Grasshopper

First Topic for me. I thought I'd start one of interest as oppose to one that could come under the category of "....I came in here for an arguement........but you havent paid......oh yes I......" I first went "down the Villa" (gewinn dowen tha Villaaa) the season we got relegated to Div3. Yes I cried and have hated Dave Mckay (spelling?), amongst others, ever since. But the rise back to the top has given me many memories. Anyone care to add anything? feel free

His "keep everything in house" is one of a few things that I really respect him for.

That's all very worthy, but several thousand people HAVE turned their back on them, and the club/team/manager aren't exactly giving them many good reasons to come back. The people "moaning" on here aren't the problem, it's the 10,000 people who to go regularly who have found something they consider better to do with their time. The comment about "moaning" was in jest (as can be seen by the emoticon)! - Yeah but sad bastards like me can't turn their back on a club they have supported for nigh on all his life! Personally I don't give a flying f**k (the club might but I don't) about those turning their backs -it's their choice and good luck to them just as it is mine. I'll be here when the good times come (if ever) but they MIGHT come back when the good times are back and then disappear again - no problem with that you makes your choice! And this is not a better fan post nor a rant at them - just personal opinion. I agree Naz, everyone is free to choose. Throughout my history supporting the club we have had many times like the present situation. I cannot deny that there have been several times when I lapsed for a bunch of reasons but like a bad penny I came rolling back in the belief that "things can only get better" today, tomorrow, next week, next month/year. That said I was never one of those who refused to turn up "as long as Turner/McNeill/ellis/Lerner/Lambert/mcleish" is/was in charge - if I want to protest, I marched, wrote letters blah, blah but I wasn't going to cut my nose to spite my face - I ALWAYS believed salvation was round the corner and that there was a danger if I didnt attend I would miss something. Undeniably, recently I have found the trips up and down from Bournemouth pretty difficult but I put that down to the fact that am not getting any younger! There is no denying that things are not great but I always felt that it was better to go than not. My club etc Many years ago (October 1968 - Carlisle I think?) I remember standing on the Holte in one of the lowest crowds we have ever had - I thought was 13K but maybe 14K - the average for the whole season was 19K the lowest till that point since 1908! I It was pissing down, VP and the Holte End especially was like a graveyard BUT strangely I was proud that despite everything I was there. I fully understood why people had turned their backs and were frustrated but that wasn't for me - "Keep the faith, through thick and thin" was the mantra the hardcore fans kept repeating. As you know the following year the "Villa Revolution" kicked in and despite some more ups and down within 12/13 years we were back at the very top and it was an incredible ride - the 70s were amazing, the early 80s were indescribable! No doubt many will think I am daft but I live in hope and believe that we will see glory again. When I do decide to "hang up my boots" and stop the fortnightly trips to VP, I will be able to say I was of the lucky ones who saw it all apart from winning the FA Cup (maybe this year :-) ) I hope for the sake of those that were not around in the 70s that they also get to experience the same in their lifetimes! KTF! UTV! The downer of seeing us relegated to the 3rd div didnt seem so bad at the time for me because I was so young and new to football. The sound of the Holte End singing, the Villa colours and the Majestic name "ASTON VILLA FOOTBALL CLUB" tatooed itself on my heart and will never fade as long as my heart beats. The 70's was an amazing rise and the early 80's the reward for being a fan. I feel very lucky to have lived through these times as a teenager and there's nothing more that I could wish for, for the Premier League era fans to witness too. onward and upwards, we really need our club to get it's act together, it will take time but anything is possible if you do things the right way. We need a new directive, leadership (on and off the pitch), but most of all we need to reduce and cut out as many mistakes as possible to get the snowball rolling forward. A CHANGE MUST COME Villa forever

Well noone can say he didnt have a chance to show what he can do (in his case cant do)

Just looked at Squawka. He made his debut against Liverpool correct? If so, the only game he hasn't played in is the Man Utd game. Liverpool - 85 mins Arsenal - 90 mins Chelsea - 90 mins Man City - 90 mins Everton - 90 mins QPR - 90 mins Spurs - 90 mins West Ham - 90 mins Southampton - 90 mins Burnley - 90 mins Palace - 88 mins Leicester - 61 mins WBA - 90 mins Swansea - 76 mins Sunderland - 67 mins Palace - 63 mins And what has he done in all those minutes? Diddly squat. that is taking the F***ing P**s Lambert Out

One of my best mates is from Grimsby and a ManUre fan (typical glory hunter) Said Cleverley was great in small doses working behind the main offensive players with the quality of Rooney, RVP or Mata in front of him. he said otherwise he's Shite and would be even shiter for us I think he might just be right

