paulanddonya

We are up and down - we know now what we all knew already, we have a good defence, the forwards are crap and the kids should be given a chance.

We are in the Cup QF and if we get 4 points from Fulham / Blackpool, we will be around 6th-7th in toucing distance of 4th.

So yeah, I expected a transition period, we are in a transition period, and although the table looks worrying, it is deceptive, a win on Saturday and we could be up with Spurs who have just beat the European champions.

Ecstatic no - but content yes- I can see progress.

General

Can I suggest something to the board, and further on, the Premier League. (although, I would be amazed if this hasn't been thought of, as it is blindly obvious, and if not, then you / they should be employing me, not the person they are !!!)

The 49's v Denver game at Wembley has yet again brought up the idea of inst this this 39th game played oversees. I think everyone who cares about football is against this idea (and the people who want money money money want it)

So, my idea is, why not have a cup. Similar to the Baseball world series / Superbowl.

Played in Asia, consisting of the top 8 teams from the previous Premier League - thus (this year) Chelski, Man U, Arsenal, Spurs, Man C, Us, Liverpool, Everton.

The asians get what they want - the top teams playing

The top 8 get what they want - money , and it is a reward for finishing top 8

Fans get what we want - no premier games shifted elsewhere

Everyones a winner.

And I reckon, and you would know, you would probably earn more money from 1 of those potential 3 games (QF,SF,F) than the entire Europa League

Seems blinking simple to me - what is the difference between playing this and the Emirates Tornament or the Peace Cup ?

And if you want me to work for you, give me more than my salary with guarentees over redundancy, a company car, my season ticket and free away tickets and I'm yours !

Paul

PS - Baseball - two things

Giants World Series Champions !!. Brilliant, at least I support one winner !. (by the way, Villa Park could learn a lot from AT&T) Did you watch it, I could only listen over here.

Have you ever raised the question why we don't sing the National Anthem here before the game, like in the US, and if you did, what was the answer. I presume some people think it is corny, I myself think it gets the blood pumping and the crowd up - I wonder why it has never been done here ?.

(also)

Blues - well at least we seem to have a manager who recognises the fault, "defensively we are solid, we don't score enough goals" - 4 yrs it's took for someone to realise it !!. We totally totally missed the boat on Darren Bent, nowt is guarenteed, but I'd hazard a guess, if we had bought him, we'd have been playing Inter Milan in a few hours, not Spurs !

live from the aston social. Wierd team, but at least we've got a boss who actually knows different tactics. We will know in two hours if thats a good thing. Pred. 1-0. Written for heskey winner, ferguson to be sent off

Gen

I don't usually come on here and have a go at the board. The old manager certainly, some of the players, mostly, but very rarely the board.

This time I am going to though. I have said, in fact, anyone who has any connection to the Villa, whether that be fan, media, ex-player - what-ever, has said for 4 years - We need a guy who can put that round thing, into that rectangle thing.

And here we are, 10th in league (as we stand with teams below us having to play), and that is exactly half way - 4 points from Champions league, 4 points from relegation.

And here we are, coming into November with our new manager saying "We had chance after chance, but we just couldn't score" - well, there is a saying over here "No shit Sherlock !"

Even when MON quit, ther eshould have been someone with the bottle to say "We need a forward" and when Houllier was approached, he should have been told "It is apparent we need a forward - recommend one and we shall try and get him".

But we sat there, and we pay the price. January - who knows, as far as all I can see we can get is an over the hill Robbie Keane - 4 yrs too late.

I have seen enough in Houllier to see the long term is bright. But we have just totally wasted 4 yrs of progress because someone at the club couldn't see what every other person in the country could.

Very disappointing, because it is the same as Ellis - always 2 players away, and we always will be. (and I think Young knows it, hence his reversal in the contract talks)

First - the positives and there are many

I thought we played really really well yesterday. I though twe passed the ball like we haven' done in years. In fact, sometimes I think we overpassed it, but i am not complaining with that.

