Sly

Dawkins just sounds like the 2013 version of Wayne Routledge to me. Completely pointless. Will come off the bench a few times and then disappear into the abyss. Unfortunately, so will the rest of them.

He looks classy and plays a cracking four yard pass, but I'm starting to think he might be a case of style over substance. Doesn't seem all that influential to me. Only a few games in, though, so will reserve judgement, obviously.

I've got a horrible feeling we'll end up with Bennett, Stephens and Bowery by close of play tomorrow. And that's it. :cry:

Nah, won't be Clyne. He's going to a London club. My guess is that Sheff Utd right back.

Don't....just don't.

Simon Grayson 8)

This is a weird one. Every time I watch Bannan play, he seems a level above the rest of the team in terms of technique and ideas. Must be something missing with him at this stage, though, if Houllier doesn't fancy him. For the record, I really, really like Bannan and think he'll tear up the Championship.

Watch/listen to this... All you need to know about that pile of shit film.

Lmao Gotta say this guy has taken the mick out of us as a club He wasn't wanted where he was but didn't have the bottle to say no to being a make weight in another deal so we end up holding the baby, literally. I respect him even less than Unsworth I'm astounded by this.. What has he done that's "taken the mick out of us as a club"? He hasn't once badmouthed the club, the manager or his colleagues in the press. He has turned up for training when asked to, he has trained with the reserves and youth team when asked to. He signed for a club in crisis, with a caretaker manager and was nothing but complimentary about the club when he signed. He WANTED to come here. It was a culture shock to him, leaving the club he had been at since the age of 15 but he WANTED to sign for us. He refused to sign for Sunderland and Everton and signed for Villa. The only thing that he is guilty of is poor performance in the few games he has played for us. There are mitigating factors but people on here have decided that, since he's not James Milner, he's shite and a waste of money. When he signed, everyone knew he was of fragile character. Everyone knew he was a confidence player. So, why was it so surprising that his performances dipped when his manager castigated him to the media? When his manager told him, to his face, that he was not wanted at the club his performances suffered. Why is that a surprise? He refused to request a transfer, because he wants to stay here and earn his place in the team. He was told 2 weeks ago the club did not want him to go on loan, that there was a clean slate awaiting him when his knee injury cleared up. After hearing that news, he was elated. Overjoyed. Chuffed to f**k. Finally, he was able to start the ball rolling on moving permanently to the midlands. His missus, who has been waiting nervously for confirmation of where they would be living for the next 3 years, started making plans to move to the midlands. Now, that's all scrapped and they have to move up here to Newcastle until May. 60k a week is all well and good, but when you're being dicked around and lied to no amount of money makes you feel better about it. However, in spite of all of this, he has told AVFC that he wants to come back to the club in the summer and try to change his manager's mind about him. Now, tell me PLEASE, what has he done to take the mick out of AVFC?? Great post and fully agree! Unfortunately, we've lost our most creative and technically astute midfielder and didn't even get the chance to see the best of him. I'd have given anything to see Ireland line up with our current squad in our current mood. I don't even count prior performances as, like someone else said, our entire starting eleven was shite. Ireland would thrive in our team right now.

Remember Petrov's debut at West Ham? He looked phenomenal that afternoon and probably hasn't hit those heights since. Makoun's debut at Wigan certainly wasn't anywhere near that level, but we'll see how he adapts as the season progresses. He certainly shouldn't be judged too harshly after one game. I think us signing Bent and thus removing a lot of pressure from Makoun will only be a good thing. If we could take anything from last night, it's now clear Makoun isn't some season-changing destroyer who can singlehandedly change our fortunes. I get the impression some felt he would be just that when he signed.

Taking long? 24 hours ago none of us had a clue this was even on the table. To be honest, this is one of the quickest 'big' signings I've ever known during my time supporting the Villa.

Until he signs, Bent was yesterday's news. Simples. There is nothing new to report so far. We can't exactly knock the coverage SSN gave the Bent story yesterday. It was the stuff of meltdowns.

Men and thugs against boys and pussies at the moment, I'm afraid. Barton, Smith and Nolan are bossing the midfield and Carroll looks a million dollars against out back line. Albrighton looks like a 12-year-old out there and Carew is in full retard mode. We got no chance.

