drat01

Risso - what a strange statement and typical of the anti-DOL at any cost that seems to taint some of the discussions. Are you honestly saying that this time last year you wouldn't have been happy with Mr ellis being replaced by Mr Lerner? Thats how it reads and I think if thats the case you are in a small minority. As many have said the last chairman stifled so many managers and you can see the impact a new chairman is making all around the club. I think all agree that MON is a better manager than DOL but that isnt the point here. This time last year there was a bunch of people who seemingly called for DOL out any cost, wheras others took a differing viewpoint pointing the blame at Ellis. DOL under Lerner would have been more succesful than DOL under Ellis

ANY other manager?! Randy and O'Leary?! :shock: :? :evil: TBF Risso - I think a lot of people would have been happy with that say this time last year. MON was a complete surprise, a very welcome one albeit, but the view that some have is that any manager working under Ellis was never going to have a chance. Look how many failed!

I think your last paragraph is perfect summing up AVFCinSpain

AVFCinSpain - See I disagree slightly with you in that post as you seem to imply that its only a DOL vs MON thing, when in fact its nothing like that. The old argument of each managers capabilities is not one that can be really assesed as the rules they work/ed under have changed radically. Far too many people IMO, are assuming that the manager is the sole key to any success

TRL you know as well as anyone that I didnt see eye to eye with the DOL out at any cost campaign that some on here waged. After saying that though the timescales that MON has had and just as importantly the timescales that Lerner and the new backroom regime have had to assess the real turmoil that was at the club meant that sufficient time wasn't there to invest wisely in the right players. (Note: I still do think that MON is a better manager than DOL and Lerner is far better than Ellis) See from MON's comments that we are not going to go on a Chelski type mass signing spree but probably on bringing in players that will improve the squad but not cost the earth. To do that you have to assess whats here and just as importantly whats available at the right price. In addition to back that up the infrastructure that will help fund these signings has to be put in place. For me I think we can judge one way or another how things have gone post the Jan transfer window. In terms of how well we do this year then I suppose top 10 will have to be accepted as being good, below that probably should be regarded as poor

surely that would get round the issue of yellow cards as the ref would get no answer

Pete - Im sure if one of the kind mods could retrieve the threads that followed his arrival you will see the general upbeat mood of most of the posts about the fact we had signed a player, when at the time it appeared again that we were going to go through a transfer window without any new additions. The point is more general though in that for a club like ours where new players are needed and that has been echoed by the current and past manager and the players, the impetus that they bring is major. Thats why personally I will be dissapointed if we say only signed one player in the window along the same lines of the DJ2 signing which smacked of appeasement for the manager and the fans of the time rather than for the benefit of the club. The expectation levels of the fans is probably too high still, but then again thats what fans do.

For me its a fairly simple thing, January. We have seen over the past couple of weeks that the squad needs improvement in various areas, the enthusiasm factor of a new boss and new things is starting to wear off and injuries and suspensions will start to kick in. If MON is allowed to, and is able to bring in new faces then the impetus this will bring will be significant. A couple of years back the sole signing of DJ2 was greeted like he was the messiah, but it did show the impact that new faces to club can bring. Expectation levels were talked about by the past manager and TBH he was right in that we as Villa fans do sometimes expect far too much based on what the manager has to work with. Under the new regime though things do seem to be a changing and for that the positive feel about nearly all aspects of the club does seem to be helping. Bottom line we now seem to have the right mix in terms of manager & board. There are still a few gaps to be filled in but it looks good. How long before its the finished article? Who knows but at least now we have the builders in and they are working

He would be a tower at the back but probably wouldn't be able to play because of suspension.

Would we be signing Bridge for his crossing?

you fairweather fan you :wink:

You aren't that bad Risso - don't put yourself down

Whats so difficult to understand? JG perfectly sums it up

Is this just one of those polls where you get my name and address and in a few days I get a phone call telling me I have won a holiday?

Nigel Callaghan :shock:

Excellent post Pete - as I have said before at the Ajax ground in the corporate bit they have a whole area dedicated to previous winners of the cup, including a section on AVFC (and a pic of the fans where you can see a certain poster from VT if you know where to look :oops: ). Winning the cup whatever year it was is still considered, rightly, as a major achievement. Why Villa appear to have shown a reluctance to really celebrate that night you can argue was down to the previous chairman. I suspect that the vast majority of fans would like to see the star on the shirt

They were pushing the away shirt - green and black stripes and its on there. I cant say I saw any signs saying it was a special shirt for Europe. EDIT: It looks as though its their league kit

I've been in Glasgow today and the Star that the Celtic badge over it is very noticeable

Pilots do wear seat belts yes. On coaches should there be seat belts? In train carriages should there be seat belts?

Nope. But when you are 160 tons + going at 100 miles an hour, i dont think a seatbelt will save you in a crash anyway! True - I just didnt know if some sort of regulation made you wear one or not - you have to ask then why you wear them on a plane (but I do know its because you can be thrown around the cabin and the stopping distance is a lot more severe)

Rev - do you have to wear one when driving the train?

I think if he takes Brian Kidd with him then they have a good chance over a period of time of doing well. Like us though the appointment is far too late for the transfer market so he's pretty much stuck with what they have which will make it difficult for him at the start

Im with Gringo and Roberto - Turkish Delight is excellent

:-) VH - I just laughed out loud at the though of Al doing that

Just as a side point there is a small town just outside of Chicago called Villa Park - I got a few photo's Ok back on topic and sorry for that