Ireland - honestly, I have been watching the Villa since 1976 - and properly since 1983. I know he is a bit older than when he joined but the guy reminds me of David Platt !. I watched him yesterday and he was making some unbelievable run. Obviously he should of scored, but the run to get there !. there was another and I shouted "Go on Steve 10 seconds before everyone saw it. The abll went out to Young on the left, Ireland was on the right wing, about 10 yrds in their half. He then ran like a bullet, diagonally into the penalty area and met Young'scross with a flick header. the touch was too faint and Terry cleared it, but the run was superb.

Now, unfortunately, we have Platt - what we need now is a Cowans - cos we ain't got it at the moment !

Downing - worked like trojan. Covered Beye on Cole for 80 mins (the first 10 Cole was given the space of the West Midlands, either Houllier or Downing himself spotted it, and Cole was non-existent after that.

Clark - jesus ! - the kid is good - just keep him this time !!! - England international within two years.

Negatives

two

Carew - not him exactly, but what he represents, which is, not a good forward line. Every top club has a guy that you think "We need to concentrate for every second of this game, coz if we switch off for 10 seconds, he'll put the ball in the net (Torres at VP last year, Rooney at Wembley come to mind). We haven't got one, we know it and more importantly, the opposition know it - this means they can commit people forward knowing they can cover us.

NRC - now don't get me wrong, i love him, but that last minute infuriated me. Not for missing it, that happens. The fact that (and I was right behind it) as soon as he was through, you could see it in his eyes, he had no intention of going for goal, he was looking for a penalty from the second he got clear (and he should have got booked for the ridiculous dive !) - if that was Drogba we'd have gone bananas - I was fuming and still am.

We should have won that convincingly, as Stoke, Spurs and Bolton - we didn't, but long term the signs look good.

I've never really been a drinker - the odd Budweiser is my norm.

But if you are ever in tenerife (maybe Spain in general) have a local drink called vanik Apple.

Basically an apple liquor - have it with either Lemonade or sprite with ice - it is like 60% proof pop !

Absolutely georgous in the heat, get drunk very quickly and very cheaply !.

(Smirnoff Apple is similar - on trial here at the mo. - I was told it was a girls drink - who gives a shite - it's georgeous !)

Sitting here in Hereford, watching ball by ball updates on MLB.com

Giants fan, got family there, go and see them every time we go over.

Went this year on 10th August against Chicago - lost. Coldest I've ever been I think, it was 11 degrees in the city (colder on the bay) , now I've been on the Holte in colder whether, but the difference is, I am not in shorts and a t-shirt !

Very exciting at mo. - 2-0 up in 7th, but padres have two on base !

Two things came out of the game.

1. Houllier has very quickly sussed that Petrov cannot, and could never run past 60 minutes. At the moment (although it will change with experience) Albrighton is the same.

Now unfortunately, he realised 10 minutes too late today, and thus, you can't play Spurs with 9 men and expect to get away with it.

2. Carew - he is finished !. When you know that you are buggered when Heskey goes off - you are in trouble !. The only reason he got on today was due to Gabby's injury. I don't really expect him to feature very much ever again.

Look - we are gonna be inconsistent for a while, disappointing result, but not catastrophic. two away games, 3 points, if we win our home games and do that away, we will finish rather nicely.

He just needs sort this knackered midfield out quickly.

(oh, and because of that, I don't blame Dunne. He had Crouch to contend with, you needed the midfield to pick up the second balls - they didn't. It's too simple to say he should have played Cueller !)

Well jesus H christ - WHat the feck has gone on with Emile !

I bet Carew went "Shit !".

The most depressing 1st half I think I have witnessed.

This was the best thing for me though, coz at half time, for the first time in a bloody long time, it was obvious the manager knew where it was going wrong, put it right and look what happened.

Obviously Ivanhoe and Young are going to get all the credit - but I want to pay respect to Bannan and Sidwell.

