monkey

Overall, if we get Westwood and Benteke to add to the others then I'll be satisfied, not over the moon but not doom and gloom either. Experienced players from abroad, young and hungry players from lower leagues, all of whom are going to buy into the changes that Lambert wants to make in the way the team plays. I was happy with the appointment of Lambert and I haven't seen anything to change that yet. Despite the champ manager generation, I'm happy to bow to Lambert's greater football and player knowledge. I love Villa, but it has to be said we do have some of the most negative fans at times, give the new players and manager a chance, just think we could have stuck with McLeish and all that that entailed. We have picked up some great players who were 'lower league unknowns' before and they worked out pretty well, some not so, I'm sure these will turn out the same. Lambert's start reminds me a little of GT's first spell as a manager, a different age football wise, but still feels a little like that. Patience is definitely required though.

League 10th - possibly up to 8th depending on a couple more coming in. League Cup- QF FA Cup- lose to Utd to keep with tradition, round 5. Looking forward to better football, and having a go at teams instead of running scared from some.

Just been chatting to a Wolves mate of mine, he doesn't rate him as worth anything like £12M, says he would put his true value at around half that. Plays very well in a few games, anonymous is far more. If he ends up at Villa then he'll get my support but I think there is far better value out there for a team with a decent scouting system...looks nailed on for MON in that case.

Lerner. Current situation isn't great but with Ellis this was a 3 yr cycle, I think time has softened people's memory of Ellis. As for not letting us become a laughing stock, Ellis himself became a laughing stock within football. Inventor of the bicycle kick and father to numerous players, along with father figure in the Preeeemiieeer League. Lerner all the way.

Hi, As part of a degree I am looking at how sports clubs can include and attract new supporters especially from Asian and Afro- Caribbean backgrounds. The project is based around Villa and their need to attract new fans to increase the average attendance. I would welcome any thoughts and also if you could take 1 minute to answer the survey. Many Thanks http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/NF79M9D

Blatantly using the forum for my own benefit, but would really help with a potential project. Big thanks to all that do, it will literally take 1 min to do. http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/6SLTZ93 [bAR SURVEY - added by mod] Thanks again, and UTV

I can't believe this is going to happen, it just makes no sense. From the footballing philosophy that GH was gradually implementing to a request to interview Martinez who at least had a growing reputation and similar philosophy to McLeish, with a track record of dour negative football and two recent relegations. It makes no sense. If this happens, I will be genuinely gutted.

I just don't think the board would do this. McLeish though would have the bottle to cross the city, but if Hughes was ignored because he quit Fulham, surely the board would do the same with McLeish?

BREAKING NEWS....reliable source says Moyles has rejected opportunity to fill the vacant managers job at Villa. Sources close to Mr Moyles said he was just a little too chunky to get away with wearing claret and blue. He has signed a new contract with Radio1. Thank god for that!

For me, Moyes has to be the realistic target. He has shown what he can do at Everton with relatively little money but does seem to be going stale there. Here he would have a better base to build on, more funds to hand and a new challenge to motivate him. After Moyes, Hughes would surely be a safe pair of hands, but that imo would show a real lack of ambition and question whether the board were accepting the end of our CL aspirations. Can't believe I'm saying this but Sven has been slowly going about his job at Leicester and I would give him serious consideration as a possible candidate. Have I gone mad?

The board, players and coaches must take some of the blame but for me the vast majority is down to Houllier. He has allienated senior players, fans with his underestimation of the club as a whole not to mention his Anfield love in. Blaming everyone but himself and looking and sounding like he doesn't have a clue or give a shit. He simply has to go. Mid jan nearly and we are bottom 3, that says it all. Not been there since 2002. Get Jol.

