GREAT_BEARD_OF_ZEUS

Richards is a prime example of what has been a massive oversight in Villa's transfer policy in recent times and that's a complete lack of character profiling. As a result we've ended up with a squad of players with huge personality defects (in a footballing sense). We have a team lacking in maturity, confidence, spirit, respect, work ethic... the list goes on. I know not every player has all of these characteristics, but you have to try and get a blend of guys together who have enough of them to carry the ones that don't. A good example of a team that does this well is the New England Patriots in the NFL (I know its not football but bear with me because the point still stands). They built a core of players who were so strong in that respect that they could regularly take risks on troublesome or problem players who other teams wouldn't take the risk with - what happened was that if these volatile guys played up, the senior core of the team would put them in their place or at worst not allow them to disrupt the mood of the team. Richards is a loud guy who plays the joker a lot (see the Christmas secret santa video as an example). He's come into our squad of quiet, shy, impressionable players and all of a sudden he's made himself the alpha male. Now that in itself is fine, we do need that type of character, but sadly he's shown himself to be quite immature at the same time. His reaction to Ian Wright on twitter the other weekend was embarrassing and if rumours of him taking the piss out of the new manager by doing impressions of him are true then that's even worse. In nearly all other teams there'd have been senior players who'd have had a word by now, told him to knuckle down rather than lash out on social media, show respect rather than play the clown, perhaps even told him to wise up and stop being so stubborn with regards to his demand to play at CB who knows! I have no doubt that Remi Garde has pointed out the flaws in his game and spoken to him about his lack of positional awareness, but he's like a cocky kid at school who thinks he doesn't have to listen to the teacher. Now there's a fair few assumptions in all that, but I'd bet good money that it's not far off the mark. But despite all that and regardless of how bad he's looked recently, Richards is a good player in the right team/squad... just not in this one.

I hate to say it because I really didn't like his behaviour last season, but perhaps the most sensible thing to do now would be to get Pearson in and start prepping for Championship football immediately. I hoped the Garde experiment would work, but it hasn't and it looks as if he'll be taking a squad completely void of confidence into a league which he has absolutely no knowledge/experience of. It's time to stop gambling/experimenting with our great club and do what's right.

The Championship is absolute gash, I mean Gestede scored for fun there last season... for Blackburn!! However it's no place for some of the light weight, soft arses we seem to have collected, so we need to bolster the ranks with a few grafters. Beyond that I'd keep as many of the current lot we possibly can and see what a year of winning football matches does to our team, an extra year of experience and a winning mentality may set us up nicely for a return to the prem in 2017.

I know we haven't got the players to support a team with them in it (or arguably a manager who can set up a side to accommodate them), but it makes me groan each time I see Traore, Gil and Grealish sat on the bench. What an unbelievable waste.

Oh man, I saw it tonight and I hated it Like people have said, it's just a copy of A New Hope - why!!? I'm going to sound like a moaning old git now but for what it is worth here's my other gripes:

It'd take a turn around of epic proportions, but right now we just need to stay alive until January. At that point if I was Lerner, I'd gamble big and bring in some quality, senior footballers who are up for a fight. I know people are saying "who would come?", but if I stood to lose 100s of millions of pounds, then I'd offer new signings/loans very good money and even then say to the whole squad "you stay up, you share £100m, but it's proportional to minutes on the pitch and performances"

Bunn Crespo - Okore - Lescott - Clark Llori - Sanchez Adama - Gil - Grealish Kozak Easy, bish bosh wallop, we lose 3-0

I don't want to get too carried away because I've learnt that usually when I do (where Vila are involved), it ultimately leads to disappointment, however... His team selection on Sunday had me shout "OH THANK GOD" out loud in the pub when it came through. You could visibly see the team had a shape to it, something which was lacking so often with Sherwood's sides, plus he made changes were positive and had a purpose. He looks and sounds the real deal. Neither the introverted mumbly dullard nor the swaggering, over-confident pretender we've had the last two times. Everything he has done so far (touch wood) has been for me bang on, right through from from the things he's said to the things he's done. Very good appointment.

Play both Kozak and Gestede and just pump balls up to the penalty spot like Man Utd do when they bring Fellani on.

