UpTheVilla26

Those calling for Bent to come on are crazy

What.... a goalscorer??!!

Yeah, leave him on the bench, this amazing bunch have scored tons this season. Awesome.

We lose this, I'd love to hear one reason, just one why lambert should keep his job.

A disgrace.

Cos' he's excelling at reducing the wage bill.

Wait till' Randolph see's the wage bill when we are in The Championship, he'll have a right lobber on.

If we lose this, it's worse than I thought.

Yes, Bradford have nothing to lose and it's one of their biggest games ever but that does not mask the fact they are in LEAGUE-****-2.

Don't get the point in dropping Bent after he scored on Saturday, that is just stupidity on Lamberts behalf.

We need changes in the middle. Unfortunately, all our Midfielders are shit. Bannan, Delph, Ireland, El Ahmadi are completely useless. I rate N'Zogbia, he at least has a go and will beat people, but I bet it's him Lambert subs.

If we get to the Final, it's another nail in the League Cup coffin that a turgid bunch of wasters can scab to the final.

Playing like we did in the first half vs Ipswich.

Passing it around in defence and no idea going forward.

Echo the thoughts on Bannan, what exactly is the point in him? As for the front 3, they should be tearing a League 2 defence apart but due to shit service, they haven't had a sniff.

Woeful.

Oh no, we might be signing a player from the lower leagues.

HOW FAR HAS THIS CLUB FALLEN!?

It's not as simple as that.

Man Utd signed Nick Powell. Huge potential, scored hatful at Crewe. Does he play every week? No, cos' he's not ready. Yet we sign 4 players who are expected to make the transition and steer this club off over the horizon to a great new dawn.

Lambert has gone to the exteremes with what he's doing. Trouble is, half of what he has is simply not Premiership standard - Bennett, Lichaj, Delph, Bannan, Bowery, Stevens, El Ahmadi, Herd

As for N'Zogbia, I'd keep him. Get him fit and firing, and we have Benteke's supply line.

You're forgetting with the 8-0, we played with 3 centre backs. 1 was a midfielder(herd) 1 was a youth/reserve player (Baker) and Clarke. When you have such a **** up defence going up against Mata and co, what do you expect? Against Wigan we played 3 centre backs again with only 1 recognised centre back on the pitch. Until you get some players if the right positions you well keep on seeing results like these.

Lambert has been at the club long enough to know what positions needed sorting.

Benteke and Vlaar will prove to be astute signings but the rest seems to have just been plucked at wildly.

A player who has had 1 good year at Crewe anchoring our Midfield? A striker who Chesterfield fans said 'didn't do much anyway' as our back-up striker?

We have too many players who are simply woeful at this level and I am alarmed when we get linked with further un-tested potential. Young players need to learn and what better way than from experienced players who have been there and done it. We have no-one in this team that could rally the troops, just a load of kids who started to believe their own hype cos' they beat Liverpool.

I think i'd rather take the chance with Dale Stephens rather than a 32 year old Ivan Klasnic.....

Klasnic scored goals in the Prem. Against sides like Man City, Liverpool and us.

Stephens has made 85 appearances, mainly in League 1 and 2 and is so good Oldham loaned him out twice.

As for your other post, I've not said they are shit. I am of the opinion they are not good enough for a club like Aston Villa. An 8-0 drubbing at Chelsea and losing 0-3 at home to Wigan backs me up. Before you mention the 3-1 win at Anfield, Mcleish won 3-1 at Stamford Bridge last year - built well on that didn't he.

Lescott would be a great signing but don't see it as we are 'trying to get the wages down'

Don't piss in your bread. We'll turn it around.

Might take a few years, but we'll get there.

Just like Leeds have and Forest and Middlesbrough and Coventry. See a pattern developing?

This mess is down to the fact we are owned by a bunch of Cowboys who managed to screw up a team in the NFL, a sport primarily played and watched in their own Country. What gave them notions they could run a Football Club in England is beyond me. Disagree?? I present you Alex Mcleish.

This could/should have been nipped in the bud 2/3 years ago. How can we go from buying quality such as Milner, Young, Friedel etc... to scabbing around the lower Leagues?

Yes, you can buy potential and we did need a re-build (of sorts). But that can't and has never ever taken place in one season with a team of kids from League 1 and 2.

