Jareth

Having read that article in the Guardian, and not knowing any better, I'm all for Prandelli.

We shall upgrade his name to fantastic mr fox - only when he has proven himself. For now he is Randy's proxy. Maybe call him Randy Fox. 

No Fox love-in just yet, but it is very good that Lerner is letting him get on with running the club, and that he appears to be doing just that, we've sorley needed this kind of figure-head for a while - we've been confused who to shout at in the past, Lerner, Faulkner or Lambert - now we know who's pulling the strings and making the calls.

 

Gotta like Tom Fox as it stands - recommended Lambert be sacked, introduced new modern structure, is going to select new manager and Randy seems to have handed everything over to him. Happy with that.

How do you know this?

 

See Pat Murphy statement on new manager thread

Gotta like Tom Fox as it stands - recommended Lambert be sacked, introduced new modern structure, is going to select new manager and Randy seems to have handed everything over to him. Happy with that.

Is Bruce's daughter Tina Arena?

Someone said that Pat Murphy said Fox was in the states at the mo - surely there to get the manager sorted, his no.1 priority. Could it be Jurgen afterall?

Dyche is getting all the plaudits but so did Lambert when at Norwich - plus cannot see him ditching his squad at this point in a season for a relegation rival - no chance - would question his integrity if he did that.

They'll go for someone with prem league experience, who's taken over a team mid season before, who is not in contract anywhere. It's gonna be Sherwood all day long.

It would be insane to gamble this late in the season without a replacement ready to go.

false narrative

I think it'll be someone to come in for the rest of the season. Don't think Lerner will want hand out a big contract to someone while he's still trying to sell the club. Maybe an international Manager who'll come in part-time, either O'Neill or Klinsmann.

good shout, maybe Klinsman is possible afterall...

 

Southgate.

Jareth?

 

Ahem, I have ex villains turrets syndrome... staunton!... Djemba Djemba!...

Southgate.

end is nigh

ITK? Or just depressed?

Survival and Lambert managing us another year, thus delaying inevitable change would also be a bit of a disaster.

Only go to games when villa travel towards wales, so am gutted to think I'll miss most of the games I watch online in the event of relegation. That said, seems quite a bit of championship footy is televised worldwide, so ain't end of the road for viewing. I'd hope we'd be selecetd quite often too. Top 6 seem to get a lot of airtime.

But isn't it in our interests to keep them at the club? No one is on huge wages any more, no one would be too expensive to keep. I don't get how any player involved in relegating a team gets to demand a move away if it is not in the interests of the club.

I think we'd be at risk at losing all our players, who are in and around the first team squad. Even the ones we think aren't very good.

Just wondering what leverage they would have to force a move...

I get we'd see some changes if relegated but after all Delph came out with on signing his new contract - he would stay. Benteke would stay, on current form as nobody would buy him for an amount worth selling. We're also dropping some big wages from the bill this summer anyway. In fact, you have to ask why we would have to let anyone in contract leave?

The other teams have hard fixtures up which could result in them on the end of sum hammer ings but we need to start getting draws at least

Absolutely - just scanned the remaining fixtures for burnley and qpr and they are going to find it tough. Burnley will be lucky to get 2 points from the next 9 matches - QPR quite possibly could get 3 points from next 5. We won't be adrift 5 games from now, reckon 32 points will be enough this year. God dammit, we don;t need to do much to survive this year. So frustrating.

Or, call it insane, for the next few at home, play the passing game, for the next few away, play the direct game.

I predicted a Russian nuclear apocalypse in 2016, now I just watch life go by as I've chosen delayed existence over the immediate oblivion of suicide. Lambert will probably survive the A-bomb as well.   

Lambert saying we'll play ugly from now on - which I think means direct to Benteke - well fine, do that for the next five games and remember that 'passing' thingymabob sometimes and by complete and utter accident we may have found a style that'll get us results. With this in mind - I predict we'll get 5 points from next 5 games, which will keep us vying with wba, qpr and sunderland for that last relegation spot.

If anyone's read Birdsong about WW1 where the main character, an officer wonders how far man can be pushed past breaking point - then PL's situation is similar - it's a sick experiment where we all willfully watch and take pleasure in the destruction of a man. He was crying when that second goal went in. He is trapped by the money he's getting and by an owner who won't sack him. I actually feel sorry for him, as I wouldn't walk either. He's headed for a mental breakdown while AVFC burns. 

As we've decided to change style mid season and get a few technical players in, I say we need a Swansea style appointment - to hell if they don;t keep us up, at least they'll get these players for a third of season to implement a style and philosophy so that we hit the ground running when we kick off in the championship next season. Best chance of coming back up first time.