shambles

Let's not forget we haven't played anyone any good this season either. The fixture list early doors has been very kind to us. The real test is when we start playing top 5 teams, not piss poor Blackburns, Fulhams and threadbare Evertons.

Ok, so mpeople say that our first real test is against Wolves, we got a draw and deserved a win, so then people say that our first real test is against Everton. A poor game and a point later this wasn't a real teal test either? Our only real tests will there for being against the top teams that I think most will agree on that we don't compete against? And if we beat any of them?Or draw? Will our real test be when we play against Barce-**** cheaters-lona? I'm tired of this "real test". We've played 4 games and lost none. Won 1 and drawn 3. Not a superb start, but a decent one, IMO. Even though we played very poor for most of the game today. The more important that we got a point today. Imagine to be Everton today.

First real test was Wolves? I never said that. And you think we deserved a win?

Blues went down last season because they drew too many games.

That's a very strange claim to make.

If you look at where SHA were last season in early Feb, before their League cup win, they were 14th, one place above us with a game in hand, with a record of W6 D12 L8.

They won the League Cup and embarked on a disastrous run of W2 D3 L7, which left their final record as W8 D15 L15.

How in McGrath's name you work out from that their relegation was due to drawing too many games, I don't know.

They were relegated because they lost nearly 60% of their games in the run up to the season end. A couple more draws instead of defeats would have kept them up.

I was basing my opinion on the facts that a) only Newcastle and Wigan lost less games than them in the bottom half of the table and only one team in the league drew more games than them, and that was Fulham.

Yes, you are right in saying that "A couple more draws instead of defeats would have kept them up", but to be fair, one more win instead of a couple of draws would have kept them up.

Let's not forget we haven't played anyone any good this season either. The fixture list early doors has been very kind to us. The real test is when we start playing top 5 teams, not piss poor Blackburns, Fulhams and threadbare Evertons.

Christ, some people on this forum are deluded. We could go the whole season unbeaten and still get relegated, you know. Drawing games isn't enough. You have to win them too. Blues went down last season because they drew too many games.

Yeah thanks we know that.

We're also not expected to go and beat teams like Everton away from home. Although we should be beating the likes of Wolves at home.

I don't expect us to beat anyone. I do however expect us try and beat anyone.

Christ, some people on this forum are deluded. We could go the whole season unbeaten and still get relegated, you know. Drawing games isn't enough. You have to win them too. Blues went down last season because they drew too many games.

Crap. Once again more interested in not losing than winning. Given had the ball to take a GK with 1 minute to go and no-one is pushing up into the Everton area looking to win the game. Pathetic.

HA, you beauty!

We have one player (Bannan) who seems to be able to pass more than 5 yards.

How the fudge we're still in this game I'll never know. Everton deserve to be at least 3 or 4 nil up. Thats not to say they've played well, we've just been so spectacularly bad.

Good result.

* Posts 'not sure if serious' gif.

More interested in not losing than winning.

Our attendance today. Is this a record low for a season opener? I can't remember a prem game that low never-mind the first match of the season.

How long you been a supporter pal? is this a record low for a season opener? not even close. Can't remember a Prem game that low really? under Big Ron in 1992/93 the season we finished 2nd we got 19k odd against Crystal Palace and that wasn't considered exceptionally low.

Todays crowd was disappointing but not anywhere near as bad as you are making out. McLeish hasn't lost us 8k fans. Lack of ambiton by the board and people losing their jobs/feeling a financial pinch certainly won't help attendances though.

I'll echo that and say that I'm one of those people. I'm picking and choosing games again this season starting with Newcastle.

Quite happy with the point. First away clean sheet in over a year against a Fulham side who are well ahead of us match-fitness wise. Looking forward to Blackburn now.

1) I don't buy the preseason excuse. Was it not our opponents preseason too?

2) Reserves? To be fair, only the Defence consisted of reserves. And 2 of those were big hope (future captain?) Ciaran Clark and 50k a week man Habib Beye. The midfield and attack was a team that I'd be happy with starting a premier league game and created **** all so I don't buy that at all.

I'm not going to get too worried yet, but we started reasonably well with the win against Walsall and seem to have gone backwards. Roll on first day of the season.

The entire Harry Potter series. To be directed by the bloke who did Prisoner of Azkaban. The rest of them were dire.

Why the fiuck is Collins taking set pieces?

All this game has shown is how far behind Chelsea we are on and off the pitch. The team is shocking, and I havent seen 1 Villa shirt in the crowd. We've been brought out here to be whipping boys for PR for Chelsea in the far east.

Biggest problem for me is Collins. Every time he gets the ball, WHACK.

Starting to get irritated now. Can we not keep the ball on the deck at all?

Delfouneso has been fine, but needs to be in the middle.

Yes! Gabby is an absolute no mark leading the line. He has been absolutely shit and for me this has been the case since he bulked up but what do I know. We look **** desperate out there now but **** it hey everything will sort itself out for the league right? AMc won't have us playing toothless 4-5-1 like he is now, like he did with BCFC all the **** time.

My mom said if you can't say owt nice, say nothing, so...

I see Whelan is running his mouth off in the press again about other clubs being interested in Zog. **** him, I'm sick of him, pull the plug now and go for someone else. He made us look like words removed over the Martinez move, making a big deal in the press about us being in for him, knowing they already had an agreement for him to stay. He's getting cocky now, I say bollocks to Wigan and Dave Whelan.

From the Guardian:

It is, of course, easy to see why Downing is attracted to moving to Liverpool. As well as the chance to line his pocket, he is joining a club that appears resurgent under Kenny Dalglish. They have spent close to £100m since the start of the year and are genuine contenders for a top-four finish. Villa, on the other hand, are sliding in the opposite direction. The appointment of Alex McLeish as manager lacked imagination and top-six finishes are a thing of the past.

Whether Villa could have done anything about Downing's departure or not, the reality is that the former Middlesbrough winger has become the fourth England midfielder to leave the club in the last two years. Villa, in other words, are a selling club that serve as a stepping stone for players with greater ambitions.

click

I hope that article hurts you and Randy as much as it does me General.

If ever there was a poll with a leading question with the intention of getting a majority positive verdict, this is it.

If there was ever a poster who would start weeping once they realised their spoilt brat attitude wasn't adopted by the majority of fans on this board then you are it.

Popcorn time! :eek:

True but appointing such a poor manager wasn't exactly going to make him think "hang on" .

Face it appointing McLeish has sent a big signal to everyone -including players - taht after such a rubbish season last season we are settling now for longterm mediocrity at best and austerity.

Unfortunately, you've hit the nail on the head and this sums up how I feel. We're just falling further and further behind the big boys and I can't see us reclaiming a spot in the top 6 for the forseeable future. I don't blame any player, especially an England international with a bit of ambition who wants out of Villa at the moment. Darren Bent must be wondering what the hell he's signed up for.

Hmm, this all looks horribly familiar. Deja Vu you might say. Liverpool acting the way they did with Gareth Barry all over again?

In all honesty, if he went to Man City, Arsenal, Chelsea or United, I wouldn't be that bothered, good luck to him. They're the big players.

Liverpool though? **** off.