MarkLillis

Then one year later sign for Man City because they paid his release clause and “he needs to play the highest level he can” Pep will then proceed to play him in approx 20% of the seasons matches….

I was just beginning my love affair with football and Villa. I hadn’t attended a live match (Dad was unemployed which was not unusual in 1982) but watched anything I could on TV and played every chance I got. I was actually on a Coca Cola super skills(remember them?) class at my local park and the coach finished early so we could get back to watch that game. I don’t remember much about it tbf Nigel Spink coming on and doing a lap of the living room followed by a very strange press up type celebration in front of the tv when we scored before being told to settle down it’s only football! At the time I thought Villa winning stuff was normal…the naivety of youth eh.

I have to say I want Leeds to go. Elland Road has an incredible atmosphere but the way they are it actually works against their side in important fixtures IMO. You can almost feel the desperation through the TV…. Everton would be good for the spectacle but i think their fans have really rallied round once they realised how much sh@t they were in.They will get a result against Palace. However I think actually will be Burnley and that will be……dull.

He was great for us! One of our best ever players without a doubt. However he is now playing against Villa, he’s not “one of us” he’s a player…a player that swapped possibly legendary status at his boyhood club for a bit part play in a trophy winning franchise. If they win of Sunday it won’t be an Aguero moment there will be nothing special about it and the rest of football will forget what happened by the start of June. However an Aston Villa player scoring a winner or an equaliser will go down in Liverpool history in the same way as Bosco Jankovic is fondly remembered here. UTV

I think that level of refereeing will improve as soon as we start quizzing refs after the final whistle.Like players and managers are. They should be interviewed about the key decisions in the game and asked for their perspective. We will soon see which refs are actually in control and know why they have made the decisions they make. It’s too easy for them at present no matter what there performance is like they are protected from the aftermath of their mistakes by refereeing pundits who watch replays and think of excuses for them. Make them defend themselves in the full glow of the media after all they are happy to take centre stage during the game!

There is a lot of opinion out there on Steven Gerrard.It’s understandable that as he hasn’t exactly set the world on fire (like Howe at Newcastle that people feel underwhelmed. However the PL is an unforgiving league and a new coach will make mistakes and they will be punished.I think we have suffered from Gerrard and his teams “teething” problems this season and hopefully next year will be better. We aren’t the only fans to maybe expect to much from a new manger in his first season….Talk to a Wolves fan about Bruno Lage they are confused as to whether he is the right man or not too!

Did great work for us!

Agree with a lot of points here. For me it is a simple fix… We have two train stations….they need to run more specials (with more carriages) to and from Villa Park. Obviously they don’t see the congestion as a big problem or else this would be already done.

Excellent today

El Ghazi scored 10 premier league goals last season and one in the league cup This year 3 goals in 6 appearances I’d argue it’s only three because he has only played six times. Of course he is a limited player you only have to watch him play to see that……but he really is under estimated on here. If we signed a player with his stats now most would be happy.

Can’t see a win there….no matter how hard I try. Not twice in a season.It’s just not possible….

I think that it is clear Dean Smith had assembled a lot of good players and staff around him at VP. The set up at Bodymoor Heath is also very good. This was an open goal for SG. Dean Smith can consider himself very unlucky i don't know how he let it slip but he did. I would have backed him to come back from it too like on the other occasions he rectified a loss of form. However the owners want consistent improvement and slipping back once a season and having to find your way back is not this.

For me when he came into the team for the Wolves game (did we win one nil) he wasn’t spectacular but looked like he “should” be there. He did all the right things. Hes not another Jack who could be? However he will have a very good top level career. Hopefully with us. UTV

Not necessarily…..just not a good one

This is exactly how I think. What is the point of being the type football supporter who is constantly pointing out how bad things are going to be and how things are going to fail? Joyless

I am constantly surprised at the negativity and maybe I shouldn’t be? it’s the easiest thing in the world to be a naysayer…..just say something won’t happen/will go wrong and then sit back and wait for something to actually go wrong (generally a good chance of that happening in football! so no real risk….) ohh look at me I’m so clever…… “told you so it was never going to work” All this hope I’m wrong rubbish too…

How can something that hasn’t actually happened be a real cock up? There has been nothing from the club about this…..nothing. On this thread we’ve talked ourselves into a world where Gerrard has been approached and he’s rejected us all before a single fact has been announced. Crazy

I can understand why people feel a little down about the window. It can be summed up in two words Jack Grealish.

Last year was a stunning start to the season.It shouldn’t be used as a benchmark. We are not Man City.

Whenever I have watched this guy play he’s been top drawer. Admittedly I don’t watch Bundesliga often. But when I do it’s usually a big match (Dortmund v Bayern etc) Seems to me to have been i high level performer in the last five years for Dortmund and Belgium. Villa can’t sign these players at their peak so if we have to do it at the end of their careers then so be it.I would love him at Villa.

Ben Mee has played a big part in this move. Thug.

Caleb Chukwemeka looks like a player.Direct and dangerous Archer great,hatrick on your debut…it doesn’t get better than that! JPB looks very lively. Carney was the least effective but still showed good touches. The centrebacks backs were given a difficult physical game and looked uncomfortable at times. Love that we can despatch these type of teams with an under23 side now.We’ve come so far in 3 years.

They did…

This thread started 18 months ago with a discussion about Sheffield Utds possible Champions League qualification. Take nothing for granted in football!

This guy will shine with Ings,Ollie and Bailey all showing for the ball in front of him. Now…. if they aren’t we need someone who he can confidently give it to who can hold play up and wait for the right moment. Fast forward two years and Jacob Ramsey could be that man. For now we need to bring someone in.