Lerner's Driver

Serious question - when looking at himself in the mirror after yet another week of not playing for the team or even playing and being useless, do you think Chuck still thinks he is the bees knees, or does he genuinely just not give a monkey's?

Or...Gabby on why fans think he's sh*t: "Because I can't score, I foul the pitch"

Is anyone going up? I'm considering buying a ticket today, LD

Yep. Though the acknowledgement that it was 3 games and too early to call was there too. Don't let that get in your way tho. Seriously what are we supposed to do? Not form an opinion? At what point can we start having an opinion. 5? 10? 15 games? So far they don't look very good. Simple as that. Are you incapable of having a positive opinion on anything? No Woodytom is clearly one of Villatalk's realists and thank God for that - without him we might all just get carted away to the funny farm! What about the current Villa makes you giddy and carefree, then Woody? Will you show us your inner innocent fool, gambolling around like a new born lamb in spring? I actually talk villa up like there is no tomorrow to non villa fans. Mostly tongue in cheek but of course, I sing their praises like any other football fan. Don't feel I need to do that here. Certainly not recently anyway. Wind the clock back 5/6 years and Richard was quite renowned for being negative - well I say renowned - probably misunderstood. I remember many a time in the match threads where he would predict a defeat and people would reply sarcastically 'there's a surprise'. Risso too was quite negative to the whole MON regime and I'm sure there were many others. I was what you would call positive I suppose at that time on here. Well in favour of what was happening etc, and very patient with the whole '5 year plan bullshit'. I've had a number of bets with friends that we will be a surprise package this year and finish top 10. That's my possible fool coming out. Nevertheless, I think anybody would find it very difficult to really sit down and find true positives from the last few years. It's been dreadful and tbh, given our start and not looking like we can score and given the players we have lost, it doesn't look like changing. Especially when you consider the upturn of a number of clubs that we would once consider below us. I've spent years banging on about youth players and how we're going to conquer Europe to my dad and Bro. Truly believing it. Deluded from the drivel I've read on here that bigs up our players to a ridiculous level. I still do. But when it's between villa fans, I see no reason I'm hiding from the truth and the truth atm is, we are shite. Believe me, I'm not upset by that or down. I don't want it of course but I say it with the satisfying knowledge that at the end of the day, it's just football. Surely being deluded is to some greater or lesser extent precisely what being a football fan is about? Once upon a time in a far off galaxy Manchester Utd fans travelled to the theatre of Dreams, to watch the stars dazzle, now all they have to look forward to is the uncomfortable weird feeling of actually losing matches. And at the other end of the spectrum, 40,000 Sunderland fans are drawn to the 'Stadium of Light' every other week, presumably blinded to the truth of what is going on with their one true love. What else can you do but be deluded? On which premise, I predict Traore to fire us to Champions League glory after Gestede realises he has a pair of feet as well as a head. :-)

Yep. Though the acknowledgement that it was 3 games and too early to call was there too. Don't let that get in your way tho. Seriously what are we supposed to do? Not form an opinion? At what point can we start having an opinion. 5? 10? 15 games? So far they don't look very good. Simple as that. Are you incapable of having a positive opinion on anything? No Woodytom is clearly one of Villatalk's realists and thank God for that - without him we might all just get carted away to the funny farm! What about the current Villa makes you giddy and carefree, then Woody? Will you show us your inner innocent fool, gambolling around like a new born lamb in spring?

He can/has scored some great goals and even a few important goals, but he doesn't do either nearly enough. I wouldn't miss watching him play for us, simple as that.

Whatever Charlie says, if people are thinking and saying it, then it is a gamble at £15m - as we get closer to the deadline, someone will meet the fee though.

If he doesn't contribute, what use is he? He may be 'Villa through and through', but fans sit in the stands, players on the pitch - age old rule ;-) I'm not saying there should be a big love in, or even that everyone should like him. I just don't understand where the hate comes from. We've had plenty of players who contribute less than Gabby. He normally comes good for at least 4-5 games a season so he doesn't contribute nothing. How can you be happy with a player who's on 50k a week playing 4-5 good games a season (that's being generous). I'm sorry but he's been baggage for to long and has contributed to us being far down the league. If he hadn't come through the youth ranks, I very much doubt he'd still be at the club.. He contributes very little most of the time, his technical skills are really not great, so when he gets in good attacking positions he is rarely to punish the opposition either by scoring or setting up scoring opportunities, he is not a great finisher, he does have pace though.... Plus he takes up a spot that be utilised more effectively by a better / different player. All that for 50k a week... I don't hate him per sae, but he is one of if not the weakest links in our team, yet seems almost guaranteed a starting spot if fit, and collects way more $$$ than he is actually worth. If he were on say 20k a week, started 10-15 times a year, and mostly came on as impact sub to inject some pace into our attack, it'd be a very different story. I think your use of 'hate' is misplaced, more 'fed up' or 'irritated'. If Gabby had a brain to inform where he ran or what he did when he got there, we'd all be a lot more forgiving. He's definitely trying, though - I'll give him that!

