philgetaway

Is Hogan playing?

Why is this guy even here? We're literally spending 13m as standard on any striker signing, but we're happy to be tight arses and get a Man U rookie loaner on goal. Spend 10m on a GK ffs

Good time to score. when you're 2 nil down at home to Barnsley

I like the fact we would all get the jist after the first 4 words, but you stuck at it and put in the whole lot. Well played - wasn't lazy.

So true. Leeds first goal and Fulhams second - looks so easy. Are we just over thinking it?

Yeah 4-2-3-1 lansbury decent hit so far, good save

I'll always support them from the terraces, but this is a forum where we discuss players etc. Should we all turn into Liverpool fans and state how everything is fine and all our players are great? This guy currently isn't at a level to play for Villa and where we want to be. Bruce has hung him out to dry by chucking him straight in, bringing on this criticism. Personally I've seen nothing from him to suggest he has something, but yeah, I'm not gonna conclude that based on 3 games. Lansbury actually looks like a player, I had my doubts, but in fairness he does look good. Makes me wonder why I was so content defending players like Westwood all these years. But this signing should be the reason why we should demand more. There are decent footballers out there. Hourihane - a slow start, but he has a good dead ball delivery, and yesterday he was involved in some of our play.

Yeah we all have different opinions mate, that's the beauty of footy. He gets round a plenty without actually doing anything. I didn't see him close to his man to make a tackle, on the ball he had the shot, and fizzed a decent low ball during 2nd half that didn't beat the first man. Has shown nothing more to me than what Bacuna could offer.

8 people voted Bjarnson as MOM.

It's as if someone has pointed out he doesn't pass too much, and then the whole of the holte today are shouting pass every time he got the ball. if I were an Ipswich defender today, Kodija would be my only worry. Maybe Lansburys passes as well from deep.

Decent again today

Not fit to wear the shirt. Runs a lot but doesn't get near to anyone to tackle, and doesn't show when we have the ball. Fair play he hit the bar, but I've no idea what he could / does contribute.

All the money we have spent, and we had to bring on a wide player upfront.

Such a weird signing. We lost points at the start of the season watching Gollini settle. Then we ship him out and are doing the same with this guy. I'm sure this experience will be invaluable to their development though, and they'll thank us when playing top flight football in a few years. Meanwhile we will be cost cutting as we didn't get promoted, after loaning a championship rival £17m worth of player.

I'm a Bruce fan, don't get me wrong. But for all the good work, he needs to be called out on some points. I'd argue Johnstone hasnt looked up to it so far, spurs aside. We needed 2pt per game form to get into the playoffs, and we bring in a GK to develop - that isnt even ours to develop. Gardner agree - he must be cheap. The Norwich game was early December, and RMC played post this game, so I assume gategate hadnt happened yet. I wouldn't say Gestede is the worst player i've ever seen in a villa shirt. I would say the both RMC and Gestede have scored prolifically in this league, and Gabby doesn't score. So I would have to disagree. Firstly, hes scored 20 goals the last time he played in this league, and has just moved to a prem club, placed ahead of Jordon Rhodes. Agree though that Boro could have forced it through. I personally would have shown to back-bone if this was the case. He played 3 days before at home to Leeds, after Cardiff we pretty much had 2 weeks off due to FA Cup. Im glad Green is in the team - looked half decent yesterday. I was just using his age and inexperience to add to the point of 3 newbies in midfield. I obviously don't see the guys in training, but Bjarnason looked way off yesterday. IF he looked like this in training, I would as manager go with a bit more fitness/experience. Even though that would mean Bacuna. Fair point on Tish.

Good knowledge. Ta.

Thy have we give him a 2.5 year deal? Seem strange to me. If he's so highly rated at 17 - you'd imagine a 4 year deal through to him being 21 would make sense? 2.5 year deal means he has this season to settle in the dev squad. Pushes for a place next season, comes a regular the following season then can leave on a free, demand big money. Maybe i'm over thinking it, but I cant remember the last time I saw a 2.5 year deal.

