Jump to content

Drew'sMilitia

Full Member
  • Posts

    54
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Everything posted by Drew'sMilitia

  1. I've been out of the VillaTalk loop for a few months and not been on. I'm a bit surprised by the lack of General Krulak's thread and suggestions that this link is now broken? What's happened? Any updates on the reason for the absence would be appreciated?
  2. General, I'd be grateful for a response on this as I think it may have been missed. Many thanks as always.
  3. General, I trust your recovery is continuing and we'll see you at VP soon. A question regarding the Aston Villa Year Book and apologies if it's already been raised. I read that the Year Book is to be published online rather than in the rather neat A5 size format. May I say that I believe this is a poor decision as I'm sure you will agree the Year Book is an opportunity to capture a whole season in one book and to keep it - to refer to in future years. Having it only online will mean that this opportunity will be lost and is certainly not as portable as the previous Year Book. I understand cost implications etc. but I do feel this is a poor decision. Please would you consider the above and maybe speak to whoever has made this decision? Thanks
  4. I do so love the moderate approach... :shock:
  5. Oxfordshire/Northamptonshire border. An hour's drive from VP.
  6. OBE, thanks for running the competition. I'm presuming that these DVDs are available to buy generally? Grateful if you could supply details of the title, distributer and whatever the equivalent of an ISBN number is for DVDs? I'm sure there would be a few who would be interested in these. Many thanks.
  7. Thanks Stato. Unfortunately had to miss this reserves match so appreciated your report. Lionel McMessi at VP... Excellent.
  8. Amusingly it appears that the article has subsequently been ripped-off by the noses and posted on one of their sites. It’s also appeared on HeroesandVillans as ‘coming from a Bluenose’. Interesting to see H&V’s reaction to a piece which was meant to be satirical and certainly not disrespectful, especially when they think it has come from a nose! Satire is, I suppose, a subjective matter.
  9. Many thanks. Sadly not. Project Manager with (it could be said) too much time on my hands!
  10. Superb read Santa Rosa. Really enjoyed that!
  11. If ever you are lost in a city or town, the Tom Tom’s down but know the general direction you want to head – i.e. North, but don’t have your handy compass with you , then just look out for a satellite dish mounted on the nearest house. The majority will be SKY ones pointing at the ASTRA Satellites which are sitting in geo-stationary orbit over the equator at 19.2 degrees east of the Greenwich Meridian. So in other words, they’ll be pointing broadly South South East (SSE) and from that you’ll be able to deduce the other points of the compass…
  12. Great report - thanks for stepping up to the mark. I love the image of you p*****g up against Stevie 'Should-be-in-prison' Gerrard's wall as you walk home.
  13. Well written piece. Enjoyed that!
  14. Gran Torino is a really good film - some seriously funny quotes and classic lines. This could potentially be Clint's last film and it's a cracker. Also watched Night at the Museum 2 last night with the kids. Very rarely you see a '2' film and it's as good as or even better than the first - but I honestly think this one is.
  15. It was the bit about SKY and the Premiership giving assurances that they wouldn't go down that made me start sniffing for a conspiracy theory...! It'll only be a matter of a few years before there is another re-jig - but I think it'll be the old firm teams coming south to play.
  16. I think there will be a few who will make regular appearances on the '7 Bench' for Premiership games doing the occasional 15-20 minutes and there will be some sustained appearances in the League Cup and Europa League etc. Names in the frame - and it's just my opinion... Barry Bannan - everyone says he's too small. He isn't. He's a real dynamo in the midfield. He's skillful, he's a battler, he's a superb crosser of the ball and is great at set pieces. Marc Albrighton - Milner, mixed with Young and add a bit of Barry and that's Marc. Nathan Delfouneso - I think he'll continue to improve. All credit to him that he's achieved so much so young. Ciaran Clark & Nathan Naker - I've put these together because I can imagine them being the bedrock of our defence in a few years. I think they'll slot in when the opportunity arises next season. Eric Lichaj - Cracking defender. Great loooong throw. Delap anyone? I can see some League Cup run outs. James Collins - Big solid striker and delivers the goods. As I write this I realise there's plenty of other names who could break in - Hoffbauer and Weimann, Gardner Jnr... I could go on...
  17. Excellent report on an excellent evening OBE-WAN – and isn’t it great seeing Villa win some silverware! Managed to get an invite into the posh seats (prawns not included) but due to work commitments and traffic wasn’t there long enough to savour much of the pre-match fare. But that was made up for by the quality display on the pitch. Really encouraging displays all round. I think this bunch of lads will have careers in football for some considerable time to come. I’m planning to keep my programme and teamsheet somewhere safe and see how my prediction fares. Some will (I hope) break into the Villa first team on a regular basis whilst others will have very successful careers in the lower leagues. John Deehan and Steve Staunton were both across the aisle from me, no doubt scouting for potential talent for Norwich and Wolves respectively, whilst there were a number of other note takers in and around the place whom I didn’t recognise. I of course couldn’t resist embarrassing myself saying hello to Steve Staunton and asking for his autograph after the game. It’s just nice to say hello isn’t it? He was all smiles and very polite and no doubt the evening brought back many memories for him. When I pointed out Patrick the Villa Sports Scientist/Stats guy and Paul Faulkner, Randy’s ‘Right-hand’ man, to my partner, she mentioned that maybe I knew just a little too much about Villa. I think maybe she has a point. Nice to see the Reserves being supported at all levels though. Loved the early ball work by Bella on the Witton Lane, a suitable round of applause went up for her quick return of the ball into play and she continued to ham it up for a good few minutes. I was impressed by the whole team and even through the flat spot I earnestly believed we would win it. Credit to the Maccams for making it a good contest. I have a soft spot for Sunderland – so often