blunther

3 hours ago, avfc1982am said:

Also noticeable that in his last few interviews he is pronouncing "Evening" correctly. He's getting better using the V.

On another note, such a likeable manager. It's been such a long time since having such trust in a manager to take this club forward. It's a weird feeling. 

Hopefully by the time he's done here he's got a full Brummie accent

1 hour ago, gwi1890 said:

We controlled the tempo and stopped the game becoming a back and forth basketball match which is part of the reason we’ve dropped points at home in previous games.

Exactly. Stunned at all the moaning in the ground. Our last two home matches were great matches to watch, and we lost them both 4-2. Yes, it wasnt exciting, and we didn't press home the advantage of the extra man, but palace didn't have a shot on target. Two clean sheets in a row. 

I don't know why I expect better from our fans. Twice now in the last two games, today and against Everton we've scored directly as a result of playing it round the back and creating space. I thought it might shit the 'get it forward' idiots up for a bit, but not ten minutes later there were a bunch giving ironic cheers when we hoofed it (and subsequently lost possession) 

4 hours ago, Ponky said:

I'm going to this. My first time at Villa Park and only second time seeing Villa live after the Perth game in preseason. Absolutely buzzing.

Excellent, where are you sitting?

It's bollocks but it's an addiction. I hate it. I want to support my club that means so much but the game is broken, prices are getting ridiculous and I don't know what my breaking point will be, but it's coming soon. 

17 minutes ago, tomsky_11 said:

There was one question about how important a "central view" is to you, or something along those lines. And seemed like a lot more questions about this "concourse seating" than safe standing. I guess the two could be related.

I had the survey but didn't put two and two together here. If they stick 'posh' seats in the centre of the Holte and try and move me from my seat I've had since year dot then that can be the final massive straw and they can stick my ST up their arse.

Just open bars before and after the match, stick a marquee in the car park and show the early/late kick off to spread the crowd dispersal. And stick some more bogs in. That's all 90% of us want or need.

20 hours ago, VillaParkAvenue said:

Bloomberg now reporting a Qatar bid for Man U is imminent and will happen this week. Bloomberg don’t make these kind of things up so probably true.

Now the only hope is Uefa standing firm on the rules against owning two clubs in European cups.

League will just be a competition between three dodgy countries throwing their oil money around. How long goes everyone stick around for with this situation?

14 hours ago, sidcow said:

Did anyone use the tap and go food thing? 

I just don't understand how it works. Is only 1 person at a time allowed to walk through it? 

I used it. Not one person at a time, there were quite a few people in there. Scanned my card (seems to cost a pound to enter, I was expecting that to get refunded but it hasn't yet..), piked up two pints, walked out. Quickest I've ever got a pint.

And it only charged me for one... which is why I haven't complained about the quid entry fee yet!

1 minute ago, mikeyp102 said:

I hope they don’t do respective punishment. Taking titles off them now will mean nothing and let’s be honest, no respecting fan will want their team to be gifted an old title (Liverpool obviously will). They should get sanctions moving forward now though. 

I'd take that if the sanctions last as long as the offence. Ban from the Premier League for, what is it, 14 years or so? I'd take that.

15 minutes ago, foreveryoung said:

Premier league have to follow this up for reasons which maybe become more clearer if the regulators come in. I doubt though they will expell City from the league, the PL know they couldn't afford to lose their income.

Would the Premier League lose any income? Any plastic fans would just hop over to a new bandwagon anyway, they're not going to follow Man City into the lower leagues. The number of people watching will still be the same.

On 03/02/2023 at 09:27, 0Lamptey said:

West Ham have done sponsorless shirts for adults for a few years https://www.officialwesthamstore.com/kits/home-kit-202223/adults/

Feels a bit sad to me that we will likely have a sponsor like this going into the 150th anniversary of the Club. 

Mad that it's cheaper. If a company wants me to wear their logo then they can bloody pay me for it.

