SirSteveUK

7 hours ago, Rugeley Villa said:

Good win. Surprised the fans are still not turning up though. 

Over 31000 I heard announced 

trents figure quoted above show that the last 4 seasons have been among the highest points totals yet to acheive 2nd spot.

93-89-89-93

It should be noted that the 7 teams that went up as Champs or 2nd place (Burnley went up twice)  in those 4 seaons are all still in the PL -  with the exception of Boro who came back down.

This may account for the high pts totals shown.

Terry a doubt - not worried with Tom there

1 minute ago, Alakagom said:

Good football so far, but let's not get ahead of ourselves, Bristol had day less rest and add to top of that the result they got from that match, I think most teams would struggle to get back from that. 

But glad we are playing a little bit better, now lets score some more and install a little confidence

Two days ? We both played Saturday - we have had 2.5 hours more rest

Love to know what effect Agnew might be having...

18 minutes ago, briny_ear said:

And lose to them.

For the record 

1962/3

1976/7

2002/3

2003/4

2006/7

2007/8

All defeats of course

It;s about time Taylor got some credit....

2 hours ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

 

1 hour ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

Great table. I'm loving all these stats!Do the home and away stats automatically update after each game?

Yep- no work required other than recording the results.. glad you like it!

Another table     showing "Strength of Schedule" to use the American phrase. Its based on every opponents home and away records being ranked. Currently we have the 2nd toughest Home schedule - not surprising as we have only played Boro at home of the top 8 - but we have an easier (?) away schedule. Blues have the 'toughest'  away schedule 

This model works better in a league where there are fewer 'shocks' - like the PL ?  But I publish it just for interest, anyway

One of my early heroes

Quote

Former Aston Villa favourite Jimmy MacEwan has died today.

MacEwan was believed to be Villa's oldest surviving ex-player before his death this afternoon.

He was 88 years old.

MacEwan played as an outside right for Villa between 1959 and 1966, making more than 150 appearances, scoring 31 goals.

The Dundee-born attacker made his name in Scotland with Arbroath and Raith Rovers where he was a prolific scorer.

He helped Villa win the Second Division title in his first season and the following year celebrated League Cup glory.

Jimmy's son Eric has contacted the Birmingham Mail to let us know his dad died peacefully of heart failure today at the Madeleine House care home in Birmingham.

He is also survived by another son Duncan.

"He died peacefully," said Eric. "The doctors were calling him Superman because he had recovered from a triple organ failure and seemed to be on the mend.

"In the end though he knew it was his time to go. My mum passed away a couple of years ago and he wanted to go then.

 

"We know dad was very popular with Villa fans and we know he loved reminiscing about Villa and his time at the club with fans who kindly came to visit him in recent years.

"He loved playing for Villa, but he often joked that he'd be sent off every week if he played nowadays!

"He's dearly loved and will be sorely missed. Thank you to Heartlands and Madeleine House for the care they have given him."

"Originally he only came here for two years.

"He could have had a free transfer back to Dundee United in 1961, for £25 a week and £1,000 in his hand.

"But he felt there would be better opportunities for myself and my brother down here so re-signed for Villa and 58 years he was still in Birmingham."

"His favourite moment was winning the first ever League Cup in 1961, with Villa beating Rotherham in the final. .

"His biggest disappointment was losing to Wolves in the 1960 semi-final.

"He would loved to have played for Rangers as it would have virtually guaranteed a Scotland cap.

"Even though he was Raith Rovers' leading scorer for four consecutive seasons, unless you played for the Old Firm you were overlooked.

"His favourite Villa games were the 5-5 draw at Tottenham in March 1966 was his first start that season, three days before his 37th birthday.

"He also had fond memories of his last game at Villa Park in April 1966, when he captained Villa and scored the goal in a 1-1 draw against Manchester United."

Quote

Aston Villa manager Joe Mercer (right) greets his new signings John Neal, Jimmy MacEwan and Bobby Thomson

"Although there was talk of a coaching job at Villa nothing materialised and Jimmy left to join Walsall, where he played into his forties then coached and managed until 1973 when he went to work at Ansells Brewery.

"He continued to play for the Villa Old Stars well into his fifties and only really stopped playing after he had two knee replacements at the same time.

"He was known for being bow-legged. He wasn't born that way, it was because of a stance he copied from a player back in Scotland.

