McGrath1874

I hope Gabby keeps the attitude he showed today

let's get behind him, he's Villa now. UTV

Ashley Young for Villa = very good

Ashley Young for Man U = average

Tom Cleverly for Man U = average

Tom Cleverly for Villa =?

He did look average at Man U, which by our current standards isn't so bad. At least we know what we are getting than taking a punt on championship players. £8m does seem a lot, but I'm going to be optimistic and say this is the Roy Keane influence and he's pulled off a master stroke!

Really hope this doesn't mean an agreement that Vlaar is going their way :-(

Glad you had a good time. Just out of interest why, what was it about Villa that made you want to support them?

I all began with me watching us play against Liverpool during the MON time, my older cousin was a Liverpool fan so I decided to be against him. After that game I started to follow Villa and here I am 5 years later, at Villa Park watching us at the Holte!

The Holte feels very special the first time you go. Glad you got to experience it mate.

Glad you had a good time. Just out of interest why, what was it about Villa that made you want to support them?

I remember my first time at Villa Park, beat Man City 3-1, I think it was Saunders, Houghton and Parker

Good results from the next two matches is vital, because after that we have:

 

Liverpool

Arsenal

Chelsea

Manchester City

Everton

 

Pretty gruesome looking list of fixtures, we'll do well to get 3 points out of those.

Bring them bastards on! 

Nothing will get passed the "Rock"

We could with this kind of player, our attack has been firing blanco's

I hope this isn't a little white lie?

Cue for more shit puns.

I can't think of any more... My minds gone Blanco

Porter is one busy fighter. A mini Clubbed Lang

Apparently a few other clubs were after him. Does anyone know which ones?

It doesn't matter!

Isn't it just a bit of a cliche that you beat off competition. Sometimes you do, sometimes its a bit of PR. I doubt we'll really ever know if anyone else made a serious effort to get him.

I know it doesn't matter, it's interesting though. Although "it doesn't matter was a song by the Rock!

Apparently a few other clubs were after him. Does anyone know which ones?

To do an assessment of the past two years, the problems we've had on and off the pitch. The performance of the manager, everything. Understandably people fear it just takes one or two more defats than last year and we're gone.

 

Firstly Paul Lamber I think he's had to do a very odd and difficult thing with the club. Forced to get rid of the big earners and replace them with lower wage replacements. The only people you can get on lower wages are not experienced Premier League players, they are young inexperienced players.

 

So he took over a club that had just survived its worst manager in it's Premier League history and survived by a sheer miracle. He made two excellent signings in Vlaar and Benteke, along with Lowton & Westwood who are good too.

 

We had as expected a tough first season, we survived with a game to spare. Then last summer he went out and had to buy within his wage constraints, so in came 6 players without a minute of Premier League experience. 3 of them turned out to be poor, unfortunately 2 of the good ones were stuck down by season ending injuries when they were in the team and in form.

 

Last season we also had a crucial injury to Benteke with Kozak already out and Bent at a different club our 3 centre forwards were gone. The points to games ratio of the club with Benteke in it meant we would have possibly ended 4 league places higher had he stayed fit.

 

So now we come to today, due to lowered wage bill in conjunction with higher income from TV our wage bill is healthy and experienced players were first on the shopping list. 4 come in and our next addition is a very experienced international coming from an equally good league.

 

We get Hutton, Bent & N'Zogbia back too, so say what you want about their current abilities or usefullness, paying someone to not play is daft as I believe all 3 of these would have been assets last season. Not to mention experience, Hutton on at right back to close out a game instead of a tired inexperienced Bacuna for example?

 

I am certain the team got complacent after our defeat of Chealsea last spring. We thought we're safe now, and too many players knew their place was safe regardless, well not anymore. People seem to remember the end of last season and that alone, but take that team and add, Benteke, Kozak, Okore, Senderos, Richardson, Sissoko, Sanchez, Cole, N'Zogbia, Bent, Hutton. Hell Grealish too. The drive and respect Keane will command, he won't let complacency seep in like after Chelsea.

 

Competition for places, voices in the dressing room, experienced players. It's a completely different place now, it looks like a Premier League squad and I'm sure it will feel like one too.

 

Where we after we beat Chelsea is what we could achieve last season, instead of tailing off we will push on this time. No more tirdness, no more complacency as your replacement is sitting on the bench waiting for his chance.

 

Prepare for the turning point, enjoy this season.

 

UTV

Just want I want to hear on the opening day! Great comment, I feel pumped! Bring on Stoke!!!!

UTV

100% behind him, I can't think of to many managers that could have done much better given the way our club is run.

Not far off mine, but I might have Richardson on the left and push Nzog in just behind Benteke

The way things have been going recently, I'm more than happy if he signs. It's a position we need strengthening and for once, we aren't looking at the championship to fill the void.

Just had some marinated chicken legs and wedges for dinner.

Apparently been in and out of rehab for booze and drugs. So sad.

Even though it is very pessimistic and depressing I agree with everything there Rich except for the fact that I think Lambo is as poor a manager as Lerner is an owner. Luck rather than skill has kept us up every season so I don't see why a manager who has produced two seasons of horrible turgid football should get any praise whatsoever!

Maybe if Lambert doesn't get off to a good start Keane will take over

I think we will finish somewhere between 17 and 20. But I feel optimistic about this season. I have a sneaky feeling we will be better than last season with the players coming back from injury.

We have a starting 11 which could get some points. If we have any injuries to key players, then we are screwed.

The last few seasons have been so painful. I'm not sure I've got the strength to cope with another season like last. Such a depressing state of affairs.

I'm going to put on my annual £20 for Villa to win the league. UTV

I don't think theres any doubt that we're miles away from Liverpool, in terms of success, fan base, marketing value and potential. We've seen in the Lerner era that fan wise & attendance wise, we won't grow & this is with admission prices right at the lower end of the scale. From a financial and even marketing aspect, Newcastle would be a more attractive proposition than ourselves.

If we broke top 4 or won a title then fan base would grow. Next generation will support Villa which is near by rather than Liverpool or Man U which is miles away.

But for that to ever happen we would need City style millions spent which is no longer possible.

Unless there is a change to FFP I can't see us being bought anytime soon.

Even though some on here think anyone who wants to buy us would be mad, just remember someone bought David Luiz for £50M!!! We are worth 4 David Luiz's !! Football as a business is bonkers!