deadlydion

Terry has been training at Melwood all week with Milner Charity squad for this weekends Petrov v Milner game. He had committed to this and signing for Villa would have required him to stand down for this which he wasn't prepared to do. Villa have been told that he will happily re-sign after this weekend, if they still want him.

Surely it is the back 4 that finished last season except Terry is replaced by Tuanzebe. Midfield is Jedi sitting behind BB and McKinn. Front three of Green, Grealish and Kodija.

The Telegraph states that Round had shown the potential US investors (the £30M for 30% crowd) around BMH and was their contact within Villa. My guess is that this undoubtedly has something to do with his dismissal (if it is true that Wyness was sacked for a similar reason). As to why it has taken so long for this to come to light is unknown but it does seem a bit too coincidental for me.

The letter would have read ‘failure to make this or any other payment (including penalties and interest for late payment) becoming due within 21 days will result in HMRC seeking a winding up petition for ...... A winding up order is only issued after a winding up petition has been heard and ruled on. We were several weeks away from that and in theory it is likely that the club will have received several of these type of letters from numerous suppliers (granted it would probably be from smaller, less newsworthy companies) over the years as large organisations are typically awful at paying invoices on time to small and medium enterprises. Whilst all of this is undoubtedly a concern, what it does show is that cash flow is the biggest issue and in a perverse way does underline that the Dr’s plans to rejuvenate the area and make the club a year round income generating machine is actually the correct business decision and one that indicates a strategy to move the entire club (not just the first team) forward. I amnot saying he is currently doing that (although he might be). I am just expressing an opinion supported by SOME facts.

Look agg the comments during half time. He has been our most influential midfielder IN THIS GAME, but some wanted to sub him for Lansbury who has yet to influence a game for US.

Yeah, take him off - muppets!!

Samba has been our best defender and their forward has bullied Chester so if you watch the game then it is Chester who should come off at present. That said I wouldn't change personnel at present. Davis has been poor and didn't want to di the basics at the start and so (surprise, surprise) we had no outlet and looked poor. As Davis put himself about more and laid the ball off simply as opposed to some of his early flicks we moved up the pitch and looked the better team. I like Hourihane but am starting to think he is a 'Home' player and isn't physical enough away from home. Onomah has been our best midfielder by being just that, a midfielder that gets up and down the pitch. What he hasn't had is that outlet (Davis again) and Elmo and Green have been too anonymous to allow him to use them effectively. Personally, I am not sure any of that is down to tactics or formations, more a fact that until/unless we hold the ball further up the pitch, an awful lot of our players look quite ordinary.

JINX ALERT - He is looking assured and confident tonight.

Jedinak to play middle of 3 central defenders, Thor sitting behind Angela and Hooligan, Kodj and Hulk up top. That is some weird shit but a part of me thinks thats our best side!! Time for a lay down maybe!

Really????

This 100% if you're being objective. If not then take your pick who to blame. I thought we looked quite good and whilst I do agree that Grealish was clearly a candidate for taking off before his second card I'mnot sure we had a sub who could have come on and helped play the same way. Bizarrely, had we had Ayoe or McGatemack then that would have ben an obvious swap but as it was, taking Jack ff would probably have changed our system and i guess Bruce didn't see a benefit in that hence why he didn't make the change. HINDSIGHT, however, says otherwise, but at the time I kind of agree with the decision not to make changes. We weren't under any real pressure and nobody looked fatigued so, I am going to put it ut there and say I agree with SB on that. The keeper made a howler and ultimately that was our undoing, without that we would have walked this.

Thanks!!

Aside from a goalkeeping error we have walked this! I like the formation and Hourihane is AMAZING!! We haven't had a player like him for years. My bet is we'll nick a second in the last 10 mins and then score a third in the dying secs (Hogan will get one). MARK MY WORDS!

That goal - one word - Hourihane!!!!!

This is how I see it (or at least one of the options Bruce will be thinking of). I also wouldn't be surprised to see a three at the back at times, with Jedinak dropping back and then having interchangeable wing backs i.e. Bree/Bacuna/Hutton(I know!!) & Amavi/Taylor. I'm not saying it will happen but I do think SB & Co will have identified players to come in that not only improve us as they are better players but also improve the flexibility in the styles of play we can adopt as and when necessary. We have seen this in the past and nearly every manager will look to change formation to gain an advantage however for too long we have done this by shoe horning players in to positions they are not suited for. With the squad that we have(and hopefully will have), I think we will start to see much more fluidity and success. Just my opinion anyway!!