AVFCAM

In response to my final question, I think thetrees has answered it...didn't know there were issues there before...

What disappoints me the most is that we are being made to look like a bad club. In the Summer, we turned down 3 bids to take him on loan due to a failure to agree terms. We shouldn't really turn down terms for player who isn't going to play for us. Even if they only want to pay for 10% of his wages! it's 10% we are saving and it's putting Hutton in the shop window. Instead, we have said no and just let him rot in he reserves...and this isn't a guy who has bad mouthed the club, this is a guy who STILL has been a model professional about the situation and has never bad mouthed the club. I always liked to think we were the type of club that would except a bit of a bad deal if it meant that a player, a 'loyal' player (by loyal I mean not bad mouthing us and just doing as he is told), was given a chance to play football. Instead, we just look like a penny pinching bunch of arseholes. I wonder whether this has an effect on Hutton's mental well being, I know everyone would love to be paid to do nothing, but it's not all it's cracked up to be. In my previous job, I received a (quite handsome) salary, but the winter meant I spent a lot of time sitting on my arse doing nothing. To start with it was great, I played a LOT of Skyrim, I spent a lot of time in the gym, but after a few weeks, I started to become extremely depressed, I felt useless, I had no reason to get out of bed, it was pretty rough. I now work in a different job, I work all year round...I wouldn't change back to what I had before. Yes, I know Hutton gets £40k a week, but mental health issues don't look at payslips, they just happen, money doesn't buy happiness as they say...I hope that our cracking medical team have got an eye on this player who is now part of the development squad. One confusion for me is, does Lambert actually think Hutton is not good enough, or is it just a financial thing?

It wasn't Cabaye that bossed the game at Villa Park, it was Ben Arfa. Hopefully Pardew continues to chose not to play him much... I see us ending their run and getting Cisse a hat trick!

Unbelievable really Take away the wins that someone doesn't think we deserved, where the other team should have just turned up to win, a few draws where we equalised and didn't deserve it and we'd be on zero points, zero. What a disgrace for a club like ours that we could have been on zero points if we hadn't got the points we have. Thats exactly how your post reads. Fact is we have the points we have, we have the wins we have and we will not go down this season as , yes , there are three worse teams than us and by the end of the season our league position will show that actually there are a few more than three worse teams. That our placing based on last season will have improved and we will have progressed. Perhaps not as far as some wanted, I'm not sure how far they wanted us to have progressed this season? maybe 6th place and then perhaps we should have been challenging for top four so 6th wouldnt be good enough? who knows. You misinterpret what I am saying... We have the points we have, I'm not disputing that. What I am saying is that I cannot understand how people are judging our chances over the next 12 games based on the fact that we amassed 'x' points from games previously. My point is that when you look at how poorly we have played in the main part this season, you would be naive to suggest that we are likely to get a huge amount of points in our remaining games. As with the last 3 seasons, I'll be happy to be proved wrong, but I honestly don't think that we have what is required to stay up is year. Last year, the players really DID turn up for the latter part of the season and pulled us clear. Will they do it this year? Maybe...but based on how poor we have been, I just see it as unlikely.

But why would you do that? Those games happened. That's like me saying "yeah but change 3 games we lost to wins and we'd be top 8!" It doesn't make any sense. We didn't win those 3 games. Similarly we did win those games you've labelled as a "shock" My point was more about how freak results can't be used to justify why we'd stay up...also, there's not much in the way of evidence to show that we would be capable of winning those lost games, whereas there is a huge amount of evidence to justify how those results were out of the ordinary.

It's true, we have had bad luck as well, but how people can argue that we have been better than poor in the large part this year is beyond me. Maybe I have high standards, but I for one think we are as bad as we've been for a long time...with the odd decent performance thrown in to offer us false hope.

I'm amazed at how many people think there are '3 teams worse than us'... Really?! Take away some of the shock wins, Arsenal, City and Southampton, and we're on 21. In 2 of those games the performance levels were pretty poor wi luck going our way. Some of our other wins have been while playing incredibly poorly. We really struggle with basic footballing skills at times and we look like a bunch of players who've never met before. I honestly don't agree that there are 3 worse teams. Half of our team would be decent in the Championship, others not even there...we're just lucky we have at least a few players with some quality...but even they're not firing consistently. When we are bad, we are terrible...and we are bad for about 80% of the time. Plus, we have just lost to West Ham, 0-2 AT HOME and we couldn't beat '1 win in 6' Cardiff after we played (another) disgraceful half of football. A couple of results have papered over the cracks this year and I think that come May, we will be very lucky to still be a Premier League team.

