Ooh-Ah

I think that's a little harsh. He didn't write us off, he just said it's a good draw for Bradford (which it clearly is). Presenters in that position are just desperate to find angles; the most obvious one last night was that the underdogs got a favourable draw. I, too, was annoyed that he said our last final appearance was in '96 against Leeds. But come on, you can't expect presenters of football shows whose job it is to talk about football with footballers to know anything about football. That's just crazy talk.

Norwich?

Given is past his best, I think we can all agree on that, but who are any of us to say that he doesn't genuinely believe he can get back in the team? I think any suggestions that he's happy to just sit on the bench and see out his contract are a little out of line.

MAN AND BALL.

I'd like to see Bennett come straight back in to be honest. You can't fault Lichaj for honesty of effort but I'd rather we had someone at LWB who's more comfortable on the ball.

I don't think Salifou was on 40k a week.

Who did Everton find for £7m and is better than Darren Bent?

Agreed.

I agree with you to an extent Richard, I think it's fairly clear that Lambert doesn't fancy him or think he fits the system. As much as I personally like Darren Bent, that's fair enough. Lambert's the boss and Benteke is a serious talent. I just find it hard to believe that he really thinks Bent isn't even worthy of a place on the bench. We nearly got relegated last season, and this season we've started out even worse, so I honestly don't think any manager of a club in our position can justify completely freezing out a proven goalscorer like Darren Bent. No matter what system we employ, Darren Bent is good enough to at least make our bench. I think that's pretty obvious to everyone. I obviously have no idea what's going on behind closed doors but if I had to hazard a guess, I'd say Lambert initially dropped Bent for footballing reasons, which he has every right to do, and then was unhappy with the manner in which Bent reacted. Maybe he sulked a bit, maybe he didn't put the effort in at training. Lambert, eager to stamp his authority on a squad with history of indiscipline, put his foot down and said "Right, if you don't buy into this project, you don't play". Which he has every right to do. A lot of speculating there I know but to me that seems to be the most plausible sequence of events.

I'm with lexicon. Lowton is a much, much better footballer than Delaney ever was. Delaney did a job for us but he was seriously dodgy.

Hahaha

I got an open letter from Gareth Barry.

Until I came along with this nonsense? I'm not the one who brought up the 'Let him die' chant. I couldn't have, because I didn't know about until I read about it in this thread. As for not addressing your argument, I really don't think I could have been more thorough in that regard. And to be honest, I think my reply was rational and respectful. I think it's kind of ironic that you're slating me for pursuing a "petty" rant against United fans (if they actually sang what they're accused of singing it isn't even remotely petty), while at the same time instigating an infinitely more trivial argument with me. I have no desire whatsoever to put a dampener on the spirits of this thread by dwelling on negatives. I simply feel as though the issue shouldn't be ignored just because it's unpleasant.

I'd say NV is a pretty reliable source. And personally I don't think it's petty to get indignant about what the United fans allegedly sang. I agree that making an issue of it isn't necessarily going to help Stan recover, but equally I don't think that kind of despicable behaviour should be tolerated anywhere, in any walk of life. It's depressing if some fans are using the minute's applause as a basis for attacking opposing fans, I completely agree with you, but I don't think opposition fans should be exempt from criticism if they blatantly disrespect the ritual.

I have to take issue with this. I really don't think anyone in the game thinks Harry Redknapp is a good coach. A good man-manager maybe (although Darren Bent might disagree), he has a good eye for a player certainly, but a good coach? I saw an interview with Kyle Walker a few weeks ago and he was asked if Villas-Boas had a different approach to Redknapp. Walker started laughing and said something along the lines of "Just a bit, yeah. With Harry we just played five-a-side, with the new gaffer it's more technical." I'm paraphrasing but that was the gist. Personally I would absolutely hate to see Redknapp at VP, but that's just because I think he's an odious git. And frankly anyone doubting the Lambert project already needs their head examined. We're clearly playing better football than we have been the past couple of years, the players look hungry and committed, and the majority of his signings are already showing great promise. FFS we've only played 12 games! We were never going to get off to a flyer with the amount of new, young players in the team. CHILL THE F*** OUT.

Yeah I posed the question to one of my friends who was at the game (a United fan, in the Holte... I know!) and he said the United fans were chanting during the minute's applause but he couldn't make out what they were saying. He said it must have been something bad 'cause the Villa fans went nuts.

I wasn't actually at the game so maybe I shouldn't have spoken so dogmatically but according to NurembergVillan they did.

The Sun?!?!!? Talking bollocks?!?!?!?! We must do something!

I'm sorry, virtually every proper football fan in the country HAS to be aware of the 19th minute applause by this stage. Either that or they haven't watched a single Villa game on TV in the past year. (Which, to be fair, might be understandable.) Having said all that, I can understand that a lot of people who go to football games aren't die-hard football fans - especially, and I mean no disrespect, at clubs like Fulham. I have no doubt whatsoever that if these people knew about the ritual they'd join in without hesitation, so the fact that they're being slated for not doing so is very disappointing. If people join in, great. If they don't, I don't think it should be interpreted a slur on Stan. The United fans' behaviour last week was pathetic (if not unsurprising) and should be publicised. If they chanted "Let him die" during a minute's applause for a sick Liverpool player the entire world would go into meltdown. Yet again more evidence that smaller clubs like Villa don't matter. That's why when the worst refereeing decision of the season goes against us, the country's leading highlights programme completely ignore it and instead spend 20 minutes sucking off the opposition's captain live on air.

At first I was fuming, absolutely convinced it was a bad call, but then I saw the replays. It was a foul.

To be fair, Petrov was poor for a lot longer than four or five games. I think the problem there was that people felt as though MON was persevering with a player simply because HE signed him, when at the time he clearly wasn't up to it. As for Bennett, it's still early days. He looks okay on the ball but more than a bit suspect defensively. But it's far too early to judge him properly.

I thought he played really well against Sunderland, he's clearly very comfortable on the ball and he looked very composed throughout. Bannan was good as well, so it'll be interesting to see if KEA comes straight back in. I've always defended Ireland but he just isn't doing it at the minute, so maybe play KEA and Westwood holding with Bannan in Ireland's position?

I don't think Given's the type of guy to just sit on the bench and see out his contract. By all accounts he's a really level-headed, down to earth person. I'm sure he'd be much happier to get £25k a week to play than get £50k to be back-up at Villa.

we signed zat knight just hours after he and his gang member brother were arrested for drug and firearm offences at the house zat bought Did Knight get convicted? No, Knight just happened to be visiting his brother at the time of a pre-planned police raid. He only happened to be in Birmingham as he was signing for us. Exactly. If the club thought there was any chance of him being found guilty of anything serious then I'm sure they would have pulled the plug. Same goes for Benteke. The incident happened last year so Villa obviously knew about it and they still forked out £7m for him. I think that says it all. Incidentally, how funny would it be if we started singing: "Freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee Christian Ben-tek-e" ...to the tune of 'Free Nelson Mandela'?

we signed zat knight just hours after he and his gang member brother were arrested for drug and firearm offences at the house zat bought Did Knight get convicted?