Vive_La_Villa

Sorry to hear about your friend mate. It's a bit of a cliche to say the good ones go first but in a lot of cases it really is true.

It's always good to remember and celebrate the good times.

Fair enough and I agree that Lambert could done even worse but staying up is the minimum requirement for me. The circumstances have been challenging without doubt but not in my opinion not so much that I'd consider him keeping us up some sort of achievement.

I say the achievement part because I remember looking at the team that was fielded against West Ham and thinking that is probably the worst Vila team I'd ever seen. But then I also remember that Xmas period and the Bradford debacle. We will never know if keeping us up was an achievement but at least we are still here for now.

Why doesn't he? That squad he took over was a pile of shit and he has had peanuts to spend. Yet we survive. So how did we manage that? Bentake, that's how. Who signed him?

Come on, that's a weak argument and you know it. If he had done his job better we wouldn't have been so deep in the mire that we would've needed one player to drag us to safety.

Also, is that "shit" squad the same one we all lambasted McLeish for underacheiving with? The same one that contained players that everyone is saying makes our team better again now that his absurd 'bomb-squad' policy has been abandoned?

Anyway, I have these arguments numerous times now and they always end in a complete stalemate. I'm sure you'll find my response to the points you're about to follow this post up with in the Lambert thread.

I actually think Mcleish did a good job too. I personally think it's MONs 'squad' and the selling of key players that led us to this downfall. The same investment had to be put back in, in relation to the massively key players that were sold. That includes wages too.

But it wasn't. Don't get me wrong, I'm no fan of Lambert but I'm grateful we are still in this league. I've seen better squads relegated in that time.

I genuinely believe that if he hadn't been on the end of a possibly career ending injury, we would be worrying about keeping him this summer.

But he has, so we're not.

Seriously why even say this unless you're looking for an argument?

He looked awesome in his first few games and if he played that way all season there would have been a hell of a lot of interest. I've no doubt there still are a lot of eyes on him.

He needs to be applauded for keeping us up.

No...he doesn't.

He's not been at the races for about 5 years now. He's shit.

Yet his our record Premier League goalscorer?

It goes to show how shit we really are then.

Jacks a villa fan

Don't know if you're being serious mate but I hope you are because we'd have more chance of keeping the lad if he is one of us!

Jacks always been a villa fan. More than me and villas a massive part of my life. Im surprised you've never heard that he's villa mad.

If he shines as a Villa player and a big club came in, you could never stop a player getting their big move. We should have been the club that was good enough to stay at your whole career such as Gerrard at Liverpool. But it isn't the case anymore.

But if we ever sold him to an average time like MON did with Cahill I will give up on supporting Villa.

I loved Cahill

Me too, Cahill was a massive mistake especially when you consider what got signed for big money in his position.

As for Jack, well happy to hear he's a villan. Lots of positives around him right now but I'd still try and protect him if we're in for a relegation battle, he could do without the burden mentally to keep him trying things and being creative and taking people on. I'd hate that to get stifled by the need to be "tight" and not ship goals.

I see where you're coming from but if he is good enough it doesn't matter. We need quality players and if he is good enough he should play. Did you ever see Man U trying to ease youngster in and they've probably got the biggest pressure there is when fans are involved.

Just let the lad play football.

At Manu though he will be surrounded by players who can cover for him, at Villa he isn't - I wouldn't put all of our creative eggs upon the shoulder of an 18 year old. - I highly doubt Lambert will start him against stoke.

We aren't thought. We just want the best players on the pitch.

Jacks a villa fan

Don't know if you're being serious mate but I hope you are because we'd have more chance of keeping the lad if he is one of us!

Jacks always been a villa fan. More than me and villas a massive part of my life. Im surprised you've never heard that he's villa mad.

If he shines as a Villa player and a big club came in, you could never stop a player getting their big move. We should have been the club that was good enough to stay at your whole career such as Gerrard at Liverpool. But it isn't the case anymore.

But if we ever sold him to an average time like MON did with Cahill I will give up on supporting Villa.

I loved Cahill

Me too, Cahill was a massive mistake especially when you consider what got signed for big money in his position.

As for Jack, well happy to hear he's a villan. Lots of positives around him right now but I'd still try and protect him if we're in for a relegation battle, he could do without the burden mentally to keep him trying things and being creative and taking people on. I'd hate that to get stifled by the need to be "tight" and not ship goals.

I see where you're coming from but if he is good enough it doesn't matter. We need quality players and if he is good enough he should play. Did you ever see Man U trying to ease youngster in and they've probably got the biggest pressure there is when fans are involved.

Just let the lad play football.

wow....wow just wow - weve scoured europe, signed players with fancy names, signed players for big fees....and yet we find one right on our doorstep......

Thought he was great, should drops, jinking mazy runs, at last a player you would play to see ........There seemed to be a buzz on anticipation whenever he got the ball.....like when Morley used to receive the ball....

.....All that said I wouldn't start him v stoke....just feel its the wrong fixture at the wrong time, but certainly Newcastle and Hull really hope to see him involved....

Get him signed up as well...

I disagree. If he is good enough he should play. Stoke aren't the team they were under Pulis and even if they were he has to face a physical game sooner or later. We may have high hopes for the lad but Stoke aren't about to think Messi is on the pitch and hack him down.

The combination of Stoke and being the first game of the season, Id pack that team with every inch of experience we have - even Gabby who I thought was poor today......Id save Jack for the home games that follow only 7 days later

Edit: we are shit. If he is better than what we have he has to play. End of.

I find it amusing how Lambert got slaughtered last season for playing 5-3-2 but now it's all the rage because LVG used it for Holland.

My view on it remains the same. I don't have have a problem with that system but I don't believe Lambert is able to play it properly.

