DaveAV1

Leopards and spots springs to mind. Thankfully we no longer have the Excusemonger General, AKA Brucie Four Times, leading us down the garden path.

I’m not sure that’s true. Against Arsenal the bench we’re urging the players to get forward. I think when under pressure from better teams, it’s natural to go a little deeper and that’s the case for all teams, even at times the very best. Only confidence can make that mind set less of an influence on the whole team as a group. I see the logic of your argument, that if they all do it it must be the coaches instructions, but for the reasons I’ve said, I don’t think that’s the case.

I’m sure we have grand plans for the entire stadium, probably starting with the North Stand but that will be developed as part of an ongoing plan. These guys are ambitious and realise that the stadium can be an income generator on both match days and none match days. This income effects our ability to spend, with regards to FFP, but the cost of the infrastructure doesn’t fall under FFP rules and so we can spend as much as we want. It therefore makes perfect economic sense and also allows our guys to show off a little with a big structural statement. Hopefully they can do it in a way that keeps Villa Park unique and doesn’t lose that special feeling that our home has always had.

He’s been great for us since he came. He’s made the odd mistake of late and I’m sure he’d be the first to admit that he’s still learning at this level. The player that never makes mistakes doesn’t exist and if there are a few that come close they cost considerably more than £20m. We need to be supportive of all our players, particularly when they are going through a bad patch. Which all of them will at some point.

Three of our goal by Brazilians

I’ll help you move

We’re playing them in three weeks, should be a walk in the park

Follow your heart!

He’s going to get nutmegged 5 times every game.

I didn’t notice Brucie 4 times making much of a fist of it after 2 years. However 8 months and one transfer window and Deano managed it.

I remember you thinking he wasn’t good enough to get us promoted last year too. I hope you have a similar effect this season

Not an excuse at all a simple fact. I agree that we aren’t strong enough up front but we’re far from dead and buried after 7 games. Wesley has had a steep learning curve but has still scored a couple. He possibly needs taking out of the firing line for a couple of games, strikers are confidence players and it’s important that we don’t completely destroy his. It shouldn’t be underestimated how difficult it can be to settle for players. Some people take it in their stride, others take longer. It’s not just getting used to new team mates, it’s a new and very different league, new country, new language, miles from friends and family. He has all that to contend with and unlike most jobs he has to do it in the full glare of the most watched league on the planet. I don’t know if the kid is going to make it or not, but a lot of better qualified people than me thought he was worth £20m. He certainly deserves more than a couple of months before we write him off. Looking after players both physically and mentally is a lot harder than I’m sure most of us appreciate. Doing that in the context of a squad is a massive and complex juggling act. We need to be patient and supportive, especially when the going gets tough.

Very good post. Looking at the table in context we have played 7 games and 6 of them have been against teams in the top half. The only side we’ve played in the lower half is Everton who we beat.

A mate at the game reckons, we were good first half but poor second, Hourihane did nothing throughout, Wesley worked hard but was ineffective and Davis looked better once on and deserves a start. I think Wesley has kept his place because he needs time and as another poster has said they have to try to keep his confidence up and hope he improves. It’s tricky for any coach to drop a record signing. However perhaps the kid needs a break and reset himself. Davis deserves a go but the same applies to him, he’ll need time and patience. There’ll be people calling for him to be dropped the first time he misses a chance. We’re a young, relatively inexperienced team that haven’t played together for long and need handling with a certain amount of care. Throwing them and for that matter the head coach under the bus at the first sign of trouble would be disastrous. Until January we have what we have and need to be positive and support the team, through thick and thin. We are football supporters not film critics. We can judge, but still be supportive. We’re not perfect but people saying we’re going down after 7 games is pretty poor and really doesn’t help. The majority of people felt that 17th would be success but now some seem to be amazed that we’re struggling. Did they expect us to get half of the points in the first few games then tail off?

Just a joke. I didn’t think I needed to explain that either.

Minimum? Would you be targeting more?

Who’s knocked out?

I’m hoping the criticism of Wesley has the usual VT effect and he bangs a couple in during the second half.

I didn’t know that. So effectively linesmen are now just window dressing apart from judging if the ball goes out or not?

I very much doubt we would sell him whilst we have so little cover up front. Unless we have an out of contract player somewhere flying in under the radar. January maybe if we get at least one striker in.

I agree we didn’t use any academy players and it’s always good to blood youngsters if possible. However I think we were looking at the bigger short term picture, that a win would be good for moral. Add to the fact we were playing fellow PL strugglers and in a fixture, regardless of personnel, that is shortly to be repeated then I think winning last night’s game trumps youth development. Plus we shouldn’t use the chance to win one of the three competitions we’re in as purely a training exercise.

West Ham and Spurs had a stroll in the park too and Man U hammered Rochdale.

Why let a technical issue ruin a crap joke?

Who do, centre backs?

Lansbury has an ankle injury, nothing serious apparently.