MOTD

[Pat McMahon]

I see us strolling to the title, perhaps putting on a 'pimp roll' (a Tom Wolfe reference there for you book readers).

A bonfire of the Sky 6 vanities would be lovely

[LeeB]

When Martinez said that, my internal jukebox heard the striking of the bell you hear to trigger the montage when Adrian tells Rocky to "Win".

[Louzie0]

Enjoying Manish Bhasin presenting MOTD 2 tonight, and I think he’s better than Jermaine Jenas. He’s not afraid of discussion or wry humour. Shay and Dion are interesting to listen to, tonight, as well.

[Mister E]

Enjoying Manish Bhasin presenting MOTD 2 tonight, and I think he’s better than Jermaine Jenas. He’s not afraid of discussion or wry humour. Shay and Dion are interesting to listen to, tonight, as well.

Jenas provides a very low bar ...

[dcdavecollett]

My earlier post on Villa not being included in discussions re potential title winners doesn't mean that I think Villa will win the thing.

My resentment is over the fact that we are not even included in these discussions despite being second in the table!

[chrisw1]

My earlier post on Villa not being included in discussions re potential title winners doesn't mean that I think Villa will win the thing.

My resentment is over the fact that we are not even included in these discussions despite being second in the table!

But people will still shout if a pundit says 'I think Villa will fall away' even if a lot of fans agree with them.

[RamboandBruno]

My earlier post on Villa not being included in discussions re potential title winners doesn't mean that I think Villa will win the thing.

My resentment is over the fact that we are not even included in these discussions despite being second in the table!

But people will still shout if a pundit says 'I think Villa will fall away' even if a lot of fans agree with them.

Thats true but I think the point is there not even saying that really. Its like we’re not there, its weirdly amusing.

[chrisw1]

My earlier post on Villa not being included in discussions re potential title winners doesn't mean that I think Villa will win the thing.

My resentment is over the fact that we are not even included in these discussions despite being second in the table!

But people will still shout if a pundit says 'I think Villa will fall away' even if a lot of fans agree with them.

Thats true but I think the point is there not even saying that really. Its like we’re not there, its weirdly amusing.

I get it but I think people are getting too precious about it.  If asked who the top 3 will be I'd probably say Man City, Liverpool, Arsenal.  I don't really need to caveat it that I think Villa will be 5th.  I'm not sure it's that important that a pundit does either.

[RamboandBruno]

My earlier post on Villa not being included in discussions re potential title winners doesn't mean that I think Villa will win the thing.

My resentment is over the fact that we are not even included in these discussions despite being second in the table!

But people will still shout if a pundit says 'I think Villa will fall away' even if a lot of fans agree with them.

Thats true but I think the point is there not even saying that really. Its like we’re not there, its weirdly amusing.

I get it but I think people are getting too precious about it.  If asked who the top 3 will be I'd probably say Man City, Liverpool, Arsenal.  I don't really need to caveat it that I think Villa will be 5th.  I'm not sure it's that important that a pundit does either.

Im not that precious to be honest. I probably agree with your top three and get why pundits don’t figure we’ll be in the final shake up. What I find odd in terms of what they present to the viewer, is things like the new year MOTD.  It was actually a well presented show with Manish, but at the end they talked about Liverpool, Man City, Arsenal and Spurs being in the title race or words to that effect, but didn’t mention us once, editorially thats just odd when we’re second in the league table they we’re showing at the time.

[chrisw1]

Yes, I agree with you there.

[pablo_picasso]

My earlier post on Villa not being included in discussions re potential title winners doesn't mean that I think Villa will win the thing.

My resentment is over the fact that we are not even included in these discussions despite being second in the table!

But people will still shout if a pundit says 'I think Villa will fall away' even if a lot of fans agree with them.

For me, it depends on how they say it.

When they talk about Villa in Sky Sports for example, there is always a snidy tone. Even when they chat with Dan Bardell, they always have a little dig about him supporting Villa & having the audacity to mention it.

But they let Harriet Prior or Melissa Reddy (not a Scouse accent in sight) wax lyrical about anything Liverpool until it overruns the adverts.

From my career, I have had a few people I know have dealings with Sky & whenever they mention that they support Villa, the overriding response is a snidy "Why the fuck do you support Villa?", with an added chuckle. And when the response of "home town club" is spoken, the usual response to that is "yeah, but they are shit" with laughter added in for extra shit-c**tidness...

So if there is a serious question regarding our legitimacy as a title contender, & a well thought out logical response given, with no hint of snidy tone, then I am happy to accept that, if they disagree with us as title contenders.

But if its, "cos they are Villa & Villa are a mid table team", while laughing at the question, like Arsenal fans tend to do (without a hint of irony or self awareness), or the likes of most people on Sky Sports, especially Chelsea supporting pricks like Rob Wotton or Arsenal supporting & shit ex player Jay Bothroyd, etc, etc, then it pisses me off to no end.

Context is key...

[dcdavecollett]

...so we're agreed we should be part of the discussion, then!

[kippaxvilla2]

Our last 15 years of shitness and our history when in this position doesn’t exactly give these people confidence.  We are overachieving and that’s the narrative they’re going with.

[Toronto Villa]

Our last 15 years of shitness and our history when in this position doesn’t exactly give these people confidence.  We are overachieving and that’s the narrative they’re going with.

Yep combined with a manager who “failed” at Arsenal. Even if that simply isn’t true it fits the narrative that he and we will fall back to our natural position of irrelevance soon enough.

[Dogtanian]

If I were a serious sports journalist, I'd be pretty pissed off to see coverage filled with people who haven't a clue but used to play football. Especially as they're probably getting paid a lot more too.