est1874

Pot, meet kettle. Cheers.

A broken clock is right twice a day. They were wrong - as usual.

**** Steven Gerrard. Fraud.

Am not suggesting that it is. I said "I would..." as that's my favoured midfield combo, from what's available.

I would start Dendoncker with Luiz and Ramsay ahead of him tonight. No McGinn.

Are they? What makes us think that. Our form is as bad as it ever was under Smith, were up against Fulham this evening where we might actually stand a chance of a half-decent result -- why would they be willing to sack him tonight or next week after allowing him to preside over the naïve shit-show that was the last few games? I too want him gone ASAP but I'm seeing no signs that they're on the verge of pulling the trigger. As for the crest release, if you're saying it's not going to happen with him in charge, then we could be waiting a long time indeed. I would expect and hope to see some leaks though. Amazed there have been none.

I'm with you on this. Totally understand the comments from others about the timing seeming 'off', but you make your bed and have to lie in it. It's not like we were flying high in the top 6 when they announced this review, far from it, and anyone with a brain could have looked at the timelines and predicted that things would be no different by the time they were ready to unveil. They went ahead with the development and all the FCG sessions in spite of poor results on the field. Shying away from it now due to poor sentiment is just rubbing salt in the wound of poor performance. Operational inertia due to performance issues. Delaying improvements until "the mood" improves. What is "the mood" where Villa fans are concerned, anyway? It's not like we're ever **** happy. Just release the damn things and be done with it.

Genius work

I think the best result would be a draw as it would surely spell end of the road for Gerrard as much as a loss. (Taking our 10-game league form to W L L L D W D D L D or 10 points from a possible 30). I just can't "want" us to lose to Fulham no matter how hard I try. But a draw should do it. I genuinely think there's no way NSWE let Purslow keep him if we can't beat Fulham.

OBE has indicated as much in a previous post, if that helps. Not sure if that has changed at all but doubt it

It was also (erroneously) reported that Gerrard was sacked last night. Lots of things are reported, doesn't make them accurate or worthy of serious consideration. Not trying to silence anyone, just trying to bring some of the mad optimism back down to earth. It's highly unlikely we end up with Poch, based on all measurable criteria.

Thanks for this OBE, I know you've basically been sworn to secrecy on the finer details so the process updates are appreciated.

Obviously not what I'm saying. And you obviously don't know any designers if you think they won't care what the finished product looks like. I've friends in that industry and they are among the most diligent and proudest workers I know. Weird to suggest a design company would produce something by themselves that's just shit. Also an important point to note, which everybody seems to have forgotten: the Lerner badge that most of us have grown to despise (or despised all along) was the result of a fan consultation process too. So acting like the latter is more likely to produce something fit for purpose is........ well, inaccurate essentially.

The only way Poch comes here is it he's paid a fortune and given a huge transfer budget to spend. Recent murmurings out of the club suggest we are moving in the opposite direction, and I suspect money/compensation is one of the major factors in Gerrard not being sacked yet. We are tightening the belt (again), and unless that gets reversed, someone of Poch or Tuchel's calibre is just so highly unlikely that it's barely worth considering.

This place never fails to entertain!

Did "the current mood" prevent them from showing the badge options to the My Old Man Saids and Dan Bardells of the world?

I would like us to get rid of the current badge ASAP. Plus they've shown a number of elite fans already, I really don't appreciate or support this business of constantly delaying showing everyone else. It's very presbyterian!

All these fake ITKs are just jumping on the bandwagon now so there's no news to report, what it does demonstrate however is that the tide has well and truly turned. It might take weeks rather than days, but either way Steven Gerrard's goose is cooked before Christmas. Purslow et al are just delaying the inevitable by doing nothing now. Let me be the first to say bye Steven, don't let it be a long goodbye please.

Very depressing watching all this going on at our club. A very non-progressive manager somehow hanging on by a thread from game to game but not being held to account by the board or owners. Trust with fans being eroded more and more with every passing day. Fear of relegation now a very real prospect. (Wasted) investment aside, it feels like a return to the Lambert and Sherwood days tbh. Awful feeling.

We're pretty bad too though. Just looking at it objectively. I know we're huge, and we know we're huge, but it must seem baffling from the outside, how impatient we are. So whatever we might think of Arsenal fans, most neutrals / other clubs fans probably think of us too.

What's the hold up here

Well, Henry VIII founded the Church of England and Thierry Henry scored 175 goals in the Prem, so.............

Both underused and misused. A terrible combo and a massive shame.

I think I've missed something, has it been suggested a press conference has been scheduled?

Fair enough, I appreciate and respect the maturity tbh