I'd actually buy a Villa top if we sold them like that. 

The automatic shop thing seemed to work okay!

I'm happy enough. Was getting concerned about our wage bill after some of the recent transfers, and it not leaving us much headroom for big signings, and it looks like we've started to deal with that. Before the window I expected to finish 9th-11th, and after the window I expect to finish 9th-11th. Steer clear of that mess below us and it's a good opportunity to give some minutes to a couple of youngsters towards the end of the season, blood Duran in and see what he's made of (this wasn't a cheap punt after all, he must have something about him for that amount of money), see if Bertie has what it takes to be part of the squad in the future and gives Emery more time to find out exactly what he needs. Yes we had an outside chance at Europe if we spent big, but it was still an outside chance and splurging now could have meant reigning it in in summer when there are more options available. Be good to get Carlos back up and running too, no need to rush him but get him fit and firing for next season, then make a real push on.

I think the new second striker position we play will suit his strengths. Crazy that we loaned him out, glad to have him back!

How good was that weird little mid-stride poke into the corner against (I think) the baggies?

I know he's young, but it's a big fee, we're short on forward options and most likely have nothing much to play for other than pride and midtable places this season - maybe we're looking at letting him settle in this season with a few appearances here and there and see if he's got what's needed to compete for starts next year. 

Just now, tomav84 said:

18m apparently

Seems a heck of a lot for an MLS player. What are their biggest fees received til now?

8 hours ago, fightoffyour said:

I’ll say it again, let’s just go back to offside is offside, for anybody who’s on the pitch. 
 

Even lying on the floor at the touch line is still interfering in some way because the defenders are looking over their shoulder or thinking when is this guy gonna get up and suddenly be inside behind my back.

If you're on the pitch and not interfering with play then what the **** are you doing. Agree, go back to offside is offside and **** all this bollocks from the last 20 years off. 

1 hour ago, burchy said:

I think Emery had a word with hiM about when to release the ball as well as he waited right until the pressing player was right on him to release it meaning they had a bigger gap to chase to get to Mings/Konsa. Really noticed it yesterday and it helped beat the press. 

Still a work in progress playing out from the back but I saw a definitely improvement. 

Yeah noticed that. Both him and Konsa were waiting til the very last moment before releasing it. I get it, but it sure makes me nervous, especially when the balls are getting played right against the goal line

2 hours ago, AshVilla said:

60m keeper at least based on tonight's performance

You missed a zero

Forever Young. 

What a pass to Kamara for the first. 

Good atmosphere generally tonight I thought. First half was quiet when we were under the cosh but woke up as soon as we showed a bit of fight in the second. 

57 minutes ago, TomC said:

I thought that people in the match thread were a little hard on JJ...yes, he was anonymous, but he hadn't played in months and was obviously rusty. I put more blame on Unai for not subbing him sooner.

 

The match thread is generally idiotic, but Ramsey was poor. Like you say, first game back and I think he would have been subbed sooner, but that would have been our last of the three allowed sub windows with the two injuries so Emery's hands were tied to an extent. Can't really make your last sub with half hour to go, especially in a match like that or you end up playing with ten men. 

Just now, Tommo_b said:

Coutinho was good today. 

No, he's the worst player ever and we are NOT to give him a chance under Emery. 

Just now, VillaAlex said:

That was superb by Sanson in the buildup.

Our best player so far

1 minute ago, Tommo_b said:

Actually thought Sanson and Coutinho have been the best players on the pitch first half. Surprised at the Coutinho negativity. 

He's the scapegoat du jour on this forum is all it is. It was Mings before, it'll be Bailey next. 

41 minutes ago, Stevo985 said:

Yep.

He won't come back, but if he did everyone would love him again. It's quite funny seeing people try to pretend they wouldn't.

Yep, I definitely say no way will I welcome the little turncoat shite back...

... but I know I'd love it.