rsjg80

This has got to be Taylor, tackled better than Barry, had more fight than Barry, loves Villa, scored in a final and lifted a cup. Always a lot more about him than Barry ever had. Barry was good, and this is nothing to do with him leaving but Taylor was better.

This. Accept i also think we were fortunate to win at Liverpool really if you look at the game as a whole rather than the result - they had something like 24 shots!

Hi General, In relation to lower attendances one suggestion may be to offer a larger range of 'finance' packages. Currently it's pay in full or three monthly instalments but surely a system could be worked out where by fans are paying smaller instalments (or direct Debit) over a longer period - charging differing ranges of interest or writing in a 'exit fee' if leaving early: much like mobile phone contracts. Last year I was a full time teacher and had a season ticket. This year I'm a supply teacher and couldn't afford either of the current options as my pay is too broken up, but had the cost been spread over a longer time like a Direct Debit I would have signed up again no doubt. Now I have to justify weekly whether I should go - something I wouldn't do if it was just a Direct debit. I appreciate Villa's attempts to help people afford to head down to VP and this is just another suggestion.

I'm just shocked that Carson has less votes than Enckelman. It does show how little we've had at the back this decade. Like everyone else, no-one comes close to Bozzie but I voted for Friedel... then wished I'd voted for Sorenson; he had a majority of the decade and it's hardly as though we were screaming for him to be replaced.

Ha ha, fair point!!! I just don't want it to get bogged down with in fighting and disagreements - there are a million threads like that. Just a simple poll that will highlight the feelings of the Villa fans as regards the transfer window.

As it says on the tin, don't need to know the reasons for your decision just what your 'decision' is. Wait for confirmation or otherwise of the Dunne deal if you'd like!

Hi General, Quite possibly been mentioned on here before but at least it takes away from all the squad bashing going on (although I'm afraid I agree)... Had tickets for the North Stand Upper yesterday as we went with my nephews. Great seats, fantastic price due to a deal where the kids were a quid but was absolutely shocked by the poor standard of catering available in comparison with the other stands - is this going to be addressed? Kids wanted chips; "we don't do chips", oookkay. Kids want a burger; "we don't do burgers". Sandwiches? Nope. Hot dogs? Nope. All they do are pies - an acquired taste for a 4 year old. Absolutely no choice in comparison with our other stands. Is there a reason for this, or more precisely why hasn't it been addressed?

You're making the mistake that a lot are - assuming people are voting the way they are due to one bad game. Well, I'm voting based on the last 20 odd competitive fixtures and have seen nothing to fill me with confidence. If the form continues the way it has been we would be staring at relegation this year. We have a worse team than at the end of last season, with a smaller available squad (injuries) and MON seems to be losing the plot as regards tactics, team selection and substitutions. One game does not make people react like this, basically anything 2009 has.

Personally I feel very much as if it’s been anti-climactic. We go in to the season less well prepared than the last but I can see some good signs from the youth players. I think MON has let down the club by his transfer dealings, I know there is still time but I think we are making the same mistakes time and time again and he really should not of allowed Knight to leave unless he was 100% sure he had a replacement. He’s whined about the small squad and done nothing to address this – you can bleat on about quality for ages but if you only go after the Ronaldo’s of this world eventually you just have to accept that you get the best of who will actually come to you. If we have a slow start to the season it’s going to be even harder to attract players in the final two weeks of the transfer window and we may really struggle. I’m not quite in the suicidal bit but I’m very disappointed and pessimistic as regards out chances this season and although I’ll be there cheering the lads on tomorrow I think we may have to accept we missed our chance last season and the best we can hope for this season is a cup and mid-table monotony.

Well it all kicks off today, 2009/10; the Premiership's 18th Birthday - who will come of age?! So as we go into our first game at home to Wigan how do you feel about where Villa are? We're nearing the end of the transfer window, but there's still some time for notable business. We've lost great talents in Laursen and Barry but replaced them with promising players Downing and Delph. The squad is slightly smaller but the kids are coming through. So how happy are you? I'll add my opinion under this OP so to leave this open to genuine discussion.

Even if there are signings this week (I very much doubt it) I'd still play the following team as new players would need at least a week to settle. So: ---------------Friedel--------------- ---Beye Cuellar Davies Shorey-- Milner Petrov* Reo-Coker Young ------Agbonlahor Carew---------- Subs: Guzan, Delph*, Heskey, Gardner, Albrighton, Sidwell, Lichaj (Delfouneso) *if fit + replacement. Next Sub if Petrov not fit in brackets.

Hi General, I've been looking around the OS and can't find anything so I thought why not ask one of the men at the top! I work for a primary school very close to Villa Park (won't name here as it's public!) and would really like to arrange a visit to VP (non-matchday) in relation to Victorian era, of which Aston Villa fit nicely(1874)! Obviously it's a socially deprived area so the 'trip' can't cost too much but some payment is normally taken for school trips - fortunately the most expensive part, the travel, would not be required here! It'd be for approximately 45 Year 5 children (9/10 year olds). Who would I speak to at Aston Villa to arranging something/ anything? I'm not sure what could be arranged but would be open to suggestions. I know Villa have an Education department but not 100% sure on their remit. The focus would be on tradition of Villa rather than the current era (although wouldn't harm them to inspire more Villa fans!!) Any info you could give me would be appreciated - please PM me if it can't be public.