Got to be one of the worst debuts I’ve ever seen. Bruce has to take responsibility as he looked so far off the pace it was unbelievable. When we didn’t have the ball he wasn’t even getting close to the opposition, when we had the ball, he was hiding and not showing for the ball. It looked as if his job was to get near Kodja but he was didn’t get near. Second half he was just jogging around the centre of the park without any idea or clue where to be. I’m always sceptical when we sign a player who can play anywhere across the midfield. Best case scenario you end up with a James Milner, worse case you have a Brett Holman.

Bruce does need to be held account to some of these performances – he can’t just apologise every time and brush it off. I was at the game last night, I was also at Norwich and Cardiff and he needs to take some responsibility. Everyone makes mistakes but to far I would question: - Loaning out the 21 y/o GK – who we have invested £4.5m on, and bringing in a 23 y/o Man U loan player, without an option to buy. - Gardner – new 4 year deal? - Starting Gabby against Norwich – with McCormack and Gestede on the bench. - Letting Gestede leave the day of the Cardiff away fixture – when we had no strikers. - Playing a whole new midfield away to a decent Brentford side – as well as a 19 year old on the wing. Especially 1 being the Icelandic lad who clearly wasn’t ready. - Tish – why hasn’t he been given a chance? We all love a new signing but he would have been better than the Icelandic lad last night.

I've been a few times. Generally try and go once a season. You can buy tickets online from the UK - but you will be paying way over the odds for the match ticket. Tickets will generally be right at the back as well. But at least you have the tickets guaranteed. Unless they are playing a big game, you will get tickets over there. For the Osuasana match, you'll be fine to buy on the day - unless its some title decider, could be at the end of April? The real issue with planning a La Liga trip is that they can leave it as late as 2 weeks before to announce their TV fixtures. So be prepared for the game to be anytime on Friday night, Saturday and Sunday. Including a 9pm local time KO of Sunday! Keep- this in mind when booking flights. I usually fly out Fri to Monday. I do enjoy sitting at the back of the ground. Lets you take it all in and you can see the whole of Barcelona from the top. You can sit at the back for the first half, then move further down for the second half - find some empty seats. You'll also spot the Brits in the crowd, as the locals will be drinking coffee, but the Brits will be boozing - you can drink in your seats! Good times.

I know two Swansea ST holders, and they're over the moon with this move if it happens. They have suggested that he is very limited, and going forward he lacks end product. For Wales he can afford to be limited as the Welsh national team generally set-up to be on the counter, but he also has Bale in front of him. This bit worries me a little, as in this league we should generally be on the front foot. Some say we can play both him and Amavi. I would doubt Amavi wants to stunt his development as a LB, tohelp us out on the left wing. He's already being linked with big money moves away to decent clubs as a LB, I wouldn't be happy with this if it were me. If its £5m and Ayew - how much are we valuing this player at? Ayew must be worth £15m? Or am I living in dream land?

I have never abused our players from the terraces and I agree what youre saying. My point in context was in relation to the abuse in the Westwood thread - on a internet forum. As I said I agree. I wish the people around me in the upper holte (lower bit) would take the advice. Some of the shouting at Grealish against Preston was awful.

... and way more justified. Club Captain, over weight, with booze and birds in London, on the day we got relegated in Manchester. One of our our own though. I also think Bacuna has got off lightly in his thread as well.

Do we have to slag off Westwood in every thread?

I don't agree that the thinking that we SHOULD be a big club, has got us to where we are now. Without going off-topic, we are where we are now due to poor ownership and management. I'd say us Villa fans have been far away from any self-entitlement. I was just replying to the fact that we shouldn't be settling for a game against Rotherham because we know we can give them a game, over Arsenal. That's not the mentality this club should have. Agree with everything else you say, but as I posted earlier elsewhere, it will be a test to see if a couple of Barnsley players can step-up to the plate. I hope they can help us get out