zapbranny

Interesting. So do you know how Wolves managed it this season?

Start selling players like JG and may as well pack up. If XIa is a fan there is no way he sells him.

I don’t understand this. Doesn’t he just start some creative accounting as per Man City and Wolves. I.e RECON or another subsidiary sponsor the stadium for £30m a season and no need to worry about FFP. Sounds like he doesn’t have the money to do it. Worrying times.

As bad as anything I've seen. Painfully obvious needs more control in midfield. Why no adomah? Why abgonlahor? Why Hutton at all? I'd rather play with ten men, he has zero ability on the ball. Westwood back to his anonymous best! Kodjia and Ayew were shite, trying to do too much and losing the ball. We are going nowhere near the playoffs, and we would be humiliated by anyone in a final. Bruce is going to have to show his worth in the transfer market, there is literally nobody that I couldn't justify selling.

He needs to have 15 games in a row and I think we will see what he is about. He has a rare talent and I really noticed it against Leeds, it is the ability to receive the ball with your back to goal and be marked and to be able to turn and get motoring towards goal. This is not an easy thing to do, and once in this position it creates space for everyone else and leads to defenders retreating, deciding whether to asssist the tackler or track the runners, it is this half yard that will give kodjia and Adomah and McCormack if he plays the space to get in on goal. I Think David Silva ( not saying he is as good) is the type of player Grealish can become. Compare him to Westwood (who I thought was ok) he receives the ball back to goal and 90% is forced to play the way he is facing.

I've got to be honest, this thread needs to be deleted. I am massively concerned with the state of the squad right now. We were relegated with 17 points last season! With pretty much this squad - Gueye probably gone, who was one of our better performers. I have a horrible feeling without serious investment this squad could be in a relegation battle again. its not been a good start from Xia I don't think. He needed to make a statement, get some bodies in for pre season for RDM to work with. Pleased with the signings generally, however these will not be the difference on their own to getting promotion. This is not the season to be taking chances atmlooks like a very big gamble from Xia at this stage in the window. Admittedly at this stage it could all change, but he's going to need to get a move on. I hope to god My assessment is wrong. To note, I was very wrong last season, I was quite optimistic after FA semi final and new signings, meanwhile I predicted after LCFC appointed Ranieri that they would be relegated.

He would get a free transfer from me. He's an idiot and whilst I might tolerate someone's questionable mentality if they are talented and put in good performances; however Bacuna is none of those. Extremely limited player with a poor attitude. Get him out soonest. Leicester have shown what a decent attitude and team spirit can achieve.

Forget about £6mil. He's on £40,000 per week! I like the guy, quiet, inoffensive however I'd let him go for free to get his wages off the books. He's a bang average championship player. He contributes no actual effect on games, he doesn't intercept/ tackle, not a physical presence winning headers, doesn't score goals or create lots of chances. He's exactly the same as bannan. Some people used to rate him, God knows why. Clearly there are others that I would get rid of first, bacuna, richards, gabby, lescott, Clarke, however Westwood is Symptomatic of everything that was wrong with villa during that phase, happy for all of that era to be gone.

Not being facetious here but I must be missing something to not be as outraged as most. Why is everyone so upset about this? Is it that: a) he was on the piss after we were relegated? Is this not allowed, it's not like he is playing within next three days. Would anyone have had a problem if we had won? Would nobody else honestly want to do something to try and take your mind off it. b ) he was taking nitrous oxide? It's not a banned substance, I'd be much more upset if he was smoking cigarettes. Is it proven to be detrimental to sporting performance? c) that he has generally been poor this season and following his individual training plan he shouldn't have the temerity to be on the piss? d) people are annoyed he is not worth £60k a week any more. e) he doesn't act like a model pro I.e mellberg, Lauren, Milner etc. f) you are angry that the club are relegated and want to take that anger on something halfway responsible. for my mind I'm irritated by d & e, but these have been true for a while and I didn't really care whilst he was scoring. If we were top 4 and he was scoring people wouldn't give a shit that he was out on a Saturday night. is it reasonable to expect him to hide his face away because we are down. If I've missed something relevant please chip in. Note: I'm not defending him I'm just not as outraged by the Suns scoop as many seem to be.

Got to agree, he has not made great decisions. However the fact that people are worried who we ar sold to makes me believe that he is not as bad an owner al a Vincent tan Venus etc. People are keenly aware that there are much worse owners out there. in defence of him, it looks as though he has spent £300 m of his own money, the debt has not been leveraged on the club as the glazers have. He paid for the redevelopment of the training ground, the hole hotel etc. He employed people to run the club effectively and wanted the club to move onto a self sustaining model ( seems sensible). These people failed. Now Bernstein and King resigning doesn't look good, but until I know the reasons I am going to withhold an opinion. He hasn't been a successful owner, but he has backed the club. Let's hope he doesn't just give it to the first Cowboys that show interest as long as he does that he will continue to have my respect. if the asking price is £50m - could a fan supported consortium not buy the club?