This is unbelievably close. The Villa fraternity really are split right down the middle. Fortunately I think there is probably a greater percentage of the 'no' group who could be swayed over a few decent signings than there are of the 'yes' group teetering on the brink of despair.

General, Although there has been a sudden backlash tonight I would draw your attention to who those people are. Before now it has been background posters, such as myself, voicing concerns occasionally whilst spending most of the time just reading the threads and only writing when they feel a real compulsion to do so. Tonight has seen the real VT brigade turn up in force and show some real grave concerns, not with the normal poorly worded, insulting and downright stupid posts some newbies have but with well thought out grievances. How much does it concern you that, as of tonight, you (and I mean the board/ MON) are beginning to suffer from a real vote of confidence from the true Villa fan. There are people like Cresswell on here with over 15000 posts who normally keep the rest of us in check in absolute despair (judging by his post). Are you worried? There is one thing that will always keep this club going - the fans; do not let us down because they won't stand for it.

Simple Poll. Seems to be loads of threads at the moment and I'm just looking to see a general fan overview. Forget the whys and wherefores, simply vote whether you are happy as a Villa Fan now or unhappy. Please move this to Villa Chat (couldn't make a poll there for some reason)

Ok, let's test this 'dodging' theory!! General, without revealing (and as per your claims you don't know anyway) who we are after or what MON thinks we need or how much money there is etc etc, how many players do YOU personally think we need - as a fan, and taking all things into account how many players do you think Aston Villa need to be prepared for September 1st (a date that slightly irritates me as being the goal - seeing as we've already played three games by then and could theoretically be 9 points behind the top teams....)

General, That's a very political answer. Forgetting anything to do with transfers, contracts etc etc, what is your PERSONAL view on the article and the comments attributed to Mr. Barry? Basically cutting out all the rubbish and without revealing anything that shouldn't be publicly known, who's lying; MON or Barry and/ or NOTW?

Hi General - few questions you might be able to answer or get someone else to tell us! 1. Girlfriend is pestering me, very annoyed no ladies kit last year - are we getting one this year? 2. Ignoring the whole sponsorship issue do we have a date for kit release yet? That's preview and purchase dates. 3. And on a personal note (cos no-one other than MON and RL know) when do you expect our first signing to made; start a pool! Keep up the great work. Bet it's nice to read a post without the mention of Liverpool and Barry.... damn! :winkold:

I quite like Baseball actually - one of the better US sports. Ice Hockey you can never see the puck and American Football goes on for five hours with five minutes of actual play. I like the Cleveland Browns - weirdly enough well before Randy Lerner ever introduced Cleveland to the Villa masses. No real reason just did....

I cant understand why reading the books would change your mind. We are basing this thread on the movies we have watched for the last 40 years. Its the idea of James Bond we have seen on the screen. Wether you have read something different in a book is totally irellevant I'd say. The new movie might be closer to the books, but its far from the charming, smooth movies we have seen for ages. Pretty much saved me writing that exact response to Pelle's suggestion. The books might be brilliant, they might be a far better character but I was brought up on Bond on film and if we're talking about who is the best of film that is where I'll be comparing them - Craig's really lacks any humour that the other films at least had some of. If we're comparing books we should be talking about the stories or if we're talking about who does the best job at matching Fleming's Bond fewer of us could answer that without the knowledge needed but that's not this question.

I agree with TRL above - Casino Royale is a great film but it's just NOT a Bond film, it's missing too much to make it a Bond film, no humour, no quips, no gadgets etc - it might be close to the books (which I haven't read) but it's not a Bond FILM (which I own all of). Possibly controversially I'd list the Bonds: Brosnan (he looked like he actually could kill and mixed the best of Moore and Connery into the perfect Bond) Moore (you've just got to love his humour and slickness) Connery (everyone always boringly says the original is the best - it's not! Great but not the best) Craig (not convinced as he doesn't seem like Bond yet) Dalton (completely wrong feel to the Bond character - just didn't fit) Lazenby (not a great actor and followed Connery which was always going to be hard) Oh, and bit worried about Harry Potter and er I mean James Bond and the Quantum of Solace.....!

Do you think this should be moved to Villa Talk now then?!

A knowing (your sad too) nod to your attempt!!

An analogy is used to describe something similar - not exactly the same! Otherwise it is not an analogy but purely talking about what you're talking about. I think this is extremely relevant analogy, whether you agree with its perspective or not... I've read my post back and I didnt say it had to be the same did I? Only that i think the difference is sufficient enough for it to not be relevant. Sorry. Fwiw i'm very disappointed by this window. (and quite impressed by the complexity of your analogy!) edit - which is probably the only time i say that sentence this weekend! LOL - fair enough. I have far too much free time today, that's all!! I did push it further later by suggesting all these other guests had got to the petrol station first and used up all the Premium fuel but I thought that would be getting far too obvious!! I obviously need to do something more constructive today!!!

An analogy is used to describe something similar - not exactly the same! Otherwise it is not an analogy but purely talking about what you're talking about. I think this is extremely relevant analogy, whether you agree with its perspective or not...