West Bromwich Albion v Aston Villa - Pre Match Thread

[saunders_heroes]

I certainly don't hate O'Neill, nor would I have a problem with any fan calling for Pulis as manager. After all what he does is keep struggling clubs in the PL, and why should anyone care that he walked out on Palace other than Palace fans?
If Lerner's only ambition for the club is to keep it in the PL he may as well employed Pulis or Allardyce instead of charlatans like Lambert, McLeish and Sherwood.

Just think about what you've said there.

Tony Pulis 'keeps teams up'. So fucking what! It's hardly an achievement to be proud of. You can't put 10 'survived relegation' plaques up in your house when you retire. At least McLeish has a raft of winners medals to be proud of.

What has Tony Pulis ever done for football?

I'm not having a go, just really don't get why anyone would clamour for merely 'staying up'

A bit of realism never hurt anyone. This is where we are as a club now.
The very thought of Pulis or Allardyce as Villa used to send a shiver down my spine but I'm sure I don't have to point out to you the team who is 10 points adrift at the foot of the table after 5 years of misery do I?

[Villa in Denmark]

I certainly don't hate O'Neill, nor would I have a problem with any fan calling for Pulis as manager. After all what he does is keep struggling clubs in the PL, and why should anyone care that he walked out on Palace other than Palace fans?
If Lerner's only ambition for the club is to keep it in the PL he may as well employed Pulis or Allardyce instead of charlatans like Lambert, McLeish and Sherwood.

Just think about what you've said there.

Tony Pulis 'keeps teams up'. So fucking what! It's hardly an achievement to be proud of. You can't put 10 'survived relegation' plaques up in your house when you retire. At least McLeish has a raft of winners medals to be proud of.

What has Tony Pulis ever done for football?

I'm not having a go, just really don't get why anyone would clamour for merely 'staying up'

A bit of realism never hurt anyone. This is where we are as a club now.
The very thought of Pulis or Allardyce as Villa used to send a shiver down my spine but I'm sure I don't have to point out to you the team who is 10 points adrift at the foot of the table after 5 years of misery do I?

So employing a manager that makes Harry Bassett look sophisticated is being realistic.
How about wanting to throw an unspecified, but presumably £30-50M^* per season at it?

^*Based on the returning theme of the MON days.

[saunders_heroes]

I'd love to return to the O'Neill days. Top 6 finishes, packed Villa Park, fantastic players...
Aaah those were the days!

[Dave]

Why should anyone care that he walked out on Palace other than Palace fans?

Well, in the same way that if a player goes on strike in order to join you, you can't then really complain if they then do it to you in order to move again.

If a manager has a history of doing things that you wouldn't want him doing to Villa, then maybe it's better not taking him in the first place.

[glasses]

I certainly don't hate O'Neill, nor would I have a problem with any fan calling for Pulis as manager. After all what he does is keep struggling clubs in the PL, and why should anyone care that he walked out on Palace other than Palace fans?
If Lerner's only ambition for the club is to keep it in the PL he may as well employed Pulis or Allardyce instead of charlatans like Lambert, McLeish and Sherwood.

Just think about what you've said there.

Tony Pulis 'keeps teams up'. So fucking what! It's hardly an achievement to be proud of. You can't put 10 'survived relegation' plaques up in your house when you retire. At least McLeish has a raft of winners medals to be proud of.

What has Tony Pulis ever done for football?

I'm not having a go, just really don't get why anyone would clamour for merely 'staying up'

A bit of realism never hurt anyone. This is where we are as a club now.
The very thought of Pulis or Allardyce as Villa used to send a shiver down my spine but I'm sure I don't have to point out to you the team who is 10 points adrift at the foot of the table after 5 years of misery do I?

Of course not. The realism I see is that relegation and rebuilding may be what is necessary in a medium term plan. A forward thinking coach of the Flores, Martinez, Howe (or hopefully Remi) etc building something sustainable, rather than Allardyce or Pulis just getting us to survive. It's going to hurt like fuck (if it happens, I still hope it doesn't), but we could be better off for it long term.

Anyway.