In a dire 1st half, they worked tirelessly - es, not all of it came off, but they still worked. 2nd half, it was coming off and they deserved it.

I couldn't believe it, for the 1st 30 mins, the only person trying on the pitch was Sidwell (look at the shot) , he put one ball wrong and a lot fo the Holte were on his back "F off you ginger c..." - scapegoat !

Good result, and with only us, Man U and Arsenal left of the top 8 - you have gotta fancy our chances again ! - Brentford or Wigan please !

Gen, the Victorian clock on the Lower Concourse L5 - its a lovely thing that probably cost 1000s and has never worked.

Thank you.

By the way, Are you sure we appointed Gerard houllier - any guy who can get Emile Heskey to look that good must be called Jesus - surely !

Help !!!

Justin TV - no Sky Sports News - says taken off by broadcaster.

Have Sky cracked down ?

Also

Iraqgoals seems to have disappeared.

Is it my computer or am I now buggered

Thanks Gen for listening, I will be interested with the outcome. One thing I will say, which also coincides with the abusive language in the family section, is that people who were on lesser budgets with kids maybe went for the cheap package - thus you ended up with people in the enclosure purely as it was cheaper, and not because they wanted a "family atmosphere".

As I would imagine it is about time discussions are made for next year, a family deal for all parts of the ground I think may be an option.

You didn't answer the clock question - please tell me it's sorted !.

Also, and I know you have been bombarded with questions regarding it over the past month, but has a twist.

Regarding the screen. I can understand that it may have had to be taken down due to the work carried out - but why wasn't it just put back up wher ethe new "very amateur" one is. There is shed loads of room heightwise and, from the naked eye the new screen looks wider so that cant be it, and as there are no seats there, it wouldn't have impaired any view - can you shed light on this ?

Thanks as always

Paul

Gen

I know this is a small thing, but it is a small thing I have raised time and time again on here - and still it hasn't been sorted.

I went to the Bolton game, and forgive me if I am wrong - it didn't kick off a 10.23.

CAN YOU PLEASE FIX THE CLOCK IN THE LOWER HOLTE CONCOURSE !

3 yrs we have had a lovely, Victorian timepiece that someone can't be bothered to put a battery in.

It may seem a little thing, but we aren't talking a million pound to put it right. In fact, put a ladder by it - and I'll bring the battery !.

Seriously, you go down to have a chat with your mates at Half time and you don't know if it is time to go back up.

I can't understand the problem, surely we have a maintenance person who can change a battery !, or are we that hard up

Edit

On above, listen to the fans. the worst league attendance for about 4yrs. I've raised the concern each April for 3 yrs. As Whitney Houston said "I believe that children are our future" - so if you agree, stop hiking the kids season tickets up, and maybe people will bring their kids, the attendance will rise, the kids will want the kit....etc....etc....etc.

The match day prices, I admit cannot be beat. But ST's for kids have rocketed over the past two years, and you are now paying the price.

Well it sums it up doesn't it.

A crap Bolton, without their goalkeeper and best defender - and who is man of the match...........Brad Friedal.

A truly shocking performance. Friedal , L Young, Ireland and Collins were the only ones I can give credit to.

I am just glad that muppet of a supposed management is now gone.

Houllier MUST see a few things.

1. Ashley Young is one of the best left wingers in Europe.

2. Luke Moore is more use up front than Ashley Young

3. Petrov and Ireland cannot play in a 4 man midfield, it is one or the other

4. Petrov cannot last more than 55 minutes, which makes point 3 an obvious choice !.

5. I agree, Gabby could play that hold up player superbly. However, if he does, you need a goalscorer alongside him, as at the moment, te system is ruining Gabby !.

I honestly dont think there is a lot wrong. Put Ash on the wing, get Downing or Albrighton on the bench, get Reo Coker in midfield, put Carew up front until Jan. then try and get a goalscorer in - and I honestly think with a bit of imagination and tactical nouse from the guys on the bench - we can go far.

