zapbranny

I'm trying to keep the faith, but some of this is worrying. To the fans who don't want AM for his blues connections grow up! I'm sure if he had them knocking on the top 4 some still wouldn't want him. However, I do not want AM for the simple reason that he is not very good. Some of the worst football I have seen has been played by his team, relegated twice and one flukey league cup do not make a good manager. Managing one of Celtic or Rangers and winning something is not an achievement its the law of averages. Appointing AM would be such a step backward that I couldn't support the board on this. So there it is, I like to think I'm a reasonable man but if this isn't bollocks and it does happen I'm not going down the Villa until he and Faulkner are gone. This is not a dramatic huff, but its just so obvious he's not good enough for Villa, there would be no progress and I couldn't sit there and watch the inevitable. BUT, I'm sure they are not going to appoint him. Please, please, please, please, please, please let this be a bad dream.

Caught the end of the news on radio city, I've never heard them mention it. sounds like bollocks. I think moves is as likely as mcleish, I.e not ducking likely!

I think if randy is in Madrid, then it can only be sanchez flores. Pellegrini has only been in the job a year. I'd welcome flores with open arms if randy could get him. Premiership experience is overated imo, if your a good manager you're a good manager.

I'd vote for Ancelotti, although I'm not sure he would take it. Might be a chance to prove Chelsea wrong in the Premier league? But I think he is used to the bigger stage and unikely to step down to non Champions League. Don't know if he knows much a bout the end of the market we need to shop in. My guess is he will go back to Italy. Martinez......Hmm not sure, he has got Wigan playing good football, and he has an eye for a bargain player, but Wigan have never looked solid under him. Be a bit of a risk. Hughes.. is a solid manager, however I think he is in the same mould as Moyes, solid unspectacular teams. He would require considerable money, and some of his purchases at Man City weren't great. No for me. Moyes, see above. Benitez, definately not! Fat Sam, definately not! Paul Lambert would be a good choice, but I think fairly he will give it a crack with Norwich first. Rijkard, would be a good choice. He did manage a fantastic Barcelona side, understands how the system works, could identify similar players, he is a big name that woukd attract players and I think would take the job. Come on Randy sign him up.

Why is downing as good as it gets? There could be a lot of younger players out there that will be better I.e how many had heard or seen much of Johnson when we signed downing? I hadnt, he was cheaper and arguably better. When spurs were signing naughton, walker and bale, what have we been doing. We need to take chances on players like Connor wickham and the oxlade chamberlain etc, sure they won't all work out but they will be young enough to have value even if they don't reach their potential. As much as I don't like it, we need to find our niche, to produce enough cash to be a viable business, and who knows one season these players could all hit form in a villa team to suprise people. I wish we could buy whoever we want but I think we should follows arsenal policy buy them young and promising and cheap, if we get good offers then they go to fund 4 or 5 promising youngsters.

I agree with a lot of what has been said. However spurs are an example where it hasn't hurt when berbatov and carrick left, they've invested the money in young players like bale and walker who are now assets. Honestly we didn't miss Barry when he went. Who's to say we won't find somebody younger that turns out to be better than young, players will improve in better sides. Hoilett or jarvis or albrighton or nzogbia could end being more effective. We need a decent scouting network picking them up young and cheap maybe they move on but if they do we make a profit to reinvest. let's face it randy can't keep on pumping money in relentlessly, we are going to have to accept it especially with the fair play rules. I don't think we are in position to pay top dollar for an established player at their peak (bent) all the time. however there is no need to panic over downing, he has 2 years left, if we get an offer over 20 million he can go. if not he has 2 years left and next season he can leave for 15 million if not he will see it out. Whichever way we have proved to be able to get players international recognition and will move them on if the price is right makes us an attractive proposition for up and coming players. we can still be successful with this method.

Yeah he achieved that on a team built by Hector cuper. Arguably the same at Liverpool. There was an interesting article about him recently. His record doesn't really stand up to the hype, so no thanks. Let's try for lowe.

73:30 watch petrov make zero effort to get back. Walking on his own on the half way line. I've had enough of this word removed, why the funk is he getting picked. All these people that say he is a scapegoat. WATCH HIM!

