VillaGoMarching

I've given him some right stick, right up until the Newcastle defeat. But steadily his form has picked up this season.

Keep it up Ron.

I think there was genuine substance to the stories about Vlaars place being under threat after the signing of Okore. A real shame that we've seen so little of him due to injury.

I think Clark this season, is the player we all hoped he'd become. While Bakers emergence has certainly caused him to concentrate on his game more.

Big fan of the pair of them, just a shame they are both lefties.

He's in the Irish U21 squad for the UEFA Championship qualifying games against the Faroe Islands and Montenegro.

The idea of him playing for MON at some point makes me want to cry.

If john Robertson was still with MON, he'd improve Jack no end.

I think he's done marginally more for us than say Stephen Ireland. Yet more woeful transfer activity from McLeish.

Given that our side have no width and little creativity, gab and Weimann are injured and out of form, Tonev is struggling with the league and we've just let Albrighton out on loan, then I'd be inclined to recall both Grealish and Curruthers.

But then you have to consider as a side we're not in great form, and have no established LB, then you'd be asking a lot of Grealish so early in his career to come in and play LW/LM.

Saying that, sometimes kids aren't fazed by the gravity of situations.

Biggest thing with this game especially online is even when you win its not fun, i can remember enjoying the old fifa and even older pes games win or lose because it was fun but this just seems to be the complete opposite. Of course fifa having one of the worst community of players doesn't help.

Agree completely, I'm gonna trade it for COD ghosts, I'm literally only having 10 mins here and there to play my 360 at the moment, so I want to actually enjoy it. With Cod last year I got pretty decent at it so would have good and bad rounds in it. I'll take that over what FIFA 14 gives me.

After 10 games W D L F A PTS 2 3 5 8 14 9 Against same opposition W D L F A PTS 2 0 8 8 25 6 *Hull exchanged for Wigan. Yes I was sad enough to sit and do that but I'm going to go out on a whim and saying we're doing better than last year

it wasn't that long ago we were hearalding him as the best RB since Delaney.

FWIW I agree with Lambo in his press conference. I'm still seeing progress being made from last season. Are the unhappy few simply expecting to much too soon?

Too much too soon? This will be our 4th consecutive season of struggle. When has that ever happened in the last 35 - 40 years? Why have we as a fan base become so passive and accept such crap when we have never done before? Lerner must have released some kind of brainwashing drugs to the masses at Villa Park while no one was looking. I've never known Villa fans to be so apathetic as this. We used to demand a certain standard at Villa but now we sit back and accept the scraps Lerner throws at us like nodding dogs. Grow a pair for f#ck sake and show some passion in the club!

FWIW I agree with Lambo in his press conference. I'm still seeing progress being made from last season.

Are the unhappy few simply expecting to much too soon?

I think our home form says less about our squad and more about us as fans. Been a villa fan for 20 years and its never been fortress villa park. I remember relegation threatened teams long coming to us and turning us over. Even in more recent times during O'Neill's tenure we struggled.

I sometimes wonder if we'd hinder our players, I even think Lambert has alluded to that fact in some of his post match press conferences this season. Talking about players learning to thrive while playing at VP.

Finally I think the atmosphere has changed from last season. We were defiant at times, supporting the team to the hilt, after home defeats to Wigan and going out the cup the way we did, the crowd could have been forgiven for turning on the team, but we all saw the bigger picture. We had to survive last year.

Now all of a sudden, the VP crowd have given up and most fans seem to be reclined in they're seat, expecting to be entertained. Why is this the case?

Think I'm done with UT already, I've worked out I've played 25 games and not won a game. So many 90th minute equalisers or winners. So many goals which seem scripted. Literally, keeper making double saves, and the third rebound falling to opposition and scoring. Despite being surround by my defence. Think ill have to start career mode but this FIFA ain't a patch on the last year.

Bigger picture is that 3 points from those fixtures are right on mark for the club right now. Anything more and you don't understand the squad we have.

Since when was it acceptable for a club like Villa to lose 3 out of the first 4 league games at home? Have you no pride in the club?

Hate this attitude in our fans, just because we have history, doesn't mean we're entitled to anything. I don't understand how your viewing this, in plain black and white statistics, of 3 loses. Not taking into account quality of oppositions. Etc.

Spurs IMO will finish top 4 this year. Not on our level. We were competitive for the most part of the match. Had Benteke scored I think it would have been a different outcome but we couldnt take our only clear cut chance in the game.

