TheMelvillan

if we had gabby running into the box, with the ball, and only the keeper to beat (who has only recently got back on his feet after suffering a massive coronary and losing his sight), the rest of the opposing team slumped in our half with symptoms of dengue fever, and with the rules temporarily changed to allow the attacking team to actually pick up the ball and place it carefully into the goal...... .....I would give gabby maybe a 50-50 chance of scoring

I guess you have to ignore the decor as much as possible, whether good or bad - that can be changed (and will be several times if you are married) Instead focus on the boring, grown up things that could be very expensive to overlook. For instance, I bought my house then within two years had to upgrade the fascias/ gutters, repoint one wall, re-do the drainage in the back garden and fix a chimney. Stuff that the 20 something naive non home owner me hadnt ever even realised were things that grown ups had to consider!

just jumping about the Cloverfield bandwagon while it is here. I loved and swiftly bought that movie but it gets such little love - even from people I lend or recommend it to that I thought I was on my own!. But then I am a sucker for found footage type movies. It also scores bonus points for starring the quite lovely Jessica Lucas

Ooooooh he's a lefty. Didnt know that. Interesting

Rumours going round twitter that he has changed his profile pic to a lion over the course of today. Cue moaning about the unreliability of such info but i thought it was a fun little tidbit

Respectfully I disagree, and though I know that trying to change someones opinion via an internet forum is one of the most futile endeavours known to man I am just gonna respond to get it off my chest. All of the players mentioned above I like and am desperate for them to succeed but when I take off my Villa specs and assess them honestly.... Jack Grealish is so talented but so inconsistent. Is capable of changing a game but this seasons highlight reel for him would be pretty short and sweet. That young fella Winks for Spurs had him in his back pocket in the Spurs game and I can see Bruce "resting" him soon enough. Ayew again can be talented. I think he has been played about as much as you can play him based on what he has shown this season. I genuinely dont know what his position is. Cant shoot so isnt a striker, isnt direct enough to be a winger. isnt creative enough to be a no. 10 Amavi, not to put too fine a point on it has been fairly poor since returning from injury. His defensive positioning is horrible although his recovery is usually decent. Going forward he just isnt the same player as last year Gestede was the victim of our expectations based on that one anomaly of a season for Blackburn. As for who "we" are....lets just say it was me and my mate Jeff as I obviously misjudged the consensus of this forum.

we said that about Ayew, Amavi, Grealish, Gestede............

i made my mum and dad buy me two as I was expecting him to wear them all the time while playing. My 12 year old brain didn't let me think through the impractical logistics of such a thing

At the risk of sounding dramatic or mean...I really really hate Stuart Downing. His irritating face didnt help, nor the way he gleefully trotted off to Liverpool the second they batted their eyelids. But most of all he was the most cowardly, weak, tackle shy, lily-livered player I have ever seen. I really, really hate Stuart Downing. God that was cathartic

got one hell of a shot on him from distance and with very little backlift which always looks cool. i reckon he will clearing in the woods in a couple of worldies this season at some point

also, I thought that it was very telling how much I craved a proper midfielder when I was watching the Norwich players. The like of Dorrans, Howson etc arent world beaters but simply solid central midfielders who know their job. I am not yet onboard with Jedinak. I think he looks like a 50 year old rugby player trying to play football. so clumsy and slow. Westwood I used to like but he is second to everything as he lacks the physicality to compete for the ball. And anytime he has to interact with Hutton - be it a throw in or a pass - it is like watching the chuckle brothers. Only less funny funny and more soul destroying and depressing

if one more commentator tells me I have to give credit to Gabby for "knuckling down" and losing 6 kg of weight I am gonna put my fist through the telly. he's a so-called professional bloody footballer and villa fan who should never have been in that position in the first place!!!! aaarrrgghhhhhh

Semantics I know but I prefer "club playing in the Championship"

So they are showing Leeds v Aston Villa followed 3 weeks later by Aston Villa v Leeds?! Bit weird but i'll allow it!!

Aww leave him alone, thats just crazy superstition. I just hope he can still make it now its been rearranged for Saturday afternoon.......

Don't look back in anger...

From Joey Barton to Frank Lampard!. Probably couldn't get more opposite examples of professionalism, manners, and respectability

I'd actually prefer Newcastle to be at full strength for the full season seeing as they are probably going to win the league anyway and the more points they take from the pool the better

I'd rather have him playing in my team than against my team. His desire to win every ball and willingness to snap into tackles is something that we simply do not have in our midfield. I respect anyone's views that he is not a nice enough person to play for their Aston Villa. But for me, I am sick of being the nice, classy, polite pushovers that we have been for so many years. It is sport - and I think there still is a place for aggressiveness in it. Granted, I wouldnt want to invite him over for dinner with my nan but would I want to see him being a nasty aggressive bully on the field of play for my team? - absolutely dont know what this says about me mind you - I think I might have to take a long hard look at myself lol

one is overpriced, spews out bitter content, gets too hot and breaks down if you dont handle it carefully..... ....and the other is a coffee machine

she was in the sporanos!

I know whats happening here: Our scene opens in the concourse of St Andrews stadium. A buoyant Steve Bruce hands Gabby Agbonlahor a match day ticket, having let him travel to the game with the team "Take it son" he says in his distinctive soft geordie brogue, "you. deserve. this" Gabby grasps it with the fervour and excitement with which he has grasped a dozen paternity tests and several contract expensions in the past. "thank you gaffer", he whispers before walking towards the entrance of the stand, "I know I have said this to the last 12 managers, but..but..... I wont let you down" Bruce watches him depart towards the stand, a knowing look in his soft, fatherly eyes. In the shadows he sees a shadowy figure in an ill fitting suit and purple glasses. They nod. The deed is done. They part to go their separate ways, wordlessly Cut back to Gabby, taking his two seats in the packed, crumbling stand. Suddenly, his nostrils twitch, a sour stench assaulting his senses......he hears the sound of knuckles dragging and barely human chanting. Aghast he looks around....something is wrong, very wrong.. rather than the sea of glorious claret he was expecting there is nothing but stained blue shirts and bad haircuts. Some of the specimins start looking his way....the murmuring begins, then shouting, then roaring It dawns on him what has happened "Bruuuuce, you monster....Betrayal be thine name........" he bellows, but before he can say more, they descend, clawing, primeval, brutal...and Agbonlahor...... he was gone

seen 4 episodes of season 3 so far. All very different, all fantastic. I find I dont binge them either as they tend to leave a lasting impression and ask questions of you so you find yourself still thinking about them days later. Great stuff

so if I understand this I kinda have to root for Newcastle every week because we are assuming that they will finish first and the more points they take off the rest of the league the better it is for us Feels dirty but i'll do it

So Shane Long has just always scored against us then... Also, is it just me or is every single one of those villa players better than we have now in their respective positions? Man i'm depressed