Shomin Geki

This is a tricky one, but I think we'll win.  Don't know if that is quiet confidence, or an even quieter desperation.  I'm in two minds.  I agree with those posters saying we should tame this uppity pup and let them run themselves into the ground, but on the other hand it's about time we asserted ourselves on games and deployed the barnstorming goals from advanced midfield play that we flourished with during our resurgence last season.  We have to, at least, play with more conviction in the final third.  I do wonder if Tim will experiment with three at the back for this fixture.  Maybe Ilori in the Eric Dier role.  Could work out; tangle their directness up a little.

Whichever, I'm excited.  We're due a performance of real conviction.  It's gilet-shedding time!

On the subject of Mr Carew, it would be a Hell of a lot easier to come up with chants if players actually had any personality these days.  You're performers you shoegazing ingrates!

I should add, how much of the apprehension amongst Villa fans is the huge investment we put into the Lambert Project which never really actually got started?

Feel like bumping this thread for little reason other than I'm now hugely excited about every Villa weekend and it's largely down to this guy.

Was reading his comments on Ilori on the official website.  That Tim identifies 'quick and elegant' as positives and mentions, once again, how long he has been tracking this guy just redoubles my determination in this whole project working out (I wonder, incidentally, if Tim is currently aware of all the best 14, 15, 16 year olds in the game; cue Kenneth Williams).  Because he clearly has a masterplan.  And he should be applauded for the ambition.  Forging a young, attractive attacking side for the future, risking short term anxiety for long-term flourishing is a Hell of a gambit for a rookie.  It's hard not to be swept up in the bravado.

Which brings me to my main point, I suppose.  Why the ridicule?  Honestly.  It barely seems to make sense.  We appear to have a massively confident and charismatic young British manager, who is by turns deftly cosmopolitan and hard-boiled determined in his tactics, a guy who trusts youth and has a clear enthusiasm in development, who clearly loves the game and is very eager to learn, to educate himself, and to experience the battle scars that will make will a stronger character and manager.  Honestly, what's not to like?  If there was a coherency to the lazy, mean-spirited attacks, as there are with that arch ponderous tinkerer over at Liverpool, maybe I would understand more.  It's a fun story at the very least.

Villa 2015 is a huge project.  One I'm massively excited to be part of.  Surely, after several lean years of making up the numbers, we're contributing to what suddenly feels like a very exciting league once more.  I'm surprised more outsiders' haven't pricked up their ears.  Of course football isn't played on message boards, but nor is what's currently on the pitch the extent of our potential.  Keep the faith.  This could get tasty.

Woodytom is quite correct.  The shame.

Oh man, that Atletico game!  Still get chills.  We'd had a tough draw to get that far as well.  So much joy, so much fist pumping, and so much disappointment.  A vital life lesson for my younger self.  Obviously I was completely hooked.  That Collymore goal was like a shining Rocky jab to the abs of Ivan Drago.  I truly hope we get to hurt someone like that in the not too distant future...

Maybe not a 'great defeat', and it gets overshadowed by the 3-2 'Macheda comeback', but going 0-2 ahead at Old Trafford fielding a ridiculously inexperienced, and pretty poor, side and ending up drawing 2-2 was pretty galling.  We were absolute warriors that day, to a man.  Jonathan Hogg included.  I know it only lasted five minutes, but when Albrighton put in the second, wow, the roar was ripped right out of my stomach.  Where had it been hiding all this time? 

Jonathan Hogg, man, Jonathan Hogg.

Very true... just like our boy Adama.  Forgive me, it is, after all, the international break.

With his unassuming Senegalese-civil-servant neatness, his wiry frame and his slightly feminine gait, Idrissa is a proper Unexpected Warrior.  Any others like him?  Compare those tackle and interception stats, and the sheer ground covered, with Gana's almost bashful presence.  He's a delight.  A tough, tough delight.  Let's hope his general air of amiability magically heals his hamstring.

I didn't join this forum to make enemies, but I do strongly question the clear difference between the posts of, for example, HanoiVillain (outstanding posts) and Omariqy with their consideration, empathy, research and political literacy, against the petulance and ignorance of other contributors.  That map, for example, with the big arrow, kinda fails to mention the two million or so Syrians who have abandoned this veritable stairway to milk and honey and jumped of in sunny neighbouring Turkey.

