est1874

How are you reporting this as fact? It's not at all provable that this was the case. Pretty sure Gerrard bought him for depth as cover for Luiz and/or McGinn in the roles Gerrard was deploying them. This was long before Kamara came in remember.

Wow, I'm so surprised

Jesus Christ. Great start to the internationals.

Jesus. The logo does look like an arse, and now I cannot unsee.

Southgate is a clearing in the woods and remains a failed manager, I can only presume anyone defending him has been lobotomized.

Currently scheduled for 4 days before the season starts. Heck claiming this as a marked improvement

We are not as good as we think we are.

I'm willing to accept spanking Spurs as his pre-interview for the role.

God bless Fulham

I enjoy the fact that gambling is the fashionable vice to pile on, but we're OK with alcohol sponsors on shirts again. Jesus.

Tielemans was woeful yesterday. Even given McGinn's moment of stupidity, Luiz being off-form/tired, and Iroegbunam's anonymity after he came on, I'd be tempted to say he was our worst midfielder and a total waste of space. I'd say Monchi gets a C or C-. Torres is great, the rest have not been hits. There is time and room for that to change, but you can only judge what's before you.

I do think some people could do with a reality check; that said, we can't forever be looking back on where we've been. How long are we going to do that for? Do you think Man City fans spent years thinking about Division Two when they were trying to break into the top four? Do Newcastle talk about their time in the championship all the time this season and feel grateful for their position despite not being in the top six? Did United do that under Ferguson when they hit the occasional blip in form etc? I'm afraid to say, we will never be champions of anything until we start acting like champions and demanding those standards. There's reality, and then there's the place we want to be, and after yesterday they seem very far apart right now. We did not approach that game yesterday as conquerors - we played 5 at the back for the first time in ages, tried to sit back and catch them on the break thus allowing them 70% possession on our own turf. However you feel about the reaction of some people here, it truly was like watching the Villa of old. Forever looking back on where we've been and feeling grateful for progress is not going to get us to the champions league; it might not even keep us in the top half for next season if we miss out on CL and end up falling foul of FFP. That's a distinct possibility. We simply have to take this opportunity to push on to new heights, if we don't, it could very probably be 2010 all over again.

Hard to feel like we deserve 4th sometimes. The ecstatic highs of beating City and Arsenal back to back are not much cop if we can't take a single point off Yanited, Newcastle, and lose our heads at home to an overall pretty poor Spurs squad (relative to recent seasons). I'm not even angry today. All the anger sapped out of me after the bizarre 2nd goal, and by the time McGinn was sent off the game already felt like it was over. We registered one poor shot on target against these lot at home, conceded 4 from 6 shots on goal. That's not top 4.

Cost £250 to see this shit. Last 3 games I've seen have all been losses. All in that's roughly a grand for a misery buffet. Never returning to Villa Park. **** pricks.

I'm hoping this has the effect of guaranteeing a good performance from him today, thus making me look silly, but he really really needs to show flashes of his true ability soon or risk looking like the season's biggest flop. He is potentially 1 big reason why we may struggle against FFP the next season or two, but has given us very little in return so far. Must do better

I am exceedingly nervous. Managed to get tickets and flights sorted. Hope we get VP rocking today.

Which is why it's a joke we've not achieved it in recent times.

Where's the calculation for the number of penalties Manchester United would have had in a league that isn't completely bent?

Konsa AND Pau AND Lenglet? That's asking for trouble!

And at no point has anyone at the club said **** you we're doing this anyway. All they've done here is upset you and others with poor and less-polished PR than Purslow had. He was at his heart a great PR figurehead for the owners. They've chosen to go a totally different route by bringing in a guy who clearly is not here to be Mr. Nice or front a well-oiled PR machine. Everyone hates the crest and branding that he has yet to even release. Everyone hates the temporary decision to not proceed with a new North Stand despite not knowing what the alternative plan might be. In the meantime, he's delivered a huge shirt deal with a great, global manufacturer. Nobody's seen anything official and meaningful about the rest yet. His mistake was telling you all just enough to piss you off, without showing you what's in the other hand. As I said, bad PR choices.

Yes but it took a while, including attempts by 3 different managers, to push on without him.

Yes. Self-important twit.

Yes

5-0

Arsenal since new year are different gravy. They are so impressive.