terrytini

And you ca't assume everyone is coming from Birmingham...I live outside Bewdley and can't even get up the hill outside my house. Announcement at 5pm? I need to leave here now to get there, even then would need a snow plough..

Call it off!!!

To me Villa is part of my life, like my family. I would no more vote for a 'worst player' than I would for a 'worst son'.

Each to their own of course, but in my view 100% backing from every fan for every player and every game might just be enough to make a positive difference.

Summary

2) Will our results stay the same with the dire attacking approach or will the results turn into what happened last season when we didn't win for 15 games or so?

I don't share your analysis of the team or the manager but what really makes me pissed off is this kind of thing. Why would any fan deliberately inflate bad news ?

If you include our defeat against Everton in the Cup our worst run was actually 12 games without a win. Poor, I agree, but not 15 ffs !!

(And not dissimilar to Everton who had an 8 game run near the start of the season without a win)

We are so poor going forward and our ball retention is nothing short of being pathetic! We lack quality in midfield and it is without doubt one of the worst offensive Villa sides in recent memory!

Well that says a lot for the quality in the Prem then as we have only lost 1 match since Wigan, are in touching distance of the top 4 with a game in hand, in the quarter finals of the Carling Cup, and 4 of our 'worst offensive side' players could all be in the England World Cup squad !!

The worst refereeing performance for ages, the worst home crowd performance for ages (no singing and baying like heyenas for the tiniest thing). Pretty good support from us, an improvement on Wolves, but nowhere near the vocals of last season.

Thought Heskey had a really good game, superb hold up play and bringing others in, Young and Warnock looked great at times in the Second half - it really will help Ash to have Warnock overlapping like that.

Petrov head and shoulders in class over anyone else on the pitch, some sublime touches, and didn't see any sign of us being overrun despite midfield allegedly being Evertons strong suit.

Collins was excellent.

A point away to Everton, regardless of their form over the last few games, is a good point - and 7 points from 3 games against 3 of last years top 5 is brilliant.

A scrappy game at times, but then I see more and more Prem games like that these days.

Well?

Genuine question for you guys who think we are a one-dimensional unattractive and whatever else side.

Did you watch Man U v Liverpool today ?

Could you detail the big differences between our recent performances, (even a poorer one against Wolves), and the performance of either of these teams today ? Coz I must be stupid but I've watched that game twice now with many slow-mo's and watched ours and was there, and -apart from Rooney and Torres and the ability they bring - I can see nothing particularly different in how either of them play than us other than a few shots on target.

Descended into the usual drivel.

I was simply saying that it is entirely possible that it was harder to attract players of a certain quality earlier than it is now. Yes it is also possible that MON could have got player 'x' but thought player 'y' was better, and has now moved on.

Outside of that there is no more point in me trying to get you to see what is so good about MON than there is you trying the opposite.

I have no desire to fathom anyone who judges everything by League position alone. It is a perfectly acceptable point of view which I completely disagree with. In my view this Club is so obviously improving year on year, 4 seasons running as we speak, which far betters anything since possibly 1976 through to 1982. Regardless of the indisputable fact that 6th is 6th !

I don't know but I think he had to build incrementally. Unless we'd paid silly money and wages I don't think we'd have attracted Downing, Dunne, and Warnock, for example, in his first year or two. We are surely becoming a more appealing club to join ?

And we really weren't that far away last year - swap 2 of Arsenals wins for defeats and vice versa. So I think there is good reason to think we will get close again.

We must change our style to become successful and to change our style of play we must have the right players to do it. O'Neill has struggled to sign such players as he prefers to buy british, rather than also look abroad. His narow mindness will stop success coming to Villa Park

For the most part I just accept you have a different view to mine - although I totally disagree with it.

But this quote is the type of thing that really pisses me off.

You don't know we need to change our style.

You certainly don't know who MON has or hasn't struggled to buy!

And if he has struggled, you don't know why or whether anyone else would.

And you are in no position to know the narrowness or otherwise of his mind.

