Birmingham Mail and Villa coverage

[peter w]

I now never go onto the site. When overseas I tended to look at it to keep up-to-date with what's going on but not now. I much prefer the Birmingham news thread in Off Topic and look at what's linked there. I like that Chamberlain (?) site but the Mail are just wind up merchants and have they ever broke a transfer story? Even a link to a player? They haven't a clue what's going on and so there really should be no need to even acknowledge them for me.

[KRS]

I only go to that site if theres a link to click posted on here...copy and paste of the article on here is a much better option.

[Legion]

I only go to that site if theres a link to click posted on here...copy and paste of the article on here is a much better option.

Agreed. I refuse to click on any links from that rag.

[Richard E]

The latest crap:-

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-comment-villa-playing-9895770

[walsall villain]

The latest crap:-

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-comment-villa-playing-9895770

This is the opening sentence designed to wind you up.......
Crystal Palace have quickly become the attack-minded team that most relegation-threatened Premier League clubs can realistically aspire to be like.

So we need to aspire to be like a team who were about as good as we were under Lambert in their first year back until Pulis turned them around and are now only in their third season back at this level?

[pauliewalnuts]

The latest crap:-

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-comment-villa-playing-9895770

That is a truly horrific article.

Where to start with these people?

[Legion]

Copy and paste please.

[Toronto Villa]

Another we're shit everyone else is better article from the ever supportive local daily. Thanks Gregg. I'll print that off tonight and wipe my arse with it. He may as well have ended the article with a 4-0 to them prediction.

[PeterWithesShin]

Aston Villa comment: Villa are playing catch-up with Crystal Palace - but why have the Eagles overshadowed their rivals in recent years?

Crystal Palace have quickly become the attack-minded team that most relegation-threatened Premier League clubs can realistically aspire to be like.

Now in their third successive top-flight season following impressive 10th and 11th-place finishes in the previous two campaigns, the Eagles are well on their way to becoming an established mid-table outfit.

Alan Pardew, arguably the best-performing English boss right now, has shaken up Selhurst Park to take them to a new level where they are, now, no longer looking over their shoulders at the bottom three, but instead closing in on the likes of Tottenham, Swansea and Southampton.

That is where a club like Aston Villa should be pitching in. By the end of the season it might well be the case.

But boss Tim Sherwood reminded us recently that Villa were ‘the worst team left in the Premier League last season’ following their 17th-placed finish and that it will take a 'lot of hard work' to transform their fortunes.

One less win last term and the claret and blues would be in the Championship now.

As it happens Villa are preparing for a clash with Palace in week three of the Premier League season.

So as the two teams go head-to-head, what exactly are Palace doing better than Villa right now?

Keeping hold of their star players has been key this summer.

While Villa lost Christian Benteke, Fabian Delph and Ron Vlaar, Palace got Scott Dann, Jason Puncheon and James McArthur to sign new long-term contracts and have so far managed to retain the services of Yannick Bolasie.

Not standing still, or even going backwards as Villa had until 2015, was imperative in their rise.

Palace were prepared to pay the big bucks to land the players they were after and that has effectively got them where they are today.

Significantly improving certain areas such as the centre of midfield and up front by landing Yohan Cabaye, Connor Wickham and Patrick Bamford was also important.

A number of Villa’s summer arrivals could end up performing better than those who they replaced but so far the jury is still out.

The pace and mobility in Palace’s team is also a major factor.

Defensively, Villa are as good, if not better than the south London side but when tomorrow’s hosts attack, they go at it full throttle.

Wingers Bolasie and Wilfied Zaha are skilful and direct while Puncheon also adds plenty of quality.

On top of that Cabaye's arrival was one of the stand-out bits of business this summer. Villa went for Ligue One players who were determined to prove their worth in the Premier League, while Pardew landed a proven performer who oozes class.

It shows that the club are moving places because when Bakary Sako left Wolves he ignored the advances of Villa and Albion to move to the capital instead.

Villa will be out to show their much-fancied opponents tomorrow that they, too, are on the up.

But the only way they can do that is by recording similar, if not better, results than Palace have achieved in recent years.

[PeterWithesShin]

"One less win last term and the claret and blues would be in the Championship now." I wonder if they ever say "3 less wins and Albion would be in the Championship", I bet I know the answer.

[dave.woodhall]

Sometimes you can only stare open-mouthed in amazement.

[pauliewalnuts]

I see Stoke finished six points ahead of Palace last year, but no mention of them "closing in on" them.

[PeterWithesShin]

So many other things to pick up on, but i'll go with "A number of Villa’s summer arrivals could end up performing better than those who they replaced but so far the jury is still out." So after 2 games the jury is still out? Do they pay you enough to come up such insightful stuff.

And
"Villa went for Ligue One players who were determined to prove their worth in the Premier League, while Pardew landed a proven performer who oozes class." Did you have a trouser accident when writing about Cabaye? Let's see how long you think Cabaye is a better signing than Adama.

Send us the Bill Howell would be proud of that article it's so blatantly anti-Villa.

[Legion]

Is Gregg Evans a Throstle?

[PeterWithesShin]

He's something starting with a T.