kingysilvers

I think we're gone. Not the most surprising opinion in the world but maybe more surprising, I think it would of been far better if it had happened last season. Even people who don't have an axe to grind about our club were saying "if there is any justice in the world, Villa will go down" and they weren't wrong, we played appalling football but scrapped by. Had we gone down it would of all been blamed on McLeish, he would of gone and we could of brought in a new manager, I doubt it would of been Lambert, more likely a current Championship manager who was doing well and would of like the move to a big club. The young players could of come through and been far less out of their depth, potentially built up their confidence and experience ready for a return to the top flight. Instead we find ourselves in a position where everything around the club is toxic, footballing wise we look like currently look like Derby in their 07/08 season, woefully out of our depth and doomed. Any talent our young players might have is currently buried under destroyed confidence and it will take a lot to turn that around. We cannot attract players due to our awful state and terrible outlook for the future. I'm now just worried this will now cause a black cloud to hang over the club for many years to come rather than us just bouncing back any time soon.

Just heard from a Palace fan that PL watched their match against Wolves last night, maybe having a look at Zaha?

Not to be the spectre at the feast but at £7m I'm sure we won't be the only club having a bid accepted today.

I agree, I think the biggest problem with Barton is half the league know what to say to him to get him to kick off. Shame because under it all there is a decent player there.

who can that be then?melberg,NRC? Mellberg has signed for Villarreal

Robinho? :winkold:

£20m asking price for Carroll I'd much rather Berbatov and spend the money on his wages, not that Carroll would be particularly cheap on that front either.

Those other clubs didn't have Levy though who actually seems to know how to run a club, I'm sure Spurs can maintain their level once they have jettisoned 'arry. Expect him to surface in the Middle East or China, he can earn a huge wedge out there and won't have to face up to the fact no top clubs will be coming in for him.

Doubt anyone is going to be looking at di Canio for their next manager: Paolo di Canio investigated by FA over racism claim

Park it somewhere that will cause speculation? YOu mean the airport in the city he sent the jet? If he's sending his jet to pick OGS up, what's he meant to do? Camouflage it? Buy a stealth bomber? Buy a few more jets and send them to other cities as decoys? My thinking was more that it would of been easy enough to charter a flight through a Norwegian company and things would all be a bit quieter right now. I'm glad they're not though as I got in at 33/1.

It seems a bit unusual for our typically shy owner to park his private jet somewhere that was going to cause such obvious speculation. Also, given what happened with Martinez last year I would of expected things to be kept well under wraps until there was at least an understanding that things move forwards.

Stuck £4 on at 32/1, seems to be shortening on Betfair now due to the VT effect.

I would be very surprised if Liverpool went for Lambert, just doesn't seem to fit.

If Norwich feel Lambert has clearly has his head turned surely it just damages them in their hunt for a replacement for it to drag on too long?

This. Barton is the panto villain of English football and the game would be a lot less interesting without him.

:shock: He's not a magician. I think some people are getting a little bit carried away with the credentials of Martinez/Lambert. Not sure what he said wrong. I think we would have a "solid" season with Lambert. Solid being mid-table. Exactly, a solid season being not getting wrapped up the relegation scrap next year.

I really don't get the fuss around Martinez, Wigan have been dire for a large proportion of the season but because they ended it well he is flavour of the month. I fear we'd spend another season around the lower regions of the table with the word "transition" being used every five minutes. Lambert for me is a much stronger appointment, I think the squad (whatever it will look like next season) would quickly unify around him and we'd have a solid if not spectacular season. While that doesn't sound too inspiring I think it's what we need, a bit stability. We need to shed this image of a club in perpetual crisis and once again become an attractive proposition for quality players, then we can push on in years to come and re-establish ourselves as a club competing for European football.

I thought we were stuck with him but it sounds like he's a dead man walking from those quotes.

Stunning goal to start it off

This. Either he will stay or Randy will dally about, maybe not being so forthcoming with transfer funds and test his willingness to stay but anyone hoping for him to be getting his P-45 straight after the Norwich game will be in for a disappointment.

The people at the FA get paid to do what is best for them and England. Us appointing a shower of shite as a manager and then having a predictably awful season which has left us in the relegation mix and thus effected by their decision is none of their concern.

Good choice, experienced manager who has worked at international level before. More tactically minded than 'arry and less likely to end up with the FA being the stars of a Panorama investigative special any time soon. The stick everyone seems to be beating him with is the Liverpool failure but I think the rest of the season has shown their squad was nowhere near as good as people were claiming at the time, if he'd been given time I doubt he'd of done much worse than Dalglish has.

Was it saying Villa fans are now "resigned" to relegation?