tom_avfc

I just did this and got us level on 89 with Derby, Cardiff on 87, Fulham on 81 and Boro 79. Was quite surprised that I had Fulham falling quite so short. Looks like we're not too dissimilar although I have Cardiff doing considerably better (I think they have some nice fixtures to be fair). If it finishes as tight as that I'm not sure I could cope. Millwall away could be as nervy a game as we've had in a long time. To be honest a lot of the games are completely unpredictable so I think what doing that showed me was how up in the air promotion really is. I think the key is that we just keep focusing on the next game. We'll have good and bad results but we can't let ourselves be affected too much by either.

Is that team B not exactly the formation we've been playing on this run (Just with Hutton in at left back rather than Taylor)? Its exactly how I'd show it and I've been to the majority of the games. Other than that yeah I agree - team B wins that.

I'll have a go at answering some of your points: The property value hasn't decreased as far as I can see. We have freehold land and buildings of around £39 million which is largely the same as in the previous year. What interests me with regards to this is the £934,000 addition of land during the year. I don't know if this has been mentioned elsewhere and I've missed it but it'd be interesting to know what land we've been buying up. The £57 million is the amount invested by the company into the subsidiary companies. There is no detailed breakdown of what has been invested into each company but the £57m will effectively be split in some way among the various subsidiaries listed in the accounts. Also of interest may be the increase in loan notes of £15 million which presumably means we owe Dr Tony (via his Chinese company) £15 million more than we did in 2016 (£49 million as opposed to £34 million).

Yeah I think crossing without looking is making an assumption that any car coming has seen you and is going to stop. Not an assumption I'd really want to make with the potential consequences.

This worries me to be honest. I can't believe that anybody actually thinks we could make the top 6 next season (finishing ahead of Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea, Spurs or one of the Manchester clubs). Villa Park would be a horrible place to watch football again if we go up and have those kind of expectations in our first season promoted. If Bruce (or anybody) got us into the top 10 next year that would be a fantastic job and a good base to build on. For what it's worth, a season where we are competitive and don't look in danger of relegation would be a great season for me to.

Very much this. I can kind of understand someone kissing someone on the head whilst messing around after a few beers - a joke gone too far maybe but harmless enough. I'm not sure why a few beers would make anyone think that saying they wanted to rape a colleague was a funny thing to say though.

Oh yeah I’m agreeing that the fact that Snodgrass gets “nothing” for his role in that goal is unfair. I wasn’t trying to suggest anything you said was wrong. It’s just that the assist ( and goals) system will always be misleading. If you want to give snodgrass the assist, do we then give Adomah the goal? But to me it just highlights why nobody should be judged on pure stats. That’s why scouts are paid to go and watch games and get a deeper understanding of how effective players are.

I don’t think it makes a mockery of the assist system - it’s just another case showing that stats don’t tell the whole story. I’d like to think that by now people aren’t basing opinions on simple measures such as goals and assists. Hogan gets the goal for tapping the ball into an open goal which also sums up how much simple stats tell us. Other than that though I agree completely with what you’re saying. Snodgrass has been outstanding recently. I think he’s been able to get back to full fitness and we’re now seeing the player that Bruce wanted.

I don’t think he wanted Johnstone to come for it but he wanted a call from him as there wasn’t a burton player anywhere near the ball so Chester didn’t need to concede the corner. I’d agree that he needs to improve from set pieces but he’s been great this season for the most part.

He’s putting together a brilliant season for a young keeper. He’s got serious potential and a deal to get him permanently in the summer would be fantastic for the club.

Yeah I’d go with something like this. He did a decent job today - nothing special but showed plenty of energy which he’ll always give you. I still feel that Jedinak will come back into the team in time. Wouldn’t be making the change just yet though and I actually think games like Burton and Blues at home may suit Bjarnasson more than Jedinak as we’ll be on the front foot. Out of interest, does anybody know if he’s played a defensive midfield role before these last few games?

I don't think the issue is that he's not considered good enough as back up. It's more that if Hogan was to get injured (not the most unlikely scenario given his history!) then we would again be down to having either RHM or Davis leading our line in the push for promotion. I'd actually like to see RHM get more minutes from the bench as he's looked lively in his small cameos this year. However, I still agree we need another striker who could genuinely step in and lead the line if Hogan was to suffer another injury or loss of form.

Completely agree with this. I seem to have been misquoted as saying he's the worst player I've seen when I actually said he's one of the worst. He's also playing at a lower level than the majority of the names people have mentioned against some pretty poor sides. Players like Herd, Westwood, Cissokoh and Ireland shouldn't even be in the conversation for me either. I still stand by the fact that before the last 60 minutes of league football that he's played he was absolutely amongst those names. If you throw in the fact that he was underwhelming against Peterborough in two positions I'm sorry if I'm not completely convinced that he's turned the corner just yet. Obviously it goes without saying that I hope he can build on his good 60 minutes and goes on to put in some good performances for us now.

