on for a profit rather than remaining in the premiership.

Serious question. We have shelled out huge amounts on Curtis Davies, Fabian Delph, Ashley Young etc....so could Lerner be thinking that this is a better way of making money regardless of our premiership status. If he can find young and upcoming talent, they won't be on big wages, and if they are successful, he can sell them on, and if they aren't, they can play for us till their contract is up. Again, this is not in jest, could this be the reason behind the new transfer policy...

[Small Rodent]

The only people probably not bothered by relegation are the geeks who can add to their "football grounds visited" scrapbook. But even that us an honour in itself and shows a hell of a lot of commitment.

Let the record show...If we go down, I believe this board would prefer play-offs and a Wembley pay out, rather than automatic promotion.

[olaftab]

In oct  2012 the situation was nowhere near as bad as now - your points are irrelevant!

Thanks Eastie for your intelligent contribution as ever.  By the way can I check with you do you want Lambert sacked?

mr-villa's points are not irrelevant and nothing has changed in policy terms to make the situation so different from October 12.

[Ron Manager]

I think everybody should be respected for their opinion. Maybe Drummond is right we should go down and sort out our problems in the division below theres something in that. However I cant see the owner sorting anything out. He is not a football man. Very decent man no doubt but not a football man. Lacks the knowledge. Why did he sell The Browns and not us? I guess that was because hes a quiet introverted
man who doesnt like verbal abuse aimed at him and Im sure that as The Browns are as bad as us thats what he got.

Its probably the reason he doesnt come over here very much.

I cant see Lambert going either for the often stated financial reasons involving big compensation for himself and his dreadful coaching staff.

Faulkner could be moved out but I think Lerner sees him as a trusted employee and the compensation aspect comes into it again.

I think we have to hope that Lambert starts to get it right and personally I dont think he will in the games we have left.

Whats the answer? Maybe Randy will sell the club and cut his losses but then again maybe he wont.

As Ive said before I cant see any light at the end of the tunnel.

I cant even see the tunnel.

[ozzjim]

We are a shambles for sure.

5 wins in 40 games.

[Drummond]

Probably as good a point as any to bow out I think!

I think we may need to drop down in order to have a chance to reach the top again

Your not serious?

If we drop we will be gone for a while, see Forest, Leeds, Wolves, Derby etc... etc...

And also the finiancial situation will be worse! if that's possible

Wake up, relegation would be the worst thing to happen to us

Or maybe we'll do what Newcastle did and keep their players and bounce right back up; they did very well in their first season and are now struggling again. They should have invested in the summer.

Let's face it, there won't be many clubs clamouring to sign our players will there? Especially if they are as shit as many would have you believe. Given their youth and length of contracts etc, we won't have to sell.

[Rip Van We Go Again]

Given their youth and length of contracts etc, we won't have to sell.

What makes you think we'll have a choice?
Players hold all the cards and do you seriously believe that Guzan, Westwood and Benteke will hang around?

I don't buy this 'Go down to come back up stronger' cack either as it conveniently sidetracks the fact that we have a mongoloid owning the club.