Disgraceful! Get out of my club you ******* **** dinosaur! Sorry but that line up just smacked of sheer arrogance, either that or complete incompetence and i'm not sure which is worse.

It is very rare that I agree with Lawro, but you can't argue with what he's just said on MOTD extra. Remi Garde is a huge gamble having never having managed in the PL, and it smacks of the type of decision making we've been making as a club for a long time. Personally the romantic in me wants RG, I want him to come in, get the french guys back on track and play some attacking football to fire us up the league. But that same attitude saw me get very excited about the likes of Veretout, Adama etc coming in the summer... it doesn't always work out like that.

Steve Haunt'em Savo Milose-witch Hassan Kach-ghoul Steven Warlock

Premier league experience is a must for me. We can't afford to go with anyone young or untested in this league - it's too big a job. I don't mean that in a Man Utd 'big' way, but in that there is so much extra to deal with at Villa over and above other clubs. The malaise we're in is going to need someone who can draw upon experience to deal with it.

Positives Richards is a BEAST!!! Won everything in the air and bullied their strikers. Jack is sheer quality, came on and calmed everyone down by simply keeping the ball. Ayew showed he IS quality. Looks like the initial poor form was down to settling in. Negatives Lescott is not the same player he used to be. Was easily shoved off the ball, very disappointed by him tonight. Veretout still needs to impose himself on games more, too quiet and gave it away a lot. Bacuna is still getting a game.

Veretout probably needs to come off for his own good now

Meanwhile in Germany, Lewandowski has just scored 5 (yes five) goals in 8 minutes against Wolfsburg. Bayern fans have probably just experienced more excitement than we'll do all season!

I think the fairest thing to do would be to euthenise both sets of players at half time. Neither set of fans deserve to watch such utter utter garbage, such an embarrassment.

Watched Legend, Hardy 10/10, other actors 5/10, story 3/10. As someone has already said, the Spandau Ballet version was more entertaining and had a much better and more believable cast. Emily Browning for example came across way too confident and 'together' to play fragile little Frances. Also just watched Alien vs Predator Reqium (after avoiding it for so long), who knows, it might have been half decent if they'd have remembered to use lights!

Regardless of the clause, it'll be down to the choice of the player at the end of the season, it always is. I think it'll be one of 3 scenarios: 1) He does reasonably well, builds a bond with the club and he chooses to stay 2) He has a stormer, but regardless of where we finish he gets lured back to Liverpool 3) He does shit, no one wants him and he goes back to Liverpool

Given the apparent breakdown between the Baggies and Spurs, then Berahino's subsequent tweet, I reckon someone could steel in there, offer a similar figure and snatch him up. A savvy manager would be making that phone call.

It was Andy Burton at West Ham, I have a feeling that he spun it that Ade wanted West Ham because that's where he's reporting from, but he added at the end that he's sat on his sofa hoping for any kind of move.

We're clearly setting up to play the Spain 2012 tactic of 6 in midfield with no strikers... Guzan Bacuna Richards Lescott Amavi Traore Veretout Ljajic Westwood Gana Grealish

Palace played well in short spells against Arsenal, but at times overcommitted players forward and nearly got done on the break. If Wenger had played the Ox and/or Walcott I think Arsenal would have won much more easily. I would go 4-1-4-1 ----------------------- Guzan ------------------------ Hutton -- Richards ------ Clark -- --- Amavi --------------------- Sanchez ------------------------ Adama --- Westwood --- Gueye --- Sinclair --------------------- Gestede ----------------------- Sanchez as extra protection against that impressive attacking midfield, plus if he drops back deeper it allows Richards to focus a bit more on that right hand side if they're getting through Hutton. And if Bolasie plays (and plays well), he'll destroy whichever one of our right backs we play. On the counter we then have pace on the wings and a big man to hold the ball up if we need to. It also allows us a plan B of bringing Gil and/or Grealish on and quickly going with our Chritsmas tree formation.

Well transfer rumour would suggest it's that Keita bloke, but i thought he was more of a left winger? Could it be Fernando Llorente? He would make sense if we're not in for Ade anymore.

Cheers Czechlad, always appreciate a bit of ITK! I hope to the heavens your mate is right!!