VillaChris

He was decent enough for Osasuna. Year before he left for Rangers, they reached the semi finals of the europa league and think they also finished in the top 4 one season.

He only looked out of his depth away to Man. City (who didn't that day?) From memory he played pretty well in the two home games against WBA and Spurs.

In fairness Carew had been injured for two months we needed another striker in. Heskey was playing o.k for Wigan at the time but couldn't believe it at the time when we gave a 31 year old a 3 and a half year deal.

If Valencia want him he'd be mad to stay here. Chance to play champions league football in his 30s after all.

I think it's fair to say the season has begun to catch up with Stan. Was pretty good before xmas but struggled since then.

How many caps does he have for the U.S.A now?

They won't. Fancy a bet? :winkold: Everyone thought they'd beat a Bolton team still upset and they were awful in the first half as they were against us. Still go to play the likes of Manure and Liverpool at home and swansea and Spurs away. Their final two games of the season are Wigan at home and Chelsea away aswell.

We don't. As I've said countless times SHA went down on 39 points which was the highest points tally to go down since 2003. It was a freak year. The average since then to stay up with is 35 points so 2 draws as we have a better goal difference than the teams below us. I actually still think Blackburn will go down as their final 3 games are Spurs and Chelsea away and Wigan at home. I could see them losing all three of those games.

Given with the injuries isn't as agile as he used to be, so struggles to save the low shots. As in fairness a lot of keepers in their late 30s struggle to do. Wouldn't blame him too much for the 3rd goal.

I think N'zogbia can be. Or put it another way, the 5-6 games N'zogbia has played well in this season, Ireland has been playing at the same time.

Pretty sure one of the times Albrighton got away on the right in the 1st half yesterday, it was from a superb throughball from Ireland. Ireland is a superb footballer. Like Bent it was a great regret we never signed him during the MON years. Imagine him and Milner as our midfield combination or those two with Stan holding.

One thing from yesterday....Gabby was poor but why on earth wasn't he put on the right at any stage to have a go at Gibbs? Twice in the first 15 mins Albrighton got down the right. Really poor though yet again...this is as bad as O'Leary's final season.

Similar to Stale Stolebakken (Cologne coach and ex Wimbledon player) who was announced as clinically dead when he collapsed and made his own miracle recovery.

Yes but as I was trying to point out, although I cant stand AM he would not stop me going still, its bigger than that. CI its a great way to spend some time with your lad especially if the other option is the pub with the added benefit of noty passing on any negativity about the Villa in the process though I would argue with anybody who is renewing, just wish I felt the same. Of course, watching the team is always more important to me than who the manager is. I've been to every single home league game this season, more than in the "glory" MON years when I used to miss 2-3 a season. That said, given the shite way we've played in most of the home games, I really couldn't stomach paying 30-40 quid on an annual basis to watch us I have to admit so have been using the cheap ticket deals to make the experience a bit more bearable.

I worry about Bannan's attitude tbh. I think he'll go the same way as Lee Hendrie while G. Gardner will have a Gareth Barry type career (I not Gardner isn't part of this drinking clique)

I said this is a few weeks back and it's a statistic that really surprises me given how shite we've been for most of the season. The most league games we've lost in a row this season stands at......2. As a comparison Spurs were 2 minutes away last night from their fourth successive league defeat. Obviously they don't draw as many as we do! What I'm trying to say is people who think we'll only get one more point all season are bonkers imo. We'll get 4 points from the Sunderland-Stoke games, a win v Bolton, draws at Norwich and West Brom and a draw from Chelsea at home so 10 more points as I've written off anything from the Manure.Arsenal and Liverpool away games and Spurs at home.

If the results are as dire next season, McLeish won't last the season imo so we appoint someone decent in the middle of next season (hard I know to believe with Randy and Faulkner running the show) and we could have a real upturn in fortunes in the second half of next season so the season ticket could be great value again.

Leeds were paying some of their former players after they left. 10 years ago but it does seem plausible. Hopefully culling Heskey and his 60k a week in the summer will be all the financial cutting we need to make from the attacking area as we do have a bit of youth in that area, likes of Weimann, Fonz, Gardner, Albrighton and Bannan won't be on mega wages.

I agree and it took a Brazilian star to get the best out of him. While he did link up well with Robinho I don't agree with you Trent. Fair enough. Everyone has their own opinion, out of interest why don't you agree? When other than playing alongside him has Ireland ever performed to the same level? From memory, he had a good season in 07-08 under Sven when Man. City were threating to finish in the top half up until February. Trent, would you have got rid of Merson early on when he was playing up?

Westwood is 3rd choice at Sunderland now Gordon is fit which is surprising as he did o.k for them in the games he played. Wouldn't be against getting him in as Given's understudy for a season or two.

Delph\?! :? It ain't going to happen for him here. And Bannan has regressed this season, partly due to McLeish and partly due to his attiude off the pitch. Gardner is going to be good but too early to expect match winning performances. Ireland needs to say. With N'zogbia, he's a game changer and points winner. We get rid of both, have a team of honest hardworking pros and we'll be bobbing between 11-15th again next season. Remember folks, we signed Paul Merson in September 1998 and he didn't start showing consistant match winning form until December 1999 so as long as it's taken Ireland to get his act together. And Merson also pissed off to New York mid season aswell.

Just showed the Sunderland squad looking at the Muamba floral tribute at the Reebok...fair play to them for popping down there. Guess which Sunderland player was still chewing gum?

He really has been. Still raises a chuckle when in summer 2008 we were after Milner and SWP and most on here wanted SWP. :shock:

Without jumping the gun on this, is the indication Fabrice is communicating a little with friends showing his brain may have survived reasonably intact from this cardiac arrest or is it too early to say?

Me too aswell. He's still only 25 aswell so it would be a waste of a career. The MLS is improving but come on players go there when they're 30 + not in the peak of their careers. I would also worry about what sort of fee we'd get for, MLS clubs don't tend to sign players for large amounts.