Enda

Off-topic again here but BOF I don't think the current scenario is all that unfair on the North. Irish people are Irish; British people are British; it just happens that there's a mix of them in the North. So the Good Friday Agreement said "Right, if you want to be British you can have a British passport and if you want to be Irish you can have an Irish passport." Fair compromise, democratically endorsed. Nordies who feel Irish (and who object to claims that they're British) can play for ROI. Nordies who feel British (and who object to claims that they're Irish) can play for NI. I think that's a fairer outcome, particularly from the unionist stand-point, than the rugby scenario where nordie Brits can only play for Ireland.

Oh I don’t know. A quick trip to a club might be in order... Although I agree that a good stint at a top Championship club will do him good, we are lacking in the CM department and he will get games here if he can play like he did in the second half of tonight. I think you missed the ironing.

We could have done with the Fonz for the last 20 minutes.

FFS Marc.

Why? He thinks we are a 7th=12th place side. This must have been what he was expecting. Lost in translation and you know it, Trent. He didn't say we "belong" there. Give the man a **** chance.

Carlos Cuellar, not a full back.

Luke Young has made some incredible blocks today.

Delighted for Clark. Did himself and the Villa proud. Think it might be a little early to have him replacing Carlos or Collins just yet though. I fear that the likes of Drogba would tear him a new arse. Should definitely start in all cup/Europa matches though.

Agreed. Carew was unplayable today. A couple of wasted chances, which he of course should have converted, but overall he was immense. Did Heskey's job ten times better than Emily ever did. And that was with the ref giving him nothing, including a dead-on penalty when he hit the post.

Hiiiiiii Hoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!! Classic!

General, I am proud that Aston Villa has such an honourable history of showing compassion and a sense of charity to the wider community. I know of a young man who lives in Birmingham and things have not gone very well for him this past year. I don't want to get into all the details but it really is quite a sad story the way things have turned out. Would it be possible to organise for the first-team to all sign a home shirt and send it to: Mr. Craig Gardner St. Andrew's Stadium Birmingham B9 4RL I'm sure it would do him the world of good. Best, Enda

Yep, I've said in the middle of the thread to all the people who posted rubbish like "we just won at Old Trafford, we can't possibly discuss the past" that this thread isn't a MON bashing festival. I'm absolutely delighted with our form, with the last transfer window and that with Downing it looks like we're passing the ball more. But that does not mean that MON has never made a mistake. Nor does it mean we can't look back and learn from previous decisions. FWIW, I think it'd be much more negative/cynical to have made this thread during a bad run of form. Up the Villa.

Nothing negative about it, all the options are from previous seasons

Please let's not turn this into a "MON OUT" thread. I think he's the man for the job. I want us to play less hoofball, but that's a pretty small complaint in the grand scheme of things. However the man has made many decisions that could probably be called mistakes: effectively swapping Cahill for Knight, sending out kids to the UEFA Cup, insisting on 4-4-2 last season, etc. Of course all of these have other sides to the coin: Cahill wanted to leave, we needed to focus on getting fourth, Heskey could have been a sensation, etc. But what, in your opinion, was his biggest mistake? Why? For me, it's letting Mellberg leave too easy. This is rarely talked about, but he could have been immense for us last season and possibly provided the stability to bring us Top 4. Once Juventus called, he was gone. And fair dues to Olof, nobody begrudged him that move. But what does upset me is that a couple of months before all that, while in negotiations about renewing the contract, Mellberg was put to RB. I think it was pretty clear he wasn't happy to be doing this, but soldiered on anyway. We let a top-class CB leave without much of a fight. (Sorry if a poll like this has been done before, I couldn't find one.)

I think that's six corners we've had already.

Up the Villa!

Strange for Carew to be taking that.

What a pass by Milner. Pity about the outcome.