jackbauer24

3 minutes ago, TRO said:

Will Emi be the first Villa Player to win the World cup.....should Argentina win it?

According to a stat I just read, he's the first active Villa player to play in a final... so I'm guessing yes!

Guilbert had a successful loan spell at Strasbourg and seems more than capable.

When Cash has been out he would have been a suitable replacement.

So I suspect this is not about ability at all but about some internal team politics or there is some personal stuff that's going on. We'll never hear about it of course.

He clearly hasn't got a future here but I think that's down to something other than ability.

Every year I create a Christmas Movie Advent calendar. Nothing groundbreaking but normally the classics, mixed in with some crappy, but easy watching, Netflix films and a handful of new films that 'audition to remain on the list next year. I print them all out on a slip of paper, fold them up and mix them up into a wooden advent calendar so it's a surprise. Every night the wife or I open the advent to see what we're watching and help ourselves to a chocolate from the accompanying celebrations box!

I'm up to about 40 films which means there's quite a few days with more than one film. And it's become a bit like a World Cup draw, with seeded films in a pot with newbies or the Netflix schmaltz - this avoids having two weak films a night. Then there's ensuring that sequential films are in the right order or that triple headers are on weekends when we'll have time. Quite the undertaking!

In recent years, the people at work have loved the idea and like to know what's on the bill each night. So now I list it on Instagram with a quiz question about the film!

Films range from Die Hard to Serendipity to Muppets to The Princess Switch to The Night Before, so quite a mix! Once it starts, it really feels like Christmas. 

What can we take from this game? 

Olsen isn't good enough to be back up.

Kamara is getting stronger and stronger.

McGinn is looking done.

Emery isn't really prioritising cups.

We are mentally weak/ ill disciplined -  concede equalisers after 19 seconds and 5 minutes. Poor, just keep it tight.

Our away fans are the best in the land.

I don't think it's overreacting as such.

I do think that only allowing a select demographic of people who have expendable cash for season tickets to vote is a bit of a narrow set of people to poll and could produce a skewed result; are most eligible voters white, male, over 30 with fairly well paid jobs? 

It very much plays in to the whole 'I'm a better fan than you because I have cash' which is clearly unfair.

However, they also couldn't open it to everyone and I imagine there are literally thousands of Fan IDs that aren't actually fans of Villa but just had ID for other games etc.

I'm not sure I know the solution but I can understand your annoyance at something you clearly feel passionate about and it is equally your club.

For the record I am eligible and am fortunate to be so. That doesn't make me a better fan than you.

I think it's probably a reasonable assumption to make that those with the expendable cash to have season tickets or memberships are generally more likely to be the older fan and therefore more drawn to the 80s style badge as it's their youth and a successful period.

Personally, I think it's a shame as it's the opposite of progression and fixated on the past. It's not traditional either as we only had a circular badge for a small percentage of our history. The colours are muted on both and the font looks off. 

We will end up with the circular badge, it was inevitable from the second the consultation started. Just feel it's playing to the crowd rather than innovative.

I'm not a fan. But then I don't like Brexit, the Tories or Trump either so I'm often on the wrong side of public popular opinion!

Is it just me, or does the lion strongly look like it's in the middle of the Thriller dance routine?!

Think it's the height of the raised leg.

4 hours ago, Genie said:

Unfortunately, if lane keep assist could be turned off completely the car would be in a higher insurance group, lower NCAP rating. This is why manufacturers have to have it on as default.

Are you guys changing lane without indicating? In my experience if you indicate then the car doesn’t fight it as it recognises it’s a conscious lane switch. The problem that does often upset it though is when old markings or badly covered ones in roadworks confuse the hell out of it.

The motorway scenario is with the indicator on. If you indicate to move but there's a car on the inside lane, the car beeps and vibrates the steering wheel to warn you not to make the maneuver. Annoying because sometimes you're just showing your intention so a space opens up on a busy motorway. But it's most irritating when it does the same about a lane you have to intention of going in to, eg moving from fast in to completely empty middle lane but it thinks you're going to carry on going in to the occupied slow lane. Not intelligent enough, should respond to maneuver not the indicator.

That one, unlike lane assist, I'm not sure I can turn off at all.

1 hour ago, Spoony said:

Country roads are where they’re at their worst. They just can’t comprehend that the roads are narrow or just can’t figure out where the middle and side is so likes to veer you into the middle of the road to assist you in crashing into oncoming traffic. Also when you’re coming up to or driving past turnings off a road it can freak out about the new markings and again try and shove you somewhere else. And then there are the occasional times where you go over a line to avoid an obstacle, pothole, whatever and it tries to wrestle you into the object you’re trying to avoid. It’s appallingly shit and dangerous tech.

Also adaptive cruise control is **** shit. My car will randomly be like “50mph detected” on a motorway where there is no 50mph limit in effect and happily and very suddenly slam on the breaks. 

Exactly this regarding country lanes. The EV6 is a big car so on some bends, even at a snails pace, you'll go over the markings and the and the car will try to drive you in to the verge! I've now just got in to the habit of turning it off the second I get in the car, like two ignition buttons - first one to drive, second one to be in control!