If he doesn't contribute, what use is he? He may be 'Villa through and through', but fans sit in the stands, players on the pitch - age old rule ;-)

Yeah, but at least Gabby is always match fit...

Michu's personal issues... http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/article-3133653/Michu-forgotten-man-loved-Wales-burned-bridges-Swansea.html Article includes interesting Sherwood reference possibly lending credence, especially given Tim's fondness for reinvigorating lost souls: "To think, there was a running joke at Tottenham’s training ground a couple of seasons ago whereby Pat Jennings, Tim Sherwood and other members of the coaching staff would hear news of another goal at Swansea and tell each other: 'Don’t mention Michu.' Back then, in the 2012-13 campaign, Tottenham, along with half a dozen other clubs, cringed about their decision to ignore a Spanish agent who did the rounds in pre-season."

He's also a baggage ridden punt, if you'll excuse the term.

Michu whispers - http://elcorreoweb.es/deportes-betis/el-aston-villa-un-duro-competidor-por-michu-JC675830 First found via a Wales online link here: http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/swansea-city-transfer-news-aston-9892896 ...where they summarise the Spanish story by saying: "Seville based news organisation El Decano Deportivo say : "In the last hours, a bid from Aston Villa has quite seduced the former Rayo Vallecano striker because he wants to continue in the Premier League.” But Spanish national newspaper Marca say Real Betis technical director Eduardo Macia has been combing the market for an attacker to play alongside Ruben Castro and Jorge Molina, adding that Michu is his top target. The report says: “Subject to economic conditions, a free transfer could be agreed for the man who has spent most of the last year recovering from injury in his home city of Oviedo."

It's actually funny watching how good he is compared to all the lifeless dross we've had to put up with for years. This is just a dream isn't it, we didn't really just sign a Barcelona winger, did we? I remember thinking for the past 5 years every Saturday, pleeeeease do something interesting before you pass the ball sideways and lose it, oh, oh, you couldn't manage it - okay then, I'll shut up and slip back into this endless misery coma zzzzzzzzzzzzz

From Wiki "During a league game against FC Bayern Munich, in the opening match of 2013–14, Domínguez handled the ball to concede a penalty, which was saved. He then handled the ball again from the rebound, giving away a second penalty in an eventual 1–3 away loss." Could be Guzan's replacement?

LOL you sure? what has he spent aside from the money received in fees? Look closely and you will find another cunningly hidden middle eastern pun, Rich!

Randy Lerner's free spending this summer has dashed all talk of comparisons with former penny pinching supremo, Sir Irbid Douglas Ellis

Are you being Syrias? Saud-ly not!? Iraq'd my brain to figure out the pun here. Our trio of Jordans are producing football more exciting than watching Gaza Strip.

Having had various trial periods with clubs such as Manchester United, Fiorentina and Chelsea, and with his Brøndby contract expiring in December 2009, Boilesen agreed a move to the Netherlands, with Ajax paying Brøndby 4 million DKK in compensation (roughly €500.000).[4] Followed by a number of top European clubs, Boilesen chose Ajax on advice from fellow Danish youth international and Ajax player Christian Eriksen.[5] Signing a 4-year contract, binding him to the club until the Summer of 2013, he initially joined the youth ranks where his first season with Ajax was stalled by injuries. Once recovered he solidified a starting position for Ajax A1, the clubs' under-19 team, and even made appearances for the reserves team willy Jong Ajax.

How ready is he in terms of first team action?

Welcome Señor, You might just be the guy who rouses this giant from his prolonged siesta! Arriba, Arriba!

I shall be out in Central (East) London and looking for a local pub to watch the game - any Villa chaps around?

Where there is weeping and gnashing of tooth (singular). Like the image Ponk, but is it technically possible to 'gnash' a single tooth?

1982. Aged 10. 1am, stood in the public square outside our budget hotel. Eating chips and mayonnaise with my old man after we finally found the ground and Morley found Withe. Still can't quite believe it!

Mr Avenatti, Richard? https://youtu.be/9ad4NKNrWPQ The standard shitty trance pop tune is even called 'Villain'... hes a big lad isn't he ! ;-) He is indeed - perhaps Tim wants us to score from corners again, whatever next!