Villarocker

Momentum is everything in sport. If we get an easi(ish) tie and get through it, couple with a resurgence in league form, the cup could be within our grasp.

I I don't care who said what at half time - it worked! I believe that Sherwood did say something and it made a difference. Benteke is our best player and every Villa fan knows it. We just need to find a way to get the best out of him. He could have played Weimann in twice second half and didn't. He'll come good again, I'm sure of it. He's just low on confidence and that will be sorted out by Sherwood. I wasn't overwhelmed by Sherwood's appointment but it was more through concern about his inexperience and arrogance. But, I've grown to like the idea of the players getting their arses kicked and having no more pussy-footing around. He's got my full support and I would love it if this team could give him a cup in his first full management position.

Chance to let Weimann through twice. Better but needs to be a lot better than today.

Another thing that I am sure most fans will find a breath of fresh air to see/hear - post match interviews. No more of "we played really well and were in it for 60 minutes" followed by a later interview of "we've lost again but I can't fault the lads for their effort and hard work - we'll go again because you just have to". I'm looking forward to honest responses to shit team performances. At least us fans shouldn't feel like we're being lied to and taken for mugs!

I saw one of his interviews where they had won and when asked about the game he said it was good to win but, he was more pleased with the way in which they played entertaining football, which was important to him. Let's face it, entertainment is something that Villa fans have been denied for quite some time. Whether he can bring that or not is a different matter because we don't have the quality of players that Spurs have. I'll say this for him. He seems honest and to the point. It will upset the shirkers and please the workers. To get a good squad of decent and honest players he will need time. So, with that in mind, can we please not crucify the man until he's at least had chance to get rid of those that aren't worth the shirt. Now, that might mean we get relegated. If we do, the blame cannot lie totally with him. Most of the damage was done before he came here and he's bought none of those players that he will have to get playing for him. He wasn't my idea of a manager for us but, to be fair, I don't know who was. Therefore, I'm going to give Tim Sherwood plenty of time to get to where he wants to be at the Villa, even if we get relegated.

Maybe it's his money going on these guys that makes them favourite, as a way of generating more funds to make us challengers again?

Again I agree with pretty much all he says. Spot on commdnts about players...its exactly whats needed at VP to deflate a few egos! To be fair, a lot of our players need a kick up the arse and maybe Sherwood's approach will bring the best out of them. My only concern is that he alienates a few and they completely down tools. We haven't got the amount of quality in our squad that Spurs have, to replace any of the bad eggs. If he can motivate them into playing better then we have a good chance of staying up and being more secure going forward.

I believe his intentions were once good but haven't been for some time.

If he gives the players a kick up the arse they need I can see him keeping us up. But, I reckon that, if it continues into next season, they'll stop playing for him and we'll be in a state of deja vu this time next year.

He bought the club for more than the original sum. That was just for Ellis's share of the club. It cost around £110-£120m in total. He will get that back when he sells the club. On top of that, he would have spent around £14m on Bodymoor Heath and even with that, I am sure I recall Ellis leaving money in the pot to cover some of that work. He's rebuilt the Holte Pub and done other ground work. £100m net spend on players. So, overall, you could argue that bare spend is around say £250m. In his 8 years Villa would have had turnover of around £600m. Now, is someone going to tell me that all our turnover went on wages and outlays? If so, that means we will never earn a profit, surely? Not whilst being a mid-table team at best. If it's the case, how did Ellis manage to take money out of the club, build 3 new stands and, manage to still buy players and leave the club without any debt? The £60m was for the whole club wasn't it? The net spend on players has nothing to do with what he has put in. At one stage he was putting in £20/30/40m a season just to cover running costs because he'd allowed the wages to get so out of hand. Exactly! He allowed the wages to get out of hand so that's tough shit for him being so useless as an owner.

I'm dreading the foreseeable future for our club. I fear that his inexperience will cost us our Premier League status and Lerner will really feel the wrath of the Villa faithful then. On the other hand, maybe Lerner feels the players have had it too easy and that Sherwood will give them the kick up the arse they need. But, that usually leads to players revolting and that would be bad for a club with limited funds. I'll give him my support until I feel he doesn't deserve it. I hope it works out well for the club and, even if he acts like a prat, he has the kind of success we are seeking. But, I think this will end badly for Villa.

