jonny-recession

Just watching Irelans U19s and again Carruthers has been outstanding. Just been subbed but he has ran himself into the ground and showed good ability on the ball.

Sorry I should have made it clear that was tongue in cheek. The more I think about it he could really work. He plays functional football in such a way that he adapts his tactics and teams to suit situations which is something that for Villa to progress i think we need to be able to do. We have been far too one dimensional in recent times which has lead us to some good results but also it leaves us lacking against lesser teams who defend defend defend. His record of transfers isnt too shabby. At Chelsea he signed Cech, Lampard, Makelele, Gallas, Robben to name a few and he got them playing well. Also he is credited with bringing through Terry and Huth.

Hearing that the board again are looking for someone with Premiership experience one name that seems to have slipped under radar seems to be Claudio Ranieri. Out of work since Feb if im not mistaken and IMO didnt do that much wrong in England and set it up for Mourinho at Chelsea. I would be more than happy with him at least we wouldnt be able to guess the team week in week out

Is he a regen Dodgeyknees or is he in the game from the off?

I agree Billy_loes in highensight MON was a spanner in the works but you can't disagree that not just in his mind but in reality the whole club revolved around him due to the control measures that he put in place which can be backed up by the above newspaper article. Houllier may very well do the same but all we can hope for is that he won't be as petulant if things don't go his way

I don't think what has happened over the last few weeks is "ridiculous" by any stretch of the imagination. Ok we got beaten in matches we should have won. We got beaten badly. Fine. It's football this thing has happened since the game was invented and will continue to happen to one team or another. Success is cyclical. Success can breath more success provided that the intrinsic factors remain a constant. Unfortunately we have lost our fulcrum in the shape of MON. It's very cliche but like it or not we have to temporarily go bac to go forward. We are in a period of limbo until Gerry takes over fully. His biggest task in my opinion is to rid the players of this negative mentality of pack the box for half an hour and hold out. It's ultimately what cost us last night. And in my eyes is the difference between 4th and obscurity.

I really hate when that happens. Nothing gets me annoyed like villa squandering a lead and enevitaely they do too many times a season. It's a massive confidence blow for those lads but ultimately the only have heskey to blame

Strange one . Heskey.

I'd settle for a draw. Yorke is dead right. We can't afford to lose this from a winning position

Shit

Downing has done two things iv never seen him do. Head the ball and get annoyed and tackle back. Well done KMac

Our support sounds great

Man I love watching Reo in a five man midfield.

We really need to start dictating the pace again. Iv a feeling one won't do it

Albrighton has a wicked cross on him

Great cross gabby but what a miss

Got away with that Collins. They've been given

What the ****!!!! With his head????? Ah it doesn't matter well done Stewie!!!!!!!

Warnock is not filling me with confidence tonite. We really need to start playin the ball quicker. Few triangles in midfield try and stretch em. They are extremely busy in midfield as expected but they are far enough from their defence to cope if we get quick ball to gabby and ash.

Hope Ireland is ok for this I really want to see him and gabby linking up. The few flashes of play from Stevie shows he knows how to pick a through ball which could prove invaluable against teams with big lumbering centre halves and bus parkers. I'm very much in the don't play him in the centre with petrov camp.

Govou wouldnt be a bad addition . would be cracking in the vacated Luke role

Martin will definately go for Milner again in January and i think he will make a bid for Maloney at Celtic. If he goes for a striker i would love to see Darren Bent come in. A classy english centre forward with a good footballing brain and youth on his side. What more could you ask for.