This is my theory: Bernstein has been here about a month. Probably just enough time to do a Root and branch review of the club, analyse the issues and write a paper and submit it to Hollis and Lerner. There is a board meeting attended by vtc by Lerner, he is uncomfortable on some of the changes and wants to adopt some but not all of the suggestions. Hollie later tries to get Bernstein and King to compromise the suggestions. Bernstein and King realise that Lerner is not really relinquishing control and resign. who knows what it was about though. It could be Lerner wanted to appoint Moyes and give him a chequebook. Bernstein and King have disagreed and want a sustainable model. It will probably come out in the wash, but until we know the area of disagreement it is silly to pillory Lerner.

Uranus! I heard that the club wanted to let gabby go, but the cost would be Astronomical

What's sackable about this? You would need to be guilty of gross misconduct to be summarily dismissed. Nothing about being photographed messing about off duty is gross misconduct.

Playing devils advocate here for a minute: he has recently split with his missus, he has kids, can't be in a great place at the minute. No family to fall back on, maybe lonely proffessionally your game is falling to pieces, and it feels there is no way back, he might have even been told that's it and he's out. He is Subject to intense speculation and ridicul. your club has just been relegated, has nobody ever been on a destructive cycle when it has all gone to rat shit. He's not even out, but in a house with some friends ( some friends that would release the photos). Hippy crack, really! Much better than booze or cocaine even cigarettes. Gabby is not a bright lad, and maybe not the actions of a stable family man that one would expect of Lauren, mellberg etc. but there is not much in this story to get excited about. Bigger problems, much more worried about Bernstein and King leaving.

Thanks for trying Remi and good luck, I'm sure you will be a successful manager in the future again. Are people seriously believing that this was Gardes fault? Just exactly how many managers have these overpaid, talentless rocket polishers got to see of before some fans realise it might be the players. being Villa manager this season is like being employed as a woodcutter to cut down fifteen trees a day, being promised a really good chainsaw to be purchased just after you start. Then you're actually told you will have to make do with a canteen of spoons. Guardiola could have got nothing out of this squad.

Not impressed from what I have seen and heard. "this club spent £60m pounds" so what? A net spend of £8mil after decimating the squad year after year. Is massively behind the curve compared to all other sides. I was open minded about his appointment but the fact that he thinks he knows what the problem is after being here for 10 minutes, tells me that he knows **** all. I had some hope before his appointment, but this guy has just nailed that shut. An amateur on damage control. If we do go down I hope Randy gets his fingers burnt severely and a consortium of fans buy the club in a fire sale it's the least he could do.

He's going to have to sit on the bench and learn from Gil for a while I think. Not the best of games to have in front of a new manager. Mind you thats exactly where he should be, pleased to be getting on and getting 20 minutes, developing. He's not good enough player to be a 10 that has to do nothing off the ball ( and Villa aren't a good enough side to carry anyone)

My Man of the Match last night. Thought he showed exactly what he is capable of screening the back 4 nicking play and passing on. He really covers some ground, is quick strong and the only midfielder we have that can win a header. I'd like to see Sanchez and Gana as the regualr pairing in Midfield. He can lose the ball occasionally but I accept that as a part of him not immediately trying to launch it upfield but give us posession to Counter, it can happen trying to find a teamate in a crowded area. I wouldn't mind seeing a system like this: Guzan Hutton Richards Okore Amavi Sanchez Gana Ayew Gil Sinclair Gestede / Ayew This system would let the full backs push up and Sanchez to cover across when required. The bench would provide options/ replacements.

I'd love to see the lineup we had against nots county. As in grealish, Gil and Traore together. However grealish doesnt work hard enough winning the ball back, even Messi will bust a bollock closing down. I don't think we can afford Gil and grealish, so Jacky is going to spend some time on the bench.

Remi just needs to be able to pick the best players, I think no one on here would have put that side out, so he kmac be a shite manager, thanks for nothing. I've no idea what the hell that was Kmac put out! Still struggling to decide if haws making a point, what was it? That he can't pick a team... Well done, now take your leave.