Only 20 years so probably not as long as most on here. I’ll stand by my comment as well to be honest. At the time I said that he’d done next to nothing for us and genuinely looked to have amongst the worst technical ability I’ve seen at Villa. One good half in defensive midfield is a start I suppose. I still think he’s unlikely to get much game time with Jedinak to come back and Whelan still ahead of him in Bruce’s mind I’d suggest. The fact it’s taken him about 5 positions to put in a positive performance is slightly concerning also. Hopefully he continues to progress but I don’t see him ever playing more than a handful of games for us.

I couldn’t disagree more with this to be honest. He’s looked pretty poor in every game he’s played except for Bristol City when we’d already won the game by the time he came on. In fact I’d suggest he’s one of the few players we could get rid of and not need to worry about replacing. He wouldn’t be second choice in any position and hasn’t done anything to suggest he’s a better option than the kids in the under 23s. I genuinely think he may be one of the worst players I’ve seen play for Villa. Tries hard but is so technically poor it’s unbelievable.

I mostly agree with this but I'm not sure you can really class Junior Hoilett as a striker. To me he's no more of a striker than Adomah so not sure the comparison is that valid when it comes to Cardiff. I think what it does show is that us and Cardiff are doing particularly well to keep pace with the other team's at the top despite not having a striker that is scoring regularly. Also highlights the impact that a goal scorer could have on our team. I think the real question is can Hogan step up to the mark and score more regularly for the second half of the season? I'm doubtful so I'd be fully behind the signing of a more reliable striker.

I thought he did well considering Hourihane was almost the invisible man next to him. Too many times this season he’s having to do the job of two men in the middle.

I’ve had enough of Bruce now. I’ve never seen such an uninspiring Villa team. We don’t even attempt to play football and we’re playing against teams which have spent a fraction of what we have since we got relegated. I find it difficult to work out what we’re even trying to do in most matches - is there any kind of game plan? The atmosphere at Villa Park is as bad as it’s been and it’s no surprise when we’re watching a team that can’t string more than about 5 passes together and at least 3 of those passes would have to be backwards too. Can we get back to playing football because whatever it is we’re playing now it’s turgid to watch?

He didn’t really have a chance on either goal. I think if I’m being picky I’d have liked to see him keep coming out for the first goal as he stopped in no mans land but I don’t think he’d have got close enough to Donaldson to block anyway. Anyone blaming him for the second goal is absolutely ridiculous. The ball should never have got to Donaldson but when it did he’s taken the goal very well. Low and powerful finish from a 1 on 1 - how on Earth that can be Johnstone’s fault I’ll never know! I think Johnstone is putting together a solid season - pretty close to player of the season for me too.

Outstanding today as he has been for the majority of the season to be fair. After a couple of mistakes we are so quick to jump on the back of young players.

I'm not massively sure I agree with this although I'd agree it's been an issue in the past. The run rates in the series so far don't really show a team that is looking purely to attack. Players like Stoneman and Malan have really dug in at times during the series. Cook's natural game isn't to have a swing at things. I think the real issue with some of England's batsmen is just a lack of ability/technique when trying to dig in. Players like Vince and Ali aren't technically good enough to "block for 5 hours". I think the number of batsmen giving away wickets has been relatively low compared to many recent test matches. Some excellent Australian bowling has accounted for the majority of the wickets with Lyon and Cummins being particularly impressive. We're seeing two pretty evenly matched teams playing in conditions which completely suit Australia. There's no coincidence that when the conditions favoured England Australia were skittled for 140. A series in England has an entirely different result for me and to be honest the home advantage in test series is so great that one sided series are now becoming a bit of an issue in my opinion.

The Aussies have always been quick to get on the team's (and the captain's in particular) back when it starts to look a little tougher. It's why a good start in an Ashes series is essential. Smith will be starting to feel the heat a bit at the moment and I think his performance today showed that - a dropped catch, using up the reviews early doors and his general demeanour in the field. Unfortunately I do think we've left ourselves a little too much to do. If we managed to win it, the pressure on Smith would be huge and as their best batsman that's only going to play into England's hands.

Good summing up. I think if Woakes and Root could put on a 50 partnership first thing tomorrow then all the pressure will be heaped onto Australia. Could be a huge momentum swing for the series as a whole if we manage to pull a win out of the bag here. Smith will get a lot of criticism for his decision not to enforce the follow on and the Aussie confidence will take a bit of a beating for the first time in the series. As you say though, I also think we'll fall slightly short. The new ball could be pretty key and if we can get through that with recognised batsmen still in then the chase really will be on. It's nice to see some fight from the England batsmen though with only Vince likely to be massively disappointed in the way he's got out. We need to find a way to score off Lyon though as the difference between him and Moeen Ali at the moment could be a large part of what wins this series for Australia.

I kind of understand this but you have to back yourselves to put the runs on the board IMO. If you put the Aussies in and then they go and make a huge total then you lose momentum and also show them that you’re scared of their bowling attack. I’d always be playing the conditions and backing the team to perform.

Yeah I was going to add that he wasn't given a great deal of help from our defenders who had switched off and gave the Sunderland player as long as he wanted to pick out his cross.