If you're happy with players like Stephens, Pritchard and Bowery then rock on.

And if we lose to Ipswich then you think that is the right preperation for a relegation scrap the week after?

The whole point of Football is to win every game possible.

We don't have the luxury of being able to rest players like Man City, Man Utd etc... can and we don't have the luxury that our first team is full of confidence that would pick up where it left off if rested.

Therefore, Lambert's selection on Saturday should take roughly 30 seconds to decide - the strongest 'possible' eleven.

OMFG

Maybe when you wake up and face the fact the club has fallen so far in such a short space of time, you may see the need for sarcasm.

When you go down the years, and see the players we were linked with - Vieri, Juninho, Defoe etc... - but more so the players we signed - Saunders, Houghton, Milner, Mellberg, Laursen etc... etc... to then open a paper or read online that we are after such stars as 'Dale Stephens and Bradley Pritchard', then I'm sorry, but I think optimism and hopefullness will give way to piss taking and negativity.

On the plus side, I seem to be one of the only people who wants Villa to WIN in the Cup on Saturday.

http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/12691/8379010/Gillingham-transfer-list-trio

Quick Lambert, snap them up!!

We've missed out on Jake Reed at Dagenham though, he's signed a new contract.

Damn.

Another unproven kid being signed, the joys.

To the person saying about flair players, I don't think they properly exist anymore. Most top sides now look for a more 'all-round' sort of player. Last English player you could say who had (has) flair is Joe Cole.

Last players we had with proper flair was Carbone & Merson. Ashley Young could beat a man but he'd then either dive or hammer it into the hoardings. Merse could dictate a game and Carbone was just Carbone - unpredictable but brilliant. Unfortunately we now have a side packed with players who do much the same as each other.

N'Zogbia could be a key player, he can skin Defenders left, right and centre but he's greedy and 9 times out of 10 loses the ball.

Unfortunately, the closest we will get to flair right now is when Bannan actually pulls off his 'one Hollywood pass a season' after 3,000 attempts.

As for signings, is Klasnic still on a free transfer? Scored goals for Bolton. Still think we missed a trick with Hitzlesperger, he'd have come back here in a heartbeat.

I can't believe so many are saying they ain't bothered about this game.

Bottom line is, our squad is bereft of confidence and this is a chance to get some back against lower-League, struggling opposition.

I'd put out the strongest team possible and try and smack a few goals in. If a few of them can get a goal or 2 it can only carry confidence and form into the League which is important. What would the point be in playing a team of stiffs who could possibly go out and win comfortably when it's the 'senior' players that need a good kick up the ass?!

I'd go with...

Guzan

Lowton

Clark

Herd

Bennett

Albrighton

Ireland

Delph

Holman

Weimann

Benteke

It sad that we have nothing better in Midfield than some bald wannabe gangsta' and a lightweight child.

On the bench, I'd put Carruthers, D. Williams etc... a few of the younger lads and if, IF, we get a 2 or 3 goal lead, give them a run out in the second half.

In my eyes though, this is a MUST win game purely due to the fact confidence is shot-to-pieces as it is.

Zat Knight is a hapless turd.

I'd get in the following...

Etherington, Mellberg, Reo-Coker

I'd then play...

Guzan

Lowton

Vlaar

Mellberg

Warnock

Albrighton

Reo-Coker

Bannan

Etherington

Agbonlahor

Benteke

This would offer a resiliant spine, with a bit of pace and width and goal threat.

However, we'll probably sign Charlie-****-Austin and a load of League 2 kids who are 'young and hungry'.

I would have still had Gregory back or Curbishley over Lambert in the summer.

People will say that Curbs has been out the game too long but that is complete nonsense. Like he's going to forget everything and have lost all his contacts?!

The worst part in all this, is even under Mcleish, we never looked as poor as we have the last 3 games. Sure, we won 3-1 at Anfield, but we won 3-1 at Chelsea under Mcleish. Lambert is on course to do what Mcleish did at Brum and take us down with Silverware.

Ultimately, this all boils down to having an idiot for an owner, who is being advised by other idiots who have not the first clue about Football.

Just sorted a ticket, so I'll eat my tea and head up.

Plus, cheap tickets in North Stand so I don't mind paying £20.

Up The Villa!!

Hahaha, hopefully it won't be that boring.

