Wezbid

Why are we writing off Elphick? This is the guy who led Bournemouth to the Prem. He's made the odd error/slipped but he's still a bloody good CB. Fans harp on about loyalty to the club but want to give up on players after 20 or so games after they've signed with the intention of playing a few hundred. Nothing against Suliman, of course, if he shows more than Elphick in training and on the pitch where it matters then fair enough. I wonder how many previous Villa favourites would have been so if they played in this modern era, Juan Pablo Angel wouldn't have lasted a season for starters (not calling him a hero).

He's going to be the target man. Go on Micah, lad.

Harsh, he's put in multiple balls that could and maybe should have resulted in a few goals already. And that's with him being 'shit'.

Looking at the highlights, I don't blame him for any, he was unlucky with a good peg, the 2nd he was at full stretch from a shot that doesn't normal end up that far into the corner from a shot at that angle and the 3rd was drilled low into the corner. Non of them are mistakes to me and I honestly don't get the vitriol over them. These are not bread and butter saves in the slightest.

I'm a Wrexham fan first and foremost but Villa too and I have to say this is one of the craziest things I've ever read on here over the years. Wrexham were a few hours from liquidation due to dodgy owners and were saved by fans putting up £250k in a few hours to keep the club alive (one putting up the deeds to his house when the owner wouldn't pay a tax bill). The thought of no club to watch and being a memory was sickening. That was after 7 years of struggle from multiple owners raping the club of its land and dropping 2 divisions into non-league. That sort of statement from yourself makes me as sick as I felt back then. Utter madness of a comment.

What the hell are you talking about? He's employed 2 managers who have 5 promotions from this league and one who has won the Champions League (not all down to him, but some down to him). He's backed them both with heavy money, plenty of signings made sense on paper, Elphick lead Bournemouth up, Jedinak held Palace together, McCormack was an absolute goal machine, Hourihane is top of the assists, Lansbury is respected as a top player, West Ham wanted Hogan, I could go on and on. How can you call him a chance? He set his stall out, did what he said on the tin, made what the majority felt like decent appointments and it's still a mess. He's beyond question to me. Everything he has done has made perfect sense. The results defy logic against what he's done.

What a load of reactionary, tripe.

Collymore is as bad as Dwight Yorke thinking Villa owe them something. I don't doubt Collymore is a fan but just reading this board is evidence enough of how different people think to the same problem. The way he conducts himself is a disgrace at times and then he expects the club to go to him for advice. Get a **** grip lad. Enjoy your shitty baiting phone in, designed for reactionary morons to call in on and stay away. He's a dinosaur in his thinking.

If Calderwood is so evil, why were Brighton not hindered by his coaching? It's getting desperate now, just insulting and calling for heads, right, left and centre. I've no defence for him but I've no real attack on him either btw.

It's probably a joke, but I had high hopes for us after Remi could get his own players in. I think he'd get this lot of playing great football. Not that it'd ever happen after we screwed him over with the last regime.

It's pretty easy to just say Hutton has no positional sense at all whilst ignoring that for season's he's been expected to be the attacking threat down the right whilst also defending that side at the same time. There are gaps there because he actually tries to support the attack and then when moves break down via himself, other inept players further up the field he is left playing catch-up to try and get back in position He's not just completely naive to marking a player. He wouldn't be found wanting half as much positionally if he wasn't expected to be bombing forward at the same time. I specifically said in my post that he would have to be told to restrict his forward movement and keep it simple. His energy and ability to win physical duels are an asset, I'm not saying he's made to be a DM but when the other options are more forward thinking midflelders or Gary Gardner then it's not quite so mental as you're trying to make out in my view. In Jedinak's absense we've been raped through the CM with Lansbury, Hourihane and Bjarnason in there. Mock my understanding of the game all you want but yes, I think a more defensive player with the energy and ball winning attributes is maybe worth a try. Ask most players to get up and down the wing like Hutton has been the past season or so and they too will look positionally poor whilst having to deal with pacey wingers as the same time as being expected to get into the final 3rd and whip balls in. Full backs covering in DM is not an alien concept. Hutton is a massive punching bag at the club but there are reasons as to why he's not always in the right position other than the 'he's sh*t' simplicity then gets tossed at him. I can accept that you don't agree with me but I'm not some simple, moron who doesn't understand that different roles require different attributes or characteristics. I didn't simply say that because he's got good energy levels and can win physical battles that he can prosper in the role. I was merely suggesting that they are things that would help him if he filled in for that role, emphasis on the filling in, not advocating for him to be converted.