It involves a balance which is too complex for him to begin to replicate. That's why whenever we play it, it is basically 5-3-----2. The front-two are always ridiculously isolated.

I agree but I thinks that's more down to the players rather than the manager. When we've had our strongest team whatever formation Lambert plays it generally works. A couple of key players injured and then it all falls apart.

Lambert has got a very hard job and although he has made big mistakes. He needs to be applauded for keeping us up.

wow....wow just wow - weve scoured europe, signed players with fancy names, signed players for big fees....and yet we find one right on our doorstep......

Thought he was great, should drops, jinking mazy runs, at last a player you would play to see ........There seemed to be a buzz on anticipation whenever he got the ball.....like when Morley used to receive the ball....

.....All that said I wouldn't start him v stoke....just feel its the wrong fixture at the wrong time, but certainly Newcastle and Hull really hope to see him involved....

Get him signed up as well...

I disagree. If he is good enough he should play. Stoke aren't the team they were under Pulis and even if they were he has to face a physical game sooner or later. We may have high hopes for the lad but Stoke aren't about to think Messi is on the pitch and hack him down.

Jacks a villa fan

Don't know if you're being serious mate but I hope you are because we'd have more chance of keeping the lad if he is one of us!

Jacks always been a villa fan. More than me and villas a massive part of my life. Im surprised you've never heard that he's villa mad.

If he shines as a Villa player and a big club came in, you could never stop a player getting their big move. We should have been the club that was good enough to stay at your whole career such as Gerrard at Liverpool. But it isn't the case anymore.

But if we ever sold him to an average time like MON did with Cahill I will give up on supporting Villa.

I loved Cahill

I've always wondered how many decision Lerner actually makes. As a billionaire owner with other interest and investments surely he wouldn't be running Aston Villa at a micro level. He will just want updates based on his overall targets.

So often we hear Lerner will never pay this or Lerner will never allow that. Can't the club be run as a business/football club like it was for over a hundred years before Lerner took over? Why does it all have to be down to the billionaire owners money?

Good old famous.

Getting old

I hope he bought a ryanair scratchcard

Best 2 euro's ive ever spent

How much you win?

I'm not so sure that 3-5-2 will be our main formation though now that we've signed Cissokho and know Richardson will be primarily used as a left-winger. Of course, he could be intended to be a squad player but going by his involvement in preseason, I do believe he will start regularly.

I find it amusing how Lambert got slaughtered last season for playing 5-3-2 but now it's all the rage because LVG used it for Holland.

I think we will probably set up that way against strong opponents. As for Gabby it makes no difference where he plays at the moment. He's just not at the races.

Ryanair

........there can only be one claret and blue team in the premier league

Be careful what you wish for.

Pat Murphy has hinted the next CEO is sombody hired by the BBC.

Edit: Never mind, he clarified that he meant that he is employed by the BBC. I was going by everybody elses interpretation of it.

Then again I have heard Robbie Savage is looking for a new career in business management.

Team Vs Stoke:

_________________Guzan________________

__Hutton____Okore_______Vlaar__Richardson

_________Westy___________Delph_________

___Bacuna________Grealish_______N'Zog___

__________________Bent_________________

From what I've heard Okore looks far from fit.

Vimto

Wine gums

Xhamster

Jogging bottoms around ankles

Saturday night sorted

You're going to shove wine gums up your arse?

Or maybe the vimto?

Or a hamster!

Gabby hasn't been the same since that Liverpool injury when he terrorised them before that. Something isn't right with the guy and he needs to be dropped until he sorts himself out.

Buzzing after that. Oozed class when he came on especially given how boring the game was before...Looks so calm and composed.

Kevan, just tell him to shoot on sight son. He doesn't need to do all the hard work work and then lay it off to someone else who'll mess it up. Just tell him to do what he did then smash it into into the net ala Messi. The lad's got the talent to do it, he just needs to trust in himself.

Mate. We've all told him. Me, dad, mom, friends even football coaches but I dont know he just seems to want to pass it. When he was younger he never used to. But ever since it got serious he just plays it instead of taking the glory himself. I just hope he realises soon that he will get more recognition by trying this shots rather than giving it someone else.

And in response to viva la villa its because PL wants to keep him grounded and not be another delfouneso... IMO.

Fair enough but players like Delfouneso don't flop because they are thrown in to early. It's because they are not good enough. Gabby was thrown in at 17 when we really needed him. Didn't do him any harm.

Has to play in my opinion.

If he is that good why wouldn't he start next week?

He was easily the standout player today.

He's played a full season is a very physical league, but the PL is a whole new level. I'm not sure if he'll start at Stoke, but I'd be hugely disappointed if he didn't play some part in the match.

I would hope he gets the sort of opportunity that Januzaj got at Man U, which was 27 league appearances last season.

I've only seen snippets and he looks good. If we had a good team then I'd understand not throwing him in but considering how much creativity we lack it sounds like we really need him.

No pressure on the lad though.

Be utterly amazed if he plays 10 games for us next season

Why? He played 20 games last season.

How many of those were 90 minutes?

Not sure how that is relevant to Richard's post, he didn't say he would be amazed if he played 90 minutes 10 times.

Sorry. Maybe I should have removed Richards quoted post. I was genuinely interested how much he actually played in terms of minutes. If it's based on appearances then you could say even Sylla played a lot of games last season.

Ah... got you, sorry I mistook your post. I'm honestly not sure but I will have a look later and find out mate.

No worries. I can see how it looked related.

Just had a quick look and it was 790 minutes last season and 619 the season before. Not sure how much of that was down to injuries or just not being selected. It's not much playing time but enough to add a vital contribution in certain games when every point is so important.

I'm not expecting much from him to be honest but at least he adds experience and depth to the squad.