Most the time I forget I'm with someone anyway and end up getting ingrossed in the game.

I am in the same boat as you mate... if you drive up via Northampton I would be interested but that could possibly be very out of your way...

Yeah, quite far out my way as I am coming from Somerset so it's straight up the M5. Shame I don't go near Northampton.

It's the being a loner in the ground which is the worst part!!!

I've gotta go though, I can't watch on TV I'll be a nervous wreck.

Anyone else from the South West going up tonight??

I am very tempted to make the treck, but the 2 people I usually go with can't make it and it's a bit daunting going alone (which is sad as I am 29).

I don't have a ticket, will buy one when I get to VP, but I have space in car and free fuel (work pay for it all), so just wandering if anyone else is about??

How much are we still owed by Liverpool for the Downing deal?

I was reading their forum last night and they reckon £10mill and Rodgers would flog him. I thought they owed us about £6mill so we'd be paying £4mill to get him back. The way he left us was shit, but I couldn't careless right now as we need some quality in our Midfield. It might make Zog sort his shit out too and start playing a bit.

Up top, it seems as though this Benteke character is coming but just read that Ivan Klasnic is on a Free. QPR are trying to get him in, along with every other possible player they can find, but surely on a Free he'd be worth a punt? Scored goals for a crap Bolton side, so maybe he could score goals for a 'bit-less-crap' Villa side?

the problem is though what happens if we spunk a load of cash on players and wages and then UEFA dont let us play in europe next season

**** Europe, least we'd still be in the Premiership.

I find it hard to believe this fair play wages thing is as big a deal as Lerner is making out.

Sunderland have just spent the best part of £25 million on 2 players. West Ham have shelled out a fair few quid. Chelsea are spending like idiots and even Everton have found a few quid.

All of the excuses are a big smokescreen for Lerner to take back what he can before trying to flog us.

I'd take anyone at the moment if they improved the shit we are having to field week-in-week-out.

We have so many players not good enough for this level. Given, Herd, Bannan, Delph, Delfouneso, Warnock, Hutton... I'm sure there are a few more.

What we need is Premiership experienced players. Yes, we can have 1 or 2 youngsters in the side - Clark, Baker, Lowton, Weimann - but we can't keep playing these kids who have come through the system, cos' the majority of them are shit.

I'd even sell Darren Bent if we could get £20mill. He's done ****-all in 2 games except waltz around with the Captain's arm band on.

I'll give you a few players we could get in that would drastically improve this team - Michael Dawson, Tom Huddlestone, Adam Llallana, Ricky Lambert, Sebastian Larsson, Nicholas Bendtner. Out of these, I reckon at least 3 would be able to be purchased while Huddlestone would come on-loan (and to avoid the Kyle Walker charade, get an option to buy put in). I believe £20 mill would buy us Dawson, Larsson and Bendtner.

His interest has gone.

All Lerner is trying to do at present is re-coup as much money as possible before he swans off into the sunset and we are left in a shambolic state.

I want him gone ASAP. His decision making is pathetic, Faulkner & Mcleish vouch for that, he has let several managers take the piss and this has all been mirrored by what happened to his crappy NFL team.

Liverpool were heading down the same river under their previous owner. Luckily, they managed to **** him off before things got too bad. Unfortunately, Lerner is going to stick around until he squeezes every last penny out of this club to put back into his personal coffers.

And people thought it was bad under Ellis?? Pfffttt....

Bannan is awful. Tries stupid Hollywood passes all the time and adds nothing to the team. I can't remember ever seeing him have a decent game .

Just been going through JG's twitter account.

He really wants the job and I believe he'd do it well. Sod all this young, fresh manager shit - we need a manager that has everything Mcleish lacked - ENTHUSIASM, PASSION, VILLA IN THEIR BLOOD, CAN CHANGE A GAME etc...

If OGS was first choice, then maybe in 2 seasons we can go back in for him. But for now, please, please, please Randy, make supporting this club of ours 'fun' again and give us a Villa hero to take us into the new season.

As for all the 'he's been out the game too long' rubbish. I haven't rode a bike for about 6 years - I'd still be able to get on one and have a ride around still.

It's either this happens folks or we end up with either of the following options...

1. McCarthy, Bruce or Lennon

2. An unknown foreigner who ends up as being as shit as Ramos at Spurs