Crazy how people forget how Gabby has been one of our consistent performers this year.

So, at best we will have got 4 points from this run...at worst, we'll get 1... If we go down this year, failing to getting more points from the last 2 games will be a major factor. Right now, we should be looking at needing 7 points from 12 games, not 12 points from 12 games.

People giving Gabby hassle need to remember that before his injury, he was on fire. He wasn't scoring, but everything good about us started with him.

Cardiff are on a terrible run and don't score many, so we'll lose 2-0, ending a team's bad spell is what we do. I predict our midfield being overrun and the 2 clowns at CB giving everyone a circus performance to remember (the sooner Vlaar is back for a run of games and Okore too, the better). I also predict Guzan hanging his head wondering what he's done to deserve such a poor back line in front of him. As always, I'm more than happy to he proved wrong!

I think people calling for Bennett to return are just clutching at straws. Do people not remember him clambering all over the back of a Norwich player in desperation after letting him ghost past him?! Something that was a regular feature in his game. He showed us consistently that he was out of his depth at this level, at least for now. Changing something that doesn't work is always a good idea, unless you are changing the broken part for another broken part. If we're just looking for a change, then Alan Hutton would offer just as much as Bennett would, plus he would bring experience...both are poor full backs who haven't played much in a long time!

One positive about Lambert today, his post match interview DOES NOT say that he can't fault the players effort. He does say that the players 'know his feelings...you can't defend like that'. Hopefully this can be seen as him finally losing his rag with the players, making them feel like they need to actually play for their place, so they know poor performances can no longer be chalked up to inexperience!

Relegated or just above. We've had the odd decent performance, but our standard performance is awful. Are there 3 worse teams in the league? Probably, but are there 3 teams capable of consistent rock bottom performances? I'm not so sure. When we are good, we are like a force of nature, but when we are bad, we are a disgrace...it's just a shame that the latter is our standard performance of late

So it Carroll definitely playing then or are they jut looking at the decision again? Does the fact that they are reconsidering the decision mean that his suspension is 'suspended' until an outcome? With Carroll and Nolan playing I think we will struggle, they really will take Clark and Baker apart for fun.

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Books were balanced months ago and Ireland was moved on since then.Ireland was moved on in the summer not since then. Nothing changes with his loan being made permanent. You have no actual knowledge about whether the books are balanced and Lerner doesn't have to prop the club up with his own money any more, the latest accounts haven't come out yet. Falkner said in the summer that the wages were getting under control but Lambert got £20m in the summer. Was that money the club generated or was it another donation from Lerner? Faulkner actually went on record saying that the books are now balanced and where they want them to be...that's not to say we'll be making a profit, but he did use the word 'balanced'

I'll be impressed if Lambert plays him when he comes back as CNZ seemed to be one of the mob squad who was just dropped straight away. We play him as a winger, he isn't a winger...he drifts inside all the time...perhaps he can be our number 10...and it would be like a new signing

