onje_villa

Think Amo is right, one thing working against us is that we have a really really tough opening few fixtures. I must admit, long before the season had started I was worried we would get caught short. IF we do lose our 4 games, it could be a huge confidence blow or it may be nothing of the sort and we'll catch up on those points later on in the season.

Just been on there, he seems to be indicating that signings will be made but that the club will operate within a controlled wage structure. That sounds fair enough to me, I just wish we could give ourselves a kickstart and be reassured that even if we can't shift Hutton and co that we can still strengthen our squad. Must admit Richard had a big bearing on people's optimism. I would quite like him to elaborate somewhat on why he felt so positive...

Hopefully Vlaar can help him out a bit as someone who has come back from big injury setbacks

Agreed. Not sure about top 10 but definitely top 12. I think people have let McLeish get to them. We may not be great but we aren't as bad as he made us look. Yeah top 10 is possible, but top 12 is more realistic I would be happy with 17th this season. We nee to give PL some time. 1 game into the season is no where near enough time to judge anything. If it is then I better put all my money on Swansea and fulham to be the top 2 teams this season. And as for players in maybe we should look to Europe, the german or even the polish league. Some very good players especially in the mid table German teams OK there's a transition period which most of us are in favour of but being happy with 17th? I think that's a dangerous thing to hope for. I don't think as a club we should be happy with anything like that.

Well said mate! Some people on this site are a **** joke. I cant believe the last few pages of shit I have read and shows how high the IQ of some on here is. One game onto a new season/era and it's the same bullshit! Even MCLeish got more time than some are giving PL already. I think I'll stick to twitter for my transfer news from now on...at least I can block what I want on there. This site has gone down in the last few years and is now just a whinge pit for the depressants with every thread ending up the same way. Sick of listening to retards, I'm off to going back and enjoying watching my football and the new exciting brand that PL is trying to bring to our great club. To be fair I don't think you can tar everyone with the same brush. I'm disappointed certainly not with Lambert, not even with Randy who I think is a stand-up guy, I'm just disappointed we're in a position where a lot of fans on here are "hoping" for 15th. I feel like Aston Villa is a big club (maybe not top 4 or 5) and I fully appreciate that we are choosing to go a different route than the Sunderland/QPR way and I agree with that but I don't want to watch our expectations fall to where suddenly we're only as big as Stoke and Wolves and we're happy to survive.

I don't have much doubt about Clark, Lichaj, Bannan, Baker and Herd at this point - I think what we've seen of them shows that they are good enough to be in the squad. That leaves the uncertains - Gardner, Weimann, Carruthers; the latter 2 showing signs of being able to cope with Gardner (IMO) not really showing anything yet. Even if we don't sign anyone else and the uncertains can't cut it, I don't think we'll do worse than about 15th - and considering that there has been wholesale change going on, in pretty much every area - that'd do. Mate I'd snap your hand off for a garentee of finishing 15th right now. If things don't go to plan there is a very real chance that we could really struggle and be back in a relegation fight for the 3rd year in a row. The squad is that thin. I'm all for building things and having patience and I like the way we're looking at building up young, technical players and I agree that this is just the beginning but aiming for 15th is NOT good enough! I'm sorry it's bullshit, we could live with it if it happened but despite the change of manager, I'd be very unhappy with 15th. It's one thing saying we're no longer challenging for top-6 but this is a pill I won't swallow.

Astonvilla_views was the same guy who said Benteke was at BMH right?

Reo **** Coker! Piss off, couldn't cut it before so let's have him back... The guy can't pass wind and is an expert at pointing lots, looking like a leader and yet actually doing **** all

Rumours all over Shitter about Stefan Kiesling, wanted us to sign him a few years back, I always thought he was underrated, not seen him for a while though. Oh yeah and it's on Twitter so it's bound to be 100% factual. Someone's even updated his Wiki page

Sad thing is that two is about half what is required to make this a decent transfer window. I think it will be two as well, Carroll and Cresswell and I think that will set us up just fine for now. Maybe a surprise midfielder on deadline day if Warnock, Hutton and Makoun are all shipped out by Friday week. When everyone is fit I'd go for something like: ....................Given...................... Lowton....Vlaar....Clark....Cresswell ..................El Ahmadi.................. ...Holman......................Delph....... ....................Ireland.................... .........Carroll..............Bent........... Subs: Guzan, Lichaj, Dunne, N'Zogbia, Bannan, Gabby, Weimann Squad players or loans: Delfouneso, Herd, Curruthers, Albrighton, Stevens Gardner, Baker That team should be good enough to stay up. Woohoo! "Good enough to stay up". Excitement...

Eh? So if we want Dunne out of the club, Randy will punish us with someone fatter, drunker and slower? OMG!!! Its the Second Coming. And Lo, He gaveth unto the Villans of Aston their hearts desire. He walked amongst them, and they did know him as God. There was much rejoicing and it was good. Welcome Paul. :!:

where? http://astonvilla-views.com/2012/08/22/is-the-mysteryman-benteke-avfc/ That's where the whole Benteke rumour started!

Aghhhh please can we just buy someone, just to break up this monotony and boredom!

Could be good news for all concerned. Don't like seeing players getting abuse like him, he was always a grafter, just seemed to be massively lacking fitness these last few seasons. There was a time before the League Cup final when I was pretty damn happy with our back 4. Oh well, things have changed, time to move on!

**** all happening let's be honest...

How did this all start anyway? Some bloke saw a black bloke drive into BMH in a Mercedes and didn't recognise him? Could it have been any of the U-21s? Don't know about anyone else but if it is true would be great if it were an out-of-nowhere type signing.

Don't want to put a dampener on things (I really don't as am desperate for some Villa excitement) but isn't there a game going on at Bodymoor heath?

Did he have a pineapple on his head?

Jarvis appears to be going to Fat Sam at West Ham, can't see us paying more than what they will...

Apparently West Ham have bid 10million for Jarvis and Huddlestone has joined Stoke on loan (per BBC Sport)

Funny, I didn't think he was THAT bad on Saturday, in fact I'd have probably take CNZ off instead. I was watching it on a crappy stream though

Cheers for that, interesting to see the statistics and even though it's the score that counts, it's refreshing to see us start to become a "good footballing" side.

Completely agree with the OP. Though I do understand people's frustrations after a difficult few seasons on the pitch. I think improving the squad is the missing piece all the behind the scenes stuff - manager, facilities, youth setup, scouts, work in the community is prospering. Let's hope this missing piece is looked at in the next 12 months. It is after al, for most fans, by far the most important piece.

True, Apart from This Best moment of the last few years? This is similarly class: Back on point, under McLeish and O'Neill it was always backs to the wall, retreating into out own 6-yard box, sometimes still in the first half! Difference was, under O'Neill at least we were normally winning! McLeish would do it 1-0 down...

Given on 100k a week???? I'd be amazed if it was even half that