newhavenhibby

I think sometimes the managers look at the players in training and which ones cause the least grief and if they always give 100% their names are first down on the teamsheet. It is almost like they get blinkered by the professionalism of the player I'm sure this is how McGinn comes across and there is no doubt about giving his all for the Club but hopefully Smith et al will see a rest will do him good.........plus play him deeper and let others provide the goal threat . One of his greatest attributes was bringing the ball forward from deep to set an attack up not to be already in the attack,......... along of course battling the opponents attacking midfield especially with his arse.

Needs dropping out of the starting line up and possibly not even on the bench for a couple of games. Let him fight for his place again and hopefully get some drive back into his game.........plus play him deeper Smith. Looking at present that he won't be able to step up to the Premier League level but time will tell. Thing that has always worried me about him, same was true at St M and Hibs, is his poor weight and direction of pass in some games. I was hoping with better coaches and time this would improve but unfortunately this does not seem to be the case.

Have a fear you may be right Dr Pangloss....................however would still like to see him start deeper

Par for the course with him I am afraid ............one can never doubt his running and commitment but........ I was hoping some of his play would improve in the bigger leagues from when he was with us, but still suffers from judgement issues and especially weight of pass at times. Some players seem to get their name on the teamsheet first irrespective of form etc and at present this seems to be happening with Smith. After today and by the sound of it, the last few weeks, he needs a rest and to get some confidence back. Hopefully, the coaches will realise that playing him in a deeper role is better and pull him back to where he was when he first moved to you. He is now playing against some of the best defenders and midfielders in the World who are not only skillful but are as strong if not stronger than he is. The coaches and he have to develop his game to cope with this but asking to play attacking midfield just behind the strikers is not right for him. He is a great lad and professional and I am sure if dropped he would fight hard to get back into the side and still give his all for AVFC.

So sad to hear. So many memories of following Villa home and away during the seventies......thanks for these Ron Thoughts with family and friends RIP Ron

When I have watched Villa this season I have noticed he is playing in a more advanced role and therefore is tending to get into more scoring positions and has scored a few. I feel his better position ( as at St M and Hibs) was slightly deeper, fighting and breaking play up ( with the arse roll ) before setting the attack up. Smith et al obviously want his ability further up the field nearer the penalty area but unfortunately faced with Premiership quality defenders he is obviously not having the same effect. When he first went to Villa he was also taking deadball situations whereas now he is on the end of the freekicks etc.

This is the side of the coin many Villa fans will believe in..............I feel you are correct "useless" and if possible always play your strongest side.

Problem is that he would be one of the first names on the team sheet if fit and not suspended. Difficult for the manager as many fans would expect him to play against the foxes and if you get beat badly then Smith cops the wrath if McGinn is rested. You cannot please all the people all of the time...

Think your observations are close to what we experienced at Hibs. Some games his passing and vision was really poor but then he would have a blinding game and everything was forgotten. Sounds like he is still running at times like a headless chicken and misses simple link up play which often would benefit the side. Hibs fans used to love how he'd fight to win and hang onto the ball especially using his arse, . but at times you need to get your head up and pass to use the ball more effectively. I hoped that moving to Villa in a bigger league with better coaches that he would develop from his times at Hibs. It was interesting to read the MoM nominations on here after games and most of last year he was the player of choice. This year he rarely features very highly and whether this is due to tiredness, playing in a higher league etc I don't know, but am sure the Villa coaching staff will be working with him to improve aspects of his game to benefit his career and of course Aston Villa FC. You have of course increased the quality of players around him and one I like the look of is Mings, meaning he won't stand out as much as some of the Championship games last season. One thing is never in doubt......he always gives 100% for the badge he is playing for......but this can lead to over enthusiasm that can lead to bookings etc. Good luck for the rest of the season and hopefully more results will go your way as many have been lost to close games, early goals or poor decisions.

