avfc443

But can someone tell me why it seems Martinez can only motivate his players with a few games left of the season? I know it would be an improvement on a manager that can never motivate his players, but still, worrying how it takes Wigan so long to get going.

Great move by the FA. A much better manager than 'Arry. You can't wheeler-deal in international football, you have to work with what you've got.

Several years ago I always said I would watch and support villa whatever league or tough situation we were in. Its always been my belief that support is needed more in bad times anyway. Nothing has changed. I'll be there tonight, as always. Villa through the good and the bad. WHEN we're successful again, I want to stand there and look people in the eye and say I was there through Graham Taylor Mk 2, through O'Leary, through McLeish. I would honestly go and watch villa even if we were in the Blue Square Conference. Respect to those that don't want to go. But you and I clearly have very different relationships with the villa.

Though it would be nice, from the point of view of a player who knows he's moving on at the end of his term; why risk aggrevating an injury and potentially jeopardise any deals that are lined up? I'm not suggesting that the likes of Cuéllar (with the level of commitment he's shown throughout his time with us) won't give their all, but I think we'd be hoping for too much to expect them to push through each and every niggle. Good point but when they're on 40k a week and we're near the bottom of the table, I do expect that extra bit of effort. Unrealistic, but hey ho.

Did that actually come from Cuellar's mouth, to be honest I wouldn't believe anything that comes out of AM's mouth! Read all his pre-match conferences and then compare them to his post-match conferences and you'll gather what I'm getting at. Well it was comments from the manager on the OS. I just think in the situation we're in injury-wise, it would be nice to see our senior players busting a gut to help out/playing through the pain barrier. Especially if they're out of contract in the summer.

Even Ashley Young was knocking him off the ball against Man U, and Young is made of paper. It shows how crap we are that he starts for us.

Cuellar? The guy needs to get himself fit first. His whole time at the club has been plagued by a lack of fitness. McL wanted to bring him on against Stoke but he said he 'wasn't quite right.' When you see Terry playing with broken ribs, this type of thing pisses me off. No way should he get a new contract. Its easily Petrov POTY and Herd YPOTY.

To the guy who said the management must have been happy with them being out- do you really think they knew? I've got no problem with them going out living it up in the summer, but during the season I think it's reasonable to expect them to live by a strict diet. They earn enough to compensate for missing out on a hangover/ embarrasment.

To the guy who said the management must have been happy with them being out- do you really think they knew? I've got no problem with them going out living it up in the summer, but during the season I think it's reasonable to expect them to live by a strict diet. They earn enough to compensate for missing out on a hangover/ embarrasment.

The very same players (Bannan, Weimann, Clark, Stevens, Lichaj) were in Molloy's bar in sutton all saturday. I won't comment on how pissed they were... but they were there all afternoon, and were kicked out at 9.20. A few had gone by then but Bannan and Weimann were both still there. Weimann was leaning through the DJ box pressing his buttons and generally being idiots.

Does anyone have a good idea of what our total debt now is? As losses don't exactly equate to debt.

Skilled immigration = good, unskilled immigration = bad. The first generally fills a skills gap and benefits a particular company and thereby the wider economy. The second hoovers up unskilled or low skilled work and depresses the wages paid to all in the relevant economic sectors, in addition to leaving a greater number of the existing unskilled workforce unable to find jobs. That is assuming that the unskilled immigrants find work at all and don't go straight onto the State payroll. 'Houses for Heroes': just level the playing field so people leaving the forces are not disadvantaged by virtue of their service when interacting with 'the system'. Far as I know various groups are trying to address this now but historically it certainly has been a problem for many service leavers, particularly with regards to registering on housing lists or trying to get a mortgage. Well said. I study economics and from a purely economic perspective, I cannot understand why unskilled labour would be allowed into the economy, when theres already unemployment, when all it does is lower wages of workers already here and increase overall inequality. Yes I know people won't take certain jobs percieved as being 'below them', but I've worked at band 1 level in the NHS for the past 3 and a half years and all its done to me is given me a positive bank balance throughout uni. Most of my colleagues are what would be classed as unskilled immigrant labour and it tells a story that they're so much more keen to do the work than many a jobseeker this country has produced.

2 points: They don't get all that much free. Subsidised yes, but free? No. Even some of their kit they have to buy. I certainly wouldn't buy uniform for my job. And when you say they like a drink... I knew an ex-servicemen who was an alcoholic and it was down in the main to the fact he'd seen, and had to do, some horrific things. Not because he was rolling in the cash. In his words he 'drank to forget.' They also have to pay to get out of their contracts. So you may save a few grand, and then have to hand it over to leave the army/switch jobs. Thats unless you do the 22 years.

Erm only?? 19 goals in 40 games since his arrival is pretty good. In fact I can't think of a forward we've signed who has done better in a long, long time.

I'm employed so 2 out of 3 Just don't turn to the bottle then mate :winkold:

I believe one stat reads that 10% of all prisoners are ex-military? And theres also some worrying figures about the number with alcohol/ unemployment/ mental issues. Ex-servicemen appear to need a lot of help to adjust to civvy street. If giving them homes is a solution then so be it. I can think of a million other, more cost effective ways but i certainly wouldn't begrudge them any type of post-service support.

Every time I've heard a West Ham fan on the radio this season they've complained about the dire football under Allardyce. Yeah, my West Ham supporting mate was whinging about Allardyce the other day. Apparently they hardly ever score goals from open play any more. If I were them I'd just be happy they were on target for promotion again. They're top of the league what more could they want?!

My old primary school! And many a villa season ticket holder has come from that area. They won't be going to the same school every week, but it is important to go to areas where the chances of them having a long lasting villa relationship are likely, otherwise its effort down the drain. In boldmere you can get the train to villa in 10-15 minutes direct. Also, fottball is a money game these days. Affluence will be targeted, rightly or wrongly. Aston is in top 1% most deprived in the country, I think a lot of families there have bigger worries than being able to go to a football match. But villa do still do great things in communities like that.

I like the checks. Surely this is just personal preference? Some years I like the kit, others I don't. It doesn't really amtter too much either way as they only last for 1 year before the next ones out.

Houllier could have signed Cabaye for £4m. The board vetoed it. You kn this how? I've not seen this reported anywhere. It was mentioned in a paper a while ago, possibly in a Houllier interview. And Phil Thompson on Soccer Saturday talked about it as the above poster said. I'd say he'd be pretty accurate what with his close relationship with Houllier.

He's confirmed on Twitter that he's not eligible for tonight's game, but I've got a good feeling he'll be involved at Stoke Monday.

Read his posts for years, this is really sad. RIP

Dither being MON? I can see this being the case tbh. No way will Houllier be sacked, people need to wake up to this. He'll be given the first half of next season bare minimum. He was backed with 30m in January!

General, is it possible if you could simply state whether Martin O'Neill has taken Villa to the arbitration panel, or if the club are the ones who have brought the charges? Many thanks for yours and Randy's continued support of our great club, you've done wonders. Many thanks, Matt.

Never, season ticket for 9 years. Same with my 2 mates