I have very strong feelings regarding humanitarian assistance, self-interested media chauvinism, global inequality and obfuscated historical legacies.  I also care a great deal about fairness, justice, good governance and economic coherency.  The Syrian Crisis doesn't present a ledger of neat ticks on my to-do-list.  It's complex.  It's tough.  So, despite my strong feelings and reasonable knowledge, I've kept out so far.  Because I need to think about this more.  And research it more.  I would hope others would offer the same service in honour of plainly horrendous circumstances.  That people  practically endow themselves with the license to 'say what they feel' is disturbing in itself.

There may be no easy answers.  But there are smarter questions.  And quite frankly, smarter smartness.  Please contribute constructively.  I will try when I know enough.

So, sleepy Villans, how'd our boy do?  Are we still secretly terrified?

Most ignorant post?  Not a fan of the Match Day threads, eh?

So, this is fun and meaty.  I'm intrigued, genuinely, do you not consider the likes of Amavi, Traore, Gana, Richards to be a significant improvement upon what we had last season?  If not, why did we buy them?  As any fool knows, the best new employees will raise the standards of existing ones.  This is particularly true of football.  The gauntlet is at the feet of messrs Gabby, Clark, Hutton etc.  I see an obvious, almost awkward, tier between the top class players we have and the somewhat-also-rans.  They also smell a little of the old regime.  Can the 'old guard' raise their game to fit in with the new recruits?  I haven't made my mind up yet.  It happens at other clubs.  Sink or swim.  I've been out of the country and haven't seen as much Villa as I would like, but Westwood, for example is looking pretty good.  A wee swimmer we might have?  Agbonlahor and Clark not so much.  I think they look like yesterday, both in Villa and footballing terms.  I mean, I'm awfully sorry for them... And Guzan.  Look at the likes of Lloris or De Gea, swift, composed ACTUAL PLAYERS, their presence on the pitch, be it distributing sweeper or commander of defence, is significantly greater than Guzan.  They're the future.  Quick, smart, efficient, commanding.  Guzan has saved us many times over the past few seasons.  I'm very grateful.  But, and I find myself saying this a lot round these parts, we don't need saving anymore, we don't need heroes.  We want players.  And we seem to have gotten some.  Let's hope they like the water too.

Oh, and your beloved Kozak?  I'm afraid I'm already making inquiries at the glue factory...

Guzan is in the same boat as Baker, Clark, Agbonlahor, Westwood et al.  The tides have risen.  The quality is higher.  Time to sink or swim.  Cult heroes are great for internet forums; not so good on the pitch.  Maybe it's a little heartless to admit it, but there's already shades of yesterday about Brad, smashing chap he may be.  If a new keeper had come in and done marvellously (think Butland, or hey, Begovic), I think our our old chum may have significantly fewer warm thoughts sent his way.

I too was disappointed in the lack of another striker, particularly considering the links... but I've had a brief think and have chosen to once again polish that legendary Villan patience.  Sure, it's frustrating, but...

How many players have acknowledged feeling embraced by the club because of the seriousness, if not length, of our pursuit?  How many times has Sherwood mentioned his long-time awareness and appreciation of a new signing?  Obviously, we have done our homework.  Obviously strikers were identified.  Maybe we were priced out of our top choices?  Maybe it's vital we get this choice right?  Certainly, there's a bit of a crisis of signing strikers in the PL right now.

Basically, Tim and co. have things planned.  I'm sure they're aware of this situation.  And I'm sure they have detailed plans that will be enforced when necessary.  This is not ideal.  It's just a little bit more waiting than we'd like.

I hope this isn't too off-topic, but could someone remind me why racism directed towards black people results in bans, fines and outrage whereas anti-Asian racism is rewarded with the privilege of an England start?  I'm not an idiot, I understand the power differentials involved, especially considering my mother's home country is Asian, but surely the principle is vital here?  And against San **** Marino.  I haven't been watching the match, but has this even been remarked upon?  I find this troubling.

These things should clearly be auditions for bigger roles for more junior squad members, incidentally.

Swagger and class.  An awesome, and oddly rare, quality.  A proper swashbuckler, this lad.

As well as questions of depth I'm quite inclined for us to keep trying and trying until we find a solid, reliable centre back pairing.  When was the last time we had such a 'luxury'?  The top teams have those for a reason...

The ruthlessness I agree with.  It's the Nigel Adkins Sacked at Southampton effect.  Baker did a job for us, threw his body on the line, in troubled times.  He don't need that kind of 'hero' any more.  So, sweet farewells and many thank yous, but we've evolved and I fear that Baker won't.

