villaglint

I for one would be excited by Klinsmann - feels unlikely to me but I do seem to remember a rumour of his being friends with Randy. No idea whether he would be successful or not but he certainly got the Germans playing good football. And they were in a bad place when he took over.

Like this? Holman ------- Bent ---- N'Zogbia -------- Makoun --- Ireland ------- --------------- Diame -------------- Warnock - Clark - Dunne - Lichaj ---------------- Given -------------- If Martinez was in charge, this could be a formation he'd play. I've put Holman left wing because I think Martinez preferred Zog on the right. This could be interesting Except with a very different defense. After everything that has happened this year it would be pretty upsetting to see Warnock as our starting full back next year. When he scored that og I have never been so clear that a player was trying to ruin us from the inside.

So (with the players at our disposal presently) something akin to... Albrighton Ireland Herd Holman N'Zogbia BentYou'd have Herd competing in the air and putting in the bulk of the grunt work, with Ireland on occasional mop-up duty but primarily used to retain possession and move the ball around. Give Holman the entirety of the left flank to run up and down (by all accounts he has the engine for it) with N'Zogbia providing movement and an outlet for Ireland and also having enough space on the right to run at defenders. N'Zogbia's forays across and into the right channel could also allow Albrighton to sit back and play crosses in from a bit deeper, alleviating him of the pressure of trying to take on defenders and perhaps allowing him to find his range a bit better and rebuild some of that confidence from his first season. Yeah - although I would be loath to go into another season relying on Marc Albrighton as our 1st choice winger. We have already set his career back several years by throwing him in too often too soon. With our current players I would rather give Carruthers a go there.

Just putting this out there. I've got a bit of a feeling that Ireland would be better suited in a more traditional CM role than the "in the hole" role we mostly deploy him in. After Stan got injured I thought he did really well playing CM in the couple of games he had there and showed that he has the work rate and tackling ability to not get rolled over in this position. I see him as closer to Raul Meireles than David Silva. He his great on the ball and has terrific passing but he doesn't have that little burst of pace to beat a man create some space and play the killer ball. You see Silva and Mata doing this all the time and I think its critical to playing in that roaming position. I would like to see Ireland in CM with a real destroyer next to him (Diame?) and somebody with a bit more of a cutting edge ahead of him (Someone like Keane? or Sigurdsson if we could afford him?). Possibly even N'Zogbia if he can get sharp - it was off the front man where he had most of his success at Wigan. This way Ireland can helps us maintain possession (something which we have really really struggled to do this year. Whilst playing the odd killer ball and making the odd late run into the box.

My Short list (may not be gettable but I'm hoping were a more attractive proposition that last year, with a few of the dead wood big earners gone. And I hope Randy will invest) 1 - Moyes 2 - Benitez 3 - Hiddink 4 - Lambert 5 - Martinez 6 - Poyet

I'll be happy with someone who at least attempts to win the games.

Well Hallebloodylujah! Just hope hope hope that we have someone lined up - we seem to be lurching from one farce to another ever since MON left. Also I would be surprised if it was Lambert or Martinez - we never seem to go for the obvious option. I mean who would have guessed Houllier and the bloke who just got our Arch rivals relegated. On AM nice bloke and all but his record speaks for itself he cant have any complaints. The fact we got fewer points than the Blues did last season would make me cry if I wasn't a bloke and incapable of doing so.

is very good!

I think Daniel Johnson's decision making and general technique. Be interesting to see whether he can cope with the physicality of the Prem. Hope he does get a chance at some stage though we have a ton of promising CM's.

Excellent

Would take Guthrie for sure but not the other two. Guthrie is a solid premier league player who is good on ball - exactly what our midfield has lacked at times. I take the point about him stifling someone like Gardner however we have seen this season that we need some experience around these kids. If we plan to rely on them on mass again we will get relegated for sure. In any event I see Guthrie as a bigger threat to Herd than Gardner different types of players. On Leon Best I would not see him as a positive addition to first team. Don;'t see him as an improvement to Gabby/Wiemann for example. On Danny Simpson a player I like but unless we are selling Hutton (please god, please) then what's the point when we have Lichaj as decent cover.

