The Fun Factory

The biggest problem for England is not Roy Hodgson, it is the chronic dichotomy between expectations and the actual reality of the fact that bar the odd year, England have always been a average international side. 1 Semi final or better in any summer tournament other than than hosting one at home hardly makes us a big hitter in the international scene does it? That is on par with the footballing powerhouses of Bulgaria,Turkey or Poland. Villa don't count for England at present as we are not in London or Manchester. Delph, Gabby and possibly in the long term perhaps Lowton and Westwood might one day get in the squad.

Good times You say what about McLeish going dutch?

You realise the second one is a joke I hope? But but.. it actually sounds more genuine. No really I found it in my email box........

I think O'Leary did a similar thing when he was at Villa. I had a look in my old emails and have dug it out:- On behalf of the team and my staff, this is a genuine note of appreciation for your ongoing support for me since I sadly left my dream job at Leeds United and for the contribution you have made to the atmosphere that has typified our games here at Villa Road. From the outset, we knew that establishing a tight, robust relationship between the fans and myself to make the Club challenging with the likes of the Charltons and Middlesbroughs again. Collectively, we all want to see a team that is average, a team that wants to try to pass the ball square and a team that steps out in every game to try to pick up points. We have started off playing really well despite the Chairman’s best efforts, the team is doing okay at the moment and this is very pleasing as this shows that I am a really good manager and should not have been sacked at Leeds United. Did I tell you I was a club legend at Arsenal? Inevitably, we experienced growing pains last season but over the second half of the campaign there was a big coming together and a massive effort to secure the results which gave us that platform to continue to build and develop. We’re a different team from that now. I think this has vindicated my choice as manager by the chairman, who says I am like a son to him. The level of performance has been particularly satisfying. Even the most dyed-in-the-wool optimist might have struggled to see too many points coming from the run of games we were dealt at the start of the season, including the Charltons, Middlesbroughs and Boltons of this world. These teams will aspire to be right up there in midtable when the Barclays Premier League comes to a conclusion in May, and we should be challenging to be as close as we can to these established Premier League sides. That we competed all the way with each of them is testament to myself. The players enjoy coming to work, as they can listen to me telling them about my playing days at Arsenal, as I hold the club’s all time playing record for them. They are a good honest bunch of lads. Your backing of the team has helped a bit. It will continue to take time for the group to realise its true potential as a established Premier League side, but the foundations are strong now, the players' increased resilience will help them to deal with setbacks and to overcome them and the further strengthening of the squad by our great Chairman that took place in the summer augurs well for its continued development. But that’s our challenge over the coming weeks and months – to continue to strive to move forward as a Club and to build on what we have, an ethos and a philosophy which sees myself and the Chairman at the very centre of what we want to achieve together. David

I think one of his advisers needs to get him of the interweb for a while, as I thiink that what the youngsters say. Just needs to shut up and remember that he is supposed to be a half decent footballer.

On the subject of the shirt change it is really weird watching Cardiff at home, as the fans still can't make their minds up on it. Its a mixture of blue, red and other. Coupled with the seats all being blue, it looks like some odd summer friendly match being played. I still get confused when a team like Everton or Chelsea turn up in blue whilst the 'bluebirds' are in their newly branded red shirts. Just confusing.

The best away day ruined yet again by TV. Hate modern football etc. I have no idea other than contractual reasons why this is on. In all probablility it is going to be 2 mid table teams playing each other for the right to come 12th.

Well it would I am afraid. Early kick offs are always atmosphere killers, and being a Sunday near Christmas I reckon a few will be doing their shopping or family things instead.Out of interest does anybody remember the last time yewunited at home was not televised? Still better than the 5.30 ko, which is a serious pain in the ar*e.

Strange one Little quitting. He built a good team. If Collymore was a disasterous signing so was Saša Ćurčić 4 million was a lot of money then and he was on 12k a week which was very high wages. He was useless! Never filled the role Tommy Johnson had played so well the previous season. Sadly I don't think you can blame Collymore Little quitting. I think villa was just too big a job for him. Bringing in SVC and Curcic were major factors. Little had a tight happy unit with few egos, and those two help create a bad dressing room vibe. I also think Brian had some family problems, and it all came to a head and he quit. I would question the fact that the Villa job was too big for him. The previous 2 seasons we had come 4th, won the league cup and got to the FA semi final, and the year after we came 5th. Since the 1930s at Villan no one has made them come in the top 5 2 years running, nor since. He was often talked about being a future england manager but I think his heart was never in it after he left us. It would be nice if he could come back in some capacity at Villa one day.

Gus Poyet has as much managerial credentials as Simon Grayson or Gary Johnson. But because he was a great player and has an exoctic accent, he was given the job. Sunderland is increasingly looking like a managerial graveyard.

He was a complete disaster for us, he probably led to Brian Little quitting, he is a wifebeater and a dogger. So no, not really a fan.