It would clearly be better if GH could start straight away and while having to wait a week to 10 days for him is an unusual situation, some of the reactions are knee jerk and over the top. I liked MON and think he did a good to very good job in his time here. I was however getting tired of players being played out of position and an expensively assembled bench that got minimal playing time. The timing of his departure had a huge knock on effect and while there are two sides to every argument, it made the recruitment of a new manager limited and difficult. The gettable names were uninspiring from the off( except the media circus and rollercoaster that Maradona would have been!) and names like Moyes may, just may have been an option at the end of last season. Whatever money Villa could of offered, Everton would have been crazy to accept leading upto the first game of the season. So returning to GH, from the available realistic options he is in my opinion the best choice and has the experience and contacts to improve us on and off the field, and take us that step closer to achieving CL football and winning trophies. I read someone else on here say it felt a bit like GT mk1 coming to the club. I see some similarities but MON has left Villa light years ahead of the state we were in back then. Lerner and the board take huge credit for that too imo. The scouting and youth are areas that GH can improve, especially the scouting, youth us very good to be fair( Km, Sid and McAndrew :-) ) just need to be given more playing time. I'm happy to wait a week or two for a manager who has a winning background, worldwide connections, and from his press conference a clear excitement and confidence at being our manager. Would you rather someone at the FFF was stood at the door smiling while shouting "Taxi for one!". Or maybe you'd prefer Southgate, Curbs,Brown,Allardyce, Sven etc scarf waving and smiling in the dugout yesterday. I have my preffered choice, all in all. Best of luck GH, take good care of our beautiful club and you will be greatly rewarded.

I can see your point about trying hard to keep him but going back to a club hardly ever works out as well as previously, and it would mean Stan on the bench, which is fine with me but don't think MON would do that.

Just got back from a stadium tour with work, not much gossip on players but as part of potential Milner deal, it's heavily rumoured that Barry has asked Mancini to come back to Villa, but MON doesn't want him. Barry still commutes from this area as his mrs won't move. All ifs buts and maybes, wonder if Milner will look at the list of midfielders Citeh are amassing and decide to stay where he can become integral and still fantastically paid... Great and very interesting tour, love the fact Randy is steadily changing the Trinity stand from what he described as looking like a Walmart store, back to the showpiece it was. Highly recommend the tour for Villa fans or any football fan.

Are you serious? This is the same player who failed to make it at Derby the season they were the Premier league whipping boys? I have relatives in California who know him and his family well, it was acknowledged at the time he struggled with the game here. Granted he wasn't helped by playing for a very poor Derby team, but unless he's improved ten fold which he didn't seem to have at the world cup, he's not good enough to add anything to Villa's team.

No idea briggaman, just picked first one I saw when setting up my account. Back on topic, can't wait for tomorrow, should be a great game, plenty of beers and a villa win!

Maple leaf in Covent Garden is a cracking bar, I'll be in there late sat afternoon/ early eve, Silverspoons/club 2000 on Sunday as no match tickets Bring on the Mancs, COME ON VILLA!

General, As usual you have responded with sense and class. Without repeating what I'm sure many have already said, like every club we have a few mindless fans who overreact and look to blame at the drop of the hat, the vast majority of Villa fans are fully behind Randy, MON, yourself and the many others working behind the scenes. Thankyou for what you have all achieved so far, and tho there will be setbacks and pitfalls I am genuinely looking forward to the next few years, and am again proud to be a Villa fan. Thankyou.

PB is a spot on in my opinion. Two years ago, Barry's choice would have been simple, now it clearly isn't. Sure loyalty plays a part in any decision but more so does the feel of each club,the direction each club is moving in. One settled and driving forward on and off the pitch, one in dispute and argument behind the scenes and struggling desperately to maintain their position. You choose which club fits which description, but for me the roles have been reversed over the last couple of years and they know it and are worried, very worried.

Vote 2!!!

Haven't read ten plus pages of thread but voted no.2, classic and won't date as easily as no.3. No 4 has to be a joke right??

Bob on.

Now more than ever...obviously!

Happy with that. so many rumours flying around, ITSOTP applies no more than ever but for different reasons to the previous era!

Nearly 700 pages on this thread, no confirmired signings, bar the kids. I'm not impatient for signings, I believe they will come and that they will be quality and help move us forward. So looking forward to them being announced tho.....not for the players but so we have something to really talk about on this thread instead of petty point scoring over each other. Get a grip.