I Think we should spunk everything we have (& dont have) on Messi Villa Park would be sold out every week. Lerner could even shaft us for another 10 quid per ticket The fans would have their Nr 10 Lambert could carry on instructing the defence & 3 Holding midfield players to stay in their own half. They would only have to be "ready" every 15mins, when the opposition picks the ball out of the net after yet another Messi-Gooooooooooooal, when they kick off again. Lambert wouldnt need to learn any tactics, just "give it to the short guy" and say "go again"

OK Check this 7 pts behind L'pool - but - 5pts off Relegation place. at our current 1.something a game Liverpool would have to lose 7 GAMES ON THE TROT for us to be level with them. WBA (new manager), Palace (new manager) &/or Burnley would only need to win 3 games on the trot (or at some point in a run without losing) to OVERTAKE US So basically, if things carry on as they are, we'll stay in the same place. (A)If we do better than the teams above us, we'll catch up with them. (B )If the teams below us do better than us, they'll catch up with us. Flipping genius stuff this! To be fair, I think he's saying it's far more likely that (B ) will happen than (A). Which seems reasonable enough. Yep. Was pretty obvious the point he was making. I got that. It still didn't require the convoluted calculations to make that point, which is what I was getting at. You don't need a calculator to work out we're less likely to overtake Liverpool than Burnley are to overtake us. FWIW, I think it's even more likely that neither will happen. I don't have any maths to back it up though. firstly, you edited out (I wonder why) my concern at not getting enough pts to remain the oh so cherished "12th - 5 pts above the relegation places" after the next 4 games. Secondly, If we catch Liverpool up that'd be good because theyre not going down Thirdly, If WBA, Palace & Burnley do overtake us WE'LL BE AS GOOD AS F***ed if we cant catch up again That's what concerns me

I think the change has been season long, but two stages. First stage seemed to be to imrpove the defence, and then build from there by implementing a passing game. Why he chose now to go from defensive counter attacking to possession, I don't know. My guess would be the favourable fixtures we've had recently. Maybe he felt it best to weather our hard run and then attack the passing? Whether this has been his plan all along, who knows? Well he certainly missjudged the timing. Sun 7 16:00 H Leicester City PREM W 2-1 Sat 13 15:00 A West Bromwich Albion PREM L 1-0 Sat 20 15:00 H Manchester United PREM D 1-1 Fri 26 15:00 A Swansea City PREM L 1-0 Sun 28 15:00 H Sunderland PREM D 0-0 35,436 January 2015 Thu 1 15:00 H Crystal Palace PREM D 0-0 29,047 6pts should have got 12pts You kind of missed the point I think. The point was it would be easier to implement a new style against "easier" opponents. The points we got from those games were pretty much irrelevant to what I was talking about. Possible I missed your point you mine AVFC are missing the points

Costa Benteke = compairable Hazard --- Oscar --- Willian Delph --- Cole --- Cleverly = a Joke Fabregas --- Matic Westwood --- Sanchez = Sanchez eventually Azpilicueta -- Terry -- Cahill -- Ivanovic Cissoko -- Vlaar -- Okore -- Hutton = Only Okore Cortouis Guzan = Compairable

hope so

I think the change has been season long, but two stages. First stage seemed to be to imrpove the defence, and then build from there by implementing a passing game. Why he chose now to go from defensive counter attacking to possession, I don't know. My guess would be the favourable fixtures we've had recently. Maybe he felt it best to weather our hard run and then attack the passing? Whether this has been his plan all along, who knows? Well he certainly missjudged the timing. Sun 7 16:00 H Leicester City PREM W 2-1 Sat 13 15:00 A West Bromwich Albion PREM L 1-0 Sat 20 15:00 H Manchester United PREM D 1-1 Fri 26 15:00 A Swansea City PREM L 1-0 Sun 28 15:00 H Sunderland PREM D 0-0 35,436 January 2015 Thu 1 15:00 H Crystal Palace PREM D 0-0 29,047 6pts should have got 12pts

I wouldn't trust Lambert with the remote to the telly! I'm sure if you gave him the chance he would pick a cracking movie for you too watch. FALLING DOWN maybe?

OK Check this 7 pts behind L'pool - but - 5pts off Relegation place. at our current 1.something a game Liverpool would have to lose 7 GAMES ON THE TROT for us to be level with them. WBA (new manager), Palace (new manager) &/or Burnley would only need to win 3 games on the trot (or at some point in a run without losing) to OVERTAKE US Taking into account our next games Leicester (0-1-3pts) Arse Chelski & 'pool (0-4pts). 0 pts from 12 = LAMBERT OUT!!!! More likely 1 point from 12 = LAMBERT OUT!!!! possibly 3pts from 12 = LAMBERT OUT!!!! great would be 4 pts from 12 unlikely 6 pts from 12 4 from 12 would be 1 pt per game average WBA, Palace AND Burnley could all end up above us if we get any less than 3 pts 12 from 12 I'll give Lambert my B****cks on a silver plate ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ If we occupy a relegation place and "Sacrifice" the Bournemouth FACup tie to "concentrate on the league" then................ LAMBERT (well & truly) OUT if my aunty had bollocks she'd be my uncle nothing like being in the know eh? So you agree with me then?