1-1, Keeps the 'run' going. Gil for us, some gobshite for them

[saunders_heroes]

Why should anyone care that he walked out on Palace other than Palace fans?

Well, in the same way that if a player goes on strike in order to join you, you can't then really complain if they then do it to you in order to move again.

If a manager has a history of doing things that you wouldn't want him doing to Villa, then maybe it's better not taking him in the first place.

'

Didn't Brian Little walk out on Leicester in order to join us? Ron Atkinson?

[Villa in Denmark]

I'd love to return to the O'Neill days. Top 6 finishes, packed Villa Park, fantastic players...
Aaah those were the days!

And still can't see how it was

1.) A shite return for the money thrown at it.
2.) Completely unsustainable.

Maybe one day you'll actually answer the question you were asked at least 5 times in a week before Christmas.

How much should Lerner have continued pouring in?

[Dave]

Why should anyone care that he walked out on Palace other than Palace fans?

Well, in the same way that if a player goes on strike in order to join you, you can't then really complain if they then do it to you in order to move again.

If a manager has a history of doing things that you wouldn't want him doing to Villa, then maybe it's better not taking him in the first place.

'

Didn't Brian Little walk out on Leicester in order to join us? Ron Atkinson?

And who did Pulis walk out on Palace in order to join?

[Villa in Denmark]

Why should anyone care that he walked out on Palace other than Palace fans?

Well, in the same way that if a player goes on strike in order to join you, you can't then really complain if they then do it to you in order to move again.

If a manager has a history of doing things that you wouldn't want him doing to Villa, then maybe it's better not taking him in the first place.

'

Didn't Brian Little walk out on Leicester in order to join us? Ron Atkinson?

Little resigned mid season with Leicester doing OK as I recall.
Atkinson left early enough in the summer to complete the signing of how many players?

Both a bit different to bailing a week / 2 days before the start of the season because you can't get your own way with the board.

[peter w]

I'm not nervous as I expect us to lose as I now expect us to lose every game. BUT, I'd feel for the fans there having those inbred upstarts thinking they can lord it over us for an afternoon. 1-0 Villa.

[ChicagoLion]

The day we sign Pullis or Allardyce is when the  How Low have we Sunk mantra sticks.

[saunders_heroes]

Why should anyone care that he walked out on Palace other than Palace fans?

Well, in the same way that if a player goes on strike in order to join you, you can't then really complain if they then do it to you in order to move again.

If a manager has a history of doing things that you wouldn't want him doing to Villa, then maybe it's better not taking him in the first place.

'

Didn't Brian Little walk out on Leicester in order to join us? Ron Atkinson?

And who did Pulis walk out on Palace in order to join?

Managers walk out on jobs, it happens.
Mind you it doesn't happen at Villa much these days, as they tend to hang around waiting for a pay-off.

[Dave]

Why should anyone care that he walked out on Palace other than Palace fans?

Well, in the same way that if a player goes on strike in order to join you, you can't then really complain if they then do it to you in order to move again.

If a manager has a history of doing things that you wouldn't want him doing to Villa, then maybe it's better not taking him in the first place.

'

Didn't Brian Little walk out on Leicester in order to join us? Ron Atkinson?

Little resigned mid season with Leicester doing OK as I recall.
Atkinson left early enough in the summer to complete the signing of how many players?

Both a bit different to bailing a week / 2 days before the start of the season because you can't get your own way with the board.

Indeed. If Remi Garde does a great job with us and Arsenal decide they want him to replace Wenger, then very best of luck to him.

If he does a great job and then quits two days before the start of the season because he's told that he can't buy somebody for £20m, then my wishes towards him wouldn't be quite so warm.

[saunders_heroes]

The day we sign Pullis or Allardyce is when the  How Low have we Sunk mantra sticks.

True but the original point I was trying to make was that it was understandable that some fans would call for Pulis when it was clear our only ambition in life was to stay in the PL at any cost.

[Dave]

The day we sign Pullis or Allardyce is when the  How Low have we Sunk mantra sticks.

True but the original point I was trying to make was that it was understandable that some fans would call for Pulis when it was clear our only ambition in life was to stay in the PL at any cost.

If it makes you feel any better, it looks like that's not our ambition anymore.