Agree, petrov has gone from anonymous to awful tonight. Apart from city at home I haven't seen anything good from him this season. Bradley has been poor as well.

Makoun seems to manage to find players in space though, and he's only been training for two weeks.

Now, now. Petrov not being MotM means he was shit. Gabby (played out of position) Friedel (too old) Young (played out of position) Clark (played out of position) Petrov ............. That's the difference, I can see why the others aren't playing well (that's Houlliers fault) I want to know what Petrov's excuse is?

Are you defending him because he is getting criticised or because you thought he played well today? I watched all game today and I thought he was poor, against Man Utd I thought he was poor. He is not the only one playing poorly, and he hasn't been crap all season but there are too many games where he looks knackered and off the pace.

Can I have what you're smoking please. I need a laugh. He won as many tackles as Dunne, Collins and Clark combined, got an assist and his passing was accurate. Are you really that **** ignorant? Are you serious an assist! Now I can istantly dismiss everything else you have said as Grade A bollocks, Petrov was running backwards performed a shovel off pass to Walker who then took it on past Sidwell and drilled it from 25 yards, something Petrov is not capable of doing. You can't defend the indefensible. He needs some time out of the side, and then see how he does in a few sub appearances, if he can't do it anymore we should get rid. At the moment he is a passenger, we can't afford to carry them, that is what will see us in trouble again. He is not the only one that was a passenger today, but it is the second game in succession that he has been. Like I said not good enough.

I really think there is some truth in this. I'm shocked at how much stick he's been getting lately. People have forgotten just how poor we were when he was out injured. Answer honestly did you watch today? Do you watch a lot? I can't believe you would say that if you are. I'm not on a witch hunt, but I can't believe there are people defednig his PLAY after the last two games. Like I said he is a nice guy, if I was in the pub with him I'd buy him a beer, but what I would not do is pick him to start in our midfield.

I don't disagree, Brad especially is becoming a liability. That said who is responsible for Clarke at LB? Who is responsible for Petrov being selected ahead of NRC? Who is responsible for the nonsense positions of Young and Gabby? Who is responsible for our best CB again being on the bench? This

Can I have what you're smoking please. I need a laugh.

No they weren't, we let them in the game. They deserved nothing out of that.

Disagree, did you watch today. He is offering very little, and what he is offering isn't very good. I'm sorry, he's not a scapegoat he is either not playing very well, injured or past it. Whatever the reason he shouldn't be playing. I like the guy, proper professional, looks like he cares about the club but you can't be sentimental with the 1st XI. He isn't good enough.

Friedel 4 at fault for both goals Walker 6 (maybe stick him in midfield) Clark 4 (sure his a talented youngster, but a left back he aint, looks a liability there) Collins 4 meh... Dunne 3 (just straight out Crap, happy if he goes in the summer) Gabby 4 (if he is not happy playing on the wing say so, rather than sulking out there and losing every ball played to him) Young 5 (cannot play in the hole, simple as) Makoun 6 (nice passes, needs to be a bit busier covering back) Downing 6 (looked good on the ball, would prob look better on the left) Petrov 2 (his performance today is the final straw, when red nev said he knew it was time to retire, why doesn't Petrov, awful) Bent 5 (worked hard, virtually no service) Houllier 3 (he scores 3 just for signing, Bent, Walker and Makoun and putting them in the team, otherwise it would be -7 for persisting with Petrov, Young in the hole, Gabby left wing)

I'm pissed off with this showing today, absolutely shit. Some people today should be ashamed. If did as bad as this every week at work, I'd be embarassed to take a salary. **** off Petrov, Dunne, Gabby and Young. Had enough of this rubbish.

Fulham have done Naf all to be in this, we have been awful this half.

Dunne can't pass either. This is shite!

stupid tackle, in a stupid place leads to a goal. Petrov is a liability, I can't watch any more of his no pace, backpasses. For gods sake its obvious.

lovely pass from makoun

Walker just showed what Petrov is lacking. Petrov passes it backwards, Walker takes a touch, drives forward past a couple of players and lashes it home. I cannot wacth anymore of Petrov in our midfield. Makoun shows up his passes, Walker shows up his pace. I like the guy but we have become used to sub standard perfromances in midfield. like I said its not his fault but he is past it.