il_serpente

If playing with wingbacks I'd use Richardson over Cissokho. Cissokho gets forward but has no end product. His defending is better but less critical with 3 at the back. With that said, I think 4 at the back is still the way to go.

If the manager had no faith in him whatsoever he wouldn't have been given a new contract. He had a manager who, on the evidence of his performances in matches (and presumably in training) determined he was not at a high enough level to be featuring for the first team. On evidence I've seen of his first team performances over the years I can't disagree with that. I would be delighted if his loan spell allows him raise his game to where he can challenge for a first team place, but I don't see how anyone can hold Lambert responsible for him not being there yet.

Put aside for a moment any opinions about whether he's overweight, doesn't care, doesn't try, is selfish, has been mishandled by Lambert, is a victim of a manager's playing style that denies him the service he needs, etc. And think for a moment whether, in any of his appearances so far this season (of which there have been significantly more than I would have expected), he has even touched the ball. I really can't recall seeing him touch the ball at all. I'm sure it's happened, but probably only a couple of times. Regardless of whose fault it is, if he doesn't touch the ball he isn't going to score or contribute in any other way. Gabby and Weimann may not be doing great things with the ball a lot of the time, but they at least have opportunities and occasionally seize them simply because they're on the ball a fair bit during the game.

After watching that you must watch the remix:

Been baffled that he's been brought on late a few times. We've needed someone to make something happen, not someone who requires someone else to make a chance for him.

I agree that the pass before the 2nd goal almost looked like he was giving it away on purpose. There wasn't a villa player anywhere near it and it didn't look mishit at all. A beautiful pass directly to the opposition. As I recall, it came directly after a restart amid some confusion after a foul or offside call. When I saw him make the pass I initially assumed play had stopped and he was giving it back to QPR. Strange thoughts do creep into your head, though, about whether he could have been deliberately setting them up. He was exposed, so they had a good chance, and he didn't seem to be going quite all out to get back and cover. I don't know if Colombia has a history of corruption in their local leagues, but it's hard to look at that pass and believe it was mishit or just a little off target. I didn't see much of the game, and if he played as well as most say, he obviously wan't trying to throw the match. There certainly would be easier, less conspicuous ways for a DM to help the opposition. But man, that pass...

You're right Clark doesn't do well against strikers like that. We (as fans) know it and so should the players. Vlaar should take responsibility as the more experienced, stronger cb and mark Zamora but he never will. That's an odd comment to make about Vlaar.

Diabolical! The bottle-less git!

What's Senderos doing on Denmark's bench?

Thigh strain. Out ~3 weeks.

Fair enough, each to their own. And I'm not your buddy, pal. What do you want me to do? Change my opinion because you think it's a load of rubbish? I'm not your buddy, guy. So this isn't you, then?

Schrodinger's cat walks into a bar. And doesn't. I'm reading a great book on anti-gravity. I can't put it down. A neutron walks into a bar and ask how much for a beer. The bartender says, "For you, no charge."

A termite walks into a bar and asks, "is the bartender here?" A blind man walks into a bar. And a table. And a chair. A priest, a pedophile and a rapist walk into a bar. He orders a drink. Nurse says to the doctor, "There's an invisible man in the waiting room asking to see you" Doctor says, "Tell him I'm sorry, but I can't see him."

A horse walks into a bar. The bartender says, "Why the long face?" The horse says, "I'm a horse."

Did you hear about the elephant with diarrhea? No? I'm surprised. It's all over town. What do you give an elephant with diarrhea? Lots of room.

Didn't realize you lot were such a bunch of thinkers. Sometimes you just have to go along with the premise. I can see it now: "A horse walks into a bar..." "No way, a horse would never be allowed in the door!"

4 nuns are lined up at the pearly gates to try to get into heaven. St. Peter tells the first one that he assumes as a nun she has led a virtuous life and will be a shoo-in for admission. But he asks her first if she has any sins to confess to. She says, sheepishly, that she once watched one of the priests take a shower and saw his johnson. St. Peter tells her to take some holy water from the basin and rinse her eyes and then ushers her in. Similarly, St. Peter asks the second nun if she would like to confess to any sins. She admits that she and a priest fooled around once and she fondled him. St. Peter tells her to go rinse her hands in the holy water and go on in. Meanwhile, a scuffle has broken out between the third and fourht nun. St. Peter asks what's going on. The fourth nun says, "I'll be damned if I'm going to gargle with that water after she's washer her arse in it!"

3 Villa supporters and 3 Baggies supporters are at the station to catch a train to London to watch their teams play Spurs and Arsenal. The Baggies supporters go to the ticket window and say, "3 tickets to London, please" and pay. One of the Villans goes to the window and says, "One for London," and pays. The Baggies supporters are puzzled and ask how the 3 Villans can get to London on 1 ticket. The Villans say, "Watch." All 6 board the train and the conductor starts coming through the car to check tickets. The villans head into the loo (did I say that right? I'm 'murican) and lock the door. The conductor gets to the loo door, knocks, and says, "Ticket, please!" and the door opens a crack and an arm hands out a ticket. The Baggies are impressed. After Villa smashes Spurs and Arsenal have ripped WBA a new one, the 6 encounter each other again at the station to head home. One of the Baggies fans goes to the window and buys one ticket, feeling smug. the villans bypass the ticket window and get on the train. The Baggies ask, "How are you going to get home without a ticket?" and the villans say, "Watch." As the conductor starts going through the car, the Baggies supporters run off to the loo and go inside. The villans wait a minute, then one of them goes to the loo, knocks on the door and says, "Ticket, please!".

Adrian Durham thinks Westwood is exactly what Arsenal need. Who's Adrian Durham? Interesting to see someone rain on Arsenal's parade a little and remind them that Vill a were hit by a virus. Is he a Villa supporter?

Benteke could use a few ear-flicking pointers from Hazard next time the Belgium squad gets together.

I think everyone was assuming that he was going to be such an obvious step up from what we've had the last couple of season that he'd walk right into the side. He's shown that he needs a bit more time to come to grips with the Premier League but, more importantly, we've brought in Richardson and Cleverley who seem to have hit the ground running. With Delph(ino) and Westy(wood) continuing where they left off, Sanchez needs to earn a place or wait for one of the others to lose theirs with a dropoff in form. It's good that there will be less pressure on him initially and he can have time settle in. In the foreseeable future, I think we'll see him mostly as a sub or when Lambert is looking for something a little different tactically.

Oh good! I was afraid I'd missed out on the chance to argue about the Culverhouse and Karsa situtation and might actually have to post something related to Roy Keane on this thread. What a relief. Culverhouse out! Karsa out!

Weimann's ok at getting in good positions. The problem is when he has the ball and is not yet in a good position...

Don't think Lambert will change much from the winning team, with Sanchez and Cole's fitness levels in doubt a bit. I expect Guzan Hutton Senderos Vlaar Cissokho Westwood/Sanchez N'Zogbia Delph Richardson Weimann Gabby With Cole, Sanchez and Grealish all coming on at some point for Zog, Gabby and Westwood. I'd like to see: Guzan Hutton Senderos Vlaar Cissokho Sanchez Delph N'Zogbia Cole Grealish Weimann

Zog should stay only if he agrees to take no more than 3 touches in the Stoke half.