villaglint

Didn't let us down at all last season and had a number of excellent games. His pressing is excellent, would be a much better player if he had a bit more weight and muscle about him to boss the tackles/runs around the edge of our box. Going forward he is neat and tidy but not a lot more, a big reason why we look toothless against sides who organise well against us. Doesn't have the imagination to unlock, is more a tick tock player.

HH is a flash dan but plenty of people with money are. It doesn't improve my opinion of him but it doesn't offend me either. If he is able to get this off the ground I'll be very surprised. However first and foremost he really does give a F... and he wants to see us improve as a FOOTBALL team. Right now that is more than enough for me.

My apologies ! I did see it when I posted it, but I couldn't be bothered to change it. For shame...

My general rule is never judge a relationship from the outside because you can't possibly understand unless your there. If RV is happy, I'm happy!

During my Uni years I was going through a period where I wanted to understand as many sides of everything as I could and I made an attempt to read the bible cover to cover. I got a hundred pages or so in but couldn't stay the course. Main reason was it felt like I was reading a children's book and no matter how much I tried to look past that and read the "lessons" it just felt like I was reading a really, really, really long children's book and I could probably spend my time doing something better. Years on and now I read lots of children's books (to my child) and they are much more fun.

What a thing the internet is ? When it was originally put together I am certain they had no idea it would lead to Villa based websites that would be home to posts like the last two. And that is frankly marvellous. Makes you proud to be human.

To be honest I think that is almost the perfect result to make me feel slightly less Shite about how average/crap we are. Italians are out and Balotelli can go to sleep dreaming of kissing our Queenies arse. Uruguayans are through but doubt they'll get very far. He asked whether the English were still laughing at him the other night. Well Luis we stopped for about two days but yes, yes we are. You stupid tit, what on earth could have happened to him in his past to lead someone to be this dim! I wonder if his big move will now be stopped? I doubt it but I'll tell myself it is for a couple of days

Hippo - I don't doubt that you get told your info by somebody and any ITK is appreciated. However in the past you said Lambert would definitely be leaving and that Randy would be reaffirming his commitment to the club in his statement. So bearing those two bits of info in mind I'd say all ITK is to be treated in the same way right now, i.e good fun but with a pinch of salt. Unless Hairyhands returns that is!

Well having taken most of the day to think on it. At least we have had something to cheer and get excited about in this tournament. In the last Euros we were dead men walking the entire time and South Africa was Villaesque in its ineptitude at virtually every level. At least here in both games here we looked the better team at times and played some half decent football, but got schooled by the hard realities of international football. That gives me a very small crumb of comfort. Not a lot I know but I'm on a diet anyway. The one thing I hope we can get back in the coming years with these new players coming through is a sense of identity. For years and even in the poorer parts of the two games here we have looked nervous, lost, pretending like we were controlling the game when actually it was just because we didn't know what to do. As soon as we went behind we started playing at a higher tempo, moving the ball quickly, hassling, closing down, putting in some meaty challenges. I just wish we played like that all the time, like that was our thing. We've had enough talented players for years to do better than we are but we haven't found a formation and style of play that carries through no matter the personnel. All the other major teams have this.

Mic09 - your entitled to your opinion but I don't agree with it. 1-0 doesn't equal riding your luck it can also mean being in total control of game and doing what it takes to win. You say they weren't the best team at last WC but I remember thinking from the start they were certs to win it and nobody looked capable of stopping them. Also the not recover any time soon bit. Pretty sure a year or so ago they were World and Euro champs at virtually every level of the game so I think they'll be back soon enough, incredible conveyor belt of talent they have. Around 10-15 years ago I was in Spain fairly regularly and played school sides out there as well as plenty of kick abouts in parks etc. We got absolutely dicked every time and we thought we had a decent side out there !

I thought Danny Murphy was ok last night

RIP this Spain team, the best I have seen in my lifetime. I am sure they will be back challenging soon enough, the country has a huge amount of talent throughout the system. But this team and the big names are clearly done. People keep saying its the death of tiki taka but for my money they haven't played tiki taka at all in this tournament. That game is all about control, keeping the ball at all costs, making your opponents work and then swarming in teams whenever you lose it to win it back quickly and high up the pitch. At Spain and Barcelona's best it was breathtaking to watch, remember seeing both teams up the tempo of the passing when they needed to and it was football of another world, completely unplayable. Great thing about this game though is it always evolves and I have to say I am really enjoying the high tempo, emphasis on pace and skill that is currently in vogue.

And it shows!

I didn't see the bit where Chiles was going crazy but I'm not sure what the fuss was about. He got slapped in the face so its not a dive. Granted he didn't get elbowed but if I get slapped on the face when I'm playing football it pisses me off. If this happened in an international match I would want the ref to know about and especially if it was Pepe that did it as he is constantly getting away with little niggly fowls. From there it was a Pepe special but I don't really see how you can accuse Muller of cheating in that situation

Yey I had Kaymer at 40/1!

Very impressed with French. Be interesting to see how they cope against defensively against better teams. Sakho in particular I don't rate. But very fluid going forward, enjoyable to watch

Yeah I think he'll do well for them, also sounds silly but I think he is better suited to English game than Spainish. Thought he looked a bit out of his depth in really big games in Spain. Still a cracking player though, Chelsea will take some stopping next year. Obviously we'll do them at Villa Park because Mourinho is incapable of getting a result but its everyone else I'm worried about.

TBF To Gabby he normally is a big game player it's the other 80% of games that's the problem! TBF to Gabby he normally is a big game player when he's 100% fit it's the other 80% of games that's the problem!

Agreed - if you were them why sign a contract when the club is making open noises about not having much money. Better to wait for new owners or get the pay day of being a free agent in demand. If we do happen to lose these two in the summer it will be another big blow to the club.

I think we need him big time next season. I do wonder though how motivated the Bomb Squad will be to play for Lambert. I know to a certain extent they are all playing for their next contract and will want to impress to land a big salary at the next club but I'm not sure footballers give a crap sometimes.

So by my reckoning we still need - A left back - Assuming Luna will be off and big ? still over Bennetts ability to cut it. - A DM - been weak in this area for years. - Another wide forward - competition and ideally 1st 11 displacement for one of Weimann or Gabby. We have N'Zog coming back but after losing Albrighton still think we need one more. - A striker - possibly with Benteke injured but with Bent coming back I'd be inclined to risk it. If we have any money to spend where do you spend it and what do you patch with the freebies? I'd say LB personally and then see what can be done to cover other positions.

http://transfermarkt.co.uk/statistik/endendevertraege Here's that list

Does anybody have the list of out of contract players? Only thing worth speculating about now

This is what I don't get. If wages are under control why cant the club afford to pay transfer fees. I'm not talking about Randy gifting us a player. I am asking why the clubs finances cant support a transfer budget to keep us in the league? I don't believe that every signing made in the premier league is a gift from each clubs Chairman.

Yes I would like Randy to force someone to buy us, that would be great, id just like the sorry mess to end so we can try and rebuild in some kind of meaningful way. The bit about things getting worse was in reference to the no fees thing. At the end of last season we limped over the line and yet he plans to spend even less than he did last summer. That is surprising and disappointing to me, maybe it doesn't you which is fair enough this is all opinions. Main thing I don't understand is why the clubs finances itself can't accommodate at least a moderate transfer budget to try and keep us in the league. Nothing to do with Randy putting his hand in his pocket . Other clubs manage it, our wages must now be on a par or lower than most of our competitors and I don't believe every other Chairman is forking out £30m for transfer fees