He bought the club for more than the original sum. That was just for Ellis's share of the club. It cost around £110-£120m in total. He will get that back when he sells the club. On top of that, he would have spent around £14m on Bodymoor Heath and even with that, I am sure I recall Ellis leaving money in the pot to cover some of that work. He's rebuilt the Holte Pub and done other ground work. £100m net spend on players. So, overall, you could argue that bare spend is around say £250m. In his 8 years Villa would have had turnover of around £600m. Now, is someone going to tell me that all our turnover went on wages and outlays? If so, that means we will never earn a profit, surely? Not whilst being a mid-table team at best. If it's the case, how did Ellis manage to take money out of the club, build 3 new stands and, manage to still buy players and leave the club without any debt?

Vlaar will need to play against Stoke because he's more competitive. In fact, if fit, I'd throw Baker and Vlaar in against Leicester on Sunday so that they get a game together before playing them both against Stoke.

So, how much, after purchase of the club is taken out and all profits taken out, has he actually invested in the club? Like I said, he'll get back the purchase plus some when he sells so, for me, that doesn't count as lost money. I'm interested to know how much money he will have left behind that he can't make back.

Does anyone actually know for certain how much of Lerner's own money he has invested, and lost, on this club? Not talking about initial purchase because that doesn't count as, if I buy something I know that there's every chance it will depreciate in value. Just how much, since the purchase, has he spent on this club? I just checked a transfer deals website and totalled our net spend for the 8 years he's been here. It's approx £100m. That's £12.5m per season on average. Is that really such a crippling amount to spend on players? Even if wages to turnover was an average of 70% during that time, against an average turnover of say £75m, that would leave £22.5m per year. Minus the £12.5m on players still leaves £10m for other outgoings per year. I'm no finance man and don't have all the figures etc. I'm just looking at very basic information and wondering if he's actually ploughed millions of his own money into us, at a loss or, has he simply lost the money that we would have had to pay him in interest? Which, if it is just interest, isn't a loss in my opinion.

It's times like these when you realise how much you looked forward to posts from TheTrees and Mysteryman. Even the General's posts were interesting, even if they were full of spin. At the very least they were funny!

Do you know who is being considered?

Because a 0-0-10 formation would see us relegated? Is Guzan gay or something?! Nah, he's also taken on coaching duties and during the game he'd be warming her up!

I wonder if he had a vision and in this picture he was practising for when he meets the General. You can actually imagine the scenario of their first meeting: General: "OK Son, now you know your remit. Keeps these weak-kneed pussies in the Premier (Pree-me-er) League and ya get to go home in one piece as the hero. The press will all be waiting for you and CEO's of London's finest will be queuing for you signature". Sherwood:"Understood General, Sir. Kick the arses of the weak-kneed pussies and keep the fackers in the Prem. Got it Guv". General: "It's General, son. Now, go get 'em boy and remember, Sempre Fidelis". Sherwood: "Sir, yes General Sir. Facking come on (pumps his chest and kisses the Villa badge on his new uniform), I can do this".

Every time I see Tim Sherwood on TV I cringe and think "thank God that prat is nothing to do with the Villa". Seriously, if that ego maniac becomes our manager I think I'm going to have to avoid all TV footage of him for the sake of my sanity.

Being sacked comes with a compo package too!

If the fix is to be a short term one, just until the end of the season, I think we need someone who the players will look up to in terms of how that person has done in the game. Now, for most, I guess you would argue he hasn't achieved much, but, Hoddle was a class player who went on to manage England. I guess we could give him until the end of the season and then look at the future from there. Let's face it, if he keeps us up and we play some decent footie, surely most would want him kept on? But, if new manager is to be a long term appointment, I would guess they would go for someone who is already managing a club or only recently become available. It all depends on what kind of strategy they have for the future of the club. If they want someone to build something up and develop young talent etc, I can see them going for a younger manager. Also, would Tom Fox have talked Lerner out of this pre-requisite of having Premier League experience? The last two managers of Southampton had no PL experience but it didn't do them any harm! In that case, maybe they would go for someone like Paul Clement or Remy Garde. A younger manager in other words. I personally think they will look for someone to come in short term and keep the club up with the option of keeping them beyond the end of the season. Not sure who that will be but that's now the route I think they will take.

How many belgian managers do you know? Doesn't seem like the ideal pool of candidates, bar one or two Mourinho is, so is Pocchetino, and Martinez. Lambert was until Wednesday at around 8pm - to name but a few!

Sack who? Himself, apparently.

All I can to these guys is: Good luck fellas!