tom_avfc

So one place makes a massive difference? That trophy that you get for finishing 10th is going to make Leeds a really attractive proposition. The players who finished 17th last season will be absolutely devastated to finish 11th. You’re not even trying anymore!

I think you could make the comment “his wages will ease his pain” or “his bank balance will cheer him up” and expect to be challenged on it in any players thread at any time on VillaTalk. There’s a pretty long thread on people’s own struggles with mental health in Off Topic and the fact that people can have serious discussions on the topic is encouraging. People used to “joke” about all sorts of things that would be considered a bit inappropriate as attitudes change. Regardless of whether Ross Barkley has mental health issues it’s not great to suggest that money would resolve anybody’s issues. Nobody is suggesting that TRO is intentionally causing offence just pointing out that the comment isn’t great. If treating mental health seriously makes people “woke” then sign me up for the “woke” club, a word that I find as frustrating as when everyone was being called a “snowflake”.

I’m not saying that Ross Barkley has mental health issues. Someone said that he looked on the verge of tears when he came off and you commented that maybe his wages will ease the pain. Whatever level of mental distress someone is in to say that the money they have will ease it is careless at best. You could have said this about anybody and the reaction would be the same. As you say it’s not one of your better lines. I think people are just pointing out that it’s not a great thing to say and not accusing you of some massive crime. I’m sure everybody has made comments that in hindsight aren’t the best and it’s encouraging that we’re at a point where mental health is taken a lot more seriously than it has been in the past. This is all pretty off topic now anyway. For whatever reason it hasn’t worked out well for Ross here and the early signs that he’d give us an extra dimension feel a long way off.

Just to be clear I have no issue with anything that you’ve said about Ross Barkley specifically. It’s the general point that having loads of money will ease somebody’s mental health issues that I find frustrating. You wouldn’t say the same about someone suffering a physical illness so why should it be any different for a mental illness? If somebody had said that Steve Bruce or anyone should be putting up with personal abuse because he makes a load of money I’d have been equally frustrated by that so I’m not sure what relevance that has particularly either. As I said it’s a throwaway comment at the end of one of your posts so it’s not a slight on you, I just can see why people would challenge what you have said there. I’m glad to hear that you’re not directly messaging players with abuse but I would imagine they’re receiving plenty of it from others (see El Ghazi and Douglas Luiz for the most recent examples). Nobody is accusing you of doing this but other people are doing it and all the money in the world isn’t going to make players immune from people wishing death on them etc. I think it’s just a bit of a careless comment to state that someone’s wages will ease their mental health issues and it shouldn’t surprise you that people take issue in it.

I don’t see anybody using mental health as a reason to defend him. I saw a comment (albeit a throwaway one) that suggested that because Ross Barkley makes millions he shouldn’t be struggling with mental health issues. This comment was rightly picked up on because, whether or not Barkley is struggling with his mental health, the suggestion that someone can’t have mental health issues because they make a load of money is quite frankly ridiculous. How much money and “resources available” did somebody like Caroline Flack have as an extreme example of a wealthy individual who tragically suffered with her mental health. I think the important thing is to realise that when you have someone like El Ghazi saying that a Villa season ticket holder is sending him abuse on social media telling him that he hopes he dies that there’s a serious issue with the abuse that some of these players are having to put up with. The attitude of “He makes loads of money so he’ll be alright” is complete and utter rubbish and I can see why it was contested.

No surprise that we lost then!

My dislike of each and everyone of the Super League Six is far higher than my dislike of Leicester. Are Villa fans supposed to have a rivalry with Leicester? Seems a bit odd to me.

The one game I want United to win and they play like this. Unfortunately I can’t see past a dull top four of Man City, Man United, Chelsea and Liverpool now.

That was never a penalty. Not sure what Neville and Carragher were going on about at all. Good use of VAR for a change in my view.

He’s certainly not the answer. Simple passes wrong repeatedly. The whole of this front four is pretty toothless in reality.

Ramsey hasn’t done a lot in his limited game time either to be honest. Barkley didn’t have a great game against United but was pretty good against Albion and good against Everton.

I assume he’s referring to the fact that Brentford were in the final last year. Seeing as they lost to Fulham, the same team as Villa did, there would be a few similarities.

The same thing crossed my mind. If the ball had gone out sooner it would have been easier for the VAR to call the ref over for a look. Similarly I wonder how many offsides are now not given because of the rule where the linesman isn’t putting his flag up until the move ends. Sometimes play seems to go on for a while when someone looked clearly offside and the attacking team then go on to win a corner with the offside flag never going up.

Tuchel has to have a decent chance too. If he could pick up the FA Cup and the Champions League as well as finishing in the top 4 that would be a great achievement. Given the poor job Lampard had done he’s had as good a first season as any manager in England for a long time.

I’d say especially El Ghazi rather than Watkins. It’s that run from the left wing inside the full back that El Ghazi should be making when the ball is on our right wing especially given El Ghazi will have a height advantage on many full backs.

Given the same poster has previously called him Dross Berkley and has been called out on it before I’d say a typo is pretty unlikely. This habit of giving players childish nicknames is pretty annoying whether they play for or against us.

Agreed. Pretty anonymous today I thought!

This is embarrassing. Sort of thing I’d expect from school kids. Poor performance from Barkley again though which suggests that his previous two performances weren’t the turnaround that I was hoping for from him.

He’s not the first and he won’t be the last to get beaten by a good bit of skill from Greenwood. Unfortunately his keeper hasn’t helped him out of this one as it’s a shot I’d expect to be saved every time. Good game from Mings overall and continuing his run of solid performances.

I’m not sure there’s any rules where that Greenwood handball shouldn’t be a penalty. His hand is miles up in the air and blocks the ball from going into the danger area. It’s 100% a penalty and what makes it worse for me is that you could tell it was a penalty without even needing a replay.

Surprisingly enough we have been about as consistent as Leeds over this season as we’re two points behind with two games in hand. What makes you think they’ve been more consistent given the above?

Leeds couldn’t lay a glove on Crawley Town. Crawley Town lost to Grimsby who are bottom of League 2. Grimsby are better than Leeds. Bielsa is taking Leeds to the conference. I mean there’s some silly things posted on here but your post is up there with the best of them.

O.K. I’ll bite. Any particular reason why?

That has to be a red every time for me. It’s studs up and straight into his leg. If Werner had that leg planted then he could easily have broken it. He probably doesn’t mean to do it but if you’re tackle technique is that bad that you’re endangering an opponent then it should be a red card. As you say it would be for 75%+ of the players in the league.