wildwood

What the...? lol.

EDIT: Ignore me.

We had any word from our club 'insiders' - MM etc??

Although Keane did seem interested and one of the few players with any footballing brain, his time at VP was not exactly as some people seem to think it was. During his PL time with us we won 1, drew 3 and lost 3 with a return of 6 points from a possible 21. He scored a very good goal against Wolves but in all honesty, how many of the 6 points achieved can be attributed to him? A good point actually - I just looked back at the match reports from his time here, and whilst they do speak about him highly, we do lose a lot of the games. Although saying that... say we lost to Wolves (he scored 2 of our 3-2 win)... we'd be on 32 points, only 3 points above the drop zone.

I don't know about the figures, but I look at this way: 1) RB - Yes Herd did play well, but even with our hindsight (Stan), isn't it better that he is playing in CM?? Yes, agreed, Hutton is the worst footballer ever, but there was a need for a RB. 2) Shay Given - I honestly can't believe anyone would moan about getting that type of calibre in the team. 5 years doesn't mean he'll be No1 for all those years. (Friedel is 40 and he's playing for a top 6 club, as no1) 3) Jenas - I'm pretty sure it wasn't down to McLeish that the clause wasn't put in about injuries. If it is our side, then it would be someone in the legal department surely? 4) Keane - he wasn't interested in a long term deal, and I dread to think where we'd be if we hadn't got him for that month. 5) N'Zogbia - I think I, with many others, were calling for this signing - and I was happy with the possibility of him getting to his best at Villa. Yes with hindsight - an awful deal. I understand McLeish's faults. I do watch us play. But - I don't think your points back up a great argument, even with the hindsight we have now. EDIT: Also yes McLeish is the manager, but it doesn't mean that he has control over everything. I really doubt that he specified to Randy that N'Zogbia needed to be bought for 10m, etc. I presume (maybe blindly) that he gives a list of targets and a 'team' try and negotiate prices/contracts.

I haven't had the chance to see Villa live for a few months, so I was interested to watch the game today, to see how bad we are. And yes whilst expecting to lose (Man Utd are a) fighting for something and a much better team)... i was appalled to be sitting in a pub in Lancashire. I was embarrassed. I don't think I've ever seen us play so bad. My wife and I actually started a game of counting how many passes we could do before giving the ball away, our highest was 11, and the 11th was a pass back to Given, who booted it up the pitch to a Man Utd head. Couldn't string a pass together. Couldn't defend. Couldn't attack. Shocking. Ashamed.

Good, skillful player, who can score... it would be a shame if he leaves England. Would Spurs take him back? They are losing Adebayor at the end of the season - and this constant search for a striker never seems to happen. Either that or Liverpool? (whilst quietly getting rid of Carroll)... Suarez and Berbatov could work well.

Fixed

Is that the same Luke Moore who scored the winner against Man City?

Messi would be the best player in the world, if he could do this, like Bärkroth... http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/video/2012/mar/12/football-assist-of-the-season-video?newsfeed=true

Hart Richards - Lescott - Jagielka (If fit) - Cole Parker - Barry Walcott - Rooney/Gerrard - Young Sturridge I think Sturridge is our best finisher, Young can dive for free kicks, Walcott gives that extra dimension, Rooney/Gerrard to dictate. Parker/Barry to clean up and cover when Richards and Cole attack. Although for smaller teams, replace Barry with a more attacking player. Keep Parker as captain.

I'd personally be looking at seeing what the odds of AVB replacing 'Arry at Spurs come the end of the season. I think he'd be really good for them personally. Strong manager, who already lives in London. In regards to Chelsea sacking him... ridiculous. They are still in the top 5, the plan was surely to get to the Summer so he could rebuild the squad??

Guzan Marshall Cuellar Lowry Jenas (back to Spurs) Heskey then in May 2013 it will be: Warnock Dunne Collins Petrov Lichaj Thanks Ender - so we're only really going to be shifting Heskey, and a couple of reserves, and hoping for some clubs to be stupid. Either way, keeping Guzan will not be a bad thing - however I don't think we need Marshall. Our 3rd choice, should be someone coming through the youth teams etc.

On a bored day at work, I decided to find out Mysteryman's identity using Google - I failed. But I found this article: http://avillafan.com/site/2011/06/22/mysteryman-returns-and-discusses-am-open-forum-with-fans/ Now this is a post about MM's points taken from a meeting between AMc and the fans back in the Summer, I've picked a few points out, which I find... interesting:

I think most fans hate him, it's the way he works. Although I'm not sure Man Utd would be able to back him financially.

I really don't think he was tapped up, he made it apparent for years that he wanted to return to Barcelona. Who wouldn't?? At least he wasn't found in a bar with a tall geordie holding a scarf of that club. Now that's a rocket polisher

Whilst I wouldn't mind some Qatari, or whatever, billionaires. I also remember Ellis' reign, and if I had to pick - I'd rather have Lerner - by a mile. So Lerner for me.

I must admit, as the weeks go on, I'm starting to get worried. Sure a couple of good performances, and we're safe, but I just can't see them coming. With the injuries (and Keane's return to the US), and the mood down in the Villa camp, I'm worried. Need someone to step up.

Does anyone know which other player's contracts up at the end of the season?

I'd keep Shay as long as we can. Shay will get injured more than likely - at some point, Guzan is ample back up. But I'm still not confident in his ability to command the area when set pieces are being flung in - but then again no one in our team seems able to do that.

Must say, Parker was good as captain yesterday - his style of play suits being captain. I wouldn't want Gerrard as captain, because I want a captain that will play the full 90 mins for every game, and I don't think Gerrard will have that role. Not if we want to push Wilshire, and keep Parker + Barry/Milner. Also on Welbeck, thought he played well yesterday. The formation is very fluid, and I think, if the wingers can get in the box when Welbeck takes the channel, we could get quite a few goals. The issue is of course, that we need to accomodate Rooney somehow. He's proven that he's best behind the striker, so are talking: Hart Richards - Jagielka - Lescott - Cole (DC's my opinion) Parker - Wilshire Johnson - Rooney - Young Welbeck/Bent Bench: GK, Cahill, Barry/Milner, Gerrard, Walcott, Sturridge, Bent/Carroll/Crouch/Welbeck/Gabby/Fonz If all were fully fit?

According to BBC Sport:

How is it Makouns fault that the player dived and cheated to get that penalty? Salifou would have known not to go near the diving player.

Well my first thoughts (if true etc) are: Randy is a decent guy, yeah maybe he doesn't have the money to cope running us and the other team. But he's still a nice guy, what better to end a 'legacy' (and one that I will always reminisce positively about) than giving the fans something back. After all he knows we're playing rubbish, so he wants to 'treat' the fans in a 'cheaper' way.

We can't afford him or his wages. Discussion over.