The last time Villa won a premier league game without Vlaar

[pauliewalnuts]

No, it doesn't does it?

To be entirely honest, I had to do a mental double take just to make sure, but no

[olaftab]

How many thread we need to say we are not very good?

[adrenachrome]

How many thread we need to say we are not very good?

Twelvety

[pauliewalnuts]

How many thread we need to say we are not very good?

It's not that, though, is it?

It is pointing out how important Vlaar is to the team.

Besides, I imagine the one way to ensure there are fewer posts and threads saying we're not very good would be for us to stop not being very good.

[olaftab]

Fair enough for a specific debate but nearly every thread turns into same old  from about 5 posts onward...

[pauliewalnuts]

Well, I don't know why you're moaning, then, given that this is quite obviously a specific thread with a specific subject rather than another moaning thread.

I take your point re every thread etc etc, but honestly, what do you expect people to be talking about when we're playing so poorly? If we put in a performance this evening, it'll no doubt be entirely different, as it has been when we've picked up wins in the past.

People are just talking about what they see.

[Matt Collins]

On a related note, all but one of our league wins have come with KEA in the side. Given he's missed quite a few games I think that's of some significance.

[PaulWinch again]

On a related note, all but one of our league wins have come with KEA in the side. Given he's missed quite a few games I think that's of some significance.

I think that's because for all he lacks on the ball, he does actually press the opposition which none of the other players seem to bother doing.

[phantom limb]

On a related note, all but one of our league wins have come with KEA in the side. Given he's missed quite a few games I think that's of some significance.

I think he's a decent player and I'm not sure why he gets such vehement stick at times.

[Clampy]

On a related note, all but one of our league wins have come with KEA in the side. Given he's missed quite a few games I think that's of some significance.

I think he's a decent player and I'm not sure why he gets such vehement stick at times.

Because people like a scapegoat. He's taken Bannan's role this season.

[SoccerHQ]

Tell you what if Bowery every scored a fcuking goal here...we somehow need to get a scooter onto the pitch so he can do that celebration!

Think that would be enough to build a statue of him next to McGregor.

[adrenachrome]

Express and Star

Aston Villa's Ron Vlaar set to return

Ron Vlaar has confirmed that he is fully fit for the Premier League run-in.

The Dutch central defender has become the talisman of Villa’s top-flight fortunes this season – they have failed to win a league game without him and lost five of the six he has missed.

The last time Villa won a Premier League game without Vlaar was in December 2012, throwing even more focus on his recovery from the hamstring injury which forced him to limp away and watch a winning position against Everton turn into defeat.

He then missed the home loss to West Ham before returning for the draw at Cardiff.

And as Villa now enjoy warm weather training in Portugal, Vlaar says: “I feel good – it’s 100 per cent now.

“It was frustrating, after my calf injury in December, but I’ve only missed the West Ham game this time.

“Sometimes you have to make a choice. It is not about one game. It is about 12 or 13, so that’s the most important thing.

“The West Ham game was just a little too soon and I shouldn’t have played so that was the right decision.

“You can’t play at 95 per cent in the Premier League.”

[Ads]

He already returned last Tuesday?

[adrenachrome]

Yes, the headline seems directly to contradict the article, which states: "He then missed the home loss to West Ham before returning for the draw at Cardiff".

Star Sub Ed probably on drugs or has been replaced by a robot with dodgy software.

[paulcomben]

Ron Vlaar almost a Pointless answer just then on BBC1. Oh, the irony.  Only one person in 100 surveyed named him as a member of the Dutch Euro 2012 team.