"In 1991 he had to have both legs broken to rectify it, and it made him about three inches taller!."

"Up until the last 18 months when he was diagnosed with early onset dementia and a heart problem he was as fit as a fiddle.

"He has been in residential care where he was safe, well looked after and seemed quite content.

"He enjoyed his visits from ex players, including Harry Burrows, plus a couple of Villa fanatics who spent hours reminiscing with him."

On 11/24/2017 at 17:48, HanoiVillan said:

Obviously Glenn Murray isn't going to leave Brighton, for whom he starts every week, to come here. Nor are Brighton going to be keen to sell their top scorer when they need to stay in the PL. 

Acc to transfermarkt, Murray has played only 638 mins this season - but he IS their top scorer. He may start - but perhaps he doesnt last ?

On 11/22/2017 at 10:09, VILLAMARV said:

With McCormack having issues getting to work again down under it seems it might be a bit much to hope he's coming back with his head straight. But he will be back in January.

Apparently that's all bulls*** - Joyce (his manager) has no problems with him

This quote from the QPR forum made me smile

The tactical gulf in class between Bruce and Holloway was there for all to see today.

Grealish in place of Onomah - if JK not fit either Davis on his own (at home?) or Hogan / Davis (which I personally would like to see)

O'Hare to come on when we are 4-0 up (H/T probably) 

Theyve4 only scored 4 goals away from home FFS - but Rhodes has just bagged his first for the season (I think), so.....

Think it was birthday wishes to Princess A  - famil ?y member

AS Onomah has been reckoned to have been MOTM in a couple of matches-I will allow him a poor performance

2 minutes ago, OutByEaster? said:

Oh hello!

All change today with the non-performances of the last two being completely turned around in favour of some not unattractive football. We're a bit Jekyll and Hyde, but the good news is that the reasons why aren't a mystery. Put simply; Keinan Davis.

I went to the reserves earlier in the week and made a point of how impressed I was with his ability to fight for balls, hold the ball up and bring people into play - I must admit, I didn't think he was physically ready to do that in the first team, but there he was today - getting his body between the ball and defenders, fighting for it, winning it and making it ours. 

What that does is allow our midfield to catch up with play and get forward. If you're Conor Hourihane and you play a ball up to Hogan or Kodjia then, four times out of five, your involvement in the attack is over. When you play the ball up to Davis, four times out of five you have the opportunity to get involved in the next phase of play. When you're Conor Hourihane, being involved in the next phase of play is very interesting. Both Hourihane and Lansbury today looked like attacking threats, they looked like they were getting forward and getting into positions where they could make things happen - they haven't changed position - it's Keinan Davis's ability to hold up play, to control games from the front that has got them there. All our midfielders looked better today and for me, a lot of that is down to Davis.

Now, whether this tactical masterstroke is down to Bruce having watched the reserves and thought "that might work" or whether he's spoken to the medical team and said "Are there any fit strikers?" doesn't really matter - he's found it, it works and it'll now become a matter of figuring out how often we can play the young lad and whether we can find anyone else who can do the job when he needs a rest. If the manager whose head I called for earlier in the week can figure that out, then two things are true - we'll win a lot more matches and Bruce can come round my house, write "Who the f*** are you?" on a piece of paper, roll it into a ball and make me eat it.

I thought at the back we looked susceptible to pace and once Norwich figured that out that caused us a fair bit of difficulty. I thought the midfield revelled in being allowed to be more involved and I think we looked like we had a reasonable shape. It'll be interesting to see what we change for Tuesday's cup game - but this feels a lot, lot better.

When did we last score four at home?

 

March 2014 I think v Norwich lol

I think that KD was always going to start - and there is a rumor going around that SB & Gabs had a dust up  when Gabby foung out he would be on the bench

21 minutes ago, Johnnyp said:

It would be a sentimental appointment that and an absolute punt.

And he is too loyal to leave his club when he is looking for a second successive promotion

Yes - we were wrong - Abdo is still here 

Check on Abdo too - thought he had been released

4 hours ago, Hoof hearted said:

Looking at the state of the trophy it'll be in one of these........

Apparently a 10" replica of th trophy is available from a trophy  shop in Sheffield - £13.00

First Egyptian player since.........since..........since George Ramseys days 

Sorry