Go and watch THE ROAD. Just do it. Now. Incredible film. Nearly as good as the book.

I was the same as you guys until this week. I hadn't ran for around 10 days (because of the snow/ice) and was getting really pissed off with the white stuff after the initial novelty of it. In the end I just bit the bullet and got the trainers and trakcsuit on. I'm not mad enough to hit the normal roads I run (I don't want to die), but I did manage to get some good running done in the nearby park. I literally just went and did 20 odd laps of the park in foot-thick snow and it was fine. Obviously it feels a little strange to begin with - and there is still the mild danger of slipping - but it was easily do-able. You're much safer sticking to the fluffy white stuff, as opposed to the beaten down ice on the roads. Running on snow is also a brilliant workout - far better than just running on the roads. It's a lot tougher and you get more out of it when all is said and done.

On a Halloween related note... 'Trick R Treat' comes out on DVD Monday. Well worth a purchase. One of the most intelligent horror films I've seen for a while.

Watched 'Paris, Texas' last night... Holy shit. Great film. Fairly slow moving in parts, but it grips you from the start and is shrouded in enough mystery to keep you interested throughout. Also includes a couple of inspired scenes in the form of Harry Dean Stanton and his long-lost son mimicking a funky walk home from school, plus the legendary porno-theatre, 'you can't see me, but I can see you' monologue between Stanton and his stunning ex-wife. The Texas landscapes and score also add some points to a remarkable film. 9/10

Synecdoche, New York massively pissed me off. I really wanted it to be great and went in as a huge Kaufman fan - only to quickly realise why he usually stays the fook away from the director's chair. Great screenwriter, but a terrible director. He needed someone picking that shite apart. It was about 45 minutes too long and the pacing was horrific. I liked the concept, but the execution of it was a monstrosity. Even PS Hoffman couldn't save that sinking ship. I'll stick to Eternal Sunshine, Malkovich and Adaptation for my Kaufman fix. Mulholland Drive, on the other hand, is a stunning piece of work and the best film since the turn of the decade.

Michael Bisping will be headlining against Wanderlei Silva that night. Watch this space.

BLOOD MERIDIAN by Cormac McCarthy. One of the deepest, sickest, goriest, grimmest books I can ever remember reading. Imagine being the last man on Earth, stranded in the middle of some Mexican desert somewhere and having to come to terms with the fact you are going to have to eat your own limbs to survive. That's how the book makes you feel. It's also fooking genius. I've never read a more graphic detailing of pure violence in all my life.

Yeah, and how do you define 'best prospect in the world'? ...Because if you seriously think Nathan Cleverly is 'the best prospect in the world' you ain't got a clue about boxing. Sure, he's a good fighter, but Cleverly isn't even the best prospect in Wales.

Definitely an all-time great. Up there with the Alis, Robinsons, Leonards, Haglers, Durans, Hearns'? I'm not so sure. He certainly could have hanged with the Fab Four in their primes, but Floyd's resume still fails to stack up against the top tier greats. His best wins are against Hatton 140, Castillo at 135, Corrales at 130 and De La Hoya at 154. That's a good spread of wins but, De La Hoya aside (and maybe Hatton) I don't think Floyd's exactly beaten a gang of first ballot Hall of Famers. One of the best of the modern era no doubt, though. If he does fight again, the only man left is Miguel Cotto at 147. That would be a nice fight to go out on.

Casual fans make me sick...

I can't see it starting anytime before 4am. Vegas are 8 hours behind, remember. Saying that, though, the undercard isn't likely to hang about. Lacy SHOULD dust off Manfredo within six rounds, and Daniel Ponce De Leon is a killer puncher so his bout should go early, too. Hatton-Mayweather about 4.30? That would be my guess.

Not really. Baldomir was a plodder, didn't have the footwork, speed or skill of Ricky. Gatti was shot and C class club fighter who took punches to land punches. Neither are comparable to Ricky. Boxing's a dirty business, full of bitter people. Woods is promoted by and best friends with Sheffield promoter Dennis Hobson. Hobson used to promote Hatton on his US cruise of the Collazos and Urangos of this world. Then came the fall out. Hatton went after Mayweather, and Hobson was left behind. I wouldn't read anything into what Woods says on this fight. Besides, his point was ludicrous anyway. Hatton is NOTHING like Gatti or Baldomir.