Don't know why a few people are having a go at Gardner. For me he played well last night. Did a huge amount of tracking throughout the game and was involved in almost every chance we had. Great pass for Carruthers chance. In right place for biggest chance of game (though granted it was a shocking miss) Nearly won it with a header in last minute from a corner. As someone said its partly because of the super hype up he got that he was never going to fulfil it. People were expecting a Rooney and he is really not that type of player. He is a physically powerful, good all rounder with a rocket of a shot. Which means he is a solid midfielder who will pick up some goals throughout a season. Those types of players are pretty rare and very valuable. Have every hope that he will become a big player for us. Right at this minute though I have to say I think Carruthers is the closest to making an impact at first team level. He really is maturing very nicely. Looks to me to be the closest thing we have to a Silva/Mata type player, able to beat a man and also find a good pass. Also looks physically capable to mix it with the big boys and most importantly seems to have the confidence in himself to do it. Be interesting to see how he develops next year. Bannan is frustrating the hell out of me right now - played well in patches last night but he really needs to put a higher price on possession. Gives it away far too much playing the hollywood passes when he really should be a Xavi type player who dictates games and never, ever, ever gives it away. Longer term I am very excited by Jordan Graham as talented a prospect as I've seen.

So close to getting it right... Can't say Grealish doesn't deserve it though. Come on lads!!

I really dont know what the board are going to do - On the one hand I think they knew it would be a tough year and were mentally prepared to ride it out with McLeish. However the football has been that bad that they must be thinking twice about whether AM is the man. He really seems to have little clue about how to dominate a win a football match. The idea of going 2 ahead in a game seems completely alien to him - we have dropped something like 20 points from winning positions this year. One thing I will say is that by this time next week we will know for sure. After the Norwich game is gone they will either get rid and move on the Plan B we all hope has been worked on the last few weeks OR they will come out and back him and we will all spend a whole summer crying into our beers.

Guzan Carlos (sadly) Heskey (finally) Collins Warnock Delfoneso (never going to make it here so time for him to try and make a career somewhere) Makoun (if AM stays) Possibly Petrov depending on what is happening with him Plus 3 nippers So can quite easily be done as long as we find buyers for players which will cost a bit in Collins, Warnock and Makoun. Maybe get £8m for the lot?? Plus £20m investment from Randy?? Might be a bit hopeful Leaving us needing A cheapy reserve GK - Freeby no idea who 1 new CB to play alongside Dunne with Clark and Baker as first choice reserves. (Will spend some money here I think maybe that Douglas guy £6m?) A new LB - ?? 2 new CM - Heard a lot of Guthrie rumours on free and one for some money ?? A new CF - ?? Personally think we need another wide player in addition to Holman.

Wiziwig says there will be a couple of stations showing the game! Yey!

Gardner on twitter saying he's playing so I think we'll put out a strong side. Likes of Bannan, Carruthers, Baker, Delfouneso probably wouldn't have started against Norwich anyway. Weimann injured unfortunately. I'd go ---------------Siegrist------------------ Webb-------Williams ----Baker ---Stevens -----------Bannan ----Johnson---------- -----------------Gardner----------------- Carruthers ----------------- Cameron ----------------Drennan---------------- Might seem ridiculous to leave Delfounso out but I cant remember the last time I saw him play well and Mickey deserves to start has been banging them in of late too. Tough on Burke also but I like Cameron's pace and delivery from left. Also got Grealish and Jordan Graham on bench to terrorise if we have too. Hopefully with United chasing the title the likes of Smalling, Jones, Cleverly will be out. Anyone know if the game is on anywhere? Only audio commentary on AVTV.

Genuine question !

CI you have to be the same person as Sir Gary Cahill ??

If what MM is saying is true that Dunne, Collins and Warnock are poisoning the club. It explains why they have all been playing better of late - not to save us from relegation but to put them in a more positive light in shop window. It does not explain why we are getting rid of Carlos - the only decent bloke who has given his all and been far more consistent than the lot of them.

Well he did agree to manage England and they are anything but successful... Out of the 6 teams competing for the champs league, at the age of 65, who would have him? Not many. Come to Villa! I would assume Liverpool would be his best bet or Chelsea may well be looking too. Trouble is I think if we hired Capello we would have no money left to pay anyone else.

Me too last Wednesday for the first time in my life I genuinely thought we were on our way to Championship and if the league were one game longer we probably still would be. However I think we will get one more point this season - and that means Bolton and QPR both have to win both games which I cant see happening. It is essential though that we get that point because I can easily see both of them getting 4 points. Football is mental remember. What is scaring me is if we lose on Sunday and they both win. Then Norwich, the week leading up to it and life in general is going to be pretty shitty...

That's pretty worrying because we now have one of the slowest, least athletic squads in the league. Ha that's true - we have the best of neither right now. Which is whay we resemble a championship team much more than a PL

Holy Shit! I realise this seems ridiculous looking at it now but you have to remember that most of the players were bought with the intention of getting us into the top 4 of the Premier League (one of the top 3 leagues in world) so 13th highest paid football team should be seen in that light. Obviously the players we bought weren't good enough to get us there but still that was the intention.

Is this an ITK off? I have nothing to add I'm afraid