Risso

It isn't our best start in 10 years though. *renders rest of juvenile post redundant*

Just have a look at the league table. Although I'm not sure why Chelsea winning 5-0 means they have less chance of winning the league.

The accusation that MON is dishonest is quite strong and not a little extraordinary. The only thing that's extraordinary there is your reading things into a post that aren't there.

I've spent many thousands of pounds over the years supporting Villa home and away, Mr Better-Fan-Than-You.

Come back when we're ahead of them both in the table.

Ah, the inevitable Newcastle comparison. We haven't had "fickle" for a while now, that must be due soon. Or "at least we're not Leeds".

Well in that case there's no point debating anything Villa related is there? Nothing that anybody says on here is going to directly influence anything, it's just a discussion board. As such, this thread is no more pointless than any other.

Which further proves the point that it doesn't just take spending loads of money. Surely the main reason that 6th should be a given, is that O'Neill is a brilliant manager (according to you). if he's that good, why should we accept anything left. Newcastle haven't achieved anything because they're owned by an idiot, who has appointed a succession of divs to manage the team.

You neglect to mention Everton, who have been a regular top 6 side, despite not spending as much as we have.

Spurs have got closer a couple of times in the last 5 years than we have. I fully expect Man City to achieve it this year. If they don't, they'll be closer than us.

Christ, I think I know now who nicked ClaretMahoney's drugs! Played better today than we did against Chelsea? That's as mental a statement as I've ever read on VT.

No, but overall the football was dire today, and even though we now appear to have sorted the defence out, our attacking options are rubbish. A quarter way through the season, and Gabby is our only striker to have scored. Our central midfield is totally ineffectual, and we have zero movement off the ball.

Today was the perfect example of why I think we've reached a plateau with O'Neill. Mind-numbingly predictable football, and no plan B to change things round, other than the same tired option of bringing Heskey on after 70 minutes.

I agree, the defence wasn't the problem today. The problem was the midfield and style of play. No point getting it out wide at every opportunity when you've got a winger as out of form as Ashley Young.

My ratings Fridel - 7 - not much to do really Cuellar - 6 - not really a right back is he? Collins - 7 - another good game from the ginger Panzer Dunne - 6 - not as good as he has been. Warnock - 8 - what a great player he is Milner - 7.5 - worked his knackers off as usual Petrov - 5 - completely anonymous Sidwell - 4 - completely anonymous, and cost us all three points with a hopeless challenge Young - 3 - Abysmal, needs dropping as soon as Downing is fit Gabby - 8 - worked his socks off, contributed loads, and scored a well taken goal Carew - 3 - I'm a big fan of Carew normally, but he did precisely **** all today, and worse, seems to be going through the motions O'Neill - 4 - same old plan A of missing out the centre of midfield, getting it wide, then bringing on Heskey after 70 minutes to not score. Predictable and very dull to watch.

A dreadful, dreadful performance. O'Neill really has no other plan than to get it wide all game, then bring Emule on after 70ish minutes. Pathetic.

Try a bit harder next time then.

Or he might not, just like Harewood didn't. The thing is, petrov always had the ability to be the player we need, Heskey doesn't. When was the last time Heskey scored more than 10 goals in a season, in all competitions? As we don't play with attacking central midfielders, just how do you think that Heskey is going to start turning things round?

Christ you just need Aberdare and you've got the 'lived in shittest places' badge all sewn up! I can think of so many more worse places than any I've listed. What's wrong with Sutton, I was only young but I remember it as a pleasant enough town. Milton Keynes was a bit soulless, but was a clean and modern place to grow up. Wigan is an awesome town. Full of northern, working class charm, and halfway between Manchester and Liverpool. It was a great place to be a young, single bloke in my 20's. I really miss living there. The IOM is also a great place to live. A bit quiet for some, but then I've got a young family, so it's brilliant. Beautiful scenery, hardly any crime, and no traffic. At the moment, I wouldn't live anywhere else.

Yes how inconsiderate of Everton not to give in to Man Citeh at the drop of a hat. That wasn't frustrating at all, it was obvious. As soon as Lescott moved Central Defenders started moving left right and centre. Its just another of those things that people blame the manager for when it was out of his control, he knew his targets but no CD was going to move with the Lescott situation still ongoing. What did the Lescott situation have to do with Collins? The only team who were reportedly in for him before us were Stoke.

No it wasn't. You don't receive any more points, money or anything else tangible for any of the things you mention. 6th is 6th. So If a team finishes 5th with 58 points in one season, while 4th have 72 points. Then the next season, 4th have 75 points, and you finish 5th again but this time with 73 points. There is no improvement? That is what your saying isn't it? I could turn that round and ask you if finishing 17th one year with 36 points, then finishing on 18th with 38 points the next and being relegated would be an improvement? The only thing points are there for is to decide the final league table. If Chelsea get less points than last year, but win the league, they'll have improved, end of story.

With regard to the defence, it was the worst in the top half of the table last season, after Man City who finished 10th.

No it wasn't. You don't receive any more points, money or anything else tangible for any of the things you mention. 6th is 6th.

Finishing 6th isn't much of an improvement on finishing 6th though is it?

I fail to see how this changes the fact that Rovers finished higher the previous 2 years. + what POB says. They didn't though. I think you need to be checking your facts a bit more carefully. Warnock signed in Jan in the 06/06 season. The season before that, Blackburn finished higher, the season before that, we did. Anyway, are you really telling me that a footballer would have seen Villa, newly owned by a billionaire and managed by O'Neill as a worse option than Blackburn, just because we finished lower than them under a different manager and chairman? By that reckoning, Lescott should have stayed at Everton this year, and Adebayor at Arsenal.