This is just ridiculously unfair. The lad was clearly out of it with the way he couldn't stand up without doctor's holding him FFS. I think you'll find in rugby that if there's any hint of a potential concussion, they take them off for precautionary reasons so you're wrong. If you played after being knocked out then you're unbelievably stupid That's the problem though, real players that will fight for the team wouldn't have gone off, just shook it off cleared your head and carried on. You can't seriously believe that was a heavy knock? He wasn't knocked out, not even a broken nose, it was half a forearm swung backwards, no elbow or fist. I think he has nice ability, he just doesn't have any positive effect on the team, I'm sure I've said this before, but he's not a defensive midfielder, so he should be contributing something offensively..... What is that contribution? What is more damning is that Bacuna is no CM and he didn't look any worse than Westwood.

Right. Elephant in the room first. Starting lineup. WTF? Looked like sabotage from macdonald to me. Bad Points: Clark - sorry I've made my mind up, I've tried to listen to those on here that rate him, but just like Baker all I ever see are mistakes. Needs to be moved on. Guzan - beaten near post, poor kicks. Liability, it says a lot about Bunn that he has not been in apart from the league cup. Back up keeper....actually nope rather a promising youngster. Gabby - could be rusty, but too many games like this. Think he might be done, will prob score in championship. Needs to go. Westwood- powder puff. No balls, no fight, I think he is everything that is wrong with the spineless defeats that have infected our team. I can't understand those defending him tonight, He took a bit of a forearm to the face and he's off, I've seen much worse clash of heads and players stay on. I played rugby to a decent level, and have played on with a broken nose (across my face) and after being nocked out etc. Warriors don't leave the pitch, for having a bang in the face. Hes done for me and can leave as far as I'm concerned. Bacuna - I like his attitude, he's fit and will battle, he's just not a premier league player. I'd keep him in the squad just for versatility and hope I was lucky enough with injuries to never need to use him. lescott - nearly didn't put him in here, but he's past it I'm afraid. Looks like McGrath when his legs had gone, however lescott lacks anywhere near the ability to read a game and even the recovery pace that McGrath still had. Grealish- one of those nights, was worse than useless, I'd be interested in his pass completion stats tonight must be near 50%. My worry after him seeing him flying against a Notts County is that I'd love to see Grealish, Gil and Traore together regularly. However he just doesn't contribute defensively at all, doesn't press effectively, track midfielders, so if he he has a night like tonight he is a negative influence on the side. I'm worried that he's not going to be the player I hoped he would. Obviously not writing Jack off, just a bit concerning. These were ok. hutton - did ok, can play a bit. Definitely not the weak link in the side. Richardson - dont get the the hate tonight, thought he did ok, worked hard, even took a yellow for the team for a foul on Lamela, exactly the kind of professional gamesmanship we have been missing. Amavi is probably the better fullback but a useful backup. Sinclair - nearly made the bad line up. Just don't know what to do with him, showed flashes that there is a good footballer in there, but can be a real passenger. Think the right manager could make him useful. Gestede - limited player, which is hard to get used to Villa fans spoilt with the all round talent of benteke. Still think he's capable of being useful in the right set up. Did ok tonight. Ayew - thought he looked a threat, quick strong and deserved a goal for having a go. Still think he looks unsure of himself, maybe lacking in confidence. Reckon he will be a decent player. THE GOOD GIL - Just a brilliant footballer, can get out of a space smaller than a matchbox, works hard, good vision. I'd like to see him in the 10 role and get on the ball in space further forward. If remix is a decent manager he will base his team around this lad. SANCHEZ - yes there is the odd loose pass, however he was physically shattered at the end of the game because he put himself through the wringer, he broke up a lot of Spurs attacks, nicks it and tends to keep it rather than hoofing away, occasionally the quick flick pass after winning it will backfire, however it is much better than hoofing it upfield. Re I can build a sold side around him as a screen for the back 4

my worry is that after Leicester he got stick trom fans and media re poor substitutions. My fear is that he deliberately put out a poor/ dysfunctional side and tactics so he could make changes to improve it, I don't think any fan would have picked that first half 11.

The first half has to be up there with the worst performance I've ever seen from a Villa side, the only reason we didn't go in behind because SHA had no teeth. Tim could have admitted he got it wrong and tried to go back to what he wants to do, but to come up with this line that it was deliberate tactic and it went well, I find staggering. The first half had no bearing on the second unless he was deliberately trying to show that he can make positive changes which I find worrying. There is nothing wrong with admitting trying something that didn't work. I never ever ever want to see that first half line up and tactics again. Second half they looked good against a weak SHA side. Grealish, Ayew, Richards a positive. Also Clark cannot play DM ever again that was one of the most incompetent half of football I've witnessed, up with JLoyd Samuel home against Reading. Fair play to Tim for sticking him back in at CB there was a diffeRent player (I'd all but sent him on loan). thought Gestede (goal apart), Sinclair & Bacuna all nowhere near good enough.

worse. This is the bad days of Lambert without benteke