Paul33

Word from the training ground is that a number of "senior players" had complained about his attitude and were blaming him for certain "issues" within the camp ..... but I have no idea what they are. It definitely is NOT a move that has anything to do with Ireland ..... he was pushed !

Pretty crap thing to do by a player who has been either injured or garbage or both for 90% of his time here and yet was never dumped on throughout ....... but that's football today and it doesn't surprise me. Not sure he'll be well received next time he pulls on a Villa shirt !!!

Play him at the TOP of a midfield diamond, not the bottom of it. He has the sort of vision and passing ability that will unlock defences and he has a tidy shot on him too !

If we start Sunday with Gabby/Tekkers/Weimann then that's it for me ..... all the remaining belief in Lambert will go !!!

With Delph out, we have no midfielders prepared to carry the ball forward ..... they all pass sideways or back and that means 50 passes to cross the half way line, it means next to no service to the forwards and it means no goals will be scored. How obvious does it need to be to Lambert that somebody has to be a risktaker and the only lad I have seen this season - aside from Delph - who is prepared to take risks is Grealish and he don't make the bench ! Without the forward momentum from the midfield, the forwards are too easy to pick up and mark tight. When we run from midfield, we challenge the opposition backs and that creates space for the forwards ..... basic U12s coaching FGS !!!

I'll give Tekkers the benefit and say he is on his slow way back but Gabby is so over the hill that I can't see him anymore and Weimann wouldn't get a game at Small Heath at the moment !

One of the most embarrassing Villa performances in my 50 years as a Villa fan ...... we have NO future with Lambert in charge. Totally clueless and out of his depth by a million miles ! Bring back McLeish !

My mate was diagnosed as being a Precognitive Dreamer and has the ability to see up to two days into the future. He casually told me this morning that Villa won 2-1 but had a player sent off for elbows at 1-1 so there you go ...... we win ...... wooooo !

Okore could be VERY good for us but he was spectacularly unfit pre-season ..... looked like a pub footballer so must have quite a way to go yet.

Meh ...... feel like I want to rant but can't really ! Set up to contain them and once that failed, it was all over ...... different class, need to keep heads up and again next week and get over this crazy run of tough fixtures.

Baker for England !!! #nuffsaid

Could be garbage, could be a great signing ..... it won't be anywhere in the middle ! I'm reassured by the fact Everton wanted him as they are not a club who traditionally buy rubbish. Welcome Tom ! #UTV

Belter of an end to end game with Villa winning 5-3 ....... hic !

Not a fan but lets face it, many a talent has pulled on a Newton Heath shirt and been made to look garbage ..... they've even made RVP look average !!! Rather spend the £8M on a proven goalscorer but I'll give him a chance if he comes and who knows, it could lift his game being at a new club. PS: He is at least 800% better than KEA !!!

Okore is a class player but I've never seen anybody as out of shape as he was pre-season. He looked not only sluggish but as though he was carrying an injury or maybe just very, very wary of the injury he has had. Either way, he looked well short of the fitness level he needs to be at.

Get rid - total waste of a shirt and one of the worst players EVER to play for Villa ! #justsayin

We start the day second in the league table ...... onwards and upwards !!!

Neither Vlaar nor his agent is going to bang out statements about wanting to stay as that will result in a lesser contract deal for him. It will be better for him to allow people to fear losing him as they'll logically be better prepared to offer a more lucrative deal. He's playing every week, he's in his national side, he is becoming a "name" and I think he'll want to stay here and ride on all that for a season or two. If he goes elsewhere, he risks becoming a squad player and that, in turn, will put his national place at risk. 90% staying at Villa for me.

Judge Gabby after Saturday ..... I get the impression he doesn't "do" friendlies !!!

Worrying lack of quality at times but I'll put that down to the heat in hope that it was nothing more ! Typical pre-season stuff - lots of running and passing but no real purpose nor any great desire to actually score goals. Grealish looked neat, Hutton looked dynamic going forward, Senderos looked composed, the rest looked largely like they were doing a light training session ! One positive is that last season's pre-season games were made up of 70% seniors and 30% youth with little chance of making the first team whereas this pre-season we appear to have two XIs made up of senior players plus (today) Okore, Cole, Vlaar, Kozic, Benteke still to come ...... not many world beaters plus certainly plenty of depth and experience this time around.

Houston is six hours behind us so assuming its an evening kick off then it will be silly'o'clock over here ...... be good if it was an afternoon kick off though ! Edit: 8pm kick off over there so 2am over here again !

MOM first half - OKORE, MOM second half - HUTTON !!!! Now I'm off to lie down LOL !!!

Was having some stuttering on Internet Explorer, switched to Firefox and a perfect stream through the game ..... well done AVTV !

Baker in, Bacuna out ? #madness

(HERE) WE GO AGAIN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!