What's all this got to do with Westwood? IMO it's the Carrick treatment, doesn't get the recognition he deserves when things are going well.

Sorry to come back to this thread, but what was that header for the soldado goal.

I'm seeing Westy get some absolute pelters today, undeserved in my opinion.

Feel sorry for Roy, the guy has had mud slung at him since day one for not being Harry Redknapp. Then accused of being negative and now being a racist. Just an absolute slur on a decent man.

What a picture!

Spot yourself in that pic - I can see me!

Jeez... bit of an obesity epidemic going on here.

No doubt a north London crowd would be more photogenic.

Belgian twitterer posted this, this morning:

@HLNinEngeland: De kans bestaat dat Christian #Benteke alsnog fit geraakt voor 1 vd 2 interlands. Maandag meldt hij zich bij de Rode Duivels aan.

Anyone translate please?

Weimann is yet another likeable player in our squad, unfairly questioned in my eyes about his 'attitude' since getting his new contract, I think it's more a case of things not coming off for the lad. As commitment and work ethic isn't something which worries me with Andi.

Haha one of these days he's going to knock himself out

Again!

I love his commitment and fearlessness.

The only thing that has changed in his game for me is that he has removed the almost daily clanger he has. He was always a good cultured defender. He'd be that defender for 89 minutes and then do something unbelievably stupid. All he has done is remove that bonehead move . He's now that same good cultured defender for 90 minutes. And he's been the same playing in green too which is pleasing. We've a good'un there.

Agree with that Bof, I think he picked up the 'clanger' move from Dunne, and it's took a year for it to wear off.

I know a lot on here hate it, but I've always been a fan of 5-3-2. I think it certainly suits our current group of full backs best as I'm not convinced with Luna/Bennett/Lowton all that much defensively. 3 CMs and 3 CBs even against someone with the quality of City meant they did absolutely nothing through the middle, their only real chances came from set peices and efforts from distance. Also allowed us to stick 2 up front at all times and keep pressure on their defenders.

Only negatives I really saw we're the fullback and winger doubling up on our wingback, but then if the CMs are shifting over to the side with the ball then it really shouldn't be an issue and that will come with games. If the opposition do this, like City did, you can see what'll happen with our 3rd - you're leaving you're 2 CBs 2v2 against our front men.

I doubt we'll keep at it for long, especially when most of our forwards are fit, but it's a decent backup system that can clearly work.

I've got mixed feelings-Both formations have worked well for us. I said earlier, I wouldn't like to drop one out of Gabby & Weiman as I love the threat that a 3 pronged attack brings. By the same token, the 3 centre backs looked so solid on Saturday. Both have many pluses & minuses.

They only really threatened down their left, Milner was very quiet on the other side. If anything, this is the only disadvantage with 3 in midfield & maybe it suited Newcastle the other week.

This can only mean one thing... 3-4-3!!!

That sounds awesome when Villa are at home against weaker sides to be honest. Delph and el ahmadi in the middle, back three is obvious, either lowton or bacuna on the right with Luna on the left and weimann/tonev/helenius, benteke and gabby. Might be a disaster but I'm intrigued

Might change to it during the game .. But I won't prefer to start with this formation .. Although could consider it as I said ..

Been an advocate of a 3-4-3 variation ever since the Newcastle debacle. Lambert needs to be brave and bold in order to find a way to beat teams. Glad he did it on Saturday, admittedly without seeing much if the ball but apart from two lapses from two different players it was an incredible disciplined display from the team. Guz had little to save with Man City having to shoot from distance.

The counter attacking style is really beginning to piss me off, if that's all Lambert can do he's a limited manager and no better than MON tactically. I wanted Lambert as our manager for a long time, but he's got to do better because I'm starting to doubt him.

We can play well together to dominate a team, we did it in the closing stages of games last year (Sunderland in particular), but it hasn't clicked for us this season.

We haven't really had an opportunity so far this season given our run of fixtures and quality of opposition. It'll come.

I'm still 100% percent with Lambo, this is his squad now. He needs at least a full year with it.

My two main disappointments with him have been Bradford at home last year, and Newcastle at home this year. He arguably panicked under the pressure of VP and ruined the team removing any continuity.

can we hang on?

well i never, well played Bacuna, cracking free kick

nasri you **** lesbian