PriceyDownunder

And hopefully on a five-year deal, too. To keep the hounds away after we turn him into a superstar...

Both Downing and Villa have stated that this pic is faked.

Obviously not enough for some...

Fantastic day... Spent BIG a the Villa Store. Big (IMO - gives me something to brag about back in Oz) win against big opposition. Scum down... Great day... Wife wants to sit in the Holte next time we come over... Brilliant atmosphere...

Cheers everyone...

Thanks for the tips everyone...

Will be meeting a cousin I've never met in the Tennis Courts pub, then walking apparently...

No worries SF, the more info the better... Beaufort + taxi sounds good. Is traffic around the ground any good? Thought a lift from our hosts might work, but maybe not...?

Is there anything happening at the ground at all? Just thought being last match of the season, maybe...

Keep 'em coming...

Hi all,

Making my first trip to VP in 30 (yes 30) years for this match. Am flying home for the first time since I was a lad, on Thursday 19th for a four week holiday, and managed to score the last two seats (together - that's what she said anyway) in the Doug Ellis.

Was wondering if anyone has any suggestions/ideas for the wife and I to make a day of it? Will be staying with relatives at Great Barr...

Thanks in advance...

9-0 Albrighton, Bent and Downing all getting hat-tricks

I admire your optimism so much that if it comes true I pledge $1000 to Acorns if that's the result...

A few minutes before Gabby went off, I heard on the TV coverage someone from the dugout call out to Gabby. I saw Gabby respond with a nod and a grimace. One can only guess what was said, but Gabby didn't seem perplexed by it. Perhaps he had taken a knock? Either way, given our history of letting in late equalisers or winners, I have no complaints about trying to sure up the midfield instead of going for the jugular...

Or "We don't need a Messiah. We're Houllier than thou." (I suppose that might mean we back the manager, though)...

Can't believe how many are calling Jagielka a cheat! Ash wouldn't have done the same thing in the same situation? Come on! Ref and linesman got it wrong, for me. Jagielka didn't do anything any other player wouldn't have done... Makoun should have never given him the opportunity. If he had slid in the tackle he would have gotten the ball, as it was he ran to him, stopped, and allowed Jagielka to "glance" off his knee.

As to whether the ball crossed the line or not - who cares? It wasn't our goal. If it did - it's about time we had some luck, cos we haven't had much of that since August. And if it did - good. It allowed them to lose concentration so Bent could score our second... BTW, if it WAS our goal, would we be pissed off that it was disallowed?...

If we had been offered 2-2 before the game, how many here would not have taken it? Was a decent result considering recent performances. For me, Walker getting caught in posession created their first goal. Not much wrong with the defence all game really. An improvement on the recent past anyway.

Probably bring Carlos in for Walker (who I thought other than a few attacking runs, was less than average). And agreeing with some, I'd bring Petrov in for Makoun (who I don't think is up for a battle yet) - or maybe Albrighton, and move Downing or Ash central.

Having said that, I saw a team today that seemed to have a little more fight in them than previously. And I believe this result can give the lads some confidence for the "easier" matches in the run in.

FWIW, was impressed with Houllier appearing a little more "passionate" at times throughout the match, but, again, agreeing with some other sentiments in this thread, would have liked to have seen a feww subs earlier than the 89th minute...

Overall, a better performance across the park. Bring on Newcastle...

We have a good manager and good players.

That's exactly what my therapist has told me to repeat to myself for weeks now...

Just reading the General's thread, and he puts a big post about how the bad form is about players. Not chasing down balls, marking players etc.. And it got me thinking that if GH can convince the board a manager can have so little influence on the players, and the subsequent form. Than maybe we should save ourselves a shit load of money and have no manager at all.

I think you might be onto something! Hey, I'll even do it for free...

Here's something I've been working on...

**** this current lot off...

Put Spink in goal...

Swain, McKnaught, Evans, and Williams at the back.

Bremner, Mortimer, Cowans, and Morley in the middle.

Shaw in the hole, and Withe up front...

Could work...

There is one name i can think off.

Its unlikely that we can get him, but...

- he's an amazing manager

- he wants to return to manage in England again

- he doesn't want to manage Liverpool

- i don't think he'd like to be always compared to Ferguson at Man Utd

- he wouldn't go to Chelsea

- Arsenal will stick with Arsene forever

- He has mentioned he'd like to manage a club like Spurs, Everton, etc. i believe we are on a par with those clubs (present situation excepting).

- he changes clubs a lot, i think he'd like to create a legacy at the next club he manages.

- he has a large ego, and so coming to a club where if he won a few trophies, we would worship him forever, and build statues/name stands after him.

- Real Madrid change managers frequently.

The man is MOURINHO.

Randy, go get this man this summer, pay him £6mill/year.

it'll be the best 6mill you'll ever spend.

i know, i know, he's way out of our league.... yet for the reasons stated above, i think he might just fancy the challenge.

SHIT YEAH...!!!!

Randy, you need a couple o' bucks?, I got some I can lend ya...

The hobo living under the Holte...

If we were at home, it wouldn't bother me that much. Playing away, I'd much prefer NC...

No Macheda to save them... Villa win...

Applaud Milner, and boo Barry... That'll confuse 'em...

Looks to me like he knows he's in a shitfight now...

Inept...

Need a dominant presence in the middle...

Lichaj's throw-ins could be effective further up (a la Delap)...

Need a second, which has always been an issue for us...

I could win two titles with Lyon. That team was so much better than the rest of the league you hardly needed much managerial talent to win. It's how they went backwards in Europe that was a worry

He also quite Lyon because he needed a break.

My worry is all the poor signings he made, team deteriorated under his management. That's my worry. He'll go sign garbage.

I have read some utter crap on this site before, but that takes the cake...

YOU could win two titles with Lyon? Off you go then. When you do, I'll run the perimeter of Villa Park naked... If you don't, how about you do it?

In the meantime, I'll support my club. The one owned by one Randy Lerner, the man privilaged with the task of appointing any manager HE thinks CAN do the job. If he decides that manager is Houllier, Randy has my support. You don't like that, go support Jol at Ajax...

Randy could line up Jose Mourinho with Sir Alex Ferguson as his assistant and STILL some people on here would whinge...FFS

-------------Freidel----------------

L. Young, Dunne, Clark, Warnock

Downing, NRC, Petrov, Albrighton

----- A. Young---------------------

-------------- Carew --------------

Ireland off the bench for NRC or Petrov on the hour,

Gabby or Bannan off the bench for Albrighton (with Ash moving wide)

Cuellar or Collins off the bench for Clark if needed...

2 - 0 victory

My choice: Avram Grant

Probably: Klinnsman or Bradley

Wild card/Longshot/Joke: Andy Gray?????

Reading this thread is like having a used condom wiped on your face.

Um...

How do you know what that feels like?