The Fun Factory

The pitch has been great since it was relaid about 8 years ago. Before that it got too hard and we got a few injuries from it.

I think it's just people have been pinching Wigan's wingers ever since Utd signed Valencia hoping they're just as good. We did it with CNZ. Wigan's best players over the last 4-5 years have all been wingers/strikers, and there has always been a bit of a media hype around the players too which make people who don't really watch the games think they are in fact quite good. Well I wouldn't say CNZ is a proper winger. That has been the problem for him at Villa. He was bought by TSM to replace Young and he is a different player than him. And hasn't settled in/been fancied by the managers ever since.

We can only hope like the house of usher, Manchester United will collapse on itself in a orgy of bitterness and remorse. I am still waiting.

Has this one sold out yet?

Unless he gets injured or knackered I can't see Bennett taking the place ahead of him this season.

I am fairly confident he will be starting V Rotherham to give Benteke a rest,

Lawro has predicted liverpool to win 1-2. What a suprise. He thinks playing midweek will get to Villa which I think is nonsense as the season has barely started they should be fresh as anything.Have to wait and see if the BBC expert pundit is proven right.

Yep. Another midfielder and possibly a versatile defender as back up. We are down to only 2 centre backs and we are 2 games into the season. And Vlaar is known to be injury prone. But I dont think we are desperate for a signing.

Do you guys think he will start v plop on saturday, as will Clark be fit in time?

If the FA wanted to stop managers saying anti ref stuff, then they should stop the postmatch interviews. The managers are usually so pumped after a game they say stuff they probably regret afterwards. But they won't as the TV companies and papers love it as it help to frame the story.

I havent seen any of the match, but it all sounds promising, if not a bit annoying which should have got something tonight. I dont want to get all Wenger on it is it is a long season and we might get a bit of luck another day. To compete head on with one of the favourites for the title does bode well for the season. I don't know what Lambert has done to Delph, as it he turning into the class player we hoped when we bought him 4 years ago. Big shout out to the fans who went tonight as it took a lot of guts to pay £52 to watch the Villa at a venue in which 2 of the last 4 leagues games total 15 conceeded and 1 goal scored.

Lambert out.

This is a farewell but not a goodbye, I am sure of that. Once he gets this horrible illness out of the way I do think he has a lot of potential to be a excellent coach for the youngsters. But get well first stan.

Yeah loved that as well. He looks a lot more confident now as the manager. Amazing what a good preseason and a cracking result does doesn't it?!

A lot of the Arsenal fans looked bemused by it all when we were singing it out the ground afterwards. Mind you outside the big games I don't think the Arsenal have sung for years!

Yep. He did some good things at Villa. He worked with a lot of the players he inherited. He brought in Laursen, Bouma, Aaron Hughes and Solano for little money. He got the best out of Hendrie before his career hit the skids. He promoted the youth, he played Ridgewell Barry, Davis, Cahill and gave Gabby his debut.He was the only manager to play Angel the ball to feet at Villa, and he scored over 20 goals. Shame he was a prat or it could have worked out wonderfully. I do think Lambert 'gets' Villa much more though.

DOL was dead jammy at Leeds because he simply inherited a great foundation that was put there by George Graham. He was an appalling Villa manager who was totally & completely out of touch with the feel & heart beat of the Club & it is no coincidence that his managerial career crashed & burned when his inadequacies were laid bear for all to see during his ignominious Villa park tenure. No I wouldn't say Dolly was a appalling Villa manager. The first season went way ahead of expectations and he had to manage that from there on afterwards. On a small budget he got a 6th place finish and if I remember, we were in the hunt for a top 4 right til the last game. The second season was a mid table 10th, but we never looked liked being in a relegation battle and occasionally dabbled in a UEFA cup hunt. I think most Villa fans would take a 10th this year. The last season was poor but I think the general malaise in the background with Ellis got to O'Leary. He was given some money to spend and did not deliver at all, coming 16th. I still dont know what happened with all those villa player press releases after the season, very strange. I would say at the best times under O'Leary the Villa played better passing football than under the direct 442 of O'Neill, who had miles more money to spend. The main problem in this era of 24 media, was his personality. He never seem to take to the club. He always went on about his Leeds or Arsenal days. He always talked down the club, and when we had the bad year in 2005-2006, he had no fan support.He was ruined after Villa after being seen as a bright young manager just 3 years before. Take note Paul.

I dont really get Di Canio. When I went down to watch the Villa V West Ham in the Houllier season, the upton park club shop had Di Canio scarfs. I mean it was about 10 years since he last played for him and he was only at West Ham for about 5 years?! He was a decent player but hardly a great. If he was a British manager would he have got a Premier League job on the basis that has got a decent league two side with money promoted to league one?

Much as I like watching a car crash, I do think Sunderland were a bit unlucky on Saturday. It could go either way under Di Canio, the players could gell and they do ok, or they could crash and burn. I do have a bit of time for Sunderland fans. Haven't won anything in 40 years and still get over 40,000 in virtually every home game.

Starting to play with his brain now. I wasn't a huge fan of his, but to his credit his peformances warrant a starting place.

Not that I am really fussed but they have to get a striker. I mean on saturday they created plenty of chances only for numerous times to blast it over. Its about time a big club had a really crap season, and here is hoping its the Arsenal. Mind you its only 1 game etc, etc, and they could still come around 4th and win a cup.

Trent, that was bang on. Should be printed off and put in Villa's changing room! No matter now bad it got last season, it was still better than McClueless. That spurs game and wigan away were 90 minutes of awful non football by average over paid players on autopilot. Heskey in midfield, no one should have to pay to watch that! Lets not go overboard but it looks like we are heading in the right direction under a manager with a plan. That doesn't usually happen at the Villa.

Someone on another forum had a rather interesting post on manager image. http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=82210528 That is funny. I like. Lol. The only thing I can add is that John Gregory was tracksuit in 1st half of Villa career, when we were tearing up the league and his was being touted as a future england manager. As soon as he went sophiscated with suit, waistcoat and coat, we went backwards. Were the 2 linked? Who knows.

Isn't Frank Skinner and Adrian 'toby jug face' Chiles enough to dislike West Brom? The fact that they insist they are the premier league's most wackiest,zaniest, loveable fans? That the 'great escape' of 2005 is their most talked about achievement of the last 30 years ? That they have such a massive chip on their shoulders that they hate bothe us and Wolves with a passion?! I shall look forward to their meltdown with relish.

What was with the whistle and flute yesterday? I thought he was a tracksuit man.