Raver50032

Well, you can count me out if it's 'slim fit...'

I wouldn't say it is shocking per se... As you indicated, we've been spiralling now for several seasons, with a managerial merry-go-round to rival that of Newcastle's a few years back. And even Chelsea's... I feel the word 'scandalous' is more appropriate given the overall resources of the club. In the middle ground, 'thoroughly disappointed' would be sitting on the fence. For me, it's scandalous. On the bereavement curve, I have been through anger and denial. I am now at acceptance - one sure way to make sure I am not seen crying on the last day of the season when Kirsty Gallagher does her best 'sympathetic little girl pout' on Sky Sports News showing dejected Villa fans in the stands of the DW Stadium. Shrugged my shoulders upon leaving the ground on 60 minutes against Wigan. That after I punched a wall.

The trouble with Lambert's idear of building a team for the future is that he should take care of the present first ! also I can not understand his attitude of not playing any of the older players ? even to help the younger ones a bit.FFS ManUre still play Giggs and look where they are ? a million miles above us. Agree. The changes were too much, too quickly. Though a lot of the changes were out of Lambert's hands; Petrov & Dunne being the main examples. And who is our Ryan Giggs? Come on, polarised jingoism of the highest order there. Giggs is a museum piece - an affordable luxury in a Club brimming full of riches that help make his game quite easy. Put Giggs into our team and it would kill him. Our older players are either ill or were deemed crap/unworthy last season. And so they remain.

Life becoming a landslide, and filled with motorcycle emptiness... Each day, living out a lie. Revol... Designed for life... From despair to where... Fully behind the team - but optimism is currently shot. Panic on the streets of Aston... Witton, Four Oaks and Great Barr... I wonder to myself...

A very dangerous game indeed for a club 'like' Aston Villa... I know that sounds awfully snobby... Maybe not this season, but next season, the trap door gets nearer... Charlton Athletic, we have become.

Nahhhh... Pukka Pies ;-)

This is all Lambert's fault, if you look in the Paul Lambert thread.

Yeah - up the Villa. Last thing we need is another summer of paying off another manager and another worrying period debating who we will have next. Because this time round, you really will be looking at Bruce, Curbishley, McCarthy and various other horror show tempters. 'I'd take any of those over Lambert right now...' Yeah, bollox would you. And for the win, I support the team, AND the manager at this point. To do otherwise with the limited time we have available to save ourselves would be very counter productive. I'm not blind to everything that has gone on, whether it be shit players, shit decisions, shit refs or whatever. To pin it all on one person however is very blinkered and sadly, not all in life is black and white. He's no genius - but it takes more than 1 man to impact on a team. I mean, last season, it wasn't all Eck's fault was it? I'm afraid it's Aston Villa Football Club that has let me down over the last 24 months. They have lied to me, alienated me, and they have left me feeling embarrassed to be associated with them. And for the extra time winner - this has naff all to do about 'saving face.' It's certainly not blind support. True enough, at times, Lambo and his army have been annoying and humiliating. And if we have the ability to get somebody different who can do better with the restrictions that appear to be in force at this club, then we would be fools not to consider them. But it is far from just 'his' fault. This is still a work in progress - a dangerous work it seems at times and very difficult to stomach. Given the silence in general from the club other than trying to eek out more and more money from it's fans, it appears to me that Paul is just the current club scapegoat. My fear is not whether Lambert will be in charge next season (come what may). I'm more concerned about who comes next, and what state we will be in if the current restrictions that seem to be in place at this club are not concluded sharpish. I'm far from happy about things as they are right now, and I have doubts that Paul has the genius within him to make this club great, or what we would like to think as being great... certainly not with the hamstrung way the club is owned and how it is behaving right now. Who can actually do a satisfactory job under those conditions? And I have a feeling that once he has been hounded out of here, he will take a club like Leicester or Derby into the top ten of the Premier League, doing the double over us somewhere along the way. I will concede that he might be at the right club, but just at the wrong time. I really want him to succeed here and be given a chance to do something positive for us. While I have my doubts right now, like so many others, I am willing to give him more time to do it. Think about what happens next.

Phil '****' Dowd... <face palm>

And we don't want a Czech Doctor either tyvm...

What's wrong with Holman, he don't look right in this pic I must admit, I had think twice about who that actually was on the right...

And of course, not everyone does Facebook. I certainly don't. Life's far too short.

In answer to Everton's Z-cars... maybe we could have, Crossroads? -- Actually, didn't Benny from Crossroads have a kick about with Sir Ron of Saunders in front of the North Stand on ITV Midlands News many years ago?

