Heretic

4 hours ago, rodders0223 said:

A footballer hasn't been 'one of us' since about 1992. Sorry you have just come to realise.

It's awful to say, but Gabby has never been more Mr Aston Villa than now.

2 hours ago, dn1982 said:

He may not have managed in the division for a while but he's still done it and with a good backroom staff around him (Black and Round?) we'd be fine for the years ahead. 

His name's Gabriel Agbonlahor. I don't think he's ready to hang up his boots just yet, though. Any more than he already has.

It's cool, I'm terrible with names too.

7 hours ago, Woodytom said:

I'm a firm believer in 'without the sour, you can't appreciate the sweet'. 

'You have to take the bitter with the sour' is Krulak's replacement for 'Proud history, bright future.'

I'm waiting for his interview with Maltese media about how he feels he can make the step up to a Champions League club...

Bacuna wants Champions League and has gone to the press.

I hope Hollis complains to the FA about Glentoran tapping up our player.

I would love to ask the old club regime a question:

'If you were trying to destroy Aston Villa Football Club, what would you have done differently?'

4 minutes ago, AJ said:

Sam Longson to Brian Clough : " The reality of footballing life is this. The chairman is the boss, then comes the directors, then the secretary, then the fans, then the players, and then finally, last of all, the bottom of the heap, the lowest of the low, comes the one, who we can all do without, the f****g manager."  The Damned United.

A sentiment I couldn't disagree with more.

Wenger built the modern Arsenal.

Shankly built the modern Liverpool.

Clough built Forest.

Ferguson built the modern Man United.

Mourinho took a good but unspectacular Inter side to the Champions League title.

Ron Saunders built our European cup-winning side.

Arguably, Cruyff is the architect of the modern Barcelona. Guardiola said something like 'Cruyff built the chapel, the following managers paint it and tidy it.'

Lerner has proved that you can throw money at a club but without the right manager, you are finished. His competence can be questioned, but the man has put his hands in his pocket for the club. More than many clubs that are out there.

The right manager is worth their weight in gold. You need a smart board to find the right candidate. When they do that, the manager organises his backroom team and his ideas build the club from there.

FWIW, my preferences would be Pearson or Moyes.

9 hours ago, knoppy1987 said:

I'll never kiss my Mum again.

I won't kiss her either. I've got my Villatalk account to think of.

9 hours ago, HanoiVillan said:

The most important point re Iowa and New Hampshire is, don't read too much into them. Their practical function is to reduce the size of the field. 

Sanders remains on course to lose comfortably, as he still appears to have made no inroads with minority voters. This chart, borrowed from here, shows how far behind he is in the next two states, followed by some of those with the largest delegate counts:

DATE	STATE	CLINTON	SANDERS
2/20	Nevada	50.3	28.1
2/27	South Carolina	60.5	29.3
3/8	Michigan	59.9	29.0
3/15	Florida	61.0	26.0
3/15	North Carolina	55.9	28.3
3/15	Ohio	52.8	38.6
4/5	Wisconsin	45.6	43.4
4/26	Pennsylvania	51.4	28.0
6/7	California	46.3	32.

 

As you can see, he's looking to have to overturn 20+ point deficits in most of them. The smart money remains on the Democrat race being basically over in favour of Hillary within a month or so. 

Trump is different, he seems like he could actually win, although it's a very very very long way to go yet. 

But the text above the chart says Nevada hasn't been polled since December. SC hasn't been polled since Iowa.

In sum - the figures in the chart are totally out of date.

Polls around November showed a clear Clinton win in New Hampshire. Sanders was dead. Yet in NH she conceded with a quarter of the voted counted.

The upshot is that Sanders is doing WAY better than the figures above suggest.

3 minutes ago, maqroll said:

I still think Trump will implode and either Cruz or Bush surge ahead. 

 

In an era where 'Establishment' candidates are finding such labels as anchors rather than buoys, I suspect the name 'Bush' is not a preferred choice amongst the candidates.

Christie is now gone. Fiorina must go sooner or later, she's got zero traction. Carson is doing worse than I thought. Rubio had a terrible New Hampshire debate (mullered by Christie, ironically) so he has work to do.

Fiorina may well be next to go. Bush might continue because his name might attract more SuperPAC donations in the long run but he's still way off the pace. Even Kasich has done more than him.

If Bush gets trounced in Florida (where he was governor) that will be pretty humiliating.