Stay. For a long long time, as we will get better the longer he is here.

Each to their own - some don't like our style of football - fair enough. Personally I love it. In watching reruns of Saturdays game I found the most enjoyable part was the contribution of people like Milner up the front, on the left, on the right, through the middle, back defending. Brilliant. And our counterattacking style is similar to Man Utd 10 years or so ago - thrilling. Never mind this set play bolox either, goals will come from allover in time.

Apart from a couple of misses MON has bought well, and within our means. We are now genuinely giving very good sides a game - and indeed winning most. He has forged a great spirit, we will have learnt from last year (and have a stronger squad) and will really push top 4. We may not do it, but it wouldn't be a shock if we did.

Unlike those who think he lacks in tactics my impression is he is closer to a sort of pseudo Dutch model, with everyone expected to be everywhere when needed, and players having the intelligence ,with him guiding from the touchlines, to go where needed.

I loved him from the start and have seen nothing at all to change my view he is the best thing to happen to this club since Ron Saunders.

Hello General

I know this has been raised before, but in the light of

'Aggreived fan's experiences regarding getting in trouble for standing I'd like to raise the standing issue again.

I Watched the Champions League Qualifiying round from loads of other Countrys last week and practically all the fans at every ground were stood up. Look at the Ashes, look at Golf, look at Glastonbury!!!

I come to Villa on the Thursday, wanting to play my part in creating a good atmosphere, and we get an on-screen warning!! to remain seated AT ALL TIMES (even worse than before).

You are all puttting a huge effort into this Club but personally the increasingly authoritarian regime (from the City Council I know, not the clubs fault) regarding standing is making me consider whether to bother at home - away, we do it all the time !!

Whilst I am aware of the Safety in Sports Grounds requirements, and their origins, can I ask what representations the club is making, or considering, to the law makers and enforcers to move towards allowing standing as long as one is at ones seat ?

IMO a lot of people view the transfer window like some sort of additional festive style entertainment, and consequently can have 'good', 'flat' or 'exciting ' ones. For many years - probably until the specific window, sky, and internet boards combined - it was just a club business thing. Viewed at like that I think the club has done pretty much what it needed, added to the squad with some real quality (Delph, Dunne ?, and Downing) and some other players who will do well for us, whilst at the same time not doing stupid redknapp like things like splashing 2 years cash on overpriced players or (to coin the appaling new phrase) 'marquee' players to keep certain fans happy.

I thought we'd break the top 4 last year, and believe the same this year with the additions we've made.

Hello General

What a night....brilliant, more than makes up for last seasons defeat (although everyone seems to forget we nearly had them the season before too ).

Anyway, my reason for posting to you...

I can only think of one thing more depressing than our own fans moaning about our team and Manager, and that is if our players and Manager assume we all feel that way.

At Liverpool last night it seemed that maybe that was the case (Martin not responding to the fans - until the end - Ashleys celebration, and Martins comments afterwards).

It may be that I'm wrong. I hope so. It worried me. I'd have felt more at ease if he'd said "some" fans booing rather than being more general. The trouble is, not booing doesn't make any noise !!

Or it may be just that MON wants to put a bit of distance between himself and the fans and I wouldn't blame him, and it may be a good idea.

In any event can I ask for your reassurance that he and they are aware that just as some are unhappy others are not at all.

My main argument is this. I look at what a club like Wigan are doing with their scouting network and minuscule budget (in comparison) and I have nothing but admiration for them and clubs like them. I don't understand why we are not able to spot players like Valencia, Gomez, Palacios etc or if we are why we're not willing to take a risk on players like them to bring much added "padding" to the squad.

Yes, a lot of these players come with risk attached. Yes, some of them will flop. But let's face it, is it any less of a risk than signing Marlon Harewood?

I'm sorry for slipping dangerously into "transfer question" territory and I thank you for your reply.

We actually nicked Marlon just as he was about to sign for Wigan and their much vaunted 'scouting network'...