Wierd, I came out Villa Park , not disappointed, not fuming, just bloody happy it is over !.

Long live Sid and co. !

Well we should be

a) bouyed with the new manager starting work monday and players wanting to show what they can do.

Smarting after the defeat and manner of it, at Stoke

They should be

a) Depleted with jaskalainen and Cahill out

In a transition faze , trying to play more football and not just lump it up to Davies.

So, gotta be only one result - loss !!!

Only kidding, I am expecting a comfortable win, maybe 3-0 - very very distraguht if we don't beat a depleted Bolton at home !

And here endeth the lesson as to why McDonald is not good enough for the first team.

2 games running, we are totally under the cosh.

2 games running, he should have took one of Downing or Albrighton off, put Young back into the midfield, and he could have gone one of two ways.

Put either Carew or Heskey on to hold it up, or another midfielder to shore it up.

The first game, we got away with it.

The second - was inevitable

Bloody stupid and annoying !

Gen

You said our legal team are looking into the shirt. The fans MUST have an idea what is happening with next seasons shirt before this goes on sale.

From my point of you - you tell me this shirt will be for two seasons, gues what my son and daughter will be having in their stocking at Xmas, and guess what I will be putting on mine !.

If it lasts until May - forget it - I ain't wasting £150.

We MUST know.

2. About the shirt - surely FXPro have something to say on this. They have just given us a tidy little amount of money, which presumably they gave thinking there would be around 25000 people advertising their company around the streets of Birmingham for the past 4 months.

Surely, if our legal team are looking into it - aren't theirs ?

Paul

PS

By the way, apart from the fiasco - I like Nike kits. They are plain - but thats what is right about it - Claret Shirt, Blue sleeves. No fancy patterns, no silly colours, plain claret and blue thank you !

Gen

I for one am very happy at the appointment, isaid in July, Jol, Ranieri or Houllier for me - I got what I want. (I stick stick by my Curbieshley rant though. I was very unhappy about that).

Two questions.

We all know about the French commitment, and Gerard saying he hopes to be in the dugout against Bolton, but perhaps Blackburn.

Can I ask, does that mean is he not at the club until this time. Or, is he there for day to day training, running the club, seeingthe players etc., but just has to go back to France on certain days ? - no one seems to know.

2.

All the way through this, it has been mentioned by Gerard and Phil Thompson that (and I am sorry, I can't think of his name) the french coach that he worked with at Liverpool was part of the team. But this hasn't been announced anywhere. Is he ?, will he be ?

Anyway, good news, I won't say I told you so with MON, but I did, didn't I.

I said the other day, to me , we are going back to the Graham Taylor way of thinking - you eat, bleed, sleep, think and crap Aston Villa - and if you don't - go and play for another club.

And I like that !

No he didn't.

They asked about transfers, he said it is notoriously hard in january but we will see.

They asked about top 4 this season, he said, basically, long term we will get there, but if we are lucky with injuries, and maybe get one or two players in - then this season - why not !.

Doesn't sound to me as if he said "We are not buying players in January"

but then again, who bloody cares if he don't. He has got a 3 yr contract, not a 3 month !. Judge him / the club, after that time !

edit in fact this is his quotes

We need to improve the team gradually. I don't think January is always a good period because you don't get the best, but obviously we will prepare for the future

The team will probably improve in the long run and if we are spared by injuries and also manage to get one or two players at the right time, then why not

Can I just up the optimism here a touch.

If this goes well, and how we expect, we couldn't half be sitting in a very healthy position come 2012.

It's been intimated everywhere, Houllier wants to get teh Villa boot room going. Thus, he will be there untl he decides he's done his bit, and leave someone already primed to take over (at this point, McDonald seems the guy, but that could change tomorrow).

So in 2012, we have improved, and have continuity.