It has now 24 hours since the end of the match and I cannot recall a single piece of it. Nothing.

Lambert rates him and when he comes on he puts himself about a bit. I have no idea if will ever come good and get a regular place, but at the moment he is another option in the squad. Lambert did not buy him from Chesterfield on his goal to game ratio. He bought the potential. For example Kevin Keegan played 141 times for Scunthorpe and scored 22 goals before his road to Liverpool, England, perms, and bad pop records.

Went to the game, but as it was a 8 hour round trip I went straight to bed last night and gave VT a miss. Now I am up and fullly refreshed I will give my 2 pence worth. It was a dull match. You can't say otherwise. Due to a slight technical hitch (having a extra pint in the cheapest pub in the world and local traffic) we missed the first 5 but I dont think I missed much. I think both teams at least subconsciously were fairly happy with a point at the start of the game. I thought it would be a draw but I thought we were good enough to score at least 1 V Hull. On the plus side we kept a clean sheet from a toothless Hull side. From that peformance I am suprised they have started so well- though they could probably say the same for us! As ever, I think many Villa fans are not happy unless they have something to moan about. 4 points V City and Hull is a excellent return. A second clean sheet in 3 games is good as well. Yes we were not at our best, but really there was only 1 team that could have won and that was us. If our front 3 had a better day we could have knicked a ugly win. I though Vlaar and Clark did their jobs well yesterday and Delph is maturing into a real class player. I was also pleasantly suprised with El Ahmadi as I am not his biggest fan. Still it was another ground to tick off and at least Hull's programme is a decent read. That was probably the highlight.

He also has predicted 8-1 west brom against Arsenal. Copying Ripping yarns score lol At some points from last season I think even Barnestoneworth United could have given us a game, Thats one for the teenagers.

Sir Herbert Doug Ellis OBE. Local entrepreneur, brewery owner, property developer, and bon viveur. Inventor of the bicycle kick.

I can certainly see why you would say that. People always put Crouch down for some reason but he was genuinely a good footballer in his prime, scored some cracking goals. Helenius clearly has skill with his feet and hopefully he'll gain his shooting form like he did in Denmark. He has got a good touch for a big man......

I think that is a little harsh on McClaren. I admit he was car crash television when in charge at England. He was a failure no doubt. But would that mean Graham Taylor was a terrible manager too? Outside the England job, his CV is decent. A well respected coach and when he was at Boro they were always a solid midtable side. Not the most interesting of sides, but what theyhave done since he has left? A low level championship side. He won the League Cup and took them to the Uefa cup final. He followed Sir Bobby's advice and went to the Netherlands, in which he won the league title. Has Moyes got one of the those? This Derby job is probably his last chance to turn his career around, and he might well just do that. I would have him over TSM any day. Ooops, double post sorry.

I have no idea really but maybe 11 points- Hull (A), - Draw Spurs (H) - Lose Everton (H) - Draw West Ham (A) -Lose Cardiff (H) - Win WBA (A) -Win Sunderland (H) - Win I am sure we have some good peformances mixed with some bad ones. Bar Spurs all these games are probably winnable, but still not sure on the home matches.

The last time we thought we had a banker V the barcodes, we probably put in our worst performance in the league this season and lost. So who knows? Though Hull have started well, I thought West Ham could have easily got at least a draw last week in Prescottland. If we can win this it would be a real momentum builder. We haven't drawn yet and it wouldn't be the worst result on Saturday. 1-1.

He'll have a rest after next week. We cant rest our best midfield player surely. I don't think we have to rest players, unless they have lost their form. Which in the old days meant that you were dropped. We don't exactly have any cup or European matches to worry about. No extra fixtures until January, in a 38 game league. We might only play 41 matches this season, whereas a team like Swansea will be playing 50+.

I think he likes the Villa?

Perhaps this is down to the fact we have played 4 of the top 7 teams last season in our first 6 games? You always have less of the ball v the better sides.

These free travel lark only goes to coaches direct by Villa, ie you have to leave from Villa Park. As for those you live a fair way from the Villa and use supporter coaches, they have not got anything from this, which is a bit annoying.

ARGUABLY? The day those mustard guzzlers from Norfolk are a bigger club than Villa will be when pigs fly! Lambert looked at the potential at Villa, the stadium, the training facilities, and the sheer class of the club and thought that will do for me. Just like when Taylor left a good Watford side to come to us. The potential at Villa is frightening. If only someone could ever achieve it. For a promising British manager, getting the Villa job is still one of the best managerial jobs around. I absolutely agree with that. Our potentially is at the very top end. Not only do we have the infrastructure and the potential fan base but the city itself is evolving, it won't be long before a richer man comes along looking for a new toy. I hope Lambert is firmly embedded in the club by that point. Good point. I like the stat that Birmingham is the youngest city in Europe, in a time of the ageing society. Villa must tap into this, and not casually let thousands of potential supporters become plastic liverplop or manure fans.