I think he should stay until we win the League.

Really.

I understand there are many criticisms from those who think he should go, but I would just tackle one of them. A losing sequence as we have had since February always looks bad, just as a winning sequence always looks good. Both are misleading as to where a team is at.

I would just add that I go to all Home and away and am seriously considering Away only. Not because of our form but our fans, who at Villa Park are simply appalling.

At what point would you start to re-think your position on Martin O'Neill?

How far does your support go at a critical time in our (and other teams') chase for the top 4?

What does Martin have to do (or not do) before you begin allowing yourself to think 'Hold on a second Martin sort it out'? Surely your support only goes so far? Only goes to a point? I want to know what that point is. Have we already reached it?

Well you want to know how the loyal ones feel and I regard myself as an ultra loyalist, and all my posts have been pro-MON.

First and foremost I would say that I still believe he is a terrific Manager and am still pleased he is our boss.

As for rethinking my view of him? Well I confess towards the last 2/3 games of last season I couldn't understand one issue in particular, that of leaving Sidwell out and persisting with a 4-4-2 (with 2 wingers) which was consistently overrun. Only Chelsea have to my knowledge successfully used 2 wingers and that in a high quality team and playing 4-3-3/4-5-1 (which worked well for us earlier in the season and in the previous 2 seasons).

That feeling resurfaced after Saturday when again it seemed so clear we needed that holding player.

However, whether that means I question his abilities is another matter. I am quite sure he sees all I can see but more besides, and I am willing to bow to his judgement - I just wish he would explain his reasoning.

Other than that I see no reason to rethink anything. A poor run of results is no more evidence of where we are going or of MON's skills than a good run, and both are equally likely in the short term (by which I mean a season or so) especially with a developing Team.

The fuss about his transfers is, in my view, largely unwarranted. I see little activity elsewhere, and at Centre Back, for example, there is clearly a domino effect waiting to happen because of Man City. I happen to think that some of the maligned signings, like Davies, will be great investments. I don't see any of the players he's released ripping up trees anywhere else.

I agree with his philosophy of careful purchases and no dramatic wage structure changes - look at how West Ham, Newcastle, Tottenham and Portsmouth have all had financial problems recently. These are clubs who bought players many on here were urging MON to get in the last window and the one before - they paid the wages, had a fleeting moment in the sun ,(in some cases) and are now struggling.

I also happen to think that one day a team without expensive 'stars' will win the League. I could go on, but the point is, I'm happy with why he does what he does.

How far does my support go ? If I back someone, whether at work ,in the family, or anywhere, I back them 100%. I don't beleive withdrawing your backing is either defensible or profitable in the long run. Back your judgement. My judgement is that he will get us somewhere special, so I cannot conceive of anything he can do that will alter my support for him overall.

My guess is that he long ago worked out that nobody can compete with Man Utd and Chelsea (and now City) financially. Therefore he needs another approach. I think he is a winner, and that his ambition is to win the League withthis Club. I think he has an idea how he can do it and given time and support (which unfortunately is now lacking) he will do it.

Hello General

Can I echo entirely the sentiments of Eamon Deacy.

Obviously I applaud the fact that the Club listens so readily to the fans, whether they are happy or not.

My biggest concern is that it, as a proportion of the whole, it only takes a small number of boos to be heard, it only takes a few people to call a radio show, and it only takes a few people to be vociferous on an internet site, and all the great stuff happening can get lost.

Such as...

Should we get 5th you, Randy, and MON may enjoy the fact that MON will then be our only Manager since the war to improve our League position 3 seasons running.

You are all doing a brilliant job on and off the field. In nearly 40 years of following this Club I have not enjoyed it as much nor been as proud of it.

Thanks to All

Well I think this "they did it in the 70's" is a bit overated. Most teams in the 70's challenging for everything through a season ran out of steam too - it was rare for a team to be successful on all fronts.

Also, maybe any individual team of players could do it with, say 16 man, but not if the teams you are challenging are using 24 !!