At that stage, Fergie will be gone, and Moyes will almost certainly replace him - bye bye Everton

Capello will be gone, and Redknapp will take over (it can only be him or Woy) - bye bye Spurs

Whatever happens elsewhere, Liverpool are in the shit, and are crumbling as we speak, I can't see Woy changing it and he has now said today he needs to trim his squad - bye bye Liverpool

And we, will be sitting there with a team of Gabby, Ash, Delph, Fonz, Bannan, Albrighton, NRC as well as others Gerard and his team bring in - just reaching their prime - and we can start reaping the CL bucks !.

Life is all happy again

Feckin hell people grow up !

Jesus - he is not saying his objective is to finish 12th.

He is basically saying what we have all bloody said over the last 10 yrs. We have become a mid table side !

One that, in the last couple of years has started to challenge, but always failed at the last hurdle. His "year on year objective" is basically to turn that mid table side into a side that doesn't fall away and gets there - ie: Improve year on year.

Do you really think at the age of 63, he would take on all the pressure, as Phil Thomsposn said, work 12 hours a day, be away 4 or 5 nights a week - if he was happy to finish 12th.

And do you think Lerner would have employed him if he said he thought he could get us between 7th and 12th.

Just grow up for god sake and stop trawling the internet for ANY little thing that you could possibly criticise him for, and face the fact - Houlliers WORST league placing was only one place off ONeills BEST !

Just reading from Newsnow about reasons for Phil Thompson not accepting the chance to work with GH...Interested particularly...

"Had circumstances been different, I would have been delighted to accept the chance to join Gerard Houllier and work with him and Patrice Bergues once again at Aston Villa......."

Would appear from this then that it won't in fact be KMac as GH's assistant.

Liverpool Echo

That to me sums it all up.

I can't stand Thompson and glad he isn't coming - but look at the reason why !

Because Gerard Houllier will expect who-ever works for him (and I would imagine that is players as well as management) to work , eat, think and crap Aston Villa.

And there, for me, is the reason why he is the perfect appointment !.

We are going back to the days of GT mk 1 - and I for one, am ecstatic !

you've been sucked by the reform acquisitions ltd propaganda machine.

Its a terrible appointment. It's like bringing Peter Withe out of retirement to play up front.

He's too old. too out of touch, and the fire in his belly has long since gone.

I'll be proved right. Houllier will be gone in the summer.

Errr

Gerard Houllier 63

Roy Hodgson 64

fabio Capello 64

Alex Fergusun 69

Harry Redknapp 63

Arsene Wenger 60

shall I go on...................................

Unnecessary

:bonk: :bonk: :bonk:

You're so funnnneeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee ! , I am sure Fozzy Bear is on this site.

Lets look at it.

Finished no lower than 5th in England

Won 2 league cups, 1 FA Cup , Uefa Cup, Super Cup

Won French league twice in last 4 yrs, when he left to take re-control of the French Football association.

The same job he took up 12 yrs ago, devised and set up a training academy that England are now copying in Burton on Trent

Helped to bring through Frances golden generation like Petit, Henry, Viera and the likes

And until we nicked him, was being tasked to do it all again.

So lets get this right, I can't do the maths but I reckon he has won, on his own, in two of the 5 powerhouse leagues in Europe, more trophies than every single one of our managers put together since around 1910.

AND PEOPLE THINK WE ARE TOO GOOD FOR HIM !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bring on Miss Piggy !!!!

Great appointment, time will tell if it is successful. But a great appointment !.

Makes me laugh - just heard Collymore criticising him. Is this the same Collymore that was bombed out (to us unfortunately) by Houllier for being a "Spice Boy" - yes Stan, thanks very much, I'll take someone elses opinion cheers !

a)

Brilliant quotes above. Exactly the guy I want at the Villa - reminds me of GT that does.

think of Villa 100 times a day - you joking mate - I think of Villa EVERY MINUTE of the day. I have kids, I have a very responsible job (which I will be leaving for when I have posted this) , I have other interests - but when I am doing all the above - I am thinking , discussing, arguing about the Villa.

Now bog off bag to Small Heath ! - 7 posts since 2007 = do you erally think we are thick !