AlwaysAVFC

Some places don't expect a tip, some places include it on the bill automatically and I suppose at others it is pretty muchbmuch but expected. Places that say service charge included just add 10-15% to the bill and expect you to pay it. One, like Choffer said, I want to decide if service has been worthy of a tip and how much, and secondly a lot of these large chain places that add it to the bill, don't give the service charge back to staff. I will often not pay it but leave a cash tip.

There's no clutching at all. I'm not expecting it to happen. As I said in my post he could have been a much better player than he has been and his critics in the past and present have been over the top when talking about his ability. If he had the aptitude he could have been better. He has a decent strike with both feet, he put in some good crosses, could get his head on a few too. His hold up play got better, although when he played on his own up front it completely negated his main attributes and his pace was obviously his main attribute. Its pretty obvious he's not the most intelligent footballer or intelligent full stop, which limits his potential but a better attitude and some graft would have seen him have more success. I'm not sure why I'm even defending him, because i've not really wanted him in the team for quite a while. It's just if last season gave him the bang on the head to realise what the hell he's doing/not doing I would have welcomed him back. That's not to say it's something I expected to happen. Again repeating myself from my previous post, he needs to go.

If he knuckled down since the incidents last season, got himself fit, showed some pride and passion, i would accept him back and hope he got some goals. It looks like there's fat chance of that though if he has been sent to train away from the first team. That doesn't just happen because the manager doesn't think he is any good. Gaby is a bit harshly criticised on his ability and he could have been a much better player if he had a better attitude. I've not been in support of just paying off people's contracts and never thought it would happen anyway, but I would probably make a exception for Gaby. I think he needs to go.

It's looked that way this summer, they've been linked with so many strikers, most out of their reach. They did it at Blues frequently didn't they?

I do it on my phone. When you're on an individual tweet, choose the options one on the line with reply, retweet etc, choose share via and then copy tweet. Then just paste on VT and it will embed. Actually this is for an iPhone so it may vary slightly at the end.

I still don't get your point at picking out each post of mine and being the one wetting their pants about something I haven't even said, and your talking to someone who is pretty chilled about our future at the moment and don't think I have ever criticised Xia on here.

Hang on, I've lost you. None of that is insinuating anything about about Xia being a fraud or such like it and nothing against the club. You seem to gone off on one for no reason. I took it as we were going more ambitious than Bamford and McCormack but for whatever reason we haven't succeeded. Whether that is down to the club of whoever we wanted or the player not fancying going to the Championship. It is tricky for us to get the players to match Xia's outlined ambition while we are at this level. McCormack being back up, if anything highlights Xia's ambition and that there is always a plan B. Whether you like him or not Pat Murphy has very much been right since the morning of the day the takeover was announced and has appeared to be the journalist the club speak to first. That said Useless's suggestion that he was just covering himself after saying we weren't interested is quite possible and a typical journalist trick, although personally I don't think it was the case.

I saw that earlier in the year The Mag did a piece about seeing the back of their Chuckle brothers Taylor & Coloccini. They are doing their best to replace them.

Of course it's speculation, this sort of stuff always is even if there is truth in it. Pat Murphy does seem to have some decent links since day 1 of the takeover so it may well be the truth but it will always be speculation until like today a bid is placed & announced. I'm not sure if @AntrimBlack was referring to Pat Murphy, I just thought I'd add it to the list.

It's pretty much what Pat Murphy has been saying today and for the last week or 2

I think it's a bit harsh on Benteke to say he wasn't a team player, with his ability to hold up the ball. Certainly a hell of a lot more of a team player than Bent and supposedly McCormack (only going by others not seen enough of him)

He's certainly on a fast learning curve (hopefully is learning) He's gone from relatively unknown even in his home land to thrust into the limelight of another country.

I'm still optimistic of what's ahead for the next month and season but had there been no takeover and we were at the exactly the same point regarding transfers in and out, I would be thinking 16th is pretty likely despite the few signings looking alright. There has been a takeover though and although there has not been much change on the playing staff. The breath of fresh air the takeover has brought, the new coaching team and senior management, a couple of players which we were crying out for Will play a big part in stopping our rot. I've been keen to get rid of some players but many of them under performed last season, they are not just simply shit. I think at least some of those players if they are needed will lift their game. Then I believe there will be new players in over the next month which will help freshen up and improve quality further. Holloway has probably just looked at how we were last season, not seen much change and come to his conclusion, which is fair enough. Which is what I would be thinking if Dr Xia wasn't now here but I also think he will be wrong come May.

It's a pretty hard balancing act though to attract the right players with the right motivation. Of course you could go the money talks option but even with the big sell for the future, if we beat a top half premier league team to a player, they would be more than likely choosing us for the big pay packet. Do you want a player that is that motivated by money anyway? that so often ends in disaster. We are in a very difficult position to get the right players for now and the future.

Just read the article in The Mirror about it, Pantilimon is supposedly on £50k a week at Watford

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-36921980

He has been awful the last 2 seasons and ultimately he had to go, from both his and Villa's point of view. His whole time with us hasn't been as bad as that though. Came onto the scene as a decent shit stopper but extremely shaky at crosses, he worked on this massively. When he was released and resigned it looked a master stroke, and it probably was for a short period he was excellent. Until the last couple of seasons he was keeping us in some games and helping us win much needed points as we struggled. He lost his confidence and got worse and worse and our last few mangers had all lost confidence in him, he had to go. I suspect he may play fair bit for Boro if he gets a chance and takes advantage of a fresh start.

Of course it does. If if was just an extra £40m that was available to spend on players. It would make it a profitable excercise to get relegated, which it far from isn't.

I believe Liverpool termed the clause in the contract very well and made it to say any club was entitled to speak to Suarez if they bidded over £40m. It wasn't an actual release clause. So although Arsenal could speak to Suarez, Liverpool could tell Arsenal where to go.

I just can't see who would come in for him and for him to want to move. There were rumours of MSL interest in January. Are MSL clubs able to sign players at the moment?

I think its pretty hard to judge how bad/good(term used loosely) players actually were individually last season when collectively they were shocking. Ayew at least showed a bit of fight and glimpses of quality, but in terms of how good he is, I think we have no idea.

That's how I read it first and now still can't decide on how I think it should be interpreted. I neither see us signing 3 or 4 players this week or do I see it that Villa are going to tell 3 or 4 players they aren't wanted. My attempt at something possibly realistic but a complete guess is We need to make the squad smaller and then we hope to sign 3 or 4 players before the window ends. I'll know more next week. You can say farewell to the old days of the Lerner era, I'm the boss now and everything is good.