Rob182

DB for captain! (Not really.. but he says some nice things)

I've renewed mine. I would only stop renewing if I couldn't afford if, if I got bored of football in general or if, like wiggy, I had a kid and wanted to spend more time with him/her in the early years. No amount of poor results, managers, transfers or players would stop me going.

Ferris Bueller's Day Off I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry Orange County Empire Records Adventureland Forgetting Sarah Marshall I Love You, Man Napoleon Dynamite Step Brothers

That I feel guilty for calling in sick for work. I have a fractured wrist, but still I feel guilty!

Delph is quality based on what? Largely anonymous and does not offer any penetration. Takes too long on the ball and is totally over rated. How he can start a game over Makoun, Bannan or Gardner is totally beyond me. I think he is poor to say the least and offers very little indeed IMO, he is quality based on what I have seen of him in the last 2 years (most, if not all, of his appearances for us). He has the confidence and ability to take on players, he can shoot, he has an eye for a pass and he doesn't shy away from tackles (even if he does go a bit 'Paul Scholes' at times). He has all the qualities that you want in a top class central midfieler. He just needs to get some gametime and start showing ALL of his qualities, instead of one or two dotted throughout 90 minutes. What makes you think he is 'poor to say the least'? How many times have you seen him in the last 2 seasons?

Somebody like NRC unfortunately. .......but better. Hence why he isn't here anymore, look at where he's ended up - that tells you everything about how good he is. If we can lose someone from the wagebill and bring in a face then any of Palacious, Parker, De Jong? (though probably out of our pricerange), Huddlestone?, Mulumbu? or someone from abroad could fill a gap to play alongside Makoun & bring Delph through (with Petrov providing some experience to see out the last half an hour of a game). Though, unfortunatly, I think that Petrov will be one of our starters and he will provide a calming influence until his legs go and players roam past him.

Credit where it's due macandally, excellent post

Just saw the 'Heroes and Villans fanzine, get your latest issue!' guy on AVTV, the one who stands outside the Holte End The quality of this stream is ace. Hopefully it holds out for the whole game!

:shock: ghey. I was going to post 'I have a hairline fracture in my wrist because lapal_fan has legs like a horse'... but I refrained!!! It was a footballing injury, honest

Joined! 'Rob of the Rovers' is now 'Braz owes me £10', because my mate has bet me that WBA will finish above us this season. Hopefuly this joke runs all year :winkold:

------------------ Given -------------------- Young --- Collins ---- Dunne -- Warnock -------- Petrov --------- Makoun --------- Albrighton ----- Ireland -------- N'Zogbia ------------------ Bent --------------------- Bringing on Delph, Heskey, Gabby & Bannan at some point aswell

I have a hairline fracture in my wrist, thanks to VT member lapal_fan !

The All-American Rejects - I Wanna

I was at the game. My view was that it really was a training exercise. How anyone can read too much into that game I don't know. We lost 1 goal because Lowry gave away a penalty. We lost the 2nd goal when our team was Guzan, Lowry, Beye, Clark, Herd, Bannan, Gardner, Hogg, Albrighton, Ireland & Delfouneso. Apart from Ireland & Albrighton, that's basically our reserves.

Why? Because 11 Aston Villa players didn't beat 11 Derby players? Players that got on the pitch that probably won't play be major starters for us this season: Guzan, Clark, Herd, Lowry, Beye, Bannan, Gardner & Hogg. Players that didn't even get on the pitch: Given, Collins, Dunne, L Young, Warnock, Petrov, N'Zogbia, Gabby, Heskey. :? It's a friendly, it's for fitness. Just because they're wearing claret & blue, doesn't mean they automatically should win the game.

Guy in a white top who the stewards took down the steps? yep absolute tool sat right in front of him as he spouted utter drivel. I told him theres a place 3 miles away from villa park called small heath which has a club hes better of supporting I saw him too, he was ranting and raving and even started to pick a fight with a Villa fan who disagreed with him. I'm not bothered by the loss, I clapped the lads at the end. It's a run-out for fitness, we didn't have a single member of our first-choice back 5 in the team. As others have said, Braga will be the real test and will give us an indication of how we will be playing this year.

I agree with this, but this could be said for any player that has been in our side for the past few seasons; simply because of the fact that we have lost a lot of quality.

I think that's the main issue Nath, parents! In my experience, parents are generally more protective of a girl than they are a boy. When I stop at my house, I feel at ease. When I stop at a girls house, it does play on my mind that her parents could knock the door at any time.. just to 'check up' (or... interrupt!!!) That said, I like it when I can get along with a girls parents.... ... so that, ultimately, they accept that I'm doing the dirty with their daughter!

Getting through a whole game of 5-a-side without injuring one of my glass ankles!!!

Not right this second.... but recently in my car I was listening to one of my all time, favourite cds.. and it starting skipping NOFX - The War on Errorism

A whole pound!!!! Good to see you putting your money where your mouth is I know I'll donate between 5 and 10 pounds when my lion turns silver anyway, so I could have put any amount below £10.01 and it wouldn't have made a difference!

I predict that this season he will make a few appearances and he'll play so well that we'll continue playing him. Then, he will catch the eyes of MOTD and the papers will be full of rumours of him moving to Man Utd/ Liverpool/ Arsenal... BUT! He will stay with us because he's a villan!!! That's my prediction. £1 to VT if that doesn't happen!

Same here. I reckon we'll see a purchase next summer for central midfield. Petrov, Ireland, Bannan, Delph, Makoun, Hogg & Gardner will have to make do, for now. Petrov & Makoun I have confidence in. Ireland & Delph could be hit and miss. Bannan, Hogg & Gardner could be risks.

Gardner looked good Today! A decent first appearance for the first team, if non-competetive. He's an odd one though. He's a strapping lad, looks good in the tackle, has good vision and can pass... do we shove him in a central midfield 2 or 3? Makoun, Gardner & Delph would be a good central midfield in the future, imo.

Are we allowed ten subs next season? :winkold: Mike