After a disappointing transfer window, I am feeling dejected., but not because we haven't bought any players. As nice as it would be to be talking about new signings, I agree with what people have been saying, it IS better not to panic buy, each window we seem to pick up players that we either didn't need or don't end up using, Bradley and Dawkins are stand out options...although, I thought both should have played more as they both looked decent. Though, it remains to be seen what kind of impact Grant Holt will have, but he certainly didn't embarrass himself against Liverpool or the Albion. The reason I am disappointed is that the PR Machine at Villa was in full flow again, trying to take the fans for as much as possible without really giving much back. Don't get me wrong, revenue to a football club is like the air we breath to survive, the blood in our veins, without it, we would die, and without the revenue, the club would die too. For most of the window, Lambert wasn't really hinting at signings, but midway through the window, he started to hint at needing a 'no 10' and a was placed for Hoolahan. On Thursday, the day after we played our first decent game at home for what feels like a decade, Lambert mentions '15 things' he was working on, but covered himself by saying he didn't mind if none came off. I get the impression that this was just a ploy to try and sell more tickets/shirts on the back of our first 2 decent performances in a long time. Hoolahan would've done a job for us, a bloody decent one at that, but it was incredibly naive of Lambert of think thatNorwich would do business with us, we all said as much when we heard of the interest. You would also like to think that Lambert would have a plan B...but then we can only speculate on whether there was money available for this. If there were 15 players being looked at, you have to question the ability of Lambert and Faulkner to identify and sign players when, by all accounts, activity at BMH had pretty much ceased by about 2pm...so all 15 players that had been looked at for the entire window, suddenly were no longer options within 8 (waking) hours of the deadline day beginning...now that's a really poor conversion rate...we didn't even manage to get bids placed, terms discussed, medicals failed. Now some will point to Lambert's 'budget restraints' here, but, he's not the first manager to have to work to a budget, there a players out there, other teams seem to find them. He is also the man who spent money in the summer on players he hasn't really given a chance. This brings me back to my original point, I feel these little mentions of signings and additions to the squad are all part of the PR Machine trying to drum up ticket sales and to sell some more shirts (which are obviously woefully under sold as we have our usual half price end of season sale in January). This is all rather disappointing when you consider the awful quality of football that has been served up at Villa Park for most of the last 2 seasons, short spells of good form aside. The club want people to spend more money, and will feed us these titbits of promise to get people excited but they're not really giving us anything back...although you may argue that the half price shirt sale is pretty good for those who buy shirts now. They've done it before. Last season, when we were the worst team ever in the world during our 12 goals at Christmas spell...Lambert hinted at signings (of which we did make a few) and of Richard Dunne being close to fitness to help reinforce our defence, something that showed how low our morale had fallen as many people were thrilled be the news...Dunne was never near fitness, even trusted media folk were dumbfounded by the claims...Dunne of course never returned to fitness for us but those PR Machine wheels kept on turning. For me, I used to attend every game, I'd prioritise my attendance over pretty much anything, even when I was hating it, this season however I've been twice, both games were awful, and I don't have much of a desire to go at the moment as it feels like money down the drain. If this form continues, perhaps I'll go to a game...plastic fan? No, just somebody who exercises their right to not spend money on something that isn't enjoyable. (Please don't try to make this into an 'I'm a bigger fan than you' debate). I got bored with the constant PR rubbish being fed to us through Facebook and Twitter, sometimes I think they'd be better off saying nothing rather than plugging silly interviews just to get us onto the website...yes, yes, I'm sure Ciaran Clark does want to push further up the table, but some of his and his colleagues clangers have made that very difficult indeed...Grant Holt's new squad number? Oh, so you can't put those 2 characters on this post, I have to actually go on to the website to view it...not trying to drum up traffic for advertising are we? Sometimes I feel like we are taken for idiots. Hopefully this window won't come back to haunt us...I suppose some of the teams below us have strengthened...although many of them have just added players as opposed to improving them. Bertrand for us was am excellent signing, if he continues as he is, I would rather not have spent much this window so we can throw a bit more at him to sign for us in the summer... I'm positive about going forward, I just wish the club didn't try and mug us off all the time. If we're not signing anyone, just tell us. If we're skint, just come out and tell us. 3 points today would be enormous!

I've respected Hutton while he has been here, he hasn't moaned, he hasn't spoken out of turn...although that may be down to a lack of ambition or being happy to just take the money and relax... You would think that a player would rather just take the pay cut and play football, he's still an international footballer...although that must be gutting, to be not get into your national side even though the player ahead of you doesn't actually play football and trains with the kids....

Everton we might get a draw Cardiff we should sneak a win West Ham we should get a draw Newcastle we might get a draw Which means we will probably get 1 point in reality. It's a strange run of fixtures as Everton might be ripe for the taking with Lukaku out dejected from their derby defeat (with us buoyed by our win) Cardiff have had a tough run to start OGS' reign, we normally halt a team's poor run. West Ham are a similar prospect. They may be rubbish, because they are rubbish, but, if anyone can make them look good, it's us. Newcastle will probably have Remy back by then, although he won't have played in 3 games, they're without Cabaye as well now so we might be able to grab a win...unless Ben Arfa destroys us...single handedly...again. If we hit a good run, we could win all 4 and be pretty much safe with 11 games to go...I mean, if we did genuinely win the next 4 on the bounce it would bridge the gap to the cluster above us and put us in a position to push for maybe a Europa place. Don't get me wrong, that would be an almost impossible task, but, if we were to win 5 on the spin (WBA included) then it would bridge a huge gap in points. And I'm normally negative. I still predict 1-3 points

