jonno_2004

Started a new mass-based program last week, both exercises and diet, after years of going most days out of habit and not seeing any massive gains. First time I've bit the bullet and done everything to the last detail but really felt the difference. Hardest part has been eating the amounts required, which I appreciate is 50% of the battle. Hoping to get up to around 13st - 13.5st before Christmas, although not around the waistline..

Despite being a big fan of the podcasts and other related shows I only got round to watching The Office in full a few months ago - can't believe I had neglected it for so long!

That's one of my biggest pet hates. I get around 2-3 migraines a year and it pisses me off royally when someone says 'Oh i've got a migraine, i'll have a couple of tablets and just get on with it'. No, you've got a **** headache. If you have a proper migraine you wouldn't even be standing up. Exactly, migraines are **** vile. A couple of migralieve tablets and going to sleep is all I can do to cope, there's no way I could work with one. Another bloke from work had a couple of days off saying he had a migraine and there were pictures on Facebook of him paintballing, which really pissed me off because it makes a mockery of just how bad they are and creates a stigma about them, not to mention it is a wankery thing to skive work anyway. Yeah, horrific - I usually partially lose my sight when it happens. I get them at a similar rate although strangely didn't have one for a few years and thought I was clear of them, although had two in relatively quick succession last year. Was always terrified I'd get them in the middle of an exam, or before driving a long journey to catch a ferry back home.

I remember watching Pochettino's first Southampton game after they'd sacked Atkins (which seemed unjustifiable at the time, appointing this relatively unknown foreign manager), but christ did they look good and haven't really looked back since even though Poch has long gone. If for just once Villa could get a slice of luck, with what in nature is a similar managerial appointment in Garde, that brings us a portion of that improvement I'd be happy.

Let's not forget. Fox hired Sherwood. Who admittedly gives amazing facials. No doubt if you asked Sherwood about this he'd reply, 'If I had to back one person to perform in an intense bukkake situation, I'd back Tim Sherwood.' Well you can't be right 100% of the time I guess. Unless you're my missus. She thinks she's right 100% of the time. She's not either. Sherwood kept us up and got us to an FA Cup final - it wasn't such a bad appointment for that period of time, although it became obvious he wasn't the man in the long term.

I've never known an ex player hate us so much. Merson? Some of things he says in blind defense of us are ridiculous, I wouldn't say he hated us by any stretch.

Managed the most complete Villa performance I can remember in recent memory in the 3-0 against West Ham (although we did have Milner) - then proceeded to get thumped 6-0 by Newcastle and played the strangest formation I've ever seen against Rapid Vienna. At least we probably weren't expecting to get any points in the upcoming games...

The only man realistically available to us who could get us out of this mess is Moyes. No one really raised any eyebrows when he was appointed manager at one of the biggest clubs in the world, he had a record similar to van Gaal in his only season (although not as fancy a name or much of a personality) and consistently had Everton within a shout of a CL spot on a fraction of the money O'Neill had available. Fully expect him to rule himself out but then again football is full of surprises.

Commendable decision by the club in the face of what will no doubt be an unsurprising media backlash against horrible little Villa. The timing allows us to try and salvage our Premier League status but unfortunately all it will take is for Moyes to rule himself out and the negativity will persist. I think Sherwood's heart was in the right place, but just too inexperienced - he was picking the kind of teams I picked on Champ Manager 2000, when I was 10 years old (which says it all).

I'm 25; I earn circa 3 times more than my Dad. However, he owns a house, sports car and boat (sadly whilst saving for a deposit only the former seems a fairly distant prospect for me in London) - the most he has earned per annum is around £35k I'm led to believe with my mum at a similar level. Baby boomers FTW.

He oozes that calm confidence. Early days at present but can see why he was WBA POTY.. far too good for them..

Thought Gabby did alright apart from that nonsense at the end. Never looked in trouble there, argue that is one of the most dominant performances I've seen us put in since the 4-1 against Naaaarwich. More of the same second half please.

Really hope this is a 4-2-3-1, a lot of pace to be exploited with the front 4 while remaining solid enough in the middle. Don't have high hopes for this game on the basis of Leicester's form but there's a decent spine to the team with decent options on the bench (not an ageing Joe Cole). Also, if Gabby can't do it with the likes of Grealish and Gil in behind him then he wont be doing it full stop anymore IMO.

It's fantastic though - a bit of competition for a change. If Clark is good enough he'll get back in.

As an England 'fan', I hope more than anything that he chooses Ireland.

Still of the opinion that 3-5-2 doesn't work consistently in the prem. If it surprises a few teams and enables us to win a few games I'm all for it though. If we're going to insist on playing Bacuna then the further he is away from the defensive line the better.

Given he'd likely have an impact and get us a few goals, it's a no-brainer really, especially with no fee. I'd take a few tantrums and odd quotes in the press if it meant we knew where the goals were going to come from each week instead of watching Gabby run around in circles. He will end up at Wet Spam though IMO.

Commentator, paraphrasing: "Off the pace it would appear in the Premiership, maybe the FA Cup is Aston Villa's only route to a trophy this season"

Worst player I've seen in the shirt - Brett Holman in a close second in the Lambert buys - although at least Holman scored in a competitive game. What was Stan Petrov thinking with this recommendation? Should have thrown him overboard last year with his racist ban - surely grounds for termination. Anyway, all said and done now - although the head of scouting at his new club needs shooting.

Still think there is a bit of work for him to do in the transfer window. Regardless of how quickly the new signings settle we still lack a proven goalscorer at this level and could do with shoring up the defence with someone like Lescott. I can't see anything other than a season of struggle otherwise - goals win games and I can't see where they are going to come from consistently to be honest, especially when you look at the other teams in and around us. There isn't a resilience in the team that would allow us to hold on to a load of one-nils either - that also isn't really Sherwood's style.

Quite a few stories from my old job, everyone was a similar age and we often worked around the UK together on the same client which meant plenty of extended hotel stays on an expense allowance in various cities - an environment that produced a fair few tales! My favourite though is probably one of the girls in our office having a drink with a client at a 'rough' pub on the premise they wouldn't be seen by any of us, then proceeding to pop back up to his office and do it every which way on his desk. Was brilliant sending the junior on the job into that office for hours at a time the next day.

Something similar for the home game vs Citeh? Or is it all a bit too non-PC for little, old Villa

It's not writing him off if you tell it like it is. He was really useless, so slow I wanted to cry. I expect better from him, and believe yesterday was not his real level. That first sentence makes me want to cry.

I don't think Sherwood particularly rates Sinclair, think he's only Playing now due to injuries else where. Will soon find himself on the bench I think. Sherwood doesn't rate SInclair yet signed him? What's the next story - he had no say in making the loan agreement permanent?

Did a decent job out on the right which was a bit of a surprise tactically. Lacking match fitness but has some quality about him. If I buy the away shirt this season it will be this guy on the back.