Just in case my point wasnt clear LAMBERT OUT

OK Check this 7 pts behind L'pool - but - 5pts off Relegation place. at our current 1.something a game Liverpool would have to lose 7 GAMES ON THE TROT for us to be level with them. WBA (new manager), Palace (new manager) &/or Burnley would only need to win 3 games on the trot (or at some point in a run without losing) to OVERTAKE US Taking into account our next games Leicester (0-1-3pts) Arse Chelski & 'pool (0-4pts). 0 pts from 12 = LAMBERT OUT!!!! More likely 1 point from 12 = LAMBERT OUT!!!! possibly 3pts from 12 = LAMBERT OUT!!!! great would be 4 pts from 12 unlikely 6 pts from 12 4 from 12 would be 1 pt per game average WBA, Palace AND Burnley could all end up above us if we get any less than 3 pts 12 from 12 I'll give Lambert my B****cks on a silver plate ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ If we occupy a relegation place and "Sacrifice" the Bournemouth FACup tie to "concentrate on the league" then................ LAMBERT (well & truly) OUT

Gave me goose-bumps did you hear that crowd -- VIILLAAAA magical

When Steve Staunton moved to Centre back, I'm sure that when he would hoof a left-footer up to Stan, he wished "Ol' Andy" would get on the end of it

Bowyer & McDougal were the strikers at Bournemouth Was there halfway up the Holte End. Great atmo (think it was a 3rd Div attendance record 43,000)

Liverpool wank-fest on Sky Gerrard off Rodgers legend-tributes Thompson (the Noze) picking the transfer targets pass me the buckett.........

Home or away 4 Blackburn Rovers 8 Rochdale 13 Reading 15 Cardiff City 21 Brighton & Hove Albion 22 Fulham or Wolverhampton Wanderers 24 Scunthorpe United or Chesterfield 26 Cambridge United 31 Preston North End 32 Doncaster Rovers or Bristol City Home 9 West Bromwich Albion 10 Birmingham City 16 Bolton Wanderers 17 Sunderland 19 Millwall or Bradford City 23 Leicester City 29 Sheffield United -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Be great if we were drawn against 11 ASTON VILLA We get a 0-0 draw and be sympathetically waved through by default (100% possesion - No shots at goal)

But thats the whole point no matter what he does its all the same. Proof he's not good enough as a manager. If I pick the same numbers for the lottery week in week out and dont win. Then change my numbers once in a while/every week/more attempts at number/less attempts at numbers but still dont win. Then I'm not good at winning the lottery. Should I keep trying? or find something I'm good at to make money/a living/Millions????? buy more tickets gives you a better chance Thing is we have retained our position in the league which is all you can realistically expect to be honest given the level of investment, it shows he is doing a good job to keep us where we are and in order for us to progress we need to be buying better players So when Lambert says it is his best squad yet and with the improvement of other players (Westwood, Baker, Clark), and the addition of Hutton and Cissokho who are better than Lowton and Bennett. With one of the best strikers in Europe, a solid keeper, and with Delph who will be playing for a top 6 club next season... added to the fact we don't care if Vlaar is missing anymore, as Okore has stepped in and looked an even better player. With all of this in mind, he's doing a good job by struggling to improve on two very very very poor seasons? Absolutely 100% true I find it quite disturbing that this is not obvious to Lambert himself. If I ran my business like this I'd have gone under within a year or would have seen the light and done something else

Yeah but nobody's said that, have they? People were decrying young and hungry and crying out for more experience, and I haven't seen anyone say that they want young and hungry back. I want it back. In fact, I never wanted it abandoned in the first place. It was a viable model if executed properly. Signing a bunch of experienced players with no re-sale value is short-term and leads nowhere. Lambert completely u-turning on this policy with it being the entire basis of his 'project' was one of the most cowardly and pathetic things I've ever seen. The problem was only in his execution of it, not in the model itself. this

(Quote not working ???) You said...... Thing is we have retained our position in the league which is all you can realistically expect to be honest given the level of investment, it shows he is doing a good job to keep us where we are and in order for us to progress we need to be buying better players This is where I beg to differ what we've had, Lamberts buys (he's very good at this), and what's coming through, we should be doing better. With a better Manager/Coach/Coaches we wouldn't be shitting ourselves every season

In which case, he shouldn't have changed anything at all despite the fans crying out for it? In that case, despite the "changes" he's still F***ing it up should have just walked