I would rather have Lowton & Luna at full-back, than Bacuna & Clark. We preferably need two new fullbacks, Lowton is slow as shit so anyone with any kind of pace will get past him with ease and Luna is worst than Joe Bennett, thought I'd never say that but he is, last decent left-back at VP was Wilfred Bouma. I completely disagree. Lowton was the messiah last season, so if he gets back to that form, he'd be a damn sight better than Bacuna, who's worst attribute seems to be his defending. As for Luna, he was decent earlier in the season, and we missed him when he was out. He's had two or three bad games (as have the whole team) and now people are calling for Bennett. People have short memories, Bennett was absolutely dreadful last season. He's NOT better than Luna. Agreed. Bennett was far below that standard required!

The problem is that the ref doesn't have 1000 replays...it may also have been playing on his mind that he had called 2 other Suarez decisions incorrectly during the game, both times waving play on when he had in fact been fouled. In all honesty, I can't blame the ref, nor Suarez really. If that was Benteke, Lukaku, RVP, Rooney, Giroud, Aguero, Navas, Negredo etc. etc. etc. then I don't think we'd be so annoyed about it and we wouldn't call it a dive, we'd just say it was a soft penalty. If it was Gabby at the other end, we would be livid if the ref called it as a dive.

For someone who is quite negative about things at the moment, I was pleasantly surprised by yesterday's performance. My main observations from yesterday... Our passing was quick and direct, completely different to the laboured passing against Arsenal (and the last bundle of games). Gabby has developed beyond being the athlete minus a footballing brain he used to be, he still has room to improve, but he is using his pace as a weapon now, made even better now that he has an outlet in his improved crossing as well. Mr Aston Villa, finally earning the higher wage he is on. We really suffered when he went off. Not scoring too much as normal, but he influences nearly every game now. Benteke is playing better but is still to recover his touch from last year, a few balls are bouncing free due to a poor first touch...but Rooney has that when he is off form. His strength is showing again and his aerial ability is as good as ever. Wiemann looked a different player, he looked like he did last year, hopefully this continues. Bertrand looks a brilliant acquisition. He looked composed, strong and was able to play a good pass. Bancuna is prone to a mistake or a lack of concentration...something he needs to work on, will be a tidy player. Clark also capable of mistakes, his brain with Baker's strength would be an excellent defender. Vlaar was immense. The penalty is just one of those things, at the other end we'd be livid if it was called as a dive, we probably wouldn't look at it as a dive if it wasn't Suarez. Guzan shouldn't have flown out. You win some, you lose some. What was worse was that we let Sturridge ghost through for their first. Holt looked sharp, he was a calming influence when Benteke got annoyed at the ref, he was the first to step in and calm him and diffuse the situation. His touch was good and he looked fit, as opposed to the out of shape guy we've seen at Wigan this year. Delph was as normal, pretty good. KEA just doesn't cut it for me I'm afraid. I just think he needs more strength. Delph has that raw streak in him that makes up for lack of size and strength...granted, that does give him a tendency to get booked, but it helps his game in the main part. An excellent performance for pretty much the full 90, even when we weren't all over them, we never really looked out of our depth. A good point gained when a loss was expected. It will count for little though if we go back to our usual dross against the Baggies and the rest of the poorer teams. If we can keep it up, I will change my mind on Lambert, as last night he got it right, but consistency is the key. Well done boys.

Big John makes a good point. If funds are so limited, why spend wages on Dawson, he played twice or something. Helenius hasn't really featured...small amounts yes, but it's like he's spending for spendings sake. I seem to be one of the few people who understands why a businessman will not throw hundreds of millions of pounds into a business that was losing £50m a year when we were selling out every week and finishing 6th in the league and had a kit supplier thay people actually wanted to wear. Yes the wages were high, but we couldn't afford it even then, so why would you throw £100m in to lose half of it anyway? His scaling back of costs is in our best interest, it keeps the books balanced and the tickets low...sadly, it's not come with enjoyable football...yet.