in Newcastle’s shadow. I hope the first XI stay up. The Fonz looked good, though I’m sure he could do with some speed coaching to give him that extra yard which he is going to need in the Prem. He has a very distinctive short running stride which appears to restrict his speed. I’m no expert but I bet he could be a real speed monster with some specific training. Clark and Lichaj impressed, with the latter’s long throws making things difficult for the opposition. Albrighton is class. A mix of Milner, Barry and Young and he put in some peachy crosses. Bannan wasn’t his usual dominant self but he still delivers and isn’t afraid to shoot outside the box – and only narrowly missing. He’s the ‘fire’ in the mid-field – showing the sort of passion and commitment which we all so love to see. I do so wish the first team would shoot from outside the box occasionally. I’m not asking for a ‘Petrov 44’, just the occasional thunderbolt. Reserve guys, you were all great and it was great to see James Collins score shortly after coming on. A thoroughly enjoyable evening and happy culmination to the Reserve league. I think I missed only one home game this season and the performances I’ve seen never made me regret the hundred mile round trip. Thank you gentlemen, one and all. Enjoy your summer holidays – but come back hungry for the challenges ahead. They’re there for the taking – with a lot of hard work and dedication.
  18. General, I've noticed that a significant number of news and media outlets are still using old (last season's) 32Red library images of our players. Stan Petrov's picture on the BBC website being a case in point. I know it's lazy journalism & poor standards within the media and not our responsibility per se, but could our PR machine help by providing up to date 'Acorns' pictures of the players across the media base? I was going to say it's a small thing but then again no it isn't! If the Daily Mail or the BBC was publishing pics of Wayne Rooney with Vodaphone rather than AIG on his chest I'm sure there would be no end of comments. If we could help them to get it right - it would be good for the club and good for Acorns. Semper Fi - UTV!
  19. General, Any feedback on the suggestion previously made about opening up one of the Hospitality Suites in the Trinity Road Stand for the forthcoming Reserves 'Final' versus Sunderland for season card holders on a first-come first-served basis? Thanks.
  20. My prediction - and yes I know It'll probably sink without trace - is that Barry will sign another 3-4 year contract with Villa and agree to 'give it another year' at Villa in the run-up to the 2010 World Cup and not wanting to get splinters in his bum at Liverpool. This means; He can give Villa another year to break the big 4 and gain Chumps League footie. The club have a contract with at least some residual sell-on should he go in 12+ months time. He retains exposure and the eye of Capello. Sounds like the lowest risk solution to me for all parties. See I should be an football agent...
  21. General, Villa Reserves Final vs Sunderland - A request. On previous occasions during last season, the MacGregor Suite or ‘82 Lounge was opened for certain important Reserve or U18 games. Access was on a first come-first-served basis from 17.00 and people were able to purchase a curry supper and a pint and watch the game from the comfort of the posh seats. This was appreciated by those who had the opportunity to take advantage of the offer and also allowed people to see the new suites and perhaps be tempted into buying into the Corporate Entertainment experience in future. A win-win situation. Bearing in mind Villa Reserves are playing Sunderland on the 21st May, this would be an ideal opportunity to do the same again. I’d be grateful if you could suggest it as an idea to those at Villa on the Corporate Entertainment side of life? I hope you’ll be able to make the match and cheer on our lads? Would be great to say hello. Much appreciated.
  22. Great report and a good even game. Comment on the strip clash made me chuckle. I again enjoyed the reserve action, feeling none of the usual pressure of expectation (and disappointment) which I so often feel when at Villa Park for first XI games. I must admit that the potential for back-to-back wins in the Southern League is beginning to crank-up the pressure, but I always feel that this ‘honest bunch of lads’, albeit depleted by a significant number of them going out on loan spells recently, will work their socks off and deliver the goods. I agree with your assessments. Elliot Parish is looking like a much more confident keeper, commanding his box and making himself heard, although the equaliser could possibly be put down to him (if I was being harsh) being half-a-second slow in his decision-making for coming off the line to intercept the Fulham’s Michael Uwezu. By the time he did commit it was relatively straight-forward for Uwezu to lob the ball into the net for the goal. Lichaj looked to be exercising his long throw. Although not quite ‘Delapesque’, he certainly seems able to chuck it some considerable way (Technical term). A useful addition to the armoury. A word of commendation for Albrighton. Every time I see him, I’m struck by what a cracking little player he is. Imagine Ashley Young, mixed with James Milner with a dash of Barry and I really think we have an amazing prospect for the future in him. He seems to go past defenders just for the fun of it and on a few occasions when I thought he’d tried to carry the ball too far, I was amazed when he appeared from a ruck of 3 Fulham defenders with the ball under control and able to supply the killer cross. Cracking game, bright future! The goal from Jonathan ‘Boss’ Hogg was a real corker. Great control and superb finish. Well done! The real ‘alternative’ highlight of the game for us was watching a couple of families sat somewhere in front of us enjoying a warm evening watching the Villa. A more-than-ample allocation of generally well-behaved children, including pushchairs, plus the product of what looked like a very successful shopping trip immediately prior to visiting VP meant that there was a sizeable stash of shopping bags and other assorted paraphernalia. Not wishing to sound rude, but it looked like the Clampetts were in town… A young lad, no more than 6 years old, sat directly behind us, glanced over at the assembled gear and with the perfect timing and comic delivery that only the innocence of youth can manage, announced to his Dad in a loud voice that ‘There’s a family on holiday down there…!’ Managed somehow not to spray Coke and chips all over the Lower Trinity, but I still don’t know how. I do love Reserve games! Roll on next Monday night…
×
×
  • Create New...
Â