CBGB

I'd choose Hoddle over Curbishley and McCarthy, that's for sure (but actually not saying much).

"There's an old saying in Tennessee — I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee — that says, fool me once, shame on — shame on you. Fool me — you can't get fooled again."

Am I the only one confused. Or is it something to do with a lack of caffeine and it still being early in the morning :?:

Amen brother.

Oh man, hope he signs. He'd be a really inventive appointment. We definitely need a shot in the arm. Over to you, RL......

It shows MON was consistently able to get us sixth, which is an achievement. Obviously we hoped he would have got us into the Champions League and it was frustrating he didn't quite, but three sixth place finishes is looking better and better as time passes.

I have to say I find the Cuellar situation completely baffling. Every time I've seen him play he's been at the very least solid and often very good. Why Collins would be ahead of him based on the form of the last couple of seasons is mind boggling. Playing Hutton ahead of him is just stupid.

Who is this Ireland of whom you speak??!

Pretty good performance today, shame we don't have the cutting edge to take all 3 points.

Have to say, I much prefer Clark as a central midfielder than as a defender. He can tackle well and has an eye for a great pass; OK one or two went astray, but basically it really helps to have two players who can both tackle and know what to do with the ball in the centre of the park.

Best manager for us since Little, and actually more consistent than Little. Certainly frustrating in several respects and left in a shoddy way. He signed enough good players to offset the crap ones. We'll be lucky to get a manager remotely as good for quite a while.

Mostly mediocre, with a few inept moments.

Looked alright today. In the first half, he made a great pass to Hutton who harmlessly lobbed it onto the top of the goal.

Up to now, our season's been so-so - considering the board's outlook. But unless we're very careful, this could be the game that's a real turning point for the worse in our season.

Well, at least our goal difference didn't suffer too much.

Rubbish unimaginative tactics from the manager. But in truth they have a better manager and players, so it's not a huge surprise.

OMG you just "proved" MON is the best or third best manager we've had in the Prem. THat wouldn't do.

Glad we've all decided that he's decent after all, seem to remember quite a few negative comments not so long ago...

He's playing well, and I think he has a really clearly defined role in the team - one that we really needed and weren't sure we had. He didn't work out as a full back, but he's obviously very comfortable as a centre mid.

With hindsight N'zogbia is shite. The majority here were screaming for him over the summer.

We were the better team all game, so the fact we couldn't hold onto a lead for the last few minutes was very disappointing.

A little better from N'zogbia, but he's still not effective. Hutton was a bit sloppy as usual. But Petrov was excellent, Herd pretty decent, Agbonlahor lively. Overall we were pretty solid and, except for a horrible miss by Bent and a horrible defensive lapse by Collins, this would have been a comfortable win.

Work to do.

Just watched the whole game. We were certainly the better team until the sending off. Could/should've been 2-0 up inside 10 minutes. Then we got the penalty and scored. Up until the sending off Baggies had created no chances.

The red card was a complete joke.

And unfortunately we are nowhere near good enough a team to play with 10 men.

Herd was OK before the red card, one great tackle but not too much else. Bannan was good again. Strikers were good, but not much service for most of the game (for obvious reasons).

Special mention to N'Zogbia - I mean I really want him to succeed, but I didn't see a single thing of significance he did the whole game. And it's been the same in every match he's played. WTF? It's bad enough being down to 10 men without carrying passengers.

I'm yet to make a Villa fan that did want him. In fact I'm yet to meet a Villa fan who would have had him in their top 10 choices.

What I think we have though is that the majority of supporters accept that he is here now and are willing to give him a chance. Then you have those that simply can't accept he is here, will quickly jump on any negatives and it will take one hell of a run of results/performances to turn them around. A possibly unrealistic run of results given our squad and current spending power.

The two camps will then be split when looking at his past record. Those not happy with his appointment but willing to give him a chance will see that he has a mixed bag and for every negative he has a positive achievement to outweigh it. Those that simply can't/won't accept him are simply focusing on the negatives of his past record and claiming these far out weight any positives.

For what its worth I fall in to the camp of not originally wanting him, in fact being astounded by his appointment, but now he is here I am willing to give him a chance. I can fully accept that some simply can't though. What I would ask those that are struggling to accept him is judge him on what he does at Aston Villa. He wasn't dealt a very good hand in that we lost our two best players and he was given a transfer budget of -20 mill to spend over the summer. Given that he has therefore made a decent start, tightened up our defence, has the players playing with more heart/desire/pride than they have in recent times and seems to have moulded the lads into a far tighter, more together happier bunch. He has also been very respectful to those that really matter at a football club - us the supporters and has said and done all the right things.

One defeat in eight league games but with far too many draws. A decent start and given that it is still very early days a start that has earned him a little longer before anyone jumps on his back.

One of the most sensible posts on VT in a while.

Not sure what kind of loss it will be - an unlucky, last-minute one; the run-of-the mill 2-goal margin variety; or an utter stuffing - but a loss it will be. Anything other would be remarkable.

That doesn't sound crap at all!

Round and round it goes. People making the same points over and over.

I knew there must be a reason why Dunne being back in form is not that in fact all that great and thank you to this thread for supplying it. Jesus...

Disagree that Delph is "woefully out of form" and has "brought nothing to the team so far". He's finally getting a run of games and had a crap one on Saturday - it happens, especially to youngsters. Up to then, most people were pretty happy with how he was playing.

In theory, giving Ireland a full 90 minutes is good, but on Saturday's evidence Bannan is ahead of him and he doesn't play in Delph's position. So he's gong to need to impress as a substitute and look to Cup games.