Lampard was in a very competitive division.......as you well remember!, and very nearly got them promoted on not one of the largest budgets..........again as you remember..........what a great day out at Wembley. It was then an almighty gamble to appoint him for the Chelsea job so lets see how he does. If Klopp leaves having won everything in their path the new guy has got to hit the ground running in the most competitive league there is............the expectation of the fans would be immense .........afterall they do like to collect "pots" !! Glory hunters. Steven G has an extremely large budget for the SPL which is streets ahead of anybody else except Smeltic.........if he cannot make an impression in the SPL with that behind him he might as well forget about being a manager, but that doesn't mean to say he would be a success at LFC.

Steven G has only been at sevco for 2 years...........and is doing a good job ..........but , although he took over after some poor managers , it is one of the 2 "easy" jobs in Scottish football based on the amount of money available to the uglies and the fan base. True this can add pressure from the expectation of their knuckle draggers but as yet, in my eyes, he still has things to prove in a competitive league before he moves back to his beloved Anfield. I have a feeling his task this season may have been helped by Smeltic going back to Lennon. I would expect he will move to a lower PL team or a Championship side before that move back to Liverpool.

Great result lads. Kept going for 90 minutes and didn't let them back in with a sniff. ( none of the dodgy 10 minutes we have seen in earlier games) Keep it up.

Villa are certainly being consistent in almost getting all the points but for short periods of the game where they let the opposition in. Spurs, Palace ( poor decision), Bournemouth, Arsenal and now Burnley have all taken points back where Villa looked on course to get more from the game. Smith et al have got to somehow get more steel into protecting leads / not allowing teams a start ( Bournemouth) and you will comfortably climb the table. If they do not then confidence and belief, especially towards the end of games will suffer. Unfortunately the ultimate schoolboy error on Saturday in getting back in front with only 11 minutes to go and then letting them equalize straight away. Fans have to believe that they can do this and the wins will come. Are you playing McGinn further forward in midfield as he seems to be having more chances / goals now? Keep the faith.

Football is such a "results" based business, one bit of luck and you win the game and the feelings being noted on this thread would change very much to the positive. As a team you are close to establishing yourselves in the big league but looking in from the outside( apologies for that!) you have almost made a good start. For 85 minutes at spurs, 2 early lax moments v Bournemouth , a poor late decision v Palace preventing an equaliser and then just not quite falling for you last night, it is a feeling of almost but not quite. As an outsider , if I were still a Villa fan , I would not be too disappointed at present as the signs are there that the team can kick on and hold their own in this league. This is where Smith and Terry have a big job to do now to make sure this happens, to manage the squad, identify the weak areas and think about which players they could bring in after xmas for the second half of the season. This season has to be about consolidating within the top league in the World and then kick on from there. This at present is a steep learning curve for management and players alike, some will cut it some not. Keep the faith

Good luck tonight lads.

Young neds on both sides of Edinburgh try to emulate the uglies but they are few and far between and tend to get shouted down by the older support. Ann Budge at Hearts shut the part of the ground where they tended to group and cause trouble ( not only religious stuff) which has helped them. A few youngsters at Hibs only bring the tricolour out when we play sevco or Hearts but they get short shrift from the rest of the support. We certainly do not hear the sectarian songs that will have been in evidence on Sunday in Glasgow.

They always sing their song about the death of his sister whenever he plays against them.......morons. It would have been sung on Sunday but as usual the authorities and sevco would have ignored it along with the sash and other UVF songs. They also sing it when they play us as he started at Hibs. ( at the age of 13, incidentally he had been rejected by both the uglies at this point) They are the dregs of Scottish football I am afraid and whenever we play them we have to be prepared for all their vitriol ( I know many fans who don't go to the sevco game because of their antics, especially those with families) and the possibility of rebuilding the toilets in their end plus umpteen seats to be replaced. I am just grateful that the rivalry between us and Hearts does not involve religion. There are a few youngsters who are wannabee uglies who try to emulate them with Union flags and tricolours but fortunately very few. All clubs have an element you would rather won't associated with you but they seem to have more than most.