I think it's been like this for a while, certainly since we sold Platt, then Yorke and a whole catalogue of players since. In terms of treading water, I think we are about out of energy and following any number of clubs who have tried and failed to stay in the top flight with that mentality - too many to mention here. We've failed to build on any glimmer of success since 1982 either because the owners have been too tight, played it safe to safeguard our long term future, or just plain lost interest. So, we've been a selling club for a long time. We just haven't got anything worthwhile to sell right now. Apart from Benteke. Maybe Bent and Insomnia are arguable cases. We won't get anywhere near the money we spent for them in the cases of the latter two. Somebody else posted about Arsenal, and their fans knowing exactly where they stand with their owners. Yeah, they might not win **** all, but at least (up to now at least), they are in the Champions League every year. 4th has become the new holy grail for a lot of clubs. Crikey, it weren't that long ago that we finished 2nd (twice)... and then 4th... and still no Champions League football. Maybe we were unlucky that the goal posts changed... I think the club would be embarrassed to have to come out and admit that we are 'now' a selling club, and that we have no financial backing to enable us to compete... Hell, even our ability to stay in the league is being undermined right now. Well Randolph - if you can't 'fix it' for this club to compete (not necessarily win) in this league, sell up to somebody who can. Because I am not paying premier league prices to just watch the opposition. Doesn't fit my economic model as a customer. And each time a club like ours falls by the wayside into obscurity and with an inability to compete, so it makes the Sky 6 even stronger (Manure, Citeh, Chelski, Spuds, Goonshow and Plop). We've missed a lot of boats, and now we face paddling up stream. Treading water in the Championship my lord.

To be clear, for the first time since that away win at Anfield, I have a spring in my step and a smile on my face at work. It wasn't a classic match yesterday by any means - but the win felt really good. A long time we have waited. Bigger tests still lie ahead - some against top opposition, some against fellow strugglers. Lots of points up for grabs - time will tell if we can take any of them. I am buoyed by yesterday's result - but cautious of celebrating too hard as it can all come swiftly crushing down around your ears. Been there, done that, got the t-shirt and the mental scars.

Yep, the Foo Fighter is played much too loud - so much so that it just sounds like skanky electric guitars being abused, and desperate, muffled lyrics. Music is very polar and divides opinion so one has to be careful what you wish for and what you tolerate. Personally, just because Black Sabbath are Villa fans, doesn't mean that we should be subjected to it over the speakers. Personally, I would prefer something more mainstream - but that is my opinion. I'd happily go with 'Insomnia' by Faithless - actually a very good foot tapping tune. Or Energy 52s 'Cafe Del Mar...' More broadly, but keeping a Villa connection - try listening to Rider On The Storm, or Light My Fire as covered by our very own Nigel Kennedy with Jaz Coleman. Really nice classical covers of very soft rock music. Almost have a film score feel to them. And certainly, NO THANKS to 'post goal' music. Heard enough of 'I Feel Good' at the Reebok over the years, and 'Tom Hark' anywhere else in the Midlands and across the Championship thanks. It's so very small time, and smacks of forcing your guests to celebrate your goal with them. No need for it. Ditch the Foo Fighters please.

Aye, you can say that about Bennett - has looked a but vulnerable in the main. Hopefully the club can knock him into shape. I thought we started with 10 men against WHU as I could not see the value in playing Bowery out wide like he seemed to spend most of his tenure. He's not Gabby... Unfortunate for Bowery that the game really seemed to 'come alive' (loosely) once he got taken off. Better luck next time.

Has anyone ever seen Square Head lose graciously? He'd have you believe that his teams have never fairly lost a match. On balance, the game could have been a draw - the various stats indicate that. Same old Sam 'Boss Nass' Allardyce. The same Allardyce that once claimed that he should change his name to 'Allar-dee-chi' to get himself more recognition for doing a good job. Man is a mark one knob.

Good goal - at the Holte too... Proper heart warming stuff. Keep up the good fight Charles... we're counting on you.

Signs of improvement, but still gives the ball away too often for me. I was surprised that he got man of the match by the sponsors yesterday - he wasn't brilliant by any means (none of them were, apart from Guzan). It kind of felt like he was voted MOTM as a kind of 'sympathy shag' you might give your missus when she is feeling down in the dumps. I would have given MOTM to Brad for his saves, or even 'moody Charles' - great free kick goal and another occasion where he seemed 'up for it.' Which is just what we need too.

Nice review John, as ever. It was great to get that league win feeling. Better opposition may have held a different outcome - but the win was a win, and the hope begins again.

I can see him playing for Arsenal given the hoy-palloy not long after his debut for us. Sure enough, at some point, get ready for his smug smile into the Holte when he nets a hat-trick for them. I recall the treacherous Dwight Yorke doing something similar when he returned with Blackburn in the FA Cup some seasons back. If I'd had a gun, I'd have shot him.

Right with you... The fear of who's coming next alone makes me say that. I've see the varied opinons of who is at fault for our situation right now - and whilst PL is not blameless, my axe is grinding at the owner and his side-kick. Show some ambition - or quit. You are killing my club and it's fan base.

To be fair, this has very little to do with Lambert. Unfortunately the advent of the "Champions League" always meant this was going to happen, whatever the FA hand over in prize money for the Premier League. It is and always has been a closed shop for the big boys and unless you're in it you will never be able to compete with them financially. The EUFA FFP rules are spun as a way of protecting clubs from themselves but in reality make it even harder for a team to ever bridge that gap and help to protect the marketable brands for years to come. Sadly true... Been becoming clearer for me since the last World Cup. Good fan, or bad fan, I'm not paying Premier League prices to watch Championship and League 1 players 'attempt' (lamely) to compete. We're being ripped off right now and it's breaking my heart.

March... something smells bad about that month...