That is why fatigue IS relevant, the mental rest afforded to other teams players has not been available to ours. Things like Man U sending Ronaldo home on holiday every Christmas as he was developing.

But i think the single biggest factor is simple, and it disturbs me, as an unashamed 100% MON fan, I love the bloke and wouldn't ever want him gone, but it was the switch from 4-5-1, just as it was in his first season.

No other team that I can think of plays 4-4-2 where two of the midfield are wingers. Chelsea succeded but that was 4-5-1 (4-3-3) under Murinho. The gaping holes in our midfield have simply place far too much onus on defence and attack meaning neither has had room for an off day. Look at our results when Sidwell played (although like many I couldn't easily discern his contribution) or when NRC played in midfield.

4-4-2 works fine but not with 2 wingers. And it hasn't mattered greatly whether it's been Carew or Heskey, the results have been far better with just Gabby.

I'd like to think it wasn't tactics, but to me the statistics (and the performances) bear it out. Just watch the first 20 minutes against Everton again. The space they had compared to the problem we had against their holding player.

Absolutely. In charge for as many years as possible.

I'd hate to see him anywhere else.

He can make this club into something the way Fergie did with Man U, given time.

And even if he doesn't ..

We will look back on his time as a golden age.

I was sickened by the crowds reaction on Saturday. We had, after all, played very well.

If this is what it has become, win or be booed, I preferred it when we were nobodies.

For the first time I am seriously considering stopping going.

And this isn't heat of the moment, but 2 days later.

And fickle really is too soft a word for some of those people, I can't bring myself to call them fans.

Hey General !!

I stayed late at work on Thursday to watch the match on a computer stream - when I got home I'd missed my tea !! I was gutted.

Any chance of a free meal with MON and the fans ?? :winkold:

Seriously what a great gesture that was.

And in my view what a great decision in the first place.

And can I say how great the stained glass looks, the Holte looks like a cathedrel now.

Although just to prove what a dodgy business it is trying to improve things I have now had to abandon my age old routine of getting in the Upper Holte early and having a pie watching the fans coming in..still my lads happy he's been saying for years he'd rather get to our seats and watch the warming up.

All the Best General.

Hi Gen, hope you had a good christmas.

I hate complaining but i think someone needs a word with some of the staff in lower holte L2 - we bought 2 pizza pods and they both had a best before date of over a week old on them so we went back with them where we were told "dont worry it's just a sticker" and they really tried to not exchange or refund them, in the end they said "well if you're going to be funny about it just have your money back then". Not good service at all when it was clearly them that were in the wrong!

Anorakky additional info - it is perfectly legal to sell food past its Best Before date -(except eggs which must be sold not later than 7 days before the Best Before date).. However if food has a Use By date it cannot be sold after this date (although it may be repacked with a later date with the packers permission).

Must get out more ....

Hello General

I hate to say it when so much good is being done at the Club but I have to agrree with those bemoaning the catering - we are in Upper Holte and despite being in early are regularly given either cold or overcooked food, and we are frequently wrongly charged - it is dreadful.

Anyway my query is something I raised last year but now it's getting even worse. For Years my routine has been to get in the ground at 1.15 pm, or 1.25 at the latest, but we are now kept outside until nearly 1.45 (or its' equivalent, e.g. 2.45 on Sunday).

This leadsd to a build up of fans outside the turnstiles, puts a pressure on catering (by creating a 'surge') and most importantly is ruining the way we've always spent the time before a game.

You have stated several times the Club wants fans to spend longer in the stadium, yet for no apparent reason we now are getting in up to 1/2 hour later than historically.

When I asked the Steward he said they have to wait for a call from the centre - all fair enough, but they have all day to get ready, and I can't understand why they can't simply open at the proper time.

I hate to say it but the 'pre-match' time which has always been precious to me is now, with late entry and poor food, pretty much non-existent.

Whilst the catering may be hard to fix, surely the opening times aren't ?

Grateful for any help General. All the Best...