Not only that but also the dozens of flares which they got in that stopped play in the second half....................don't think the stewards / Police fancied searching them so just opened the exit gates to get them in ASAP having frog marched them from the city centre Good on UEFA for taking action against the sectarian singing that has been going on for years which the SFA and Sevco ( and Smeltic on the other side of the city) have been sweeping under the carpet. Sevco even play "Simply the Best" over the tannoy regularly and think most fans are singing the Tina Turner words!! Two of the pundits and ex Rangers thought the orange colour that they have worn and still do has something to do with a tribute to the Dutch players that have played for them !...........knew nothing about Irish history...........bet a few of them would be surprised to know that the Pope backed William against James 2'nd at the battle of the Boyne.

Well done Villa

You are not being harsh towards me TRO, you, understandably, are just like many Villa fans, desperate for them to do well. I believe a little luck is always needed, no matter who you are. I too saw Ron Saunders side develop but the times were different back then with not the squad rotations and money differentials of the modern game etc and Villa feared nobody. First games I saw were in the old third division in the old witton lane end ......how times have changed! As I said no games will be easy and patience is key and hopefully that desire and fight will come into the players, especially if the management team do their job.............easy for me to say I know.....

Difficult start of the season for you to take. In both games Villa played well for the vast majority of the matches , albeit a defensive mode at Spurs. Unfortunately in both games 10 minutes were the undoing of the side. Yesterday it was always going to be difficult having given a 2 goal start. I am sure the management team will be stressing concentration for the whole 90 minutes as in the top league you cannot switch off for a moment. The team are still gelling so there are positives to be taken even though no points have been taken yet. Once the team gel together I am sure there are enough signs for the rest of the season. to give encouragement although there are no "easy" games in the Premier League. The game is a lot about team confidence so a couple of good results should see that build and as fans who have been through an awful lot of good and bad times I know you will stick by the side and support them all the way. Heres hoping the luck goes with you in the next game and kickstarts the season.

Remember it well.......my first season going to Villa playing the likes of Bournemouth, Notts County in the old third division.......great days in the old Witton Lane and Holte.

In some ways a game more important than last week which in my opinion was a shot to nothing..................not really expected to win /draw at Spurs but gave a good show for the first game back in the big time. This weekends game is far more important with a game I would expect you to win in front of a bumper crowd at VP. This will get your season off and running and give the team and fans something to build on for the upcoming campaign. 3 points are a priority ............ Looking at the teams in the Premier League, Villa need to take 3 points off sides like Bournemouth all season at home. and then anything they can get from the likes of Liverpool, Man City etc is a bonus. Good luck for your first home game

Joined Hearts......cannot see him being on anywhere near the wage he was on at Villa so Mrs Whelan may have to tighten her belt into the quality of wine she enjoys.

Up here the pundits and media are in shock , yet again,, as to how one of the two biggest teams in the World (not) can get knocked out by a Romanian? side. Delusion up here happens every year and whilst most people ( fans of other clubs outside the uglies) who follow Scottish football are aware of the standard, because two teams with money dominate, the media seem to think they are better than they actually are. Nearly all press and Scottish TV just talk about the uglies but when most weeks they play against free transfers, journeymen and youngsters they are bound to dominate the SPL. If any of those youngsters look any good they then try to buy them up........Smeltic not impressed when McGinn went to Villa......how could he possibly turn them down.. However the money Celtic get compared to the English Leagues is still paltry especially when you look at what the top Premier League sides get. Aberdeen ( third best payers in the SPL)) lost one of their top strikers at the end of last year to a non league English club as they could not match the wage offer from down South. Smeltic fans also not happy with Lennons team from last night by playing one of their most powerful and fast midfielders at left back ( McGregor)? He started doing this in his last few months with us, never playing the same line up or structure in consecutive games with players often well out of position. I hope the increased stress, pressure and expectation does not spark any recurrence of his mental health problems......would not wish that on anyone. As to the annual battle between the "big 2" I would be happier with sevco and the team Stevie G has put together at this moment in time. They will certainly push smeltic more this year and I think it will all depends on the results from the "old firm" games. I would not be at all surprised to see them stop Celtic this year.