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!!

Spent 5 years at Spurs with Stephen Clemence so i guess they know each other well and maybe a contributing factor to the appointment.

I think that is the 'fittest' team he could have picked (with the exception of Jedinak who I believe SB excused on Saturday due to his long journey as opposed to just being unfit!). Hutton may be cr@& but he will run all day, likewise Cissokho. McCormack never really looks like he has that much running in him, Tsihbola looked dead on his feet and Ayew is potentially carrying a knock so in some ways his selection makes sense. There is a an argument that should we be level at the hour mark (and with no injuries to use up our subs) then we are better placed than Reading to push for a win. Clearly all of that relies upon us being level, but it is not outside the realms of possibility, even for Villa. I just think that SB still hasn't had enough time to implement a style of play and certainly not enough to make radical tactical changes so I can see why but I'm not sure if it is the right decision. I guess we'll know in 2 hours time. UTV

Back for Saturday and will replace Sanchez as the physical presence in midfield. IMO

He may not have been great tonight but you really can't understate how good Ashley Williams was tonight. I would argue he is in the top 5 defenders in the premier league at the minute and would absolutely love him at Villa.

Sorry, but I see this slightly different to the rest of you. Randy has already stated he wants out and is trying to move the club on. On the back of this he is clearly going to be trying to build his other business interests or acquire new ones and from how I read the official statement, Randy wanted PF to play a greater part in those other interests, some of which he may have been better suited to, however to do that PF would not have been able to commit the time needed to continue to be involved in all operational matters at VP(which a CEO clearly is) and so Randy wanted PF to take a non operational, consultant type role, which PF has decided he did not want. On the basis that PF will obviously not remain in his CEO post after any takeover, and on the back of Randy deeming that PF role could be performed by others, he has decided to call it quits and seek pastures new. Just my take on it. Appreciate I could be way off the mark but that is how I have read between the lines in the statement when not having a cynical or conspiracy based outlook.

Is that a two or four fingered kitkat? Could be a deal breaker.

Ok guys, I don't post often but I love my research and usually aren't too far from the truth ( my first post was re AVB contract with Chelsea not being paid up when he left meaning that there would be a delay in him joining any other club - which was proved correct) Anyway, I would like to suggest that the guy in the white jacket etc is Imre Varadi. If you look him up you will find that he is now a football agent with Stellar Management. A further bit of googling will show you the players that agency manage and I think that you should then be able to get 4 as an answer to 2+2. I won't say who for definite but there are certainly possibles that have already been mooted. I know that not putting possible names and making you look things up may be a bit of a tease but, seeing as this is AVFC then why make things easy

Hi guys, newbie to the site but have watched from afar for many months. I want to throw something out there. Not its one anything and fully aware of the possibility for me looking a fool, but I have something interesting for you to think about/discuss/rip the p etc etc. AVB signed his contract with Chelsea on 22nd June 2011. Hewas sacked 4th March 2012. Chelsea paid 13m compo to take him from Porto which was on that years accounts. It is widely acknowledged at AVB is still currently on the Stamford Bridge payroll so is it possible that they are seeing out the first 12 months of his contract before paying off the remainder(in this years accounts) that being he case, AVB is effectively not available for further employment ( due to a probable contract clause until after 23 June 2012) Now I know this is a long shot, but would this not tie in with MM comment about this dragging on bait and also explain with things are so obviously quiet. As I say, not itk, and possibly not the best way to introduce myself to the forum with a speculative punt, but hey, you only live once!!!