19 minutes ago, StefanAVFC said:

BRITISH JOBS FOR HARD BRITISH WORKERS

THEY TOOK OUR JEEEEERBS

Terk our Jerbs, I think you'll find.

Benteke's even trending on Twitter. He's being slaughtered.

Looks a shadow of the player he was with Villa. Looks like Sherwood got something right.

I can't help but feel for Remi given the situation. I wonder if the club has broken any promises made to him upon taking over e.g. a promise of funds in January? I'm afraid it wouldn't surprise me in the least.

Just thinking out loud here - I wonder what effect Robert Duverne is having on the players?

It's taken a while, but they do seem to be looking sharper as a group.

2 hours ago, R.Bear said:

I'm delighted with the win but I don't think it had anything to do with this chancer.

Seems a little harsh on Remi. The Lyon fans used to call him Remi Guardiola. He's highly thought of by both Wenger and Houllier. What you think of Sherwood must be really something to read if you think Remi is a chancer.

He's stuck with what he's got and unfortunately can't attract the personnel he needs to play the way he wants. The ones who are here will take time to adjust and who knows how many of them simply don't have the game to do that at any time - too many, I fear.

The Wycombe manager said that preparing for us was a nightmare because we keep changing our setup. Remi has to set us up to win points yet find out about his players which involves experimentation and taking risks. A tough ask.

Given the situation we found ourselves in after Sherwood, it was difficult to find someone good. Lots want to manage us, but how many would we want?

I think he's a good manager - perhaps his flaw is he will prove to be the right man at the wrong time.

I certainly give him credit for taking the risk with his reputation. This club's been grinding managers up and spitting them out.

Gestede reminds me of Gary Lineker.

When he plays, I find myself thinking: 'I wish you were Gary Lineker.'

The same fans that wanted Lambert?

A minority of fans here felt Sherwood wasn't the answer - we listened to the Spurs fans and understood how big the Villa job is. The majority cheerled for him and would entertain no opposition.

He may be able to spot a decent prospect, but that's a long way from being a manager. Right now the campaign is in disarray. This division might allow a player or two some time to settle, but it's unforgiving in terms of a team - it punishes the unready team without mercy.

 

 

 

Cheeky bid for Gaza?

I read that and Iran a mile

 

 

Iraq-an you're right.

Positives : I genuinely don't think I've seen a player with such explosive pace and acceleration across the ground and he appears to have skills and power to match. He looks very direct and wants to burst forward at every opportunity.

Negatives: reports suggest he often suffers from Nzogbia syndrome. Tending to lack awareness and end product.

I know very little about him but if the latter is true then we could be in for a frustrating time if Traore, Ayew and Gabby ever play together.

Only 19 though. What a player he could turn out to be.

The negatives could have been said about Ronaldo at 19. He was all stepovers, running into dead-ends with little end product. Few remember now, but United fans used to sing 'you've signed the wrong Ronaldo' at some games.

But he certainly developed into a magnificent player.

Not saying Adama is in the same league, but your positives show there is a lot of potential there and in someone who is only 19. Same with Ronaldo.

Adama hasn't played at the top level to learn and develop - I suspect this opportunity that Ronaldo received at United was very important for his development.

I think he can be the kind of player who gets the ball on the wing and makes fans get to their feet - Tony Daley was a good example of that.

His goal today:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkGkAlle5p0

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3187002/Aston-Villa-talks-Tottenham-5m-deal-Aaron-Lennon-boss-Tim-Sherwood-eyes-Andros-Townsend-reunion.html

In for Aaron Lennon, apparently. Says Tim's upped his bid on Lescott too.

 

Only other question marks are around the Mason Holgate link and whether Sherwood will look to replace Guzan.

I recall reading somewhere that Rio said that Michael Keane was a certain future England CB.

I wonder if we might be looking his way?

http://www.whoscored.com/Statistics

If you scroll to the bottom, there is a statistical Best European XI.

Amavi is in it. Impressive.

By accident, I found a small mention of Sherwood talking about Berbatov a few years back.

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2008/sep/26/1

Were Spurs right to get rid of Dimitar Berbatov? You weren't his biggest fan, were you?

No. But I love him as a footballer. But when everything's not rosy for him, there are problems. He's the sort of player who can get managers the sack. He can throw his toys out of the pram at times and, as a manager, you have to make sure he's 100% committed to your football club. If not, he can be a bad apple and you don't want that around your squad.