briny_ear

More than that, some complete disasters, e.g. Connoli/Jol; Grant/Mourhino.

I wouldn't be at all surprised if the current bottom 3 ends up as the final bottom 3.

If Houllier had taken over as Sunderland manager, you can almost guarantee he would have lost that game. Eck would have gone for a draw, and after Sunderland went behind, his plan would have been to keep the score down. Just like Houllier's first game where we were 1-0 down to Blackburn and won 3-1 ... or first league game, 1-1 and scored a late winner at Wolves? It gets a bit less rosy if you go down the fixture list beyond that, though, doesn't it? (Good to see there are still some stubborn pockets of Houllier love around the place, though.) The key thing for Sunderland fans, I guess, is that they would surely have lost if Bruce had still been in charge, so O'Neill's appointment brought an instant reward.

if was so passionate about the game he wouldnt have walked so close to start of season and would have got on with a shoestring budget if he really did have "passion" Unless maybe he'd had the goalposts moved on him one time too many?

Very definitely shaping up as Petrov's replacement - a welcome development.

I particularly enjoyed the fact that Sunderland's come back was down to two well judged substitutions made by MON at 75 minutes. And of course we all know he NEVER made substitutions at Villa unless it was Heskey for Carew. :confused:

Woo-hoo! Stoke 2-0 up. Scott Parker and Kyke Walker having 'mares this evening.

Just thought wanting Sunderland to lose just to spite MON was a bit that way. TBH, given the predicament we are in, a 0-0 draw with 3 sendings off each and bad injuries to a few key players on both sides would have been the best outcome for Villa.Not really. The Villa fans that hate O'Neill are entirely justified in doing so after what he did.I don't think hatred can ever really be justified. it is a thoroughly regrettable emotion. But which bit of what he did is worth hating? The consistently higher league positions and the fact that we were challenging for top 4 in each of his 3 last seasons with us? The cup appearances at Wembley? the players he brought to Villa, like Young, Milner, Downing, and the ones he brought on to star quality, like Barry, Agbonlahor? Frankly, I'd gladly take all that back.

Absolutely and maybe the fact that people still seem to be obsessd with him points to the fact that deep down they feel we are worse off without him? Absolutely? Do you mind showing me where it says Mr O'Neill was sacked please Richard? And that will not be released under the terms and conditions of the compensation payout. Are you unaware of such agreements? Surely nobody seriously believes any more that MON wasn't sacked?

Just thought wanting Sunderland to lose just to spite MON was a bit that way. TBH, given the predicament we are in, a 0-0 draw with 3 sendings off each and bad injuries to a few key players on both sides would have been the best outcome for Villa.

Such a shame for you ... You were getting your stampy-footy, sulky-wulky way until the 83rd minute but you should have known MON would motivate Sunderland to get a result today. If you think back to his time with Villa, that's sort of what he does.

They need to stop puttting in high crosses as their only attacking ploy as well. The one thing Blackburn's defenders look comfortable with is high crosses.

I'm finding this current trend of wearing face masks a bit disturbing.

lack of imagination and perhaps limited vocabulary.

It's simple, really. If you support a team you want them to win matches. Anyone wanting Villa to lose matches at present has probably got a bit too wrapped up in the politics of it all, the Lerner/Faulkner McLeish debate, and has lost sight of that simple fact. It simply can't make sense to want the team you support to lose.

Um, no, let's not, please. He's a deeply average talent with a flair for self-promotion.

The title of this thread makes me chuckle every time it resurfaces. As a football commentator/analyst, Dennis Mortimer makes a great former captain of a team that won the European Cup 30 years ago. Petrov is going from strength to strength this season and we will have a hell of a job replacing him in the side when his time is up.

Only seen the goals on an iphone screen so far, and read the reports. There were some people this morning saying they hoped Villa would lose because that would accelerate McLeish's departure. I was shocked by that - all I can say to them is, ha ha, you must be feeling a bit sore now. There is a big flaw in any logic that leads you to WANT your team to lose. I always want them to win and I feel a whole lot better about Villa this evening than I have for some weeks. The only other thing to say at this stage is, well done agent Cahill - your helpful deflection for the 2nd goal probably finished Bolton off. He always seems to play gash against us. Hope Coyle doesn't get too suspicious. Well done Villa*, onwards and upwards! (*Marc A especially)

I noted Randy's look of dismay during the Manyoo match and PF's unhappy, sheepish reaction. I'm assuming hasn't just shrugged his shoulders and flown back to the states but might be thinking about doing something. McLeish needs to be set a points target. He's had long enough to get the team into shape. It's getting a bit late now to save the situation.

Big test coming up for baby Brad. I wish him well...

When you look at the actual story, it's hard to give that much credibility. He also says he had no firm offers form anyone until Newcastle came in.

That's what we had with MON. Cost? £1.5m (allegedly).

Not sure that's what the Olympi fans are saying.

The CEO is saying we can reach Europe and the manager is saying he still has to reduce the wage bill. The cloudy thinking about what Lerner's money can realistically buy, that we can now see has always been at the heart of the Lerner "project", is still there and is if anything getting worse.

I can see the pressure beginning to mount on Ashley because he's gone invisible in the last 2 months. All in all, not earning his wages quite yet, IMO... He has been out injured for most of that time. In any case, only the most jaundiced of eyes could not see he has had a really good season. Ferguson has picked him whenever possible for the important matches and he has played his socks off. Slightly crap night for him tonight, though (smirk).