BG_Villa_Fan

Why? Did McLeish perform miracles last season? Lambert got McLeish's team and spent quite a bit of money on top. He wouldn't need miracles to save us, he'd only have to do an acceptable job given the resources.

Safe to say Lambert hasn't covered himself in glory since the start of the season, however, I don't see how it's possible for him to do worse than McLeish and relegate us. After all, he's got McLeish's squad + 17 or so million spent. He should **** it up massively to get us relegated.

Fixed

No way..

Obviously this debate has been done to death, but just to clarify - finishing on the 9th position on average does not mean you're the 9th best team. Man U's average finish during the premier league is 2nd, but that doesn't mean they're the 2nd best team during that period.

Having Berbatov behind Bent would mean he'd get the service he needs in order to be the goalscorer he's proven to be. Not that there was any chance Berbatov would come to Villa or for Villa to afford his wages.

True, but how do you define success for Aston Villa FC? Is finishing 15th or so with the 15th or so wage bill success? If that's your definition, then fair enough that's where we're heading anyway.

Well yea, but thing is, it's impossible because at the first spark of the kind of talent needed for success our young players would be off to the teams that spend lots of money and get paid 100K per week rather than 30K at a self-sustainably run club. As they should, tbh.

What does 'selling our soul' mean? As long as we're raiding the likes of Wigan or Middlesbrough for the N'Zogbias and Downings we're not selling it, but if we start spending a lot of money on stars (cough* Bent *cough)we would be? As I said, football is already broken, it's all about where you are in the financial power chain and we're above the likes of Wigan and 'Boro, but so far below the Man City's etc it's unbelievable. Football sold it's soul to Sky, Villa included. I have no answer, except lets all burn it down and start over. Tbh, I fully agree with what you're saying. I just think it's not a matter of doing a Man City at the cost of selling our soul - it's already sold, and it's just a matter of the amount of money to spend right now. So there's no moral high ground to be stood about it, that's just what football is nowadays and it's very unlikely to change.

What does 'selling our soul' mean? As long as we're raiding the likes of Wigan or Middlesbrough for the N'Zogbias and Downings we're not selling it, but if we start spending a lot of money on stars (cough* Bent *cough)we would be?

Berbatov to Fulham apparently sealed. Brilliant signing for them.

Given 1 - 1 Howard

I hope Moyes shows some mercy.

I think it's quite clear, tbh ( for this season at least ). 1. Get rid of anyone on high wages if possible. 2. Buy replacement on lower wages. 3. Survive.

Take them to Europe?

Very much this. Also, it's not like we need to have a single formation to play, or even a primary one, I fully expect Lambo to try out different ones and adjust depending on the opposition. That said, the 90's 3-5-2 would not be suited to today's premier league, but works ok in Italy ( Napoli , etc ).

All of these are debateable. What's similar is that they both have presence, pride, leadership and inner fire about them, unlike the previous two maganers.

I hope miniMON 'fails' just as miserably as MON, in contrast to the great heights of the previous 2 seasons.

Good result for MON, not surprisingly.

DOL > Houllier >>> McShit

65k apparently Really doubt he's on that low of a wage. He was a 35 million transfer, if his agent has only negotiated 65K a week Carroll should have fired him.

The MON would have been a fool. He should have asked Lerner to get him Messi, instead of Bent.

Now, that could be a wild speculation on my part, but I kind of doubt Bent was available for 3 mil at the time.

It's not that small at all, it's mass is huge, comparatively speaking of course. Problem is or was apparently, the period of time it exists.

Fair point although I'd guess that is what the Newcastle fans also thought when they sold Given but they had Krul. Now granted he wasn't his immediate replacement but you get the point. Given might be the best keeper available to us right now but he is 36 and the club should I think be thinking about more than the immediate future and the next season. If we can replace him with a younger keeper who could go on to surpass him or from who we could get a lot more years service then there is a value in that. Sure, but we haven't got that brilliant young keeper yet. Going by your example - Krul needed years to learn while being a back up to Given ( and others ). I'm OK with that route, as long as the manager thinks the young keeper is talented, however, not as a direct replacement right now as is being suggested.