As for the start up/shut down tune like Windows... I quite like it!

The EV6 is a great car in the main, the issues surround what they're doing to all modern cars really in that control is being eroded and the car makes most of the decisions, from lights and wipers, to braking and direction... but then I always wanted KITT, so maybe careful what you wish for!

I'll contribute to this complaining about 'progress' by adding "Driving Aids" which can be a safety hazard.

I have a Kia EV6 which has lane assist on as standard and can only be turned off EVERY time you get in the car. Forget and you may find your car decides to randomly shove you across the road on country lanes as it can`t read the road markings, or do the same on the multiple roundabouts and roadmarks in the city. The feature is useful for motorway driving but dangerous in every day conditions.

It's also ridiculously over zealous on other warnings; screaming and steering wheel vibrating when I put it in reverse so people can see I want to come out of a space but am not just mindlessly reversing, or doing the same as I move from the fast lane to the middle lane on a motorway but there is a car in the slow lane...

I like gadgets and tech that makes life easier, but it should be a choice.

Well this is the most boring race for a long time so far. Don't think there's been much movement after the start and 21 laps in everyone still running and 90% of cars are 2 seconds+ behind the car in front of them.

What is the fewest on track overtakes ever?!

We gave them as much time as they wanted on the ball. 

They harried the ball off us the second we had it (before we could boot it over the top).

The difference today was energy, desire, fight, confidence. They just weren't bothered.

So neither am I. Have got very bored of football. 

The only thing I find unacceptable today is the lack of fight. Newcastle lose the ball and they fight to get it back. Not a single Villa player does.

Not good enough.

Not a lot wrong, we're just lacking a little bit of quality and, more annoyingly, a little bit of urgency as our play is so slow. Newcastle are up for even battle and we still seem a little passive.

Hopefully, Emery sorts the approach as much as he looks at tactics etc.

10 hours ago, Keyblade said:

The striped background on the 90's badge is awful, makes it way worse than the current badge. Suspect nostalgia is playing a big part in the praise for that.

I largely suspect nostalgia is the reason we'll end up with a round badge that isn't too dissimilar from the 80s design. People hold a fondness for what they grew up with, especially if that couples with a successful period. Same with kits.

I'd guess most people who will get the opportunity to vote would be of the demographic that remembers the European Cup win, whereas those born after 1990, or definitely 2000, are less likely to be at a stage in their life where they have expendable cash for a season ticket etc.

Tradition/history points to a shield. Nostalgia points to that tiny portion of our history that we had a circular badge.

I'm now under the impression that Gerrard is going nowhere soon. The lack of real stories about approaching managers, his general attitude and him saying he feels he has their support, added to the fact Purslow has a soft spot for him and we're not in relegation zone means he stays for a few months at least.

Not until we're three or six points adrift will they consider his position I reckon. The general crowd are still a few games away from that yet (only pockets of boos) and the World Cup is coming. 

Depressing.

Most managers get sacked. Very few leave of their own choice or for better jobs. It's probably 90%+ who will inevitably get sacked or leave through mutual agreement.

With that in mind, Purslow simply must have considered this day would come when he first hired his friend. They surely had this conversation and would have some agreement in place to separate business from friendship.

I don't believe for a second that people in these roles don't consider these highly likely circumstances.

Therefore, more concerning, is the notion that it isn't actually a discussion at all at the moment. He's not protecting a friend because that scenario has been discussed a year ago... they are all in agreement that there isn't anything to consider yet. I imagine they've probably said he gets a year regardless before there is even a debate.

Gerrard would be LUCKY to be sacked now.

He can still rescue a tiny bit of reputation by, ridiculously in my opinion, pointing to the final few scraps of argument that could say he needs more time. He could suggest we've turned a corner, he could say we've been unlucky with injuries, he could protest we've drawn with Man City and played well against Chelsea.

BUT the longer he gets, the less these arguments stand up and the more embarrassing it gets. We had everyone vs Bournemouth and he still lost. Pre-season was shaky. Most of 2022 has been a sh*tshow.

He should be begging to be sacked so he can suggest it was unfair and get his mates in the media to salvage his career.

Give it a month, two or horrifically three, and none of this will be left and his career is over.

He should BEG to be sacked/leave mutually.

Personally, I doubt we'll see him manage again after Villa. He's a winner to be fair and he'll know he'll never be that as a manager at a high level so will disappear in to media.

Gerrard barely plays him and then uses him in three positions tonight.

Buendia doesn't have a world beating game... shock.

Still, almost everything decent came from him, albeit in fairly short supply. Who really out performed him in tonight's 'performance'?

Play him, in the right position, consistently, in a team that knows what it's doing and he is the least of our problems.

1 hour ago, Genie said:

I hope you have a good electricity tariff.

Octopus Go which means we make sure it doesn't drop below about 70% to get 7.5p for four hours.

Wife has a Vauxhall Corsa-E so weve been learning how to play the game.

Well I ordered my KIA EV6 in March. They told me it'd be in UK from 16th Jan 2023.

It is being dropped off at my house on Wednesday! Must have smuggled those semiconductors in through the black market...