When people were clamouring for Sherwood to work his 'Benteke Magic' on the seemingly incoming Adebayor, nobody, it seems, was thinking Tim could do the same thing with Gabby.  Because if anybody needs to sort his head out and redouble his efforts it's this guy.  Surrounded by an instant posse of startling talent will Agbonlahor finally knuckle down and become something like the force he is capable of being?  Because he won't last long here if he doesn't...

I suspect he's lost that loving feeling.  Whether it's in his increasingly bulky body, or his perpetually dense head, I'm not too sure.

There's this line in The Departed where Jack Nicholson says he doesn't want to be a product of his environment, he wants the environment to be a product of him.  Certain players can come and make the pitch sit up and listen.  The game does as they say.  Obviously you have the Ronaldos and the Messis, but also Benteke, Grealish, perhaps Amavi, etc.  I'm not sure Ayew is that player.  Yes, he looks out of his depth, but this is where smart players will watch and learn.  They will adapt to their new environment.  From what I've seen Ayew, whilst lacking that imposing oomph, has the ability to insinuate himself into becoming dangerous.  He needs to be wily and smart.  I'm sure Sherwood can have a word or two.

As Bruce Lee would say, be like water, Jordan...

I'm not sure I can add a great deal to what's already a sterling discussion.  That this level of analysis is taking place suggests a level of hope and drive in the Villa faithful that I've dearly missed.  It's been a lovely summer.  But if you'll afford me a somewhat tortured metaphor...

The infamous 'young and hungry' window had us camped like wide-eyed hopefuls with a fistful of lottery tickets.  We had Players in our dreams, but beyond the vaguely and desperately euphoric haze, there wasn't much going on.  Our numbers were unlikely to show.  We had little but daft hope.  Now we sit, more assured, no less excited, with a decent hand of cards in a poker game.  Sure, there's still a great deal of luck involved, and the other players may be just as shrewd and smart, but we've got a decent hand, we know we have a decent hand, and if we play these jacks and tens and the odd queen well, well, it's at least going to be fun.  And we have a much higher chance of winning this time.  And unlike lottery-playing mugs, we're actually playing a proper **** game now, and we know it.  This feels good.  This feels, you know, Prepared.  We're in our own hands in a way we haven't been for years.  For that at least I'm very grateful.  There have been many derisive comments over the past few yeasrs, many completely fair, that questions what the point of Aston Villa was.  What are we for?  What do we do?  I think we have a far stronger answer now.  I understand where the fist pumps are going.  We now all have a clearer idea of what Aston Villa is all about.  That'll do pig.

Less abstractly, as much as it seems churlish to pussyfoot around this group of well-remunerated, ultra-talented bodies, we must give them time.  Words like 'gel' make it seem oh-so-easy, when the reality is much trickier.  We need to, collectively and individually, know and understand strengths and weaknesses in the squad.  Just look at how Man United are suffering an identity crisis, and a real slump, because their talismanic striker (and sometime workhorse) is profoundly out of sorts.  Teams rely on exploiting what works in their side.  Arsenal can rely on a Sanchez burst of brilliance.  Man City can rely on some Silva slide rule wizardry.  Spurs can rely on their outstanding goalkeeper... and so on and so forth.  We don't know this yet.  And we certainly don't know how to make it work for us as a team.  This will take time.  Luckily for us we have the kind of dangerous, exciting players who will do damage whilst we collectively do our existentialist stretches and sprints.  Once we click, players playing with that definitive knowledge in their boots, I think we'll fly.

So, yes, it feels good to be a Villa fan again.  It feels really good to be part of something.  We look balanced, threatening and dynamic with a pleasing bed of class and swagger.  I love the hand we've been dealt.  I hope to God we get to play it as well as we imagine.

Let's keep the faith, friends!  Wouldn't want to ruin a beautiful summer, eh?

Instant Captain Material: Just add claret.

But seriously, someone earlier said it seems that Richards is learning this centre back lark on the job.  I largely agree, and am beginning to see some positives in that.  They'll grow together and grow stronger together.  Now, let's see how he recovers from when a mistake or lapse in concentration inevitably leads to a goal.  That may maketh the man.

It seems Sherwood is keen on bringing in additional 'attritional' attackers, by which I mean simply those that do damage to the defence, wearing it down, making it look twice, forcing mistakes, creating space.  I'll be honest and admit that I admire the purity of Tim's vision so far, but away from my own preciousness I can definitely see Lennon working as a very good option, at least.  I looked at the bench today and thought there wasn't enough that could really stretch and hurt the opposition.  We need one of those.