Enda

Did just fine again tonight, JBowz. Well done.

 

These commentators talk out of their arse. Describing Man City fans as "long suffering supporters," **** off.

 

Reason #24525 to loath Sky.

 

Every time Sky say something stupid, Nathan Baker suffers a head injury.

Whatever happens, every one of us would have accepted 0-0 after half an hour with no real chances for either side.

You know what?

It's going to plan.

bowery looks out of his depth tonight unfortuantely

So do 10 other players though.

the police have closed a main road outside the ground because of a jumper apparently 

Any word on whether he's Uruguayan?

TEAM NEWS: Hart, Zabaleta, Kompany ©, Demichelis, Kolarov, Garcia, Yaya Toure, Milner, Silva, Nasri, Dzeko #mcfc #cityvvilla

5-3-2, then.

Some crazy odds on this match.

Man City 6-0 win: 30/1.

Villa 1-0 win: 60 /1.

Villa to score first and fail to win: 7/2.

Draw at half time, but City to win: 16/5.

Madness.

 

-----------------------Guzan---Steer------------------------

-----Lowtown---Baker---Vlaar---Clark---Bertrand------

-Bacuna-------------------KEA--------------------Bennett-

------------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------------------------------------------

----------------------------Bowery-----------------------------

I approve

 

The auld two goalkeepers approach is risky, but it could work if we use the Last Man Back system.

 

A quick search of the ROI squad for the 1994 world cup

Townsend - born in london

Aldridge - born in Liverpool

Houghton - born in glasgow

Babb - born in lambeth

Phelen - born in Manchester

Cascarino - born in kent and had no Irish roots

 

fixed for you

 

Ah that's a bit unfair on Cascarino. The issue is whether adoption counts. You saying people adopted by Irish parents aren't entitled to citizenship? Scabby.

Zat Knight's just been released by Bolton. Sign him up!

 

I'm ok with taking the points at home fact as long as you also accept the limited funds for transfers and for salaries fact.

Extremely aggravating for either side in the discussion to pretend that all the facts are on their side and all the baseless opinion belongs to the other. Nonsense. There are plenty of facts on both sides. Hence the discussion.

Who has facts is not the question, it's which facts you weigh most heavily that matters. And that's a fact.

The only fact that matters is that we will have a new manager and owner for next season.

 

Ehhh.... are you taking the piss???

Would you guys be content on having Okore and Vlaar as the 2 cbs next season, or should we look to replace Vlaar? He's okay for what we have now but the truth is he's nothing special is he

He's not Franco Baresi, but he's good for an average PL club. Much more concerned about Okore who is still unproven.

 

Don't like him as a player is fair enough, but as a person? We don't know him. What makes you think he is all about himself?

My brother worked in Sutton at o2 for a few years and Bent came in a few times. Said he was more than happy to have a bit of a chat and even seemed fairly shy for a footballer, he's never had a bad word to say about him despite not rating him as a player.

 

+1

Met him in a shop. He was just browsing, and I asked for a photo. Absolutely no problem, gave me an autograph, smiled for the photo, shook my hand, and went back to looking around. Nice fella.

 

Hasn't the wage bill gone up?

 

Probably signing Benteke on a longer contract would do that alone...

 

Doubt Benteke is on more than Dunne, Ireland, Bent (on loan, granted), Makoun, Collins, Warnock...

Hasn't the wage bill gone up?

Didn't think so. Good question. If he's not managed to lower the wage bill despite letting the likes of Richard Dunne and Stephen Ireland go, then I take it all back.

If he is hovering around 15th come 2015 then he gets the sack. Meanwhile we will then have only half a season to find a new manager and recruit some decent players in the January transfer window which is notoriously a lottery for a lot of teams especially those struggling.

 

In 2 seasons he has shown that he just doesn't have what it takes and his footballing philosophy is boring and negative. Why waste another half a season and £millions on someone who has proved ineffective when the logical thing to do, based on evidence over 2 years, would be to get rid now and give ourselves a fighting chance of recruiting a decent manager and a summer transfer window to buy some decent players and get them bedded in readiness for the start of the season.

That's fair enough. Much happier with that argument that the focus on the number of home defeats.

I don't think his football philosophy is boring and negative. We've never played Alan Hutton in midfield like we did under McLeish... I think it's just our players lack creativity for whatever reason. We're going to have to agree to disagree though.

They say there's lies, damn lies, and statistics. This thread really illustrates that.

You need to take a fuller approach than focusing on one single statistic. Someone who focuses on the North Stand as old and cramped and small (which it is) is missing the rest of Villa Park.

Here's the broad picture:

Under Houllier we finished in 9th with 48 points.

Under McLeish we finished in 16th with 38 points.

Under Lambert we finished in 15th with 41 points.

This season we'll probably end up in about 15th with 38 points.

That's the broad picture. In terms of results, he's doing exactly the same as McLeish. Not good enough.

What might save him:

- Sometimes has an eye for excellent value transfers (Vlaar, Benteke, and arguably Lowton, Bacuna, Westwood, Okore, etc)

- Has reduced the wage bill massively

- Has always been respectful of the fans. Understands the club.

- If we sign Bertrand, and when Okore comes back, the back four will improve massively.

- Has shown signs that he wants to play attacking football. (Unfortunately those signs have disappeared for six months.)

- Clearly has potential to be a very good manager. Potential. Remember he only had a year's top level experience when he hired him.

The question is whether we think a new manager would be worth it. In my opinion Lambert has just about done enough to stay until Christmas. Give him 40m to spend and I think he'll do about as well as anyone. If we're hovering around 15th comes 2015, then he gets the sack.