I will probably get run off the board for saying this... but... How about Hutton covering the DM role, he's got the energy and does actually have the physicality to win the aerial duels. As long as he's told not to cross the half way line and to just give it to Lansbury or Hourihane.

Tweet it to Dr Tone.

Milosevic was a child hero of mine, ignoring the spitting. It's when I first experienced the Internet and found out he wore a bandana playing abroad. I raided my Dad's draws for a hanky to put on my head. As a result of Savo and searching the draws I found my first ever packaged condom and a load of pocket knives. I stole the crappest looking one assuming it wouldn't be missed. My dad let me keep it but his rubbers were hidden in a jewelry box afterwards, haha. It's mental what stays with you yet I can't remember what I had for tea, two days ago. Thanks for the journey that you led me on, Savo and that top corner belter will stay with me forever. Ironically I created an account called SuperSavo or something like that but couldn't remember the details to log in. Yet I remember the hanky/rubber Johnny story from when I was 10/11. Mental.

When he first started out he wasn't being labelled as someone who started out really very well, every other week MotD and Sky were pointing this and that out whether it was warranted or not. The point remains the same in relation to this thread regardless of the full potential/ability of Johnstone. It's reactionary hysteria. I understand he can only be judged on his performances to date but at the same time people need to give him a good run of games to decide for sure whether he is up to scratch or not because this writing off of players/managers after 5 minutes is getting very tiresome and I'm sick to death of it. I've seen World class keepers drop the shot that Johnstone did against Forest. It happens and every keeper will have done it multiple times in games. He was written off by many before he'd even played. He was on a hiding to nothing. This snap-shot judgement of players is ridiculous There's seemingly no middle ground either, he's deemed atrocious and that's it. Bunn's better, the kid in the U23's is better, blah blah blah. I would play him until the end of the season, if he proves people right and not up to much, he's gone regardless. On the other hand, he could settle, play to his potential and we could get a season long loan out of him next season. My argument is that it's way too early to ditch him and write him off.

#Missingthepointcompletely

What sort of point are you trying to make? They kept us in the game longer and prevented a battering. Maybe he should have just let them in instead since, to you, they count for anything.

I take it that you didn't watch the Spurs game where he made countless saves?

Well said. It's one part of the 'modern' game/fans that really pees me off and I'm only 31 myself.

What happened to supporters actually supporting new arrivals and not writing them off after a couple of games? Ridiculous.

When you're already on a yellow and the ball is in their last 3rd it's a bad tackle. Naive, at the very least, he's been playing a good standard of football long enough now to know that it's an instant yellow for a 'tackle' like that. He's left his team mates in the lurch for something so easily avoidable. His age isn't an excuse, he's got decent experience by now. A good assist ruined by being a petulant boy. I want him to succeed but time and again he gives the fans reasons as to why we can't trust him on the pitch, regardless of the good charity stuff he does off of it. Sort it out, Jack.

Searching questions and deep analysis of why he's garbage are needed, stat! (Sarcasm for those who are trying to hunt down the searching questions)

A bright point from the last night's embarrassing events. He can hold his head up. Deserves to start the next game.

Welcome to the club. Shite result this evening but we are a work in progress, that midfield haven't played a game together before tonight. The first to 10 mins showed what is possible . He's a goal machine and I'm chuffed to hell we've got him. Perspective and a bit of balance wouldn't go amiss...

Berbatov is in the country...